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[Q] Cannot transfer apps to microsd card option to move not showing

Hi, can anyone please help?
I have just purchased the Asus eee pad Transformer and it automatically updated to 3.1. I have put some apps on it through the android market.
I went to put some apps/photos etc onto the removable card to save some internal space but when I went into settings then to applications then to manage applications the option to 'move to sd' was not showing on any of the apps. can anyone tell me why and if possible how to rectify this.... what is the point in having a removable card and cant use it. Any replies would be much appreciated..... thanks Jayne

16GB is not enough space for your apps?
You dont need to move apps to SD card as all internal memory (about 16 or 32GB depending on which version you have) is used for applications.

removable sd can be used for for music, movies and any other 3rd party files..
16gb is more than enough for installing apps... (I think...)
there's no app2sd in honeycomb, this is different from what android 2.x does.

thanks for the replies,
I am not able to put pictures/music etc. on to sd card. how do you do it in case I am missing something
thanks

There are several ways to add to The removable SD card. You can get ES file explorer and transfer from SD Card ( internal mem) to Removable card or if you set up your system right use ES file explorer to transfer from your desktop/laptop to the Removable Memory. If you don't want to do that, just put the removable card in your computer , transfer music and photos to it and return it to the TF. I use a Tonido Plug ( small inexpensive ubuntu server) on my network to store everything, then just download or stream to TF via ES File Explorer.

Thanks for this answer, I was actually also asking myself this question.
I saw that app2sd exists on the android market so I guess it doesn't work on our transformer, right ?
there is also an issue I am facing : I downloaded a free application to measure the speed reading and writting of the new SD card I have installed. Whatever I try, the software always check the SDcard directory (so internal) but never the microsd I have installed.
I tried with another one and there is still the same problem. Is it a honeycomb restriction ?
Working with the microsd card seems very difficult (I am still a newbie that may explains why).

Indeed, most of apps only see your internal SD Card.
I've found something to work around the problem - you just have to edit/modify the vold.fstab file.
You can find it in /system/etc/.
Then replace this line:
dev_mount microsd /Removable/MicroSD auto /devices/platform/sdhci-tegra.2/mmc_host/mmc1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
by this one:
dev_mount microsd /sdcard/_MicroSD auto /devices/platform/sdhci-tegra.2/mmc_host/mmc1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reboot your TF01!
Now, your TF101 will mount the MicroSD in a directory from the internal SD Card '/system/sdcard/_MicroSD'. All your apps will see it...
PS: you can edit/modify this file with some apps like Root Explorer.

Need Permission
I tried to edit this file but came back with read only tag. I tried to change permissions but again came back read only system file. How do I change the read-only tag?

Found how to do it
I found how I could use adb to pull the file, edit in Notepad and then push it back. It worked.

How to move Amazon MP3s to External SD?

I recently bought a 16GB card for my G2X, and I started downloading more of my music directly to the phone. The problem is, I can't seem to figure out how to move my music to the External SD. I tried to use Astro, but when I selected the Amazon MP3 folder and tried to copy it to the External SD, I got a move error.

Now that I look further, I can't seem to do SQUAT with the external SD. I see it listed in SD and phone storage, but I can't move anything to it with Apps2SD or with the native GB app manager. Am I just missing something?

Are you rooted? If so, try using a Root File Explorer, such as SUFBS or Root Explorer.

I am not. Do I really need to root to use that external SD slot?

Irishdoom said:
I am not. Do I really need to root to use that external SD slot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, but I just figured, you'd be able to have SU Access, hence, more permissions in Android to move files.

Just try a different file manager from the market. I always had trouble with Astro when moving files to the external sdcard. Anttek File Explorer and Super Manager are two good ones and they're both free.

First thing you do is unmount you external sd card in the sd card settings of the phone and then take it out right away after it says unmounte dof corse then reinstall it and wait till it is done scanning it then see if that works. If not then I would try a different card one that you know works in something else and also try that on in a different device like your pc and see if it workes there this way you can determin if the card is broken or if the phone slot is brokem and if the phone seems to be broken I would try a factory reset.

Thanks, Phburks, I tried Super Manager and that seems to be moving it just fine!

Failed to write to sdcard1 after ota kitkat

Has any one else lost the ability to write to their socketed sdcard since the 4.4.2?

thesavo said:
Has any one else lost the ability to write to their socketed sdcard since the 4.4.2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats a "feature" of kitkat. Can't be changed unless you have root.

Seriously?

Yes, see here for fix(if your rooted):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nextapp.sdfix

thesavo said:
Seriously?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a security issue. Before KK, the SD card was wide open to any other process to be able to request read/write to any directory and file, regardless of whether or not they created that file or directory.
Now, under KK, a program can create a file or folder in a "protected" area and only that program has the ability to modify the contents in that folder. It cannot modify other folders or files that it didn't create.

Time to move the podcasts. So my older shows that I worked hard to keep to keep the ext sdcard1 as a target, will have to be copied to sdcard0.too bad.thanks @iBolski
No wonder BeyondPod kept 'accidently' putting shows on SDcard0 for the last year. Even though I "pinned" it to SDcard1 in the advanced settings.

Even with the application that patches the /etc/permissions/platform.xml, I have found certain apps still do not work correctly. Dolphin Browser, for example, cannot switch to /storage/sdcard1. It keeps saying it can't find it and I need to ensure I don't have "USB Mode" enabled, which I don't even have as an option when connected to a PC.
I also have init.d installed on my machine and I had startup scripts that mounted various directories from my external to the internal SD card to "fool" the device so that apps that wouldn't save to the external but the internal would save across a mount. Well, that no longer works. For example, Amazon MP3 will not save downloaded music anywhere except to the internal sd card. I had my startup scripts mount an amazonmp3 directory on my external SD card to the internal amazonmp3 directory on the internal memory card. When I proceeded to download music, it didn't show up in the external directory. However, I noticed that the internal sd card's memory did decrease. I then unmounted the directory and saw that the Amazon MP3 app was ignoring the mount under KitKat and directory saved the files into the /storage/sdcard0/amazonmp3 directory, even though it was mounted to the directory on the external SD card. It did work under JB and ICS, but apparently, with KitKat, some apps will still write directly to the native directory on the internal SD card, ignoring the fact that I've mounted a different directory to it.
The stock Moto camera will write to the external SD card if you go and change the setting for it. However, the Google Camera does not give you any option to store your pictures anywhere except on the internal SD card memory. :crying:
Remember, apps can write to the external card, if you don't apply the "patch", but only to what is considered a protected are (the /storage/sdcard1/Android directory structure) and then, they can only write to a directory that the app created. They can read other directories, but they cannot modify them.

iBolski said:
It's a security issue. Before KK, the SD card was wide open to any other process to be able to request read/write to any directory and file, regardless of whether or not they created that file or directory.
Now, under KK, a program can create a file or folder in a "protected" area and only that program has the ability to modify the contents in that folder. It cannot modify other folders or files that it didn't create.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's official explanation (bull****) as you described above with non stock camera. Basically KK made external storage almost useless. I found this nice description quite long time ago.
https://plus.google.com/+TodLiebeck/posts/gjnmuaDM8sn

Zeljko1234 said:
That's official explanation (bull****) as you described above with non stock camera. Basically KK made external storage almost useless. I found this nice description quite long time ago.
https://plus.google.com/+TodLiebeck/posts/gjnmuaDM8sn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know at this point, Root Explorer still works with it, after setting the correct permissions into the /etc/permissions/platform.xml file. That works for a lot of apps. The only one that I know that is currently broken is Dolphin browser. I cannot navigate to the /storage/sdcard1/ area anymore. It keeps telling me it can't find the file or directrory and that I should make sure the SD card is ready and USB Mass Storage (haven't seen this option since my Droid X2) is not on.
So definitely, Dolphin Browser is doing something differently that even the patch isn't working for it.

Problem is that without root user cannot edit platform.xml and even after that some applications refuse to write to sd card. Another example is OfficeSuite 7 Pro which I bought and now cannot edit file if it's needed. Workaround is to save to internal then overwrite to sd card.
Basically stock Android becoming more and more limited, harder and harder to get root... That's so bad that I wouldn't update to official kk in the case that my phone has locked bootloader.
Read this article http://www.xda-developers.com/andro...use-even-more-issues-for-root-app-developers/

Flixster

I'm hoping someone else has encountered this problem and found a workaround...
I've downloaded Flixster, logged in and accessed my collection of films/tv series. When I got to download them it gives an option of download to phone or download to SD card. I selected SD card but it then says that this is not supported on my device. According to Flixster's website, all Android devices on 4.3 and above should have this facility working. Is there anything I can do to get them on my SD card?

Unless you have it installed as a system app it will not be able to write to SD card.
This is a KK feature where only system apps can write to sd card
Choose internal memory then copy it over using a system explorer, or do it via a card reader in your PC or root and apply the write to SD card fix

gregbradley said:
Unless you have it installed as a system app it will not be able to write to SD card.
This is a KK feature where only system apps can write to sd card
Choose internal memory then copy it over using a system explorer, or do it via a card reader in your PC or root and apply the write to SD card fix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I;m new to the phone and android, could you explain to me how I do this? (the internal memory way)

Tmel14 said:
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I;m new to the phone and android, could you explain to me how I do this? (the internal memory way)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download it to the phone, then transfer it to your PC via the USB cable, then to the SDcard using the USB cable

gregbradley said:
Download it to the phone, then transfer it to your PC via the USB cable, then to the SDcard using the USB cable
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By transfer "it" do you mean the app and then transfer the app to my SD card via USB? Or do you mean the movie and then transfer that to my SD card via USB?

You have the app installed, it needs to be on the phone.
Download the movie to internal memory and then move that about.

gregbradley said:
You have the app installed, it needs to be on the phone.
Download the movie to internal memory and then move that about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll have to excuse me for being a noob, can't quite figure out how this works. I plugged my phone into my laptop, went into internal storage and cut the files from the phone and then put then pasted them onto the SD card. However, now when I go into Flixster it doesn't recognise them as being on the device and although they are listed in the Movies app, it can't play the files.

Can anyone help on this? My 16Gb internal storage is running really low, could really do with getting the Flixster files on my SD card if possible

Tmel14 said:
Can anyone help on this? My 16Gb internal storage is running really low, could really do with getting the Flixster files on my SD card if possible
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Though I am not familiar with this Flixter thing, but ones you have downloaded and saved your movie in your SDCARD, why are you sticking to Flixter to play it? You can use your device's movie player or any other 3rd party software that supports the format to play the movie.

nlohani said:
Though I am not familiar with this Flixter thing, but ones you have downloaded and saved your movie in your SDCARD, why are you sticking to Flixter to play it? You can use your device's movie player or any other 3rd party software that supports the format to play the movie.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are digital codes for DVDs/Blu Rays I have purchased and have to be redeemed via Flixster. Once redeemed you have the option of streaming it via wi-fi or downloading it to the device. If you download to the device it stays within the Flixster app (they ar enot playable by other media players even though they are mp4 files - guessing they must have some sort of Flixster encoding or DRM). There is an option on Flixster to download them to SD card but it won't let me do it on the Xperia as it doesn't have permission to write to the SD card.
When I connected my phone to my laptop, I found the files within the internal storage and manually pasted them into the SD card but after doing so, Flixster no longer recognised them as being on the device and other players were still unable to play the files.

Tmel14 said:
They are digital codes for DVDs/Blu Rays I have purchased and have to be redeemed via Flixster. Once redeemed you have the option of streaming it via wi-fi or downloading it to the device. If you download to the device it stays within the Flixster app (they ar enot playable by other media players even though they are mp4 files - guessing they must have some sort of Flixster encoding or DRM). There is an option on Flixster to download them to SD card but it won't let me do it on the Xperia as it doesn't have permission to write to the SD card.
When I connected my phone to my laptop, I found the files within the internal storage and manually pasted them into the SD card but after doing so, Flixster no longer recognised them as being on the device and other players were still unable to play the files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am sure you have already checked the settings in Flixster application, to see if it gives option to read & play contents from SDCARD?
There is some application to convert users apps to system apps. Not sure if even after converting this can be moved to SD or not.

nlohani said:
I am sure you have already checked the settings in Flixster application, to see if it gives option to read & play contents from SDCARD?
There is some application to convert users apps to system apps. Not sure if even after converting this can be moved to SD or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah unfortunately not, just an option where to download to and when you select SD card and then download, the Xperia won't let me.
Would I have to be rooted in order to convert to system apps?

I'm on a Xperia Z3 Tablet and hit the same problem. I've found a way around this which works. The thing you have to bear in mind using this is you cannot download to the SD card directly.
Close Flixster
Using File Commander (or similar) on the device, copy Android>data>net.flixster.android to the same location on the SD card.
Note: Using Windows or similar doesn't give you the same rights to create/modify some of the folders
Start Flixster and change the storage location to the SD card.
Restart Flixtser. You will now see the location under the devices saying On SD Card.
I remove the ones from the internal storage once satisfied.
When downloading a new addition, change the location back to Internal Storage, let it download and then move that across and obviously change the storage location afterwards.
It works for me well on a 32gb card and saves precious internal storage space.
---------- Post added at 04:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:36 PM ----------
ThornyUk said:
I'm on a Xperia Z3 Tablet and hit the same problem. I've found a way around this which works. The thing you have to bear in mind using this is you cannot download to the SD card directly.
Close Flixster
Using File Commander (or similar) on the device, copy Android>data>net.flixster.android to the same location on the SD card.
Note: Using Windows or similar doesn't give you the same rights to create/modify some of the folders
Start Flixster and change the storage location to the SD card.
Restart Flixtser. You will now see the location under the devices saying On SD Card.
I remove the ones from the internal storage once satisfied.
When downloading a new addition, change the location back to Internal Storage, let it download and then move that across and obviously change the storage location afterwards.
It works for me well on a 32gb card and saves precious internal storage space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note: Remove video files from: Android>data>net.flixster.android>files>wv internal folder - not the others.

Can't install to sd card. Root access needed :(

I am starting a new topic, because I fear that I am not the only one that is going to have this problem - basically no mater what I do, I can't make the phone (idol 3, 4.7") to install apps to the sd card.
I tested two thing.
Method 1: There is a option in settings -> apps -> preferred install location. I chose "removeble SD card" there restarted the phone and tried to install something -> it goes striate to the tiny less-than-4-GB memory on the phone.
Method 2: Android SDK Tools - after method 1 failed I used the Android SDK tool, to change the default install location using CMD and the "adb shell pm set-install-location 2" command. The location was changed successfully (according to CMD), but when I tried to install something it again goes to the phone memory not the SDK.
Soo... after this didn't work I decide to simply move the apps to the SD card. I didn't have problem with Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft for example, but most of the apps actually don't move correctly. For example I installed Asphalt 8: Airborne and move it to the SD card. According to the phone, everything was ok (see attachment 3). Sadly the free space was suggesting something different. Checking with Link2SD Plus reviews a ugly picture - the major part of the app was actually on the phone (attachment 1). Removing the obb files resulted in the game downloading them again... on the phone.
So at this point the only logical solution for me seemed to use the "Link to SD Card" option in Link2SD. Sadly this doesn't work because "Link2SD could not obtain root access" (attachment 2).
I don't know... maybe I am missing something, but at that point the only other solution that I can think about is rooting the phone, witch is not yet possible. If you have any ideas - pls shere.
I am not entirely sure if the problem is connected to Android 5 or Alcatel did something to the OS, but after 3 days of using the idol 3 (4.7") I am on the verge of throwing it in to a wall.

This problem is the fault of Android.
I have the HTC m8 and the problem was the same and no solution before rooting and installing custom roms and special kernels and apps.
I know, very disappointing, but can be solved very easily when rooting will arrive..

Well, then - fingers crossed that we will get rooting solution soon.

Just realized that the same thing is happening with my phone. Looks like I'll use the phone for apps and the SD card for other data. At least my Google play music downloads were saved to the SD card

Sadly I am using Spotify and can't make it save on the SD card.

Same issue here basically, but with photos. I can view, but not delete files using apps such as Solid or ES File manager. They ask to be granted access, but it doesn't work. Native apps like the phone's task manager and Gallery app can edit and delete these files just fine. Other phones such as my S6 and M9 are running the same version 5.0.2 and I don't have this problem. Is it something inherent to this particular phone? Yes, rooting when it comes will solve the problem, but I thought most 3rd-party app developers had solved this issue by now. Why didn't any reviews indicate this problem before I made the purchase? Grrrrr.

In settings, apps under downloaded apps column you can click on an app and provided it's not a google app etc it will have the "move to sd" option. I've used that to move several large apps like wps office (100mb) etc.
---------- Post added at 07:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:29 PM ----------
rmc69 said:
Same issue here basically, but with photos. I can view, but not delete files using apps such as Solid or ES File manager. They ask to be granted access, but it doesn't work. Native apps like the phone's task manager and Gallery app can edit and delete these files just fine. Other phones such as my S6 and M9 are running the same version 5.0.2 and I don't have this problem. Is it something inherent to this particular phone? Yes, rooting when it comes will solve the problem, but I thought most 3rd-party app developers had solved this issue by now. Why didn't any reviews indicate this problem before I made the purchase? Grrrrr.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can probably blame lollipop....they've gotten more strict about apps being able to access the external sd card. System apps like Gallery have permission to access the external sd.

I just got a reply from the developer of QuickPic and he says it is definitely a bug they cannot fix. Oh well, don't expect to use any 3rd party apps with your SD card on this phone.
Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

famewolf said:
In settings, apps under downloaded apps column you can click on an app and provided it's not a google app etc it will have the "move to sd" option. I've used that to move several large apps like wps office (100mb) etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried using any apps after moving them to the SD Card?
I moved about 6 apps to the SD Card. Then I noticed that the widget for one of the apps on the SD card started displaying an error message (Soundcloud). I clicked on the widget and nothing happened. Decided to reboot my phone and then I realized that none of the apps I placed on the SD Card were accessible any longer. Had to re-download them all again to Phone storage.

macallik said:
Have you tried using any apps after moving them to the SD Card?
I moved about 6 apps to the SD Card. Then I noticed that the widget for one of the apps on the SD card started displaying an error message (Soundcloud). I clicked on the widget and nothing happened. Decided to reboot my phone and then I realized that none of the apps I placed on the SD Card were accessible any longer. Had to re-download them all again to Phone storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should not be moving apps that have widgets you plan to use. I verified my apps [ Amazon appstore, F-Droid, Lightning Browser, WPS Office etc...] just now and all are working fine...this is also after a couple of reboots since I moved them.

Yep, you can't more the app if you plan to use the widget. That's been normal for a long long time.
---------- Post added at 02:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:15 AM ----------
Why on earth would Google make it so files can't be deleted using 3rd party apps? That's just dumb. I use both ES File Explorer and QuickPik and this ruins the usability of these apps. hope this gets fixed in an update.

I hope they fix it soon too. This phone only has 10 gbs of internal storage. Putting photos and videos on an SD card is almost a necessity, not to mention music. Other devices running Lollipop 5.0.2 have fixed this. As I said, QuickPic, ES File Explorer work fine on my Galaxy S6 and HTC M9 as regards the SD card. I plan to write Alcatel tomorrow and maybe they will read this forum.
Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

I need someone to check for me please that has this phone and an external sd card. If you would be so kind as to install the free app Quickpic or even the free app ES file explorer. Set the native camera app to save to sd card. Try and delete a photo using either Quickpic or ES File Explorer and see if you get the same result as I did. I'm attaching 2 screenshots. The first one you will see asking for permission and the second screenshot from my phone does not list the external sd card which is the problem.
This will eliminate the possibility that it is just something wrong with my phone or a serious bug that everyone will face. Obviously, if the external sd card is not listed as a choise, you can't grant permission.

rmc69 said:
View attachment 3341266
View attachment 3341267I need someone to check for me please that has this phone and an external sd card. If you would be so kind as to install the free app Quickpic or even the free app ES file explorer. Set the native camera app to save to sd card. Try and delete a photo using either Quickpic or ES File Explorer and see if you get the same result as I did. I'm attaching 2 screenshots. The first one you will see asking for permission and the second screenshot from my phone does not list the external sd card which is the problem.
This will eliminate the possibility that it is just something wrong with my phone or a serious bug that everyone will face. Obviously, if the external sd card is not listed as a choise, you can't grant permission.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use ES File Explorer - and I got the same prompts while attempting to delete something from the external micro SD card. Honestly - I was not able to exactly follow what it was asking me the first time around. But eventually I was able to do what it was asking me to do ( although I couldn't repeat it if you asked me to !! ) and now I am able to delete files from the micro SD using ES File Explorer.

Thanks. If it now works on your phone, perhaps I have a flaw in my phone. I'll try yet a 3rd sd card and report back.

Solved
PROBLEM SOLVED!! My 64GB Micro SD card was formatted to exFat.
It needs to be formatted to Fat32. I used a guide from this XDA thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1773735
Now, QuickPic and ES File Explorer recognize the SD card and permission can be granted.
Whew.

rmc69 said:
PROBLEM SOLVED!! My 64GB Micro SD card was formatted to exFat.
It needs to be formatted to Fat32. I used a guide from this XDA thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1773735
Now, QuickPic and ES File Explorer recognize the SD card and permission can be granted.
Whew.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice info there. I did the same after seeing your post. I formatted my 128GB card with a 65536 byte allocation unit size which is the fastest. I tested the sd card with flashbench to see which was the fastest. After formatting I loaded a few test files. QuickPic works fine but ES File Explorer still does not. I will delete the data and reinstall the app and see if that works. Right now I'm copying all my music back over to the card which will take a while.

ES File Explorer still won't delete from the SD Card. I cleared the data, uninstalled and installed again. When I delete a file (picture) I do not get the option to select the SD card. Any other solutions?

Shodan5150 said:
ES File Explorer still won't delete from the SD Card. I cleared the data, uninstalled and installed again. When I delete a file (picture) I do not get the option to select the SD card. Any other solutions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If QuickPic now will delete from the SD card, so should ES File Explorer. While this was going on, I downloaded 2 additional file managers (Solid and Root Explorer) and they too wouldn't delete from the sd card. Once I reformatted my card, all 3 file managers were able to get permission and delete the files including ES. My only suggestion would be to try reformatting again and if still not working, if you have one, try another card from a different manufacturer. Since ES File Manager now works for me, it should for you too. Let us know if you sort it out. Root Explorer is a very good file manager, but costs $3.99. (Root is not required with the latest update despite the name).

I tried Solid and it didn't work. Then I tried a couple other generic ones and still nope. Then I tried Astro and it worked. I went back to Solid and it worked. Then went back to ES and it worked. Damn so strange but glad it's working now. Thanks for the help.