Database Users

How to xfer files when upgrading ext SD card?

I am going to swap my 2gb sd for a 16gb and want to know how to transfer the files correctly. It seems that the files I can see on my PC when mounted via usb, are only a fraction of the files I see via Root Explorer on the phone.
Whats the correct way prepare the new card, and transfer the files?
Thanks

mount the phone. Open the appropriate drive (2 should show). One us the internal for the os. The other is the 2 gig with avatar (sdcard/sd).
Copy to your desktop.
Get the new card with adapter mounted to pc now. Right click and format fat.
power off the phone after properly unmounting.
Swap cards in phone. Mount it again to pc. Move the avatar folder to new sd.
unmount. I would reboot. Make sure avatar works. if it didn't, you did not listen.

Thanks for the info

The way I did it is:
-put the new card in the phone
-format it using the phone (settings, SD Card and phone storage, format SD card)
-put the old sd card with adapter into PC
-mount the phone
-transfer files from old to new

So the only files that need to be transferred are the ones that show up when mounted/viewed on the PC? Are the files that I see on the card via Root Explorer when it is in the phone not needed? Are they just links or something?

Avatar is on the sd card (sdcard/sd)
Sdcard is the internal memory. Do NOT mess with that!

ah, so the sd card is actually the sd directory inside of sdcard...got it, thanks

Problem with SD card when connected to desktop

I cannot access my SD card when I connect it to my desktop, my pc sees it but I can only access the phone itself and not the sd card. It's a 2nd hand phone and the sd card is empty (no htc stuffs or anything) but it's definitely working.
We can sync files into the SD card using HTC Sync but we cannot manually place (Typical drag files in and out) files via removable disk.

How do you know you're seeing the phone and not the SD card? I don't think its possible to browse the files on the phone's NAND itself through windows explorer on the G2.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 running Cyanogenmod.

ibemad1 said:
How do you know you're seeing the phone and not the SD card? I don't think its possible to browse the files on the phone's NAND itself through windows explorer on the G2.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 running Cyanogenmod.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We see it as "Desire" and not a "Removable Disk" like in my DHD when connected to PC. When we browse it, we do not see any SD card files.

Okay, solved by doing a restore factory settings and formatting the SD card.
Please close this thread mods Thanks!

[Q] Help a noob with micro sd problem

I installed a new 32gb class 10 sd. It shows up in Astro file manager as being available. However, none of the many APP2SD programs I have tried allow me to move my apps to the card. What am I missing here? Do I need to format the card first and if so, how do I do that?

Apps2Sd will put apps in the "SdCard" directory which in the Iconia is actual internal memory.
You can only use your card for extra storage (like music/videos)

baldbear said:
Apps2Sd will put apps in the "SdCard" directory which in the Iconia is actual internal memory.
You can only use your card for extra storage (like music/videos)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, where in the file system is the actual SD card?

It's under /mnt/external_sd
the USB is under /mnt/usb_storage
They will not show up with the USB connector cable attached, but can be accessed through ADB on the host computer.
I think you are meant to actually pull the card and put stuff on it then put it back in the tablet.
Not all media players will see the card because of this name change in Honeycomb.

baldbear said:
I think you are meant to actually pull the card and put stuff on it then put it back in the tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the "First start information" document that came with my Acer, it states:
Transferring files from a microSD card (optional) to your PC
Remove the card from the tablet and use a card reader or USB adapter to access the card as an external storage device.

about the new SD card

i just bought a 16GB card, i moved every thing from the old 1 to this new 1 but not every files were moved and it seems to me that im not doing it right.
can some 1 please tell me what to do to be able to move everything on my old SD card to my new 1
thank you very much

khathaivu said:
i just bought a 16GB card, i moved every thing from the old 1 to this new 1 but not every files were moved and it seems to me that im not doing it right.
can some 1 please tell me what to do to be able to move everything on my old SD card to my new 1
thank you very much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IF you have partitioned your SDcard you will either need a special program or need to use a Mac or Linux computer to copy the second partitioned section.
If you are using one partition just copy everything from the SD card to your Computer, then from the computer to the new SD card.

Remember to make hidden files and folders visible in Windows before you attempt copying, and move all the apps that reside on SD back to the phone's internal memory (if left on SD, their encrypted files might not work after copying).

sorry, im not really good with this stuff
if you dont mind, could you give me more detail instruction,
thank you

khathaivu said:
sorry, im not really good with this stuff
if you dont mind, could you give me more detail instruction,
thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He is saying
1.Make sure that Hidden Files & Folders are show on your PC.If not,appy it under My Computer>Tools>Folder Option
2.Connect your old sd card to your pc via a memory card reader or you can do it via Data Storagr mode on your phone using data cable.
3.Open old sd card(show as a drive on your pc) & select all the files on the sd card including hidden files too.
4.Copy selected files(whole files on the old sd card,ok) & paste it on somewhere pc your pc.
5.Now remove old sd card & insert new sd card to the card reader.Then open it.
6.Now move that old sd files to the new sd card.
That's all!

[Q] How do I transfer External SD card App data to new Card?

HI guys,
Trying to find a successful way to transfer my app data (Installed apps which were moved to sd card) from my old micro sd card to my new larger one. Simple copy and paste within windows did not work.
After some searching I found this thread tomsguide.com/forum/id-1607981/moving-data-microsd-card-android-smartphone
It seemed to be the only possible solution with only 2 people acknowledging it worked.
I also have a videos folder which I would want to be ignored when doing the transfer (to save time- there are many vids in the folder).
Any help and input is greatly appreciated.
Samsung Galaxy S4 M919 T-mobile. Android 4.3 - Rooted with stock ROM.
Thanks.

Spazite said:
HI guys,
Trying to find a successful way to transfer my app data (Installed apps which were moved to sd card) from my old micro sd card to my new larger one. Simple copy and paste within windows did not work.
After some searching I found this thread tomsguide.com/forum/id-1607981/moving-data-microsd-card-android-smartphone
It seemed to be the only possible solution with only 2 people acknowledging it worked.
I also have a videos folder which I would want to be ignored when doing the transfer (to save time- there are many vids in the folder).
Any help and input is greatly appreciated.
Samsung Galaxy S4 M919 T-mobile. Android 4.3 - Rooted with stock ROM.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cant imagine Im the only one who has run across this issue...

Copy paste worked fine for me in the past.
Why don't you move your apps to the internal storage until you got the new sd card, then move them back?

GDReaper said:
Copy paste worked fine for me in the past.
Why don't you move your apps to the internal storage until you got the new sd card, then move them back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Internal storage is just about full and the apps are many.
Is Windows capable of successfully reading the android files and copying them? The card is formatted exFAT..Should it be formatted NTFS instead?

I haven't formatted anything. Besides, formatting will wipe the sd card.
I simply copied all the contents from the sd card to the pc and then to the new sd card. Had no problems so far.
Widows is just a temporary storage, it doesn't need any rights over them.
Aren't there any sd card clone programs? Like the ones used for cloning HDD partitions and transfering their contents to another HDD?

GDReaper said:
I haven't formatted anything. Besides, formatting will wipe the sd card.
I simply copied all the contents from the sd card to the pc and then to the new sd card. Had no problems so far.
Widows is just a temporary storage, it doesn't need any rights over them.
Aren't there any sd card clone programs? Like the ones used for cloning HDD partitions and transferring their contents to another HDD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for following up on this frustrating issue.
The only android items which show in my old external card are the android folder which contains the obb folder. The other android based folder is a "data" folder which is empty.
Both of these were copied to the new external card with no luck.
Is there something I should be copying from the phones storage onto the new external card? I don't know why this is such an issue :/
What items show on your external card that you were able to successfully copy to your new one? I even tried navigating using ES Explorer and the only item that shows, which Windows cannot see, is a hidden android folder with nothing in it. ..If the original external sd has the same items as the new exteral card, this would lead me to believe that the android OS is simply linking something to the external card to link the external card apps to the OS.
I have never heard of any such programs for cloning from an android based system...

I selected everything (CTRL + A) and then copied it to the new card. Even if there were hidden folders, they were copied.
Game data is generally stored in the obb folder on the internal storage.
How exactly did you move your apps to the sd card?

GDReaper said:
I selected everything (CTRL + A) and then copied it to the new card. Even if there were hidden folders, they were copied.
Game data is generally stored in the obb folder on the internal storage.
How exactly did you move your apps to the sd card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just copied and pasted to the new card. Nothing was missing.
All the shortcuts are still in the OS but they are all blank and show as 0kb in size. If I try to go into google store it doesn't show any of the updates for the external card, only the ones for the internal storage are listed.
As for the OBB files, those I never keep on my cards, as there is never enough storage. this is not an issue with my internal storage either, as all them apps still show as being installed regardless of whether or not any obb files are there.
This makes no sense. There has to be something that links the external programs to the OS which is not getting copied to the new card...

Do you know Titanium Backup? Just make a backup from everything (all apps and datas) and store it f.e. in the dropbox, change SD Card and restore the backup from the dropbox via Titanium to your phone.

Cheeky Freddy said:
Do you know Titanium Backup? Just make a backup from everything (all apps and datas) and store it f.e. in the dropbox, change SD Card and restore the backup from the dropbox via Titanium to your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for this suggestion. I have the full version and was not aware they integrated db.
I set up drop box on my TBP but I cant get the apps to save into drop box...Every time i try to backup anything it keeps saving onto internal card...I'm trying to backup the external cards app to db as a single batch. Do you know what setting to change for this to work?

Spazite said:
Thank you for this suggestion. I have the full version and was not aware they integrated db.
I set up drop box on my TBP but I cant get the apps to save into drop box...Every time i try to backup anything it keeps saving onto internal card...I'm trying to backup the external cards app to db as a single batch. Do you know what setting to change for this to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try to get your hands on an OTG cable and connect a USB flash drive to your phone, and use a file explorer like ES to transfer the entire SD card to the USB Flash drive, then fire up the new SD card and copy the items you put on the USB flash drive back to the SD card using ES. This should definitely work and you wouldnt require a pc also.

Spazite said:
Thank you for this suggestion. I have the full version and was not aware they integrated db.
I set up drop box on my TBP but I cant get the apps to save into drop box...Every time i try to backup anything it keeps saving onto internal card...I'm trying to backup the external cards app to db as a single batch. Do you know what setting to change for this to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the backup from your SD card is stored onto your internal card everything is fine. Just plug your new SD Card in your phone and restore your backup and everything will be back on your new sd card.

TheAwesomeBit said:
try to get your hands on an OTG cable and connect a USB flash drive to your phone, and use a file explorer like ES to transfer the entire SD card to the USB Flash drive, then fire up the new SD card and copy the items you put on the USB flash drive back to the SD card using ES. This should definitely work and you wouldnt require a pc also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looking at the card via Es, I see nothing in there that has not already been transferred. What folders do I need to transfer over...the "data" android" and hidden "android secured" are for the most part empty.

Spazite said:
Looking at the card via Es, I see nothing in there that has not already been transferred. What folders do I need to transfer over...the "data" android" and hidden "android secured" are for the most part empty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have you enabled show hidden folders on ES?

TheAwesomeBit said:
have you enabled show hidden folders on ES?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Only 1 hidden android folder which is empty.

Looks like I was able to see the contents of the .android_secured folder using an OTG cable. It contains what look like to be the files required for the apps to be recognized by the OS. Also what i believe to be the files for Google Play to also recognize the apps for updates.
I tried copying the folder but it wont work. However, I was able to copy all the contained files onto the new sd card.
Looks like I'll have to mount it again and just use the titanium backup method.

Backed up all the external data using TB onto the new card...I'm now having trouble restoring the backup to the new card...cant seem to find the option to do so.
I have the backup stored on the new external card.