Problems resulting from inserting a microSD card

[thricipio]

I've recently encountered a nasty problem and I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts to share on this . . .

BACKGROUND / EXPLANATION · · · · · sorry 'bout the length of this section . . .

• While the phone was off, I inserted a 256GB microSD card into my phone which was already running at over 90% of Internal Storage capacity.
• Having done a little research, I had already decided to not integrate the SD card into Internal Storage space and so, I performed no formatting operation at all.
• I simply turned the phone back on (now, with the SD card inserted) and then used a file management app (ES File Manager Pro) to move a few {directories} of my own creation, from Internal Storage onto the microSD card:
— {$·Data}
— {$·Media} ... note: `{,}´ are not part of the actual directory names
— {zz·Bkup}

• I also moved a system-created directory, {Download} onto the SD card. Note: this might have been a mistake — and one that has contributed to my ensuing problems (see "…KICKER" below). Also, I renamed it to {z·Download}.
• Next, I examined the contents of the newly inserted SD card and found that in addition to the four directories I had moved, there were two additional ones that were copied — not by any intentional action on my part — onto the SD card: {Android} and {misc}. You can see a listing of these folders and their contents HERE.

Two things may be worth noting: (1) None of the SD card directories contained any actual files — just empty subdirectories; (2) the SD card subdirectories listed under {Android/data} are a small subset of those from the analogous location within Internal Storage.

HERE'S THE KICKER !! – Yup... this is the exciting part . . . but not in a good way . . .

Just about immediately, Google Play Store stopped working — followed thereafter by various other applications failing to run; they'd start but then immediately crash. Fork!!! (ref: "The Good Place" )

I've given some thought to what might be involved in getting my phone back to normal and have considered that it might require a factory reset, etc. And this may still happen (as a way to have a workable backup phone at the ready). But for now, I've decided to go ahead and get a new phone, since I've maxed out the Internal Storage on my htc·10. Later today, I'll take delivery of an htc·U11, into which I plan to put that same 256GB microSD card.

So, you see, it seems like a good idea to get some kind of handle on what happened, so as to prevent it from happening to my new U11.

Anyway, thanks for reading this and if you have any hypotheses regarding what went wrong, I'll be all ears ... er, rather, "all eyes" and of course, I'll be most appreciative.

Thanks again,
—Thri

 

[Unforgiven]

If the phone rooted? You shouldn't be able to move anything that would cause the phone to malfunction without root access.

 

[Hadron]

Moving the Download folder was a bad idea. The apps that use that don't know it's moved, just that they can no longer find it where they expect it to be. If you are lucky the phone will create a new one, otherwise some things will break.

But the Play Store shouldn't be one of them.

As for the other directories on your SD card, those are standard things you'd expect in the internal storage. It may be that the phone copied them when you inserted the card, but are you certain they are on the external card and not /sdcard (which is a virtual volume in the internal storage which emulates an SD card so that badly written apps can still work even if you don't have a real card)? Just to be sure, since I can't tell from your text file.

 

[lvt]

The proper way to extend your internal memory is to format the sd cars as adoptable storage, the system will manage it accordingly and reliably. Otherwise you shouldn't move things around by yourself.

 

[thricipio]

If the phone rooted? You shouldn't be able to move anything that would cause the phone to malfunction without root access.

Thanks for your reply.
I'm pretty sure the phone has never been "rooted."

 

[thricipio]

Moving the Download folder was a bad idea. The apps that use that don't know it's moved, just that they can no longer find it where they expect it to be. If you are lucky the phone will create a new one, otherwise some things will break.

First, thank you for your reply. ¶ You know, I've never seen anything in that directory that wasn't something I knew I had actually downloaded. And it was empty when I moved it. And yes (as you suggest), I kind of thought the system would re-create it within Internal Storage if it needed it.

… are you certain they are on the external card and not /sdcard…? Just to be sure, since I can't tell from your text file.

Yes, I'm certain . . . especially since I removed the SD card from my phone; put it in an adapter and plugged the adapter into my Windows laptop — where it shows up just fine within Explorer.

 

[thricipio]

The proper way to extend your internal memory is to format the sd cars as adoptable storage, the system will manage it accordingly and reliably. Otherwise you shouldn't move things around by yourself.

Thanks for your reply. ¶ I read some discussions that gave me the impression that integrating an SD card into Internal Storage was generally not a great idea. And the reasons given did make sense to me. So, my new approach is to get a new phone — BTW, the FedEx guy just delivered it — with plenty of Internal Storage. I got the unlocked U11 with 128GB storage and 6GB RAM. That should be large enough to hold whatever new apps I'll be installing in the foreseeable future. ¶ Anyway, thanks again for your reply and your input. My take-away from this bad experience was summed up by you nicely when you said, "you shouldn't move things around by yourself."

 

[thricipio]

So . . . as I mentioned somewhere above, I've taken delivery of my new phone: U11 Unlocked with 128GB Internal Storage. Anybody have any parting advice about using the microSD card that caused problems with my htc·10? Also, I think I noticed somewhere that with the U11, the SIM card and the microSD get piggy-backed in the same "drawer." So, I guess that would be a point in favor of just popping in the microSD card right away, along with the SIM card.
¶ Speaking of the SIM card . . . I'm assuming that I should be able to just take the SIM out of my "10" and insert it into the U11. Does that sound right to you guys?

Anyway, thanks again for your responses and input . . . much appreciated.

 

[lvt]

Make sure your SD card has at least A1 rating, A2 is better but it's more expensive. Reusing older cards might have negative impact on your new phone.

 

[Dannydet]

Check with your carrier if you are going to be able to use the old sim card in the new phone

 

[lvt]

The 10 and 11 use the same Nano Sim.

 

[thricipio]

Props to Dannydet for a good suggestion . . . and thanks to lvt for the info on the 10 Nano Sim working in the 11. That'll save me time in trying to get through to the right people at VZW, which sometimes, can be a real hassle.

 

[thricipio]

Make sure your SD card has at least A1 rating, A2 is better but it's more expensive. Reusing older cards might have negative impact on your new phone.

Not sure how this card jives with the rating figures you mention, but this is all I seem to know about it. I can also tell you that it was probably packaged around two years ago and it had never been used prior to inserting it into my htc·10 a few days ago. ¶ I'd welcome any other input you (or anyone else) may have. Thanks, —Thri

 

[lvt]

Not sure how this card jives with the rating figures you mention, but this is all I seem to know about it. I can also tell you that it was probably packaged around two years ago and it had never been used prior to inserting it into my htc·10 a few days ago. ¶ I'd welcome any other input you (or anyone else) may have. Thanks, —Thri

You won't see the A1 and A2 labels on old sd cards. Only the newer sd cards have those labels.

 

[thricipio]

You won't see the A1 and A2 labels on old sd cards. Only the newer sd cards have those labels.

So... that's a really helpful graphic. Thank you. ¶ Any thoughts on whether or not I should use my SanDisk card in my U11? . . . keeping in mind it will hold only data and media files; i.e., I will not be using it for applications.

 

[Davdi]

I'm using a class 10 card in my HTC 10 EVO (Bolt) for storing media and data with no issues so far. YMMV

 

[thricipio]

I'm using a class 10 card in my HTC 10 EVO (Bolt) for storing media and data with no issues so far. YMMV

Thanks, Davdi. I've gone ahead and swapped the SIM card from my 10 into my U11 along with the microSD card I've been discussing. So far, all is well, but knowing that someone else has been having a no-issues experience is encouraging. Thanks again.
PS - I just have to say that messing around with a nano-SIM card and the microSD card, both in the same drawer, is not something I'd want to do very often — really a tedious little procedure if there ever was one!