"Downloads" vs "/sdcard/Download" - Nexus 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I have run out of space on my phone. (Again. Why can't I add an sdcard to this nexus thing dammit?) I'm going through the Storage sections under Settings, picking and choosing what I want to keep and discard. There's a number of items appearing in Downloads that I want to move to my PC, but I can't find the files and the only commands available are Open, Delete and Share.
How do I locate the items so can copy them?
My phone is not rooted and is running Lollipop 5.1.1.
Downloads as shown in from Settings >> Storage:
i.imgur.com/LzJz05I.png
Downloads as seen by ES File Explorer:
i.imgur.com/EJZUHYu.png
(sorry, no active links. I don't have the reputation to post links).

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but the first image shows the list of things that you've downloaded (and then maybe moved to another folder?) while the second shows what is in your downloads folder now. In other words, one image shows an application, the other shows files.

The Downloads app seems to show items downloaded in the traditional sense (like from my browser, those are the items also seen in 2nd screen shot)
as well as items downloaded by apps, and these are saved somewhere else, not in /sdcard/download.
My question is how do I follow the items from the Download app to their actual location, so I can do something with them?
Double tap on the item opens it. Long press selects it. I need to copy it (or rename or move or...)
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app

If my suggestion is correct, and nobody so far has contradicted it, then the download list needn't correspond in any way to what's actually on your phone at this moment. You may have moved the files, deleted them... there may not be anything to find. What you're seeing is just your file download history, not what actually exists now.
One tool that I find invaluable for this sort of thing is Search Everything - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.marlon.searcheverything
It indexes all your files and displays them on the fly - as you type each letter the list of files shown diminishes until you're left with the one you're looking for. If you're looking for a downloaded file then it shouldn't be hidden in an unreachable system folder requiring root. If Search Everything doesn't find what you're looking for, it's a pretty safe bet that it's been deleted.
On your comment about the reason for your question, that your phone is getting full, have you tried Disk Usage to see where the heavy usage is? https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.diskusage
And finally consider Stickmount - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.stickmount
In combination with an OTG cable (a couple of dollars) and a USB stick, Stickmount allows you to store files on the USB stick, so you can have effectively unlimited storage.

Related

missing file issue?

Since I can't post in the q & a forum I am posting here but mods feel free to move it. So I have a wm6.1 device and a Mac computer and I regularly send files, like cab and music files with out an issue. However, today I noticed that I send a music file like usual and the file is no where to be found on the devices however space about the same size as the file is being taken up. So I send another two files(one music and one cab file) with out an issue at all. Then later on I send a cab file, but I don't see it on the device even though space is being take up. This may have happened prior to this, but I didn't realize it or something. So how can A) regain that space by deleting those files not showing up, or B) find the files that are not showing up and use them as I intended to. I am loosing space because of this. Option of last(and I mean last) resort is a hard rest which I don't like to do. Thank you....
yrsmart said:
Since I can't post in the q & a forum I am posting here but mods feel free to move it. So I have a wm6.1 device and a Mac computer and I regularly send files, like cab and music files with out an issue. However, today I noticed that I send a music file like usual and the file is no where to be found on the devices however space about the same size as the file is being taken up. So I send another two files(one music and one cab file) with out an issue at all. Then later on I send a cab file, but I don't see it on the device even though space is being take up. This may have happened prior to this, but I didn't realize it or something. So how can A) regain that space by deleting those files not showing up, or B) find the files that are not showing up and use them as I intended to. I am loosing space because of this. Option of last(and I mean last) resort is a hard rest which I don't like to do. Thank you....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
get a good file browser and search for the missing files. You may want to use a wild card search (*.cab,*.mp3)
if you still can not find them look in the folders in /Windows and /Temp or or equivalent on the device
well i am using total commader so I dunno how good that is or not. Not to mention I have done what you suggested and even searched for files added with in the last 3 days and nothing on all fronts but yet the sapce is being taken up by something that I can't seem to find on my device. Memory maid was no help either(granted I only did a clean up). But thank you.
have you tried using the default file explorer?

[Q] Download Files From Google Drive

Hi ,
I uploaded some pictures on my Gmail Drive yesterday via Laptop.
When I use the Android Google Drive Client on my Gingerbread , I have options of viewing it or making it offline.
Is there any way of downloading the pictures to my SD card ?
Making it offline doesn't help because once I remove the Google Drive App from my Droid , I will no longer be able to view that picture.
I want a permanent download so that my downloaded pictures appear in my gallery even after un-installation of Google Drive.
EDIT: [SOLVED]
Disable encryption via settings, and the files are accessible in the below folder. Thank the man
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The files seem to be in the google docs application folder, which on my system is found in /mnt/sdcard/Android/Data/com.google.android.apps.docs/files/pinned_docs_Files_do_not_edit/*CRAZY FOLDER NUMBER*
However, viewing the files does not work. It seems that this is a feature they have not included (for whatever reason).
Dropbox lets you export files.
You could also try another service called "Box".
KeePassDroid with Google Drive
I was going to create a new thread but in searching found this one. I'll use this one as maybe it applies with certain features not yet being implemented? Or am I overlooking or doing something wrong? I'll keep this simple. I use KeePass V1.x and KeepassDroid to keep my passwords in sync. It works great with DropBox. I have my database stored in the cloud and whenever I make a revision, it syncs across all my devices. Being the Google Whore I am, I was excited to try it with Google Drive. NO GO!
I can access the file and open the database with KeePassDroid without any issues. If I make a change and try to save it I get the following error. /data/data.com.google.android.apps.docs/cache/filecache2/123456789/databasename.kdb.tmp: open failed: EACESS (permissions denied). It won't let me write back to the database like DropBox will.
When I made the file available off-line, it would let me save the file, but it would not save that file back to the cloud. Do you think it's a permission issue on my side, or a limitation right now with Google Drive? Quick side note: I'm using a ported version of ICS but not really having any other issues. But if others are able to write back with a 3rd party app, then maybe it is something to do with the port....just a thought? If anybody has any ideas....Thanks!
RikkKeith said:
I was going to create a new thread but in searching found this one. I'll use this one as maybe it applies with certain features not yet being implemented? Or am I overlooking or doing something wrong? I'll keep this simple. I use KeePass V1.x and KeepassDroid to keep my passwords in sync. It works great with DropBox. I have my database stored in the cloud and whenever I make a revision, it syncs across all my devices. Being the Google Whore I am, I was excited to try it with Google Drive. NO GO!
I can access the file and open the database with KeePassDroid without any issues. If I make a change and try to save it I get the following error. /data/data.com.google.android.apps.docs/cache/filecache2/123456789/databasename.kdb.tmp: open failed: EACESS (permissions denied). It won't let me write back to the database like DropBox will.
When I made the file available off-line, it would let me save the file, but it would not save that file back to the cloud. Do you think it's a permission issue on my side, or a limitation right now with Google Drive? Quick side note: I'm using a ported version of ICS but not really having any other issues. But if others are able to write back with a 3rd party app, then maybe it is something to do with the port....just a thought? If anybody has any ideas....Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It *seems* to me like a limitation with their software. The fact that you can't even use the files outside of google drive/docs despite them being there indicates that either the files are encrypted, or in some other non-standard format. Uploading probably doesn't work because the file you put there are in the wrong format for the software to use them.
I switched back to Dropbox (which I never REALLY left) because of this. As a way to move files to your phone (like .zips to flash), Google drive falls short.
BK553 said:
I switched back to Dropbox (which I never REALLY left) because of this. As a way to move files to your phone (like .zips to flash), Google drive falls short.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Send them clear, direct feedback. Maybe they'll change it. After all, the product was just launched
Same here. I suspect G will change over time .
BK553 said:
I switched back to Dropbox (which I never REALLY left) because of this. As a way to move files to your phone (like .zips to flash), Google drive falls short.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to see this thread. First thing I did was try to copy a file to my SD Card from Gdrive. Just keeps trying to open them. Only option I had was send to Dropbox from Gdrive and export from there. Kind of a waste of time.
Just wait and see what features they add on. Its still very early.
Is your phone rooted? Using ES file explorer, and having the "up to root" toggle enabled, if I went to the root directory /mnt/sdcard/download directory all of the 4 files I synced with google drive were able to be copied using ES file explorer without any problem at all.
It's a bit annoying, but for now it works for me!
Cirkustanz said:
Is your phone rooted? Using ES file explorer, and having the "up to root" toggle enabled, if I went to the root directory /mnt/sdcard/download directory all of the 4 files I synced with google drive were able to be copied using ES file explorer without any problem at all.
It's a bit annoying, but for now it works for me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could copy them no problem. The problem is, copied or not, they're unviewable.
Are you sure you are looking in the folder I mentioned, or are you looking in the folder that does not require root access? There is a link to those files in the directory that doesn't require root but even the thumbnail doesn't appear there.
Shrug, I pulled photos and a pc executable from that folder and copied it onto my SD card using the move option in ES file explorer which allowed me to email them to a friend.
How to enable Google Driver on my phone ?, i have download from Google Play but it's display not available in my country, hmm
When I went to the drive.google site after I installed the PC application it gave me a url to download the mobile app. I made sure "install non-market applications" was selected in my phone settings, opened up that site in my phone's browser, and installed it.
So I seem to have managed to get files from google drive onto my phone and tablet. I use an app called officesuite pro. I've got it on my prim and sgs2. It is a paid app but it connects to remote servers, google docs(drive), dropbox etc. If you access your files through there, you can copy the file, doc, zip whatever is on your google drive, and paste it to a local drive. All intact and usable.
This is crazy. As soon as my Drive was ready I transferred all my DB files to it thinking I'm all Google, so lets use it! Yeah, I can't access any of my files. With DB I could just long press a name, and download. Guess it's back to DB until Drive can do it too. Nice otherwise.
Cirkustanz said:
Are you sure you are looking in the folder I mentioned, or are you looking in the folder that does not require root access? There is a link to those files in the directory that doesn't require root but even the thumbnail doesn't appear there.
Shrug, I pulled photos and a pc executable from that folder and copied it onto my SD card using the move option in ES file explorer which allowed me to email them to a friend.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The folder you said was:
/mnt/sdcard/download , right?
I have the folder ( with a capital "D" though), except there are none of the files I made offline with drive in it.
stevemacer said:
So I seem to have managed to get files from google drive onto my phone and tablet. I use an app called officesuite pro. I've got it on my prim and sgs2. It is a paid app but it connects to remote servers, google docs(drive), dropbox etc. If you access your files through there, you can copy the file, doc, zip whatever is on your google drive, and paste it to a local drive. All intact and usable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tip. Still, might shame to have to jump through such hoops. The other question is: does it work with non-doc files?
BK553 said:
I switched back to Dropbox (which I never REALLY left) because of this. As a way to move files to your phone (like .zips to flash), Google drive falls short.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same here. disappointing. but i hope they will change it in the future.
Yeah, it works with any type of file, I used it to download a zip. You can do it with jpegs too but you have to make it show unsupported files. Also, another way, probably easier is to log into google drive through your browser, you can download direct from there i've noticed. Just click on the file and it should give you the option to dl. Shame they haven't put this in the app.
stevemacer said:
Yeah, it works with any type of file, I used it to download a zip. You can do it with jpegs too but you have to make it show unsupported files. Also, another way, probably easier is to log into google drive through your browser, you can download direct from there i've noticed. Just click on the file and it should give you the option to dl. Shame they haven't put this in the app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny I was just trying this. It does work, but it renames the file to some long weird label. Have you found a way to keep it the same name?
To be honest, i've not really tried it through the browser but when I download it through officesuite pro, it retains the original file name.

How to save your Google Drive files to SD

[Originally posted in a Q&A forum.]
I see this a lot when I'm talking to folks about Google Drive, and Google hasn't been very forthcoming about it's plans to allow exporting in the phone app. I don't know if they just forgot to implement such a feature (which would be an egregious error on their part), or if they're just worried about copyright infringement and such. Google Drive has the potential to be much cheaper, easier to use, more integrated, and more flexible than any of the competition.
METHOD 1
The easiest, safest, and most reliable way: Use Cloud2SD. It can be found at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hexxus.cloudtosd . This app used to be known as "Google Drive Download", however it was removed by Google for copyright reasons. Fair enough.
Once you've installed the app, go into Google Drive, long-press the file you want to save, click "Send", then hit "Download". That's it. Files are saved to your sdcard/Downloads directory. Pictures and such automatically appear in your gallery.
METHOD 2
If you're unwilling to spend 99 cents, then you can ALSO get access to your files the following way:
1.) Go into your Google Drive app, go into the Settings menu, and uncheck "enable encryption"
^ If you do not uncheck this, you will be able to navigate to the files in step 3 but you will be unable to view them unfortunately
2.) Click the small detail button (it looks like a triangle inside of a circle) on the right hand side of the file you want to "save". Check the mark that says "available offline"
^ If you do not do this, then the files will not appear in the folders @ step 3.
3.) Navigate to /mnt/sdcard/Android/Data/com.google.android.apps.docs/files/pinned_docs_Files_do_not_edit/"random numbers here"/etc
^ There will usually be multiple folders with random gibberish for names, and Android will continue to make them. This is a big hassle because it was never meant to be convenient. It's essentially a cache so you can view your files IN Google Drive even while offline.
NOTE: Pictures do NOT usually automatically appear in your gallery when "saved" using method 2. You have to keep telling gallery where to look. Each time a new gibberish folder is generated, you have to tell gallery to look there as well.
And that's it. Enjoy using your super cheap cloud storage plan from Google
ES File Explorer can also let you download your files. Google Drive can be so dumb...
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.estrongs.android.pop
Just choose NET from the dropdown and add your account

Where on Earth is the path to my downloads folder?

OK. So far I am aware of 2 download locations.
The first is the SD card, which I have transferred all files to my computer to make space on the card. I did that easily through windows explorer when my phone was connected to the PC. The path is Computer\Xperia Z3\Internal storage\Download. Or sdcard1/ I believe on my phone.
Next is the INTERNAL storage download location. For the life of me I cannot find this ANYWHERE. It doesn't show up on my PC file explorer, because I guess it's in the root of the phone, and I can't find it with root file explorer either. There's absolutely no indication as to where it is actually located on my phone. I have 5GB+ of apps and pics I want to transfer to my PC, but I can't do that until I know the path!
Here's a photo of the app that brings me to that location (bottom of the screen, "downloads")
And this is what it looks like when I open the app, and pull the menu over. As you can see, download...
This has been racking my brain for almost 4 hours now. Please please help me out.
I am using an Xperia Z3 with KitKat
As you can see, this is my downloads that I want to transfer, as seen from the "downloads" app in my...
And THIS is the new Asus file manager I am trying out, and I HAVE THE EXACT SAME ISSUE (The download...
Please tell me what I am doing wrong?
I just tried another app. SAME PROBLEM AGAIN.
Left is my downloads folder (it doesn't tell me what the path is and that's what I NEED) And on the right is the app, Solid Explorer. WHY IS IT EMPTY WHEN THE LEFT PICTURE CLEARLY SHOWS I HAVE FILES????

kindle RCE plugin, hidden files.

I saw this on my device, and only found little info/threads, with almost zero content/analysis. Aparently the kindle app leaves a bunch of random files around. And since the prefix is "RCE" i am a little paranoid, since that usually means "Remote code execution" and is usually associated with exploits
Files:
CS_JIT_Animation.mp4
jit_cs_positive_preview.png
rce_plugin_strings_resource_cs_CZ.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_de_DE.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_en_US.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_es_ES.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_fr_FR.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_it_IT.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_ja_JP.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_nl_NL.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_pt_BR.json.min
rce_plugin_strings_resource_v2_TYPO_TEST.json
rce_plugin_strings_resource_zh_CN.json.min
All Attached in a zip created by the android native file manager.
Current places mentioning this
https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/unkown-files-in-download.948860/
https://talk.sonymobile.com/t5/Xper...erious-Files-in-Downloads-Folder/td-p/1353185
https://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-xz1/help/phone-mysterious-files-download-folder-t3871763
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMmx5tRm0jM (one of the files is a video, someone uploaded to youtube ...and to https://gfycat.com/generouspinkcolt
How to make those files appear for you:
Install kindle from the google app store
if you already have it installed, or want to see the files again after you deleted, Stop the app and delete all storage. (nothing will be lost, this app syncs everything and some more to the amazon servers)
perform the first Sync on kindle app
Now, insert a pen drive and open the native android File Mananger and look at the local Download folder
Files are somewhat hidden:
If you look into the download folder with any other app (I tried, blackberry file manager, oi file manager, Ghost Commander, and Termux --after enabling the storage setup)
Files probably have a weird attribute or ownership... but the native android file manager does not show anything other than creation date! And every single file operation (copy, move, compress) reset the information to "regular user, creation time set to now". So either I see them on the Native File Manager, without any information available, or I do not see the files until I destroy the information.
Android version is not important (seems to happen on several versions) and has been happening for a while (First mention seems to be Nov2018)
Anyone have any idea what this is? I know I will probably reverse eng the kindle app at some point, wast a bunch of time, and realize it is just some dumb amateur library badly implemented by amazon... or maybe not. I think at this point I am most curious as to how the app "hides" the files from most everything.

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