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?
Today, I have experienced a very "odd" problem. I have just found out that there is a folder called "storage" visible in my Internal Storage.
When I thought that, since it was visible, it did not contain much useful files (Only 2 xml files I found which would be in both internal and external storage) so I deleted that folder and everything in my SD Card and Internal Storage vanished.
I found out that the "storage" folder had a link to both storage devices but the weird thing is, why was that there and why is it visible? I could of sworn that I have never seen that before on my Xperia Z...
Can anyone else see their "storage" folder in the internal storage or is it just me?
ZeroInfinity said:
Today, I have experienced a very "odd" problem. I have just found out that there is a folder called "storage" visible in my Internal Storage.
When I thought that, since it was visible, it did not contain much useful files (Only 2 xml files I found which would be in both internal and external storage) so I deleted that folder and everything in my SD Card and Internal Storage vanished.
I found out that the "storage" folder had a link to both storage devices but the weird thing is, why was that there and why is it visible? I could of sworn that I have never seen that before on my Xperia Z...
Can anyone else see their "storage" folder in the internal storage or is it just me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi.
At root, i have sdcard and sdcard1 and storage. Inside storage folder i have sdcard0 and sdcard1. I have seen this before for long time ago.
CiscoX said:
Hi.
At root, i have sdcard and sdcard1 and storage. Inside storage folder i have sdcard0 and sdcard1. I have seen this before for long time ago.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but this is totally different from what I have experienced.
From Windows, Internal Storage would have a folder called "storage" with another folder called "01" inside the storage folder. So "Internal Storage/storage/01/" if it was read on a Windows PC. inside the storage folder, there is just 1 folder called "01", nothing else. inside "01" folder, there are ONLY 2 .xml files which are the same as the 2 .xml files you would have by default in the root of your Internal and External Storage.
In short- Internel Storage has a folder called storage, inside storage has a folder called 01, inside 01 there are only 2 .xml files. The strange thing is, if it were linked to Internal/External Storage, why only 2 .xml files are visible in the 01 folder?
EDIT: When I tried to delete the storage folder (At the time I did not know that it was linked) Windows loading bar for deleting files did not move so I had to cancel it. Once cancelled, everything in my external/internal storage was wiped off. Thankfully, I recovered most of my lost pictures with Recuva
Not sure but I think this folder came somehow from the recovery maybe a bug.
I hope you didn't lost important things.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using xda premium
ZeroInfinity said:
but this is totally different from what I have experienced.
From Windows, Internal Storage would have a folder called "storage" with another folder called "01" inside the storage folder. So "Internal Storage/storage/01/" if it was read on a Windows PC. inside the storage folder, there is just 1 folder called "01", nothing else. inside "01" folder, there are ONLY 2 .xml files which are the same as the 2 .xml files you would have by default in the root of your Internal and External Storage.
In short- Internel Storage has a folder called storage, inside storage has a folder called 01, inside 01 there are only 2 .xml files. The strange thing is, if it were linked to Internal/External Storage, why only 2 .xml files are visible in the 01 folder?
EDIT: When I tried to delete the storage folder (At the time I did not know that it was linked) Windows loading bar for deleting files did not move so I had to cancel it. Once cancelled, everything in my external/internal storage was wiped off. Thankfully, I recovered most of my lost pictures with Recuva
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this is very strange. I remember when i did see this after i bought my phone i was thinking this must be an bug. Another thing, in root i also have a folder named: ext_card and it is the same as sdcard1 here. Sdcard1 is my microSD card i have, but why so many folder linked to the same folders.
At root i go to storage, inside i have folders: emulated, removable, sdcard0, sdcard1 usbdisk.
Inside emulated i have 0 and legacy. etc etc
All of them are linked and goes to the same internal card and external card,
gm007 said:
Not sure but I think this folder came somehow from the recovery maybe a bug.
I hope you didn't lost important things.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it really is a bug, we need to know what did actually cause this to happen.
And yeah, Recuva was really useful for me
CiscoX said:
Yes, this is very strange. I remember when i did see this after i bought my phone i was thinking this must be an bug. Another thing, in root i also have a folder named: ext_card and it is the same as sdcard1 here. Sdcard1 is my microSD card i have, but why so many folder linked to the same folders.
At root i go to storage, inside i have folders: emulated, removable, sdcard0, sdcard1 usbdisk.
Inside emulated i have 0 and legacy. etc etc
All of them are linked and goes to the same internal card and external card,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Too many linked folders make it confusing, why would there be a linked folder visible in the Internal Storage though? this is what is really confusing me right now.
Need more reports if any one else has found this mysterious "storage" folder in their Internal Storage...
im not sure but if everyone with this folder are running 4.2.2 it is for the multiuser or multitasking feature of jellybean 4.2.2
skinsfanbdh said:
im not sure but if everyone with this folder are running 4.2.2 it is for the multiuser or multitasking feature of jellybean 4.2.2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange, this is the first time I have ever seen this. I only saw this folder today and I have been on custom roms based on stock xperia firmware android 4.2.2 for ages now... Why would it appear just today? I don't think multitasking will cause this to happen since it doesn't create any folders/files related to it (afaik).
I've had something like this happen where in emulated/0 (my main internal SD storage) there was another 0 folder that freaked out recoveries and such. I had the similar "can't delete from windows" thing, but using a in-recovery file manager I just deleted it, problem solved. tl;dr if you want to delete it and its causing problems delete it from recovery.
Sent from rooted carbon note 2, with the xda app.
shbaldw said:
I've had something like this happen where in emulated/0 (my main internal SD storage) there was another 0 folder that freaked out recoveries and such. I had the similar "can't delete from windows" thing, but using a in-recovery file manager I just deleted it, problem solved. tl;dr if you want to delete it and its causing problems delete it from recovery.
Sent from rooted carbon note 2, with the xda app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exactly what im talking about. lots of threads in the htc one forum about it and being this device was released with 4.1.2(like the htc one) and has recently been updated to 4.2.2(like the htc one) maybe its the same thing, not saying it is because i dont know. just sounds like the same thing
shbaldw said:
I've had something like this happen where in emulated/0 (my main internal SD storage) there was another 0 folder that freaked out recoveries and such. I had the similar "can't delete from windows" thing, but using a in-recovery file manager I just deleted it, problem solved. tl;dr if you want to delete it and its causing problems delete it from recovery.
Sent from rooted carbon note 2, with the xda app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows did not make any progress in deleting it, it was stuck on the Preparing to delete... window. Once I cancelled it because it took too long, everything from sd card/ internal storage was gone. All because of that storage folder inside my Internal Storage...
I know about the emulated/0 issue (From previous HTC One X Android 4.2.2 AOSP roms) but this seems to be completely different from it.
skinsfanbdh;44594029...and being this device was released with 4.1.2(like the htc one) and has recently been updated to 4.2.2(like the htc one)...[/QUOTE said:
hmm, I updated my phone from 4.1.2 to 4.2.2 prior to seeing this. This might be the cause. Anyone else have this happen?
Sent from rooted carbon note 2, with the xda app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
shbaldw said:
hmm, I updated my phone from 4.1.2 to 4.2.2 prior to seeing this. This might be the cause. Anyone else have this happen?
Sent from rooted carbon note 2, with the xda app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think it has anything to do with an upgraded android version. Like I said before, I have been on Android 4.2.2 a long time now (Upgraded when the firmware first came out) and I have never seen this folder before. I have just seen it yesterday. Another strange thing is that after I attempted to delete the storage folder, Everything was gone INCLUDING that storage folder. I haven't seen the storage folder after that happened. I'm going to go flash another rom and full wipe to see if the storage folder pops up again.
EDIT: Right, no there is no more storage folder in Internal Storage after a full wipe and formatted everything! Very strange indeed...
Wierd storage folder symlink inside internal storage!
ZeroInfinity said:
I don't think it has anything to do with an upgraded android version. Like I said before, I have been on Android 4.2.2 a long time now (Upgraded when the firmware first came out) and I have never seen this folder before. I have just seen it yesterday. Another strange thing is that after I attempted to delete the storage folder, Everything was gone INCLUDING that storage folder. I haven't seen the storage folder after that happened. I'm going to go flash another rom and full wipe to see if the storage folder pops up again.
EDIT: Right, no there is no more storage folder in Internal Storage after a full wipe and formatted everything! Very strange indeed...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know this is a very old thread but I face the same issue in Android 5.1.1 now and I too deleted the folder named storage only to see that all the data from the sd card has vanished because of that. Any idea what caused this buggy symlink to be created?
All my data is now gone because I just deleted one folder inside my sdcard, and I didn't even think to backup anything since I didn't even dream that deleting a single folder will delete the parent folder! Again recuva was my friend but still I am not able to recover everything in internal storage, any suggestions on what to use to scan the internal storage?
anantharam said:
I know this is a very old thread but I face the same issue in Android 5.1.1 now and I too deleted the folder named storage only to see that all the data from the sd card has vanished because of that. Any idea what caused this buggy symlink to be created?
All my data is now gone because I just deleted one folder inside my sdcard, and I didn't even think to backup anything since I didn't even dream that deleting a single folder will delete the parent folder! Again recuva was my friend but still I am not able to recover everything in internal storage, any suggestions on what to use to scan the internal storage?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you upgrade to newer firmware using a zip? That's a common bug when upgrading via zip.
The only proper way is to backup ur entire internal storage and flash a full ftf. Then you will not have the annoying symlink.
langeveld024 said:
Did you upgrade to newer firmware using a zip? That's a common bug when upgrading via zip.
The only proper way is to backup ur entire internal storage and flash a full ftf. Then you will not have the annoying symlink.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did do a factory reset before flashing a new firmware. Not sure what else I should do..
And as for the internal storage recovery, I followed these different guides but raw file using vhdtool and recuva did not give me any single file that was last present in my internal memory and even extundelete didn't return any single file that was in the internal storage, some of these tools return hundreds of text files and images that I had no idea was in my internal storage but none of them return me any of the hundreds of images and videos that I was sure were in my internal storage.
anantharam said:
I did do a factory reset before flashing a new firmware. Not sure what else I should do..
And as for the internal storage recovery, I followed these different guides but raw file using vhdtool and recuva did not give me any single file that was last present in my internal memory and even extundelete didn't return any single file that was in the internal storage, some of these tools return hundreds of text files and images that I had no idea was in my internal storage but none of them return me any of the hundreds of images and videos that I was sure were in my internal storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but if you factory reset on 4.4.2 (for example) and then flash 5.0.2 fw via zip in recovery, you will get the annoying folder symlink.
The only way to upgrade to lollipop is by flashing a full ftf (which will wipe internal sd) after that you won't have the annoying symlink.
But you flashed zip instead of ftf and discovered the folder symlink which seemed not harmful to delete so you deleted it. Right?
Then there's no chance in getting the data (photos etc) back.
I was the same situation as you, twice, I tried every possibility to recover my photos but it ended up with nothing. Everything was gone.
On a mechanical harddrive, when you wiped data, the data will only be gone when the wiped sectors are overwritten (e.g. format harddrive, which overwrite with empty buffer).
As long as the wiped data in those sectors are not overwritten, you'll be able to recover almost all - if not all - data you deleted.
On flash memory instead, (such as ssd drives and internal storage of our phone) deleted data is immediately deleted.
(that's also one of the reasons on Android, you never have to defragment the internal sd, same story for an ssd)
I'm sorry for u to say but I'm afraid you're unfortunately lost the photos and there's no way to get it back.
But my advice to you is:
Never upgrade between android versions (e.g. 4.4 > 5.0) using a zip installable.
Only use full factory images (ftf), they will wipe internal sd in order to get correct mappings so backup everything before flashing.
Once u on a firmware, an update to the same firmware is allowed (e.g. from one 5.0.2 rom to another 5.0.2 rom).
I hope it helps u in the future.
Regards
langeveld024 said:
Yes but if you factory reset on 4.4.2 (for example) and then flash 5.0.2 fw via zip in recovery, you will get the annoying folder symlink.
The only way to upgrade to lollipop is by flashing a full ftf (which will wipe internal sd) after that you won't have the annoying symlink.
But you flashed zip instead of ftf and discovered the folder symlink which seemed not harmful to delete so you deleted it. Right?
Then there's no chance in getting the data (photos etc) back.
I was the same situation as you, twice, I tried every possibility to recover my photos but it ended up with nothing. Everything was gone.
On a mechanical harddrive, when you wiped data, the data will only be gone when the wiped sectors are overwritten (e.g. format harddrive, which overwrite with empty buffer).
As long as the wiped data in those sectors are not overwritten, you'll be able to recover almost all - if not all - data you deleted.
On flash memory instead, (such as ssd drives and internal storage of our phone) deleted data is immediately deleted.
(that's also one of the reasons on Android, you never have to defragment the internal sd, same story for an ssd)
I'm sorry for u to say but I'm afraid you're unfortunately lost the photos and there's no way to get it back.
But my advice to you is:
Never upgrade between android versions (e.g. 4.4 > 5.0) using a zip installable.
Only use full factory images (ftf), they will wipe internal sd in order to get correct mappings so backup everything before flashing.
Once u on a firmware, an update to the same firmware is allowed (e.g. from one 5.0.2 rom to another 5.0.2 rom).
I hope it helps u in the future.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for the detailed explanation, after wasting two whole days trying everything described anywhere in the internet for recovering data from internal storage, I have also learnt it the hard way that it won't be possible to recover my data. Anyways the good news is google photos had backed up most of my photos, so it would actually be the call recordings, whatsapp history and other documents that I would have to loose permanently.
langeveld024 said:
Never upgrade between android versions (e.g. 4.4 > 5.0) using a zip installable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As for the upgrade issue, is this only for lollipop or any android version? I have never seen anything similar when I upgraded from 4.0 to 4.1 or 4.2 to 4.4 e.t.c. If I shouldn't use zip installable to upgrade android versions how else do I upgrade to kitkat or lollipop? I don't think there are any factory images published for lollipop for my phone since support for it ended long time ago.
ZeroInfinity said:
Today, I have experienced a very "odd" problem. I have just found out that there is a folder called "storage" visible in my Internal Storage.
When I thought that, since it was visible, it did not contain much useful files (Only 2 xml files I found which would be in both internal and external storage) so I deleted that folder and everything in my SD Card and Internal Storage vanished.
I found out that the "storage" folder had a link to both storage devices but the weird thing is, why was that there and why is it visible? I could of sworn that I have never seen that before on my Xperia Z...
Can anyone else see their "storage" folder in the internal storage or is it just me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Am again reviving this old thread as today I deleted a folder named sdcard inside my oneplus 3's internal storage and lost everyrhing. Though I had never upgraded my phone using any zip file and always went with the OTA update
I also made a thread https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3/help/strange-t3537998
Hi everyone,
Just rerooted my phone and installed Viper rom 6.2! I love it except the fact that there are some mysterious files on my phone, and 7.53 gigs worth! I am pretty sure that these are old installs of many different ARHD versions, but how do I delete them? I tried the super wipe script, but they still are there. It shows up under the "other" category in the storage menu in settings if that helps.
Thanks!
Closer...?
I just found some folders under storage that all contain the same files, /emuated/0 and /emulated/legacy/ so I did some researching. I realize that these are all linked to one another, but it still adds up to ~7 GB. The only way that it would get accounted for in the storage menu is under the "other" section right? I have tried to use root explorers to find the "other" files, but I cant find them. Is the /emulated folder taking up all this space?
whawhasiscumba said:
I just found some folders under storage that all contain the same files, /emuated/0 and /emulated/legacy/ so I did some researching. I realize that these are all linked to one another, but it still adds up to ~7 GB. The only way that it would get accounted for in the storage menu is under the "other" section right? I have tried to use root explorers to find the "other" files, but I cant find them. Is the /emulated folder taking up all this space?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
/emulated/0 and /emulated/legacy are 2 different mounting point linked to the same partition. They are not duplicated files, if you delete it, you will loose everything in both folders.
Maybe you have some nandroid backup taking space from your storage?
Hmmm... Just checked in TWRP for any backups but it said there weren't any, so could the two folders legacy and 0 be actually taking up data because they contain duplicated files?
I am unable to locate magisk in internal storage in TWRP. Internal storage shows some size but cannot see the zip file anywhere. I also dont own a sd card so using that is out of the option. I have even tried adb sideload but it was showing as error 2. I am just 1 step away to root my phone and that is just to install magisk somehow on my phone. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Princesskomz said:
I am unable to locate magisk in internal storage in TWRP. Internal storage shows some size but cannot see the zip file anywhere. I also dont own a sd card so using that is out of the option. I have even tried adb sideload but it was showing as error 2. I am just 1 step away to root my phone and that is just to install magisk somehow on my phone. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first, get a micro sd card. on some roms you might encounter a problem with data decryption of internal storage, thus making reading anything with twrp unusable. also you need one to make a nandroid backup to restore your phone. second, see where your browser downloaded the file. perhaps in android/data ? some of them do download there, since scoped storage
Fytdyh said:
first, get a micro sd card. on some roms you might encounter a problem with data decryption of internal storage, thus making reading anything with twrp unusable. also you need one to make a nandroid backup to restore your phone. second, see where your browser downloaded the file. perhaps in android/data ? some of them do download there, since scoped storage
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the response. I thought we can root without sd card as nowadays phones come with internal storage. Anyways, I have not added customised rom its the original one that I use. The file I downloaded was in another zip folder, not in android/data as seen on pc. also in twrp I can see my storage is mounted like I can see the size number "Internal Storage (532276mb)" something like this but I am still unable to locate a single folder let alone any file in internal storage. I am so confused as how to proceed further.
try removing any security from your phone, like fingerprints or pin. maybe thats a reason
Fytdyh said:
try removing any security from your phone, like fingerprints or pin. maybe thats a reason
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my phone is without any security. still I am unable to find any solution
do we need to install some custom rom ?