Help How to utilize the SD storage?

[faber.bradley]

HI all,
New to Android. Came over from Blackberry. I go the Photon the day it came out (its buggy but I like it alot). I also got a 32GB microSD card a few days later. I would like to know:

1. What can I and can't I store on it and how to do it;

2. Can I have apps downloaded and installed to it ( or a portion of them), and if so, how?

3. How do you transfer existing apps from internal storage to the SD card?

4. How do you transfer existing photos, videos, and music from internal to the SD card?

5. Can I have file attachments saved to it (e.g., pictures, documents, etc.)

6. What is the best program to transfer my audio files from the PC to the SD card? Media Link doesn't seem to keep my iTunes playlists. It just transfers the library. There seems to be no option in WinAmp, Widows Media Player, and Sandisk Media Manager.

7. How can I have camera pictures and camcorder videos save automatically to the SD card?

8. How do I get my voice recorder app to save to the SD card?

9. How do you have documents (Word, Excel, PDF) created in QuickOffice saved to the SD card?

10. How do I transfer documents from my PC to the SD card?

11. Any other suggestions as to what I can save to the SD card (bookmarks, saved emails, etc.) that will help conserve space.

12. Finally, I would like to know how to best view and manage the folder tree.

 

[PyroSporker]

Hey Brad, Welcome to Android and Android Forums!
You have come prepared and with lots of questions, I like that!
I have undertaken the time to try to answer your questions, I hope you are willing to take the time to try to find your own answers and be patient with me. This thread has gotten beastly. I use HTC's Evo 3D so I can answer some general questions for you, meanwhile some of them are Photon specific (like how to best use mass Internal Storage and SD cards synonymously) Someone else will be able to help you more with those specifics.

I recommend that you download the Sprint's User Guide and follow along with me (or use the paper version in the phone's box)

There is also a 2 great guide threads on the forum here with some quick tips:
http://androidforums.com/motorola-p...-4g-faq-threads-read-here-before-posting.html
http://androidforums.com/motorola-photon-4g/385749-helpful-tips-newbies.html

Sorry to throw a bunch of links at you, but there is some real help available here for you.

See below, my answers are in red. I'm a rather complete answerer and sometime give too much info. Hopefully I don't get too confusing for you.

HI all,
New to Android. Came over from Blackberry. I go the Photon the day it came out (its buggy but I like it alot). I also got a 32GB microSD card a few days later. I would like to know:

1. What can I and can't I store on it and how to do it;

You can store anything you want to on it. Think of it like a computers external hard drive. Freedom for storage of any files you choose

2. Can I have apps downloaded and installed to it ( or a portion of them), and if so, how?

(Page 92 of the User's Guide)
Once downloaded and installed you can transfer parts of certain apps to the SD card (some might install part to the SD automatically). It is lovingly nicknamed Apps2SD. Not all apps are compatible and usually not the entire app can be transferred to it. But you will find some are.
You have ample internal storage with the Photon so moving Apps2SD might be a little redundant. But it is your phone and you can choose whatever you want, that's the beauty of Android.

3. How do you transfer existing apps from internal storage to the SD card?

(page 92 of Users Guide)
Settings -> Applications -> Manage Applications
Select an application and you will see some different options. "Force Stop" "Uninstall" "Clear Data" "Move To SD Card"

Some apps will allow the move some won't

4. How do you transfer existing photos, videos, and music from internal to the SD card?

Use a file manager (like Astro) to find them in the internal storage files and move them to the directory the SD is located on

5. Can I have file attachments saved to it (e.g., pictures, documents, etc.)

You can save file attachments to it, just like any other file. Usually you will be face with a choice. If not, the internet browser may have a setting for where to save downloads to. Same with email applications

6. What is the best program to transfer my audio files from the PC to the SD card? Media Link doesn't seem to keep my iTunes playlists. It just transfers the library. There seems to be no option in WinAmp, Widows Media Player, and Sandisk Media Manager.

I would load the phone as a USB drive and transfer the actual mp3 files without bothering with iTunes (I'm a hater). But if they are only associated with iTunes there is a program called Double Twist that will sync your files and playlists and play them back for you on the phone. There are others on the market to, that's just the name I hear most for popularity and ease of use.

7. How can I have camera pictures and camcorder videos save automatically to the SD card?

(page 61 of the User's Guide)
Your photos and videos should automatically be stored to the Internal Storage or SD card. If you want to change it there should is a setting in the camera settings and video settings to set the default save location. Hit menu then settings.
They will save to a default location, then you can use a file manager to move them to your content folders later.

8. How do I get my voice recorder app to save to the SD card?

Voice recorder should save to the internal or SD card as well. If not look for a setting like in the camera app. On the Evo it would save to a file on the SD called "My Recordings". I would then move them from there to my content folder later.

9. How do you have documents (Word, Excel, PDF) created in QuickOffice saved to the SD card?

(Page 45 of Users Guide)
I'm guessing they go to the internal, press menu and look for a save to setting or move them with a file manager later.

10. How do I transfer documents from my PC to the SD card?

(See page 57 of the Users Guide)
Connect the USB charging cord to the computers USB port and on the phone select to launch the phone as a USB Mass Storage. It launches the MicroSD inside the phone as an external drive on the PC. You can then on the PC drag and drop files to the SD card.
or
You can use a card reader and plug just the SD card and reader into the computer without bothering with the phone itself.

11. Any other suggestions as to what I can save to the SD card (bookmarks, saved emails, etc.) that will help conserve space.

I recommend keeping all your added files in a separate folder on the SD to help keep the system files and files you add separate. If you just dump them on the top folder you will have quite the mess going. I keep a main folder of all my 'Content Added' and then have sub folders inside it for Music, Videos, Apk's, Work Documents, WallPapers, Camera Photos Master, etc.

12. Finally, I would like to know how to best view and manage the folder tree.

The Photon comes with a file manager built into it (see page 54 of the Users Guide). I like using Astro (see Q:#4) , there is also EStrongs File Explorer, etc. See this Thread: http://androidforums.com/motorola-photon-4g/389895-best-file-manager.html

Whew!

 

[Bohnstedt39]

1. Random apps will or won't allow being transferred to SD card. Rooting fixes this, you can save all apps to SD. If rooting is something you wouldn't like to do, an app called "app 2 SD" will allow you to easily move the available apps to the SD card.
6. "Tunesync" or "iSyncr" will do the trick, but I reccomend planning on switching to amazon mp3 in the near future. You can store up to 5 gb of previously owned music on their cloud, and buy songs from your android device. Not to mention, the song prices range from free to $.99, not that BS extra 30 cents apple is making you pay for songs now
10. Just put the SD card into your computer and copy and paste them to your sd's documents folder
12. Get an app called "astro file manager" which lets you view and manage all files and folders on your SD card.

I hope I helped with some of the problems you have. Be sure to thank me in this post if I helped.

 

[KoukiFC3S]

The problem is that the phone's 8GB of internal storage is viewed as the sd card by apps. So when you insert an actual SD card, most apps cannot use it.

2. Can I have apps downloaded and installed to it ( or a portion of them), and if so, how?
Nope, they all go to the application storage and the internal storage if you use app 2 sd.

3. How do you transfer existing apps from internal storage to the SD card?
You can't.

4. How do you transfer existing photos, videos, and music from internal to the SD card?
Use a file manager to move them.

5. Can I have file attachments saved to it (e.g., pictures, documents, etc.)
Not automatically. They will go to the internal storage by default.

7. How can I have camera pictures and camcorder videos save automatically to the SD card?
Camera app, menu, settings, storage location.

9. How do you have documents (Word, Excel, PDF) created in QuickOffice saved to the SD card?
Move them manually.

10. How do I transfer documents from my PC to the SD card?
Dropbox is great, but the files will go to the internal storage.

12. Finally, I would like to know how to best view and manage the folder tree.
The phone comes with a built in file manager. It is called "Files".

 

[mikey78]

KOUKI is dead on!! This phone is great but the fact that they named the internal memory partition SD is idiotic not to mention for those apps that u move from phone memory to media area (internal sd) if u have any of those shortcuts on your homescreen ounce u plug the phone into your pc those shortcuts will get erased atleast they do on mine and alot of others so the apps with shortcuts on your homepage leave them stored to phone!! because they named the internal memory SD it misleads alot of people to were things are getting stored!

 

[doneve141]

I agree with what has been said. I have used the phone portal that comes on the phone to move files and pictures from my phone to and from my computer. You have to have and use wi fi. No wires, drag and drop all works. Pretty cool.