Advice on copying files from Android 7 using USB? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 11:17:16 am
content: A family member passed away and left behind a Galaxy phone. I am trying to find out the best way to copy important data off the phone (contacts, photos, etc.) for safekeeping. I know nothing about Android.Simply plugging in a USB cable does not work for file transfer (not supported in Android 7). I have no access to cloud accounts, Google, etc.I'd rather not go through a trial and error process of trying different file transfer/backup apps on a phone where I don't want to screw anything up.Can any Android experts out there give me a recommendation of a reliable and trustworthy file transfer app? It could be USB or wireless I think.

author: retiredfeline
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 11:55:04 am
content: I use AndFTP which is a simple app that can upload files to a computer using ssh/sftp.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 12:27:58 pm
content: Quote from: retiredfeline on July 08, 2023, 11:55:04 amIt looks like AndFTP needs me to set up an FTP server on my local network. Is that right?

author: DimitriP
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 12:47:49 pm
content: First check in the phone settings "select USB configuration" and choose either the media transfer protocol or picture transfer protocol.It might be set for "Charging Only".As for saving contacts/message etc SMS Backup+ or "SMS backup and restore" will either upload them to an email account or create a file you can copy off the phone over USB.

author: Messtechniker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 12:58:18 pm
content: Strange. Even my much older Galaxy Xcover GT-S5690runing Android 2.3.6 I use for pics and thentransfer these via USB, can do it. In your case I'd gothrough the phone settings.Alternatively the pics might be stored on aremovable micro SD card.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 01:00:28 pm
content: Before I got my NAS I used to just dump my Samsung phones direct to a PC via a USB cable. So that is S3 and S7.Just plugged the phone in and it just showed up like this. I have forgotten now if I had to set it up but this is easy then to drop content off it.** Thinking about it a bit more I think I told Windoze to look for it and then had to allow it to happen on the phone for access.Try something like this as a method, works for Android 6 so it should be ok on 7 as well .https://deviceguides.vodafone.ie/samsung/galaxy-s7-android-6-0/connectivity/transfer-files-between-computer-and-phone/

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 02:15:57 pm
content: I have a galaxy S4 with lineageOS 14.1 (android 7.1.2).On this the "select USB configuration" is in "developer options", whichI think by default his hidden. I think you can unhide it this way:https://www.howtogeek.com/129728/how-to-enable-developer-options-menu-and-enable-and-usb-debugging-on-android/

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 02:29:55 pm
content: Thanks, all.It's a Galaxy S7 running Android 7.0.When I plug in the USB cable the only option presented is "Charging". The procedure shown in the Vodaphone guide does not include the "USB for file transfer" option. Also, when I look at the USB Tethering option in Settings, it says "No USB cable connected". This is the same even when I turn on USB debugging in developer mode.So I'm starting to suspect the cable. It may be a charging only cable. Unfortunately it's the only cable I have with a micro USB connector, so I'm stuck until I find another cable to try.Also, I have been looking at the Droid Transfer app from Wide Angle Software. Anybody have any experience with that?

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 03:13:48 pm
content: On my S4, "charging" is the default for "select USB configuration",and there are six options: charging, MTP, PTP, etc.If I select MTP it will show up as disk (at least on windows).It also looks like the S7 has a micro-SD slot.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 08, 2023, 04:11:29 pm
content: Apparently, it was the cable. I found another cable and USB connectivity worked.So whenthis Google linksays "some of these steps only work on Android 9 and up", they must be referring to something other than this.Thanks for the help above.

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2023, 08:46:37 pm
content: I hate hate hate hate, HATE MTP so much.I prefer to set up a shared forlder on the android device