Database Users

[Q] What is the best format for sd cards

I have a micro sd 16 gb class 2 and micro sd 32 gb class 4, what are the partitions that android will read and what are the advantages of one over another.
My transformer is running prime 1.5 and blades v 16 kernal.
i was using fat 32 until i tried putting a video on it and changing to nfts, does android support an sd card having linux or mac partitions?
the same with app to sd stuff and does that have to be certain partitions or not

plasmastrike said:
I have a micro sd 16 gb class 2 and micro sd 32 gb class 4, what are the partitions that android will read and what are the advantages of one over another.
My transformer is running prime 1.5 and blades v 16 kernal.
i was using fat 32 until i tried putting a video on it and changing to nfts, does android support an sd card having linux or mac partitions?
the same with app to sd stuff and does that have to be certain partitions or not
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android is Linux so it should be able to support FAT32, FAT, exFAT, ext2, ext3, ext4, NTFS, other stuff..
I would go with FAT32!

fat 32 wont allow a file over 4gb, which is why i want to switch. i tried nfts and ext3 on my sd card and my transformer wouldn't recognize it. The kernel also said nfts support which is weird?

plasmastrike said:
fat 32 wont allow a file over 4gb, which is why i want to switch. i tried nfts and ext3 on my sd card and my transformer wouldn't recognize it. The kernel also said nfts support which is weird?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, right! Try FAT32's successor: exFAT! it supports a file of up to 16 exabytes I believe! Try finding an SD card that beat that file system! Plus, it will work for any OS!

How to format 64gb micro sd card to Fat32 to work on SGS3

Hi guys,
I faced a problem with my 64gb. Sandisk micro SD and I solved the issue and I thought about posting the solution here that might help some of you.
so... the issue I faced is how to get TWRP recovery or CWM to mount my Ex sd card.
basically the problem is that the card is formatted in exfat or NTFS and in both ways it won't be recognized by TWRP and the only way to formate it in fat32 is by only one software because windows can not format more than 32gb in Fat32.
and here is how:
first: download EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition from this link http://download.cnet.com/EaseUS-Partition-Master-Home-Edition/3000-2248_4-10863346.html?tag=mncol%3bpop&cdlPid=10982635
Second : Now you can see a list of all of your hard drives. Note the one highlighted in blue on the grid. This is my 64GB MicroSDXC card in my USB Card Reader. Obviously the location of your card in the list may differ dependant on the number of drives in your computer
You’ll need to right-click on the drive in the list representing your 64GB MicroSDXC card and click “Format partition”
Third : You need to select FAT32 for the File System, and 32KB for Cluster Size.
EaseUS doesn’t immediately apply the changes you specify. Instead, it queues them up so that you can review and revise them before you commit to having the program affect those changes. then we need to press the Apply button.
that's it ... now you can enjoy your 64gb MicroSd and you can mount it in TWRP or CWM recovery .
your welcome

It has to be in general section.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app

Certainly be a useful post for some that don't know . But its in the wrong section and will be missed .
OP report and ask a mod to move it .
jje

Use partition wizard tool
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app

Ohh Didn't know that
then where should I post it and how can I move it ?
or it is the admin who will move it for me ?
thanks

As you guys may be aware, the latest software update (4.1.2) does solve ANY exFAT issue

sam-had said:
Hi guys,
I faced a problem with my 64gb. Sandisk micro SD and I solved the issue and I thought about posting the solution here that might help some of you.
so... the issue I faced is how to get TWRP recovery or CWM to mount my Ex sd card.
basically the problem is that the card is formatted in exfat or NTFS and in both ways it won't be recognized by TWRP and the only way to formate it in fat32 is by only one software because windows can not format more than 32gb in Fat32.
and here is how:
first: download EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition from this link http://download.cnet.com/EaseUS-Partition-Master-Home-Edition/3000-2248_4-10863346.html?tag=mncol%3bpop&cdlPid=10982635
Second : Now you can see a list of all of your hard drives. Note the one highlighted in blue on the grid. This is my 64GB MicroSDXC card in my USB Card Reader. Obviously the location of your card in the list may differ dependant on the number of drives in your computer
You’ll need to right-click on the drive in the list representing your 64GB MicroSDXC card and click “Format partition”
Third : You need to select FAT32 for the File System, and 32KB for Cluster Size.
EaseUS doesn’t immediately apply the changes you specify. Instead, it queues them up so that you can review and revise them before you commit to having the program affect those changes. then we need to press the Apply button.
that's it ... now you can enjoy your 64gb MicroSd and you can mount it in TWRP or CWM recovery .
your welcome
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried this method, my card became 32GB
Then I put it into my Galaxy Note, it saw it also as 32GB, then I formatted the card with Gnote, then it became 64GB again
I was planning to create two partitions with minitools formatting tool, one was supoosed to be 16 GB FAT32 and the remaning part would be 48GB NTFS, and I was planning to use, Paragon NTFS to mount that NTFS partition on GNOTE.
But because after formatting on PC it became 32 GB I couldn't do that.
Any suggestions ?

thanks so much for this. I just bought a new 64 gb card for my phone and it "corrupted" on me twice. I plugged it in to my comp and it was exFat. Followed the directions here and formatted to fat32. Now I have to copy my files again. I hope this works. Oh and according to my phone, there is no update 4.1.2 for it. I am on 4.0.4 and it cannot find any updates so that doesnt really work for me.

THANK YOU!!
I had been trying to do thiis for 4 hours when i saw ur post! Thanks sooo much..at first i got an error while formatting, but then i quit all other applications as recommended by the software and it woeked perfectly on my HTC Sensation. Thank You Soooo much:laugh::good:

I was looking to format my card to Fat32 so I can use a Paranoid Android Rom. What happens when I want to flash another ROM and the new ROM is a Tochwiz Rom... Will I need to unformat the card or reverse it someway? I'm a newbie to this stuff.

Careyst said:
I was looking to format my card to Fat32 so I can use a Paranoid Android Rom. What happens when I want to flash another ROM and the new ROM is a Tochwiz Rom... Will I need to unformat the card or reverse it someway? I'm a newbie to this stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. Touchwizz roms and aokp/cm10 roms can both read fat32 sd cards. Because exfat is licenced from Microsoft AOKP can't incorporate the drivers needed to get exfat formatted card to work.
Short story is both roms can read/write to fat32 formatted sd cards. Only Touchwizz roms can read/write to exfat formatted cards. Unless you copy a lot of single files over 4GB in size stick with fat32 formatting.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

sam-had said:
Hi guys,
I faced a problem with my 64gb. Sandisk micro SD and I solved the issue and I thought about posting the solution here that might help some of you.
so... the issue I faced is how to get TWRP recovery or CWM to mount my Ex sd card.
basically the problem is that the card is formatted in exfat or NTFS and in both ways it won't be recognized by TWRP and the only way to formate it in fat32 is by only one software because windows can not format more than 32gb in Fat32.
and here is how:
first: download EaseUS Partition Master Home Edition from this link http://download.cnet.com/EaseUS-Partition-Master-Home-Edition/3000-2248_4-10863346.html?tag=mncol%3bpop&cdlPid=10982635
Second : Now you can see a list of all of your hard drives. Note the one highlighted in blue on the grid. This is my 64GB MicroSDXC card in my USB Card Reader. Obviously the location of your card in the list may differ dependant on the number of drives in your computer
You’ll need to right-click on the drive in the list representing your 64GB MicroSDXC card and click “Format partition”
Third : You need to select FAT32 for the File System, and 32KB for Cluster Size.
EaseUS doesn’t immediately apply the changes you specify. Instead, it queues them up so that you can review and revise them before you commit to having the program affect those changes. then we need to press the Apply button.
that's it ... now you can enjoy your 64gb MicroSd and you can mount it in TWRP or CWM recovery .
your welcome
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried what you suggested. However, the partition stayed at 32 GB only instead of 64 GB. Any more suggestions.
---------- Post added at 06:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:56 PM ----------
dionysos77 said:
I've tried this method, my card became 32GB
Then I put it into my Galaxy Note, it saw it also as 32GB, then I formatted the card with Gnote, then it became 64GB again
I was planning to create two partitions with minitools formatting tool, one was supoosed to be 16 GB FAT32 and the remaning part would be 48GB NTFS, and I was planning to use, Paragon NTFS to mount that NTFS partition on GNOTE.
But because after formatting on PC it became 32 GB I couldn't do that.
Any suggestions ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also have the same problem, my 64 GB card has become 32 GB one. I used the suggested program to partition but still 32 GB. Can you explain what is Gnote and how to use it. Thanks

Same problem here also 32 everytime followed instructions exactly im using windows 8
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium

GUI Format is an easy to use and fast solution too.

Szadzik said:
GUI Format is an easy to use and fast solution too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exactly...much easier!

Ok
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda app-developers app

I was having issues also got the sandisk mobile mate sd reader windiws noticed automatically as 64 gb used gui format worked perfectly
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium

Just use Guiformat...small app attached

dionysos77 said:
I've tried this method, my card became 32GB
Then I put it into my Galaxy Note, it saw it also as 32GB, then I formatted the card with Gnote, then it became 64GB again
I was planning to create two partitions with minitools formatting tool, one was supoosed to be 16 GB FAT32 and the remaning part would be 48GB NTFS, and I was planning to use, Paragon NTFS to mount that NTFS partition on GNOTE.
But because after formatting on PC it became 32 GB I couldn't do that.
Any suggestions ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you ever find out how to revert back to 64 GB. I am exactly in a similar situation with a 64 GB converted to 32 GB and do not know what to do?
Edit: I have used guiformat program also.

Careyst said:
I was looking to format my card to Fat32 so I can use a Paranoid Android Rom. What happens when I want to flash another ROM and the new ROM is a Tochwiz Rom... Will I need to unformat the card or reverse it someway? I'm a newbie to this stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can still use your card normally. I've done the inverse way (Touchwiz to AOKP) and works too.
The point is: Touchwiz based ROMs have support to FAT32 and exFAT. AOKP ones have support only to FAT32.
dionysos77 said:
I've tried this method, my card became 32GB
Then I put it into my Galaxy Note, it saw it also as 32GB, then I formatted the card with Gnote, then it became 64GB again
I was planning to create two partitions with minitools formatting tool, one was supoosed to be 16 GB FAT32 and the remaning part would be 48GB NTFS, and I was planning to use, Paragon NTFS to mount that NTFS partition on GNOTE.
But because after formatting on PC it became 32 GB I couldn't do that.
Any suggestions ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
vicky4112 said:
Did you ever find out how to revert back to 64 GB. I am exactly in a similar situation with a 64 GB converted to 32 GB and do not know what to do?
Edit: I have used guiformat program also.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
xterra91 said:
Same problem here also 32 everytime followed instructions exactly im using windows 8
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's another point OP have forgotten. Your card reader must support microSDXC cards. Most readers support only microSDHC and these are maximum 32Gb storage. microSDXC has elevated this limit to 2TB. I had to buy myself a new card reader due to that incompatibility.
There's a fragment in Wikipedia which explains this situation:
SDXC cards are pre-formatted with Microsoft's proprietary and patented exFAT file system, which the host device might not support. Since Microsoft does not publish the specifications of exFAT and its use requires a non-free license, many alternative or older operating systems do not support exFAT for technical or legal reasons. The use of exFAT on some SDXC cards may render SDXC unsuitable as a universal exchange medium, as an SDXC card that uses exFAT would not be usable in all host devices. Since the FAT32 file system supports volumes up to the SDXC's maximum theoretical capacity of 2 TB as well, a user could reformat an SDXC card to use FAT32 for greater portability between computers (see below). FAT32-formatted SDXC cards can be used in a host device built for SDHC if the host device can handle 64 GB and larger volumes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital#SDXC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really sorry for my english, but I hope you and another people understand it. :good:

Maximum SD Size

I'm sure this has been asked before.. but if you are running 2.3 or higher.. what is the maximum SD card the phone can take?

I believe a 64 GB card has been reported to work. As my largest is a 16 GB SD card, I can't confirm for sure.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

In the original manual I have for the phone says that 32 Gb is the maximum. At the store when I bought it told me to use 16 (as I am) to avoid having a slow phone.
Sent from my ADD6300 using XDA app

i have a 32 gb card. the issue is that I think Fat32 can only support up to 32 GB.
can you have an ext2 formatted SD card working in the Dinc?

I just tried putting in an 8gb SD that I had reformatted to ext2, the phone doesn't want to mount it. I'm not sure if there is a workaround for this or not. I've been able to use the Easeus Partition Master to reformat a 500gb hard drive in fat32, so that will probably be able to format a 64gb card in a fat32 partition so it can work in a phone. Won't know for sure until someone with a 64gb card can try it though.

tekweezle said:
i have a 32 gb card. the issue is that I think Fat32 can only support up to 32 GB.
can you have an ext2 formatted SD card working in the Dinc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It appears your ext2 question is answered below but as for the size limit of FAT32, it's much larger than 32 GB. The largest a file on FAT32 can grow is 4 GB though.
It looks like FAT32 can run 2TB drives so there's no problem there.

[Q] 64gb SDXC card, how should it be formatted?

Ok, so I've just bought a Samsung class 10 SDXC UHS-1 card. I'm about to put it in the phone and then I read all about people having problems reading files, and wanting to download something to allow it to be formatted to fat32, etc. Could anyone please throw any light on this, as to how it it best formatted, and to what fat type, and possibly help me to understand why these people are having issues?
Personally I would have said let the phone format it, seeing as it's going to be using it?

1. Put it in the phone.
2. Press "Erase everything on SD-card".
3. ????
4. PROFIT!
No need to worry about formatting, the stock kernel only supports FAT32, and I believe EXT3 & 4, but you don't need to worry about those.
Some people have problems because they buy the cheapest 64GB microSD card available, and you know that cheap card = cheap NAND, which causes corruption of files and random unmounts.

You mean exFAT? That's what the phone formats it as, and the PC does too.

I am using exFAT because I put 4GB+ files there. FAT32 can't support that.

spark001uk said:
You mean exFAT? That's what the phone formats it as, and the PC does too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did not know it had ExFAT, but I just put the card into the phone and pressed "Erase everything on SD card".

Well, I've put shed loads on it and no problems so far, and in my card reader I get up to 16MB/s write, so it's all good. I guess problems are just down to the people who buy cheap knock-offs?

I didn't even do a format on my SanDisk 32gb class10.
I just popped it in and it works.
Think I might format to exfat though so I can store larger files.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2

I got an S4 yesterday (USD 665 here in Muscat for the unlocked 16GB model) and put in the 64GB card I used before on Note II. It's formatted as exFAT.
On first power on, the phone complained that memory card was damaged and needed reformatting. Bummer! The S4 doesn't support exFAT???
I ignored the error and continued setting up the phone. After a few minutes I checked Settings->Storage and was given the option to mount the memory card. I tried and it mounted without any problems! Phew!

FAT32 is the way to go. Later, if you install a custom ROM exFAT won't be supported.
Sent from my SHV-E300S using xda premium

soundping said:
FAT32 is the way to go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not if you have files larger than 4GB, like full HD movies. FAT32 doesn't support files of that size.

abubasim said:
I got an S4 yesterday (USD 665 here in Muscat for the unlocked 16GB model) and put in the 64GB card I used before on Note II. It's formatted as exFAT.
On first power on, the phone complained that memory card was damaged and needed reformatting. Bummer! The S4 doesn't support exFAT???
I ignored the error and continued setting up the phone. After a few minutes I checked Settings->Storage and was given the option to mount the memory card. I tried and it mounted without any problems! Phew!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you don't mind using new kernel, Adam kernel supports exFAT: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2264454

tingtan said:
If you don't mind using new kernel, Adam kernel supports exFAT: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2264454
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure why I would need that as the stock ROM does support exFAT as I said in the above post.

tingtan said:
If you don't mind using new kernel, Adam kernel supports exFAT: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2264454
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can confirm that my rooted i9505 (jfltexx from Vodafone Ireland) does support exFAT directly. I have a Samsung 64GB card which came preformatted with exFAT and it worked. I later formatted it directly in the phone and it was exFAT again. No problems whatsoever.
If you want to install a new kernel, however, you might get into trouble. faux123 wrote the following in his thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2273437 for the new faux kernel:
"NOTE: This kernel DOES NOT SUPPORT exFAT formatted 64 GB SDCards! In order to use 64 GB SDCards, you need to format it to NTFS, then use NTFSMount from Play Store to access your 64GB SDCard.
(This is due to LACK OF SOURCE CODE from Samsung/Microsoft for exFAT. Samsung licensed Microsoft's CLOSED SOURCE exFAT implementation. But Samsung under agreement with Microsoft DOES NOT release the source code and therefore we CANNOT build any support for exFAT formatted 64 GB SDCards)"

[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