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How can I browse the Priv internal storage from Windows?

Asked: Mar 18 2016 | 8:38 pm EDT 6822 Views 4 Answers View Best Answer

How can I browse the Priv internal storage from Windows?

When connected via USB, if I choose the "connect as a USB flash drive" (same as "Mount SD card") option, all I can see on Windows is the SD card in the Priv. If I chose the Media device (MTP) option, I can see media files on both the internal storage and the SD card, but it doesn't behave like normal storage (e.g. I can see only media files, it tries to covert formats, it yells at me if it doesn't recognize the file format, etc.). I don't quite know what the "Camera (PTP)" option is supposed to do.

With my last Android phone, when I connected via USB and chose the USB flash drive mode, I could see two removable devices in Windows: one for the SD card and one for the internal memory. How do I do that with Priv?

Or, and perhaps better, is there a way to see the Priv's files over WiFi? That is, does it have a file server?


129
By jon9999

Best Answer

42,173
Mar 18 2016 | 9:29 pm EDT FF22

When I plugged in the usb, I see the Priv and it I open that, I see the two "drives" and I can navigate through them. It does occasionally squawk about file types but I've tended to ignore it and NOT convert anything. So far, generally, so good.

I believe a few File Managers can provide access but somewhat limited (I'm use to BB10 and it had full wifi-sharing and I can use Windows Explorer on both drives with no limitations).

I recently download Asus File Manager and it has an Access PC mode or some such. You open your Browser to an address and it shows the two drives. The limitation so far is that I can only copy one file at a time from the Priv to my computer. And the files go in my download folder. I can't drag/drop to any place on my computer. There may be other options I'm not aware of.

Folks also recommend Airdroid but I had trouble with one of its modules. There's also a simple app Dukto that uses wifi. I've used it on my Win7, Samsung Tab S, the Z30 and now the Priv. Very rustic interface.

I'd love a full blown wifi sharing solution that gives me Win Explorer access either way.

More Answers

1,847
Apr 13 2016 | 7:52 am EDT prithvi64

Yes, I too had to install MS ExFat for Blackberry when I inserted 128gb Sandisk SD card in Priv first time. I have installed File Commander to access SD card but unabale to copy any additional photos from laptop. Whatever photos are on card, they are being displyed but new ones can't be copied. Any solution?

269
Apr 13 2016 | 10:19 am EDT artemis-kun

Originally Posted by prithvi64
Yes, I too had to install MS ExFat for Blackberry when I inserted 128gb Sandisk SD card in Priv first time. I have installed File Commander to access SD card but unabale to copy any additional photos from laptop. Whatever photos are on card, they are being displyed but new ones can't be copied. Any solution?
I've noticed this problem more than a few times with other Android devices when using the MTP protocol for USB, which became the only way to connect internal storage over USB from Android 4.4 onward. The one thing I can note, you can copy stuff to the device via MTP even if it looks like folders are empty, and they will copy without issue, but trying to get that stuff back off the device after seems to be problematic. My guess is that it probably has something to do with media scanning, but I never really dug into the issue very much, since I just run an FTP server on my Android devices now and manage my content that way. Slower, sure, but I don't have the problems that MTP mode over USB has.