No USB data transfer on Pixel 3a

Exomnium · 13 Dec 2023, 05:22

I have Ubuntu Touch installed on a Pixel 3a. Recently I have been unable to transfer files over USB. I have tried several different USB cables and several different computers (with both Linux and Windows), and I have made sure to attempt this with the phone unlocked. The device is able to charge via USB. Furthermore, I am able to use a USB keyboard with the phone.

Obviously this might be a hardware issue with the phone, although in my experience usually a failing USB port will work intermittently and this has just stopped completely. How can I determine whether this is a hardware issue, and what other steps could I take to fix this?

Ian · 13 Dec 2023, 07:01

@Exomnium Does the phone appear as a folder in the file system of the PC? If not have you installed ADB (Android Diagnostic Bridge) on the PC?

You probably have, otherwise you would not have been able to install UT, but I just thought I would ask.

DPITTI · 13 Dec 2023, 09:58

It is best to ask the port specialist Alfred. Or ask in the Pixel group about the device. There is also an Ubuntu Touch tool where you can set up USB. But as I said, it is better to ask the person responsible for the device.

lduboeuf · 13 Dec 2023, 10:43

@DPITTI said in No USB data transfer on Pixel 3a:

It is best to ask the port specialist Alfred.

Well i think he is already over solicited, and as it is not a Pixel3a issue ( working here ), it is not a good idea.

If all cables failed and several computer have been tested and was working before for the installation, it is probably a hardware issue.
But i would try to disable/enable the developper mode first, reboot etc.. see if reinstall works

DPITTI · 13 Dec 2023, 12:03

I believe that such a port is not always easy. Agreed Alfred doesn't have to have any more work

Exomnium · 13 Dec 2023, 14:01

@Ian The folder does not appear. The computer does not even visibly register that a USB device has been attached (although the phone does start charging). I do have adb. When I run adb devices with the device plugged in and unlocked, it does not list anything. Using the same cable with my Pixel 6a (running Android) adb devices does list it when I enable USB debugging.

MrT10001 · 13 Dec 2023, 17:22

@Exomnium Make sure:

you have a passcode set
developer options are on, in settings
you have restarted the phone
you have the latest ADB and fastboot drivers installed

etdoughe · 14 Dec 2023, 02:27

Is this happening on 16.04? If so, which OTA?

Exomnium · 14 Dec 2023, 17:21

@MrT10001 I have a passcode (although I also have a fingerprint set up if that matters). Developer options are on. I have restarted the phone. On one of computers has adb 1.0.39 and the other has 1.0.41, and neither of them are able to see the phone while it's unlocked and plugged in (either with adb devices or in the normal file system). I'm still looking but I haven't been able to figure out how to check the fastboot driver version yet (or what the most recent version of adb is for that matter).

@etdoughe It is version 16.04 and OTA-25.

Exomnium · 14 Dec 2023, 18:11

@lduboeuf Also, in case I wasn't clear about this, the USB data transer was working with Ubuntu Touch for a long time and then stopped.

MrT10001 · 14 Dec 2023, 18:18

@Exomnium I always install Android Studio to get the latest fastboot drivers and run a command prompt from the paltform-tools folder.

etdoughe · 1 Apr 2024, 17:39

I had the same problem. USB transfer/recognition worked on 16.04 OTA 23, then when I upgraded to OTA 25, it did not (https://forums.ubports.com/post/73614). Then, I upgraded to Focal, and it works again. My recommendation, upgrade to Focal.

Lakotaubp · 15 Dec 2023, 04:55

@Exomnium As mentioned by @etdoughe I would now make the move to Focal. Xenial is end of life and the Focal version for the 3a is really good, better than your current one.

bmlu · 1 Apr 2024, 17:39

@etdoughe I have the same problem (I have a Samsung S3 Neo with 16.04 on it). The moment I updated to OTA 25 no data transfer was possible anymore. Since I can't update to Focal, the S3 Neo hasn't been ported yet (or never will be ;)), I have a problem...

kugiigi · 1 Apr 2024, 18:23

@bmlu I wonder what happened with the data transfer in OTA 25 But in any case, an alternative for file transfer is by using SSH/SFTP. Pretty easy if you have Linux on your desktop. On Windows, you can use WinSCP and similar apps.

MrT10001 · 1 Apr 2024, 18:41

@bmlu I have found that data transfer works on some S3 Neo's and not other after the update to OTA-25.

etdoughe · 1 Apr 2024, 21:03

@bmlu Another way to access your data (that I used when I had the OTA-25 transfer issue) is:
https://forums.ubports.com/post/72522

bmlu · 2 Apr 2024, 11:00

@kugiigi In our local network at home, I always use the ssh connection to the phone (I have debian bookworm on my PC). The first time I noticed the problem after my update to OTA-25 was when I wanted to write a small clickable app for starting and stopping ssh: I found a tutorial to write clickable apps and there were promoted two ways to deploy the app, via usb or via ssh. I decided to use usb and voila, I noticed the problem ;).

bmlu · 2 Apr 2024, 11:30

@etdoughe Thank you for the link. I now can transfer data via usb using the recovery mode ;). Although I would prefer a OTA-26 release which fixes the usb issue ... or at least a patch or something, but you can't have everything ;).