problems connecting Fascinate to laptop via USB

[mccorkle02476]

When I bought my Samsung Fascinate, I set the "USB settings" to "Mass storage", used a USB cable to plug it into my Windows 7 laptop, the proper driver was automatically installed, and the Fascinate showed up on "My Computer" as an external drive.  Seamless, always able to just plug it in and transfer files between laptop and Fascinate.

However, today when I tried, a Verizon-branded screen popped up on the laptop instructing me to install some Atlas software to facilitate communication between my phone and laptop.  Fail.  Now the Fascinate is listed on My Computer as a CD drive, and when clicked it asks to insert a CD into the drive.  In Windows 7 I uninstalled the software installed today, and did a system restore to several days ago.  Now when I plug the Fascinate into the laptop, it still pops up as a CD drive, but then disappears almost immediately.

Help!

Brian

[nickjr]

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mccorkle02476 wrote:

When I bought my Samsung Fascinate, I set the "USB settings" to "Mass storage", used a USB cable to plug it into my Windows 7 laptop, the proper driver was automatically installed, and the Fascinate showed up on "My Computer" as an external drive.  Seamless, always able to just plug it in and transfer files between laptop and Fascinate.

However, today when I tried, a Verizon-branded screen popped up on the laptop instructing me to install some Atlas software to facilitate communication between my phone and laptop.  Fail.  Now the Fascinate is listed on My Computer as a CD drive, and when clicked it asks to insert a CD into the drive.  In Windows 7 I uninstalled the software installed today, and did a system restore to several days ago.  Now when I plug the Fascinate into the laptop, it still pops up as a CD drive, but then disappears almost immediately.

Help!

Brian

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Reinstall the fascinate drivers for your pc and see if that fixes the problem.

[mccorkle02476]

Nope, didn't change anything.  Pops up on laptop screen as a CD drive, then disappears within seconds.

[nickjr]

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mccorkle02476 wrote:

Nope, didn't change anything.  Pops up on laptop screen as a CD drive, then disappears within seconds.

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Remove that software, you should not need it. Be sure debug is not checked and try again.

[mccorkle02476]

Um, remove what software?  I'm not sure what you're refering to -- could you help me understand more precisely?

[nickjr]

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mccorkle02476 wrote:

Um, remove what software?  I'm not sure what you're refering to -- could you help me understand more precisely?

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Atlas software, you do not need it....

[mccorkle02476]

I did a System Restore to before the installation of the Atlas software, but still can't connect laptop to Fascinate.  Now when I plug the Fascinate in, the Fascinate wakes up but the laptopn does nothing (even when "My Computer" is open.

Please please please don't tell me to do a factory reset of the phone.  The whole reason I'm trying to connect the Fascinate to the laptop is to download dozens of photos taken with the Fascinate, and from what others have told me, the risk of losing all of them is high . . .  Besides, that doesn't explain why doing something on the laptop changed the ability of the laptop to recognize the phone, or why a system restore didn't fix it.

thanks,

Brian

[Indianchief]

Can you go to menu........settings......SD Card and Phone storage......unmount card.  Then shut your phone down and take the SD card out and put it into your laptop reader.  You should be able to pull the photos off from the card.  Then you will have them on your computer in case you have to format your phone.  Hope this helps.

[nickjr]

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mccorkle02476 wrote:

I did a System Restore to before the installation of the Atlas software, but still can't connect laptop to Fascinate.  Now when I plug the Fascinate in, the Fascinate wakes up but the laptopn does nothing (even when "My Computer" is open.

Please please please don't tell me to do a factory reset of the phone.  The whole reason I'm trying to connect the Fascinate to the laptop is to download dozens of photos taken with the Fascinate, and from what others have told me, the risk of losing all of them is high . . .  Besides, that doesn't explain why doing something on the laptop changed the ability of the laptop to recognize the phone, or why a system restore didn't fix it.

thanks,

Brian

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The best way to do what you want to do is this way: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/41583/how-to-transfer-files-between-your-pc-and-android-phone-wireles...

[DonM]

Sounds like you don't have the appropriate drivers installed on your computer.

Go to Samsung's support site (here) and then the software part on the download page. Download the drivers for the Fascinate and install them, and you should be good.

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/downloads/SCH-I500RKAVZW

[mccorkle02476]

Trying downloading the drivers again and repaired the driver installation.  No luck.  Then uninstalled the drivers and reinstalled them; again, no luck.  Specifically:

(1) phone is listed in "My Computer" as a removable drive labelled "CD Drive (F Verizon Mobile" with icon of a CD drive

(2) clicking on that icon results in request to insert a CD

(3) When I right-click on the icon of that drive and select Properties, then Hardware, it lists all the drives of the computer, including the hard drive, the DVD drive, and the phone as "SAMSUNG UMS CD-ROM USB Device".  To add insult to injury, it maintains that this fictitious Samsung CD-ROM USB device "is working properly".

[ibm360]

I've never had to download anything to use the phone as a USB drive.

Windows has always found the correct drivers...Win7 or XP.

Almost sounds like you didn't hit the connect button on the phone after connecting the USB cable.

[nickjr]

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ibm360 wrote:

I've never had to download anything to use the phone as a USB drive.

Windows has always found the correct drivers...Win7 or XP.

Almost sounds like you didn't hit the connect button on the phone after connecting the USB cable.

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You should have always been using the drivers that came with your fascinate, will work much better than the default window drivers..

[ibm360]

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nickjr wrote:

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ibm360 wrote:

I've never had to download anything to use the phone as a USB drive.

Windows has always found the correct drivers...Win7 or XP.

Almost sounds like you didn't hit the connect button on the phone after connecting the USB cable.

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You should have always been using the drivers that came with your fascinate, will work much better than the default window drivers..

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Better how?

I have connected and transfered flawlessly on Win7/32/64 and XP on laptops/desktops without a hitch.

[Smokie11]

I have connected to Win7 64 bit & Win XP 32 bit  fast and flawless, never downloaded anything from Verizon or Samsung period. both   2.1 and 2.2 works equally well. However I have never been able to connect the phone to my wife's Vista 64 bit PC, tried everything no luck.

[SD1011]

I've had this phone for about 6 weeks and it's been frustrating after having my Blackberry that was very user-friendly. I have Windows Vista and my phone is not recognized by my laptop. The phone gives me the 'Media Player' and 'Mass Storage' options but so what?!? I want to transfer videos and pictures. I read the previous posts and downloaded the Samsung drivers and there were no changes.

Any suggestions? Everything is too big to email to my account. So now what except to buy another phone with my laptop in hand. This phone is driving me crazy.

If you can provide help, please do!

[DonM]

Found this:

On this guy's system Windows kept referring back to it's system cache when he removed the drivers and attempted a reinstall. Apparently the wrong drivers were initially downloaded and each reinstall continually installed the wrong drivers.

Even though you have downloaded the correct drivers it may be worth a try to follow the MS techie's suggestion and clear the cache.

Here is a link to the thread:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-IE/w7itproinstall/thread/88302e5a-c8f5-4759-b984-d96b2...

Windows 7 sees all mobile phones as a CD drive

This issue is my fault for not paying attention when Win 7 assigned the device as an mass storage device. I added an 8 Gb memory card to the F160 phone. Then I saw removable but didn't pay attention when it said optical drive when I accepted. Now it sees all phones as a removable CD Drive!

I assumed it knew what the device was. The troubleshooting for Win 7 is useless! Any ideas?

Hi,

Please try the following steps to check how it works:

1.    Open an elevated (Administrator) Command Prompt.

2.    Type del /s "%systemdrive%\users\%username%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Device Metadata\*.*" and press Enter.

3.    Type Y to the Are you sure (Y/N) prompt and press Enter.

4.    You may need to type Y to confirm several more deletions, depending on the number of Device Stage packages currently on your computer. (all of them will be freshly downloaded by Windows)

These steps will delete the cache contents containing the incorrect package and prompt Windows 7 to re-download the appropriate packages with the correct Device Metadata.

Hope it helps.

Alex Zhao

[wb1349]

I am having the same issue. I have had the fascinate for almost 9 months and haven't had an issue transferring my pictures before. I have hundreds of them. I recently had my phone replaced by Verizon due to a pixel issue on my camera screen and now I don't have an option to mount/unmout the sd card. I have some robot looking guy that pops up. The drivers were installed correctly, they worked before. And it did update drivers with the new phone. I can't uncheck the debug box. I am not happy & do not like this. I love the camera on my fascinate & use it ALL the time with 6 kids. I don't want to lose my pictures.

[RoyB_VZW · Accepted solution]

Sorry to learn you're having this issue transferring your pictures. This device was provided a software update in mid-May of this year, to version i500.ED03. I would like to ensure you have this version, which can be confirmed by tapping: Settings>About Phone. There, under System Version, you will see the current software. If it is anything other than I have referenced above, tap Menu>About Phone>System Updates. Your phone will search to find the correct version and download it to your phone if you don't already have it. 

If your software is current, we will need to complete additional troubleshooting for you. You may feel free to PM me with your wireless number, a contact number other than your wireless phone, and a good time to reach out to you so we can resolve this matter. 

Thanks, 

[tlily5]

I'm having this same problem also and it also started randomly.  I've upgrade to the current version and no help.  I've also tried using V-Cast Media Manager and tht also will not import pictures.  This problem is making this phone functionly worthless and likely to be scraped for an iPhone if it is not resolved.

[adclose]

Anyone have any solutions for connecting to a Mac using a USB?  The Fascinate doesn't seem to support the Mac.

Thanks.