Here's a very annoying problem.

 

I have a Samsung Note 2 and my wife has a Galaxy Grand 2. Both run on Android 4.xx OS.

 

In the past, I have been able to access both of the phone's files on my PC , via a USBcable and copy stuff from phone to PC and vice versa.

 

I recently downloaded Samsung Smart Switch for phone backup and it worked fine on my Note 2. I backed up all the apps etc and reset the phone and then restored everything. Apart from a couple of minor hiccups, (like losing all the chat history on Line), everything worked fine. I now know how to back up Line chat history if I need to do it again.

 

My wife's Galaxy has been playing up something awful so I decided to do the same with hers. I connected her phone to the PC with the SS smart switch open on my desktop but it won't recognise the phone. I tried different cables, different USB ports, and restarting, phone, pc smart switch etc. but nothing worked. I tried my Note 2 again and it connected straight away so nothing wrong with software or cables.

 

Then I tried to access the Galaxy phone's files – but the phone is not listed as a device in File explorer. As with the above, I tried multiple times, but no success. I get the W10 musical "blings" to indicate a connection and the phones states that media files are connected, but nothing appears on my desktop.

 

Checked again with Note 2 and I can access the files as before.

 

Did some Googling and many people seem to have had this problem The solution seems to be that I need to download a Samsung USB driver that will work with the phone.

 

But everything used to work on W7, and why doesn't my Windows OS have a driver for a phone that is older than my Note 2, but uses the same Android OS?

 

It was my understanding that Windows always downloads drivers automatically when you connect an external device to it. Has anyone else had a similar problem? I would like some confirmation that downloading a Samsung driver will not do any damage and will solve my problem as some people say these drivers are only for Android app developers.

 

Thanks

Update. I downloaded and installed all the latest Samsung USB phone drivers, even though I had established that SS drivers were already installed. Now I've got a lot more.

 

Anyway, my PC still doesn't show the phone as being present on PC's my file explorer and I can't access its files. This is in spite of the fact that the 'noise' tells me it has connected and a message appears on the phone's info bar that says "Connected as a media device"

 

Any ideas anyone?

Is the device hiding somewhere on my PC and I can't see it for some reason?:

Mobi, not sure if the Galaxy Grand interface is the same as that of the S5, but you could try the following:

 

Plug your USB cable to your mobile and connect to your PC

 

Once connected, swipe down from the top of your phone, and there should be (?) a note along the lines of; USB for file transfer, touch for more options.

 

Make sure Transferring media files (MTP connection) is selected as opposed to just transfer image files

 

Some phones set the image file transfer as default (PTP connection)

 

As said, not sure if it is the same sort of interface, but it should be close.

14 hours ago, chrisinth said:

Mobi, not sure if the Galaxy Grand interface is the same as that of the S5, but you could try the following:

 

Plug your USB cable to your mobile and connect to your PC

 

Once connected, swipe down from the top of your phone, and there should be (?) a note along the lines of; USB for file transfer, touch for more options.

 

Make sure Transferring media files (MTP connection) is selected as opposed to just transfer image files

 

Some phones set the image file transfer as default (PTP connection)

 

As said, not sure if it is the same sort of interface, but it should be close.

 

 

Thanks, Chistinth,

 

Yes, the interface is similar and I've tried all that, and the selection is the MTP connection.

 

As I have previously said, the phone connected fine before I upgraded my PC to W10. I was aways transferring photos, music  and other stuff back and forth for her.

 

My Note 2, which also has a similar interface and the same Android OS connects without a problem.

 

Her phone definitely needs a reset as I can't download anything from the app store (it always sticks at about 87%) and it is generally playing up - amongst other things, I can't get the family GPS app to work which means I never know where she is....

 

Naturally, she is angling for a new phone, but I want to try a factory reset first, but before I do that I need to back up all her stuff....

 

Does anyone know how i can backup if I can't connect it to my PC?

 

It really is strange because there is every indication, including a notification on her phone that it has connected, but nothing appears on my PC screen.

 

I've just had a brainwave - I might try to connect to another laptop I have which still uses W7. Worth a try...

2 hours ago, Mobi said:

 

Thanks, Chistinth,

 

Yes, the interface is similar and I've tried all that, and the selection is the MTP connection.

 

As I have previously said, the phone connected fine before I upgraded my PC to W10. I was aways transferring photos, music  and other stuff back and forth for her.

 

My Note 2, which also has a similar interface and the same Android OS connects without a problem.

 

Her phone definitely needs a reset as I can't download anything from the app store (it always sticks at about 87%) and it is generally playing up - amongst other things, I can't get the family GPS app to work which means I never know where she is....

 

Naturally, she is angling for a new phone, but I want to try a factory reset first, but before I do that I need to back up all her stuff....

 

Does anyone know how i can backup if I can't connect it to my PC?

 

It really is strange because there is every indication, including a notification on her phone that it has connected, but nothing appears on my PC screen.

 

I've just had a brainwave - I might try to connect to another laptop I have which still uses W7. Worth a try...

 

If your W7 doesn't do it, have you tried Samsung Kies? That might be able to see the folders even if W10 can't.

 

Its a free download (not sure if I spelt that right).

I've got Kies, andI just tried it - doesn't work.

W7 didn't work either - clearly a phone problem and nothing to do with W10

 

Can you (or anyone) tell me that if I sync the device with Google and then do a factory reset, will Google save all the settings and history on the apps? or will Google just restore the apps without her  previous settings and history?

 

Thanks