[SOLVED] Can't see my Android cell phone when I connect it

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Delbruck
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[SOLVED] Can't see my Android cell phone when I connect it

Post by Delbruck »

Running Linux Mint Mate latest version and my cell phone is a Motorola running android 9.
When I connect it to my PC it does nothing. When I connect it to a Windows PC I have to change the status to file transfer but eventually I can see it and transfer files to and from.
All I would like to do is to transfer files easily to and from my PC and phone. Am I doing something wrong?
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 3 times in total.
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ajgreeny
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by ajgreeny »

Have you tried going toe the mobile's settings - Connected Devices, and making the changes in that to allow file transfer over USB as you do in Windows?

I do that on my Moto G6 Play, now with Android 10, and it works with no problem; an icon appears on my desktop (Xfce) immediately after connecting but in order to transfer files I have to do what I mention above.
Most often, however, I transfer files using an app on the phone called WiFi File Transfer which allows contact with an IP address using a web browser; quick and simpler than a USB cable.
Delbruck
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by Delbruck »

I'm sorry that I wasn't clear but, yes, I do change the settings on the phone to allow file transfer exactly the same way that I do on a Windows machine. But when I do it does nothing as opposed to Windows. When I look in file manager there is not USB drive there. The phone just doesn't show up at all.
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by ajgreeny »

I do not know Mate but if the file manager is nemo as I think it is, try installing another file manager as I believe nemo has a few bugs which may be your problem.
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by Delbruck »

Thank you but I prefer using a USB cable. I still can't get it to recognize my phone. Very odd.
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Moem
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by Moem »

ajgreeny wrote: Sat Jul 03, 2021 5:47 am if the file manager is nemo
Mate uses Caja.
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If your issue is solved, kindly indicate that by editing the first post in the topic, and adding [SOLVED] to the title. Thanks!
ajgreeny
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by ajgreeny »

Moem wrote: Wed Jul 07, 2021 9:07 am
ajgreeny wrote: Sat Jul 03, 2021 5:47 am if the file manager is nemo
Mate uses Caja.

Mea culpa
.

I said I didn't really know Mate and obviously proved it!
Sorry for the confusion I may have created.
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by Moem »

ajgreeny wrote: Wed Jul 07, 2021 2:14 pm Sorry for the confusion I may have created.
No worries, if there was any, I'm sure it was short-lived. No biggie.
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If your issue is solved, kindly indicate that by editing the first post in the topic, and adding [SOLVED] to the title. Thanks!
Delbruck
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by Delbruck »

I still can't get it to work. And I also have a PC running Xfce and it doesn't recognize it either :(
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by djph »

Plug the phone in / change it to USB mass storage (or whatever option it gives you). Then check the dmesg output with

Code: Select all

sudo dmesg
It should at the bottom show that the device was enumerated on the USB Bus, and (hopefully!) what device file it was attached to (e.g. /dev/sdb). From there, you should be able to mount it.


Now, that assumes it's not using that (slightly newer) Media-whatsit [MPT?] transfer mode. If it is, you might need to add a kernel module for it... but I haven't plugged my phones in for anything other than "USB Charge Only" in ages, so memory's foggy.
Delbruck
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by Delbruck »

This what I get. Looks like there is something there:

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[ 1462.686241] ISOFS: changing to secondary root
[ 1493.726061] usb 3-1: USB disconnect, device number 5
[ 1494.166606] usb 3-1: new high-speed USB device number 6 using xhci_hcd
[ 1494.316592] usb 3-1: New USB device found, idVendor=22b8, idProduct=2e82, bcdDevice= 4.04
[ 1494.316597] usb 3-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 1494.316601] usb 3-1: Product: moto z3
[ 1494.316603] usb 3-1: Manufacturer: motorola
[ 1494.316606] usb 3-1: SerialNumber: Z*********
[ 1494.381851] [UFW BLOCK] IN=eno1 OUT= MAC=000 SRC=192.168.1.3 DST=192.168.1.4 LEN=140 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=64 ID=57643 DF PROTO=UDP SPT=161 DPT=39336 LEN=120 
[ 1495.376180] [UFW BLOCK] IN=eno1 OUT= MAC=000 SRC=192.168.1.3 DST=192.168.1.4 LEN=140 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=64 ID=57682 DF PROTO=UDP SPT=161 DPT=39336 LEN=120 
[ 1528.152529] audit: type=1400 audit(1625840403.691:27): apparmor="DENIED" operation="open" profile="firejail-default" name="/proc/9/task/67/comm" pid=3038 comm="Renderer" requested_mask="w" denied_mask="w" fsuid=1000 ouid=1000
[ 1545.319146] [UFW BLOCK] IN=eno1 OUT= MAC=000 SRC=0.0.0.0 DST=224.0.0.1 LEN=32 TOS=0x00 PREC=0xC0 TTL=1 ID=0 DF PROTO=2 
[ 1670.762456] [UFW BLOCK] IN=eno1 OUT= MAC=000 SRC=0.0.0.0 DST=224.0.0.1 LEN=32 TOS=0x00 PREC=0xC0 TTL=1 ID=0 DF PROTO=2 
[ 1796.205760] [UFW BLOCK] IN=eno1 OUT= MAC=000 SRC=0.0.0.0 DST=224.0.0.1 LEN=32 TOS=0x00 PREC=0xC0 TTL=1 ID=0 DF PROTO=2 
[ 1921.648987] [UFW BLOCK] IN=eno1 OUT= MAC=000 SRC=0.0.0.0 DST=224.0.0.1 LEN=32 TOS=0x00 PREC=0xC0 TTL=1 ID=0 DF PROTO=2 
Could it be that the firewall or firejail is blocking it from being recognized? (I edited the serial number and MAC of course)
Delbruck
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by Delbruck »

I tried turning off the firewall and that did nothing so i don't think that is related. It does show up in the output of the command you told me to execute so it appears as though it is doing something, but for some reason it is not going the rest of the way.
Anyone have any ideas?
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by djph »

Code: Select all

[ 1494.166606] usb 3-1: new high-speed USB device number 6 using xhci_hcd
[ 1494.316592] usb 3-1: New USB device found, idVendor=22b8, idProduct=2e82, bcdDevice= 4.04
[ 1494.316597] usb 3-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 1494.316601] usb 3-1: Product: moto z3
[ 1494.316603] usb 3-1: Manufacturer: motorola
[ 1494.316606] usb 3-1: SerialNumber: Z*********
This is the important bit. I have a vague recollection that "xhci" causes trouble sometimes. As I recall, changing the USB settings to 'ahci' (in bios) is the corrective action
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by lsemmens »

I have the same problem with Linux mint Cinnamon too

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System:
  Kernel: 5.4.0-77-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 wm: muffin 4.8.1 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
on several of my computers. It was working but one of the recent updates may have clobbered it. I haven't really bothered about it, but it might be a broader issue than just one computer.
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deepakdeshp
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by deepakdeshp »

lsemmens wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:42 am I have the same problem with Linux mint Cinnamon too

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 5.4.0-77-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 wm: muffin 4.8.1 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
on several of my computers. It was working but one of the recent updates may have clobbered it. I haven't really bothered about it, but it might be a broader issue than just one computer.
Same with my Mint 20.1 machine. Can't read my Motorola Android 10 phone. While the dual boot Windows reads it.
If I have helped you solve a problem, please add [SOLVED] to your first post title, it helps other users looking for help.
Regards,
Deepak

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Mint 21.1 Cinnamon AMD Ryzen3500U/8gb
Delbruck
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when i connect it

Post by Delbruck »

Well for those like me I found (what I think) is a workaround. I went into synaptic package manager and typed in android. One of the things that came up was a program called android-file-transfer. I installed it and when I open the app I can move files to and from my phone which is all I really wanted to do.

I would still rather see it in the file manager as a USB drive, but this works for my purposes and the app seems small, clean and works. No bloat, nothing you don't need. Can't ask for more than that.

https://community.linuxmint.com/softwar ... e-transfer
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Allewyn2
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when I connect it

Post by Allewyn2 »

I tried the same app because I have the same problem. Here's what I got:
WORKAROUND.png
What is MTP?
sudo apt-get purge win10 && sudo apt-get install Happiness
Delbruck
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when I connect it

Post by Delbruck »

On my phone when I plug it in via USB to my PC I get a notification at the top stating that I am plugged in for charging only. I have to click that and change it to allow file transfer. Once I do that then that app can see and work with my phone. But I also have to do this on Windows too in order for my phone to be visible in Explorer. Have you done that?
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when I connect it

Post by AndyMH »

Allewyn2 wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 2:05 am What is MTP?
https://www.howtogeek.com/192732/androi ... s-storage/
It was only a google away?
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Allewyn2
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Re: Can't see my Android cell phone when I connect it

Post by Allewyn2 »

ok cool thanks
sudo apt-get purge win10 && sudo apt-get install Happiness
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