Hi.
I'm currently developing an application on my Desire, and it uses the "File X = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory();" to get the SD card directory (that I need to use to save some BIG log files).
But in the end this application should be able to run in a multitude of devices, like the Samsung Galaxy S.
My question is this: Does that command return the Mass storage (the phone's internal one) or the SD card path?
If it does access the SD card, how do I get the path for the Mass storage?
Thanks in advance!
Related
Good day,
I have a question about replacing my external microSD card on my GNote:
1) Can I simply swap out the SD card with a new one and reboot the phone?
Other than copying off my photos and music folders on the current external SD card, what else should I be looking to move over onto the new SD card once I insert it?
I am rooted on XLA1 ROM
I have not moved any downloaded Apps to the ext. SD card
I use the built in email and messaging Apps, I do not even know if\how to tell the mail app to store mail on the external card or if it does this automatically if it detects the presence of one. (Kind of a sub question I guess)
I use Dialer one (I do not think it matters but....)
I have CWM backups to external SD as well as Titanium Pro scheduled batch backups. have not looked yet to see where these are stored and what the folders are named/
The current SD card came out of my HTC HD2 where I had done a few android builds running off SD and therefore see plenty of android created folders that I am sure are as a result of my attempts to try out Android when I was a Windows Mobile user on the HD 2.
Thanks in advance for any answers giving to this matter.
Claude H.
You shouldn't have to do anything. Most programs, if they don't find the file structure they're looking for in the place they're looking, will recreate it.
Thanks for the answer.
Hi,
I have a i9000 it is working for phone calls and contacts, but I have a big issue with my internal sd card.
I can read the contents, but I cannot delete, format, wipe or install any new application that was not previously installed because via adb it tells me that I do not have the rights.
The fact is that I can download still new roms on my mobile so that means that a part of the internal memory is still usable.
The question is that:
in the i9000 there are two physical different memories (two chips)? One for the the kernel and firmware situated and one for the data, the so called "internal sd card"?
Because if there is one chio I really cannot understand why one are is corrupted (internal sd card) and the other (kernel and firmware) is not.
Best regards
Did u even try connecting cell to pc in mass storage mode and deleting/formatting using the pc ???
Hey, what's up? I bought my new Galaxy Note yesterday, and there are some things I don't understand. One of the first apps I installed was App2SD. The Note didn't came with an SD (today I bought one), but something appeared as SD Card. When in I entered to the app, I saw something very interesting. It said that the System storage was 2GB (??!?) and the SD (it didn't had any SD) was 11GB. Today I installed the SD (real) and the app still the SD was 11GB!!! I downloaded MI file explorer, to see better the storage and install some apps I moved to the SD, and when I entered to SD tab, there were folders of Camera, Downloads.. but I couldn't find any of my apps. Then I find the folder "external_sd" and I opened it. Yes, all the apks I moved to the SD were there. So, I thought , lets see the storage tab in Task manager menu. There appeared 3 things: the SD card (8gb), the system storage (2gb) and the USB storage (11gb). So, I realized that all downloads and photos were saving in the USB storage (that is part of the System storage I think). I could change where does the photos save, but no the downloads and apps. They are still saving in that USB storage. And something it was very strange: when I move to SD some apps (Zen Bound 2, 200MB) it appears in the SD but really small (200MB to 20MB) So, the questions are:
1. Can I change that the apps don't install in that USB storage?
2. Can I turn off that USB storage?
3. Why when I enter in Settings and I move an app to the SD, in app2sd appears like it was moved to the USB storage? Or it moved to the real SD?
4. Why the size of the apps change?
Thanks really
alancito10t
alancito10t said:
Hey, what's up? I bought my new Galaxy Note yesterday, and there are some things I don't understand. One of the first apps I installed was App2SD. The Note didn't came with an SD (today I bought one), but something appeared as SD Card. When in I entered to the app, I saw something very interesting. It said that the System storage was 2GB (??!?) and the SD (it didn't had any SD) was 11GB. Today I installed the SD (real) and the app still the SD was 11GB!!! I downloaded MI file explorer, to see better the storage and install some apps I moved to the SD, and when I entered to SD tab, there were folders of Camera, Downloads.. but I couldn't find any of my apps. Then I find the folder "external_sd" and I opened it. Yes, all the apks I moved to the SD were there. So, I thought , lets see the storage tab in Task manager menu. There appeared 3 things: the SD card (8gb), the system storage (2gb) and the USB storage (11gb). So, I realized that all downloads and photos were saving in the USB storage (that is part of the System storage I think). I could change where does the photos save, but no the downloads and apps. They are still saving in that USB storage. And something it was very strange: when I move to SD some apps (Zen Bound 2, 200MB) it appears in the SD but really small (200MB to 20MB) So, the questions are:
1. Can I change that the apps don't install in that USB storage?
2. Can I turn off that USB storage?
3. Why when I enter in Settings and I move an app to the SD, in app2sd appears like it was moved to the USB storage? Or it moved to the real SD?
4. Why the size of the apps change?
Thanks really
alancito10t
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, that was a lot to read Ok, as far as Galaxy Note's Memory management is considered, the partition is as:
A. 2GB (1.97GB Precisely) : Acts as ROM
B. 11GB (11.07GB Precisely) : Acts as Internal SD Card
C. X GB (the memory card which you insert) : Acts as External SD Card
So, In A there are built in apps which comes with the ROM you flash.
In B There are apps which you install. The install Location is defined to be in B in your phone by default.
In C You can move the apps using some app such as App2SD or Android Assistant (which I prefer)
If you are concerned with big apps clogging your memory, read ahead:
You can allow your application to install on the device's external storage.
Some types of applications should not allow installation on the external storage.
Installing on the external storage is ideal for large applications that are not tightly integrated with the system (most commonly, games).
If you want to know how to do it, then reply back or PM me. I shall post here.
Hope this helps to clear some basic idea about memory.
LG Optimus 4X HD
At least on my fone, this is a problem.
There seems to be no way to move the Apps to the Phone SD card or External SD card.
I used several apps ( App2SD etct etc ) from Google Play.
They all show the installed Apps ON PHONE.
And offer the option to select which apps you want to move over to the Phone SD card.
But when I select the Apps to move , the option that comes up only shows two choices: FORCE STOP or UNINSTALL.
Nothing else.
Do these so called new power smartphones prevent any installed apps to be
transferred to the Phone SD card or External SD card ?
I heard from a friend that even some latest Samsung phones have similar limitation features.
Probably there is some technical reason behind this. Perhaps rooting is needed ?
Appreciate if anyone here could enlighten.
Thx.
Actually, app are installed on the sdcard directly. The sdcard is actually the phone memory. Perhaps you want to install app on your micro sd card or the external_sd. You'll need Link 2 SD for that one. Moving apps to sdcard option was removed in ICS.
http://www.chainfire.eu/articles/113/Is_Google_blocking_apps_writing_to_SD_cards_/
Agustus said:
LG Optimus 4X HD
At least on my fone, this is a problem.
There seems to be no way to move the Apps to the Phone SD card or External SD card.
I used several apps ( App2SD etct etc ) from Google Play.
They all show the installed Apps ON PHONE.
And offer the option to select which apps you want to move over to the Phone SD card.
But when I select the Apps to move , the option that comes up only shows two choices: FORCE STOP or UNINSTALL.
Nothing else.
Do these so called new power smartphones prevent any installed apps to be
transferred to the Phone SD card or External SD card ?
I heard from a friend that even some latest Samsung phones have similar limitation features.
Probably there is some technical reason behind this. Perhaps rooting is needed ?
Appreciate if anyone here could enlighten.
Thx.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The LG 4X has a different memory structure than other Android devices I have used so far.
Normally an android device's integrated storage is partitioned like this:
-You get a program storage (1-2GBs if you are lucky)
-You get what's left of the integrated storage as SD card (minus the OS used space)
-You can add an external SD card which will be your... ermm external SD card
-In OTG enabled devices you can also add a USB storage
Now the difference in our LG 4X is that the manufacturer has opted to combine the program storage and internal storage into one storage location, thus saving us the trouble of moving apps to SD all the time and so giving as 12GBs of storage so we can use however we want.
In my Galaxy S with android 2.3.3, I can also move apps to external SD, but afaik this is not supported in ICS and JB, so yeah I concur your irony above, rergarding the super wow smartphones. Still I am sure there were various reasons for Google to not support it (and maybe moving to external SD was Samsung proprietary operation-not clear about that still)
psolord said:
The LG 4X has a different memory structure than other Android devices I have used so far.
Normally an android device's integrated storage is partitioned like this:
-You get a program storage (1-2GBs if you are lucky)
-You get what's left of the integrated storage as SD card (minus the OS used space)
-You can add an external SD card which will be your... ermm external SD card
-In OTG enabled devices you can also add a USB storage
Now the difference in our LG 4X is that the manufacturer has opted to combine the program storage and internal storage into one storage location, thus saving us the trouble of moving apps to SD all the time and so giving as 12GBs of storage so we can use however we want.
In my Galaxy S with android 2.3.3, I can also move apps to external SD, but afaik this is not supported in ICS and JB, so yeah I concur your irony above, rergarding the super wow smartphones. Still I am sure there were various reasons for Google to not support it (and maybe moving to external SD was Samsung proprietary operation-not clear about that still)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
App2SD was introduced in Android 2.2 (FroYo). However, different developer solutions were already around at that time (a2sd+, link2sd etc.), but they required an ext3/ext4 partition, while the build-in app2sd would move them to a folder (.android-secure) on the FAT32 partition. The app2sd feature was eagerly awaited because of the limited storage devices had back then (the Nexus One had 512MB internal memory, of which 447 were usable and ~150 MB were used for /system). Now with bigger internal storage and the different internal structure which is used since ICS (and which is also the reason newer devices use MTP), moving apps to external SD is no longer officially supported. So you'll just have to use a developer's way again, in our case it's Directory Bind. I haven't used it yet since I still have some free space left, but it was reported to work properly. Afaik it just moves the files to external SD and then links the folders. Root should be required, but I don't know exactly. Personally i'd root nevertheless, as it gives you some advantages (Ti Backup, Ad-Free etc).
psolord said:
The LG 4X has a different memory structure than other Android devices I have used so far.
Normally an android device's integrated storage is partitioned like this:
-You get a program storage (1-2GBs if you are lucky)
-You get what's left of the integrated storage as SD card (minus the OS used space)
-You can add an external SD card which will be your... ermm external SD card
-In OTG enabled devices you can also add a USB storage
Now the difference in our LG 4X is that the manufacturer has opted to combine the program storage and internal storage into one storage location, thus saving us the trouble of moving apps to SD all the time and so giving as 12GBs of storage so we can use however we want.
In my Galaxy S with android 2.3.3, I can also move apps to external SD, but afaik this is not supported in ICS and JB, so yeah I concur your irony above, rergarding the super wow smartphones. Still I am sure there were various reasons for Google to not support it (and maybe moving to external SD was Samsung proprietary operation-not clear about that still)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Regarding OTG enable devices, I cannot understand why LG 4X doesn't support the OTG feature, it should be important to support it in order to make this smartphone a wonderful replacement of a computer (we may use external usb hard-disk or even external usb DVD/BR-writer).
Regarding internal/external sd card, if I use the command line "mount" inside a terminal, I see two lines including "/mnt/sdcard" and "/mnt/sdcard/external_sd" parameters. My question is: theoretically is it possible to swap the two a/m lines, so to mount "/mnt/sdcard" as external (the real external SD card) and "/mnt/sdcard/external_sd" as internal storage? If possible, how to do it? Root grants are enough to do it, or we need more to do it?
I currently have a 32 gig card but want to buy a larger 64 gig card. Can I simply copy all contents of my SD card to PC and then paste them back to the new 64 gig card? Will all my apps and their databases installed on SD card still work? Or are apps tied down to the SD card or the device for security. Have 8.1 installed on my Ativ S.
Thank you!
tboy2000 said:
I currently have a 32 gig card but want to buy a larger 64 gig card. Can I simply copy all contents of my SD card to PC and then paste them back to the new 64 gig card? Will all my apps and their databases installed on SD card still work? Or are apps tied down to the SD card or the device for security. Have 8.1 installed on my Ativ S.
Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I Suggest 2 Ways .
I think both of them work for you .
1.Copy apps to phone storage and move them to new sd card
2.copy WPSystem in your old sd card to new one (maybe 1% this not work but not a bad try )
ngame said:
I Suggest 2 Ways .
I think both of them work for you .
1.Copy apps to phone storage and move them to new sd card
2.copy WPSystem in your old sd card to new one (maybe 1% this not work but not a bad try )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah but the amount of internal phone storage is less than the size of my current 32 gig sd card so I will not be able to move back to phone all my apps and their data.
tboy2000 said:
Ah but the amount of internal phone storage is less than the size of my current 32 gig sd card so I will not be able to move back to phone all my apps and their data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so lets test copy wpsystem folder ?
Back from my hd2 days we used to clone the smaller card to the bigger card. Bigger card will then show in your case 32gb. Then use a partition manager to expand the size of the partition. Used to work with wp7.x not sure of wp8.
Wouldn't see why it wouldn't work since it doesn't need to read any info on the actual partition it just copies whole thing to computer then copies whole thing to new card. Then expand it to your cards size.
Back then if you just copied using file explorer it would give error on start up but wp7 on an hd2 is WAYYY different not sure how much wp8 checks sd cards like that.
@reeg420 probably has the right idea here. It *might* work to just copy the filesystem contents, but if you want to be really sure you should copy at a lower level. Note that this will wipe the new card completely! I make no promises of this working in the case of an encrypted (BitLocker'd) card. Here's one way you could do it, if you have access to a Linux/OS X system:
* Insert the first SD card and figure out what device it maps to (I'm going to assume /dev/sdb for this tutorial).
* If the SD mounted automatically, unmount (eject, or 'umount' command) it.
* In a terminal, figure out where you'll want to place the temp file (this step can be skipped if you can mount both cards at a time, but that's rare). It'll be the size of the first card (32GB). It could be something like /tmp/sdclone or ~/sdclone or /dev/sdc if you're doing a direct copy without a temp file.
* Use the dd command ('man dd' if you want to learn more about it). For example:
Code:
dd if=/dev/sdb of=/tmp/sdclone bs=16m
* Once the dd command finishes (assuming it finished without errors), pull out the first sd card and put in the second (assuming you didn't direct-copy).
* Again, unmount the sd card if it auto-mounts. Then dd the temp file back onto the sd card (just switch the paths of the 'of' and 'if' parameters).
* Once the copy finishes successfully (you may want to try re-mounting the card to make sure it worked!) you can delete the temp file.
Of course, this will just give you a 64GB microSD card with a single 32GB partition and 32GB of unusable space. At that point, you can extend the partition into the remaining space. There are various ways to do this - on Linux you might use the 'parted' command or one of its graphical front-ends (gparted/qtparted) - but the easiest is probably to put the card in a Windows machine (or reboot into Windows if you're dual-booting) and use the Disk Management console ('diskmgmt.msc', if you want to use Search or Run).
A card cloned in this way *should* work just fine in your phone, but I haven't tested this.