Andy Burns wrote:

> Andrew wrote:
>
>> Why not just mount the Android phone as a drive letter over Wi-Fi on a
>> PC?
>> C:\> net use Z: \\192.168.0.whatever@port\MountPoint /USER:user1 mypasswd
>
> You "just" have to install an SMB server first, of course ...

overlooked the @port, if that is @443 or @SSL then it'll use webDAV

Paul wrote:
> On 2/10/2024 12:37 PM, Bill Bradshaw wrote:
>
>> It appears you are able to see the photographs on the phone from your
>> computer but could not copy them to your computer. I can not copy
>> to my "C" partition because Windows does like that (whom knows why -
>> Paul?). I have my computer partitioned and I can copy to one of the
>> other partitions. You should try the Samsung Smart Switch program
>> because it makes backups of the phone which can also be restored if
>> there is a problem. The Smart Switch program may copy the files you
>> want to the "C" partition and then you can copy or move them to the
>> location you want. When I do this I get questions whether I want to
>> allow access on both the phone and computer.
>>
>> <Bill>
>
> The root level of some partitions, is "protected" against copying
> like that.
>
> C:\somefile.ext # Denied
>
> C:\NewFolderName\somefile.ext # Allowed
>
> The C: partition has historically had sensitive files in
> the root, such as boot.ini, NTLDR, pagefile.sys and so on.
> There may be some concern about "just blowing away" some
> file while fooling around.
>
> I run into this occasionally while doing Macrium Backups,
> and I'm getting a denial on my attempt to start the MRIMG somewhere.
> Locating a folder for the job, I'm more likely to succeed.
>
> Paul

I was copying to the root of "C". Learned something new that is good know.
In the future I will know what is going on.

<Bill>

Andy Burns wrote on Sun, 11 Feb 2024 17:02:10 +0000 :

>>> Why not just mount the Android phone as a drive letter over Wi-Fi on a
>>> PC?
>>> C:\> net use Z: \\192.168.0.whatever@port\MountPoint /USER:user1 mypasswd
>>
>> You "just" have to install an SMB server first, of course ...
>
> overlooked the @port, if that is @443 or @SSL then it'll use webDAV

I think you stepped into a morass that I have never understood.

I like the idea of SMB but then we have to delve into how to set SMB/CIFs
up since you mentioned installing ab SMB "server" (not an SMB "client").

Since Windows already has a native SMB/CIFs server running all the time
(AFAIK), did you mean to install an SMB "client" on non-rooted Android?

Or did you really mean to install an SMB "server" on rooted Android?

The reason is you don't get to pick the ports if you are not rooted when
you install an SMB "server" on Android, and yet Windows picked the ports.

So it won't work (if you had meant "server").
But it can work if you had meant "client").

Can you clarify as it might be nice to learn how to set up an SMB "client"
on Android that talks to the SMB "server" on Windows to share files over
Wi-Fi on the LAN.

Char Jackson wrote on Sat, 10 Feb 2024 19:59:34 -0600 :

>>All I ever do is connect the Samsung A12 to a USB and then open up file
>>manager and go to Samsung direstory DCIM and copy them to my computer.
>
> That's what I do, as well, except that I move the photos rather than copy them.
> I don't think there's a faster or easier solution. Even my tech-challenged BIL
> can manage it.

USB works just fine for something like 90% of your needs when you just want
to copy (or move) a file from Android to Windows (or the other way around).

But there are faster & easier solutions, if you set them up like I do.

For example, scripting often uses ADB copying (which works over USB or
Wi-Fi) because batch files generally need a *unique* identifier that is
persistent over time.

While there are ways to identify a USB device in a batch file, that's no
longer easy to do so you want to use something like adb that does that.

What adb does is it assigns a unique identification to each phone (whether
by IP address or serial number) which you can then put into your scripts.

Sometimes I use adb (for example, to install an APK from Windows onto
Android over USB or Wi-Fi) but usually it's just easier to mount the
Android phone sdcards as drive letters onto Windows.
C:\> net use X: \\192.168.1.160@8080\DavWWWRoot /persistent
C:\> net use Y: \\192.168.1.161@8080\DavWWWRoot /persistent
C:\> net use Z: \\192.168.1.162@8080\DavWWWRoot /persistent

That way every phone on your home LAN is automatically mounted onto every
computer on your LAN so that you treat each phone as just another drive.

Other than having to install & set up a free WebDAV server on each Android
phone, there's nothing else you need to do to put all phones on all PCs.

All your scripts can use the drive letters {X:,Y:,Z:} permanently.
And you can access the Android file system of all phones from one PC.

On Sun, 11 Feb 2024 19:25:32 -0000 (UTC), Andrew <andrew@spam.net> wrote:

>Char Jackson wrote on Sat, 10 Feb 2024 19:59:34 -0600 :
>
>>>All I ever do is connect the Samsung A12 to a USB and then open up file
>>>manager and go to Samsung direstory DCIM and copy them to my computer.
>>
>> That's what I do, as well, except that I move the photos rather than copy them.
>> I don't think there's a faster or easier solution. Even my tech-challenged BIL
>> can manage it.
>
>USB works just fine for something like 90% of your needs when you just want
>to copy (or move) a file from Android to Windows (or the other way around).
>
>But there are faster & easier solutions, if you set them up like I do.
<snip>

Well, like I said, I don't think there's a faster or easier solution, but if you
have one, please share.

Andrew wrote:

> Andy Burns wrote:
>
>>>> Why not just mount the Android phone as a drive letter over Wi-Fi on a
>>>> PC?
>>>> C:\> net use Z: \\192.168.0.whatever@port\MountPoint /USER:user1 mypasswd
>>>
>>> You "just" have to install an SMB server first, of course ...
>>
>> overlooked the @port, if that is @443 or @SSL then it'll use webDAV
>
> I think you stepped into a morass that I have never understood.
>
> I like the idea of SMB but then we have to delve into how to set SMB/CIFs
> up since you mentioned installing ab SMB "server" (not an SMB "client").

I have used the windows WebDAV client for synchronising files to/from an
FTP server, but the windows client seems able to find a new way to break
every few months. but in general I'd say a webDAV server on the phone
ought to be simpler to setup than a CIFS/SMB server ... it will still
need storage permission for the same reason the SSH/FTP server needs it.

> Since Windows already has a native SMB/CIFs server running all the time
> (AFAIK), did you mean to install an SMB "client" on non-rooted Android?
>
> Or did you really mean to install an SMB "server" on rooted Android?

I was thinking server on the android end, but WebDAV sounds easier than SMB.

> The reason is you don't get to pick the ports if you are not rooted when
> you install an SMB "server" on Android, and yet Windows picked the ports.
>
> So it won't work (if you had meant "server").
> But it can work if you had meant "client").
>
> Can you clarify as it might be nice to learn how to set up an SMB "client"
> on Android that talks to the SMB "server" on Windows to share files over
> Wi-Fi on the LAN.

Haven't tried that ...

Andy Burns wrote on Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:49:20 +0000 :

>> I like the idea of SMB but then we have to delve into how to set SMB/CIFs
>> up since you mentioned installing ab SMB "server" (not an SMB "client").
>
> I have used the windows WebDAV client for synchronising files to/from an
> FTP server, but the windows client seems able to find a new way to break
> every few months. but in general I'd say a webDAV server on the phone
> ought to be simpler to setup than a CIFS/SMB server ... it will still
> need storage permission for the same reason the SSH/FTP server needs it.

I'm still confused, but let me state first my experience is I've set up all
the free WebDAV "servers" on Android and most (if not all) of the free SMB
"clients" on Android, and what is different mostly, is the SMB clients are
often plugins to file explorers while WebDAV servers are standalone apps -
and another thing that's different is Windows needs NOTHING to work with
Android WebDAV servers but Windows needs sharing set up for SMB clients.

I don't think it's possible to set up a working SMB "server" on Android to
work with Windows - which is why it matters the "server" versus "client".

The reason is that Android won't let you use ports below 1024 if you're not
rooted and yet Windows won't use ports above 1024 for SMB clients to
connect. You're stuck in a catch-22 situation with SMB servers on Android.

>> Since Windows already has a native SMB/CIFs server running all the time
>> (AFAIK), did you mean to install an SMB "client" on non-rooted Android?
>>
>> Or did you really mean to install an SMB "server" on rooted Android?
>
> I was thinking server on the android end, but WebDAV sounds easier than SMB.

Free WebDAV "servers" on Android I've tested.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.theolivetree.webdavserver
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zq.webdav.app_free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=slowscript.httpfileserver
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smestorage

Free SMB "clients" on Android I've tested.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.maza.zpush
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ghostsq.commander
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sobha.filemanager

Most SMB clients seem to be part of a file manager, not dedicated apps.

This, for example, is a free SMB "server" for Android.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.icecoldapps.serversultimate.packb

>> The reason is you don't get to pick the ports if you are not rooted when
>> you install an SMB "server" on Android, and yet Windows picked the ports.
>>
>> So it won't work (if you had meant "server").
>> But it can work if you had meant "client").
>>
>> Can you clarify as it might be nice to learn how to set up an SMB "client"
>> on Android that talks to the SMB "server" on Windows to share files over
>> Wi-Fi on the LAN.
>
> Haven't tried that ...

I've tried it, but paradoxically, the problem is I don't know how to do the
Windows share networking part which isn't as easy as you might think it is.

What I want is an SMB client on Android (they exist) which talks to a
Windows share (seems easy to set up - but wait - there's more) without any
of the login/password stuff (since Android doesn't have a login password
and my Windows isn't set up with a password) and without the encryption
(because I don't need it).

It's hard to do that because you have to understand Windows better than I
do (otherwise, it's probably easy if you understand Windows).

Andrew wrote:

> I'm still confused, but let me state first my experience is I've set up all
> the free WebDAV "servers" on Android and most (if not all) of the free SMB
> "clients" on Android, and what is different mostly, is the SMB clients are
> often plugins to file explorers while WebDAV servers are standalone apps -
> and another thing that's different is Windows needs NOTHING to work with
> Android WebDAV servers but Windows needs sharing set up for SMB clients.

I realise you have used an android webDAV server, while I was using
sharepoint/iis, but we have both used the built-in windows webDAV client.

I found that after copying a few hundred files per day, the client
starts to give errors every couple of months, and usually a different
error, requiring a different fix each time. I was glad to stop using
webDAV and now use winSCP instead which hasn't required any baby-sitting.

On 11/02/2024 11:08, Andrew wrote:

>
> Here's what I'd recommend you do...
> 1. Install any free WebDAV server on Android, for example one of these.
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zq.webdav.app_free
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.theolivetree.webdavserver
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=slowscript.httpfileserver
> 2. When you set it up, that determines the Windows "Net Use" arguments
> For example, the default root is always "DavWWWRoot".
> The default port is usually "8080".
> There is no default user, so you can set that up to anything.
> It doesn't have to be the user/password on Windows.
> The IP address is whatever the phone's IP address is.
> Generally if you do this every day, then you want it to be static.
> 3. Here's an example command assuming those arguments were set above.
> net use Z: \\192.168.1.160@8080\DavWWWRoot
> net use Z: \\192.168.1.160@8080\DavWWWRoot /USER:fake paswd
> net use Z: \\192.168.1.160@8080\DavWWWRoot /USER:fake paswd /persistent
>
>> Net use Z: \\192.168.1.160 (which port?) \Mountpoint /USER:slauf password
>> Should that work?
>
> a. The port is set up when you set up the free WebDAV server
> b. The username & password are optional
> c. But if that's what you set them up as, then that will work
>
> There are lots of setup guides for doing this since WebDAV is the best
> way (IMHO) to set up Android to be permanently mounted on Windows as a
> drive letter (where the /persistent controls that permanence).
> https://www.google.com/search?q=mount+webdav+drive+letter+windows
>
> Here are some that popped up from that search.
> https://powerfolder.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PF/pages/301876/Mounting+folders+via+WebDAV
> https://www.airlivedrive.com/en/2019/11/04/how-to-conect-a-webdav-server-as-a-windows-drive/
> https://serverfault.com/questions/690231/map-network-drive-to-a-webdav-server-via-powershell

Thanks very much. I installed a webdav server on the phone and it works!
Great!

Fokke

Fokke Nauta wrote on Sat, 17 Feb 2024 15:31:05 +0100 :

>> There are lots of setup guides for doing this since WebDAV is the best
>> way (IMHO) to set up Android to be permanently mounted on Windows as a
>> drive letter (where the /persistent controls that permanence).
>> https://www.google.com/search?q=mount+webdav+drive+letter+windows
>>
>> Here are some that popped up from that search.
>> https://powerfolder.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PF/pages/301876/Mounting+folders+via+WebDAV
>> https://www.airlivedrive.com/en/2019/11/04/how-to-conect-a-webdav-server-as-a-windows-drive/
>> https://serverfault.com/questions/690231/map-network-drive-to-a-webdav-server-via-powershell
>
> Thanks very much. I installed a webdav server on the phone and it works!

Glad WebDav worked for you to mount Android as a drive letter on Windows.
Nothing is as reliable as USB but you don't get a drive letter with USB.

If SMB wasn't so problematic overall, that would be probably a good choice.

I've tried every method possible, and for mounting Android to Windows
as a drive letter over Wi-Fi, there's nothing else more compatible.

There are other ways (for example, FTPUse) but WebDAV seems more reliable.

On 17/02/2024 18:40, Andrew wrote:
> Fokke Nauta wrote on Sat, 17 Feb 2024 15:31:05 +0100 :
>
>>> There are lots of setup guides for doing this since WebDAV is the best
>>> way (IMHO) to set up Android to be permanently mounted on Windows as a
>>> drive letter (where the /persistent controls that permanence).
>>> https://www.google.com/search?q=mount+webdav+drive+letter+windows
>>>
>>> Here are some that popped up from that search.
>>> https://powerfolder.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PF/pages/301876/Mounting+folders+via+WebDAV
>>> https://www.airlivedrive.com/en/2019/11/04/how-to-conect-a-webdav-server-as-a-windows-drive/
>>> https://serverfault.com/questions/690231/map-network-drive-to-a-webdav-server-via-powershell
>>
>> Thanks very much. I installed a webdav server on the phone and it works!
>
> Glad WebDav worked for you to mount Android as a drive letter on Windows.
> Nothing is as reliable as USB but you don't get a drive letter with USB.
>
> If SMB wasn't so problematic overall, that would be probably a good choice.
>
> I've tried every method possible, and for mounting Android to Windows
> as a drive letter over Wi-Fi, there's nothing else more compatible.
>
> There are other ways (for example, FTPUse) but WebDAV seems more reliable.

Well, once again, thanks very much. I'm happy that this works, and I
learned again something. Didn't know about WebDav.

Fokke

Fokke Nauta wrote on Sat, 17 Feb 2024 18:51:07 +0100 :

>> There are other ways (for example, FTPUse) but WebDAV seems more reliable.
>
> Well, once again, thanks very much. I'm happy that this works, and I
> learned again something. Didn't know about WebDav.

Glad it worked - but did you use DavWWWRoot or an Android directory?

I've always had syntactical problems specifying Android file specs
so I've always given up by mounting its root instead of a deeper folder.

As for the other ways, here are instructions for FTPUse for those who wish
to try it out, but if you've mounted with WebDAV already, no need for this.
https://www.ferrobackup.com/map-ftp-as-disk.html

For others to take a look at, these are other mounting solutions I tested.
NetDrive http://netdrive.net/
SFTPNetDrive https://www.nsoftware.com/sftp/netdrive/
DirectNetDrive http://www.directnet-drive.net/
MTPDrive http://mtpdrive.com/download.html
LibMTP https://sourceforge.net/projects/libmtp/
FTPDrive http://www.killprog.com/fdrve.html
WebDrive https://webdrive.com/download/
And probably a few other methods I've tested, as that's all from memory.

I wish I could find a good Android SMB to Windows tutorial as CIFs is just
about the only possible solution out there that has a chance to be better.

The reason I have so much trouble setting up a basic SMB client on Android
to work with the native Windows CIFs server is I don't know Windows well.

On 17/02/2024 19:05, Andrew wrote:
> Fokke Nauta wrote on Sat, 17 Feb 2024 18:51:07 +0100 :
>
>>> There are other ways (for example, FTPUse) but WebDAV seems more reliable.
>>
>> Well, once again, thanks very much. I'm happy that this works, and I
>> learned again something. Didn't know about WebDav.
>
> Glad it worked - but did you use DavWWWRoot or an Android directory?

Yes, I used DavWWWRoot. And no password.

> I've always had syntactical problems specifying Android file specs
> so I've always given up by mounting its root instead of a deeper folder.
>
> As for the other ways, here are instructions for FTPUse for those who wish
> to try it out, but if you've mounted with WebDAV already, no need for this.
> https://www.ferrobackup.com/map-ftp-as-disk.html
>
> For others to take a look at, these are other mounting solutions I tested.
> NetDrive http://netdrive.net/
> SFTPNetDrive https://www.nsoftware.com/sftp/netdrive/
> DirectNetDrive http://www.directnet-drive.net/
> MTPDrive http://mtpdrive.com/download.html
> LibMTP https://sourceforge.net/projects/libmtp/
> FTPDrive http://www.killprog.com/fdrve.html
> WebDrive https://webdrive.com/download/
> And probably a few other methods I've tested, as that's all from memory.
>
> I wish I could find a good Android SMB to Windows tutorial as CIFs is just
> about the only possible solution out there that has a chance to be better.
>
> The reason I have so much trouble setting up a basic SMB client on Android
> to work with the native Windows CIFs server is I don't know Windows well.

Once again, thanks for the information.

With regards,
Fokke

Fokke Nauta wrote on Sun, 18 Feb 2024 09:50:46 +0100 :

>> Glad it worked - but did you use DavWWWRoot or an Android directory?
>
> Yes, I used DavWWWRoot. And no password.

Thanks for confirming, as it's not intuitive that every WebDav server uses
the same keyword for the home folder, where there is no folder actually
called "DavWWRoot" (just like there is no folder actually called "root").

In the beginning I tried to mount a specific folder of Android onto Windows
over WI-Fi as a drive letter with WebDav, such as the internal sdcard
folder /storage/emulated/0/Download or such as the external sdcard folder
/storage/xxxx-xxxx/DCIM (where the xxxx-xxxx is the uniquely formatted
volume identification label of the micro sd card which - if you're smart -
you'll format on Windows so that you can set it to a rememberable value).

After a while, I just gave up and used the keyword "DavWWWRoot" instead.

Since it mounts the top level (slash) directory, it's more clicks.
But an advantage is that it's the entire phone.

> Once again, thanks for the information.

Were you able to get the entire phone (both sd cards) mounted using a
single WebDav server? Some WebDav servers have multiple ports, but most
only have one port assignment.

Usually I use two different WebDAV servers to mount both sd cards (one
WebDAV server per sdcard) but then I have to deal with two different GUIs.

It would be nice to figure out the best way to mount both sdcards (internal
and external) without having to deal with multiple WebDAV servers.