Database Users

How to format the Mini SD card

Hi guys
My 2GB Mini SD card is not working. I have a Trinity - Orange SPV M700, I wonder if anyone could tell me how to I fromat it and which FAT system to use?
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I did try to use File explorer and looked everywhere in the Settings section.
I am thinking, maybe I need to use my card reader in the computer or do I have to buy a 3rd party program to do this?
Any idea
Thanks

Using the cardreader in your computer is fine. Use the FAT format, not FAT32.

lts said:
Using the cardreader in your computer is fine. Use the FAT format, not FAT32.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not FAT32? I've been using a 4gb miniSD fromatted in FAT32 for months without a problem.

If You don't have a card reader or an adaptor for the Micro-SD You can do it via wm5 storage. FAT32 should be better than FAT.

I also had problem with SD card (2Gb). Then I used one program for formating Panasonic SDformatter an now I don't have problems anymore.
Link: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/sd/download/sd_formatter.html
Try with this program.
By

As you may know, the SD specifications are not open but must be licensed and are protected by NDA's. Therefore I pesonally can't say for sure whether or not FAT32 is within the SDA 1.0/1.1 standard, but I would guess that it's not.
It's true that using FAT32 seems to work with most cards and controllers in the PPC world, but apart from eliminating the 512 files limit, I don't really see any advantage over FAT.
FAT32 is not a 'high performance' filesystem, so in terms of read/write speed it doesn't give you anything compared to FAT.
If you use a 4GB non compliant card, then of course you must use FAT32, since FAT only allows for 2GB.
So in short, unless you can't live with the 512 limit, I don't see that FAT32 will give you anything over FAT, and when you use FAT, you are sure to be within the standard.

lts said:
...but apart from eliminating the 512 files limit, I don't really see any advantage over FAT...
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Click to collapse
Thanx for nice info, if that's true, FAT32 is the only option user may have when formating card, this limit is a way to small !

banesi said:
Thanx for nice info, if that's true, FAT32 is the only option user may have when formating card, this limit is a way to small !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please note that 512 is not the limit of the total number of files that can be stored on the card, it is the max. number of entries in the root directory.
The max. number of files that can be stored on a FAT filesystem is 65517.

thank you for clarification, is there a way I can already check in what format my card is formated?

banesi said:
thank you for clarification, is there a way I can already check in what format my card is formated?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it hasn't been reformatted since it left the factory, then I think it's safe to assume that it's FAT formatted.
If you want to check, then put it in a card reader and look at its properties (assuming your PC is running Windows).

i'm using Windows XP, but in my computer my pda is listed as a windows mobile phone and if right click the storage card, there's no option to format it...what should i do ?
thanks

[Q] Any way to flash the microSD to FAT16?

Ok, I need to format a microSD card to FAT16. Everyone online asks for reasoning for why this needs to be done: I need to flash the BIOS on my EEEPC 1000HE to resolve a Windows 7 install, but for whatever reason at bootup the BIOS only enables flashing from FAT16 storage. All of my machines run Windows 7, and Windows 7 inexplicably removes FAT16 formatting altogether; it is not even possible with third-party programs.
Does anyone know of any utilities that can reliably format the microSDHC card to FAT16? I have tried SKTools' format but it only seems to do FAT32, even though the option for FAT16 is there it ignores it and does FAT32. The Format Storage card also only does FAT32 with no options.
Is there any hardware limitation, either in the HD2 or microSDHC card, that would prevent me from formatting to FAT16? Windows Mobile and the HD2 are my only hope for right now until I get ahold of an XP machine.
EDIT: I understand FAT16 limits volumes to 4GB.. I am wondering if this is the problem.

friend'scatdied said:
EDIT: I understand FAT16 limits volumes to 4GB.. I am wondering if this is the problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i would think so, yes. You can probably try some of teh advanced partitioning programs to create only a 4gb partition, but i would guess its still hit and miss, and im not sure if its even possible on removeable media, , probably far easier to get hold of a 2gb card or smaller. (Irony is i have a pile, i mean PILE of 126,256 and 512 meg cards right here, there must be about 60, from a place i used to work.)

SD card support

As the 'instructions' and the online help are no real use, i am throwing this out there....
It states that she Shield supports up to 256gb mSD cards, I have a 64gb Samsung XC card, the shield seems to know it is there as the 'Mount SD Card' option is not greyed out, but it wont mount or format the card
I have formatted the card NTFS as suggested in the online manual
The card works fine in a Galaxy S4
My 32gb card works fine, but is too small.
Any ideas?
Dale

I have never gotten the shield to format a sdcard. You will need to download a third party tool to format it fat32, as windows won't let for format any partition over 32gb fat 32.
Depending on the format options fat32 can support up to 1 or 2 terabytes

chevyowner said:
I have never gotten the shield to format a sdcard. You will need to download a third party tool to format it fat32, as windows won't let for format any partition over 32gb fat 32.
Depending on the format options fat32 can support up to 1 or 2 terabytes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not according the Nvidia's own instructions, they clearly say to format it to NTFS
shield.nvidia.com/user-guide/sd-card
I want to know if anyone has a 64gb or greater card working in the Shield.

daleph said:
Not according the Nvidia's own instructions, they clearly say to format it to NTFS
shield.nvidia.com/user-guide/sd-card
I want to know if anyone has a 64gb or greater card working in the Shield.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
post about ntfs on geforce forums
ManuelG said:
Currently FAT32 is read/write and NTFS read only. I believe we will make NTFS read/write through an update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and post 2
ManuelG said:
Yes, we are working on adding exFAT support to SHIELD and also support NTFS read/write (not just read) through a future update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but wait there's more
ManiacDC said:
FAT32 will see 64GB, I just formatted mine as FAT32 and my shield recognizes the full size.
If on Windows, you need to format it using this:
http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm
Windows will only format FAT32 up to 32GB using the built-in utility, even though FAT32 supports up to 2TB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Thanks for the links, i have never visited the geforce forum, the link i posted is from the actual instructions included in the online help built into the device.
If the card needs to be formatted as anything other than NTFS then they need to update the instructions, as i assume thats where most users would look first..

true, but I never read the instructions, I did not think it included any....LOL.

chevyowner said:
true, but I never read the instructions, I did not think it included any....LOL.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, there is an app installed called SHIELD help, well there is on mine.
I have nothing to compare against as its not available over here in the UK
Tried Fat32 and it still doesnt like it
Will try again tomorrow as its getting a tad late now
BTW, what do you think of it?
I think its a cracking hand held emulator and the build quality is superb!

daleph said:
LOL, there is an app installed called SHIELD help, well there is on mine.
I have nothing to compare against as its not available over here in the UK
Tried Fat32 and it still doesnt like it
Will try again tomorrow as its getting a tad late now
BTW, what do you think of it?
I think its a cracking hand held emulator and the build quality is superb!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I argee, and I have had trouble getting my 16gb sdcard to work in it, but my 8gb works fine.
16gb is a sandisk sdhc class 4

The odd thing is, the shield does something to the card, if i put it back into the Galaxy S4 after removing it from the shield, the S4 says its damaged and needs to be reformatted. It then reformats it and mounts it ok.
Really need more than 32gb in the shield....

I got my 16gb microsd working. I noticed that my 8gb has a gpt partition structure and the 16gb had a mbr structure, after converting the mbr to gpt on the 16gb it works.

I popped in my 16GB MicroSD that I use for my SuperCard DSTWO and it read it without issue. I copied some ROMs from it and to it, worked perfectly.

I have now converted my 8b working sdcard from gpt to mbr and it stopped working so i will change it back to gpt.

Posted in other threads about this stuff. What ive experienced.
SanDisk 64gb Ultra*microSDXC™ UHS-I fails to mount in any format other than NTFS. Trying to mount otherwise results in loss of data and formating. Under NTFS format that file path is something ridiculous than can't be seen by some apps rendering the card basically useless. The card works fine in all other devices in several types of formating.
I have a 16gb of same brand and speed rating that mounts fine under FAT32.

s0me guy said:
Posted in other threads about this stuff. What ive experienced.
SanDisk 64gb Ultra*microSDXC™ UHS-I fails to mount in any format other than NTFS. Trying to mount otherwise results in loss of data and formating. Under NTFS format that file path is something ridiculous than can't be seen by some apps rendering the card basically useless. The card works fine in all other devices in several types of formating.
I have a 16gb of same brand and speed rating that mounts fine under FAT32.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me reference you to a post earlier in this thread post

chevyowner said:
Let me reference you to a post earlier in this thread post
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is anyone having issues ( with the save path etc...) when using 64gb formated as FAT32?

Another post in that thread on the GeForce forums is that it does not support unicode file names.
The main difference I know of is that FAT32 does not support single files over 4Gig in size, NTFS does.

Gotcha.
Sorry. Dealing with a newborn over here. Not much time to play with shield right now let alone research it. Lol

chevyowner said:
Another post in that thread on the GeForce forums is that it does not support unicode file names.
The main difference I know of is that FAT32 does not support single files over 4Gig in size, NTFS does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NTFS is also a journaling filesystem and has a few more inbuilt security features (which I see as pointless for the filesystem itself). Journaling won't actually do any good for the longevity of the SD card, its extra read/write cycles which are already limited enough on an SD card.

daleph said:
LOL, there is an app installed called SHIELD help, well there is on mine.
I have nothing to compare against as its not available over here in the UK
Tried Fat32 and it still doesnt like it
Will try again tomorrow as its getting a tad late now
BTW, what do you think of it?
I think its a cracking hand held emulator and the build quality is superb!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got the class 10 xc micro sd card formatted to fat 32 and works fine in my shield here in the UK :good:

I looked up up what the names that I mentioned earlier.
GPT was referring to GUID Partition Table.
MBR was referring to Master Boot Record.
I can't get anything using a Master Boot Record to mount in the shield.
Thing using the GUID Partition Table Work fine for me so far.

[Q] Doesn't read Ext4 neither NTFS for the sdcard, wtf?

Ok, android is supposed to be just fine with Ext and NTFS right?
Well i've got S4, kitkat 4.4.2 and 64GB original super fast microsd card and guess what, i formatted it first Ext4 then NTFS because i needed more than 4GB files and for both it says "SD card is blank or has unsupported filesystem."
both times formatted under linux desktop PC
the default formatting from the phone seems to be either FAT or exfat but files over 4GB can't be written. (exfat is supposed to do over 4gb right?)
So, what i'm doing wrong?

Fking1 said:
Ok, android is supposed to be just fine with Ext and NTFS right?
Well i've got S4, kitkat 4.4.2 and 64GB original super fast microsd card and guess what, i formatted it first Ext4 then NTFS because i needed more than 4GB files and for both it says "SD card is blank or has unsupported filesystem."
both times formatted under linux desktop PC
the default formatting from the phone seems to be either FAT or exfat but files over 4GB can't be written. (exfat is supposed to do over 4gb right?)
So, what i'm doing wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Official Galaxy S4 doesnt support NTFS (not sure about Ext4). but there are some custom kernels that can deal with NTFS.
I found this on wikipedia:
exFat advantages: File size limit of 16 EiB–1 byte (limited by volume size), raised from 4 GiB−1 byte in a standard FAT32 filesystem.
so I guess yes it can handle files more than 4GBs, I haven't tried it myself.
Use the official SD formatter tool, it formats cards with 64 GB and larger using the exfat system.
just google: official SD formatter

DuLLaG33 said:
Official Galaxy S4 doesnt support NTFS (not sure about Ext4). but there are some custom kernels that can deal with NTFS.
I found this on wikipedia:
exFat advantages: File size limit of 16 EiB–1 byte (limited by volume size), raised from 4 GiB−1 byte in a standard FAT32 filesystem.
so I guess yes it can handle files more than 4GBs, I haven't tried it myself.
Use the official SD formatter tool, it formats cards with 64 GB and larger using the exfat system.
just google: official SD formatter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With the build in formatting tool is what I use to format it, but then I can't write a 30GB file
in the file size limit you mention " File size limit of 16 EiB–1 byte" what's EiB?

Fking1 said:
So, what i'm doing wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it's a cheap and therefor most probably fake SD card this can also be a problem. Most cheap 64GB cards do not have the advertized capacity.

Fking1 said:
what's EiB?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Eib is Exabyte = a million terabyte

Pfeffernuss said:
If it's a cheap and therefor most probably fake SD card this can also be a problem. Most cheap 64GB cards do not have the advertized capacity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nah, it's expensive and tested that it has the actual GBs

Fking1 said:
...and tested that it has the actual GBs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How?

Pfeffernuss said:
How?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
by running an sd card tester app from the market, 2 of them actually
it's real card, i've had fakes before

Fking1 said:
by running an sd card tester app from the market, 2 of them actually
it's real card, i've had fakes before
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I Always format my SD cards using Minitool (PC app). Never missed a beat.
If this doesn't work I still think it's a fake SD-card

well it's not, thanks for getting the thread in the wrong direction though!
so does the default bult-in android formatting do FAT or exFAT? It doesn't seem to be possible to tell from the phone?
So, seems like the only way forward is to format it in exFAT?

Fking1 said:
well it's not, thanks for getting the thread in the wrong direction though!
so does the default bult-in android formatting do FAT or exFAT? It doesn't seem to be possible to tell from the phone?
So, seems like the only way forward is to format it in exFAT?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am pretty sure it will only format in the style it was originally eg. Original setup of fat32 it will format fat32, if EXfat it will format EXfat.
Ext,1, 2, 3, 4 are all native to android (Linux) so ext4 shouldn't be an issue.
When I formatted my 64Gb card sd formatter did not format it to EXfat I had to do it manually. Please not that windows Xp does not directly support EXfat you need to manually install a patch and then manually format the sd card via cmd window
You'll have to confirm the command but it's something like
Format x: /fs:exfat
This is what I had to do on my old Xp box to do the job.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 01:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 AM ----------
Oh btw ntfs is proprietary file system to micro$oft and technically it's closed source, but I read somewhere ages ago someone managed to hack something together that does work
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

formatted it to exfat and it works now
so for anyone else that wonders here is the summary of what I found
the android on Samsung S4 reads only FAT and exFAT on the SD card.
NTFS and Ext4 it does NOT recognize.
by default it formats FAT
I had to format it exfat on a PC
works now, still haven't tried with files over 4GB but shouldn't be a problem

Micro SD card wont be mounted by Samsung Tab a6

So I have a Samsung Tab a6 7 T280 wifi and I've inserted a MicroSD card (128GB). I've done this with the stock os first and I just got the message card can be removed safely. and it wouldn't let me mount it.
Now I've installed the Tinker V5.1 Stock Rom over it and it still happens. (wanted a faster os on it).
I can reformat the card with twrp to be ext4 or exFAT and it doesn't change a single thing. if I insert the sd card I get a quick preparing card and then instantly the message card can be safely removed. clicking on mount sd card in storage from settings doesn't do anything except prompt same message.

I'd try a different sdcard.

Okay, so I hope I can help, I have the SM-T280, I do not use Tinker ROM, instead I debloated my stock ROM and use an SPA kernel by @_mone. If you're trying to extend storage to your tablet, you'll need to use a PC to partition the SD card two PRIMARY partitions. I used on Windows MiniTool Partition Wizard (free), and I used a FAT32 partition and an ext2 partition. With the stock ROM/kernel I had problems using ext4 or extFAT which didn't make sense to me but it is what it is, and I used the app Apps2SD to handle all the work.
The main thing, you need to make sure your SD card has TWO (2) PRIMARY partitions.
Good luck.

zenful said:
Okay, so I hope I can help, I have the SM-T280, I do not use Tinker ROM, instead I debloated my stock ROM and use an SPA kernel by @_mone. If you're trying to extend storage to your tablet, you'll need to use a PC to partition the SD card two PRIMARY partitions. I used on Windows MiniTool Partition Wizard (free), and I used a FAT32 partition and an ext2 partition. With the stock ROM/kernel I had problems using ext4 or extFAT which didn't make sense to me but it is what it is, and I used the app Apps2SD to handle all the work.
The main thing, you need to make sure your SD card has TWO (2) PRIMARY partitions.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about the Sizes? As in one partition 60 GB the other one also 60 GB ? Or the fat32 partition 1 GB and the ext2 the rest?

Panslothda said:
What about the Sizes? As in one partition 60 GB the other one also 60 GB ? Or the fat32 partition 1 GB and the ext2 the rest?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FAT32 is not for large capacity storage. Use exFat. There isn't much point in having such a large ext2 partition. It's incompatible with media transfer protocols unless you use a Linux system.
This device fully supports exFAT. I use a 64gb sdcard no issues.

ashyx said:
FAT32 is not for large capacity storage. Use exFat. There isn't much point in having such a large ext2 partition. It's incompatible with media transfer protocols unless you use a Linux system.
This device fully supports exFAT. I use a 64gb sdcard no issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well my current one is exfat formatted. works perfectly fine on PC only thing is its 128 GB.... I mean is that maybe the issue? that its to large?

Panslothda said:
Well my current one is exfat formatted. works perfectly fine on PC only thing is its 128 GB.... I mean is that maybe the issue? that its to large?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't think so, I'm sure it supports 128gb cards.
Just partition it into to halves. First partition exfat. Leave the other unformatted and see what happens.

ashyx said:
I wouldn't think so, I'm sure it supports 128gb cards.
Just partition it into to halves. First partition exfat. Leave the other unformatted and see what happens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
partitioned into a 40 GB exFAT partition and left rest unpartitioned. Didn't change anything. if I pop it in the tablet I get a short preparing sd card notification then immediately an SD card safe to remove notification...
I'm really confused by this. The tablet is new so I doubt that it's broken but I don't know. Do you know if there's a way to check any kind of logs on Android like dmesg on Linux as an example to see what happens with the sd card?

Panslothda said:
partitioned into a 40 GB exFAT partition and left rest unpartitioned. Didn't change anything. if I pop it in the tablet I get a short preparing sd card notification then immediately an SD card safe to remove notification...
I'm really confused by this. The tablet is new so I doubt that it's broken but I don't know. Do you know if there's a way to check any kind of logs on Android like dmesg on Linux as an example to see what happens with the sd card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's best just try out another card to rule out the card.

ashyx said:
It's best just try out another card to rule out the card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welp gotta buy one first then :/

Panslothda said:
Welp gotta buy one first then :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nobody can lend one for a few minutes? Or try the card in someone else device?

Panslothda said:
So I have a Samsung Tab a6 7 T280 wifi and I've inserted a MicroSD card (128GB). I've done this with the stock os first and I just got the message card can be removed safely. and it wouldn't let me mount it.
Now I've installed the Tinker V5.1 Stock Rom over it and it still happens. (wanted a faster os on it).
I can reformat the card with twrp to be ext4 or exFAT and it doesn't change a single thing. if I insert the sd card I get a quick preparing card and then instantly the message card can be safely removed. clicking on mount sd card in storage from settings doesn't do anything except prompt same message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to Samsung, the T280 will support a 256gb SD card BUT I know from experience that SD cards over 32gb can be VERY touchy. If you use a PC to remove all of the partition and then let the tablet try to do its own formatting and it still doesn't work, I'd say you have an incompatible SD card. That doesn't mean the card is bad but that it just won't work in the T280.
As an example, a Samsung EVO+ card (which can be found on eBay for $30) will probably work while a "no name" card from China, probably won't.

lewmur said:
According to Samsung, the T280 will support a 256gb SD card BUT I know from experience that SD cards over 32gb can be VERY touchy. If you use a PC to remove all of the partition and then let the tablet try to do its own formatting and it still doesn't work, I'd say you have an incompatible SD card. That doesn't mean the card is bad but that it just won't work in the T280.
As an example, a Samsung EVO+ card (which can be found on eBay for $30) will probably work while a "no name" card from China, probably won't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always use Samsung EVO cards and they always work perfectly. Price per GB they are very reasonable too.

Scandisk ultra i find ok no matter what size
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