Cannot move files from disk to external memory (smartphone)

Posts: 7 · sronweb 16 Oct 2022, 18:22

Hello' please could you help about this issue:
if I sync between a local drive and a mounted smartphone I get an error on Ubuntu as below message:

Cannot move file
"/run/user/1000/gvfs/mtp:host=Google_Pixel_6_Pro_21041FDEE004NW/Internal shared storage/Music/Indie - Folk/Astronauts, etc. - Eye to Eye~d968.ffs_tmp" to
"/run/user/1000/gvfs/mtp:host=Google_Pixel_6_Pro_21041FDEE004NW/Internal shared storage/Music/Indie - Folk/Astronauts, etc. - Eye to Eye.mp3".

EIO: Errore di input/output [rename]

I have the option to skip fail-safe copy but finally the date will not be stored so basically i cannot sync the data. I have also a partition with Window 10, where I can sync without problems. I guess its about the difference in permissions on data in the smartphone which manage the temporary files or similar. Please, do you have advice? Thanks

Posts: 4866 · xCSxXenon 16 Oct 2022, 18:39

viewtopic.php?t=8728

With mtp, you will always lose timestamps. I switch to File size for my syncing to/from my phone

Posts: 7506 · Zenju 16 Oct 2022, 18:44

With mtp, you will always lose timestamps. xCSxXenon, 16 Oct 2022, 18:39

Not always. Syncing timestamps works on the latest Android.

Posts: 7 · sronweb 16 Oct 2022, 21:11

With mtp, you will always lose timestamps. xCSxXenon, 16 Oct 2022, 18:39
Not always. Syncing timestamps works on the latest Android. Zenju, 16 Oct 2022, 18:44

Thank you both for the reply.
If I understand correctly MTP is well managed perhaps in the FFS Windows version but not in Linux/Gnu?
In effect in Windows I keep the timestamp of the files.
Of course I may temporary use the "trick" to sync by file size instead, but it would be not safe, with risk to losing some data.

Posts: 7506 · Zenju 17 Oct 2022, 07:27

Indeed, I was refering to FreeFileSync on Windows. On Linux there is no MTP support in FreeFileSync, and the gvfs (file system) always loses timestamps, as xCSxXenon correctly said.

Posts: 4866 · xCSxXenon 17 Oct 2022, 15:24

With mtp, you will always lose timestamps. xCSxXenon, 16 Oct 2022, 18:39
Not always. Syncing timestamps works on the latest Android. Zenju, 16 Oct 2022, 18:44

Well it's about time! lol
Shame that they seem to be band-aiding MTP instead of coming up with something more reliable. Maybe they will work on some other issues

Posts: 7 · sronweb 17 Oct 2022, 21:12

I can image that it's not easy development but if it's possible to manage in Windows I hope FFS will be improved with better support on Linux users (I guess we are increasing....). Thanks to the developers for the great job in FFS.

Posts: 7 · sronweb 22 Oct 2022, 21:45

PS: Apparently the input/output error copying on MTP, has been fixed with last FFS update. At least it does not appear to me, then after sync, the timestamp on the copied files has been updated correctly. Anyone can also confirm it?

Posts: 2 · bottle 1 May 2025, 12:17

I got the same error. I just it's not working?

Cannot rename "/run/user/1000/gvfs/mtp:host=Xiaomi_Xiaomi_11T_7t79tkjb5xljnr49/Internal shared storage/Phone2Laptop Sync-e356.ffs_tmp" to "Phone2Laptop Sync.ffs_gui".



EIO: Input/output error [rename]

I am using Linux Mint 22.1 and FFS v14.3 x86-64 03/27/2025.

Posts: 7 · sronweb 1 May 2025, 22:07

I got the same error. I just it's not working?
Cannot rename "/run/user/1000/gvfs/mtp:host=Xiaomi_Xiaomi_11T_7t79tkjb5xljnr49/Internal shared storage/Phone2Laptop Sync-e356.ffs_tmp" to "Phone2Laptop Sync.ffs_gui". EIO: Input/output error [rename]
I am using Linux Mint 22.1 and FFS v14.3 x86-64 03/27/2025. bottle, 01 May 2025, 12:17

I have switched to WiFi connection using some Android FTP servers app as MTP is much slower and cause problems

Posts: 4866 · xCSxXenon 4 May 2025, 14:43

Speed for MTP devices, at least modern/quick ones, usually goes like this, top is fastest:
- MTP that works
- FTP
- MTP that doesn't work

MTP is going to be fastest, if it works correctly. Unfortunately, the options are basically 'none' if it doesn't just work on its own and you are trying to troubleshoot it ¯\_(•_•)_/¯

Posts: 2 · bottle 4 May 2025, 17:23

I've experienced delays/pauses when transferring files in Windows using MTP, even without any error messages. It might be due to having other files open at the same time.

Switching to FTP on Linux has been a much better experience for me. Thanks for the suggestion! I find FTP more convenient and it saves me the hassle of connecting a cable. I've tested a few Android FTP server apps, and "WiFi FTP Server" by Medha Apps has been the fastest. Using the Donation Edition version of FFS to transfer 10 files at a time is incredibly fast for me.

Another workaround for using MTP in Linux is through a Windows VM in VirtualBox. By configuring the target folder paths, including the MTP device, as shared folders within the VM settings, I was able to transfer files successfully.

By the way, the MTP that doesn't work doesn't transfers file at all; it only displays the comparison results. Thanks for the info. :)