Can't open photos stored on Android system from Ubuntu

Question

I can't load photos stored on the card of my Android device (Samsung Note 8).

When I try to open them the file manager freezes. I tried to copy paste but progress stays at 0 percent.

I'm using Ubuntu 18.04.

Solution 1

On the Phone side:

Ensure device is unlocked

Try changing usb connection options:

1. Connect the Samsung Galaxy Note to the computer using the USB cable.
2. Touch and drag the notification bar down.
3. Touch Connected as a camera.
4. Touch the required option (e.g. Media device (MTP)).

On the Ubuntu side:

You may need to install the libmtp packages:

sudo apt install libmtp-common mtp-tools libmtp-dev libmtp-runtime libmtp9

General Troubleshooting

Try a different USB cable

Try a different USB port

Use a powered USB hub

Solution 2

Possible and very probable reason is the bug of libmtp.

It seems that it is caused by file with name like 20180915_180351(0).jpg. Samsung phones for example like to create files with such names.

There are several tickets (one, two and etc) and question about it.

So possible workaround is to use different mtp options for such directories or somehow change file naming policy of your phone camera (or switch to another camera app like Open Camera for example).

Solution 3

I use Ubuntu 18.04. I have a Samsung 8, and I have the same problem. I tried all of the above, and it didn't work. I deleted about half of my files from my phone, and that solved the problem.

I believe that the problem was too many files on the phone. The reason I believe this is that, over time, as the number of files on the phone increased, it took longer and longer to find them, and eventually it stopped working.

Comments

[Ferroao]

Possible duplicate of Getting MTP enabled devices to work with Ubuntu?

[Charles Green]

I had a similar problem with my wife's phone, and eventually out-waited the device. There were simply so many pictures, that building a list of them took an extremely long time.

[abc]

Why did making a list of files take an extremely long time?

[austin]

it was called PTP on my pixel

[abc]

Why do you believe there is too many files on the phone ? as opposed to any thing else ?

[user2342558]

many thanks! Renaming them solves the problem. You saved me hours and lots of anger!

[Whome]

After trying many things this worked for a Pixel 3a and Ubuntu 18.04. Thanks!

[Keenan]

Does not work completely for Samsung Galaxy Tab A 2019. Only mounts the internal memory. Not the external card.

[iamanigeeit]

My problem was having 252 files. See this bug, having 128*i-4 files fails: sourceforge.net/p/libmtp/bugs/1808

[fmjrey]

Worked on Ubuntu 20.04 and Samsung Note 9, thanks!

[austin]

i tried a different usb port on my thinkpad and success