[Q] Dodgy USB connection - Nexus 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

When I connect my Nexus 4 to my MacBook Pro and try to transfer files (or even just connecting it, not doing anything) my phone just comes in and out of connection. I know when my phone is connected when the File Transfer program (downloaded from Google) pops up.
The File Transfer program just randomly opens and closes, and sometimes when I'm in the middle of transferring a big file my phone disconnects and I have to start the transfer all over again (really frustrating).
I wonder if anyone else had this problem, or if anyone know of a culprit that could be causing this connection problem.

Anyone?! D:
bump

Oh boy, no one?

Sounds like a dodgy USB cable or port. Try switching both. If it still happens, connect to a windows PC to see if it's the phone.

Not sure what the problem is but I have this happen on occasion too. I'm running Windows 7 so it's not a Mac issue.

I have problems with certain usb cables, some work and some don't. I get the best results using the usb cable that came with the phone, it has never given me a problem.

kzoodroid said:
I have problems with certain usb cables, some work and some don't. I get the best results using the usb cable that came with the phone, it has never given me a problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have better results using my old Vibrant usb cable. OEM is kind of crappy for some reason. Once and a while I can unplug the charger from the wall and phone and still have some kind of electrical buzzing in the charger.

the OEM (Stock USB that came with my phone) charger doesn't give me any trouble either.
When I plug it in my laptop to charge, the charging is spotty (I assume because the electric output from the laptop is not strong enough). So I plug it into a wall outlet, no problem.
It's only when I connect to a computer when the connection gets interrupted and messes up my file transfers, annoyingly... so me and md5 are best friends now.
I just don't know if there is something causing this besides the phone, or is it the phone itself (so i can contemplate RMA)
If others have this issue then I want to know if they fixed it or found a workaround...

mastrgamr said:
the OEM (Stock USB that came with my phone) charger doesn't give me any trouble either.
When I plug it in my laptop to charge, the charging is spotty (I assume because the electric output from the laptop is not strong enough). So I plug it into a wall outlet, no problem.
It's only when I connect to a computer when the connection gets interrupted and messes up my file transfers, annoyingly... so me and md5 are best friends now.
I just don't know if there is something causing this besides the phone, or is it the phone itself (so i can contemplate RMA)
If others have this issue then I want to know if they fixed it or found a workaround...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I plug my phone into my desktop pc with an alternate usb cable I have it constantly disconnects and reconnects. As soon as I use the stock usb cable it stops doing it and works. I really haven't looked to see what the difference is between the cables could just be that the alternate I use is just cheap. The other cable works fine with my other phones too so its weird.

Related

USB cable not working, how do I download anything?

Hi I'm looking for some good, hopefully free, games for my HD but for some reason my USB lead has given up and I don't know how else to do it or any suitable sites?
My USB worked when I first got it, I synced with my laptop and backed everything up. Now when I plug both in the phone still charges but neither the phone or the laptop seem aware of each other! Any ideas?
Any suggestions of sites for free games that don't require USB downloads? Or what might of happened to my USB?
Finnbob said:
Hi I'm looking for some good, hopefully free, games for my HD but for some reason my USB lead has given up and I don't know how else to do it or any suitable sites?
My USB worked when I first got it, I synced with my laptop and backed everything up. Now when I plug both in the phone still charges but neither the phone or the laptop seem aware of each other! Any ideas?
Any suggestions of sites for free games that don't require USB downloads? Or what might of happened to my USB?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you checked usb drivers?
Put your phone into bootloader by turning off device, then holding vol down and pressing power on. You should have a tricolour screen. Now connect phone to pc via usb cable. Does bopttom of bootloader screen change from 'Serial' to 'usb'? If not, update usb drivers here
As for games. There is a list of games which work on the HD in the wiki. Try searching Themes, Applications and Software forum. Also, any further queries regarding games should be in Themes, Applications and Software forum
if all else fails use bluetooth to sync and install stuff
Search, find, download, extract.
Place downloaded on sd card (cardreader)
Insert sd card and install apllication
I have had a similar problem with my TD2, when I use the usb cable that came with the phone it charges (from the mains plug), then when connected to the PC it will detect it and sync fine, I got bored of swapping the single cable from the charger to the PC so decided to use a spare usb cable (retractable one I had for the cig lighter for my car), it charges fine (in car or charger or PC), but Windows XP gives an error. If I swap back to the other cable its fine, I dug out an old cable from my XDA Orbit and that is ok as well.
In conclusion, all usb cables are not the same, and my TD2 is more fussy with cables !! Try using a different cable.
Quite Right you are. Had the same problem a while ago. Got sick of this so I cut the not working cable. Guess what...? The bugging cable only had two threads inside. It was a cable for charging only...http://forum.xda-developers.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

Is my HD2 defective?

My phone wont charge through USB. It charges using the same cable plugged into a wall adapter, and charges just fine with my wall adapter and car charger, it just wont charge when plugged into a computer.
As for some basic troubleshooting steps-
1) The phone is recognized and syncs on both PCs
2) Hasnt worked from day 1, Factory ROM, Hard Reset, and now with a flashed ROM
3) Uninstalled and reinstalled ActiveSync etc
4) When it connects to a PC it prompts what I would like to do (PC and Phone) Ive tried every option and the results are the same.
I'm out of ideas, and since Ive searched Im not sure if Im an idiot for expecting this thing to charge, or if my phone is defective. I figured I'd ask here before calling T-Mobile since I hate calling Customer Service for anything.
Go into settings/system/power/battery and there should be a check box that says "When phone is on, do not charge the battery when connected to a pc"
make sure that is not checked.
Thanks, but its not checked.
Ive tried checking it, plugging in, and then unplugging, unchecking, then plugging back in.
Switch off your phone, then plug it into the computer. Does the orange charging led show up? If not, you may have a defective phone.
If it charges with a computer usb while switched off and doesn't when switched on, then there is some software problem.
4theU said:
My phone wont charge through USB. It charges using the same cable plugged into a wall adapter, and charges just fine with my wall adapter and car charger, it just wont charge when plugged into a computer.
As for some basic troubleshooting steps-
1) The phone is recognized and syncs on both PCs
2) Hasnt worked from day 1, Factory ROM, Hard Reset, and now with a flashed ROM
3) Uninstalled and reinstalled ActiveSync etc
4) When it connects to a PC it prompts what I would like to do (PC and Phone) Ive tried every option and the results are the same.
I'm out of ideas, and since Ive searched Im not sure if Im an idiot for expecting this thing to charge, or if my phone is defective. I figured I'd ask here before calling T-Mobile since I hate calling Customer Service for anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have you tried plugging it in to a different usb port? or different computer? my guess is could be a bad usb port..
not necessarily a bad usb port, some simply don't push enough power to trigger charging. same test applies, though, try all usb ports, don't forget there are likely ports around back too. also test it on another pc if possible.
kcaj32 said:
Switch off your phone, then plug it into the computer. Does the orange charging led show up? If not, you may have a defective phone.
If it charges with a computer usb while switched off and doesn't when switched on, then there is some software problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I forgot my USB cable at work but this sounds like a good idea I havent tried yet.
My laptops USB ports are fine, I use them all the time for my external hard drive which is also powered by the USB, my zune, wifes iPhone, etc. Not to mention I have the same result with my work computer, which charged my other phones.
I'll try this and post the results, thanks for the helpful responses. After this test, I'm calling T-Mobile and complaining.

Anyone else got USB Problems?

I'm finding the USB connection is getting increasingly flakey. Sometimes it connects, sometimes it fails to do anything. Have tried on 3 Windows PCs - one 64bit the other 2 32bit and the same thing happens so it must be the phone's end. The charge light always comes on but the PC connection now works only 50% of the time.
Doesn't seem to be a loose connection - makes no difference if I wiggle the plug. Reboot makes no difference. I have ordered another cable but wonder if it could be the microUSB socket itself. Anyone know of any way to test if that is the case?

Please help! Note 3 wont stay connected to comp via usb!!!

Hi guys, I have this really weird issue occurring. I have my note 3 connected to my computer via usb, but it does not stay connected. My computer keeps making a noise of new device connected, then disconnected. The phone connects, few secs later, disconnects. I have tried 3 different usb, 1 is the original,, different usb ports. It cant be the cable tho, cause it charges fine, and i wiggled it while charging. I let the drivers install when i first plugged the n3 in, so those should be good.
Any idea? could it be a ROM issue? Really need it to work, since I use tethering (
thrgk said:
Hi guys, I have this really weird issue occurring. I have my note 3 connected to my computer via usb, but it does not stay connected. My computer keeps making a noise of new device connected, then disconnected. The phone connects, few secs later, disconnects. I have tried 3 different usb, 1 is the original,, different usb ports. It cant be the cable tho, cause it charges fine, and i wiggled it while charging. I let the drivers install when i first plugged the n3 in, so those should be good.
Any idea? could it be a ROM issue? Really need it to work, since I use tethering (
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What rom are you using? And have you tried reinstalling drivers from samsung? http://www.theandroidsoul.com/galaxy-note-3-drivers-installation-guide/ and have you tried just using the micro USB cable (not the USB 3.0)
biggins 4.5, yea i tried those drivers, didnt try usb2.0 yet.
Its literally sitting here connecting, then disconnecting on and on, i have no idea, not even moving it
thrgk said:
biggins 4.5, yea i tried those drivers, didnt try usb2.0 yet.
Its literally sitting here connecting, then disconnecting on and on, i have no idea, not even moving it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It could be the data pins in the cable/phone, the power pins would still let it charge even though there's still supposed to be energy going through the data pins when charging. And have you selected a different option when plugging it into the computer (from installer, media device, to camera) from the options that note 3 provides? (click the icon in the status bar when you plug it in)
yea i tried camera, its on installer by default i think and i tried mtp also, usb3.0 said it required airplane mod so i didnt try that. How could i check the pins>
thrgk said:
yea i tried camera, its on installer by default i think and i tried mtp also, usb3.0 said it required airplane mod so i didnt try that. How could i check the pins>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it you look at the port and they're not bent or snapped then it isn't the pins. What about USB 2.0?
Will try 2.0 tomorrow, here is a pic of the pins, if you zoom in do they look ok?
http://i58.tinypic.com/r882o3.jpg
What OS is your computer running? There are some USB issues with windows 8.1. I was having the same problem at times but there was a fix in optional updates that have seemed to clear things up for now. I think it's the download numbered...2914219. I'm not completely sure as I did a few weeks ago.
Just for the record, I have had trouble with certain cables in the past. Sometimes computer didn't like a long cable.
Pins are absolutely fine, only reason I even mentioned those was because one time a little kid plugged my streak 7 cord in upside down and jacked the female port to crap. And as TheAfroSamurai mentioned it might be your computer, I had trouble with a long cable with my kin 2. Different cable fixed it for me.
Sent from my GalaxyAwesome

My phone won't recognize being connected to any computers after trying to usb tether

Hi all, I haven't been here for a while now, but I figure that this is the best place to put my issue besides maybe reddit. So I was trying to activate USB tethering yesterday as i do a lot in order to play some games on my computer since i don't have access to any ethernet, and something went wrong and it didn't activate despite having hit the switch on the phone. I unplugged my phone to turn it off since my computer hadn't recognized the tethering and tried to activate it again, but this time my phone only made the charging noise and wasn't picking up my computer at all. I then restarted my phone to see if that was the issue and got the same result. I then tried to plug it into my laptop to see if my computer was the problem and it did the same thing.
Today I tried plugging my phone into my laptop with my usb-c to usb-c cable (instead of my go-to usb-c to usb-a cable that came with the phone) and got some signs of life from the laptop, it makes the sound that says its plugged in, but the phone still only charges and the laptop picks up my phone as "USB root hub (USB 3.0)" and "Intel USB 3.1 eXtensible Host controller-1.10 (Microsoft)" in device manager. I also just tried clearing the cache in recovery but nothing has changed. Does anyone know what's going on here and how I can fix it?
Unrooted (duh), AT&T model (sorry idk the model numbers like i used to), latest updates and security patches etc
EDIT: power cycled it (let it die and turned it back on a few times until it wouldn't turn on again) and charged it back up again and that seems to have fixed my issue.
Quote100 said:
Hi all, I haven't been here for a while now, but I figure that this is the best place to put my issue besides maybe reddit. So I was trying to activate USB tethering yesterday as i do a lot in order to play some games on my computer since i don't have access to any ethernet, and something went wrong and it didn't activate despite having hit the switch on the phone. I unplugged my phone to turn it off since my computer hadn't recognized the tethering and tried to activate it again, but this time my phone only made the charging noise and wasn't picking up my computer at all. I then restarted my phone to see if that was the issue and got the same result. I then tried to plug it into my laptop to see if my computer was the problem and it did the same thing.
Today I tried plugging my phone into my laptop with my usb-c to usb-c cable (instead of my go-to usb-c to usb-a cable that came with the phone) and got some signs of life from the laptop, it makes the sound that says its plugged in, but the phone still only charges and the laptop picks up my phone as "USB root hub (USB 3.0)" and "Intel USB 3.1 eXtensible Host controller-1.10 (Microsoft)" in device manager. I also just tried clearing the cache in recovery but nothing has changed. Does anyone know what's going on here and how I can fix it?
Unrooted (duh), AT&T model (sorry idk the model numbers like i used to), latest updates and security patches etc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the ports And cable ends for trash and lint crammed in them possibly
TheMadScientist said:
Check the ports And cable ends for trash and lint crammed in them possibly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no dice there unfortunately

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