Transfer files to PC

[nelhop]

It seems like every time there is an Android update there is something I can no longer do. I would like to transfer photos taken with the Nexus 5 camera to my PC. On the pull down menu on the home page I checked USB for file transfer. The nexus 5 appears on the PC. I can click on it and the folders show. But they are all empty. The DCIM folder where I expected to see the photos shows only a thumbnails folder which is also empty. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Eva

 

[B. Diddy]

If you use a file manager app on the phone, can you find the photo files in the /DCIM/Camera directory?

On the computer, can you use Windows Explorer to see any other file on the phone, or do all of the directories show up empty?

Is the phone's screen timing out and locking before you have a chance to explore the phone with Windows Explorer? If the phone is locked when you first try to explore it from the computer, you won't be able to see the files.

 

[nelhop]

Thank you for your reply.
On the phone Astro file manager sees all the photos in DCIM and all the music in the Music folder. On the computer all the folders are empty. The phone is not locked when I attempt to see the files.

I have a Dell computer and Windows 7. This is a relatively new problem. Once before I couldn't see the internal storage at all on the PC and asking for help in this forum pointed out that a recent update of Android has added the useful (?) feature of the pull down menu where use USB for file transfer needed to be selected.

If you use a file manager app on the phone, can you find the photo files in the /DCIM/Camera directory?

On the computer, can you use Windows Explorer to see any other file on the phone, or do all of the directories show up empty?

Is the phone's screen timing out and locking before you have a chance to explore the phone with Windows Explorer? If the phone is locked when you first try to explore it from the computer, you won't be able to see the files.

 

[rhea]

Have you rebooted both pc and n5? Since you can't see any files, the photo transfer option probably won't work, either. You could try toggling Settings>Developer options>Select USB Configuration.

 

[nelhop]

Thanks.
Yes, I have rebooted the PC and n5. I don't see Developer options under Settings on the n5.
I did look at the device manager on the PC. I checked update driver for the n5. The driver is up to date.

Have you rebooted both pc and n5? Since you can't see any files, the photo transfer option probably won't work, either. You could try toggling Settings>Developer options>Select USB Configuration.

 

[Javier P]

Thanks.
Yes, I have rebooted the PC and n5. I don't see Developer options under Settings on the n5.
I did look at the device manager on the PC. I checked update driver for the n5. The driver is up to date.

Maybe you need to enable them. Go to settings - about phone and tap 7-10 times on the build number

 

[rhea]

Maybe you need to enable them. Go to settings - about phone and tap 7-10 times on the build number

Yes.

 

[nelhop]

Did that. Now I have developer options. Not sure what to choose next. USB debugging?
Incidentally, the PC can see the files on my Nexus 7, so it is a Nexus 5 problem.

Yes.

 

[nelhop]

Okay, I found Select USB configuration. It is set for MTP. Is that correct?

 

[rhea]

Yes. Change it to something else-try midi. Plug into pc to see what happens.maybe new driver installation. Then switch back to mtp. Make sure to select file transfer from the pull-down, also. My experience tells me that even though one device works, it could be the other device or the pc. However, I have read many have had this issue with 6.x. I had it on one device, once. I think the toggling worked.

 

[nelhop]

Selected Midi. PC did a driver installation but computer did not recognize nexus5. Switched back to MTP on USB configuration and file transfer on pull down. Unfortunately, the PC recognizes the N5 and its folders but not the contents. No change, in other words. Would USB debugging do anything here?

Yes. Change it to something else-try midi. Plug into pc to see what happens.maybe new driver installation. Then switch back to mtp. Make sure to select file transfer from the pull-down, also. My experience tells me that even though one device works, it could be the other device or the pc. However, I have read many have had this issue with 6.x. I had it on one device, once. I think the toggling worked.

 

[rhea]

Some people did try that. When you connect using usb debugging, you'll get a pop-up on your n5 to always allow the device on the computer-or something similar. Check it. This is all from memory so hope details are correct.

 

[nelhop]

I didn't know what to expect but I enabled USB debugging. The PC went through installing driver again. When that completed I opened Computer. The Nexus5 was recognized. I clicked on that and nothing appears. What now? Turn USB debugging off again?

Some people did try that. When you connect using usb debugging, you'll get a pop-up on your n5 to always allow the device on the computer-or something similar. Check it. This is all from memory so hope details are correct.

 

[nelhop]

Tried again. Disable and re-enabled USB debugging. This time the internal storage opened and showed the folders, but they're still empty.

I didn't know what to expect but I enabled USB debugging. The PC went through installing driver again. When that completed I opened Computer. The Nexus5 was recognized. I clicked on that and nothing appears. What now? Turn USB debugging off again?

 

[rhea]

That leaves two procedures. The easiest is to remove all drivers associated with android. They will reinstall when connecting. A program called usbdeview can help (free, safe download from cnet. com). The other procedure would be factory reset the phone. Neither is guaranteed to work. Did you say if you tried different cables? -even though n7 works.

 

[nelhop]

I did try a different cable. We're getting deeper into the technical abyss. While your instructions are clear. I wonder if I could get myself out of a melt-down if something went really wrong. I'm inclined at the moment to live with the problem. I think I can move music files and photos, for example, to dropbox or Google Drive to get them onto the PC. I just tried to copy a music file from the PC to the Nexus5. The transfer worked and the file shows up in the music folder. It is the "only" file showing in the music folder. Anyway, there are some workarounds and I can hope the next Android update will fix the problem. I really appreciate the help you and others contribute to this forum. I have received help here so many times. I hope Google is aware of this problem.

That leaves two procedures. The easiest is to remove all drivers associated with android. They will reinstall when connecting. A program called usbdeview can help (free, safe download from cnet. com). The other procedure would be factory reset the phone. Neither is guaranteed to work. Did you say if you tried different cables? -even though n7 works.

 

[rhea]

Yes, cloud storage will work. Astro File has an smb (connect to pc via wifi, if you have it) feature so you can move files that way. There is another file manager, Wifi File Explorer, that gives your device a web address that you can put into your pc browser and have direct access to your device files. You can transfer files to/from pc. Good luck.

 

[N4Newbie]

It seems like every time there is an Android update there is something I can no longer do. I would like to transfer photos taken with the Nexus 5 camera to my PC. On the pull down menu on the home page I checked USB for file transfer. The nexus 5 appears on the PC. I can click on it and the folders show. But they are all empty. The DCIM folder where I expected to see the photos shows only a thumbnails folder which is also empty. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Eva

Are you using the stock (Google) camera? If you are using some other camera, it more than likely puts photos in its own folder, not DCIM.

 

[nelhop]

Yes, I use the stock Google camera and I am not rooted. Thanks for the suggestion. But it's not just photos that don't appear on the PC, it's the contents of all folders that are just not there.

Are you using the stock (Google) camera? If you are using some other camera, it more than likely puts photos in its own folder, not DCIM.

 

[rhea]

Did you try clearing the cache: Settings>Storage and USB--scroll down to Cached data, click it to clear. Reboot phone. It worked for one person. I still suspect drivers. With USBDeview , you want to delete all the files that show 18d1. Your pc will re-install when you hook up the N5 and/or N7.

If you haven't tried the USBDeview program, I'll tell you that you have to scroll down the page at least 2/3 of the way to find the download button.

I've been using devices for 6 years, but this year I've had to rely on uninstalling/re-installing drivers more than ever. It doesn't hurt to do this, and it gets ALL the drivers not just what may show up in Device Manager.
There is just a possibility that the usb port on your phone has been damaged. It's pretty slim, but data and charge use different pins so it is possible for charging to occur but transfers not. However, I don't think that's your issue.
It's pretty frustrating (stressful) to deal with this type of problem so when you said you'd live with it, I just let it go. As you replied to another poster, I'd thought I'd try again with another suggestion (wipe data cache) and clear directions to remove the Android drivers (18d1).
Feel free to ignore it all.