[Q] MacBook (Air and Pro) kills USB File Transfer on my Note Pro 12.2

QUESTION: is there anyone else using a Note 12.2 with an rMBP or MacBook Air, (or any 2012-or newer model Apple MacBook) and the USB connection is fine?

I have a strange issue with my 12.2- I'm trying to get some insight if it's just mine, or can anyone else confirm this one way or another?

When I attach via USB to my 12.2 ONLY on an Apple MacBook (I can replicate it either with my 15" rMBP running Mavericks or a 13" Air running Mountain Lion) the MacBooks completely disable USB file transfer on the device- as in for good, including with any other USB connection on any other computer- until I do a factory reset.

File Transfer works perfectly on all of my PC's running Windows, and on a Hackintosh running Mavericks and my genuine MacPro running Mountain Lion.

It's only the MacBooks that kill the USB connection every time. After it happens, no other device will connect via USB.


It's not a driver issue or anything else- my MacBooks connect perfectly to my Galaxy S3, Note 2 and Note 3 using Android File Transfer. (And other non-Samsung Android devices I own). But the 12.2's connection dies every time, until a factory reset.


I'm thinking this is probably just an issue with my tablet, but would be nice to have some insight before I return it for a replacement. Also I want to make sure I don't just get the same problem happening again, if it's somehow a Apple/MacBook problem not the Note Pro.

Anyone have any ideas why just the MacBook USB ports (and two different OS's) would kill the Galaxy Note Pro? Like maybe they use a different type of USB 3.0 connection or something?

Update: I was exploring the limitations of this issue- it only happens with the original dual Samsung USB 3.0 cable and the MacBooks. A standard microUSB cable and it connects fine and doesn't kill the USB connection.

Again, same Samsung USB 3.0 cable and any other device, no problem. Weird problem.

muzzy996 said:

I also could not use the stock USB 3.0 cable on my rMBP.

I'm guessing it's a USB 3.0 driver issue since even through a VMW Fusion virtual machine I could not get a good connection.

Thanks for the advice on the use of a USB 2.0 cable. It's not as fast obviously but works in a pinch.

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This has to be a hardware issue with the Note Pro.

Do you get the same problem? That connecting to your Macbook completely disables USB connections until you do a factory reset? (I'd love to know if there's a better way to fix the USB connectivity other than a factory reset. Nothing in the developer options does it that I know of.)

For now I think I'm still going to exchange for another and see if it's just a glitch with mine that the USB connection is completely killed. If it's true of all Note Pros then it's something Samsung needs to fix.

muzzy996 said:

Not sure what you mean by completely disabling USB connections.

Host mode for external devices? I haven't done that with the tab yet since I don't have an adapter for it.


Or are you talking about only having one shot at connecting the tablet to my rMBP? I'd say no, I can plug and unplug repeatedly to my heart's content using a standard microUSB cable and copy files to/from the device without rebooting let alone factory resetting it.

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Ah so clearly this is just my tablet.

Yes, I mean I get one shot to plug into either Macbook (using the Samsung USB 3 cable) and thereafter no USB transfer connection of any sort is possible. The tablet simply doesn't show up on anything. Not even with the standard micro USB cable, and not with any other computer. I have to do a reset to get USB transfer back. If I use the Samsung cable (or the same cable from my Note 3 so it's not the cable itself) with any other computer I own other than the MacBooks, everything is fine. Standard micro USB with anything including MacBooks is fine.

If I'm understanding you right, your tablet won't connect via the Samsung cable to your Macbook but at least it doesn't completely kill the USB transfer just by connecting it.

Any rate I'm taking it back in the morning, and bringing my rMBP to check how the replacement works.

Thanks pdagal. Does seem to be an issue with Macs and USB 3.0. An older MacPro with USB 2.0 works fine.

Took mine in and exchanged it this morning at Best Buy. The complete disabling of USB transfer was a unique bug. New Note Pro behaves like you describe- doesn't connect to MacBook via original USB 3 cable, but at least a reboot restores USB transfer function afterwards without a factory reset.

I hope a firmware upgrade will fix this entirely.

dansto82 said:

I cant comment on the Note pro 12.2 but my note 3 i tend to use OTG cable and a thumb drive to push large files or use drop box. I could never really get android file transfer to even work consistently with my Nexus 10 running Mountain lion or mavericks on different macs.

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Do you have Samsung Kies installed? If so it kills AFT until it's completely removed using the uninstaller.

Otherwise I'm surprised people have issues with AFT. It's always worked flawlessly for me on every Mac and Hackintosh I use. Even this issue wasn't an AFT problem at all.