http://direct.motorola.com/Hellomoto/nss/Sync_My_Data.asp
http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/nss/driversNplugins.asp
http://www.motorola.com/Hellomoto/Common/Default/USB%20Driver_TI.zip

Extract the “TI-CDC-w2k.inf” file, open in Notepad and add the following lines…
+TexasInst.DeviceDesc0+ = Serusb, USB\VID_22B8&PID_4061
+TexasInst.DeviceDesc0+ = Serusb, USB\VID_22B8&PID_4061&Rev_0001
NOTE:  Replace all “+” symbols with “%” symbols.

under the following header/block…
[TexasInst.Mfg]

If you haven’t yet plugged the phone into the USB port, simply do so and point the installer to the modified INF file.

If you have already plugged in the phone and have accepted the prompts, then launch “DevMgmt.MSC” (the windows device manager), navigate to “Other Devices” subheading, delete each unidentified “USB Device” object the run another detection scan.

(title edited. babar)

Thanks Intuit.

What’s the application of this?

The title.  Pointing the Windows installer to this INF file when plugging the phone in via USB, allows the computer to then begin charging the phone.

There are also COM port drivers there that can be used in place of the above linked ZIP file that would allow the phone to be used as an actual dialup modem.  http://www.motorola.com/Hellomoto/Common/Default/USB_Driver_32.zip (would still retain charging functionality)

Of course, considering airtime charges for data, using your cell as a modem would be prohibitively expensive.

nEEEEh, you could jus get a data plan, $20 to $50 bux, depending on your carrier.  My phone as modem is my main internet access

Interesting.  What is your transfer rate ?  Don’t say 50.6kbps!  Also you likely (still) have quota caps.  What are they and how much extra per kilo or Giga bit does it cost you ?  Looks like the Motorola COM port maxes at 128,000bps which is only 15.6kB/sec.  To give folks an idea, modern DSL is usually at least 300kB/sec.  A 20MB Adobe Reader 8.12 download at ~12kB/sec (overhead) would take ~18 minutes with perfect reception.  The absolute lowest rate local DSL is offering is 768kbps.  Just for general surfing that 125kbps bandwidth would be more than sufficient.  Could present some problems for media sites like youtube (<--maybe), desync + sites that use wmp & quicktime.

I can use my phone as a Modem if I so wish, im sighed up for unlimited weekend and evening use for downloads, however I don’t get more than 10kB/sec and thats only when im lucky. Most of the time it’s around 2-6kB/sec but that should improve soon over here as more people use dongle’s.

By the way, whoever wrote the texting module software for this phone needs to be f*ing fired.

Thanks so much Intuit! I thought I was going to be stuck with a USB charging phone that will only charge with the AC adapter!!

I don’t suppose there’s any way to get a simple USB charger to work with this phone, though is there?  Like a cigarette lighter USB port?  I’ve tried my Wii, PS3, Car charger and a couple battery powered USB chargers and none of them will work, I take it Moto’s got some funky logic in their charger that actually sends a code over the USB cable?

Levi

If I remember right the battery charger outputs at 650ma but the device when plugged into USB only reports 498ma when charging on USB.  You’ll get a faster charge from the A/C adapter.  I don’t recall if there were any differences in voltage but my point is, the phone probably has to know the output of it’s charging source in order to calibrate it’s charge/discharge cycles more accurately.  Would’ve been better if the phone had an IC to monitor incoming wattage vs consumption but that’s probably a few more pennies on the dollar.  Who knows what they did but empiricaly speaking that would seem to be the case.

I did a bit more looking this morning and found this:

Details: Pin 2 of the USB is connected to pin X (between pin 3 and 4). Pin 4 is connected to pin X with a resistor. On a Razr V3, it is about 165K. See this site for pinout:
http://pinouts.ru/CellularPhones-A-N/razrv3_charger_pinout.shtml

Apparently not all of the mini-usb moto’s have the same requirements and one might need a different resistor.  Not sure what the w376g would need.

I was hoping someone already had a pre-made little adapter for this reason since my soldering skills rather suck and I’d have a big ol’ mess of an adapter if I tried…

Is there a way to make this inf file works under Vista? On Vista, it doesn’t prompt me when I plug my phone to a USB port.
thanks in advance.

It does work with Vista, I’ve installed it on several Vista computers.  BUT it is a pain.  Here’s the best instruction I can give:
-Right Click on Computer, do Properties, then Device Manager.

Now, when you plug your phone in you’ll see an “Unknown Devices” category pop up.  You need to very quickly open that one(actually I think it opens automatically) and Right-click on the device listed there and select Update Driver.  Then select where your driver is located.

Like I said, I’ve done this on several Vista computers.  Some were more of a pain than others.  It generally takes a few tries to get it in there at the right time.  As near as I can tell basically Vista seems to think the phone is no longer there after a few seconds of plugin.  If you don’t get it, you need to unplug it, wait for the phone to beep, then plug it back in and try again.

Good Luck!
Levi

levismith, thank you for the instruction. I was able to do it on the 1st try! Now I can get rid of one more AC adaptor on my desk.

Vista x64 / 64 drivers…

Navigate to: http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/nss/usb_drivers_pc_charging_drivers.asp
There you can download Download Motorola USB Driver v3.7.0(for 64-bit versions of Windows®)

Install the MSI contained within the ZIP file.
Navigate to “C:\Program Files\Motorola Inc\Motorola Driver Installation 3.7.0\Common Files (64-bit) Folder\Motorola Shared\MotPCSDrivers\Drivers”.
Open the “motccgp.inf” file using notepad.

Modify that file by adding:
+USBMOTCCGP+ = MOTCCGP, USB\VID_22B8&PID_4061
+USBMOTCCGP+ = MOTCCGP, USB\VID_22B8&PID_4061&Rev_0001
NOTE: REPLACE ”+” SYMBOLS WITH ”%”

Under two sections/headings, both ”[Motorola]” and ”[Motorola.NTamd64]”.

Save the modified file. 

If you haven’t yet plugged in the device, plug it in.
Once you get the “Found New Hardware” window, *immediately* select the first option “locate and install...”.
Next, “Don’t search online”, “I don’t have a disc” then “Browse my computer...”.
Point the installer to the modified INF file that you saved under “Program Files\Moto...” above.

If you have already plugged in the device,
Open “DevMgmt.MSC” (Windows Device Manager), select “View” menu then “Show Hidden Devices”.
Navigate to “Show Other Devices” category, select the appropriate unknown device, hit the “Driver” tab, “Update Driver” button, “Browse my...” button, then point the installer to the modified INF file that you saved under “Program Files\Moto...”

.
.

If you saved the INF in a different location then you will instead nead to go to that location then point the Windows installer to the “Program Files\Moto...” location (full path above) for the three individual driver files that it will require.  (may not actually “require” those files to charge… find out by eliminating them from the copy section of the INF file)

NOTE: Once the “Motorola USB Composite Device” is installed, you may get additional prompts for other component device software.  Ignore them and tell windows not to bother you again.  Note that with further modifications on the other INFs, it is possible to install these additional components and use the phone as a dial-up modem on your laptop.  Normal, as in EXHORBITANT, Data rates will apply and for no more than 8-10k/sec download rates.

Hi,

I just regged to let you know that I tried this on another Moto Tracfone, the W175g, which is recognized as the W180, and all of the above methods seem futile. Installed as different components, the phone reacts in different ways, but never in the charging cycle. If someone else has a method, or found a way to accomplish USB charging or use as a modem (only desirable in the middle of nowhere in a life and death situation) or even full access with Moto Phone Tools (would love to edit/replace tones and wallpaper/screensavers) I would love to know. I’ve read this has been flashed to other carriers via unlocking dongles, but I don’t want to go that far. I just want to customize it, and charge from the laptop.

Thanks for the work so far.

EDIT: Oh, here are the W175g HW IDs, in case anyone can use them:

USB\VID_22B8&PID_40C0&REV_0001
USB\VID_22B8&PID_40C0

Greetings.  That’s good to know for others who may be searching.

There doesn’t appear to be charging drivers for the model w170 or w180 ?

http://direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/nss/usb_drivers_pc_charging_drivers.asp

Down at the bottom of the page it reads:

These drivers allow you to charge your phone using your PC and a USB cable.
PC Driver 1 (W370, W375)
PC Driver 2 (W216, W230, W230x, W23x, W270, W270x, W27x, W388, W396, W397, W397v)
Installation Instructions

Closest in model number is w216 (200 series).
So basically it appears to only support (obviously unofficially in many cases) maybe the 2 and 300 W-series.

As far as Motorola Phone tools the lowest supported W-series appears to be 3, including later 4 and 5 revisions.  Not so sure it is possible to trick the software into modifying the phone; it really depends not just on how the software/phone identify one-another, but it is the phone’s firmware itself, that is responsible for locking-out external access.  As you know, modifying that firmware is a no-no for this carrier.  More than likely it will be worthless except with carriers other than your current one.