Seems like nothing is getting stored on SD card - Please Help!

[CatB]

My guess is that there is an advantage to having many things stored on my SD card on my Droid (like freeing up main memory to make sure the speed and efficiency are there).

However, thus far, I have received NO PROMPTS when installing anything (apps, pictures, etc) regarding where I would like things to go. Also, I just pulled up "SD Card and Phone Storage" on my device and it says "SD Card- Total Space 1.86GB, Available Space - 1.86GB" (clearly nothing there!)

Why am I never getting prompted with an option to store things (like photos I transfer from my Desktop) to the SC card?

Can someone walk me through this and also suggest what things SHOULD be going on my SD card to make my device work smoothly?

Thanks!
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[copestag]

ummm........... youre not supposed to get prompted when you transfer files like photos....... you dont need prompted.......... there is no other possible place for them to go other than the SD card

as far as checking your SD card status....... ya that number isnt right...... you dont have a 1.86Gb SD card in your phone...... I would suggest installing a file explorer........ if rooted try root explorer...... if not try EStrongs file explorer............ when you first open the program youll be looking at the root of your SD card......... everything you see is stored on your SD........ it will also tell you the sized of the card and available space

as far as what types of files should be going on your SD card........ other than apps you dont have a choice........ all files go on your SD......... and in some cases even apps go on the SD

 

[CatB]

Ok, excuse my newbit questions but I am learning as I go. How would I install a file explorer? Would I do that from Market? Suggestions on which one?

This is weird becasue my friend and I have the same phone and he says he gets prompted about storage (clearly I do not). I am coming off a Windows Mobile device where everytime you install or download something, you are asked if you want it on main memory or SD card. Are you saying that there is no choice on this device and it is automatically going on the SD card? If so, what is the reason for that?

Thanks so much for your help
Cat

 

[copestag]

that is correct you have no choice (in normal unrooted use) where things go on your phone...... with 2.1 and lower all apps will install on the phone itself........ everything else will go on the SD card....with 2.2 you have the option of putting the apps on the SD card as well......

the reason for this is you have very limited internal memory on this device.... 512M ..... most of which is used up by android itself...... you already have very little space to even store installed apps....... this is why other files such as photos and music must go on the SD card....... this is also why 2.2 includes A2SD(the ability to put apps on the SD)...... it doesnt take very long to completely fill the very little space left over in the internal phone memory

as for why your friend is getting prompted..... your friend is probably running 2.2 or is rooted and has flashed a different ROM or module to use A2SD

 

[Jen in NCal]

Can I tag onto this thread? It's the closest one to my problem.

When I hook my Droid up to the computer, it isn't recognized as a seperate drive. It tells me to format the drive. Do I need to do that the first time? It must be storing stuff on it because the size is registering when I transfer music to it.

The user manual tells me to check "Mount" when I connect them, but that's not been an option.


ETA: Of course, as soon as I ask the question, it works fine. Next time I'll ask first and not waste 3 days trying to make it happen.

 

[CatB]

that is correct you have no choice (in normal unrooted use) where things go on your phone...... with 2.1 and lower all apps will install on the phone itself........ everything else will go on the SD card....with 2.2 you have the option of putting the apps on the SD card as well......

the reason for this is you have very limited internal memory on this device.... 512M ..... most of which is used up by android itself...... you already have very little space to even store installed apps....... this is why other files such as photos and music must go on the SD card....... this is also why 2.2 includes A2SD(the ability to put apps on the SD)...... it doesnt take very long to completely fill the very little space left over in the internal phone memory

as for why your friend is getting prompted..... your friend is probably running 2.2 or is rooted and has flashed a different ROM or module to use A2SD

Hmmm...."rooted"... "2.2, A2SD"....(insert pic of my eyes rolling back into me head here!)....ha ha....I have just been humbled by what a newbie I really am!

I think I will install a File Explorer as you suggested, as well as do some research on all this rooted, etc, stuff!

If the phone itself does not have a lot of memory, then why, when I again go to Storage (under Settings), it says, Internal Phone Storage 6.60GB, Available Space 6.42GB????

So confused!!!!!!