Adding mp3 files to Note 20 Ultra

[John Jason]

I have about 1400 MP3 files that I created with cdparanoia and lame from my own CD collection. They work fine on my computers, and they also work fine on the Note, except that on the note I can play them only from a USB stick. That's because, as far as I can tell there's no way to move files from an external device to the phone's internal storage.

I tried a couple different file managers from the Play Store, and you can select a file on the USB stick, and press a Copy button, then move to somewhere on the phone's internal storage, but when you're in the internal storage the Paste button is grayed out. I guess if I want to listen to my MP3 files on the phone I'll have to always have a USB stick hanging out the bottom.

The naming system for how the internal storage is set up is also unclear. Assuming I can figure out how to get my files on the phone, what is the standard location?

 

[svim]

There's already a basic file manager app that Samsung includes on its devices, look in your apps menu for the 'My Files' app. Use that to transfer your audio files into your phone's internal storage (or to the microSD card if you'd rather build up your audio library there instead). Keep in mind you don't have access to a lot of those folders that reside in the internal storage. A lot of them have system-level privileges so you cannot transfer files in or out of them. The ones you do have access to will have pretty obvious naming, for photos, music, etc. Use those folders to copy your audio files into. If you use the microSD card storage instead, it's even more restricted but it's the same basic situation, you have access to some but not all folders. The default interface in Samsung's My Files app should make it easier for you to find the folders your need, it's more of a managed interface.

 

[ocnbrze]

why can't you just hook up the phone to the computer and use the computer to move your mp3 files to the phone? why use a usb stick?

 

[John Jason]

why can't you just hook up the phone to the computer and use the computer to move your mp3 files to the phone? why use a usb stick?

I tried that, but the file manager in the computer can't see the phone. The phone does connect (tried two different cables), as it appears under /dev, but I am unable to navigate the phone's files.

There's already a basic file manager app that Samsung includes on its devices, look in your apps menu for the 'My Files' app. Use that to transfer your audio files into your phone's internal storage (or to the microSD card if you'd rather build up your audio library there instead). Keep in mind you don't have access to a lot of those folders that reside in the internal storage. A lot of them have system-level privileges so you cannot transfer files in or out of them. The ones you do have access to will have pretty obvious naming, for photos, music, etc. Use those folders to copy your audio files into. If you use the microSD card storage instead, it's even more restricted but it's the same basic situation, you have access to some but not all folders. The default interface in Samsung's My Files app should make it easier for you to find the folders your need, it's more of a managed interface.

The My Files app may have an annoying name, but it did the job. However, there is no icon for it, or at least I don't know where it is. To launch it I searched for it in the App Store, which said it was installed, so the Open button in the App Store worked. I may be responsible for the lack of an icon, because there were a lot of apps that I knew I would never use and I found a place to make them invisible. Now I can't figure out how I made them invisible.

Edit: I finally found the place where I had made it hidden and reversed it. It's copying all the files as I write this. I had Total Commander and CX File Manager installed, but they couldn't do it. They will be history.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[svim]

..... I had Total Commander and CX File Manager installed, but they couldn't do it. They will be history.
....

Well Total Commander and CX are more feature-rich file manager apps so there is a learning curve involved. The My Files app is more basic, and as far as functionality it does what most people require in a file manager. It has a more limited (by-design), user-friendly interface.
If your needs later require more access to your phone's file system in general, using one of those more advanced file manager apps will make the task a lot easier.

 

[marctronixx]

The naming system for how the internal storage is set up is also unclear.

this is how it would look on a standard PC:

i took a screenshot of my note 20 ultra 5G unlocked. every android phone and for sure every galaxy phone i have ever had loads up like this. there is nothing "unclear". what type of computer are you using and what is your OS? did you try another computer? i installed nothing extra to do this.

I have an SD card and the PHONE is internal storage.

you should have no problems connecting the note to a PC. i've NEVER had an issue and I have the exact same phone as you. you should try another PC and or another usb port and /or restart the PC.

dont get caught up in this discussion about getting extra apps to install basic stuff like files and music. just connect to the computer (i dont have a MAC so i dont know what it looks like on a mac)

now if you dont see it show up in your PC tree like mine, you probably are not looking on your phone. you should swipe DOWN from the top to see the notification tray. since you are new to this phone it may not be setup to be visible on your PC, just to charge. once you swipe down you should see the usb options

here when you swipe down you see the "usb for file transfer" - you may just see charging only like it shows at the bottom of the drop down.

once you tap on the usb options you see this:

you have several options so choose transferring files. ignore the "couldnt switch" under "connected device" when i went to take a screenshot, i fat fingered the button to make the phone swap to another setting.

try this video if you still need help:

 

[John Jason]

I solved the problem, as I noted previously. The problem was that Total Commander and CX File Manager did not have permission to put files on the internal storage, which I did not realize. I still don't know how to give them permission, but the Samsung file manager did the job. Problem resolved.

As for connecting the phone to my computers, the computers cannot access the files on the phone because they do not have permission. And I don't know how to give it to them because I don't know what password/authentication the phone requires. My computers do not run Windows or MacOS. But that is irrelevant. As long as the USB stick does the job I don't care. In fact, I really don't want my phone accessing my computers. One less potential security hassle to worry about.

 

[marctronixx]

My computers do not run Windows or MacOS

well this is likely your issue then.

anyway, its moot. if you found out the solution then that's all that matters.

 

[puppykickr]

Instead of all the hassle, use NitroShare.

As long as your phone and computrr are on the same Wi-Fi, it's golden.

https://github.com/nitroshare/nitroshare-desktop

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/net.nitroshare.android/

 

[mikedt]

As for connecting the phone to my computers, the computers cannot access the files on the phone because they do not have permission. And I don't know how to give it to them because I don't know what password/authentication the phone requires. My computers do not run Windows or MacOS. But that is irrelevant. As long as the USB stick does the job I don't care. In fact, I really don't want my phone accessing my computers. One less potential security hassle to worry about.

I assume they're running a Linux OS, like Ubuntu or something. FYI they should be able to access files on a connected Android phone, but they need to have the Media Transfer Protocol(libmtp) installed, and then the phone only has to be unlocked, just like with MacOS or Windows.

 

[John Jason]

I assume they're running a Linux OS, like Ubuntu or something. FYI they should be able to access files on a connected Android phone, but they need to have the Media Transfer Protocol(libmtp) installed, and then the phone only has to be unlocked, just like with MacOS or Windows.

Is this a utility I need on the laptop or on the phone? I can't find it on either OS.

I did solve the problem using the Samsung file manager, but I'd still like to understand clearly what is going on. Oh, and my ohone is 'unlocked,' but not everyone uses that term with the same meaning. In my case it means that I can install a SIM for any carrier and the phone is happy. It does not mean that the phone is rooted.

 

[mikedt]

Is this a utility I need on the laptop or on the phone? I can't find it on either OS.

You said previously your computer isn't running Windows or MacOS? Well for whatever it is OS it is running, it needs to support Media Transfer Protocol(MTP). MTP is what Android devices use to connect to computers, for transferring, files and data. Windows supports MTP as standard, for MacOS you install the Android File Transfer tool on the Mac, and for Linux you need to make sure libmtp is installed.

I did solve the problem using the Samsung file manager, but I'd still like to understand clearly what is going on. Oh, and my ohone is 'unlocked,' but not everyone uses that term with the same meaning. In my case it means that I can install a SIM for any carrier and the phone is happy. It does not mean that the phone is rooted.

"unlocked" in this case for connecting to a computer, meaning the screen isn't locked and it's on.

 

[John Jason]

You said previously your computer isn't running Windows or MacOS? Well for whatever it is OS it is running, it needs to support Media Transfer Protocol(MTP). MTP is what Android devices use to connect to computers, for transferring, files and data. Windows supports MTP as standard, for MacOS you install the Android File Transfer tool on the Mac, and for Linux you need to make sure libmtp is installed.

Sorry to take so long here. I've been really busy, but I still can't get the phone to see files on a USB drive.

The phone is a Samsung Note 20 Ultra, unlocked, that is, I can use it with any carrier. It is not rooted. You said ' "unlocked" in this case for connecting to a computer, meaning the screen isn't locked and it's on,' but I don't understand what that means. If the screen was locked on the computer or the phone the device would be unusable for anything.

My main computer is Linux, where all the drives are ext4, even external drives. Everything just works. However, for purposes of transferring files from the computer to the phone I bought three new USB3 drives, each with two plugs, one Type A and on the other end Type C. I started by putting them into the phone, which said they needed to be formatted, so I let the phone do so. When I pulled the drives out of the phone and put them into the computer it saw the drives and was happy to copy files to them. But when I put the drives back into the phone none of the files were visible.

The computer has Media Transfer Protocol, because that has been standard on all varieties of Linux for some time, and I double-checked just to be sure. Ditto for EXFAT, which is the filesystem that the phone put on the USB drives.

I have read that Android can read/write ext4 filesystems, but when I put an ext4 USB drive into the phone I got nothing. I'd sure like to forget about EXFAT and use ext4, if there's a way to get the phone to be able see the drive.

 

[ocnbrze]

Oh no idea which is the starndart location. Have you found?

i'm sorry, but the "starndartlocation"? not sure what you are talking about. can you explain in more details?

 

[svim]

...
I have read that Android can read/write ext4 filesystems, but when I put an ext4 USB drive into the phone I got nothing. I'd sure like to forget about EXFAT and use ext4, if there's a way to get the phone to be able see the drive.

ext4 is the file system for all Android internal storage media. FAT32 and exFAT are the file systems supported only for external USB storage media. So you can't reformat your phone's internal storage with a FAT file system, the installed Android operating system cannot run on top of that. That ext4 external drive wouldn't mount because there isn't any firmware support for non-native external hard drives -- conversely, if you have microSD card formatted as 'Internal' (a.k.a. Adoptable), that changes that card's file system from its default FAT variant to ext4 and encrypts it, with the encryption key tying the card do the phone itself. The installed Android OS then merges the card into the existing file system, essentially making the card an internal hardware component. At that point the card is pretty much a part of your phone (with the same ext4 file system). That's why there are warning messages about physically removing a card that's been set as 'Internal' so it's amazing how many people ignore that message and then go on to complain about why the card doesn't mount to another device (again, the encryption key links the card to the phone). Anyway, that's diverting from your posting but it's still relative to the external storage topic. Basically, you need to keep using FAT32 or exFAT for an external USB drive. And no, you cannot set up an external USB drive as 'Internal'. Android devices are specifically designed to be mobile and portable so having an external USB hard drive connected to your phone everywhere you go isn't an option.

 

[John Jason]

When I started this thread I was having problems, but I finally succeeded in getting my 1873 MP3 files on the Note 20 Ultra. Then I spent a week fumbling to find a music player that lists the 'songs' by the filename instead of tags. I finally found EZ Folder Player and used it for several months. But there were problems, like sometimes it would stop i the middle of a symphony and skip to another random piece. I couldn't tell if the problem was a defect in the MP3 file or maybe the phone got bumped in my pocket. All my MP3s ere made from my own CD collection with CDParanoia and lame on Ubuntu. Eventually I decided to remake my collection, and now my collection is top quality, using lame at a setting of 0 (lossless).
Now the problem is getting the revised pieces into the phone. The last time I did it I used a USB stick that I formatted exFAT, so I tried using it again, but the phone can't see it. I reformatted it FAT32 and then NTFS, but none of them worked. The phone won't see any USB stick.
Now, on my Linux computers when I stick a USB drive into a connector the drive immediately appears on the screen. I can click on it to display its contents. But when I stick a USB drive into the phone absolutely nothing happens. It's as if the connector is dead; but that can't be because the phone still takes a charge. I've tried drives formatted with exFAT, FAT32 and NTFS, and the phone sees none of them. And I also stuck a USB-C to USB-C cable between he phone and a USB port on my laptop, but neither the laptop nor the phone recognized the other.
I have the phone set to automatically connect to my home wifi, and that works, but only for downloading from Samsung. I have a 32TB Synology network attached storage device, but the phone does not see it; it goes only directly to the internet.

Suggestions?

 

[John Jason]

In the middle of all of this I explored using the phone's connection to my home wifi, and I finally succeeded. There is a 32TB Synology Network Attached Storage enclosure on the network, which my computers see without a problem. I finally got the phone to see it also, and by logging into it from the phone I was able to download files from it. Unfortunately, it has many thousands of files on it, and the phone can normally transfer only one file at a time. On the phone I'd have to Select All, but that requires scrolling on the phone from the top to the bottom of the 1800+ MP3 files, and that would have taken many hundreds of finger swipes on the phone screen. For lack of a mouse my kingdom was lost. (Sigh.) Eventually I gave up.
But my final success came when it suddenly dawned on me that the external battery enclosure (that wraps around the phone) may have been the culprit. Sure enough, when I peeled it off my USB sticks popped right up on the phone screen. The symptoms of having a dead USB port on the phone were right on; I was just too stupid to realize why it was dead. OK, in my defense, the USB port on the phone was still working for taking a charge, so it didn't occur to me that it might be only partially working.