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Problems accessing external SD Card

gelige

gelige

Well-Known Member
Yesterday I got this phone. I updated the software, added the apps that i wanted, mostly Google Apps. And then, installed the new in box micro-SD card.

But ES File Explorer is not letting me copy files to the SD Card.
so I swapped the card with a known good card, and it continued to fail when I tried to copy files.

To diagnose the issue, I tried, and was surprised to see that the native camera app is saving files to the SD Card

So, at this point I don't know if they changed things in 4.4 Kitcat, the phone is broken. or something else.
 
Unfortunately, it's a feature of KitKat. Google has greatly restricted the ability of third party apps to write and edit files on the external sd card. You can use the default file manager to edit and delete files on the sd card though.
 
Does this mean we can't use the SD card at all. I can't get titanium backup to user a folder on the SD card.
 
In order to restore the ability to write or delete anything in the external SD Card you must 'root' your device and download from the 'PlayStore' an app that fix the SD Card problem. I did that and now I'm able to do whatever I want with the SD Card such as using Titanium Backup and moving applications installed in the internal memory into the SD Card by using link2SD which up to now has done a great job.
 
Develop said:
Does this mean we can't use the SD card at all. I can't get titanium backup to user a folder on the SD card.
Click to expand...

I don't want to root my phone. Its too "expensive" to my life to have a phone that is not reliable, even if it is more powerful.

You can move some apps to the SD card, but not enough.
The native file manager allows you to move more apps, than ES File manager, (my goto manager)

Yesterday, at Google I/O they made some announcements that made it sound like there will be further improvements here
 
gelige said:
I don't want to root my phone. Its too "expensive" to my life to have a phone that is not reliable, even if it is more powerful.

You can move some apps to the SD card, but not enough.
The native file manager allows you to move more apps, than ES File manager, (my goto manager)

Yesterday, at Google I/O they made some announcements that made it sound like there will be further improvements here
Click to expand...
If you don't want to 'root' your phone then you have to live with the inherent limitations imposed by Google when kitkat was installed in smartphones, and by the way 'rooting' the phone doesn't make it unreliable at all, it just makes it more flexible if you don't start uninstalling or touching files that should be left alone, ah and yes it is more powerful and MORE RELIABLE OR STABLE too. Living with an unrooted phone is like living in a straight-jacket with both hands and feet tied that go nowhere.
 
I've done the sd card fix to my rooted phone. Still not working. I can add new folders using ES manager and move files from internal 2 external SD card. But I cannot download anything 2 the SD crd, porb sample when using uTorrent or a torrent it will not let me write to the SD card I will post screenshots maybe someone can help
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Proof that link2sd works
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Please someone help me with this I'm so confused why link2sd works but I can i download through utorrent or other apps to the SD card. Thanks
 
i had problems with utorrrent (before i rooted) i switched to bitorrent because it makes you able to download to sd card
 
Hi, So I am completely frustrated by this limitation imposed by Google/KitKat.. It makes a mockery of my need to use external storage (SD Cards) For media, GPS maps, photos, lots of music and videos etc. And on my android media device (Non-phone) Where such severe Security restrictions are also unnecessary but in place, It makes my Minix Neo system even more unusable in terms of useable memory. So my question is how and where do we lobby Google/android to resolve and improve this situation? I've been on the Google/android support forums and all that the Google reps do is mark the issue as "working as intended" And then close the topic; so where do we go to get Google to sit up and take notice of their increasingly frustrated user base? Please. Jim.
 
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