Why does my phone sometimes NOT connect to the PC?

B0bbyEwing

I have an expansion card in the PC that gives me an extra couple USB-C ports. By extra couple I should probably say only as the PC is that old that I'm not sure if USB-C was even a thing back then. 

In one of the ports I have a USB-C to USB-C cable permanently attached. 

Now when I connect my phone (Samsung Galaxy S24+) to this cable, some times the PC picks it up and sometimes, like just now, it doesn't, no matter how much I connect & disconnect.

Very annoying when I want to access files on the PC.

Why does this happen & more to it ... how to get it to connect 100%?

Boohoo

B0bbyEwing said:

I have an expansion card in the PC that gives me an extra couple USB-C ports. By extra couple I should probably say only as the PC is that old that I'm not sure if USB-C was even a thing back then. 

In one of the ports I have a USB-C to USB-C cable permanently attached. 

Now when I connect my phone (Samsung Galaxy S24+) to this cable, some times the PC picks it up and sometimes, like just now, it doesn't, no matter how much I connect & disconnect.

Very annoying when I want to access files on the PC.

Why does this happen & more to it ... how to get it to connect 100%?

I have had Samsung mobiles in the past and they were always temperamental about connecting to pc. That maybe because you had Samsung software on the pc to gain access to the mobile.

When you connected the mobile to pc do you go to mobile and change the settings on what to do when connected to something like charge only, transfer files or the like?

I think you swipe down from top left or right when 1st plugged in and the option should be there'.

I have POCO mobile and that is how I connect.

wongataa

The first thing to do is try a different USB cable.

Vitor

Have you tried using Phone Link, saves messing about with cables - Phone Link with your Galaxy phone and Windows 10 or 11 PC

dojuls

Sounds like it could be the expansion card or the cable itself. Some of those cheaper USB-C cards don’t always handle data connections reliably, only charging. I’d try another cable directly into the motherboard USB port (if available) just to rule that out.

B0bbyEwing

Thanks. 

As for what I do I just plug it in, go to PC & navigate the folders that way. 

Phone Link - yes tried it but prefer normal file explorer for navigating folders. 

Been so long since I bought the card that I can't remember the brand. Star Tech I think. 

Will try different cables next time it happens. 

35har1old

B0bbyEwing said:

I have an expansion card in the PC that gives me an extra couple USB-C ports. By extra couple I should probably say only as the PC is that old that I'm not sure if USB-C was even a thing back then. 

In one of the ports I have a USB-C to USB-C cable permanently attached. 

Now when I connect my phone (Samsung Galaxy S24+) to this cable, some times the PC picks it up and sometimes, like just now, it doesn't, no matter how much I connect & disconnect.

Very annoying when I want to access files on the PC.

Why does this happen & more to it ... how to get it to connect 100%?

Is the phone asked to allow connection?

B0bbyEwing

35har1old said:

B0bbyEwing said:

I have an expansion card in the PC that gives me an extra couple USB-C ports. By extra couple I should probably say only as the PC is that old that I'm not sure if USB-C was even a thing back then. 

In one of the ports I have a USB-C to USB-C cable permanently attached. 

Now when I connect my phone (Samsung Galaxy S24+) to this cable, some times the PC picks it up and sometimes, like just now, it doesn't, no matter how much I connect & disconnect.

Very annoying when I want to access files on the PC.

Why does this happen & more to it ... how to get it to connect 100%?

Is the phone asked to allow connection?

No, it just connects ... or doesn't. Depends how it feels that day tbh.

Maybe it doesn't ask because it's previously connected just fine?

mta999

If it's any consolation I also have a similar problem - mine is a USBA to USBC cable

I solve It by plugging it into my USB 2 port rather than my USB 3 Port so the suggestion above (plug it into a motherboard USB2 slot) might work

B0bbyEwing

mta999 said:

If it's any consolation I also have a similar problem - mine is a USBA to USBC cable

I solve It by plugging it into my USB 2 port rather than my USB 3 Port so the suggestion above (plug it into a motherboard USB2 slot) might work

Yeah I've had it previously with A to C cables too which connect to the motherboard. Sometimes they work sometimes they don't. 

macy08

B0bbyEwing said:

Thanks. 

As for what I do I just plug it in, go to PC & navigate the folders that way. 

Phone Link - yes tried it but prefer normal file explorer for navigating folders. 

Been so long since I bought the card that I can't remember the brand. Star Tech I think. 

Will try different cables next time it happens. 

Hi, you can now connect your phone to your PC without wires AND view files and folders in windows explorer.  Have a look here https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/setting-up-and-using-your-phone-in-file-explorer-45ee7712-622c-4a9c-b9aa-a77fb145635e, I use this and it works really well.