#1 2026-08-24 21:07:01

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,802

Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

Hi there. I'm trying to copy some large (50 MB+) media files from my computer to my smartphone, an Oppo Find X2 which runs a variant of Android. The trouble is that the recommended way of doing it, the mtp utility, has proven to be very unstable; it just stops for no apparent reason and won't resume.

Has anyone else found a solution to this problem please? I would prefer a solution that runs in Bunsen if at all possible.

Thanks in advance,

CP.

Last edited by Colonel Panic (2026-08-25 07:45:17)

PackRat

jgmenu user Numero Uno

Registered: 2015-10-02

Posts: 3,022

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

You can install the jmtpfs package and try mounting the phone like an external drive. I've never tried to do this so can't verify how well it works.

https://www.ronny-mueller.com/2024/07/2 … -in-linux/

scroll down to usage - https://salsa.debian.org/debian/jmtpfs

---

You must unlearn what you have learned.
    -- yoda

Sector11

Mod Squid Tpyo Knig

From: Upstairs

Registered: 2015-08-20

Posts: 8,337

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

Interesting I do NOT have jmtpfs installed.

Package: jmtpfs                   
Version: 0.5-4
State: not installed

I simply plug my phones into my computer with a USB cable:
1. LG Leon (really old)
2. LG K-40 (old)
3. Samsung Galaxy A35

and they show up in Thunar:

gphoto2://LG_Electronics_Inc._LGE_Android_Phone_LGH340ARad9bfa/DCIM/

---

Debian 12 Beardog, SoxDog and still a Conky 1.9er

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,802

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

You can install the jmtpfs package and try mounting the phone like an external drive. I've never tried to do this so can't verify how well it works.

https://www.ronny-mueller.com/2024/07/2 … -in-linux/

scroll down to usage - https://salsa.debian.org/debian/jmtpfs

Thanks. I've installed jmtpfs and it does work: I created a folder in my home directory

(~/OPPOFindX2) and then used jmtpfs to mount my phone on to it.

So far so good. There remains a problem though, getting a good file transfer between the two folders (i.e. between my computer and my phone).

I used Midnight Commander to do it and I got about three-quarters of the files I want copied over, but not all of them. So I've still got work to do to find a better file transfer utility than Midnight Commander's own utility, or mtp.

Last edited by Colonel Panic (2026-08-24 23:39:56)

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,802

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

Interesting I do NOT have jmtpfs installed.

Package: jmtpfs                   
Version: 0.5-4
State: not installed

I simply plug my phones into my computer with a USB cable:
1. LG Leon (really old)
2. LG K-40 (old)
3. Samsung Galaxy A35

and they show up in Thunar:

gphoto2://LG_Electronics_Inc._LGE_Android_Phone_LGH340ARad9bfa/DCIM/

Excellent! Can you copy between the two though?

PackRat

jgmenu user Numero Uno

Registered: 2015-10-02

Posts: 3,022

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

I used Midnight Commander to do it and I got about three-quarters of the files I want copied over, but not all of them.

Did it crash? Copy the files in groups instead of all at once.

---

You must unlearn what you have learned.
    -- yoda

PackRat

jgmenu user Numero Uno

Registered: 2015-10-02

Posts: 3,022

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

Interesting I do NOT have jmtpfs installed.

Package: jmtpfs                   
Version: 0.5-4
State: not installed

I simply plug my phones into my computer with a USB cable:
1. LG Leon (really old)
2. LG K-40 (old)
3. Samsung Galaxy A35

and they show up in Thunar:

gphoto2://LG_Electronics_Inc._LGE_Android_Phone_LGH340ARad9bfa/DCIM/

Excellent! Can you copy between the two though?

That's how my Android phone works. Just connect it to the computer then hit the "allow" button that pops up on the phone. Device shows up in thunar (any gui file manager). I can copy files, but I have never done a large job like you are attempting. Just one or two pictures. Need the gvfs-mtp file on Void; gvfs-backends on Debian which should be installed by default with BL.

---

You must unlearn what you have learned.
    -- yoda

dbickin

Member

Registered: 2015-09-30

Posts: 94

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

I use jmtpfs. I found that it would crash on large transfers. In my case that is because it makes a temporary copy in /tmp, and for large files I would run out of room (small hard drive). Working with smaller batches would alleviate that problem.

I just found that I can plug a USB drive in to my phone, and copy files to that, then move the USB to my computer.

David

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,802

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

I used Midnight Commander to do it and I got about three-quarters of the files I want copied over, but not all of them.

Did it crash? Copy the files in groups instead of all at once.

Thanks for replying, but I found that it was worse if I copied the files in groups.

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,802

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

I use jmtpfs. I found that it would crash on large transfers. In my case that is because it makes a temporary copy in /tmp, and for large files I would run out of room (small hard drive). Working with smaller batches would alleviate that problem.

I just found that I can plug a USB drive in to my phone, and copy files to that, then move the USB to my computer.

David

Thanks for the suggestions, especially the one to make smaller batches of files.

I think that for the other one though, I'd probably need an adapter to be able to copy files onto my 'phone from my USB drive computer (and which I don't have).

unklar

Back to the roots 1.9

From: #! BL

Registered: 2015-10-31

Posts: 3,055

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

^I've already written this a few times: why don't you use LocalSend?
https://localsend.org/de/download
The deb package is for the computer, and the Android apk is for the phone.

Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi/LAN network. This is usually the case at home, right?

First, start LocalSend on the device that will receive the data.
Then, on the other device, select the file and right-click, then choose "Open with" and select LocalSend. Before you've even taken a breath, the files have already been transferred. 

JasonMehmel

Member

Registered: 2015-10-06

Posts: 195

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

I'm not the OP, but I want to say thanks for sharing this!

^I've already written this a few times: why don't you use LocalSend?
https://localsend.org/de/download
The deb package is for the computer, and the Android apk is for the phone.

Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi/LAN network. This is usually the case at home, right?

First, start LocalSend on the device that will receive the data.
Then, on the other device, select the file and right-click, then choose "Open with" and select LocalSend. Before you've even taken a breath, the files have already been transferred. 

---

Fortune favours the bold.
ThinkPad T15 Gen 2i

Sector11

Mod Squid Tpyo Knig

From: Upstairs

Registered: 2015-08-20

Posts: 8,337

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

{snip snip}
Excellent! Can you copy between the two though?

Yes, no problem, acts like any other directory.
Large files, multiple files, complete directories, multiple directories.

And as PackRat noted:  gvfs-backends on Debian needed

On my computer:
/media/5/SAM-A35-Bru
/media/5/SAM-A35-Lili
/media/5/LG_K40
/media/5/LG_LEON

under /media/5/LG_LEON:

/media/5/LG_LEON/Android
/media/5/LG_LEON/Camera
/media/5/LG_LEON/DCIM
/media/5/LG_LEON/Download
/media/5/LG_LEON/Jarrod
/media/5/LG_LEON/Media
/media/5/LG_LEON/Pictures
/media/5/LG_LEON/TheWall
/media/5/LG_LEON/Walls
and comes 75 .jpg images

EDIT:
I also have scrcpy installed on my computer.  Pay particular attention to the WARNING on the README.md page.

Last edited by Sector11 (2026-08-26 12:54:06)

---

Debian 12 Beardog, SoxDog and still a Conky 1.9er

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,802

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

^I've already written this a few times: why don't you use LocalSend?
https://localsend.org/de/download
The deb package is for the computer, and the Android apk is for the phone.

Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi/LAN network. This is usually the case at home, right?

First, start LocalSend on the device that will receive the data.
Then, on the other device, select the file and right-click, then choose "Open with" and select LocalSend. Before you've even taken a breath, the files have already been transferred. 

Your suggestion to use Local Send looks like a good one, so thank you for it and also for for the explanation concerning its usage.

Last edited by Colonel Panic (2026-08-26 17:05:47)

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,802

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

{snip snip}
Excellent! Can you copy between the two though?

Yes, no problem, acts like any other directory.
Large files, multiple files, complete directories, multiple directories.

And as PackRat noted:  gvfs-backends on Debian needed

On my computer:
/media/5/SAM-A35-Bru
/media/5/SAM-A35-Lili
/media/5/LG_K40
/media/5/LG_LEON

under /media/5/LG_LEON:

/media/5/LG_LEON/Android
/media/5/LG_LEON/Camera
/media/5/LG_LEON/DCIM
/media/5/LG_LEON/Download
/media/5/LG_LEON/Jarrod
/media/5/LG_LEON/Media
/media/5/LG_LEON/Pictures
/media/5/LG_LEON/TheWall
/media/5/LG_LEON/Walls
and comes 75 .jpg images

EDIT:
I also have scrcpy installed on my computer.  Pay particular attention to the WARNING on the README.md page.

Thanks Sector, I didn't know about the gvfs backends but I do now.

Martin

Member

From: Stockholm, Sweden

Registered: 2015-10-01

Posts: 836

Website

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

^I've already written this a few times: why don't you use LocalSend?
https://localsend.org/de/download
The deb package is for the computer, and the Android apk is for the phone.

Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi/LAN network. This is usually the case at home, right?

First, start LocalSend on the device that will receive the data.
Then, on the other device, select the file and right-click, then choose "Open with" and select LocalSend. Before you've even taken a breath, the files have already been transferred. 

Moved or copied?

/Martin

---

"Problems worthy of attack
prove their worth by hitting back."
Piet Hein

Colonel Panic

Member

Registered: 2018-11-13

Posts: 1,802

Re: Trying to copy files between my smartphone and my computer

Interesting I do NOT have jmtpfs installed.

Package: jmtpfs                   
Version: 0.5-4
State: not installed

I simply plug my phones into my computer with a USB cable:
1. LG Leon (really old)
2. LG K-40 (old)
3. Samsung Galaxy A35

and they show up in Thunar:

gphoto2://LG_Electronics_Inc._LGE_Android_Phone_LGH340ARad9bfa/DCIM/

Excellent! Can you copy between the two though?

That's how my Android phone works. Just connect it to the computer then hit the "allow" button that pops up on the phone. Device shows up in thunar (any gui file manager). I can copy files, but I have never done a large job like you are attempting. Just one or two pictures. Need the gvfs-mtp file on Void; gvfs-backends on Debian which should be installed by default with BL.

I've tried this now, but gvfs conflicted with jmtpfs and stopped it working. Once I killed the gvfs process, jmtpfs worked without a hitch (I'm in Melodie's respin of MX 23 at the moment). I limited myself to copying just one file at a time though.

Last edited by Colonel Panic (Yesterday 09:53:39)