Will rooting allow writing to external SD card? - Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

If I root my S4 - only root, no custom ROM -, will it allow me to write to the external SD card? Or is a custom ROM required for that?

Yes.
The steps:
1. Make sure that you have root access
2. Perform a NANDROID backup to be completely safe
3. Use a root-enabled file manager and navigate to /system/etc/permissions
4. Edit platform.xml and find “WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE“
5. Add an additional group definition for this permission: <group gid=”media_rw” />
6. Save the changes and restart your device
You are now able to write on your external SD card again

Is step 5 put on a separate line? Until I root the phone, I can't see what you are saying to do. Maybe you can cut/paste the specific bit of code?

4. Edit platform.xml and find “WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE“
5. Add an additional group definition for this permission: <group gid=”media_rw” />
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to modify the file /platform.xml
Find the code "WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE".
Then add an additional "Group Definition" for this permission ("write_external_storage"):
-->> <group gid="media_rew" />
.

Related

How to: Enable OTG to work in Titanium Backup

If anyone has tried to use an OTG to back up with Titanium Backup you know that if you select a folder on your OTG drive Titanium Backup will say it's not writable even if you can write to it using other methods.
I was looking into this last night because I wanted to back up everything to my 64GB sd card using the meenova OTG adapter (http://www.meenova.com)
Anyway to be able to have TiBU write to it all you have to do is add a lne in an xml file.
YOU MUST BE ROOTED:
Go to /system/etc/permissions
open up platform.xml
look for the line
Code:
<permission name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" >
<group gid="sdcard_rw" />
and add the line
Code:
<group gid="media_rw" />
So now it will look like this:
Code:
<permission name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" >
<group gid="sdcard_rw" />
<group gid="media_rw" />
</permission>
Save the file, reboot and then fire up TiBu and navigate to the folder on your OTG drive and it will now work and the message saying it's not writable will be gone.
Anyone tried this?
I'm always a bit wary of unaccredited websites that ask for my credit card details and address... Did not purchase... If there were a PayPal option, that'd be different.
Jade Eyed Wolf said:
I'm always a bit wary of unaccredited websites that ask for my credit card details and address... Did not purchase... If there were a PayPal option, that'd be different.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't have to buy it. This process will work with any otg. But they are reputable. They had a huge kickstarter campaign and was reported on by a few of the sites (that's how I first found out about it)
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
GoClifGo05 said:
Anyone tried this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I did and it works perfectly. But hey if you don't feel like I'm creditable and need a 2nd opinion then be my guest.. I don't really have the reputation of posting nonsense
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
I'm not calling you out at all! Lol don't get defensive. I just got my x today, DE and just reading around. Please don't take offense.
Sent from my DE Moto X
GoClifGo05 said:
I'm not calling you out at all! Lol don't get defensive. I just got my x today, DE and just reading around. Please don't take offense.
Sent from my DE Moto X
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not offended. I'm just saying.. If it didn't work I wouldn't have posted it. On Nexus devices using stick mount you don't need to do this but with the native otg with the moto x Titanium backup will say the folder on the otg drive is not writable.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
Have an N7, got you. Well.... thanks for the tip.
Sent from my DE Moto X
Jade Eyed Wolf said:
I'm always a bit wary of unaccredited websites that ask for my credit card details and address... Did not purchase... If there were a PayPal option, that'd be different.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't take my money. Hitting add to cart didn't do nothing.
Sent from my XT897 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
graffixnyc said:
If anyone has tried to use an OTG to back up with Titanium Backup you know that if you select a folder on your OTG drive Titanium Backup will say it's not writable even if you can write to it using other methods.
I was looking into this last night because I wanted to back up everything to my 64GB sd card using the meenova OTG adapter (http://www.meenova.com)
Anyway to be able to have TiBU write to it all you have to do is add a lne in an xml file.
YOU MUST BE ROOTED:
Go to /system/etc/permissions
open up platform.xml
look for the line
Code:
<permission name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" >
<group gid="sdcard_rw" />
and add the line
Code:
<group gid="media_rw" />
So now it will look like this:
Code:
<permission name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" >
<group gid="sdcard_rw" />
<group gid="media_rw" />
</permission>
Save the file, reboot and then fire up TiBu and navigate to the folder on your OTG drive and it will now work and the message saying it's not writable will be gone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If rooted and do like you described, then the apps like ES file manager can write file into SD card? Thanks.
Permission Denied
So I have root access and gave root permission to es file manager but whenever I try to save the file I'm unable to. What could be going on? What's going on?
Whenever I try this my whole system goes to hell. I end up having to reinstall system, not even deleting the line off the file and rebooting works.
On my Nexus 6 I have a Flash Drive connected via OTG, I am using StickMount to mount it in the file system, I can use it without any problem from TWRP, RootExplorer, Media Players, etc. The Flash drive is formatted using FAT32. When I try to configure Titanium Backup to use it as the destination folder for backup, I can get to the folder where the drive is mounted but the option "Use the current folder" is dimmed and I cannot press it to select the folder, please any help or guidance will be appreciated, thanks
<permission name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" > <group gid="sdcard_rw" /> <group gid="media_rw" /> </permission>
this line is unavailable but i found this one :
<permission name="android.permission.WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE" > <group gid="sdcard_rw" /> <group gid="media_rw" /> </permission>
is it the same thing ???
falciatrice10 said:
<permission name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" > <group gid="sdcard_rw" /> <group gid="media_rw" /> </permission>
this line is unavailable but i found this one :
<permission name="android.permission.WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE" > <group gid="sdcard_rw" /> <group gid="media_rw" /> </permission>
is it the same thing ???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same case. WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE is in place as well as both permissions, and it doesn't solve the problem. Added WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE tag, didn't help either.
I found a correct solution on ( SURPRIIISE! ) Titanium Backup Troubleshooting FAQ
31. External SD Card problems (This Folder is NOT Writeable)
Since Android 4.4 and above, the SDCard permissions have been changed on how it is granted to an application. A quick way to fix this is by using SDFix application.
There is an elegant way of giving TitaniumBackup write access to the external sdcard, without having to forfeit security (as in method 3 below). Since the time of Android 4.3, Google uses a very clean security-solution by giving apps that request write access to external SD, permission only to their own folder – not to the entire card! In order to get TitaniumBackup to work without compromising security, you can simply create a folder on the external sdcard,using the following folder-structure: /storage/extSdCard/Android/data/com.keramidas.TitaniumBackup/
If you already have existing backups, move them with a file-explorer from their current place to: /storage/extSdCard/Android/data/com.keramidas.TitaniumBackup/ Lastly, go to the preferences of TitaniumBackup, choose “Backup folder location” and choose the above specified folder.
Finish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It works!
ShurV said:
I found a correct solution on ( SURPRIIISE! ) Titanium Backup Troubleshooting FAQ
It works!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! It works for me.:good:

[Q] Permissions broken

Hi!
I have S4 I9505 with KitKat 4.4.2
I tried to fix writing to external storage for all apps as described here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2687734
I modified the file, restarted phone.. and now I have no internet, no wireless, no bluetooh, I cannot see my storage (neither internal or sd card), mz pc wont recognize the storages... I cannot make any backup, because I cannot write to any storage..
And, no, I haven"t done any backup of that file...
I tried to reedit but no succes...
Maybe someone can upload the original file?
Or do you have any suggestions?
eltigre4jc said:
Hi!
I have S4 I9505 with KitKat 4.4.2
I tried to fix writing to external storage for all apps as described here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2687734
I modified the file, restarted phone.. and now I have no internet, no wireless, no bluetooh, I cannot see my storage (neither internal or sd card), mz pc wont recognize the storages... I cannot make any backup, because I cannot write to any storage..
And, no, I haven"t done any backup of that file...
I tried to reedit but no succes...
Maybe someone can upload the original file?
Or do you have any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you need to set permission to rw-/r--/-r--
make sure you only edit
<permission
name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"
>
<group gid="sdcard_r" />
<group gid="sdcard_rw" />
<group gid="media_rw" />
add only <group gid="media_rw" /> as above and save
if you only done this edit to your platform.xml then proceed to set permission as below
1. open root explorer
2. goto system>etc>permisson and mount folder as R/W
3. long press on platform.xml click permission
4. check
owner read and write
group read
others read
and click ok and reboot your phone

Root and SD Card Access

Does applying root to an AT&T S5 allow you to use apps like es file Explorer to move files from the phone storage to an SD card without write errors? Thanks.
-NVE
U need to go to /system/etc/permissions, find platform.xml and add
<group gid="media_rw" />
to WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission.
Then save and reboot.
Awesome! This is great news, thanks for the info.
-NVE
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
ngl_ro said:
U need to go to /system/etc/permissions, find platform.xml and add
<group gid="media_rw" />
to WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission.
Then save and reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried to add the line you mentioned, but when I tried to save it and continue to reboot I got an error that the file couldn't be saved. I'm using ES File Explorer trying to edit the file. Any ideas?
-NVE
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
You need to mount /system as read / write ( click on Root Explorer in the navigation drawer of Es Explorer ).
ngl_ro said:
U need to go to /system/etc/permissions, find platform.xml and add
<group gid="media_rw" />
to WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission.
Then save and reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where do I put it exactly or does it not matter? This is what I see :
<permission name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE">
<group gid="sdcard_r"/>
<group gid="sdcard_rw"/>
<group gid="media_rw"/></permission>
thanks.

[Q] KK4.4.4 External SDcard Fix. WTH?

In order to give permission to access my SDcard I followed the below instructions.
Using a root-enabled file manager navigate to, "/system/etc/permissions"
Edit "platform.xml" and find the "WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission."
Add an additional group definition for this permission: <group gid=”media_rw” />
Save the changes to the file.
Restart the phone.
It worked. The problem I'm having now is my Bluetooth will not load. It starts dark green then goes gray.
To try and fix this I simply re-edited the platform.xml and deleted,
<group gid=”media_rw” /> and did a cold restart. Bluetooth still will not working. Any ideas as to
why this happened and how to fix without re-installing.

[ROOT][All Amazon Fire Tablets] FOR REAL: Allow apps to write to external storage

I have been saving this for a while because it can be a headache when you forget about it. Also this seems to stop at least one headache now that most of have TWRP.
Basically Amazon removed a permission from the platform.xml that allows apps to write to and be moved to external storage (sdcard) PROPERLY.
There is a couple of cons to this (isn't there always lol). When you uninstall an app, the data will persist in the external storage which means you have to delete it manually. This can be a headache if you forget about this and need to reflash stock. So make sure to format your card before doing that.
The second con is you have to make sure all of the toggles for Amazon's external storage settings are turned off. So if you have Amazon apps still installed, they're going to get lost. Just delete them, their data folders and sideload them from adb from somewhere like APK Mirror (some are in the play store).
Instructions:
1. With a root explorer, navigate to /system/etc/permissions and open platform.xml in the native text editor, or copy the file to your sdcard then to PC and open it in Notepad++.
2. Look for the following permission: WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE and add the following line to the with the others, above sdcard_r:
Code:
<group gid="media_rw" />
3. Look for the permission WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE and add the following line under media_rw:
Code:
<group gid="sdcard_rw" />
4. Save the file and reboot to recovery and wipe the cache. Reboot the device. If you have flash fire working, wipe the dalvik and cache through the app.
5. Now you have the ability to use nearly all of your available storage, without anything screaming at you every few minutes. Thank me by hitting the thumbs up button a million times and get rid of that bottle of aspirin.

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