Database Develop

Files on ext. SD Card deleted by Media Scanner

Hi folks,
the Android Media Scanner is deleting files stored on my ext. SDCard.
First I thought the card is broken but then I found this:
h_t_t_p:_/_/code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=3692
Is anyone else having this issue and/or got a solution for it?
Thanks!
Edit: I am on CM7 n82 currenty

Probably own fault. Might be cause by mounting ExternalSD wrong way.
See updated thread andr. Dev.
Sent from my Optimus 2X using XDA Premium App

Media files being deleted from SD card
gonzalesdlx said:
Probably own fault. Might be cause by mounting ExternalSD wrong way.
See updated thread andr. Dev.
Sent from my Optimus 2X using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gonzales,
I updated from Android 2.3.4 to 2.3.6 this weekend, and the problem started. I came across both threads at the Android Developers forum, and found no solution.
You do mention above that it was "probably your own fault... see updated thread". Well, I did read the updated threads, and found no solution.
You hint that it has to do with the way the card is mounted/unmounted. And this weekend I did in fact mount/unmount the card various times, connecting it to the PC.
But what exactly did you do? Did you find a solution?
Thanks,

[SOLVED] Media Scanner Deleting Files from SD Card
OK, I believe I found the solution. Apparently the problem can be caused by the SD card being mounted and/or unmounted properly. In my case, I was connecting/disconnecting to/from the desktop PC, having the SD card as Mass Storage. At one point, Android wasn't detecting it anymore so I removed and inserted it a few times.
I did what I describe on the same thread at Android Developers: http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=3692#c117
Here's what I wrote there:
So I did the following, and it seemed to solve.
1. Connected phone via USB to desktop PC, and dismounted card from phone, allowing data transfer to PC (via Mass Storage Device)
2. In Windows, as a test I created various folders with subfolders, with image files in them. On some I placed a .nomedia file in root and sub-folder, other only in root, others I renamed the sub-folder to start with a ".", etc. (NOTICE: I copied existing .nomedia files from other folders, as Windows doesn't allow files/folders starting with "." to be created)
3. In Windows, I ejected the USB drive politely (i.e.: I didn't just pull the cable out)
4. On phone, opened Settings/Applications/All and found Media Storage
5. Deleted data from Media Storage
6. On phone, I disabled the external access (file storage)
7. Waited patiently until SD card was detected and mounted (previously, I tried forcing that to happen by opening applications that would query the SD card)
The phone performed the Media Scan a couple of times, and ALL MEDIA FILES REMAINED THERE, where they would originally have been deleted from.
In all test folders I created from within Windows, no files were deleted. And in folders that originally had media files (which I didn't touch through Windows), the files no longer were deleted.
Anyway, this seems to have fixed it for me.
My system:
Samsung Galaxy Ace, Android 2.3.6, rooted.
An extra hint: if you feel you card access is slow, get an app like SD Booster and increase the cache size. On my device, it was as low as < 100Kb but increasing it to 1024Kb made a huge difference.
And if you don't want the media scanner to run on boot (increase boot speed), use Rescan Media Root.
Both need root access, by the way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And I've had no problems at all ever since, and even mounted/unmounted a couple of times.

External SD Card showing LOST.DIR ?

Hi,
I installed a new external SD card in my phone. Copied files from my Note on to it. After a day I see the folder gone and an new empty folder LOST.DIR in its place.
Is my SD card faulty? I used it for over 6 months in the SG2 without any problems.
Please help!

Read this.

PoisonWolf said:
Read this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but I did read that thread before posting here and that thread made no sense to me.
My folder having Video files is gone and there is an empty LOST.DIR in its place.
I also do not use a Mac.

LOST.DIR is comparable to the recyclbe bin in windows.
if you do not permanently delete files they end up in LOST.DIR for a specific acmount of time. (that's the way it happens on my computer)
i don't think your Video Folder moved on its own to the LOST.DIR. Anyway, check in LOST.DIR - it should be there. Just move it outta there.

Hi I had this problem with a faulty SD card.. I'll never skimp on an SD card again. Its definitely branded ftw here
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

two_handed said:
LOST.DIR is comparable to the recyclbe bin in windows.
if you do not permanently delete files they end up in LOST.DIR for a specific acmount of time. (that's the way it happens on my computer)
i don't think your Video Folder moved on its own to the LOST.DIR. Anyway, check in LOST.DIR - it should be there. Just move it outta there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Yesterday I had a folder called "VIDEO" with movie files in it on my SD Card. Today, there is just this folder called LOST.DIR which is empty !! There is no trace of the Video folder of the movie files anywhere.
My SD card is blank except for the empty folder LOST.DIR

nuclearmonkeyuk said:
Hi I had this problem with a faulty SD card.. I'll never skimp on an SD card again. Its definitely branded ftw here
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine is a branded Transcend 4GB card.

Maybe it is bricked then. Do you have the possibility to cross check with another hardware, e.g laptop, card reader...
you can also try to format it, create a tempfile and check what happens.
what's the output of:
du /mnt/sdcard/external_sd ?

After some tests, I found this. If you have your phone connected to a PC (windows) to transfer files to the phone's externalSD directory, then use the "remove hardware option" without noticing there are TWO hardwares listed, then turn off USB from your phone, then unplug, you end up in this bad situation of a directory that's empty except for the lost.DIR (which is not accessible).
If you are careful to remove BOTH listed drives prior to turning off USB and unplugging the files should remain on your phone and be accessible. Your mileage may vary.
PS. I'm pretty certain the lost.dir is as dead as can be and can be safely deleted.

AspiringDeveloper said:
...
PS. I'm pretty certain the lost.dir is as dead as can be and can be safely deleted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It may be dead, yeah, but why remove it when it'll be created by the system again anyway and it doesn't harm?

delete them all.
is garbage.

two_handed said:
It may be dead, yeah, but why remove it when it'll be created by the system again anyway and it doesn't harm?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some people have reported them as pushing 3 gigs. I don't have any problem getting rig of 3 gigs of wasted space. If it's 0 bytes? Leave it.

As i've said before - it is comparable to the trash bin in windows. You don't empty it, it takes space on your Disk. Empty it, its zero byte.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA App

AspiringDeveloper said:
After some tests, I found this. If you have your phone connected to a PC (windows) to transfer files to the phone's externalSD directory, then use the "remove hardware option" without noticing there are TWO hardwares listed, then turn off USB from your phone, then unplug, you end up in this bad situation of a directory that's empty except for the lost.DIR (which is not accessible).
If you are careful to remove BOTH listed drives prior to turning off USB and unplugging the files should remain on your phone and be accessible. Your mileage may vary.
PS. I'm pretty certain the lost.dir is as dead as can be and can be safely deleted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, thanks for your efforts but I did not connect my phone to my PC for transfering the files. I cut / paste them from my phone usb drive to the external sd card with the ES File Explorer utility. The files were there for a day, then suddenly they disappeared.

JulyDerek said:
I cut / paste them from my phone usb drive to the external sd card with the ES File Explorer utility.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotcha. I have also encountered this problem. I suspect the problem is similar.
Because you say the files lingered temporarily, diagnosing a fix or work around won't reveal instantaneously if it was successful. My thought is if it is first copied to another dir then flush the clipboard by copying something else (no need to paste it) then copy the file and paste it into the externalSD, then the origin of those won't be contingent on proper disconnection of the drive. I've made two test files: one as described above and one copied direct from USB. I renamed each to clearly identify which is which. Both files were intact a few minutes after unplugging the drive. I rebooted to see if there was any change. Both files remain. I'm not sure how i killed the files using the jump drive before. Perhaps I didn't wait for the phone to complete the process of disconnecting it. **** happens.
If you do find a consistent way that even definitely following proper procedures leads to lost.dir I would like to hear about it.
[NOTE] I will not test (and do not advise) intentionally disconnecting the drive prematurely as a test of that particular possibility. If lost.dir is not produced employing proper procedures all the way, it is of no use to damage your phone or your jump drive simply to investigate if that was the real cause.
"If it's not broken, DON'T FIX IT!"
edit: Next day both files remain.

[Q] Data loss from internal storage and sd card

Hi guys
I plugged my note into my pc using usb cable to transfer games I had downloaded. After unplugging I discovered that all video files and all picture files have disappeared from both the internal sd and my sd card. This is really confusing. I've no idea how this has happened and what I can do to restore it all. This is really upsetting as we had a new baby recently and all my photos of her and my other kids have disappeared. :crying:
Any advice will be gratefully received.
Many thanks in advance.
GG

Just reboot your device and check again

Hi
Tried reboot. Still nothing. File manager shows folders as being there, but contents are missing.

GunnerGeezer said:
Hi
Tried reboot. Still nothing. File manager shows folders as being there, but contents are missing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If they are really deleted try something like "DiskDigger" and check if it finds your pictures.
I used it on the JB leak which doesn't show all files and folders when connected to the PC. I didn't think of this and deleted an "old and empty" folder. I lost about 200 pictures of my baby.
With this tool I got back all of them.

That sounds fantastic, I'll give it a go. Many thanks!

[Q] Whatsapp Media storage location, SDCard0 instead of extSDCard

Hi,
I have a question regarding media storage location of Whatsapp - I don't necessarily expect a solution but would like to at least verify the behaviour on other phones.
My old android device (Sony Ericsson SK17i) saved the Whatsapp media files to the external SDCard.
I bought a S3 mini this week and noticed a difference: Whatsapp media files are not stored on external SDCard anymore, but on the internal storage. I guess that this comes from the internal storage being presented as SDCard0, so maybe Whatsapp thinks that this is in fact the external SD-Card.
Can somebody with S3 mini check how this behaves with his phone? Within Whatsapp I didn't find a way to configure this, can anyone think of a solution to that?
Many thanks in advance.

I bought a S3 mini this week and noticed a difference: Whatsapp media files are not stored on external SDCard anymore, but on the internal storage. I guess that this comes from the internal storage being presented as SDCard0, so maybe Whatsapp thinks that this is in fact the external SD-Card.
Can somebody with S3 mini check how this behaves with his phone? Within Whatsapp I didn't find a way to configure this, can anyone think of a solution to that?
Many thanks in advance. [/QUOTE]
mine saved on phone internal too....and i'am afraid there's no setting from within whatsapp to store in external sd card....however you can reduce space by using directory bind....search around and you will find it.....directory bind or link2sd should do it....

nazri5363 said:
mine saved on phone internal too....and i'am afraid there's no setting from within whatsapp to store in external sd card....however you can reduce space by using directory bind....search around and you will find it.....directory bind or link2sd should do it....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, thanks for double-checking, I was afraid so. I don't want to link the whole app to sd card, but directory bind sounds like a very good idea, I haven't thought of that.

FolderMount (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2192122) did the trick. Thanks!

F157 said:
FolderMount (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2192122) did the trick. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you managed to make the default Image preview program to work properly?
I marked the "Media verification" checkbox on the folder mount configuration so that de SD Card folder wouldn't appear on the image preview program, but now I only can see some black thumbs with no image "attached" that points to internal memory.
Did any of this happened to you? Or something similar with the images or how you see them?

in my S4
whenever i open this app , notifications comes saying :
checking for root ......
exit
and nothing happens !

install GL to SD from google play and move the data from sdcard0 to ext and link it

Nothing worked out for my xperia zl

evildog1 said:
install GL to SD from google play and move the data from sdcard0 to ext and link it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This seems like a solution to my problem- moved my whatsapp media folder using the manual settings in Gl to SD, but it seems wonky. I took a picture of myself and sent it to someone, and it worked fine. Image is stored in my "sent" folder on the card, which also shows up in internal if I browse there with an explorer. I click on the image in whatsapp, it becomes full screen.
But when someone sends ME an image, it seems to never download. I see the thumbnail, I click it, and then it says that the media is not found on the SD card.
Sure enough, I browsed the folder in explorer (hooked up to my computer as PTP, browsing in windows 7) and the file isn't there. Only the one that I originated. I tried to create a file there, and it actually timed out on me and said device wasn't available. So it seems to sometimes work but not other times? How strange!

Dishe said:
This seems like a solution to my problem- moved my whatsapp media folder using the manual settings in Gl to SD, but it seems wonky. I took a picture of myself and sent it to someone, and it worked fine. Image is stored in my "sent" folder on the card, which also shows up in internal if I browse there with an explorer. I click on the image in whatsapp, it becomes full screen.
But when someone sends ME an image, it seems to never download. I see the thumbnail, I click it, and then it says that the media is not found on the SD card.
Sure enough, I browsed the folder in explorer (hooked up to my computer as PTP, browsing in windows 7) and the file isn't there. Only the one that I originated. I tried to create a file there, and it actually timed out on me and said device wasn't available. So it seems to sometimes work but not other times? How strange!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it seems you have root permission problem. you may try to fix permission via custom recovery. GL to SD is working fine and i'm able to download additional data on ext SD.

evildog1 said:
it seems you have root permission problem. you may try to fix permission via custom recovery. GL to SD is working fine and i'm able to download additional data on ext SD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, that might have been it.
In the mean time I gave up, removed it and went with foldermount, linked above. Works just fine out the door, cleaner UI too.

Move WhatsApp Media To External SD Card
This App automatically redirects WhatsApp media to the External SD Card in order to save memory: I cannot post the link, but you can search Nicola Rosada On Play Store and download Photo & File Redirect.

Dishe said:
Ah, that might have been it.
In the mean time I gave up, removed it and went with foldermount, linked above. Works just fine out the door, cleaner UI too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got foldermount and used it to mount data/obb folders from some apps to my ext SD card. But this is what i get for whatsapp: The data and obb options are greyed out so i cant select them and it says there is no data to begin with (0 B). How did you do it? Thanks

Thanks for saving me to ask this question. My son has a SG Grand Prime SM-G530H and is facing the same problem.

Dishe said:
This seems like a solution to my problem- moved my whatsapp media folder using the manual settings in Gl to SD, but it seems wonky. I took a picture of myself and sent it to someone, and it worked fine. Image is stored in my "sent" folder on the card, which also shows up in internal if I browse there with an explorer. I click on the image in whatsapp, it becomes full screen.
But when someone sends ME an image, it seems to never download. I see the thumbnail, I click it, and then it says that the media is not found on the SD card.
Sure enough, I browsed the folder in explorer (hooked up to my computer as PTP, browsing in windows 7) and the file isn't there. Only the one that I originated. I tried to create a file there, and it actually timed out on me and said device wasn't available. So it seems to sometimes work but not other times? How strange!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got the same Issue - can send Images and theyll get stored on SD via Foldermount, but when i receive images, just got the blurry thumbnail and after i downloaded the image i got that "Media is not found on the SD card" issue.
Anyone knows what i did wrong?

Files disappear after failed MTP transfer

This is weird and probably not relevant to anyone, just thought I would put it out there.
I backup apps before I update from Play Store, so that I can roll back if there is any problem with a new version. Cleverly, I decided it was time to move the contents (5.54Gb) of the backup folder to my PC so I connected my Z1 (still running KitKat .108, it works flawlessly and I love Xposed) to the computer, accessed the folder on sd card (took a while to read) and selected all files and right clicked on the destination folder to paste. And nothing happened, just nothing. Selected the files again, same result, nothing happened. Went back and selected the folder, tried to paste that, nothing happens. Left it for a minute or two, to see if anything would happen. Nothing. So I disconnected from PC and and rebooted Z1.
And attempted to move the files again, only to find they were all gone. Now the folder was empty, but according to file managers the space is still being used. I have been through the entire sd card, hidden folders and all, can't find the files manually and the space has not been freed up. Tried to use GT Data Recovery app, it finds over 800 files in standard scan mode and over 3000 in full scan mode (there were 1042 files that were lost) but would not recover the files as it is coded to recover to internal memory only (even when recovering from sd card, WTF!) and there is not enough space. Second pass says no files to recover, first pass used 30% of battery.
I have left my Z1 in MTP mode for USB connections, as it has proved to be the least troublesome mode for data transfers (although my experience with every other Android phone has been the exact opposite).
I have no idea why this happened or how to recover the loss.

gandalf_grey91 said:
This is weird and probably not relevant to anyone, just thought I would put it out there.
I backup apps before I update from Play Store, so that I can roll back if there is any problem with a new version. Cleverly, I decided it was time to move the contents (5.54Gb) of the backup folder to my PC so I connected my Z1 (still running KitKat .108, it works flawlessly and I love Xposed) to the computer, accessed the folder on sd card (took a while to read) and selected all files and right clicked on the destination folder to paste. And nothing happened, just nothing. Selected the files again, same result, nothing happened. Went back and selected the folder, tried to paste that, nothing happens. Left it for a minute or two, to see if anything would happen. Nothing. So I disconnected from PC and and rebooted Z1.
And attempted to move the files again, only to find they were all gone. Now the folder was empty, but according to file managers the space is still being used. I have been through the entire sd card, hidden folders and all, can't find the files manually and the space has not been freed up. Tried to use GT Data Recovery app, it finds over 800 files in standard scan mode and over 3000 in full scan mode (there were 1042 files that were lost) but would not recover the files as it is coded to recover to internal memory only (even when recovering from sd card, WTF!) and there is not enough space. Second pass says no files to recover, first pass used 30% of battery.
I have left my Z1 in MTP mode for USB connections, as it has proved to be the least troublesome mode for data transfers (although my experience with every other Android phone has been the exact opposite).
I have no idea why this happened or how to recover the loss.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have much to say about recovering the files but I do have something to share.
First of all, were you trying to move (cut and paste) the files to PC?
Based on my own experience I can guarantee you that it will never work.
Every time I tried to move things from SD Card (connected to Z1) to PC nothing happens at all. Instead, if you want to move things from internal memory it works flawlessly. I don't know what's the problem but I do know that you can't move things from SD Card to PC connected to phone.
So you have 2 option to move your things (assuming that they didn't magically disappear).
First one is to copy and paste (instead of cut) and then delete them from the SD Card.
Second one is to remove your SD Card from your phone and connecting it directly to your PC (using adapter or something) and then move the files.
I'd suggest you to connect the SD Card directly to PC and open it and change windows settings to show hidden files and check if you can see them. If you can't, then all I can say is to go to some shop to check it for you.
Regards,
~J2C

Just2Cause said:
First of all, were you trying to move (cut and paste) the files to PC?
Based on my own experience I can guarantee you that it will never work.
Every time I tried to move things from SD Card (connected to Z1) to PC nothing happens at all. Instead, if you want to move things from internal memory it works flawlessly. I don't know what's the problem but I do know that you can't move things from SD Card to PC connected to phone.
So you have 2 option to move your things (assuming that they didn't magically disappear).
First one is to copy and paste (instead of cut) and then delete them from the SD Card.
Second one is to remove your SD Card from your phone and connecting it directly to your PC (using adapter or something) and then move the files.
I'd suggest you to connect the SD Card directly to PC and open it and change windows settings to show hidden files and check if you can see them. If you can't, then all I can say is to go to some shop to check it for you.
Regards,
~J2C
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. You are probably right, for some strange reason I tried to move the files at first, only after that did I try to copy but I fear it was too late. Will have a go at removing the card and seeing what I can do with a PC.
Thanks for the advice.