Database Users

[Q] SD Card/SD Card-EXT / Internal storage/"Media Area"

Hey everybody, the Atrix is my first Android device and I havent stopped playing with it since I got it. Im curious to what the difference is between the "Media Area" (manage applications>move to "media area") and the internal phone storage? from what i see, anything i move to the "media area" goes to the internal phone storage.
Also while using Root Explorer i saw 2 folders "/sdcard" and "/sdcard-ext" where ext is my external sd. i checked this after noticing that my ADW launcher backup files were NOT on my sd card. and with root explorer the files were in the "sdcard" folder, which is different from my "sdcard-ext" folder.
Can anyone please explain how or why the files that claim to be saved to my sdcard are actually saved to the other "sdcard" file setup by Android? and the difference between the media area and phone storage, why are applications set to "move to media area" rather than "move to sd card".

There is a storage location option under sd card settings. I haven't played with it yet though.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA Premium App

Your phone has an "internal sd card" due to the way the OS is configured. sdcard-ext, as you already know, is your external SD card. Your "internal card" is divided as follows: 2GB for Android OS and webtop software, 2GB dedicated for app installation, and 11GB for media storage. This 11GB partition is called /sdcard/ in addition to media storage.

edgeicator said:
Your phone has an "internal sd card" due to the way the OS is configured. sdcard-ext, as you already know, is your external SD card. Your "internal card" is divided as follows: 2GB for Android OS and webtop software, 2GB dedicated for app installation, and 11GB for media storage. This 11GB partition is called /sdcard/ in addition to media storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So out of curiosity how do you mount the External SD card when you plug your phone into your computer? In my cappy it would just show both SD cards as different drives but it seems when I plug in my Atrix it only wants to show me my internal SD card.

It shows both for me, but sometimes it bugs out and doesn't properly mount the internal storage. A quick reboot fixes it for me.

edgeicator said:
It shows both for me, but sometimes it bugs out and doesn't properly mount the internal storage. A quick reboot fixes it for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that explanation..but yeah I've never seen both when plugged via usb ...good to know tho. Is there a way to set apps or back ups to the external SD card ?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

if you go to sd card & phone storage settings and change the windows media sync storage location to the external sd card both will show if you mount the phone as mass storage.
if you mount it as windows media sync whichever is shown will be the one that shows on the media sync window that comes up on the pc

another thread
jzaslice said:
Thanks for that explanation..but yeah I've never seen both when plugged via usb ...good to know tho. Is there a way to set apps or back ups to the external SD card ?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=973768
according to a couple of users this partition of SD/memory and the external card, cannot be remedied for apps and such to backup or save on the external? Why would Motorola do this..

[Q] Sharp Aquos Install To SD

I bought a 64gb sandisk ultra micro sdxc card which is supposed to be supported in the sharp aquos crystal but it wont let me instal apps to sd, anyone else having this problem? Have any of you been able to install apps to sd on this phone? Whenever i try to install an app it says insufficient storage even though the sd shows 59 gb available. Yes i did format the sd card when i got it.

4.4 system wont let you install any app on sd card unless you root it
which is impossible at current stage

Amen to that, I`m stuck with my sharp squid crystal end of the story. I've tried towelroot, root genius, I've even tried putting the phone into recovery by pressing and holding the power button phone off or on and volume up or down don't work the phone just vibrates and doesn't turn back on till you let go. I got the phone to test because I need a phone to have lots of storage and long battery time which this on does. I put an 128gb SD and it works well, but no luck with trying to get root or putting apps on the SD either. Sharp has it in lock down trying to
Sent from my 306SH using XDA Free mobile app

issue
i manually put all music and apk files onto sd card through my computer and it worked saving me tons of space!
i just made a music folder put music files in it and then booted phone went to music player and the songs all played no music is in the phones storage!

Deltax82 said:
i manually put all music and apk files onto sd card through my computer and it worked saving me tons of space!
i just made a music folder put music files in it and then booted phone went to music player and the songs all played no music is in the phones storage!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can with multimedia no apps. Right
Sent from my 306SH using XDA Free mobile app

How Do you format the sd card? you just delete all contents right? i read the manual.
vartkez187 said:
I bought a 64gb sandisk ultra micro sdxc card which is supposed to be supported in the sharp aquos crystal but it wont let me instal apps to sd, anyone else having this problem? Have any of you been able to install apps to sd on this phone? Whenever i try to install an app it says insufficient storage even though the sd shows 59 gb available. Yes i did format the sd card when i got it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I deleted all content on the new sd card and phone said checking sd card
Does that mean its formated now or did i miss another last step to this?

I'll simply disregard the fact that this SAME EXACT THREAD was already created and answered.
No, you cannot install apps to the SD card WITHOUT ROOT. That is due to Google changing how SD cards function in Kit Kat.
You can move media to the SD card, but not apps.
claudette90g said:
I deleted all content on the new sd card and phone said checking sd card
Does that mean its formated now or did i miss another last step to this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. That only means that the phone is checking for media on the card to include when you use any type of media app (i.e. file explorers, music players, etc.).
It will scan for media at every boot.
To format the SD card you go to Settings > Storage > Unmount SD card > Erase SD card.

'convert' to adaptive storage

I feel like such a noob. I have a 16 GB model with a 128 micro SD card. I was expecting MM to come out much earlier than this (I'm on Verizon) but some time ago I had to not only point my music to the SD card but I also had to move a bunch of apps to the SD card in Lollipop because I was running out of space.
What is the most direct and foolproof way to backup my phone (not rooted), convert to adaptive storage and then get back to where I was with the least amount of work?
Thanks for any suggestions

Root it and use titanium backup

stevevetter said:
I feel like such a noob. I have a 16 GB model with a 128 micro SD card. I was expecting MM to come out much earlier than this (I'm on Verizon) but some time ago I had to not only point my music to the SD card but I also had to move a bunch of apps to the SD card in Lollipop because I was running out of space.
What is the most direct and foolproof way to backup my phone (not rooted), convert to adaptive storage and then get back to where I was with the least amount of work?
Thanks for any suggestions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Move apps back to internal storage, but free up space if you don't have it; you can copy the entirety of user-facing internal storage via MTP to a temporary directory on a PC, if you absolutely need the space for apps. Then, copy the entirety of the SD card to a temporary directory on a computer using either a microSD USB reader or via MTP through the phone itself. This will take an hour or so (maybe much longer) depending on how much data needs copying. If you don't need to free up space from internal storage, deal only with the SD card data.
You can then format the SD card as internal, and copy everything back to it via MTP. Moving apps to the SD card in MM is a bit more clumsy, and hopefully Google will fix that. But, as it stands, you have to individually move supported apps to the SD card by tapping on the app within Apps, and selecting Storage. Total step backwards, IMO.
Keep in mind that MM defaults to USB charging when connecting your phone to a computer, so pull the notification shade down, select USB for charging, then use the File Transfer (MTP) option.

so I think I followed Jason.Droid's suggestion right
I didn't feel like rooting to go about this so I did the move & copy thing. With minimal usage all things seem to work fine.
I am surprised by one thing though. I had thought that integrating the SD card via adaptive storage was supposed to just 'abosorb' it into what is shown as internal storage. Instead what I see is a summary at the top of 18.66 GB used of 133 , then a line item for Android OS, a line item for internal storage (7.11 GB used of 9.50 GB) and line item for the SanDisk SD card (5.04 GB used of 117 GB).
Is this how it is supposed to look? Does MM just handle where to put apps and data from now on so I don't get the internal storage full errors? Do I have to flip a setting to indicate to install apps on the SD card (like it was @ android 2.2)?
I'm expecting MM to just handle it. I also noticed the SD card option in Camera settings is now gone, so that to me is another indicator I'm in good shape.
Thanks again for any comments/confirmation.

Anyone have issues with using a SD card as intenral storage?

I have a 64GB SD card that I want to use as internal storage. Save my photos, videos, apps, and music downloaded via Google Music. However, even though I formatted it via the Storage and USB menu, it remains unused. I also cannot migrate any of my dozens of apps. Am I doing something wrong here...?

You can at least recognize it and put files into it? At least for me, the apps that could be migrated went automatically (the phone asked if I wanted to move the apps and it moved those he could). When I put in my pc, it only recognize the SD card, the internal storage is not accessible for me.
Are you facing any errors?

Did u install the newest twrp (3.0.0)? It fixes the issues with adaptable storage
Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

Cremacious said:
I have a 64GB SD card that I want to use as internal storage. Save my photos, videos, apps, and music downloaded via Google Music. However, even though I formatted it via the Storage and USB menu, it remains unused. I also cannot migrate any of my dozens of apps. Am I doing something wrong here...?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you formatted it for portable storage instead of formatting for internal then that will be your problem

Replacing/upgrading SD card

Whats he best/easiest way to replace my sd card. At the moment it is a 64 gb and I'm upgrading to a faster Samsung 128GB. The current card is formatted as internal memory. I can easily move/ delete/backup some files to a pc. I'm wondering about app files and data that might be n the sd card if I just reformat it as a media card as someone suggested
Thanks.

You must first change the card to external, the phone will move all the system files for you. If you don't have enough room on the internal to do this you will just have to temporarily move pictures video and music to a pc/cloud/usb etc.
Once you have it set to external just swap them over, do not take the SD out while set as internal.

I thought as much. Thanks kudos1uk for confirmation.

kudos1uk said:
You must first change the card to external, the phone will move all the system files for you. If you don't have enough room on the internal to do this you will just have to temporarily move pictures video and music to a pc/cloud/usb etc.
Once you have it set to external just swap them over, do not take the SD out while set as internal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi All,
I am having same issue now. I want to replace my 32GB with 64GB card. Firstly, HOW do you change the card to external? There is no option doing anything like this. I can only see option to format the card as internal, which means all data will be lost.
For some reasons, i can copy the files from the 32GB out via USB to PC, but if took out the 32GB and put in the 64GB and format as internal, i have no way to access it or put the files back into the card.
Does it have something to do with formatting? Initially i format my 64GB to exFAT, but after putting into the phone, i formatted it again as required by the phone which i assume it will be formatted to whatever that is compatible by the phone.
All i want to do is to migrate the stuff on my old sdcard to my new sdcard and use the phone as usual.
Please help!
Thanks

I now have a 128 gb card in my A1
As far as I can remember you can copy your docs/media etc files on to your pc but not any app files which you will need to reinstall on your new card. The system files should stay on the internal card.
I changed my card before the phone updated to pie and now es file manager only sees the new card.
Update.
I just checked in settings /storage/apps and there is an option to move them to internal though with limited space only a few could be moved.
I'm not impressed with the A1. Sometimes it hangs or crashes. My redmi 6 is more reliable.

slammy O said:
I now have a 128 gb card in my A1
As far as I can remember you can copy your docs/media etc files on to your pc but not any app files which you will need to reinstall on your new card. The system files should stay on the internal card.
I changed my card before the phone updated to pie and now es file manager only sees the new card.
Update.
I just checked in settings /storage/apps and there is an option to move them to internal though with limited space only a few could be moved.
I'm not impressed with the A1. Sometimes it hangs or crashes. My redmi 6 is more reliable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm...i am not sure whats the phone OS version now, not sure if it's Orea or Pie. Maybe i can check later. The internal storage has about 23GB user/32GB. The old 32GB micro SD card has about 10GB used/ 32GB. Even if i took out the whatsapp media and DCIM folder media, there is still a couple of GB of files in the microSD card. So far i can only see i can move the apps back to internal, which i have only 1 (which i uninstalled anyway). So there is still 10GB of files in my 32GB microSD.
How do i move the DCIM folders back to internal? Another problem, in the Camera app, i can't find anywhere to point the camera storage settings at all!
Thanks for your feedback.

Matrixlyn said:
Hmm...i am not sure whats the phone OS version now, not sure if it's Orea or Pie. Maybe i can check later. The internal storage has about 23GB user/32GB. The old 32GB micro SD card has about 10GB used/ 32GB. Even if i took out the whatsapp media and DCIM folder media, there is still a couple of GB of files in the microSD card. So far i can only see i can move the apps back to internal, which i have only 1 (which i uninstalled anyway). So there is still 10GB of files in my 32GB microSD.
How do i move the DCIM folders back to internal? Another problem, in the Camera app, i can't find anywhere to point the camera storage settings at all!
Thanks for your feedback.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never mind. I have solved the problem.
I keep looking for the options in the 3 dots in my SDCARD menu. Instead i should select the INTERNAL STORAGE. Clicked the 3 dots, there is a MIGRATE option. :silly: This will copy back the files from the SDCARD to the internal memory (provided enough storage...i have to uninstall some games first). Then i can swap out the card and put in new card.
Thanks anyway, hope this will help other people in the future!