We were perplexed. A perfectly good Samsung S7 was refusing to transfer files from the phone to a Windows PC. The textbook approach on this is to make sure device drivers are up-to-date, and then try the different connection modes available from the device. The default option offered is MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) as well as PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) and RNDIS (USB Ethernet). No problem connecting by any mode but when looking in File Explorer, there were no files in the folder being displayed.

Fast forward to a 90-minute support call between the client and Verizon/Samsung, The result –  no progress whatsoever. And now we’re in major frustration territory. Maybe we need to bite the bullet and get a new phone? That’s one very expensive solution to a connection problem.

We’d covered the 95% most likely answers with no luck so now time to think outside the box and look at the 5% we’d never usually consider. I remembered when I received my Note 3 many years ago, the cable that came with it worked about 45 days and then intermittent connection problems set in. A little research revealed that the quality of the cable can have a BIG impact on charging speeds and can sometimes cause connection problems.

I had a high-quality cable shipped to my client and within minutes of him receiving the cable I got a 2-word email:

That Worked!

Lesson learned. World expanded. Even in cables – size matters.