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Connect portable hard drive directly to phone

Rgarner

Android Expert
I have a Toshiba 2 gb portable hard drive and a Moto G 5 g running Android 14. How do I connect them to each other without having to use a computer or other such device? Do I need an extra cable, my head examined, etc.?
 
Do I need an otg cable? Is that expensive? How do I find out if the Moto G has otg? Is there a problem with formatting the drive? Am I wrong to assume that a phone about a year old has a type c connector?
 
The internet says it supports OTG and has a type C connector (but you can just look at the phone to verify that).

The main issue as already stated would be power, a phone can power a USB flash drive or maybe an SSD but not a spinning drive. You may need to use a powered USB hub to make it work.
 
Do I need an otg cable? Is that expensive? How do I find out if the Moto G has otg? Is there a problem with formatting the drive? Am I wrong to assume that a phone about a year old has a type c connector?
 
Do I need an otg cable? Is that expensive? How do I find out if the Moto G has otg? Is there a problem with formatting the drive? Am I wrong to assume that a phone about a year old has a type c connector?
yes,https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Female-Thunderbolt3-Compatible-MacBook/dp/B0DNZGHZH3/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=8FDO5VX45HZB&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.D13N9Cq8L2_OrGliP9PU1-Frz9wx6D2zXzfoNRjDVOJayWL-L-iVdr3qn1JvoCCsiXZFMlyOzNUnjOhfaGcf8gPKAcDSHP2elwBeRJz6v8CCJt6sA0_KMr9wQLBy-nO3oGZRo3gVE44CucpDh7wtUj3R-ea5J7FShqpZcZcH0R-8vywdYRcJQNYfDzrI9Qhdqc39Gjdrjqhz81sLGQBtjecOwKDReCHUlzmMVkTXOo8.GzP1R_sSffNTWquKsRWIMVPleEImI_gxPlH9TPM8CEc&dib_tag=se&keywords=otg+cable&qid=1740200045&sprefix=otg,aps,214&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

problem? you will need a pc to format the drive to fat32. we can help you with that if you need it.

your moto g 5g uses usb type c


I sure don't have that. How do I get ir? How much does it cost? Is it obvious how to use it?
you most likely do not have a hard drive that spins. most external hard drives are portable and most likely solid state (ssd). spinning, portable hard drives are pretty rare. a spinning hard drive requires power. most portable hard drives are ssd and do not need extra power.
 
Actually there are still plenty of spinning portable drives out there and they are generally less expensive than SSD's for a given capacity so they remain popular-

 
Actually there are still plenty of spinning portable drives out there and they are generally less expensive than SSD's for a given capacity so they remain popular-

Yeah but you go to Best Buy or even Walmart or Target, you will mostly see ssd portable drives..... online is a different story.
 
Does a crimebook qualify (barely) as a pc? I guess I should get a cheap powered hub just in case. Would that include the otg cable? Dannydet, you are correct that I know little about this topic. That is why I turn to my friends of many years, Android sages all, to learn things which I likely should be aware of already.
 
Does a crimebook qualify (barely) as a pc? I guess I should get a cheap powered hub just in case. Would that include the otg cable? Dannydet, you are correct that I know little about this topic. That is why I turn to my friends of many years, Android sages all, to learn things which I likely should be aware of already.
Android sages..

Eh what is that?Sorry I got to turn up my hearing aid.. EH?
 
Kermit The Frog No GIF by Muppet Wiki
 
I'm sorry. I hadn't realized I was being such a tease. I hereby withdraw my status as coquette by posting pix of the vaunted thing.
 

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I think that might be a little rust near the blue on that black cord. I hope it doesn't affect anything. Can I use a crimebook to format the drive to FAT32? Are there explicit instructions for that? I guess the only way I can use the Toshiba is to have it plugged into the phone. How will I know if it's wotking?
 

That cable is what connects the drive to a PC or in this case a powered hub. You can probably use a regular micro-usb cable (it just plugs into the smaller side of the connection on the drive) and it most likely wouldn't matter much as far as speed.

In the end it would probably be easier to plug the drive into a proper PC, transfer the files you want to a USB stick, and then connect that to the phone to move the files over. No hub needed just maybe an adapter to plug the stick into the phone.
 
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