Database Info

how can i write a file to the / directory

i want to save a file to the / directory of my phone.
when using adb in recovery mode with $su and mount -a, it seems as if i'm able to us cp to move a file to it, ls shows the file afterwards.
but after booting, the file is gone.
i tried it with a update.zip, same result.
anybody has an idea why this is so and if there is a solution to my problem?
thanks

use root explorer from the market....you can simply copy the file you need to the "/" directory with this app!

I think / is in RAM. There are system and data partitions on internal flash, but there isn't / one, right?

@androgiallo i don't know about root explorer, bur SU File Manager & Terminal couldn't do the trick ...
@Brut.all to be honest, i don't know what you're talking about ... does your reply mean it's futile or rather that there might be a solution?
btw, thanks for maps[brut] and even more for apktool.

der_bert said:
@Brut.all to be honest, i don't know what you're talking about ... does your reply mean it's futile or rather that there might be a solution?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mean "/" isn't persistent - I think it is created in the RAM when you turn on your device, then you could change its contents, but after rebooting it's gone.
For sure there is a way to install something there. If I'm right about that RAM, then there should be somewhere some image of initial contents of "/" partition (they are copied to RAM at boot) - probably in boot.img . So it's possible, but not that easy as just copying a file to "/".
These are just my guesses, maybe I'm wrong.

Ahh and why do you want to place some file to "/"? Why not to e.g. /data/?

i use a keyfile for my password manager and i have to enter the path to it manually every time i open the database, so i want to keep the path as short as possible ...

ADB Push. Why?

I tried searching for the answer, but I got lots of how to use ADB, What benefit is there to using the push command as opposed to using a file explorer if I'm doing something on the SD card? I get if you're dealing in system files, (AFAIK) you can't view those with a file browser on the computer, but if you are transferring an "update.zip" file, what benefits does adb push have?

Nothing wrong with just using a file explorer. However, adb push could be your only option if something screwed up and your screen stays black or something.

Sdcard2 video is deleted unexpectedly

Anyone else have this issue?
Latest vegan
Using original 16 gig micro sd from my droid.
Fat32
I loaded a video from my laptop ubuntu 10.10 into root of sd.
Test playback on ubuntu from sd.
Safely remove drive.
Power off gtab
Insert sd
Power on gtab
Video shows up and plays on gtab with doubletwist.
(video was converted to mp4 via arista transcoder galaxy tab preset)
Power off gtab
power back on
Video is gone.
Even videos in a bunch of nested folders on the sd I did not try to play (.mov vids) are gone. The folders and other non video files are still there.
Should I not be using sdcard2 at all?
Any issues with usb flash?
Thanks
Sent from my Droid using XDA App
Sent from my Droid using XDA App

place an empty file named ".nomedia" in any directory on the sdcard that you have video files. They won't be deleted

Sweet! Thanks.
Sent from my Droid using XDA App

.nomedia fix
I created a new folder. Nomedia onto root of sdcard2 using iFileManager.
Didn't work. Files with subfolders (videos) still missing.
In fact, this sdcard2 reports it is empty. Like all space is free minus the folders.
Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks

rezmax said:
Am I doing something wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
Read post #2 again carefully.

rajeevvp said:
Yes.
Read post #2 again carefully.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean create a file or a folder named .nomedia?
I can create a folder but not a file. what am I doing wrong?
thanks

khedquist said:
Do you mean create a file or a folder named .nomedia?
I can create a folder but not a file. what am I doing wrong?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
During the brief period of time I used vegan tab I had this same issue and was able to resolve it by making a folder called .nomedia and putting the videos in there but I was then required to manually specify to my video app what folder the videos were in.
I dont remember if I tried making the .nomedia file in the video folder or not so that might work as well but I do know for sure that any video in the .nomedia folder will not get deleted.

khedquist said:
Do you mean create a file or a folder named .nomedia?
I can create a folder but not a file. what am I doing wrong?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To repeat post #2, above:
place an empty file named ".nomedia" in any directory on the sdcard that you have video files. They won't be deleted
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know how to make it any clearer than that.
There are a number of ways to create an empty .nomedia file.
1. Create a new text file with some name and then rename it to .nomedia.
2. Run this command inside a Terminal Emulator window:
Code:
gTablet$ [B]touch /mnt/sdcard/SOME/DIR/.nomedia[/B]
3. Or, this one:
Code:
gTablet$ [B]> /mnt/sdcard/SOME/DIR/.nomedia[/B]
4. Or, this one using adb:
Code:
C:\> [B]adb shell touch /mnt/sdcard/SOME/DIR/.nomedia[/B]
Note: Type in only the stuff in bold.

[Q] How to connect/access g2x thru computer

I have hellfire phoenix v1.9 running on my g2x. I wanted to add a ringtone from my computer into the g2x.
I have installed the android platform driver and then when I connect, I see drives E and F, but cannot explore them.
I searched and found a suggestion to turn on usb storage--but I find no options on the hellfire phoenix v1.9 to do this.
Also, toggling the usb debugging mode does not change anything.
All I am trying to do is to find the native ringtone folder and add my ringtone which I made in a .ogg format.
Please help

The simplest way for you to do this is put the file on your SD card and using either root explorer or ES file manager. You'll want to mount system as writeable via the settings and go to System\media\audio\ringtones\
Note you don't have to make the .ogg files it will still work with MP3's except alarms for some reason. You will also need to reboot before it shows up in your list.

Sorry, but I cannot understand when you say,
--You'll want to mount system as writeable via the settings and go to System\media\audio\ringtones\---
Is there a way to move this .ogg or .mp3 file into the ringtones folder (which exists in System\media\audio\ringtones. I can see all the ringtones once I use file explorer.
Even if I copy the file into a external sd, since it is not as intuitive as cut/copy and paste into the folder--how is this done.
What I was hoping was to be able to open this folder thru the computer when connected thru USB and just drag and drop it into the folder of ringtones. If this is not possible assuming the ringtone I want moved is called vintage.ogg , can this be done with ADB commands? Please help

sksriniv said:
Sorry, but I cannot understand when you say,
--You'll want to mount system as writeable via the settings and go to System\media\audio\ringtones\---
Is there a way to move this .ogg or .mp3 file into the ringtones folder (which exists in System\media\audio\ringtones. I can see all the ringtones once I use file explorer.
Even if I copy the file into a external sd, since it is not as intuitive as cut/copy and paste into the folder--how is this done.
What I was hoping was to be able to open this folder thru the computer when connected thru USB and just drag and drop it into the folder of ringtones. If this is not possible assuming the ringtone I want moved is called vintage.ogg , can this be done with ADB commands? Please help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Normally it's read only, as in you can look but you can't touch. Writable means you write to it, you can alter or otherwise put information/files there.
And, yes it's as simple as copy and paste, unless you don't know what you're doing in the first place.
Using ES file explorer is the simplest method. Even if you use ADB you still would have to give it the command to mount the system as writable. If you Droid explorer you still need to have the system mounted as writable.

I don't know if it works on all roms, but Gingerbread based roms if you make a directory named ringtones in the Root of the SD card the phone should read it from there, or it does on mine.

Yes, I did everything--thought it was going to work, but it failed.
Steps I took--
Copied a sound.ogg file into the ext sdcard
Installed ES file explorer and under preferences set permissions to write (because I am rooted)
Copied the file from edt sd card
then switched to the systems\media\audio\ringtones folder, was able to see all the ringtones currently present.
Pasted my sound.ogg file---it said "multiple operations completed, but failed to paste sound.ogg Unclear why..
Should I have rebooted after setting permissions to write, before executing the copy and paste operation?
Thanks for the prior help--but need some more..

Use an app called software data cable......works like a charm.....remember u need to be on the same network......it uses FTP service.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium

I use a really useful app called Airdroid which you can find on the Google market. It allows you to establish a Wifi connection through your computer's web browser to your phone. I then transfer whatever music, files, shows or anything I want through it.

Thanks everybody
Just followed my previous steps as outlined. Being a noob, I had to do things gingerly, not to screw up. As I guessed, I have to reboot, before the ability to write takes effect (on es file explorer). Then it is just a matter of copy and paste.
Thanks all

[Q] Titanium Backup folder not accessible via MTP, shows up as a file

I'm using Titanium Backup on the latest L Preview and while the apps and data get backed up fine, I'm unable to access this folder from the PC via MTP. In This PC\Nexus 5\Internal storage\storage\emulated\legacy, there is a blank icon file called TitaniumBackup, which is supposed to be a folder in which all the data is stored. Using ES File Explorer on the phone, I can see that the files are all stored in /sdcard/TitaniumBackup, but when I try to open that on the PC (This PC\Nexus 5\Internal storage\TitaniumBackup), the folder is empty.
Is there any security setting that causes this? How do I access the files in the folder from the PC?
UPDATE: I just used ES File Explorer to move all the files from /sdcard/TitaniumBackup into /sdcard/TitBac and I can now access these. I still think this is a workaround and that there has to be a better way to do this.

you could use "adb pull /sdcard/TitaniumBackup somefolder"
mtp is generally buggy for me, so i got used to adb push/pull

I'm having the EXACT same problem. Go to backup save location, and nothing but one 4.0 kb file. No backups. I can see them in ES, but I'm also having a separate issue writing to shared folders on my pc with ES. Can anyone provide some insight?

When you first plug the phone in, all folders appear as a file. It takes a bit for windows to determine their actual properties. Bigger folders take longer. So try waiting a bit. Otherwise try mtp in TWRP or adb pull as mentioned

This also just happened on the Galaxy SIII Intl with a recent OmniROM nightly. Now, prior to flashing Lollipop, I was running an Omni nightly on the Nexus 5 as well. Not sure if this has something to do with it...

DeGygii said:
you could use "adb pull /sdcard/TitaniumBackup somefolder"
mtp is generally buggy for me, so i got used to adb push/pull
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is worth a shot. I also just looked for some ADB-based file explorers and found a few, but one of them was abandoned and the other one requires GTK+ and building, so I'm wondering if you've got a personal favorite...
rootSU said:
When you first plug the phone in, all folders appear as a file. It takes a bit for windows to determine their actual properties. Bigger folders take longer. So try waiting a bit. Otherwise try mtp in TWRP or adb pull as mentioned
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure I waited a reasonable while before concluding this, but other than the Windows Explorer progress bar, there's really not much you get to go by. The Titanium Backup folder in question doesn't have too many files (~500) and I've had folders with images and videos (DCIM, mostly) with at least 5 times more files show up instantly. I don't think this is the issue, but I'll give it a try when I face this problem next.