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Help Can't Delete Phone Files "Write Protected"

blksith0

blksith0

Well-Known Member
I'm unable to delete files or create new folders on my phone's internal storage. Getting a write-protected error.


What do I do to fix this?
 
My phone is rooted, however the contents of this clockworkmod folder don't even show up using ES File Manager or Root Explorer.
 
Using paths:
/storage/emulated/legacy/clockworkmod
/storage/emulated/0/clockworkmod
/storage/sdcard0/clockworkmod
/sdcard/clockworkmod
all to no avail.

CWM Recovery was able to find and delete the file, but the computer and phone OS cannot, so it would seem that the phone's OS is locking it down, right?
 
Yep.

Your phone uses a Linux ext-type filesystem that Windows does not support, and emulates what's needed to connect to Windows using a sophisticated Linux FUSE (filesystem in user space).

It's very easy to protect a file or directory to prevent access or deletion.

Given the critical nature of nandroid backups and how easy it is for a lot of people to accidentally erase or move the wrong file, I can see how the choice was made to restrict it only to CWM.
 
That's understandable, but surely there's a way to get past this. Otherwise how can I put a file into there?
 
Last edited:
blksith0 said:
I can see that, but surely there's a way to get past this. Otherwise how can I put a file into there?
Click to expand...
I have no idea. CWM clearly does not want you putting files in there from the running system.

Get Terminal Emulator. Enter the following command.

su

In your mobile browser copy the following block of code. Paste into Terminal Emulator.


cd /storage/emulated/0
ls -l clockworkmod
cd clockworkmod
ls -l

Hit return.

Use the back key if necessary to hide the keyboard.

Put phone in LANDSCAPE.

Take a screen shot and post it here.

I make no promises. You may want this very much but I can't promise that you can have it.

Does CWM have its own file manager that you could do the final copy with?
 
Does CWM have its own file manager that you could do the final copy with?
Click to expand...
The funny thing is: the main reason I needed to access this folder was to put the file manager addon files into the clockworkmod folder.

But the good news is that I was able to access and write to the folder using su terminal. Hooray. Hopefully wiping touchwiz off my phone fixes this problem.
 
Having same issue on Samsung j3 orbit. When I press and hold it on the home screen, the menu to delete it or remove it from the home screen disappears when I try to select anything or slide it up. Long pressing and holding other apps on the home screen brings up a menu that stays even after I let go of the app. Within the apps folder, pressing and holding it to try to get the option to uninstall, simply sends another occurrence of it to the home screen. I'm just a regular Android user and would appreciate any help.
 
ocnbrze said:
are you just trying to delete the short cut or uninstall an app?
Click to expand...

Both and there are now three short cuts. But it's actually not an app. It's a file. I used an app to try to recover files on the phone, through a Windows 10 laptop and USB connection to the phone. It was really pretty useless so I just wanted to delete the whole file it created on the phone. I was able to delete its contents but I can't seem to delete that file either in the app drawer or the three occurring instances on the home screen.
 
Heyyeh said:
File explorer tells me that it's a protected file. I have to take the protection off of it in order to do it.
Click to expand...
Just factory reset. If file persists, then you've likely got a bigger problem that will need reflashing of the factory firmware.. But most likely the issue is the implementation of Encryption to your data partition and everything has trouble dealing with those files. If you have TWRP, boot to the recovery and then move/copy as desired, should be easy. Of no TWRP available, then do the 1st suggestion
 
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