Help External sdcard issue

[geoff2011]

Hi, I have my SGS2 already over a year and at purchase I installed a 32 GB sd card. But, and this is really stupid, I never checked into the sd card issue when I move stuff to my sd card, I always thought that it was moved to the external card. Now yesterday I try to move some apps using app2sd and I get the message that no sd card is present. And all apps I had moved before were gone. Under the notifications I see "blank sd card" and I select the option to format. This was done in a flash, and from there on app2sd found the sd card. After the format, the contents of my /mnt/sdcard was unchanged. Today used my astro to browse around, and I found a /mnt/sdcard and a /sdcard (there is also a /usb which is empty), both containing, I assume the same files and folders and with a 12 GB size.
When I go to settings - storage, I see an empty 29 GB sdcard, and a 12 GB usb storage.
So, apparently the 32 GB sd card is there. How do I however access it, and is it possible to move apps to the external sd card?
Today, same issue with apps2sd, no card found.

I don't understand what is going on, any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Russell Ng]

Hi, I have my SGS2 already over a year and at purchase I installed a 32 GB sd card. But, and this is really stupid, I never checked into the sd card issue when I move stuff to my sd card, I always thought that it was moved to the external card. Now yesterday I try to move some apps using app2sd and I get the message that no sd card is present. And all apps I had moved before were gone. Under the notifications I see "blank sd card" and I select the option to format. This was done in a flash, and from there on app2sd found the sd card. After the format, the contents of my /mnt/sdcard was unchanged. Today used my astro to browse around, and I found a /mnt/sdcard and a /sdcard (there is also a /usb which is empty), both containing, I assume the same files and folders and with a 12 GB size.
When I go to settings - storage, I see an empty 29 GB sdcard, and a 12 GB usb storage.
So, apparently the 32 GB sd card is there. How do I however access it, and is it possible to move apps to the external sd card?
Today, same issue with apps2sd, no card found.

I don't understand what is going on, any help is greatly appreciated.

I do not know what is wrong with your microSD card, or the media reader. But just for clarification,
/mnt/sdcard = 11.5GB Phone Storage = USB storage

/mnt/sdcard/external_sd = 32GB external microSD card = SD Card

There is also a non-accessible space (unless rooted) of 2GB which is used to keep apps' data. This is called internal phone memory and move2SD moves part of the apps' data to the external microSD card. In the microSD card, the files would be kept in a hidden folder called Android_secure. You can browse this folder if you connect to the PC. Anyway, that's why App2SD requires an external microSD card since its moved there. And if the phone is not reading the card, then it won't work.

I am not sure if its a problem of your microSD card or the phone. But you can eliminate microSD card by trying another microSD card.

Cheers

 

[geoff2011]

Great. That clarifies a lot. What however I still don't understand is why settings - storage shows the external sd card.
I just checked again using Astro and I do have a /mnt/sdcard/external_sd folder, which contains 2 folders: android_secure and LOST.DIR.
I have already tried this, but will try to reinstall the App2sd and see if this changes things.

 

[Russell Ng]

Great. That clarifies a lot. What however I still don't understand is why settings - storage shows the external sd card.
I just checked again using Astro and I do have a /mnt/sdcard/external_sd folder, which contains 2 folders: android_secure and LOST.DIR.
I have already tried this, but will try to reinstall the App2sd and see if this changes things.

Settings - storage shows those because with the microSD card in, its also part of phone storage and its good to have it read. As for the confusing names, its just the way its set up I guess.

As for Android Secure, not sure if Astro can see the files in there. It can see the folders but not the files. Although that was awhile back when I checked. Seeing through PC using mass storage mode is fine.

And you actually don't need app2sd. If you go to settings/manage applications. You can actually tap the apps and select move2sd from there.

Cheers