What's a fast reliable way to transfer a large # of files between phones?

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Got a new Nexus 6P, I want to transfer my WhatsApp Folder over. While I understand that there's the Google Drive backup feature, I'm unsure of what was backed up and what is getting restored entirely especially if I can't browse the backup under Drive and compare it to my local folder. Let's leave cloud backup out for now because there are other examples of large # of files to be transferred.

So I figure the most reliable way is to transfer the files between phones. The only problem? Over 3-4 years there's 3500 photos. The whole folder is only 750mb with like 200mb of those being the chat backups (they keep like a week worth of daily backups).

Here are my options:

1. MTP - Slow as hell when it comes to large # of files. The large file sizes seem to transfer reasonably fast but when it gets to the 600kb photos? Estimated time is 1 hr 40.
2. FTP - Same thing. The first 30% is fast because the large backup files transfer quickly. Slows to a crawl with the 600kb photos. My transfer stalled out at 82% after maybe 30-40 minutes.
3. Superbeam - Similar I believe

So what's left? Back when I was using my Galaxy S2, USB Mass Storage was fast as hell. Could ADB do it?

Edit: The most reliable and fastest way IS ADB. The problem is MTP, FTP, Airdroid, etc all of those are slow as hell with large file counts. With each 600kb photo it can spend at least 2 seconds on it and that adds up fast. OTOH if you had 1 file only of 750mb, it would probably take only 30 seconds.

So I tried ADB and I noticed it was FAST as hell. Each file was flashing by maybe 10+ per second or so. The total time? 280 seconds for 3000 files.

I basically confirmed that the most user unfriendly way happens to be the best way, so get over your fear of command line jobs and do it. With that said I'd really like Google to clean up MTP.

 

[postmortemIA]

Zip them on device itself and copy a single file.
Now, I don't believe you it is that slow. I've copied my entire mp3 library in an hour, and that's a lot of files plus it is like 30Gb.

 

[Red Storm]

Can you make a new backup, and then restore that new backup to your 6P?

 

[Anubis]

that's a small amount of data, just connect both to a computer and drag the folder across, itll take a matter of minutes

 

[paperwastage]

nexus 6P can charge another phone... wonder whether it can be USB host to the other phone...


otherwise, connect both phones to the same wifi network

zip up the photos (if you have space on the old phone)

use this app (or something similar) to make your old phone a web server

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dooblou.WiFiFileExplorer&hl=en

use your new nexus 6P, browser to that web server and download... you'll be limited by the wifi connection/range, no other bottlenecks

 

[poofyhairguy]

I always use WiFi File Explorer PRO.

 

[isekii]

I always use WiFi File Explorer PRO.

yea i found wifi to be faster than usb.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Use an OTG cable and then transfer using a USB thumbdrive.

I have a 32GB OTG/USB3 combo thumbdrive: http://www.ncix.com/detail/kingston-32gb-dt-microduo-usb-1d-101086-1378.htm

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

that's a small amount of data, just connect both to a computer and drag the folder across, itll take a matter of minutes

Sizewise its not, but it's the fact that there's 3000+ files and probably 2900 of them are small photos. Even if it's 600kb, MTP protocol and FTP spends about 1-2 seconds on each. When you add it up it's well over an hour

3000+ files totaling 750mb can take 1+ hour but a 750mb file will take maybe 30 seconds. It's very different.

 

[JeffMD]

An hour is nothing though, let it charge while you transfer.

Meanwhile, I invested in a meenova usb go micro sd reader, very useful for when you need to transfer files big/numerous. Also if your phone has no memory addon capabilities.

 

[Raduque]

Micro SD ca... oh, wait.

 

[Kneedragger]

Bittorent Sync will work. Its all over wifi. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bittorrent.sync&hl=en

 

[JeffMD]

Micro SD ca... oh, wait.

You seem to have totally ignored my post. Meenova dash micro for any phones without internal sd cards.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Try copying to a server first and then to new phone. Might actually be faster, assuming the server is on a gig port.

 

[destrekor]

Small files transferred over any protocol can take a long time due to the nature of random read/write access, which even on high-speed SSDs can be a mere fraction of the sequential read/write speeds.

ADB is using a more direct transfer method, essentially as if it were between two internal drives or an external USB drive. Read/write speed would still be limited by the phone's internal memory, but as you noted faster when there are not OS-level protocols mediating the transfer.

Connect your phone in USB Developer Mode or whatever it is called, and you should be able to just drag and drop in Explorer (or Finder if you use a Mac). That should alleviate any middleman protocols.

 

[Anubis]

Sizewise its not, but it's the fact that there's 3000+ files and probably 2900 of them are small photos. Even if it's 600kb, MTP protocol and FTP spends about 1-2 seconds on each. When you add it up it's well over an hour

3000+ files totaling 750mb can take 1+ hour but a 750mb file will take maybe 30 seconds. It's very different.

what you said is true, I however fail to even see why this is an issue, start it and go to sleep or do anything till its done

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'd just do SFTP yeah small files may take a while but how fast do you really need it to be? Can let it go overnight even. Make sure they're both plugged in so it won't kill the battery.

Can do phone to phone, or put it on a computer first. Phone to phone will be slower, but a one shot deal.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Ok now I see exactly what you mean. I just tried the same with my phone, but when you try to copy lot of files it just results in tons of errors and retries and you just get an error storm in the log that never ends unless you forcibly quit of Filezilla. (on the computer).

So yeah, I'm open to suggestions too on best way to copy large amounts of data, such as the entire contents of the phone. (doing a full backup as I got a new phone so I just want a backup of old one in case I think of something I forgot so I can go back and check, I'll be wiping the old one after)

 

[destrekor]

Ok now I see exactly what you mean. I just tried the same with my phone, but when you try to copy lot of files it just results in tons of errors and retries and you just get an error storm in the log that never ends unless you forcibly quit of Filezilla. (on the computer).

So yeah, I'm open to suggestions too on best way to copy large amounts of data, such as the entire contents of the phone. (doing a full backup as I got a new phone so I just want a backup of old one in case I think of something I forgot so I can go back and check, I'll be wiping the old one after)

SFTP from phone to computer? What's the point of introducing extra protocol overhead?

Just use a USB cable and copy the files. There isn't any way to speed it up. A ton of small files = slowest performance of storage media, of all types, be it HDD, SSD, or simple flash storage. The writing to disk is the fastest part, still sequential write but a stream of small files means a little extra overhead. But the real slow down happens due to the random read from flash on the phone. Flash is absolutely terrrrible at random read and random write. Even an SSD is bad at random write. Like, USB flash stick/memory card slow. All those small files that are literally scattered all over the flash storage chip, and it's a single chip almost assuredly, means it's going to take a long time.

Nothing can be done except set it and forget it overnight or in the background.

edit:

Also, I think the fastest way is going to be direct file copy, so on Android that would mean enabling developer mode or something. You don't want MTP (media transfer protocol), that adds extra overhead. But either way, it's going to be slow regardless so if you can't enable standard transfer it's not a huge loss.

 

[destrekor]

Wait, I know this is an old post, but OP, could you not enable USB Mass Storage on the phone? Was it an iPhone? I haven't a clue how to do that, if you even can.

And MTP isn't something for Google to fix IIRC.

 

[Red Squirrel]

FTP is just easier since it's universal, no need to figure out how to get the USB to work in Linux. I know you need some kind of special driver. Suppose that is an option though I just kinda forgot about it. I always just use FTP. It normally works fine but for some reason if I try to copy the entire phone it just errors out at every file. I'd have to sit there and do a few at a time. Did not really look into this further, just kept my old phone around, I don't think there's anything important on it anymore so I'll probably do a wipe some time later.

 

[Oyeve]

All the time it took you to get info on this post you could have copied them all over via USB.

 

[Red Squirrel]

All the time it took you to get info on this post you could have copied them all over via USB.

I don't need the data bad enough to have bothered looking into how to get it to work with Linux. I was mostly just wondering if there was something I was maybe overlooking that could make it work via FTP. It's like if it tries to transfer too fast and can't keep up with itself and then the transfers start to fail. It's weird.

 

[core2slow]

I'm partial to Superbeam. A 2gb file takes under a minute to transfer.

 

[Oyeve]

I use SENDANYWHERE for my stuff. Also works sending to and from an iDevice to Android and vice-versa.