Android USB issue

[Scofus]

I have a P3a. It has a USB issue as far as I can tell. And that is preventing me from flashing from Android 12 to 9 in order to get to UT. I know that makes it an Android issue, but I have tried a few support avenues, and gotten no where.

When the USB connection is made, the phone defaults to "no data transfer". I am able to change settings to "data transfer", and Windows 10 can access the P3a's folders fine. But if the phone is restarted, or the USB connection is taken out and put back in, it defaults back to "no data transfer".

Which I think is the big problem. When I select file transfer, I was able to get Chrome to start the flashing process. But once it got to the fastboot, it couldnt read the P3a any more. I am guessing that once the phone restarted, the settings reverted to "No data transfer". Cutting it off from the PC and Chrome.

There is another setting I am not able to change on Android. I am also not able to switch "USB controlled by" - from "this device" - to "Connected device". It says it "couldnt switch".

I have

• list itemupdated Android drivers on Windows 10,
• list itemupdated Android 12,
• list itemand the phone charges on the wire.
• list itemWhen "file transfer" is selected, I am able to transfer files. But like I said, on restart or disconnect-reconnect, it defaults to "no data transfer."

[MrT10001]

That is quite normal on phones.

[Scofus]

@mrt10001 Someone told me that in the chat. I get that now.

The problem remains that when the P3a is in bootloader: the computer, the Chrome flasher, fastboot unlock command, in general the phone cannot be found. That means I cannot flash to Android 9, to flash to UT. The USB debug is active. I told it to always trust my computer. But once this phone is in bootload: invisible. I have no idea what is wrong.

[MrT10001]

@scofus Try a different USB cable. I have some short ones that won't work on Xiaomi phones but are fine on Oneplus phones. I also would try a different USB port on the PC and if you have them use a USB 2.0 port. I also install Android Studio as it installs the latest ADB and FastBoot drivers.

[Scofus]

@mrt10001 Solved the problem

So it turns out, Fastboot requires its own driver. I had heard a few people say I needed to "install fastboot". And one vid made it look as easy as "unzip, and just put it in the computer". If it needed to be placed in a specific place, this wasnt made clear. I also got android studio, and downloaded the platform tools. Still didnt help.

Then I came across this post on xda:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/official-tool-windows-adb-fastboot-and-drivers-15-seconds-adb-installer-v1-4-3.2588979/#post-48915118
I ran this, got fastboot unlocked, I was able to reselect the phone in the chrome flasher once it entered the bootloader, and finish flashing Andrd 9. Then use the porter to get Ubuntu Touch.

To anyone to tells people only "make sure you install fastboot", please tell them how or where to put it. It is not a simple, intuitive step. And some of the tutorials are not as comprehensive as they could be. Please mention that the bootloader/fastboot requires its own driver, or you cannot continue without it. More than one time, based on this issue alone, I considered giving up and returning the phone.

[MrT10001]

@scofus Nice one. This is were I run the powershell (Windows 11 - Linux slightly different) for adb fastboot from:

C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk\platform-tools

This is with the latest version of Android Studio.

All my devices get picked up in Windows as Android devices and connect without issue after installing Android Studio. I always had issues just installing specific USB, ADB and fastboot drivers for devices.

What I have found, much like PC's is as you have done is to persevere. You worked it out in the end, good luck with UT.