Database Users

Should I be able to format my MicroSD card?

I don't see an option to do so in settings.

gunnyman said:
I don't see an option to do so in settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not that i'm aware of.. you'll have to use a PC and format it to fat32.

The external sd support on honeycomb is appalling. It's almost as if google weren't expecting manufacturers to include external sd slots on their devices. I get no notification when I insert my sd, no options to format or safely remove either. Even my Nokia (and I hate Symbian) can do these things. Also haven't seen any news about this support being added in 3.1.

Have you been able to format your SD Card yet? One thing I can tell you I dont like is that the system is reading the internal memory as SD Card. So all the apps you use like titanium and SD card Tools to test the speed error out. They really need to fix that. As far as your card goes if you havent.
With Windows insert card right click on it and click format and select fat32.
With mac Use Disk utility and format through there and also select fat32.
A lot of SD card manufactures are not intializing the cards which is why if it is brand new needs to be put in your PC. At the current moment there is no partition table which is why the tablet can not read it.

tablet can read it as it's an old one I had. I just wanted to format it without having to pull it

[Q] Cannot use internal sd to store applications after partitioning

Hello
I accidentaly partitioned my internal SD from the recovery console. I can see it fine, when my phone boots under cm9. The problem is that I cannot use it to store applications.
When I go to settings->storage, I can see the following storages :
1) Internal Storage total space 114MB
2) USB Storage total space 7.38GB
I tried to install google maps and I got a not enough available memory message.

Post in Q&A section please
Btw you can re-partition it again and try

Sorry. I said it was a question somewhere, though!!
I repartitioned it again a while ago, and I still get internal storage 114MB, which means I have very little space to install apps that cannot be moved to the SD.
Am I missing something else here?

divined2004 said:
Sorry. I said it was a question somewhere, though!!
I repartitioned it again a while ago, and I still get internal storage 114MB, which means I have very little space to install apps that cannot be moved to the SD.
Am I missing something else here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depending on what type of partition you may have made earlier ...rfs or ext 4.. your phone may be only reading one of this partitions...best to unmount and format to your current phones format

I repartitioned and formated it under recovery mode.
Nonetheless, when I go to settings->storage, I can only see the 7.38GB of the internal SD under the USB STORAGE section.
I only have 152KB of recognizable internal storage available now, which means I can`t install anything.
I use the recovery mode to partition the internal SD. I want my internal SD, to be recognized as internal, as it used to be before I used the partition utility.
Gasp!!

divined2004 said:
I repartitioned and formated it under recovery mode.
Nonetheless, when I go to settings->storage, I can only see the 7.38GB of the internal SD under the USB STORAGE section.
I only have 152KB of recognizable internal storage available now, which means I can`t install anything.
I use the recovery mode to partition the internal SD. I want my internal SD, to be recognized as internal, as it used to be before I used the partition utility.
Gasp!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
undo your lagfix FIRST ..than use menu > settings> storage> unmount and format to recover full SD card space

I found this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=733343
where someone gives a script that removes the lagfix, or so he claims. Can I copy it over to my phone and then use the terminal to execute it?

divined2004 said:
I found this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=733343
where someone gives a script that removes the lagfix, or so he claims. Can I copy it over to my phone and then use the terminal to execute it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pretty old thread, not sure as to what kernel that script is for .
Why not try to undo partition in recovery as that option should be there...the same way you were able to partition .

Sorry pal for being so persistive but I cannot find any undo partition in the recovery.
Do I really need to lagfix before I try what you suggested before? What does the lagfix do anyway?
One important thing I just noticed. I cannot unmount it, under settings->storage because it ain`t recognized under the SD CARD section but under USB STORAGE.
Ain`t that odd?

divined2004 said:
Do I really need to lagfix before I try what you suggested before? What does the lagfix do anyway?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
one and the same thing lagfix changes rfs (original samsung format) to ext 2 or ext 4 formats
the partitioning you have done... I assume is to ext 4 or is it ext 2?
divined2004 said:
One important thing I just noticed. I cannot unmount it, under settings->storage because it ain`t recognized under the SD CARD section but under USB STORAGE. Ain`t that odd?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, this would be case, because, you have two different partitions and your system cannot read one because its is using the other.
In storage you can unmount and format using your PC, as that would be the only option for you now (so best you use this option, but first copy the entire contents of SD card to your PC) after format you can copy what you need back to your SD card
or you can use this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1709398
but be careful which drive you format

Features of Marshmallow - Episode 1 : Using microSD card as internal storage

New android version Marshmallow has a feature to use microSD card as internal storage.
When Marshmallow detects a microSD card for the first time it asks to chose Portable or Internal storage mode.
If you choose "Use as portable storage" you will use it as before. You can save your photos, videos, some applications or their data,
backup/restore your phone, etc. and you can see your files if you take it out of your phone and connect to another device or PC, as usual.
But if you choose "Use as internal storage" and click "ERASE&FORMAT" button at next screen,
then your microSD card will be formatted as ext4 and encrypted. You will loose everything in your microSD card and it will
become your only internal storage. Now, If you take it out of your phone and connect to another device or PC, it will not possible to see your files
since it is encrypted. Your microSD is usable only with your phone.
Than, what is the advantage of using microSD card as internal storage?
If your phone's real internal storage very small (ex: 4gb) and you have trouble installing new apps then you may put a 32 GB microSD card and use it as internal storage. Then your internal storage will be 32 GB (Not total of 36GB).
It will act as your phone's internal storage.
Disadvantages?
microSD card used as internal storage is useless out of your phone since it is encrypted. You can not use it taking out of your phone and putting into another device to transfer your photos, music files, zipped ROM files etc.
It will not be visible as external storage anymore.
Phone's real internal storage is not visible.
So,
If your phone's real internal storage is not too small and especially if you want to use your external storage as usual, there is no need to use a microSD card as internal storage.

darkRd said:
New android version Marshmallow has a feature to use microSD card as internal storage.
When Marshmallow detects a microSD card for the first time it asks to chose Portable or Internal storage mode.
If you choose "Use as portable storage" you will use it as before. You can save your photos, videos, some applications or their data,
backup/restore your phone, etc. and you can see your files if you take it out of your phone and connect to another device or PC, as usual.
But if you choose "Use as internal storage" and click "ERASE&FORMAT" button at next screen,
then your microSD card will be formatted as ext4 and encrypted. You will loose everything in your microSD card and it will
become your only internal storage. Now, If you take it out of your phone and connect to another device or PC, it will not possible to see your files
since it is encrypted. Your microSD is usable only with your phone.
Than, what is the advantage of using microSD card as internal storage?
If your phone's real internal storage very small (ex: 4gb) and you have trouble installing new apps then you may put a 32 GB microSD card and use it as internal storage. Then your internal storage will be 32 GB (Not total of 36GB).
It will act as your phone's internal storage.
Disadvantages?
microSD card used as internal storage is useless out of your phone since it is encrypted. You can not use it taking out of your phone and putting into another device to transfer your photos, music files, zipped ROM files etc.
It will not be visible as external storage anymore.
Phone's real internal storage is not visible.
So,
If your phone's real internal storage is not too small and especially if you want to use your external storage as usual, there is no need to use a microSD card as internal storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No way to read or write in ext4 in pc???

jaswinprakash said:
No way to read or write in ext4 in pc???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Possible, on Linux

Ranpe said:
Possible, on Linux
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But its still encrypted, so that won't help I guess. Also once you flash your phone or something, the contents won't be available anymore I think. It's just a guess though, I don't know how it is decrypted and all.
Sent from my MotoG3-TE using XDA Forums

jaswinprakash said:
No way to read or write in ext4 in pc???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems to be not possible out of your phone by anyway since it is encrypted.
I don't not know whether it is possible to extract encryption key from phone and decrypt the files using this key but this shouldn't be possible because of security reasons.
No one desires access to the important files in the sd card if it is captured by any one else.

darkRd said:
It seems to be not possible out of your phone by anyway since it is encrypted.
I don't not know whether it is possible to extract encryption key from phone and decrypt the files using this key but this shouldn't be possible because of security reasons.
No one desires access to the important files in the sd card if it is captured by any one else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is possible done it in my Lenovo A328. Courtesy of this mod:
http : / / forum.xda-developers.com / android / development / rom-flight-a328-custom-rom-based-150429-t3137708

If you corrupted your SD card rooting............

My cheat sheet.............
1-CMD Run as admistrator
2-diskpart
3-list disk
4-select disk (#)
5-detail disk
6-clean
6-clean
7-create partition primary
8-active
9-format fs=fat32 quick
Here is a YouTube video showing how to do it. Except our sd card needs to be formatted fat32.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5VVjEopxfw

My cheat sheet.............
1-CMD Run as admistrator
2-diskpart
3-list disk
4-select disk (#)
5-detail disk
6-clean
6-clean
7-create partition primary
8-active
9-format fs=fat32 quick

doctor-cool said:
1-CMD Run as admistrator
2-diskpart
3-list disk
4-select disk (#)
5-detail disk
6-clean
6-clean
7-create partition primary
8-active
9-format fs=fat32 quick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or you could just use SD Formatter 4 for even faster easier fixing.
http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/d...l-to-restore-full-capacity-on-sdhc/sdxc-cards

works great
glen5678 said:
Or you could just use SD Formatter 4 for even faster easier fixing.
http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/d...l-to-restore-full-capacity-on-sdhc/sdxc-cards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EDIT................Read next post

On second thought......
glen5678 said:
Or you could just use SD Formatter 4 for even faster easier fixing.
http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/d...l-to-restore-full-capacity-on-sdhc/sdxc-cards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After using the scan dish program several times I noticed the SD card was not recognized by teamwin recovery every time.
It could have been a fluke but I think.
The MS DOS commands in the OP are more reliable.

I'm using lenovo A7000 and recently updated marshmallow and chosen 32GB SD card as internal memory. It was worked as internal memory perfectly quite some time, all of sudden I got message that SD corrupted and doesn't show data stored in the card, it shows zero files, I lost all media files!! However USB storage option in settings SD card shows 6.5GB used out of 28GB. Since it's treated as internal memory I'm not able to read the card in other devices. I have important media files and documents in SD card and I didn't backup them. I'm bit worried!!! How to recover the data from SD card. I assume if SD card changed back to portable, it will format and lose data!!! Please support

ramu.malisetti said:
I'm using lenovo A7000 and recently updated marshmallow and chosen 32GB SD card as internal memory. It was worked as internal memory perfectly quite some time, all of sudden I got message that SD corrupted and doesn't show data stored in the card, it shows zero files, I lost all media files!! However USB storage option in settings SD card shows 6.5GB used out of 28GB. Since it's treated as internal memory I'm not able to read the card in other devices. I have important media files and documents in SD card and I didn't backup them. I'm bit worried!!! How to recover the data from SD card. I assume if SD card changed back to portable, it will format and lose data!!! Please support
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've heard of this problem before. Good luck

After step 9, is it possible to change it to another format type or does it need to stay on fat32?
Also, does the sdcard need to be connected directly to the pc? When I tried list disk while the sdcard was still in the phone (sdcard>phone>usb>pc), it wouldn't come up.

Had the same thing happen to both mine and my wife's SD cards in the Note 4....I think its the phone screwing things up. When it happen to me the phone rebooted and then the card was corrupt. The are like ticking time bombs..

I use the drive format tool from hiren''s boot usb. 1 click and Works like a charm.

glen5678 said:
Or you could just use SD Formatter 4 for even faster easier fixing.
http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/d...l-to-restore-full-capacity-on-sdhc/sdxc-cards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or you could pop that bad boy in another already booted android device and format (dont Use the note 4 )

mojoswagger1980 said:
Or you could pop that bad boy in another already booted android device and format (dont Use the note 4 )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We can just format these corrupted micro sdcards by using the Format SD card in the phone's storage settings? What do you mean by 'dont Use the note 4' though?

I wiped it on my computer, then put it back in once android was started and immediately wiped it, it's worked every time so far.

mojoswagger1980 said:
Or you could pop that bad boy in another already booted android device and format (dont Use the note 4 )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
\t
The note 4 will bootloop with the sdcard you used to root due to the fact it has your bootloader original CID stored on it as a fail safe (something messes up during the procedure ) but any device not using said CID is fine ....I used a Huawei ascend to format .worked fine and formatted card without need of pc.

SD card for app storage

I'm using a 400GB SD card. I saw a comment about creating 2 different partitions on it as I want to use part of it for app storage and the other part for file storage, The second partition would be exFAT so I can remove the card and transfer my books, music, etc. to it by attaching the SD card to my laptop as I understand that Windows would not be able to recognize the partition that would be formatted as internal storage. I did format the SD card using my laptop as two separate partitions. My Samsung Galaxy Tab A saw both partitions. I selected the 96GB partition as I wanted to use that for app storage and selected the option to use it as internal storage. Unfortunately when I did that, it appears that the system set the whole CD card up for internal storage. Does anyone have any insight on how to accomplish this - use part of the SD card for internal storage and part of it for storage that would be recognizable by Windows? Thank you very much.

I have not tried, so take the advice as a suggestion, perhaps android can be "fooled", which I doubt.
After creating a bulk partition in android, move the SD to Windows and resize that partition, and create a second partition on the remaining capacity and hide it.
Now move the SD back to android and see what happens.
If android will reformat the partitions again then I can't advise anything else.
However, if android accepts the memory, then the next step is to discover the partition in Windows and recheck the SD in android.

ze7zez said:
I have not tried, so take the advice as a suggestion, perhaps android can be "fooled", which I doubt.
After creating a bulk partition in android, move the SD to Windows and resize that partition, and create a second partition on the remaining capacity and hide it.
Now move the SD back to android and see what happens.
If android will reformat the partitions again then I can't advise anything else.
However, if android accepts the memory, then the next step is to discover the partition in Windows and recheck the SD in android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I was trying to work on that and now the Android Storage module (in Settings) keeps crashing when I open it. IDK what happened here. I've reformatted the SD card, I've removed the SD card, I've rebooted the table multiple times. I'm almost to the point of having to restore the tablet from scratch ... again.

Try this:
Link2SD - Apps on Google Play
Complete app management, move to SD, clear cache, remove bloatware and more
play.google.com

JR1979 said:
I'm using a 400GB SD card. I saw a comment about creating 2 different partitions on it as I want to use part of it for app storage and the other part for file storage, The second partition would be exFAT so I can remove the card and transfer my books, music, etc. to it by attaching the SD card to my laptop as I understand that Windows would not be able to recognize the partition that would be formatted as internal storage. I did format the SD card using my laptop as two separate partitions. My Samsung Galaxy Tab A saw both partitions. I selected the 96GB partition as I wanted to use that for app storage and selected the option to use it as internal storage. Unfortunately when I did that, it appears that the system set the whole CD card up for internal storage. Does anyone have any insight on how to accomplish this - use part of the SD card for internal storage and part of it for storage that would be recognizable by Windows? Thank you very much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're trying to convert a partition in sd card as internal storage and leave the rest as an external storage. Not possible as far as I know.

TheMystic said:
You're trying to convert a partition in sd card as internal storage and leave the rest as an external storage. Not possible as far as I know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats a bummer but that is what I was feeling was going to be the outcome. I guess I'll just go with it as internal storage then and be rlefated to wireless transfer of my books, etc. To the tablet. Any thoughts on why my Storage module keeps crashing now? Something definitely went nuts somewhere along the way here. It was running fine.. until I start poking around with this. I'll probably just do a rebuild again tonight.. if I can find my steps notes.

I also don't think it's possible to do what you have in mind. It's also important to remember that Windows will only mount the first partition of an SD card. It won't see any other partitions without 3rd party software installed.

JR1979 said:
Thats a bummer but that is what I was feeling was going to be the outcome. I guess I'll just go with it as internal storage then and be rlefated to wireless transfer of my books, etc. To the tablet. Any thoughts on why my Storage module keeps crashing now? Something definitely went nuts somewhere along the way here. It was running fine.. until I start poking around with this. I'll probably just do a rebuild again tonight.. if I can find my steps notes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason people want a micro SD card is to be able to move it around between devices, so it is not a good idea to convert it into 'internal storage' for two reasons:
1. You can no longer move the card around (not without reformatting it again).
2. This process would significantly slow down the system if the OS starts saving apps, data and files on the micro SD card because it sees this space as internal storage.
Because of how you partitioned the SD card and tried converting only a part of it as internal storage, my guess is the process caused corruption somewhere, and the system is crashing because of that. I'm afraid you'll have to do a factory reset and start from scratch. I hope your files are safe.

JR1979 said:
I'm using a 400GB SD card. I saw a comment about creating 2 different partitions on it as I want to use part of it for app storage and the other part for file storage, The second partition would be exFAT so I can remove the card and transfer my books, music, etc. to it by attaching the SD card to my laptop as I understand that Windows would not be able to recognize the partition that would be formatted as internal storage. I did format the SD card using my laptop as two separate partitions. My Samsung Galaxy Tab A saw both partitions. I selected the 96GB partition as I wanted to use that for app storage and selected the option to use it as internal storage. Unfortunately when I did that, it appears that the system set the whole CD card up for internal storage. Does anyone have any insight on how to accomplish this - use part of the SD card for internal storage and part of it for storage that would be recognizable by Windows? Thank you very much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should NEVER use an SD card for internal storage. They are MUCH to slow for that purpose. Today's SoC have RAM chips mounted directly on top and are several times faster than the fastest SD card bus. And low end tablets, which includes ALL Tab A devices, use a USB bus with limited bandwidth. So using faster SD cards is pointless as they will still only be as fast as the bus. SD cards are fine for storing video, audio, text and downloaded files, but NOT for running apps. Doing so will cause the device to be laggy at best, and cause crashes at worst.

blaacksheep said:
I also don't think it's possible to do what you have in mind. It's also important to remember that Windows will only mount the first partition of an SD card. It won't see any other partitions without 3rd party software installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The two partitions on the USB flash drive can be seen* in Windows without third-party software.
*I don't have an English Windows interface.

ze7zez said:
The two partitions on the USB flash drive can be seen* in Windows without third-party software.
*I don't have an English Windows interface.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I meant that it won't mount the second partition, although you can see it in Disk Manager.

blaacksheep said:
I meant that it won't mount the second partition, although you can see it in Disk Manager.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows 10 mounts both of these partitions, assigns them letters and you can use them (read and write).

ze7zez said:
Windows 10 mounts both of these partitions, assigns them letters and you can use them (read and write).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I stand corrected! Previous versions of Windows could not do that.

ze7zez said:
The two partitions on the USB flash drive can be seen* in Windows without third-party software.
*I don't have an English Windows interface.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Something strange in that attachment. Since when do Android SD cards have NTFS partitions? As far as I know, the internal storage partitions that Windows couldn't read were formated as Ext3 or Ext4 and the external as either FAT32 or exFAT.

lewmur said:
Something strange in that attachment. Since when do Android SD cards have NTFS partitions? As far as I know, the internal storage partitions that Windows couldn't read were formated as Ext3 or Ext4 and the external as either FAT32 or exFAT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't suggest the volume label. Partition K: is FAT. The example shows that Windows can show two partitions on a USB stick.

ze7zez said:
Don't suggest the volume label. Partition K: is FAT. The example shows that Windows can show two partitions on a USB stick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course it can. It can show several. But NOT the two partitions created on an Android SD card because one of then is formated in a file system Windows doesn't recognize and that is what the poster was talking about.
edit: Disk Manager will actually show the partition but it won't be assigned a drive letter because Windows can't mount it.