Android phone charges, but no file transfer option on Moto G5 Stylus. - I'm guessing the port is broken, but I'll take any advice

Elwood P. Dowd

What?
kiwifarms.net
Joined
Nov 15, 2016
Did all the usual shit:

  • Multiple USB-C cables, all rated for data transfer (I doublechecked)
  • Multiple PCs (Win 10 and 11)
  • Retard YouTube idea to try to scrape dirt/pet hair out of port via toothpick
  • Developer Mode enabled
  • Idiot garbage Motorola's "help" site suggested (Drivers that as AFAIK I never needed now installed on PC)
  • More idiot garbage like making sure all notifications are turned on, now getting spammed every 12 seconds with them
  • Phone charges fine, both plugged into wall and attached to PC
  • Just no damn notification on bottom of screen on PC 😟

I have a fuckton of pirated audiobooks and old music in MP3 and M4A format I like to listen to. Screwed on that.

Don't wanna give up my 3.5 mm jack, and if not impossible to get is getting harder and harder to find.

Anything else worth trying?
 
Sure there isn't debris in the port? might be worth getting a pokey thing and feel/gently scratch around in the port when the phone is off.

Edit: I'm retarded, didn't see you already did that. Given what you've already tried, chances are either the data line traces are fucked or component connected to data lines of the port is fucked. If you're brave you can open it up and poke around with a multimeter to see if it's the problem and an easy fix
 
Maybe the PC is just not recognizing that a USB device is attached, or it is set to ignore the phone when it is plugged-in. With my phone, I have to enable file transfer on the phone (settings-connected devices-USB-use for file transfer & controlled by this device) rather than the PC. That gives access to the phone through File Explorer.
 
Last edited:
  • Agree
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Just spitballing here, but:
1. Clear cache partition.
2. Go to settings > apps > reset app preferences.
 
Data pin in the phone's USB connector is fucked. Best case scenario, you can try to scrape some oxidation off the pins with a needle or something. If that doesn't work, it's probably on the other side of the connector, which means replacing the whole thing. And that's a lot of work. A phone repair shop could probably do it for you for relatively cheap.
 
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Reactions: Elwood P. Dowd
Did you enable usb transfer mode? on most devices whe you plug into an computer it'll ask if you want it to be in usb storage mode, ADB mode, or ignore the connection. if it doesn't ask you have to go to settings.
Screenshot_20230928-132957.png
 
Thanks, everyone. Very much appreciate you guys taking the time. Far more helpful than the other places I asked, believe it or not.

  • I'm such a tech tard I didn't even know there were Android file manager apps I could use to access files without using a USB. Learned something new there.
    • Material Files, at my level of knowledge, gets me where I want to go
  • Using the above means I can do basically everything I want, just slower
    • Once I figured out how to download folders of files from Google drive to Android, that is. Do-able, but retarded and unintuitive, to say the least
  • Beyond that, as long as the phone still charges (and it does) I'm just gonna say fuck it
    • Sure looks like the USB-C pin is this issue, as some noted, but I guess I can live with it
 
Kind of a bizarre update...turns out the file transfer PC to phone works depending upon which way I plug the USB-C into the phone. One way it just charges, the other way it comes up with an option to transfer files, which works. I forgot to bring a charger to my new job so I plugged the phone into the PC to charge it. Popped up with an option to transfer files. And it worked/works.

Very odd. Apparently USB-C cables do have a "top" and a "bottom." Haven't tried every USB-C cable I have to see if this holds across the board, but this is the case for at least two of them.

Maybe the pin will go at some point but for now? I'm happy. 🤷‍♂️
 
  • Informative
Reactions: Fagnacious D
How have you been getting files on/off usually?
 
I have the the non 5g version moto stylus 2022. For a hundred bucks this phone is really decent.
 
Haven't tried every USB-C cable I have to see if this holds across the board, but this is the case for at least two of them.
Are these USB cables 2.0 or 3.0 (the blue line ones)?

I only have 2.0 but for my phone (Samsung Galaxy S23) it would connect to the computer just fine without hassle. After an update, it hasn't been able to do that anymore and i now only get the "this cable can't properly charge your phone" message. Doesn't matter if it's a Linux or Windows PC, the fucking thing won't properly connect to it.

I'm thinking it might be because I now need to use a 3.0 USB cable to connect to the computer, since i have other wired chargers that work and can charge this thing just fine, even in my car.
 
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