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Can't view SD contents on phone. Please advise!

When I try to look at my photos and various items on my SD card from the phone, I can't. If I plug it up and view via my computer, everything is still there. It shows me my available and used space. I already tried moving and reformatting.
What can it be and how do I correct it. Thanks in advance.

Csierra72 said:
When I try to look at my photos and various items on my SD card from the phone, I can't. If I plug it up and view via my computer, everything is still there. It shows me my available and used space. I already tried moving and reformatting.
What can it be and how do I correct it. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm. Thats kind of odd. So you can see all of your photos fine from your computer? Maybe copy everything back to your computer, and instead of copying everything back, put the sd card back in the phone (as a test) and take some pics with the camera, and see if you are able to view them. If so, copy just your photos back to the card. Test again, and see if you are able to see them. If not, then I honestly don't know. If that does work, I'd say that some other file on the sd card is corrupt or something. You said you did format the card, right? Did you use the computer to format it as FAT32, or did you use the phone to format it? Whichever you already tried, maybe try the other way too, just to be safe. Hopefully some of that helps you, but if not, then I apologize, as I've never had anything similar like that happen to myself.

are you using es file explorer with the root option enabled? sometimes on sense roms if you have the root option enabled you can't view the sd card contents. Also try making sure other root apps don't have the /system or /data mounted rw

I had access issues with my SD card and I deducted that it was bad. I used the stock card that came with the Evo and the problem went away. Maybe use a different one and see how it works
Good Luck

I've tried anything and everything. even bought a new card. All was good for a day and then it started happening again. Sprint is sending me a new phone. they couldn't figure it out either. Thanks for the suggestions though.

Csierra72 said:
I've tried anything and everything. even bought a new card. All was good for a day and then it started happening again. Sprint is sending me a new phone. they couldn't figure it out either. Thanks for the suggestions though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you do not have a .nomedia file in your SD Card root folder. Wherever a file named .nomedia is, the phone will not scan that directory. I had the same issue with my phone not detecting my pictures and videos and it turned out that file was in my root directory. Deleted it and voila! All back up now. I think PowerAMP put it there for some reason.

THANK YOU!!! That was it, fixed it.

akarol said:
Make sure you do not have a .nomedia file in your SD Card root folder. Wherever a file named .nomedia is, the phone will not scan that directory. I had the same issue with my phone not detecting my pictures and videos and it turned out that file was in my root directory. Deleted it and voila! All back up now. I think PowerAMP put it there for some reason.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Csierra72 said:
THANK YOU!!! That was it, fixed it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that tip. I've never had that problem, but I love seeing threads like this, where it's something unusual and out of the ordinary. I will retain that info in my arsenal of Android / Evo knowledge for future use or helping other people with it. That is so strange, that something as simple as a .nomedia file could cause a problem like that, and it's also even more odd that an app like poweramp would create that file. Is there any known reason as to why the heck poweramp would create this file that makes it so the contents of your sd card are not readable? I'm glad you got it fixed up OP! I love xda, so much info here.

I have this same issue,I just bought an EVO because my Epic screen smashed and I'm using the sd card out of the epic(which was rooted) and I'm trying to view the contents,it used to be MyFiles on the epic but I can't find out where to see it on the EVO...I want to get all the stuff I had backed up onto my Evo...any help appreciated...and I don't see a .nomedia file

mithritades said:
I have this same issue,I just bought an EVO because my Epic screen smashed and I'm using the sd card out of the epic(which was rooted) and I'm trying to view the contents,it used to be MyFiles on the epic but I can't find out where to see it on the EVO...I want to get all the stuff I had backed up onto my Evo...any help appreciated...and I don't see a .nomedia file
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't say I blame you for coming to the Evo forums to ask this question about your Epic. I would download root explorer and see if you can find the file.

heathmcabee said:
Can't say I blame you for coming to the Evo forums to ask this question about your Epic. I would download root explorer and see if you can find the file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No,you misunderstand,I HAD AN EPIC but I broke the screen so I GOT AN EVO...

mithritades said:
No,you misunderstand,I HAD AN EPIC but I broke the screen so I GOT AN EVO...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What file manager are you trying to use to see the SD card contents. Astro is a good file manager. Root explorer is also great, but isn't free.

k2buckley said:
What file manager are you trying to use to see the SD card contents. Astro is a good file manager. Root explorer is also great, but isn't free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so i bought a new sd card and I bought rootexplorer(I rooted it lastnight with unrevoked3),why isn't there an app for seeing the sd card in the applications menu?,now that i can see the SD...how do I restore my contacts from my backup on my old sd card?

mithritades said:
Ok so i bought a new sd card and I bought rootexplorer(I rooted it lastnight with unrevoked3),why isn't there an app for seeing the sd card in the applications menu?,now that i can see the SD...how do I restore my contacts from my backup on my old sd card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, there isn't a native/built in file manager. You need to use a third party app to see the sd card. Did you have your contacts backed up on google? If so, they should restore when you log in to google. If you didn't, and you had them backed up on your sd card, then I'd copy the contents of your old sd card onto the new one, from within the contacts app, press menu, and select import/export. choose to import from sd card, and see if that works. If that's how you had saved them before, by 'exporting to sd card', then that should work. Good luck.

k2buckley said:
Yea, there isn't a native/built in file manager. You need to use a third party app to see the sd card. Did you have your contacts backed up on google? If so, they should restore when you log in to google. If you didn't, and you had them backed up on your sd card, then I'd copy the contents of your old sd card onto the new one, from within the contacts app, press menu, and select import/export. choose to import from sd card, and see if that works. If that's how you had saved them before, by 'exporting to sd card', then that should work. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never tried exporting them before I always used TB ,Unfortunately I have to manually copy them,Titanium backup wasn't no help,I bought Mybackup Pro so I should be good from here on out...thnx for the help anyway

microSD card - problem of writing to

Hello!
I have a problem to write data to external microSD card mounted to my Tab 7.7. I cannot copy/move files, create folders, etc. there when doing this using the Tab. At the same time I can do all of this from my PC when the Tab is connected to it - I can create folders on the microSD, copy or move file. Also, there is no problem to read data form the external card by the Tab (books, for example). So, the problem seems to be only with writing to the card from the Tab.
Could anyone give an advice please? Thank you.

nuhor68 said:
Hello!
I have a problem to write data to external microSD card mounted to my Tab 7.7. I cannot copy/move files, create folders, etc. there when doing this using the Tab. At the same time I can do all of this from my PC when the Tab is connected to it - I can create folders on the microSD, copy or move file. Also, there is no problem to read data form the external card by the Tab (books, for example). So, the problem seems to be only with writing to the card from the Tab.
Could anyone give an advice please? Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can only use the internal File Manager app built-in the tablet, OR if you have a rooted tab, then use root explorer or estrongs in root mode to do so.
Basically, the microSD card is mounted in a very awkward state - normally you cannot move or delete files from the card, but with the built in file manager app you do have the proper permissions.

kazuni said:
You can only use the internal File Manager app built-in the tablet, OR if you have a rooted tab, then use root explorer or estrongs in root mode to do so.
Basically, the microSD card is mounted in a very awkward state - normally you cannot move or delete files from the card, but with the built in file manager app you do have the proper permissions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kazuni, yes, this works. Thank you very much for your help.

There is a fix here, post #7
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1414214
You need root, and make sure you do a nandroid backup prior to modifying the file.

pa64 said:
There is a fix here, post #7
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1414214
You need root, and make sure you do a nandroid backup prior to modifying the file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder if Gary's zip here will work on the 7.7 too?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1458021

crunchie-uk said:
I wonder if Gary's zip here will work on the 7.7 too?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1458021
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Worrk fine on 6800, 3G
Thanks

That looks like the same edit i applied to my permissions.xml file.
Sent from another Galaxy...
Tab 7.7

Big problem with 64gb sd card

Hi,
I buyed a 64gb sd card for my I9505 from ebay : http://www.ebay.de/itm/321281740225.
I copied from PC to the S4 (64gb card) a mp4. file.
But when I restart the phone or else the file don´t show up more?
I also search the mp4. file with "root explorer" but no solution.
When I connect the sd card with the PC, It´s also don´t show up the file so I lost it.
Can Anybody help me?
(Sry for bad english )

xn0live said:
Hi,
I buyed a 64gb sd card for my I9505 from ebay : http://www.ebay.de/itm/321281740225.
I copied from PC to the S4 (64gb card) a mp4. file.
But when I restart the phone or else the file don´t show up more?
I also search the mp4. file with "root explorer" but no solution.
When I connect the sd card with the PC, It´s also don´t show up the file so I lost it.
Can Anybody help me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Language is not a problem... a few questions:
1. Have you used "USB device unplugging" from your PC, or have you just pulled out the plug? Sometimes Windows is buffering and writing the files (especially large ones) even if it displays message that the process is complete...
2. After purchase, have you formatted the card from the phone's level?
3. Are you sure that you have copied the file into EXTERNAL SD card, not to INTERNAL memory?
4. If you'd try to copy any small file, what's the result (before doing that, see 5 below)
5. Have you moved the file (copy on PC would be erased), or have you copied it (copy is still existing on your PC and you could use it)?
If you have moved the file - dedicated for SD cards and/or for PC data recovery software may work for you to restore it.
6. Have you reset the phone? In some cases I experienced the fact that copied file was not visible on the card until I made the phone reset

spamtrash said:
Language is not a problem... a few questions:
1. Have you used "USB device unplugging" from your PC, or have you just pulled out the plug? Sometimes Windows is buffering and writing the files (especially large ones) even if it displays message that the process is complete...
2. After purchase, have you formatted the card from the phone's level?
3. Are you sure that you have copied the file into EXTERNAL SD card, not to INTERNAL memory?
4. If you'd try to copy any small file, what's the result (before doing that, see 5 below)
5. Have you moved the file (copy on PC would be erased), or have you copied it (copy is still existing on your PC and you could use it)?
If you have moved the file - dedicated for SD cards and/or for PC data recovery software may work for you to restore it.
6. Have you reset the phone? In some cases I experienced the fact that copied file was not visible on the card until I made the phone reset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first thx for the fast answer !
1. I just pulled out the plug.
2. Yes I format It to "Exdata" there Is also "NTFS" that I can tick. But I formated with Exdata.
3. Yes I´m very sure
4. I copied also a small file (5mb) It´s the same result :/
5. I moved and copied files.
6. I came from 16gb sd card It´s perfect worked. Do I really must reset the phone ? :/ or just a option?
just a question: Why is there no option for format to "fat32"? There are only Exdata and NTFS.

xn0live said:
first thx for the fast answer !
1. I just pulled out the plug.
2. Yes I format It to "Exdata" there Is also "NTFS" that I can tick. But I formated with Exdata.
3. Yes I´m very sure
4. I copied also a small file (5mb) It´s the same result :/
5. I moved and copied files.
6. I came from 16gb sd card It´s perfect worked. Do I really must reset the phone ? :/ or just a option?
just a question: Why is there no option for format to "fat32"? There are only Exdata and NTFS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ad 1: try to repeat with: unmount the device on PC
Ad 2: OK
Ad 3: damn...
Ad 4: Lucky you, you have a copy
Ad 5: same as for 3...
Ad 6: I do not know, but I had that behaviour a few times with my phone/64G card, so I suggested it to you.
To format 64G as fat32, you'd need the special software (please read more info here. BUT, please remember that I'm not certain if your phone would recognize that partition correctly.

With fat32 same problem
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

xn0live said:
With fat32 same problem
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remove the card from phone, put it in card reader and try again. see what will happen. Can be damaged card.

spamtrash said:
Remove the card from phone, put it in card reader and try again. see what will happen. Can be damaged card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The pc read the card normally.
Only the videos are deleted.

Download GUIFormat & use it to format the card FAT32, put files back on & try in phone again.

MistahBungle said:
Download GUIFormat & use it to format the card FAT32, put files back on & try in phone again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you read the post #5? He did it already...
---------- Post added at 03:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:53 PM ----------
xn0live said:
The pc read the card normally.
Only the videos are deleted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Put the card in the reader, connect to PC, try to copy the video and other files. Try different types and sizes.
Remove card, put it back in PC. Are all files visible? If so - place card into phone, turn it on, and verify it.

SD card cannot write or delete

I recently bought a micro SD card and formatted it on the S7 edge. The card does not have write protection as I can write and delete on the computer, but not on the device itself. For some reason, My Files (Samsung's built-in file manager) cannot write, but third-party file managers can write. The camera app cannot save to the micro SD card either.

My S7 shows the same behaviour. For some odd reason alternative camera apps can access the SD, only Samsung's cam and MTP file transfers from/to PC don't work. In my case its an Samsung Evo Plus 128GB card.

thiotone said:
I recently bought a micro SD card and formatted it on the S7 edge. The card does not have write protection as I can write and delete on the computer, but not on the device itself. For some reason, My Files (Samsung's built-in file manager) cannot write, but third-party file managers can write. The camera app cannot save to the micro SD card either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It happens to a ma few weeks back, I think you have select it to allow permissions to SD card

Geoz said:
It happens to a ma few weeks back, I think you have select it to allow permissions to SD card
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your feedback! Permissions for the app are set correctly. It also didn't help to disable and re-enable them.

xperia2008 said:
Thanks for your feedback! Permissions for the app are set correctly. It also didn't help to disable and re-enable them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you rooted?

No root - don't want to mess with Know because of Samsung Pay.

xperia2008 said:
No root - don't want to mess with Know because of Samsung Pay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If nothing else works for you then try this.
Unmount and remove SD
Backup data to computer
Format SD and insert into device without data
try to see if file managers will recognice it, you can also reboot for fresh start
remove and put back your data, insert it back in and hope it works

Geoz said:
If nothing else works for you then try this.
Unmount and remove SD
Backup data to computer
Format SD and insert into device without data
try to see if file managers will recognice it, you can also reboot for fresh start
remove and put back your data, insert it back in and hope it works
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried it already, but issue still appears.
Sent from my SM-G9350 using Tapatalk

Geoz said:
If nothing else works for you then try this.
Unmount and remove SD
Backup data to computer
Format SD and insert into device without data
try to see if file managers will recognice it, you can also reboot for fresh start
remove and put back your data, insert it back in and hope it works
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didn't work for me as well. However I found the solution in this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/s7-edge/help/camera-unable-to-save-file-to-sd-card-t3380327
Rydah805's solution of doing a wipe fixed it for me. Not the best solution as I had to export and re-import all my data, but a working solution none the less.
Thanks for your help Geoz!

xperia2008 said:
Didn't work for me as well. However I found the solution in this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/s7-edge/help/camera-unable-to-save-file-to-sd-card-t3380327
Rydah805's solution of doing a wipe fixed it for me. Not the best solution as I had to export and re-import all my data, but a working solution none the less.
Thanks for your help Geoz!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you got it sorted

thiotone said:
I recently bought a micro SD card and formatted it on the S7 edge. The card does not have write protection as I can write and delete on the computer, but not on the device itself. For some reason, My Files (Samsung's built-in file manager) cannot write, but third-party file managers can write. The camera app cannot save to the micro SD card either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey there, have you found a solution for this?? I have same exact issue. I don't want to wipe to see if that fixes it
I have 2 s7 Edge phones with this issue. Both I put the XSG on them to get Samsung Pay to work, but I don't know if its related to putting another FW on.
This is really annoying....... hope there can be a fix.

Cannot Manually Add files to internal Storage SD Card, but Apps can be transfered

I'm having a rather unique problem with my the Micro SD card I installed.
I can format it as internal storage and it won't pop up for file managers or my computer.
This means I can't manually move files to it all.
Despite that when it's internal storage I can move apps to it and it adds new apps to it by default.
I could go to move all and move everything it can on, but it's a fairly slow SD card so I'm hoping to mainly put music, videos and any pictures on there.
I worry about it moving the apps that I want to keep in internal storage for speed over.
Does anyone know how I could fix this?
EDIT:
I didn't manage to figure out how to add files manually while it was internal storage through either internal file managers or through the computer.
But I did manage to find the SD card while it was portable.
The trick is to use the built in file explorer on the phone and copy a small file onto the SD card.
With there being something other than just Android files on the SD card it can then be discovered by the computer.
This mainly solves my problem as I plan to use it primarily for storage of music and game files, with the emulators being on the phone itself.

I had this issue a few days ago. You have 2 options to format, (1) as a internal storage and only your phone can read this and other option (2)to use on others devices. Using the second option I managed to transfer files to my microSD like it used to be.
While using the first option I was able only to transfer apps to it through the system.
I hope it helps

I'm using one, but I'm not even able to find it with File Manager?
Is that normal for Internal Storage?
I expected there to at least be a folder in the normal phone space called SD card or something?
Is there no way to manually move music there when it's internal storage?
Also I tried changing it to be portable but my computer still couldn't see it.
File manager could actually see it and open it but I couldn't copy paste anything to it.
So I turned it back to internal as I can at least move apps to it successfully at the moment.

Rajvir8 said:
I'm using one, but I'm not even able to find it with File Manager?
Is that normal for Internal Storage?
I expected there to at least be a folder in the normal phone space called SD card or something?
Is there no way to manually move music there when it's internal storage?
Also I tried changing it to be portable but my computer still couldn't see it.
File manager could actually see it and open it but I couldn't copy paste anything to it.
So I turned it back to internal as I can at least move apps to it successfully at the moment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I tried as Internal Storage any File Manager found my SDcard too... Thats why I'm using as portable.
After that, i could see this.
Maybe you're missing something like changing the USB connection from Charging to File transfering.
Did you checked this?

Yes it can see the rest of my phone and move files, so I've made sure to change it to file transferring.
When you used internal storage file managers failed to find your SD card as well?
dennismac said:
When I tried as Internal Storage any File Manager found my SDcard too... Thats why I'm using as portable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here your saying that you could find it and that's why you swapped over?
I assume you forgot to say it failed to show up separately and that's why you changed to portable.

Rajvir8 said:
Yes it can see the rest of my phone and move files, so I've made sure to change it to file transferring.
When you used internal storage file managers failed to find your SD card as well?
Here your saying that you could find it and that's why you swapped over?
I assume you forgot to say it failed to show up separately and that's why you changed to portable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry! Yes, I failed to find my SD card too, thats why i changed to portable.
Im assuming this is a normal behavior, my last Android phone was a Galaxy S2 and I stopped following Android changes for the lasts 4/5 years. But idk why you can't see it even in portable mode... That should work as worked for me.
Hope someone help you more than I did!

dennismac said:
Sorry! Yes, I failed to find my SD card too, thats why i changed to portable.
Im assuming this is a normal behavior, my last Android phone was a Galaxy S2 and I stopped following Android changes for the lasts 4/5 years. But idk why you can't see it even in portable mode... That should work as worked for me.
Hope someone help you more than I did!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for trying to help.
I think I might have figured out part of the problem, the file explorer I normally use doesn't have permission to add anything to the SD card. I'm not sure how I would go about giving it permission though.
But when I use the system built in I was able to copy paste some music onto it.
With a file on the SD Card my computer was able to locate it as well, and I can now copy and paste to the SD card using my computer.
So with your help I was able to figure out how to get portable working.
It is a bit disappointing that there isn't a way to manually add files while it is an internal storage though.
So again while your solution didn't directly work, it made me think and find a solution to my problem even if it's not the one I wanted.