Faster way to mount as USB drive?

[youngjediboy]

I hope I'm not just completely blind and stupid and missed it, but is there a faster way to mount it as a USB drive when connected to a computer via USB cable? The only way it seems to work is I have to go to Settings > Wireless and network > USB Utilities then tap the Connect storage to PC button. Of course, if I have it plugged in, it doesn't work.... I have to do this while unplugged, then tap that button, THEN it tells me to connect the USB cable and only after that will it connect.

I know it's not a huge deal, but I'm hoping there's a much faster way to connect than to go through all these setting pages each time.

 

[Mikest]

Once its plugged in you should just be able to click on the USB icon in the notifications drop down menu. If you're using a Mac (as I discovered the other night) you need to change some settings on the phone.

Go to settings > applications > development > and enable USB debugging


for detailed instructions with images
How Can I Connect My SPH-d700 (Epic 4G) Phone To My Macbook To Use Mass Storage?

 

[sailon314]

@Mike1978
I had the same question/issue as did youngjediboy. I use a PC and your suggestion to enable usb debugging made the process MUCH easier to connect to the PC to transfer files. Once the USB is connected to the PC, all you have to do is slide down the notification bar, click on the "USB Connected - Select to copy files to/from your computer" notification, then click "Connect USB storage" on the next screen, and you're ready to go.
Thanks for the tip!

 

[Cory Streater]

I'm glad that solves the problem, but it's a bug (no pun intended) if you are having to do that.

When you plug the phone in, there should be a little icon in your notification panel that appears. If you swype downward an option to select either "Mount Storage" or "Media Player" will appear.

If you want to preset a default you would go to settings, USB settings, and then pick the one you want.

So nice tip!

 

[Cory Streater]

I found this in the user guide. In addition to checking the USB settings I mentioned above, this might also be worth checking out:

Use the Device’s microSD Card as a USB Drive

To transfer music, pictures, and other files from your computer to your device’s microSD card, you need to set the device’s microSD card as a USB drive. 1. Connect the device to your computer using the supplied USB cable. 2. When the Connect to PC dialog box appears, tap Disk drive, and then tap Done. 3. On your computer, the connected device is recognized as a removable disk. Navigate to this removable disk and open it. 4. Do one of the following: • Copy files from the computer to the root folder on the device’s storage card. • Copy files from the device’s storage card to a folder on your computer or computer desktop. 5. After copying the files, unmount the removable disk (that is, the connected device) as required by your computer’s operating system to safely remove your device, and do either of the following: • Disconnect the device from the computer. • If you want to keep the device connected to the computer but want the device to be able to access and use the storage card, open the Notifications panel, tap Disk drive, select an option other than Disk drive, and then tap Done. Note: The device will not recognize the microSD card when it is connected to a computer as a disk drive. You will not be able to use some of the device’s applications such as the camera or Music.

 

[youngjediboy]

I'm glad that solves the problem, but it's a bug (no pun intended) if you are having to do that.

When you plug the phone in, there should be a little icon in your notification panel that appears. If you swype downward an option to select either "Mount Storage" or "Media Player" will appear.

If you want to preset a default you would go to settings, USB settings, and then pick the one you want.

So nice tip!

Exactly, you would think this should be a built-in feature to access the storage on your phone from a computer via USB, not something you'd have to dig through menus or have to enable a debug mode in order to do.

Anyway, I guess the debug mode is a good workaround. Thanks for sharing!

 

[folarino]

I hope I'm not just completely blind and stupid and missed it, but is there a faster way to mount it as a USB drive when connected to a computer via USB cable? The only way it seems to work is I have to go to Settings > Wireless and network > USB Utilities then tap the Connect storage to PC button. Of course, if I have it plugged in, it doesn't work.... I have to do this while unplugged, then tap that button, THEN it tells me to connect the USB cable and only after that will it connect.

Just plug it up and you should see it listed as a portable device (SPH-D710) in My Computer. No need to mount it or anything.
I don't have USB debugging turned on. When I plug in the phone, it says 'MTP-Connected' in the notification dropdown.
Go to Device Manager on your computer and under portable devices SPH-D710 will probably have a caution sign beside it, bcos no driver is installed.
Have Windows search for a driver and it should find one provided you have an internet connection.
Once it installed the driver, you'll see it listed as a portable device in My Computer.

Next time you plug it up, it will be good to go.

 

[folarino]

Exactly, you would think this should be a built-in feature to access the storage on your phone from a computer via USB,

It is. See my explanation above.

 

[bcalvanese]

It is. See my explanation above.

Exactly. Some people just have to over complicate things...

 

[Mikest]

I found this in the user guide. In addition to checking the USB settings I mentioned above, this might also be worth checking out:

Use the Device’s microSD Card as a USB Drive

To transfer music, pictures, and other files from your computer to your device’s microSD card, you need to set the device’s microSD card as a USB drive. 1. Connect the device to your computer using the supplied USB cable. 2. When the Connect to PC dialog box appears, tap Disk drive, and then tap Done. 3. On your computer, the connected device is recognized as a removable disk. Navigate to this removable disk and open it. 4. Do one of the following: • Copy files from the computer to the root folder on the device’s storage card. • Copy files from the device’s storage card to a folder on your computer or computer desktop. 5. After copying the files, unmount the removable disk (that is, the connected device) as required by your computer’s operating system to safely remove your device, and do either of the following: • Disconnect the device from the computer. • If you want to keep the device connected to the computer but want the device to be able to access and use the storage card, open the Notifications panel, tap Disk drive, select an option other than Disk drive, and then tap Done. Note: The device will not recognize the microSD card when it is connected to a computer as a disk drive. You will not be able to use some of the device’s applications such as the camera or Music.

its nice that that's in the manual but none of those things listed past #1 happen on a mac right now by default

it just works... like magic /black turtleneck sarcasm

 

[Cory Streater]

its nice that that's in the manual but none of those things listed past #1 happen on a mac right now by default

it just works... like magic /black turtleneck sarcasm

Us Mac guys are always left out :/

 

[vader4633]

Has the op tried Kies air yet?

 

[youngjediboy]

I've only tried it via the browser. Seems pretty cool and probably good for small files, but doesn't seem like that'd be a good option for transferring big files, videos, etc.

It still feels like it's more complicated than it should be. When I'm at home it's fine to be able to just go online to download the drivers, but what if you're on the field where there's no internet connection and need to transfer something to/from someone's laptop?
Not trying to troll, but this was something that even my old Palm Pre could do without having to go through so many steps. It's literally just plug and play.

 

[vader4633]

WhenI transfer files using usb, after plugging the epic touch into my windows 7 pc, I just go to my computer and the phone is listed there to click on for the usb drive or the sd card.

 

[JayWill]

Yeah I'm surprised to read about people having issues with this. The first time I plugged it in, I could see the device listed as a drive, clicked into it and had access to the folders. I made a Music folder, dumped some files into it and went on my merry way.

 

[folarino]

Yeah I'm surprised to read about people having issues with this. The first time I plugged it in, I could see the device listed as a drive, clicked into it and had access to the folders. I made a Music folder, dumped some files into it and went on my merry way.

I think for Windows 7 64 bit you have to download the drivers. I had to on my laptop, but it works fine now when I plug it in.

 

[onthehunt]

I had similar problems getting my usb connection to open the disk drive on my phone. When I pulled down the notification bar and tapped MTP Connected nothing happened. T I accessed the drive through Windows Explorer, and the phone didn't show on any of the removable drives. I had to go to My Computer, Properties, Device Manager, SPH-D710, and install the device driver. That worked for me too. When I want to disconnect and eject the phone, I don't see that usb option. Why? Is it ok to just pull the usb cable out of the phone without doing the ejection process?

 

[riz518]

I am trying to connect to a pc as well. I have tried all of the tipa above and get nothing? Any computer I try it on is the same thing? It does not regonize the phone? I have to take my card out and put it into my computer to transfer anything. It always says "connect usb cable to use mass storage" which I do but it does not regonize it? I have tried the stuff above but no change. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

 

[onthehunt]

Riz518, what do you see when you connect your phone to the computer? When I did that, my phone did not show as a removable drive at all, which has been typical with my other phones. I am running Windows 7, 64 bit and had to download the driver. When I connect my phone now, it shows as a hardware device, not a removable drive.

 

[adams13]

Now with android 4.0.3 they have made it even worse. Now it is "Menu" -> "Settings" -> "More..." -> "USB utilities" -> "Connect storage to PC" -> only here connect the cable -> "Turn on USB storage" -> "Ok". How could the healthy human being think of introducing such a long chain for an every day task?!

By the way, all this "USB debugging" and copying using MTP device works ONLY if you install a driver. This means there is no way to overcome the 7-click procedure you have no administrative rights in windows.

Another important restriction of MTP-mode: you can access the phone memory / SD card only from windows explorer. It is not mounted as a drive, so no other application can access the files.

Please, android-developers: make it easier! For example like a third option after "Media device (MTP)" and "Camera (PTP)".