Transfer to S7E to Note 10+; SD Card Question

[stlsailor]

I just got a Note 10+ and want to use SmartSwitch to transfer data from my S7 Edge.

The problem? My S7E has an SD card. I don't have one right now for the Note 10+. If I did not set up the card for adoptable memory, then I think (I don't know) that the transfer would simply transfer main memory and I could remove the SD card from the S7E and place it in the Note 10+.

Even more important is that I remember setting up a phone with adoptable memory (I think...that was a while ago). But I don't remember going through the extra steps required to do it on the S7E. But I do see on the card files other than data files.

So how can I tell if the SD card in the S7E is set up as adoptable memory or not? That could impact the transfer process.

DL

 

[mikedt]

I just got a Note 10+ and want to use SmartSwitch to transfer data from my S7 Edge.

The problem? My S7E has an SD card. I don't have one right now for the Note 10+. If I did not set up the card for adoptable memory, then I think (I don't know) that the transfer would simply transfer main memory and I could remove the SD card from the S7E and place it in the Note 10+.

Even more important is that I remember setting up a phone with adoptable memory (I think...that was a while ago). But I don't remember going through the extra steps required to do it on the S7E. But I do see on the card files other than data files.

So how can I tell if the SD card in the S7E is set up as adoptable memory or not? That could impact the transfer process.

DL

The SD won't be as adoptable storage. The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge never had that option. In fact no Samsungs do AFAIK. Not unless they're rooted and running custom ROMs.

You should be able to remove the SD from the S7 Edge and put it the new Note10+, and all media, pics, docs, etc. will still be there.

 

[ocnbrze]

I just got a Note 10+ and want to use SmartSwitch to transfer data from my S7 Edge.

The problem? My S7E has an SD card. I don't have one right now for the Note 10+. If I did not set up the card for adoptable memory, then I think (I don't know) that the transfer would simply transfer main memory and I could remove the SD card from the S7E and place it in the Note 10+.

Even more important is that I remember setting up a phone with adoptable memory (I think...that was a while ago). But I don't remember going through the extra steps required to do it on the S7E. But I do see on the card files other than data files.

So how can I tell if the SD card in the S7E is set up as adoptable memory or not? That could impact the transfer process.

DL

first off smartswitch should transfer data from a phone with adoptable to storage to your new note 10+ (congrats by the way!!!!!).....so i do not see the problem here. adoptable storage means that the sd card will be seen by the phone as your main memory and so will smart switch.

if you remember setting up adoptable storage, i'm not sure what you mean by extra steps. can you elaborate more?

 

[ocnbrze]

The SD won't be as adoptable storage. The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge never had that option. In fact no Samsungs do AFAIK. Not unless they're rooted and running custom ROMs.

You should be able to remove the SD from the S7 Edge and put it the new Note10+, and all media, pics, docs, etc. will still be there.

ahh yes good point. samsung devices do not have this option. you do have to jump thru hoops to do it. though i do not think it needs to be rooted.

.........But I don't remember going through the extra steps required to do it on the S7E. But I do see on the card files other than data files.

by extra steps do you mean these extra steps?????
enable adoptable storage for galaxy s7 and s7 edge

 

[mikedt]

ahh yes good point. samsung devices do not have this option. you do have to jump thru hoops to do it. though i do not think it needs to be rooted.

I've got an S7 here, and there's definitely no option to use the SD as adoptable storage on the device itself, not even in the hidden Dev menus.

by extra steps do you mean these extra steps?????
enable adoptable storage for galaxy s7 and s7 edge

That very much is extra steps, plugging it into a computer, installing software, enabling ADB, typing obscure ADB commands at it, etc. I think the OP might remember doing that.

 

[stlsailor]

first off smartswitch should transfer data from a phone with adoptable to storage to your new note 10+ (congrats by the way!!!!!).....so i do not see the problem here. adoptable storage means that the sd card will be seen by the phone as your main memory and so will smart switch.

if you remember setting up adoptable storage, i'm not sure what you mean by extra steps. can you elaborate more?

Thanks. I'm looking forward to the Note 10+.

I do remember setting up adoptable storage on one android phone, but I'm not sure it was the S7 Edge. I'd done some research to see if it was even possible for me to have done it on that phone. It appears it was possible but required some workaround as Samsung didn't support it. That's what I mean by extra steps. I don't recall doing anything out of the ordinary, so likely it was a different phone.

[Edit added: Yes, those are the extra steps I mean. Sorry I overlooked that earlier.]

It did seem to me that if I had set it up as adoptable storage, what you said would be true and Smart Switch would copy it as main storage. It also seemed to me that if it was not set up as adoptable storage (and I think that's probably the case, though I'm not sure how to tell) then I don't know if Smart Switch would copy it if there's no SD card in the Note 10+ at the time, and if it did, it would have to copy it to main memory which would then produce duplicate data, perhaps, when I popped in the SD card.

DL

 

[stlsailor]

The SD won't be as adoptable storage. The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge never had that option. In fact no Samsungs do AFAIK. Not unless they're rooted and running custom ROMs.

You should be able to remove the SD from the S7 Edge and put it the new Note10+, and all media, pics, docs, etc. will still be there.

Thanks for the reply. I thought I read earlier there was a work-around other than rooting, but I may not have read carefully enough. See reply below also. Thanks again.

 

[ocnbrze]

Thanks. I'm looking forward to the Note 10+.

I do remember setting up adoptable storage on one android phone, but I'm not sure it was the S7 Edge. I'd done some research to see if it was even possible for me to have done it on that phone. It appears it was possible but required some workaround as Samsung didn't support it. That's what I mean by extra steps. I don't recall doing anything out of the ordinary, so likely it was a different phone.

It did seem to me that if I had set it up as adoptable storage, what you said would be true and Smart Switch would copy it as main storage. It also seemed to me that if it was not set up as adoptable storage (and I think that's probably the case, though I'm not sure how to tell) then I don't know if Smart Switch would copy it if there's no SD card in the Note 10+ at the time, and if it did, it would have to copy it to main memory which would then produce duplicate data, perhaps, when I popped in the SD card.

DL

you can use smart switch over wifi no need for an sd card

Smart Switch Transfer content

so yes you are good to go

 

[stlsailor]

I've got an S7 here, and there's definitely no option to use the SD as adoptable storage on the device itself, not even in the hidden Dev menus.

That very much is extra steps, plugging it into a computer, installing software, enabling ADB, typing obscure ADB commands at it, etc. I think the OP might remember doing that.

You are right in that I think I recall it being a very simple process. Thus I'm suspecting I did it on another phone. It does seem like there ought to be a way to tell for certain, but as we talk about it more, I'm thinking less and less that I did it to this phone. Thanks for the thoughts.

DL

 

[stlsailor]

you can use smart switch over wifi no need for an sd card

Smart Switch Transfer content

so yes you are good to go

Actually using Smart Switch over Wifi is what I'm intending to do. But given that the S7E has a card now and the Note 10+ doesn't, and given that the card might be adoptible memory (though more likely is not) I wanted to make sure I wasn't creating a mess by duplicating or losing data. And then there's the question of whether if Smart Switch copies the SD card contents to the Note 10+ main memory, then I pull the card from the S7E and pop it into the 10+ whether I'll have duplicate data.

I'm probably overthinking it. This is not Windows we're working with!

DL

 

[ocnbrze]

Actually using Smart Switch over Wifi is what I'm intending to do. But given that the S7E has a card now and the Note 10+ doesn't, and given that the card might be adoptible memory (though more likely is not) I wanted to make sure I wasn't creating a mess by duplicating or losing data. And then there's the question of whether if Smart Switch copies the SD card contents to the Note 10+ main memory, then I pull the card from the S7E and pop it into the 10+ whether I'll have duplicate data.

I'm probably overthinking it. This is not Windows we're working with!

DL

yeah a tad over thinking it. i used smart switch and was able to transfer my note 8 stuff to my note 10+ with no issues at all. it is quite simple and did not take very long to do.

i think you are good to go.

 

[Hadron]

But given that the S7E has a card now and the Note 10+ doesn't, and given that the card might be adoptible memory (though more likely is not) I wanted to make sure I wasn't creating a mess by duplicating or losing data.

There's no question of duplicating: if the card were adopted by the S7E then the Note 10+ would not be able to read it, and hence there's no risk of getting 2 copies.

Adopting a card encrypts it. So if you want to re-use a card that's been formatted as internal in a different device you need to reformat it before the new device can use it. This will irrecoverably delete any data that are on it (irrecoverable because the deleted data are encrypted, and so no file recovery software can decipher them), so there's zero possibility of you ending up with 2 copies if the card had been adopted (which for an S7E was always unlikely).

 

[stlsailor]

There's no question of duplicating: if the card were adopted by the S7E then the Note 10+ would not be able to read it, and hence there's no risk of getting 2 copies.

Adopting a card encrypts it. So if you want to re-use a card that's been formatted as internal in a different device you need to reformat it before the new device can use it. This will irrecoverably delete any data that are on it (irrecoverable because the deleted data are encrypted, and so no file recovery software can decipher them), so there's zero possibility of you ending up with 2 copies if the card had been adopted (which for an S7E was always unlikely).

Given that, I hooked the S7E up to the PC and could read files on the card, so not encrypted and thus not adopted. Since I'd already set up Gmail and a few apps on the Note 10+ I was concerned about duplication there, but when I started SmartSwitch, the softweare made it clear that it would not duplicate such things. So I ran it and all is well!! Appreciate your comments.

DL

 

[stlsailor]

Given that the PC could read the SD card when the computer was attached meant it wasn't encrypted. So I went ahead and ran Smart Switch and it had text assuring me it wouldn't duplicate e-mail messages and the like already installed on the Note 10+. it worked fine. I then put the SD card in the Note without formatting and photos, documents, and music are there. All is well. I was, as ocnbrze appropriately affirmed, overthinking it. I guess I've just had too much experience with software that creates unintended problems

I'm not sure what the protocol or implications are for marking a best answer. Since Hadron's had a summary of what's been said about the encryption and duplication concerns, I thought it might be the most useful place for someone with the same problem to look so I marked it. In reality, everyone's thoughts were very helpful to reaching the conclusion and are very appreciated. Thanks much for both your time and thoughts!

DL