Database Info

So can someone explain to me why android partitions rom the way it does.

For example, I've got system rom, internal storage, sd card storage, and ext sd card storage. Why don't I just have internal storage and external storage? Can someone explain what each one is "for", and where I should store what (like apps, music, videos, etc.). Thanks ahead of time for any answers that you give, this has been bothering me for a while.

You should store your files on the internal /sdcard or your external /ext_sd micro sd card.
I'm saving music,videos and pictures on my external sd card.
This way i can take the card out of my phone plug it into a new one and have everything there.
I leave the build in card for the apps, kernels, roms, downloads and random other things.
Its mainly just preference.
Because of multiple partitions on the internal sdcard android can use different filesystems and option on each one.
Each filesystem can have advantages in security,scalablity, performance or reliance.
Partitions can be flagged read-only to secure them from involuntary changes.

Thanks for the help, but that leads to another question. I can't move some apps to the other part of my internal storage, or the media area, as the phone calls it, why not? It's just internal storage like the other partition, but the media area has around 12gb of data while the internal storage only has about 2. I just don't want to fill the first partition up because im not able to move apps out of it.

I'm not really sure about that one, but something along the lines off: on the internal 2gb partition android can restrict and controll access for stablity and safety reasons, while if the apps were saved on the 12gb media partition any rouge app could run wild and screw things up for other apps.
Physicly they are probably the same, so with some technical knowledge you could reflash your device and change the partition sizes.

How do I download addition game data to the external SD card?

Like the title says I'm attempting to install games and additional game data to the external SD card(32 gig) as my devices storage is pretty low.
Can this be done?

CitaloD said:
Like the title says I'm attempting to install games and additional game data to the external SD card(32 gig) as my devices storage is pretty low.
Can this be done?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on the application. If developer gave such possibility, then you can (if it doesn't install automatically on SD, then you will be able to move it). You should look in settings/applications - look for application, which you want to move and you will see such option, if it was implemented.

apps making it

If I move the app it only seems to move the 5mb part and not all the additional data.
And for some reason I can't move anything to my external, it moves stuff into the tablets 'sd card' which is tiny,

Just open the game and it does it automatically

you can ask someone else to download it and then copy game contents from SD to yours SD

musosoft said:
you can ask someone else to download it and then copy game contents from SD to yours SD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No idea where the additional data is stored >: thanks anyways.
Wish my tablet was smart enough to copy data to the external once it runs out of space..

If your phone is rooted, you could transfer to sd card using titanium backup?

@@
root the phone to easier work

integrating SD card good or bad?

does this feature work better than having the SD card as an external device?
my concern is if you change the card or have to change the card..
surely everything will go to crap if its integrated and you change or upgrade the card.

I won't integrate it, if something goes wrong you have to reformat entire SD card to make it work as normal.
I will just save everything on SD card while internal memory is used for apps/chat storage

The disadvantage is as you have stated. But the advantages are 1) it will become part of your phone storage. You can store app or any other type of date there. 2) It's encrypted and only work while it's in your phone. You won't be able to read it once it's removed but you don't have to worry about loosing sensitive data if someone got your phone. If you need to change the card (replace with a bigger card), just connect to your computer, copy the data to your computer, switch the card, copy date back to new card.

toiday said:
The disadvantage is as you have stated. But the advantages are 1) it will become part of your phone storage. You can store app or any other type of date there. 2) It's encrypted and only work while it's in your phone. You won't be able to read it once it's removed but you don't have to worry about loosing sensitive data if someone got your phone. If you need to change the card (replace with a bigger card), just connect to your computer, copy the data to your computer, switch the card, copy date back to new card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, total n00b here, but is this true? I thought the data stores were completely scattered once an SD card is integrated, so a simple copy of the data (after porting it onto a computer/other storage) to a new SD card would not guarantee reintegration, as you'd have to reintegrate/mount the new SD card.

frankfrank12 said:
Hi, total n00b here, but is this true? I thought the data stores were completely scattered once an SD card is integrated, so a simple copy of the data (after porting it onto a computer/other storage) to a new SD card would not guarantee reintegration, as you'd have to reintegrate/mount the new SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you setup initially, you have option for what folders, app you want to store in the SD card. I choose to keep all the app I use often in the phone (faster) and folders like media (video, pictures, music) in SD since they're the reason I need SD card. I currently have 64GB SD card. I plan to upgrade to 128GB when they have it available in UHS-3. At that time, I'll need to migrate from the 64GB to the 128GB. Here is my plan: Under Settings -> Storage & USB, it shows Phone Storage and SD Card. Under SD Card, it show the Apps folder with my few app in it, my music folder, my picture folder, and my video folder. There, I can move the pictures, Video, music folders to the computer. I then move the app back to phone storage (there is option for that). Then I can eject the SD card. Insert the new one and format as internal storage. Copy the folders back from the computer. In addition, I probably don't need to copy my picture files since they're backed up to Google Pictures.
It's not very convenience but the price I pay for encryption. Don't have to do that often anyway.

There is a method to install/move apps to SD?

I've been looking for a method to move or force installation of apps to my 128gb micro SD card and so far I haven't found anything that works correctly, is there some method that actually allows moving apps to the SD card? or any custom rom that allows this? would titanium backup "move to SD card" option work?

You can use adoptable storage. It binds an SD card to your phone so you won't be able to use it with any other devices, but it essentially extends your phone's storage space by that much. Make sure you back up everything on your external SD card somewhere if there's anything important on it because this will wipe it clean.
1.) Open the "Files" app (the Google app with the colorful folded rectangles).
2.) Go to Browse.
3.) Scroll down to the bottom where you see your SD card, and tap on it.
4.) Hit the three dots in the top right.
5.) Click "Storage Settings".
6.) And finally, "Format as internal".
Once you've "adopted" the storage space you can move apps to it freely by going to a specific app's "App Info" page, clicking Storage, and choosing "Change" for each app. If you want to move multiple apps you can use something like "Internal Storage To SD Card" from the Play Store, which helps streamline the process; or even go into Developer Options and enable the option "Force allow apps to write on external storage" near the bottom which will force the majority of apps to favor the external SD card over the phone's.
Here's a bit more info on where your files are kept after this process.
If you want to retain separate access to the external SD Card so that you can use it with your computer or other devices while also storing app data on there, I'm afraid it's not very simple to do so. Android 9/10 has made a lot of changes with file access and how things are managed and stored on your device. I'm still figuring it out for myself, too.

i have a question, it will lose performance?
because i think if the phone is using a UFS 2.0, is the same or better maximum speed of R/W of SDCARD?

Polakiyo87 said:
i have a question, it will lose performance?
because i think if the phone is using a UFS 2.0, is the same or better maximum speed of R/W of SDCARD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course, the performance of the external drive will be lower.
However, don't underestimate them.
The performance of modern transflash is quite enough, for example, to run games like Doom, witcher or Skyrim(20+GB distros) from them on Nintendo consoles. The main thing is that the card is good. Like the same Sandisk extreme.

Not working for me. I've formatted the SD card as internal, but I can't move any apps to the SD card. When I go to the storage screen for an app, it only displays the total, app size, data and cache. There's no option to change storage location.
Yes, I've rebooted.

Same for me.
App mgr III and link2sd did not works even with Root :/
WTF nobody found a solution on a Android 10?

You don't want the apps running off the SD card as it's bandwidth is a lot slower than internal memory! It's a bottleneck to avoid.
Use the SD card as a data drive only.
Internal memory: OS, apps, temporary data and downloads.
SD card: all critical data, backups, music, vids, etc. Everything you need to fully restore the phone after a factory reset should be on it including copies of the apks.
Always redundantly backup the data drive on at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically separated! Or you will lose your data sooner... or latter.

blackhawk said:
You don't want the apps running off the SD card as it's bandwidth is a lot slower than internal memory! It's a bottleneck to avoid.
Use the SD card as a data drive only.
Internal memory: OS, apps, temporary data and downloads.
SD card: all critical data, backups, music, vids, etc. Everything you need to fully restore the phone after a factory reset should be on it including copies of the apks.
Always redundantly backup the data drive on at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically separated! Or you will lose your data sooner... or latter.
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Click to collapse
Yes i know ... All my pictures, videos etc are on SD ...
But you don't reply, do you have a solution?
Like millions of android users, i have not enough space for games in the phone. I don't care about slow speed of game. Genshin inpact for example take more of 7gB !
OS takes 15gB ... App takes often many hundred of mB it's WTF...
App are crazy to cache, and snapchat instagram facebook etc can take 1gB each.
The sd limitation is a programmed obsolescence for smartphones (256 gB of microsd are cheap). All people don't care about low performance of specifics app, it's better than the impossiblity to install then.
Normally we should be able to make symbolic links between linux partititons.
That's the same on windows, i install my terabytes of games on an hard drive because my sdd is not enought ... And it works well.

raysar said:
Yes i know ... All my pictures, videos etc are on SD ...
But you don't reply, do you have a solution?
Like millions of android users, i have not enough space for games in the phone. I don't care about slow speed of game. Genshin inpact for example take more of 7gB !
OS takes 15gB ... App takes often many hundred of mB it's WTF...
App are crazy to cache, and snapchat instagram facebook etc can take 1gB each.
The sd limitation is a programmed obsolescence for smartphones (256 gB of microsd are cheap). All people don't care about low performance of specifics app, it's better than the impossiblity to install then.
Normally we should be able to make symbolic links between linux partititons.
That's the same on windows, i install my terabytes of games on an hard drive because my sdd is not enought ... And it works well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Be happy for the bump...
You should also post your OS version for solutions.
Maybe a ADB edit could get it.
Lol, I have one game loaded. Most are fair to high privacy/security risks... that could really keep you amused.

I used App2sd earlier with android 7 and devices with 8GB flash , where only 3.5GB we ahve for applications. The result, I was able to install 100 or more apps and games without problem. It will not work in modern android.
I use a script which move all pictures , movies, call recordings to the sd card when I plug in usb-c cable. The card is a place of storing multimedia, nandroid backup and titantium backup.
Modern devices with 64GB+ flash are able to keep all apps inside , of course if all media files will be moved to sd card.

raysar said:
Same for me.
App mgr III and link2sd did not works even with Root :/
WTF nobody found a solution on a Android 10?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess xda developers not the same. It is ****. They can't brake a **** Xiaomi? It seems that I have to buy an old phone not Xiaomi and brake it.

Hi, I know I'm late to this but hopefully it will help someone having the same problem.
Tested on Redmi 9a, android 10
1- After you format your sd card as
SeekerofLight.iz said, download this app from Google store: this app basically shows all the hidden settings on all Xiaomi phones.
2- Open the app and type storage in the search bar located at the top.
3- you will see several results, tap at
"Storage Use: Storage use
com.android.settings.applications.StorageUse".
4- A new window will open with a list of all apps installed on your phone. Tap the app you want to move to sd card then "storage and cashe" and you will find the da** "Change" button we all have been looking for tap it and select sd card.
I've attached screenshots for those who prefer them.
And about performance, there was a slight lag almost unnoticeable but games were playable in general.

AngryYoungMan said:
Not working for me. I've formatted the SD card as internal, but I can't move any apps to the SD card. When I go to the storage screen for an app, it only displays the total, app size, data and cache. There's no option to change storage location.
Yes, I've rebooted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not all apps will support installation on sd card... If u want force it to be on sd card, u can use App2SD Pro app but root needed

My Micro SD Card got corrupted. Instagram app was installed on SD card, now it can't be ran or reinstalled. (App is a ghost). How to fix this?

I have unrooted LG V20 H990DS.
Unfortunately my Micro SD Card got corrupted and I lost all the photos. As an extra insult to injury, Instagram app was installed on SD card and now I can't run it nor uninstall / reinstall it. The icon is simply grey. It also cannot be found under "apps" section of settings.
I can see the "com.instagram.android" folder under "root/config/sdcardfs" but I can't do anything with it since I don't have a root. If I go in Play Store the phone recognizes Instagram as not installed and when I try to install it I get the "Can't install Instagram - Try again, and if it still doesn't work, see common way to fix the problem"
Is there anything I can do or do I really have to factory reset my phone? -___-

Take out the trashware. Keep all social media apps off the phone! Malware.
SD cards normally don't corrupt themselves. A rootkit or malware is a possibility.
Bad card or hardware.
Do a low level format of card, then reformat in the phone. Do not remove the card from then on or "share" it with other devices. Do all data transfer to the card from within the phone only.
If this doesn't resolve the issue, replace the card with a good name brand V30 rated card like Sandisk Extreme.

blackhawk said:
Take out the trashware. Keep all social media apps off the phone! Malware.
SD cards normally don't corrupt themselves. A rootkit or malware is a possibility.
Bad card or hardware.
Do a low level format of card, then reformat in the phone. Do not remove the card from then on or "share" it with other devices. Do all data transfer to the card from within the phone only.
If this doesn't resolve the issue, replace the card with a good name brand V30 rated card like Sandisk Extreme.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may have been a bit unclear.
I myself moved Instagram to SD card some time ago so I could save some space on my phone and now that my Micro SD card got corrupted, Instagram doesn't work anymore. It was not result of a virus or anything. SD Card is also in bad shape, it's recognized as RAW.

cinemafou said:
I may have been a bit unclear.
I myself moved Instagram to SD card some time ago so I could save some space on my phone and now that my Micro SD card got corrupted, Instagram doesn't work anymore. It was not result of a virus or anything. SD Card is also in bad shape, it's recognized as RAW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Malware is always a possibility when erratic behavior is observed. Androids should be rock solid stable, if not there's a real underlying issue. Unfortunately I have no easy solutions for this at this stage as far as data recovery.
Meh, keep apps off the SD card. It's a security and reliability risk.
Only one folder on the phone with the name "dcim" in it.
Do a low level format on the PC to try and reuse it. Of course this will completely erase all data.
Recovering data from a flash drive that has lost its folder structure is a frustrating mess at best.
In the future redundantly backup the SD card redundantly to at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other and the PC. Use the SD card as a data drive... apps and download folder go on internal memory. All files should be vetted before transferring to the data drive.
At the very least open files in the download folder, jpeps and png's especially to try detect malware -before- transferring to the data drive(s)!!! I've had scripted jpegs before but pick them off before they got into the database. They are real and will cause hell in any folder they are in. May not be detected by any antivirus. WYSIWYG, observe for changes in that folder after opening suspect file.

blackhawk said:
Malware is always a possibility when erratic behavior is observed. Androids should be rock solid stable, if not there's a real underlying issue. Unfortunately I have no easy solutions for this at this stage as far as data recovery.
Meh, keep apps off the SD card. It's a security and reliability risk.
Only one folder on the phone with the name "dcim" in it.
Do a low level format on the PC to try and reuse it. Of course this will completely erase all data.
Recovering data from a flash drive that has lost its folder structure is a frustrating mess at best.
In the future redundantly backup the SD card redundantly to at least 2 hdds that are physically and electronically isolated from each other and the PC. Use the SD card as a data drive... apps and download folder go on internal memory. All files should be vetted before transferring to the data drive.
At the very least open files in the download folder, jpeps and png's especially to try detect malware -before- transferring to the data drive(s)!!! I've had scripted jpegs before but pick them off before they got into the database. They are real and will cause hell in any folder they are in. May not be detected by any antivirus. WYSIWYG, observe for changes in that folder after opening suspect file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply!
I have solved the app part of the problem so factory reset is not necessary.
What I did was that I took my brother's Micro SD card and placed it into my phone, then I tried reinstalling Instagram from Play Store and it worked! This time it installed it back onto SD card. What I did after was just move the Instagram app from SD Card to phone storage via apps settings.
After that I removed my brother's SD card and was able to run Instagram once again directly from the phone memory.
It seems that the phone just wanted to see some SD Card inserted and then it would allow reinstallation of the app.

SD cards corrupt themselves, especially when formatted as adoptable-storage with ext4 journaling file system and full-disk encryption used for write-intensive applications

aIecxs said:
SD cards corrupt themselves, especially when formatted as adoptable-storage with ext4 journaling file system and full-disk encryption used for write-intensive applications
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never have that issue and use SD cards in both my N10+'s but all data is manually transferred to them. One app has permission to auto backup to the SD card, ColorNote. However it's firewall blocked... just in case.
Never use encryption on data drives and especially backup drives... you are the most likely one to end up locked out.

Samsung devices don't allow moving apps to MicroSD Card (which was the case here) as adoptable-storage isn't supported by Samsung at all (probably for performance reasons)

aIecxs said:
Samsung devices don't allow moving apps to MicroSD Card as adoptable-storage isn't supported at all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As it should be... the card/interface are too slow to run apps effectively anyway.
Critical data goes on the SD card.
Only apps, the dcim and download folders should be on internal memory. The dcim files can be regularly transferred to the card to free up memory... just rename that card folder ie Pics, etc.