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[Q] Android SD Navigation - How does this thing work?

My SD (the one on the Android, not the SD Card, why the hell did they name it SD?!) is full of junk. In fact, it comes with a load of junk by default.
How do I:
1. Get Android to not pull videos, pictures, and music from games? My gallery, video player, doubletwist, etc is full of stuff like that.
2. Know what I can delete and what I can't? I'd like to clean this place up.
3. How do I find stuff? I mean, is it up to me to make "Music" "Pictures" "Videos" folders for my own sake, and Android just looks everywhere and grabs it?
4. How do I go to my SD Card? In fact, I am 100% sure my SD card has two auto-assigned folders on it and nothing else. I have no idea how to access it or put things on it, and I am also sure my phone does not care that it exists. Obviously my phone's SD has plenty of memory on it, but I don't know why there is even a SD card slot. I was thinking of copying some files onto my SD card to put onto my friend's Android phone, but I am also positive I'd have no idea how to perform what should be a basic task.
So, help me out. What am I doing? And, what apps would I need for question four, or just file browsing apps in general.

I'm confused about what this topic is about.
All the words that would describe what he is talking about are replaced with junk and stuff.
.___.
edit: The captivate assigns the internal sd card as SD:
Delete the "junk"

thehyecircus said:
My SD (the one on the Android, not the SD Card, why the hell did they name it SD?!) is full of junk. In fact, it comes with a load of junk by default.
How do I:
1. Get Android to not pull videos, pictures, and music from games? My gallery, video player, doubletwist, etc is full of stuff like that.
2. Know what I can delete and what I can't? I'd like to clean this place up.
3. How do I find stuff? I mean, is it up to me to make "Music" "Pictures" "Videos" folders for my own sake, and Android just looks everywhere and grabs it?
4. How do I go to my SD Card? In fact, I am 100% sure my SD card has two auto-assigned folders on it and nothing else. I have no idea how to access it or put things on it, and I am also sure my phone does not care that it exists. Obviously my phone's SD has plenty of memory on it, but I don't know why there is even a SD card slot. I was thinking of copying some files onto my SD card to put onto my friend's Android phone, but I am also positive I'd have no idea how to perform what should be a basic task.
So, help me out. What am I doing? And, what apps would I need for question four, or just file browsing apps in general.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A search would have answered your questions. your SD card memory is the phones main programs memory. IT is where alot of your apps store the data. You can use many apps to as a file explorer it even comes with one. Its called My Files. I use Root Explorer which allows to access Root files and make changes to them. The sd card slot is for....wait for it.......More memory. As for it not seeing the files. there are a few music apps that let you set the folders it scans. Power Amp is the best at the moment IMHO. You can also put a file in the folders that you dont want scanned named no media, (with root explorer you can copy one of these files from the root folders if you can make one.)

with pre existing folders (for apps and such)
create a "new file" in it named " .nomedia " with the . (preriod)
this can be done with root explorer or in windows. create blank text document rename to .nomedia with NO .txt then copy and move to folders.
nothing in that folder or sub folder will be included in media scans
or if it is a personal folder you are creating name it starting with a . (period)
and ya internal SD gets messy. Use external for your files to keep organized!

Wouldn't my SD card (even if it is SDHC) be slower? DoubleTwist is already inexcusably slow with my files on the SD itself, what would it be like on the external?
And yes, I know what the SD is, I was just asking why it was named that.

Bumping this because I am curious about any speed differences, and because I would like my SD Card to matter.

[Q] Files dissapearing from micro SD

i try to transfer all my music onto my micro sd to listen to it on my eee pad but once i transfer the files over and put the sd card back in my eee pad the files seem to have deleted themselves ??

Not sure if this also applies to the Transformer but with my G-Tablet you have to put a .nomedia file in the SDCARD root directory to keep the OS from deleting the media files.

how do I make such a file?

icow said:
how do I make such a file?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do it in notepad but I use notepad++ as notepad sometimes saves it as a .txt file without you knowing. Just open a new file and save it as ".nomedia" without the quotes obviously. Make sure it doesn't save as a .txt file and don't put anything in the file. Copy this file over to the root of your internal memory and SDCARD. I also put it in each of my "Movies" and "Music" folders just in case. Hope this helps!

I'm not sure the media scanner bug is to blame here (and therefore the .nomedia fix would be possibly useless). Though I have had the problem on my g-tablet, I have music files on my TF that I put there by putting my microSD into my computer, copying the files and then re-inserting it into my TF. I have rebooted my TF many times since then, and all of my music files are still there and still playable within the HC music app and others.
The issue with the g-tablet is/was a bug in the media scanner and is only present in some ROMs (not the stock one or most anything based heavily on stock), and no one seemed to know quite why it happens or how to fix it. The files would only disappear when the media scanner would run, and a lot of folks indicated that they could literally watch the files get deleted as it scanned. The solution was to place a file named ".nomedia" inside the folders where the media resides -- this causes the media scanner to skip those folders (also making the stock apps like your music app, not see those files automatically, forcing you to play them from within a file manager app of some sort).
OP, have you tried copying anything other than music files to your microSD? Do those also not show up?

Also make sure you properly eject the SD card before removing it from your PC.

Okay so I tried the .nomedia trick and iut didn't work but strangely only half of my music is getting deleted ,it is all on there when I check on computer but then i safely remove it and when I put it back in my transformer only half is left weird?
Its not full by the way 32gb card 11gb of music

I have a feeling that File Manager HD is screwing with files on my microSD. Are any of you running it?

Im running into the same issue on my g-tab, going to switch to stock see if i have the same issue. Been trying to get my music files on for the past 4 days with no success, they just keep getting deleted.

I had the same problem but it seems to be working well now. I wasn't ejecting the SD card before removing it from my PC. Make sure that you right click on the sd card from your computer, and go to eject. I haven't had any other problems after that.

coldheater said:
I had the same problem but it seems to be working well now. I wasn't ejecting the SD card before removing it from my PC. Make sure that you right click on the sd card from your computer, and go to eject. I haven't had any other problems after that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wil try it tomorow but if its a no go then illjust send the sd card back

[Q] external SD card questions

i'm new to android so please bear with me.
i have a 32GB SD class 4 in my phone. it's been formatted so all it has is the lost.dir (i'm on a mac)
since there are no folders there - how do i gets apps to use it? where do i put music and other files? i have podcasts and other stuff i'd like to drag over but i'm not understanding how the different apps would see it.
i can move some apps to SD card but i think it just moves them to the internal SD card.
it seems that there are 2 SD cards in the phone but no way to differentiate between the 2.
also it sometimes takes forever for the gx2 to recognize the card, its kind of annoying. is having a class 10 better for this?

I use filemanager from the market and it recognizes my external as........"_externalSD" also allows me to transfer files between the two.

ecpht said:
i'm new to android so please bear with me.
i have a 32GB SD class 4 in my phone. it's been formatted so all it has is the lost.dir (i'm on a mac)
since there are no folders there - how do i gets apps to use it? where do i put music and other files? i have podcasts and other stuff i'd like to drag over but i'm not understanding how the different apps would see it.
i can move some apps to SD card but i think it just moves them to the internal SD card.
it seems that there are 2 SD cards in the phone but no way to differentiate between the 2.
also it sometimes takes forever for the gx2 to recognize the card, its kind of annoying. is having a class 10 better for this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you have your phone plugged in pull down the alert bar on the top of the screen and press the "USB Connection" option. It should ask you if you want to turn USB mode on and have a picture of an Android. This will allow you to mount your internal and external sd as if they were regular flash sticks. You can then copy whatever you want to them. I also like to use drop box in combination with Astro for moving things to and from the cloud.

ecpht said:
i'm new to android so please bear with me.
i have a 32GB SD class 4 in my phone. it's been formatted so all it has is the lost.dir (i'm on a mac)
since there are no folders there - how do i gets apps to use it? where do i put music and other files? i have podcasts and other stuff i'd like to drag over but i'm not understanding how the different apps would see it.
i can move some apps to SD card but i think it just moves them to the internal SD card.
it seems that there are 2 SD cards in the phone but no way to differentiate between the 2.
also it sometimes takes forever for the gx2 to recognize the card, its kind of annoying. is having a class 10 better for this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. G2x has the internal sd card partitioned into 2 parts (1 for OS & apps & other for storage & apps).
2. Sd card's class does help but it is not something important until you're running a high def video.
3. Use any file explorer app (File expert etc) for copying files from Internal SD Card to External SD Card.
4. Most of the app's setting menu gives you an option to physically select the storage destination folder i.e. external sd card.
Hope I helped.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App

so say i have podcasts and other files on my computer i want to copy to the 32GB SD card - do i just make folders on the card and copy the files over from my computer?

ecpht said:
so say i have podcasts and other files on my computer i want to copy to the 32GB SD card - do i just make folders on the card and copy the files over from my computer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, just simply copy the entire FOLDER of the particular file to your External SD Card & if in future, if u download something directly from your phone then simply just copy/paste it from your using any file manager app.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App

so i have the phone connected to the computer and I see 2 No Name disks. That's fine. I put a folder called music at the root level of the 32GB card. Now I find that folder in File Expert and I go to play something and it says that file isn't supported. I tried Google Music and Doubletwist. Just mp3's from a CD. are there certain settings for android i need to know about? and do i need to go to File Expert to play this music everytime? Or should I be going through doubletwist on my mac and using it like itunes?
thanks you any help, i'm pretty clueless with this aspect of android right now, trying to catch up.

also both SD cards randomly unmount themselves. is there a reason for this or a way to prevent this?

ecpht said:
so i have the phone connected to the computer and I see 2 No Name disks. That's fine. I put a folder called music at the root level of the 32GB card. Now I find that folder in File Expert and I go to play something and it says that file isn't supported. I tried Google Music and Doubletwist. Just mp3's from a CD. are there certain settings for android i need to know about? and do i need to go to File Expert to play this music everytime? Or should I be going through doubletwist on my mac and using it like itunes?
thanks you any help, i'm pretty clueless with this aspect of android right now, trying to catch up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok. After reading your problems, here are my suggestions:
1) Copy your 32 GB SD Card files on your computer.
2) Format your 32 GB card. Replace all files back in it.
3) Stop worrying about putting certain files (pics, music) in a root folder. Simply just put any files OR folders inside the Sd card.
4) When it comes to File sharing, think of Android in the same category as Windows.
I hope I helped.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App

Micro USB Flash Drive

Would one of these/something like it work on my Moto G: 1 2 3
If I used a file explorer, could I move apps and music from Moto storage onto flash drive and still be able to play them? Is it convenient and easy to use, 8GB is barley enough for me. Thanks

@Banana4Life ..... Look at the "Meenova" USB OTG unit (there is a thread in Moto G accessory forum but i cannot remember exactly where) you can find it by Googling. It is similar to your 3rd example, that is it can be used in Moto G also as a normal size USB in Laptop or Desktop. I have one and I see it's advantage is that it comes without a fixed memory i.e. you can put any micro sd card that you want in it i.e. 4Gb, 8Gb, 16Gb, 32Gb, 64Gb etc. If I remember correctly it costs $15 plus shipping & handling. It is a Chinese firm but has an office and sales point in California.
I find it most useful for keeping a copy of "sdcard" and backups which in turn can be copied to my Laptop as extra insurance LOL. I also store movies on it and can play them directly onto my phone. One word of warning (which you probably know) do not be tempted to format with NTFS - Moto G wont read it and theres a chance you will soft brick.

It looks pretty nice, much smaller than my examples. Can you play apps off the micro sd card? I would mainly use it for apps and music. Is it easy to access the stuff you put on it as well, do you use ES file explorer?

@bana4Life ..... I can't give you a definite answer to whether you can run apps directly from the Meenova device all I can say on that is that it is quite easy to transfer apps from your phone onto the Meenova, the only trouble I find is that as soon as you select the app it immediately asks if you want to "install" it and this it does on your phone not on the device. I don't know whether using one of the apps which claims to be able to transfer apps to an external sd would be able to help you out but my own limited experience with such apps as "Apps to SD", "Move to SD", "App Manager" etc has not proved very helpful.
As far as music is concerned, same as videos or movies, it is simplicity itself ..... If you run your main app to play music or video then the app automatically searches for the music etc on both your phone storage and the usb storage and plays it fine.
My file manager of choice is "Root Explorer" (from the play store), I'm presuming that you are rooted - if not you can still use "Root Explorer" but you won't have the option to read/write files, only read them and you won't have the ability to see the hidden system files.
The Meenova shows up in your file system as ...../mnt/media_rw/usbdisk. I should have mentioned before that although I am rooted and have custom recovery installed I am running the stock 4.4.3 Rom and if you are running a custom Rom then much of what I have said may not apply.
I don't think I've been a lot of help to you, however good luck with whatever you try. By the way I think my remarks apply to all USB OTG storage devices not just Meenova. Yes I think the Meenova is the smallest such device on the market.

So with the app problem, you can move an app from phone to SD, but to play it you'll have to move it back onto the phone, then after using it move it back onto SD. Is that what you can do? Also, didn't know the main music app would search the SD, thought that you would have to use something like Es File Explorer to play music (which is what I use). I am also on stock 4.4.4
You have actually been helpful, went into detail and gave info :highfive: :highfive: :highfive:

@Banana4Life ..... Just a quick answer ..... When I talked about moving the app to the usb storage I was referring to the .apk ...... but when you click on it it will give you the option to "Install" which it then does on your phone so really you save nothing, the app is still installed on the phone! ..... As far as I'm concerned the only real use of usb storage is to store large amounts of data i.e. mp4 movies which would otherwise take up valuable phone memory. This applies equally to large numbers of music files.
The two apps I use for playing movies are (1) MX Player Pro and (2) Best Video Player. Both are on Play Store. Both will search for compatible video files to play on both the phone and the usb storage.
I'm not a huge music "fan" but I have my playlists which I play using the stock Google "Play Music" app (installed by default by ICS - Jelly Bean - KitKat) it's also on Play Store. This app will also search both the phone and usb storage for music files.

An apk file can be installed with out a connection right? So you can put multiple apk's on SD card, install one then uninstall it to install a different apk

@Banana4Life ..... I think we are beginning to talk about different things here LOL ..... If you download an app from the Play Store then nine times out of ten the .apk file will be downloaded to your phone in the ..../data/app.... folder - the associated "odex" file will probably be downloaded into your phone in the ..../system/app.... folder and any other associated data files will be downloaded to other phone folders ..... Now there maybe apps which will allow these files to be downloaded to your place of choice i.e. usb storage .... BUT I don't know of any apps which will do this.
You use the words ".... on SD card...." please remember the Moto G does not have an external SD card (unless of course you have the Moto E which has an external SD card) so when you use a File Manager and see the folder entitled "sdcard" this refers to the internal memory space NOT to an external card.
Yes you could swap installed apk's back and forth between usb storage and normal phone storage but it just seems to me a lot of work for not very much gain.
You say "....apk's can be installed without a connection" .... Not quite certain what you mean by that..... You don't need your phone connected to a PC by a cable ..... You can have your USB storage (Meenova) connected to your phone ...OR NOT ...... of course your phone will be connected to Play Store by WiFi, but that can't be what you mean

Yea, I am android pleb I get confused
In your 2nd reply you said apps such as App to SD were not very useful but your also said it's easy to transfer apps. By transferring apps you mean by the apk and you tried to use the App to SD to move the whole app not just the installer, but even though using App to SD it still requires you to install it on phone. Is it not possible to move the apk file for every app or do just some work? There are some tutorials saying how to make default download place an SD or how to move an app to SD.
Maybe I don't understand what an apk is? Running an apk will install the app it's for right? Just a installer. And by the connection I mean as in once you have downloaded the apk file, running it won't require a WiFi connection?
And yea you said it comes up as /mnt/media_rw/USB disk in 2nd reply as well
Sorry if this doesnt make sense :/

@Banana4Life ..... I have never found the apps that transfer files i.e. such as "App2SD" any use for my purposes ..... BUT don't let that stop you trying them ..... you might find one that suits you and most of them are free in the Play Store.
Think of an .apk file as being an .exe file on windows ..... i.e. it installs and runs the App (Program) on your phone.
You don't need to have a WiFi connection to run 99% of apps on your phone. The obvious exceptions are online games which require an interaction between you and the Internet ..... Some simulations i.e. Flying - Motor Racing - Boat racing etc ..... Some games which require you to purchase in game upgrades ..... Games where you want to post "high scores" on a web site ..... etc.etc.etc.

I've ordered a black one today, hopefully wont take 20 days like they say it can
Im still not sure about the apps. You said it is quite easy to transfer apps from your phone onto the Meenova. What method did you do to transfer it? With the picture attached, does that option come up once SD card is put in? And just to be sure, once the app is on Meenova to use it I have to install it on phone first, then be able to put it back on Meenova right?
Thanks for recommending it and loads of information - I appreciate it :good::good::good::laugh::highfive: . If apps dont work, music is still important, I'll have to experiment

@bana4Life ..... Hope you are happy with it when it arrives. When I said in post#2 that there was a sales office/warehouse in California I was making the assumption that you were in the US because then they send it by US Postal Service and it takes two days ..... HOWEVER if you are outside US (which I now understand you are) then the postage is by Chinese Postal Service which is first class crap and will probably take nearly 20 days
Whenever I talk about moving files from one location to another (i.e. from phone to usb storage or the reverse) I am always talking about using File Manager "Root Explorer Pro".
When you have usb storage attached it shows up at ------ Settings>Storage>USB On the Go Storage Mounted...... In your screenshot (which I am guessing is using one of the "App2SD" apps) any reference to SD card refers to your internal memory.
It has just occurred to me that I have been assuming all along that you have the standard XT1032 or XT1033 Moto G (with NO external SD slot)..... WHEREAS if you have the Moto G LTE or the Moto E then you do have an external sd card slot.
Anyway I think I have gone as far as I can go with helping you out. I hope that your Meenova arrives quickly and that when you use it you will be happy with what it offers.

Yea I have XT1032. Its was dispatched today . Thanks again! :good: I'll try these App2SD apps, Im sure I'll manage somehow

Banana4Life said:
Yea I have XT1032. Its was dispatched today . Thanks again! :good: I'll try these App2SD apps, Im sure I'll manage somehow
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So your basically wanting it to be an extension of the internal storage. The only use it has is movies and music. Well basically anything but apps.

dethrat said:
So your basically wanting it to be an extension of the internal storage. The only use it has is movies and music. Well basically anything but apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not even swap apk's from SD to internal like metpolds said you can or is that just impossible and bad idea?

Banana4Life said:
Not even swap apk's from SD to internal like metpolds said you can or is that just impossible and bad idea?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah but .apk files have no value beyond installing. Your never going to have the equivalent of that picture.
---------- Post added at 11:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 PM ----------
Banana4Life said:
Not even swap apk's from SD to internal like metpolds said you can or is that just impossible and bad idea?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And you've both misunderstood what the apps2sd apps are. They're completely irrelevant to what your trying to achieve.

dethrat said:
Yeah but .apk files have no value beyond installing. Your never going to have the equivalent of that picture.
---------- Post added at 11:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 PM ----------
And you've both misunderstood what the apps2sd apps are. They're completely irrelevant to what your trying to achieve.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean by "no value beyond installing. Your never going to have the equivalent of that picture", and also where have I been going wrong with the app2sd apps?

Banana4Life said:
What do you mean by "no value beyond installing. Your never going to have the equivalent of that picture", and also where have I been going wrong with the app2sd apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that's what the apks are there for installing. If you download an apk and install it (click on it) the only use of keeping the downloaded apk is if you uninstall the app. You can then install it again.
Apps2sd apps are for phones with sdcard slots. You can partition the sdcard ( fat32 + ext4) and the second partition (ext4) acts as a extension of the /data (where installed app are). There's a lot more to those type of apps but I'm not going into it all. Irrelevant to usb-on-the-go (any storage going thru the micro USB port)

dethrat said:
Well that's what the apks are there for installing. If you download an apk and install it (click on it) the only use of keeping the downloaded apk is if you uninstall the app. You can then install it again.
Apps2sd apps are for phones with sdcard slots. You can partition the sdcard ( fat32 + ext4) and the second partition (ext4) acts as a extension of the /data (where installed app are). There's a lot more to those type of apps but I'm not going into it all. Irrelevant to usb-on-the-go (any storage going thru the micro USB port)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So Im just thinking it will act like an actual sdcard slot, but it wont. So the apk thing will work?...

Banana4Life said:
So Im just thinking it will act like an actual sdcard slot, but it wont. So the apk thing will work?...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it doesn't act like a built-in SDslot. It acts like you've just plugged a memory stick into it.
Yeah copying apks will work it's just a file. Like copying any file. I just don't see what your going to gain from that. Your not going to be able to have more apps installed (ready to run).
The only practical use I've found for meenova is sharing pictures from my camera to my phone.

Tablet Trouble

Long time reader, first time poster. I have learned alot from here, and I am hoping to learn a bit more.
Ok, the stats:
Polaroid Tablet model P902/A900
Android version 5.1.1 (Lollipop?)
Firmware 1.0.3
So I started this journey by rooting the tablet. KingsRoot did work for this, (a file I leaned about from this forum).
Now I have a rooted tablet, so far so good.
What I am trying to do is improve the way the tablet uses the micro sd card that I bought for it, 32mb. Well with in it's size limit of 64.
Here is the problem. It recognizes the card. But I can only get files onto it by manually copy and pasting them. There is no system option given for moving files to the sd card, pics, audio, whatever. Now my phone has options to move files to sd card, heck it will even move some apps to the sd card. This is what I want to do for the tablet because the internal storage space is limited. I have been told that tablets cannot do this. I guess I am asking if that is true. My phone can do it, why not my tablet? I have tried a couple of apps to assist me with the sd card, but have not had any success with them. The ONLY way for me to use the sd card now is to go into file explorer and copy and paste. There has to be a better way. Please if anyone knows a way to teach this dog a new trick, I would apreciate it. Thank you for your time.