Would Vista help me??

[EdNerd]

I have a Dell Optiplex GX620 with a Pentium 4 @ 2.8 Ghz and (currently) 1 Gb RAM. It's running XP SP3 at the moment. There's no internet or wifi on the computer.

I recently got a Samsung Galaxy S3 (Verizon) and can't get the phone to mount to the PC as a USB drive so I can see the files. I tried getting help here, but nothing worked.

Do you think it would help me get my S3 mounted if I bumped up to Vista? Do you think the computer could hang with that? Maybe with a bit more RAM? (All I use the computer for is a few low-level games [wish I could play Doom again!!] and MS Office 2007 (Word, Excel, and VBA.)

You thoughts are appreciated.
Ed

 

[Dngrsone]

I think Vista would need at least 4GB RAM to work on your machine.

With that said, I don't think moving to Vista would help you much-- with Ice Cream Sandwich, the USB drive function was deprecated, and you're S3 is running that our Gingerbread, if I remember right.

There is a utility that I use on my Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch called USB Switcher which will return that functionality, but you will need to have root access to use it.

 

[MoodyBlues]

with Ice Cream Sandwich, the USB drive function was deprecated, and you're S3 is running that our Gingerbread, if I remember right.

There is a utility that I use on my Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch called USB Switcher which will return that functionality, but you will need to have root access to use it.

I'm confused.

I'm still running ICS on my Atrix 2, and it's perfectly able to be accessed via its USB cable on my computers (all are Linux...as you well know!). And it's not rooted. Or am I misunderstanding something here?

As for the OP's actual question...my mouth is firmly zipped shut. :rofl:

 

[Dngrsone]

He is looking to use his phone as an USB drive. The problem isn't that he can't connect at all, but that he can't surf the phone directories from Windows Explorer (his file manager).

 

[saptech]

At work when they had Winxp, I was able to plug my phone, running GB, and browse the files. I'm also still able to browse the files since they upgraded to Win7. I'm not rooted or installed any special files on the computers.

I'm confused also. Of course at home running Linux, I can browse the phone and tablet running JB!

Vista will require more memory to run smoothly on that hardware.

 

[MoodyBlues]

He is looking to use his phone as an USB drive. The problem isn't that he can't connect at all, but that he can't surf the phone directories from Windows Explorer (his file manager).

But that's what I'm referring to--*I* can do that (but not with window$, of course), and my phone is not rooted, therefore I didn't get your original comment that "with Ice Cream Sandwich, the USB drive function was deprecated." It's not deprecated for me. So I'm still confused!

 

[Hadron]

The thread he links is people suggesting how he could get MTP going (which XP SP3 should support). Although USB mass storage is mentioned in this thread, the people there were aware that the S3 (which is probably running JB by now, unless Verizon are well behind others in their updates) would only support MTP.

All I can add(*) is that I've seen the suggestion that updating Windows Media Player to version 10 or 11 might be needed to get the MTP drivers to work properly. Of course the fact that this is a non-networked PC may not be helpful with setting up drivers.

Of course there's always the work-around of using the SD card in a USB card reader to copy files between PC and phone - that way you do indeed get USB Mass Storage.

(*) As Moody has noted, there's a very obvious response to the question of whether Vista would help anyone, but I'm resisting...resisting....

 

[Dngrsone]

Okay, I guess I need to clarify... yes, you can see the folders through the file manager, but you can't do anything with the files.

The Windows Explorer well even see the individual files, while Nemo and other Linux file managers tend to see the folders with no files in them.

Windows Media Player can see the machine as a media player (when in MTP configuration) and manage music, video, and pictures, but that is it.

I say this based on my experience trying to do stuff with my E4GT.

WMP 10 should install on Win XP, as I recall. If I didn't say it before, I don't think Vista would help, either (and I agree on the Doom thing... getting Diablo or C&C working is difficult enough).

 

[EdNerd]

PC has WMP 10.
Phone info:
-- Android 4.1.2
-- Kernal 3.0.31-1152558
-- Build no. JZO54K.I535VRBMF1
-- Hardware I535.10

Phone connects as MTP; can see folders, but everything has generic icons and nothing will open. Switch to PTP; got a dialog asking what camera or scanner program I want to launch. No file management capabilities.

I can pull the SD card out and use it a USB reader. But I'd like to get a nice protective case for the phone (maybe the Armor?), and it would be a real pain having to crack open the outer case and then the back cover every time I simply wanted to do something with the card.

Really -- am I asking too much here? (Aside from the subtle bias against Vista, I mean.)

Ed

 

[Dngrsone]

My original recommendation stands, Ed.

USB Switcher does the job for me; I am running the stock firmware for my phone with root access, and using that app, I can access the contents of the phone. It does require a restart, but if that's all one can complain about...

 

[EdNerd]

So I need to root my phone to use USB switcher?

Ed

 

[Dngrsone]

Yes. Samsung's are fairly easy to root, though.

You can do a search for your model number and carrier with the term root. XDA-Developers forums is probably the best place to get a tutorial and the right package.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Okay, I guess I need to clarify... yes, you can see the folders through the file manager, but you can't do anything with the files.

I can.

The Windows Explorer well even see the individual files, while Nemo and other Linux file managers tend to see the folders with no files in them.

Not for me, whether I'm using my file manager (Dolphin) or a command line. The directories are there AND their files are in them.

Is it possible we're talking about different PARTS of the phone's file system? Since my phone is not rooted I'm limited as far as which directories I can access. The only directories I care about accessing, I can, e.g., dcim, Android, apps I've installed, camera, video, ringtones, directories I've added, etc. I cannot access its system files/directories.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Really -- am I asking too much here? (Aside from the subtle bias against Vista, I mean.)

I was trying so hard to keep my big mouth shut...but... See, it's not a subtle bias against Vista, it's a NOT very subtle bias against all things window$. There I said it.

The hardware you're working with would *FLY* if you installed a lightweight Linux distro on it, such as Bodhi. Instead of dealing with speeds resembling walking through frozen molasses (with window$) when you're trying to run anything, you'd be flying.

And you'd be able to access your phone's files! At least I can.

 

[Dngrsone]

I really would like to know what you have that allows you to do that, Moody.

It's entirely possible that your phone was not hobbled like the Samsungs were.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I really would like to know what you have that allows you to do that, Moody.

You bet--it's a Motorola Atrix 2 and it's still running ICS.

It's entirely possible that your phone was not hobbled like the Samsungs were.

Apparently not!

 

[sfbloodbrother]

I think you will have better luck with the Microsoft Community where Microsoft Enthusiast, and some employees are there to help.

Home - Microsoft Community

 

[EdNerd]

Yah, looks like they might have some XP-related answers. :8>D
Kies keeps coming up in the discussions.
I don't have Kies installed; understood it needs wifi which I don't have.
Plus I didn't get an install CD, and I can't download it.
Am I sunk without Kies?

Ed

 

[Joelgp83]

If you're absolutely set on a windows upgrade, any system that you plan to put Vista on will categorically run Win7 faster. Better to go for that than Vista.

That is, of course, assuming you don't want to make the jump to linux.

 

[Dngrsone]

As I recall, there is a Kies download for your computer to communicate with your phone via USB cord... I had to install an update using it, but I don't know how much functionality is available-- the computer that I installed it on died shortly after the upgrade was done (unrelated, I assure you).

 

[EdNerd]

(unrelated, I assure you)

Oh yeah -- that's definitely reassuring!!

I'll give Non-Support at VZW a call and see if they have a full install CD for Kies. I didn't get one with my phone. And I can't do a download - no internet connection.

Windows 7 was mentioned. Seriously?? Would this "made for XP" machine handle Win7?? (Yet even as I say that .... I control our laptop inventory at work, and I'm thinking of the Dell D620 and D630 laptops with the corporate image including Win7 and Office 2007, amongst other bloatware. 'Course, a lot of those are slowly becoming doorstops ...)

Ed

 

[Dngrsone]

Ha! Here is Microsoft's minimum hardware requirement for Windows 7:

If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here's what it takes:

• 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

I wouldn't do it with less than 4GB RAM, otherwise it'd be slower than my kid walking to school.

 

[Joelgp83]

Oh yeah -- that's definitely reassuring!!

I'll give Non-Support at VZW a call and see if they have a full install CD for Kies. I didn't get one with my phone. And I can't do a download - no internet connection.

Windows 7 was mentioned. Seriously?? Would this "made for XP" machine handle Win7?? (Yet even as I say that .... I control our laptop inventory at work, and I'm thinking of the Dell D620 and D630 laptops with the corporate image including Win7 and Office 2007, amongst other bloatware. 'Course, a lot of those are slowly becoming doorstops ...)

Ed

7 is actually more leaner, efficient and stable than vista. While it may still produce slow performance, it will still be relatively quicker than a vista install.

*checks specs on your machine*

Geez, you'll be fine. I've got an old 3ghz Pentium 4 which runs it just fine on 2 gigs of RAM. A 2.8ghz system won't be that different if you can bump the RAM up likewise.

 

[EdNerd]

-- VZW "help" couldn't. No Kies install CD, no other answers. At least they connected me to Samsung help.
-- Samsung was no help at all! The first guy didn't understand the difference between MTP and PTP. So he sent me to "bench support". After 30 minutes on hold, I was told to (1) download the driver from Samsung [already done that], and (2) upgrade my OS. ("But XP is still a viable system." "Samsung sees things differently.")

I am now looking for more RAM. Then I'll look for Win7. *sigh* Gonna drag me kicking and screaming into 2010 so soon??

Ed

 

[Rukbat]

Putting Vista, 7 or 8 on that machine, the way it is, is like taking a slow horse and shooting it in the kneecap to make it run faster. With 4GB, it should run 7 (although probably a bit slower than it now runs XP), but I really don't think that an OS upgrade will make it easier to manipulate the files on your phone.