Droid Razr M- uploading pics to computer

[janellno5]

I am trying to transfer my pictures/videos from my Motorola Razr M to my computer.  I was able to do this in April, but since then have been unsuccessful. My computer doesn't seem to be recognizing that I have a connected device. I know it's connected because the phone is charging through the computer's USB port.

I have tried to follow the instructions below, but I am stopped at number 2 because there are no portable devices listed in my computer.  I've gone through all sorts of things on my phone to try to make it a USB computer connection, but I'm thinking there is some sort of easy transfer button I used in April that just doesn't exist anymore. 

My phone is completely filled up and the memory is already used.  I do have a micro SD card in it, but that is also filled so I need to replace that.  I just got the stupid phone earlier this year.  I should have returned it when I had a chance but now I'm stuck with it for another year and a half.   

• For Windows 7:
  1.Open Computer from the Start Menu
  2.Click on XT907  under Portable Devices
  
  Your phone will appear as a connected drive. (Internal Storage and SD card)where you can drag and drop files.
• For Apple™ Macintosh™: Use Android™ File Transfer, available at www.android.com/filetransfer

Note: You can’t use files on the microSD card while your phone is connected to the computer.

[#2]

First off read your owners manual on how to set your device to "usb mass storage" after it is set to be used as an additional drive it will appear as that supplementary drive. You can access both the sd card and the phones internal storage after it is properly recongnized ( letter could be e, f, etc.)

Additionally if your sd card came with an adapter and you have a sd card reader in your computer, you plug that in and again it will show up as a drive letter.

You also may want to set the camera settings to place photos and videos in the sd card instead of internal memory.

Again read that owners manual. Or use Google to find step by step instruction for your question and device.

Good Luck

You could also use a service like drop box, or google drive, or Box as an app and just send them to the cloud.

[janellno5]

This is what I found on it in the manual:

USB connection

You can connect your smartphone to a computer with a

USB cable.

Note:

The first time you use a USB connection, your

computer may indicate that drivers are being installed.

Follow any prompts you see to complete the installation.

This may take a few minutes.

1

With the home screen showing, connect a Motorola

micro USB data cable from your smartphone’s micro

USB port to a USB port on your computer. Your

smartphone should show      in the status bar.

Note:

Make sure to connect the smartphone to a high

power USB port. Typically, these are located directly on

your computer. To change the type of USB connection

if necessary, tap Apps      >

Settings

>

Storage

> Menu    >

USB computer connection

>

Mass Storage

.

2

Your smartphone and microSD memory card appear as

two separate removable disks on your computer.

Drag and drop files between your computer and the

smartphone or microSD card folders. When you’re

done, use “Safely Remove Hardware” before

disconnecting the USB cable.

Note:

You can’t use files on the microSD card while your

smartphone is connected to the computer

*The problem is that when I go to USB connection from the settings menu, there is no additional menu.  So I can't set it for mass storage.  the only options it gives me is to set it as an MTO device or PTP device.  Clicking either of those choices does absolutely nothing and my computer doesn't see my phone (neither the internal storage or the sd card show up as any type of drive).  I need a new sd card, since this one is completely full, and I am going to try to copy my internal memory over to the sd card once I get a new one if that's possible.  For now, I'm trying to free up the internal memory by copying the stuff to my computer, but it's frustrating because they aren't communicating despite me following the steps and trying a million different things.

[#4]

it would seem you followed my instructions and the manuals instructions. another thing to try is a different usb port on the computer and see if that works, or another computer you own and see if that helps. I have read that different operating systems have either worked or not but it is worth a try.

Sorry for your troubles.

[vzw_customer_support]

Hey Janellno5,

The Droid Razr M is a great phone. My favorite part about it is how well pictures show up on that HD screen.  It's nice to transfer files to your computer, because it lets you know they are backed up and it also frees up memory on your phone.

For step by step instructions on how to transfer pictures and video please visit http://vz.to/SCPPjv.

It sounds like you are following these steps. I am just providing you the steps to make sure you have them.

When you plug in the device does it ask you to download any drivers? Do you get an error message on the computer?

I would try restarting both the device and the computer and than try again.

Keep us updated.


Nicholas_VZW
Please follow us on twitter @VZWSupport

[janellno5]

I tried restarting both the computer and the phone and using different USB ports.  It still doesn't work.

"When you plug in the device does it ask you to download any drivers? Do you get an error message on the computer?"

-No, I don't get any messages at all. No message to download drivers, no error messages, no messages that it's trying to connect to a new hardware device,  Nothing happens at all other than my phone starts charging. 

1. Connect the device to a computer using the supplied USB cable.
   1. If necessary, select and hold the status bar (located at the top) then drag to the bottom.
   2. Select Connected as a camera / mass storage.
   3. Select Media device (MTP).
      Selected when a check mark is present.

-When I drag the status bar down and get to the settings menu, there simply doesn't exist the option to 'select connected as a camera/mass storage'.  If it was there, I could easily do it.  I know that it was there before, back in April.  But now it isn't.  I tried uploading some videos to Photobucket and copying them onto my computer, then deleting them off of my phone to add some storage space back to the phone.  Before, my phone had been saying that syncing might be affected due to lack of storage space.  Now it no longer has that message on my screen, so syncing shouldn't be affected anymore, but I still can't upload directly with the USB port. 

[janellno5]

Well, since nothing I tried was working with the computer, I ended up just getting a new Micro SD card.  The file transfer portion seems to be working on my phone, so I'm transferring the pictures from the internal memory to the SD card by that route.  My phone did an update today and I was hopeful that maybe after that it would transfer to my computer directly through the USB port, but it didn't. 

I'm still wondering what the heck happened to the USB connection option on the phone itself.  If I hadn't been successful doing it back in April, I would think I was just not following the steps right.  But I really don't think it's me...

[demmo86rt]

If you can't get the usb transfer to work, you may want to look into the app AirDroid to do your transfers wirelessly.

[vzw_customer_support]

janellno5,

Hmm. You definitely are doing everything you're supposed to which makes this even more puzzling. But, it's still nothing we can't figure out. Now, I'm happy to learn that the file transfer portion has gone well with the new Micro SD. Plus, updates should help. Were you able to plug it in the USB after you ran the update and test? This could very well be a device issue that we may need to remedy with replacement if it's becoming enough of an obstacle.


Evan_VZW
Please follow us on twitter @VZWSupport

[tmw76]

The same thing happened to me and I discovered it only works if I use the special USB cable supplied with my Motorola phone.  Luckily I left the tags on it so i could identify it.  I tried several other USB cables I had leftover from previous phones and none worked. Ridiculous!  I probably wouldn't have picked this phone if I knew that beforehand.