Why isn't my S4 recognized when Samsung Kies is installed but it otherwise is?

[tman417]

My S4 is not recognized when Samsung Kies is installed but it otherwise is.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 Active ( I537 ) and it shows up as a media device like normal when I plug it into my computer but it is running on android 4.2.2 so I am looking to upgrade its firmware to 4.4. When I install Samsung Kies, about 75% through the installation, my phone doesn't show that its connected on windows explorer or my phone. I can get it to connect to key over WiFi but you need to use the cable to update the firmware so that is useless to me. I have tried using several different cables including the original Samsung cable but this hasn't changed anything. I have tried it with USB Debugging on and off and I have tried it with both Kies 2.6 and Kies 3. I thought maybe a factory reset would have some effect but it didn't. My phone isn't rooted either. I have Windows 7 64 bit on my also. I have tried installing the latest drivers from various places and that has had no effect on the issue. I can not do an OTA update so this is kind of my last option.

Sorry for all of the writing but I wanted to give as much detail as I could.Hopefully someone else has had this problem or knows how to fix it. Thanks.

 

[Rukbat]

Re: My S4 is not recognized when Samsung Kies is installed but it otherwise is.

Wild guess - you're using a USB hub. If so, don't. Many of them overheat on heavy duty file transfers and stop in the middle.

If not, try using a different USB port on the computer.

 

[markbknight]

Re: My S4 is not recognized when Samsung Kies is installed but it otherwise is.

I also have a Samsung Galaxy S4 running Android 4.4.4 & I cannot connect via USB to my Windows Surface tablet running Windows 8.1 pro. I've checked the USB cable & both USB ports on bothn machines & they're all working fine. I'm not using a USB hub. The Surface only has 1 USB port.