Installing apps to SD card

[Android Question]

I have a couple el cheapo tablets with a pathetic amount of storage that I got for my kids to play with. They are fine for the most part but keep running out of space. The storage is partitioned as follows:

(1) Internal storage 1 GB
(2) Another internal storage 1.3 GB
(3) SD Card (found an 8GB card and put in)

By default apps install to location (1). When I attempt to move to SD card they move to location (2). What I really want is for stuff to go to location (3). Is there anyway to make this happen?

Using the Android Debug Bridge (developer.android.com/tools/help/adb.html) looks promising. There is a 'set-install-location' command. However it has 3 values, let the device decide, use internal, or use external. My concern is if I set it to use external it will go to location (2), the other internal storage.

Anyone ever tried this?

 

[Hadron]

There used to be an option to move part of an app to SD (real SD, not the "internal SD card"), but that was deprecated in Android 4. It seems that your tablets' OS still has that option, but it's just moving to the "internal SD card". Changing install location will just make that the default - it won't move things to the real SD card. That option predated this habit of calling part of the internal storage "/sdcard" (there's a history of silly choices here, and not all of them are Google's fault - manufacturers played their part in this).

You might be able to move more if you "rooted" the tablets and partitioned the SD card - there are apps which can then be used to move parts of the apps to the partition on the card. How you root and android device (i.e. gain administrator access) varies between devices, so you'd need to investigate this for your specific model (and if they are off-brand budget devices that might be hard to find).

I'm sorry, but that's all I can really think of.

 

[negativecharge]

This is the OP, apparently I do have an account for this forum so I guess I should use it to reply...

@Hadron, thanks for the reply. This is what I was afraid of. Gak. I guess I could root the device then change /sdcard point to point to wherever they are mounting the actual SD card at. That should work I would think.

Never bothered to root any of my devices in the past on account of it violates my employer's security requirements, but these are my kids' devices. Guess its a good excuse to give it a shot.