File transfer by USB; tried pretty much everything and still no joy

hardtimes

New 9a all up to date. I need to copy .apk files. I am using a Linux Mint-22+Cinnamon PC.

Let me just mention my old 4a works just fine. About 2-hours in and getting pretty frustrated. I have done the research and

None of these have worked using the cable that came with the 9a.
Developer options ON/OFF.
USB debugging ON/OFF
USB default "file transfer" set or reset
USB controlled by, "Connected device" or "This device"

If I pull the plug and put it in the 4a it all works as expected.

Is this a buggy-release?
Can I roll back to an earlier Release?
Might that work?

de0u

hardtimes What is the "USB-C port" setting in Security & privacy, Exploit protection?

de0u

hardtimes
Developer options ON/OFF.
USB debugging ON/OFF

These are good ways to reduce the security of the device and to make operation unstable, but less useful for solving connectivity issues. If a PC's fingerprint was authorized it might be prudent to reverse that.

hardtimes

de0u What is the "USB-C port" setting in Security & privacy, Exploit protection?

Thanks for the reply.
Charging only when locked.

Just changed that to "on" similar issue. I can see it in the file explorer but on clicking, it times-out with "failed to mount USB"

[EDIT] kicking and screaming I may have to go with LineageOS. This is just too painful now.

hardtimes

de0u What is the "USB-C port" setting in Security & privacy, Exploit protection?

Just used the CLI to manually mount and got the following after a long time-out,
"Unable to mount Pixel 9a"
"Unable to open MTS device 001,003"

If that helps.

hardtimes

de0u These are good ways to reduce the security

I need to copy .apk files.

Two minutes exposed would need a really fast bad-operator with the Internet off.

Psyonico

I don't think its a buggy release because I just connected my p7 to my Fedora PC yesterday without issue and I'm running the latest version.

Have you tried a different port and/or a different cable?

I know I've got a laptop that has a thunderbolt port that does weird things when plugging a non-thunderbolt device into it.

hardtimes

Psyonico Have you tried a different port and/or a different cable?

Thanks, multiple cables and I even tried plugging it directly into USB-3.2 10gB port on the back of the PC using a short hi-speed cable. That port does backups at almost 1-GB/sec to an nVMe.

I have tried 2 Linux PCs and did another factory reset of the phone.
I have an old win-10 laptop somewhere I can try but fast running out of time to mess with it.

de0u

hardtimes Fast running out of time to mess with it.

It is of course possible that there is some GrapheneOS bug specific to the 9a. But if an issue were filed it would likely take at least a few days for a developer to reproduce it and then probably at least several days for a new release.

Does a USB flash drive work?

hardtimes

de0u Does a USB flash drive work?

Thanks, I have not bothered with it yet but if you check my post of this morning I am making some progress. As mentioned to Fay, I need file transfers a lot and having to sneaker-net it with USBs sticks between desk and phone would get old fast.

Now that I at least have he Host connecting I can use a common folder between Host and Guest so waiting a few days for devs to figure it would be moot. Also, would not expect a dev to drop everything just for me.

Fay_Wilmont

Do you require transmitting the files via a cable as opposed to wirelessly? It's been years since I used a wire to transfer data from my computer to my phone, although of course there are valid use cases. But if wireless is acceptable to you, it might help you get past your current situation.

hardtimes

Fay_Wilmont Do you require transmitting the files via a cable

Thanks for the thoughts, wifi is too slow, I guess if I bought a wifi-6 router it might be acceptable, but I like the cable and I am copying a lot as I develop apps. Cable is always there. :)

mar2112

Just connected my 9a to my Fedora 42 box with no issues. USB Pref used was "This device" and "File Transfer" and it mounted with no issues.

pixelfairy

Could be specific to 9a. Just tried with a 9 pro xl on a linux desktop and it worked just fine. But only when plugged into the motherboard. Did you get the charging flash when you plugged it in?

Thumbdrive worked too. Usb debugging is off, as it should be.

hardtimes

pixelfairy Could be specific to 9a.

Yes, I get the flash and boing and I plug into the Mobo USB-tower with the RJ45 for network.

Thanks for the effort. It gets weirder now. I cranked up the old win-10 laptop and plugged the 9a in. I set the 9a for File Transfer and instantly win mounted it and I could navigate and transfer files in both directions. Figured I could do some sneaker-net with the APKs.

After that, I decided to give it try on a Linux laptop (Mint-22 etc) and it all works as expected. I went to the main desktop (Mint etc) that is Host to several qemu VMs. The Host can now see it and navigate. In some weird way it seems the windows route has kick-started it.

I have not tried copying yet, but Guests do not mount it (USB redirect) and that's where the files I need are. Not great, but at least something. It is definitely something to do with this version of the 9a GOS as the 4a has been fine since initial install and still shows up and works fine in any Guest.

At least I can stop worrying about an alternative 9a ROM, but would really like it to work.

pixelfairy

hardtimes Virtual machines are a known issue with androids and usb. Any usb redirect seems to kill it. You could share the folder to the host and transfer that way. Qemu has a way to do it over 9fs, but you could also sshfs.

If you have more than one usb controller, you could pci pass that one to your dev vm.

If your that into doing everything in a vm, you might like qubes-os. Unless you meant it like project/dev vms like vagrant.

n3t_admin

okay, so when mounting storage, you should get a popup for fingerprint or code to allow connections to a new PC. Does that even appear when you connect the phone?
What does lsusb say?

hardtimes

n3t_admin Does that even appear

Yes, it all works as intended and even displays the 9a in the file manager. But a click on it sends it off for a minute and then comes back with the "unable to Mount..." error.

hardtimes

n3t_admin What does lsusb say?

Sorry, just got this.

Host works
Bus 001 Device 008: ID 18d1:4ee1 Google Inc. Nexus/Pixel Device (MTP)
Guest does not
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 18d1:4ee1 Google Inc. Nexus/Pixel Device (MTP)
Guest error "Failed to Open Pixel 9a MTP device"

hardtimes

pixelfairy Virtual machines are a known issue with androids and usb.

Can be with some VMs, but in all the years I have been using QEMU I have experienced none. Plus, I can plug the 4a and it all works as intended. As do several Moto phones. Gotta believe it is not the phone or the VM.

I should not have to search around to find a different VM just for this one phone. Or, am I being unreasonable with that mindset.

n3t_admin

hardtimes Guest does no

Wait, let me clarify: are you trying to MTP into a guest profile on the Pixel itself? I must have missed that the first time reading. I can't test if that even works properly at all... at least it never worked for me afair.

Someone with current access to GOS should test that out.