On Mon, 20 Mar 2017 09:53:55 -0400, Big Al wrote:

This suggests WiFi File Transfer but there are lots of apps with that name
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...fer&hl=en _GB

This is the version I use. Simple. Does it via a web page on your
PC. Turn on the app on the phone, and the phone becomes a web server
of sorts and the screen supplies you with the IP address to put in the
PC's web browser. From there is point and click upload and download
like any other web site.

Thanks for the pointer to the better "WiFi File Transfer" application which
was the one from SmarterDroid.

That helps narrow the testing because there were many "WiFi File Transfer"
utilities, so just the name wasn't enough to get the right one.

I did try it, and it worked, but I immediately deleted it as substandard
given the well known limitation that a web browser is a terrible way to
transfer files (compared to methods better suited for file transfer).

But here's what I did for others to benefit from the steps.

1. I start WiFi File Transfer.
2. A blue screen with a "Start" button shows up.
3. I press that large "Start" button.
4. Up pops a "WiFi File Transfer" dialog saying:
You can now access the files on your Android device by typing the
following address into your computer's browser:
http://192.168.1.10:1234
5. On Windows I brought up a browser to that URI.
6. On the web page, I found the red button saying "Transfer file to
device", which there was a "Choose Files" button below that, which says
"5MB per file max", which is fine for text files (but which is not fine for
pictures or videos).

So, this method using basically an http server on Android worked to
transfer files from Windows XP to Android, but, truth be told, a web
browser (especially one limited arbitrarily to 5MB per file) is a terrible
way to transfer files.

However, what's really nice about this method is that it does not require
ANYTHING to be installed on Windows (since browsers are already there).

But there are other methods which don't require anything to be installed on
Windows which are far better than a web page (which is just about the worst
way possible to transfer files.

1. The best way is SMB, but the syntax requires a learning curve.
2. The second-best way is FTP, which worked just fine in my tests.
3. The worst way is HTTP, which worked fine & requires no learning curve.

Currently, my recommendation is that if you're an expert, you will have the
SMB method working already. If you're a novice, the HTTP method will work
just fine. And if you're in the middle (where I am), then the FTP method
will work best (until I learn the SMB syntax).

Expert = SMB {requires network syntax knowledge)
Competent = FTP {requires little network syntax knowledge}
Novice = HTTP {requires no network syntax knowledge}

They all have their value but in different ways, where my goal in asking
the question is to obtain help from experts on the best way, which is the
SMB method.