Develop Bugs

[Q] Cleaning up SD card

I have so much junk on my SD card from deleted apps, ROM downloads, original root zips. I want to format the card to get rid of the junk. I realize that it will wipe out some current data. I can reinstall that on a selected basis. What would be the proper way... Format? Re-Download and flash ROM.
Im running CM6 RC1 with Nightlys
Thanks in advance

I would just back up the data that you know you'd want (maybe pictures, or folders of certain apps) then just format the SD card. I'm not sure if there's "mission-critical" stuff in there nowadays, since Froyo lets you use the SD card a lot more (to store apps among other things), that would be up to you I think.
But you shouldn't have to flash the ROM again. I'm waiting until 32GB micro SD cards are cheaper then I'm just going to change my 8 with that.

EVOfla said:
I have so much junk on my SD card from deleted apps, ROM downloads, original root zips. I want to format the card to get rid of the junk. I realize that it will wipe out some current data. I can reinstall that on a selected basis. What would be the proper way... Format? Re-Download and flash ROM.
Im running CM6 RC1 with Nightlys
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought this would be a great idea the first time i looked at my sd card and realized it was halfway full after 1 day with my evo, so i backed up my photos and videos and music formatted it and installed a rooted rom, the only problem is, that flashing a rom full (rooted or unrooted, I tried both) none of the folders on the sd card get recreated, which causes a problem when taking your fist few pics, and it then lumps all photos and videos into the same folder, kinda creates a messier sdcard than I had originally anticipated, wished i had imaged the card first so i could put everything back where it belonged, even if it was just a blank folder, but thats just my 2 cents

Suddenly Desire can't read mp3, pictures and videos on the SD.

Like the title says, I suddenly found out after I couldn't see any songs or albums in Winamp. Then I tried the stock player, same thing.
They're still there, I can see them with ASTRO and when I connect it to my PC.
I can play the songs through ASTRO, but when the player starts up there's no info on the song at all.
I tried PowerAmp (which does a search on the SD card for mp3s) and that works with most of the albums, some are missing cover artwork.
Also my alarm clock can't detect mp3s, same as my running app cardiotrainer. It's the same when I try to put an mp3 as a ringtone.
Firstly the standard HTC Desire ringtones could not be read either, but I got them to show up again, during my attempt to fix this, which I will go through below.
When I try to open up the mp3s through a program (custom ringtone or stock mp3 player) it says "No musicfiles or SD card is available" (translated from my Danish Desire OS).
I can't see my pictures or videos through my camera or gallery apps, but when I take a new picture it shows up as the only one I got.
-----------------------------------------------
What I've tried:
Rebooting lots of times, of course.
Changing the name of my mp3 folder.
Searching for a ".nomedia" file, or similar "." but finding nothing.
Using the app "SDrescan".
I connected the phone to my PC, right click and select properties. Then tools - error checking. Run with automatically fix file system errors checked.
It ran the error check and said there were some errors and it has been fixed. When I run it again it says no errors were detected.
Did a nandroid restore.
---------------------------------------------
Possible causes:
I am rooted, running the newest Leedroid.
Yesterday I did a complete nandroid backup and titanium backup, and copied the whole SD to my computer drive. I also wiped my battery stats.
That's all I did.

Do you tried to put some new songs to see if they appear on the music player? Maybe it is just a corrupted database for the older entries.

Maybe the stock android media scanner is broken.. Try a nandroid and a full wipe with a fresh install of your ROM, if it does not fix the problem, restore the nandroid backup..

How much % is free. This can be a problem if it's to little.
R
Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

I tried to put a brand new mp3 on there, but it can't see that one either. On the other hand, when I take a new picture with the camera, that single new picture is visible.
On the SD card 3,44 GB are free. Internal free is about 71 MB, but I've done the A2SD+.
I've tried to do a nandroid restore, with the nandroid backup I made Tuesday, when it was still working.
I guess there's nothing else to try than to do a complete wipe and install a fresh ROM.
I can't really figure out why it would do this all of a sudden.

If you have a mac use disk utility to repair your card - if not format you card - move all data back on after your done - see if that works

How do I format the card?
Is it the thing where I go into ROM Manager and under utillities, select Patition SD card?

I tried to format the SD card, through menu->settings->sd card->format
After it was formatted I put all the SD stuff back from my backup on my PC, and the mp3 could still not be seen at all.
Something strange with the pictures though. In my gallery app I could see all my picture folders except for the main one where new pictures are saved to.
So I try to connect it to my PC again, and switch one of the pictures from the main folder over to one of my self-made folders to see if it would show up there.
I disconnect from the PC and let the SD card mount again, and now it's back to where I can see no pictures at all. I try to put the picture back again, but still; no pictures at all.

Don't format through phone. .. plug it in ur PC and use gparted for example..
Btw u did backup ur SD and move everything back on yea?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA Premium App

BigMrB said:
Don't format through phone. .. plug it in ur PC and use gparted for example..
Btw u did backup ur SD and move everything back on yea?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a backup of my SD and moved it all back, no problems.
The only other way of formatting I know (besides doing it through the phone) is using this guide:
1. Go into the ROM Manager app.
2. Under utillities, select Patition SD card.
3. Select 512MB for both cache and EXT3
4. This will re-format your SD card.
Is that the same (as good as) using gparted as you suggested? I don't know about gparted.

danielvago said:
I have a backup of my SD and moved it all back, no problems.
The only other way of formatting I know (besides doing it through the phone) is using this guide:
1. Go into the ROM Manager app.
2. Under utillities, select Patition SD card.
3. Select 512MB for both cache and EXT3
4. This will re-format your SD card.
Is that the same (as good as) using gparted as you suggested? I don't know about gparted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just think that using a PC / Mac gives you more control over the format etc... linux swap etc... No doubt rom mamanger should suffice but if you do have a corrupted SD card often PC's can handle it better
Tbh if you have repaired your card that usually fixes these sorts of problems for me ... have you got another SD card to try!?

BigMrB said:
I just think that using a PC / Mac gives you more control over the format etc... linux swap etc... No doubt rom mamanger should suffice but if you do have a corrupted SD card often PC's can handle it better
Tbh if you have repaired your card that usually fixes these sorts of problems for me ... have you got another SD card to try!?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why didn't I think to try this myself?!
I do have another SD card, and just tried it... and it works! I even tried putting in a new mp3 and it can see it.
Do you think I should just do a rom manager format, or should I jump into the PC way of a format?
I am a big noob btw, so if you think the PC way of formatting my SD card is better, could I ask you to write down a noob-friendly guide maybe?

I've just done the rom manager partition format, and tried to put an mp3 and a few pictures on my SD card, and it works!
Now I'm in the process of putting my SD backup back on my SD card, and I'll write back later if it all works after that.

If not ur card is screwed lol.. I'd be surprised if that didn't work!! Formatting usually cures SD card probs ... if u ever get read only error just repair ur card no need for format for that... just for future reference ... I'm a bit nooby too tbh, lots to learn lol
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA Premium App

I just finished copying all of the backup onto my SD card and... now it doesn't work again!!! Same problem!

Why don't you buy a new card? I got a class 6 16 Gb for £20 ... so there cheap enough for all the hassle?
Try formatting on a Mac or PC.. I use gparted from CD I burnt but there are plenty of others around. If not tbh I'm not sure where you go from there.. if you have a backup everything should be fine lol
Edit - so can I clarify do either of your cards work properly?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA Premium App

Oh my god... I just found a ".nomedia" file in the root of my SD card... if that's it I will feel very stupid.
I have formatted 3 times now, transferring the stuff back again now.

Yup, that was the problem
I feel so stupid, but thanks for all your help.

LOL .... well at least you learnt something

[Q] I want to format my SD Card but..

Greetings everyone,
After almost a year of using xperia arc and plenty of cleanups with SEUS I never formated my SD Card. I have a 16GB class 6 one which is half full (Mostly with music, pictures and videos) and yet its full of folders from Apps i used in the past.
The question is; If i delete everything from sd card via computer, then re-mount the card will the needed folders be replaced? Also I have moved apps to sd which i still use, will the folders be replaced aswell?
and last; I already copied all the files i need to my computer, if I will re-download an app and paste the folder back there, will I have the saves back?

Retrosid said:
Greetings everyone,
After almost a year of using xperia arc and plenty of cleanups with SEUS I never formated my SD Card. I have a 16GB class 6 one which is half full (Mostly with music, pictures and videos) and yet its full of folders from Apps i used in the past.
The question is; If i delete everything from sd card via computer, then re-mount the card will the needed folders be replaced? Also I have moved apps to sd which i still use, will the folders be replaced aswell?
and last; I already copied all the files i need to my computer, if I will re-download an app and paste the folder back there, will I have the saves back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
a bit difficult, try to delete the unused folders instead
but if you do the right backup of the needed data, yes the data will be there.
and the deleted folders created by system should be recreated

Retrosid said:
Greetings everyone,
After almost a year of using xperia arc and plenty of cleanups with SEUS I never formated my SD Card. I have a 16GB class 6 one which is half full (Mostly with music, pictures and videos) and yet its full of folders from Apps i used in the past.
The question is; If i delete everything from sd card via computer, then re-mount the card will the needed folders be replaced? Also I have moved apps to sd which i still use, will the folders be replaced aswell?
and last; I already copied all the files i need to my computer, if I will re-download an app and paste the folder back there, will I have the saves back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must make sure that you format your SD card with FAT32 file system.If you are using Windows OS then there is no need to get worried.Just go ahead with the normal procedure.
Once you format,all the folders and files will be deleted and when you mount it in your phone,the necessary files and folders will be created on its own.These necessary files do not belong to the applications you moved to SD card and it means that you must create a back up of your apps before you format your card,in order to use the apps even if you format your sd card.
I would suggest "Titanium Backup" app to back-up your apps.And when you are done with the back up, make sure that you copy the folder named "TitaniumBackup" from your sd card to your PC/Notebook and then format your card.

KingWickedd said:
You must make sure that you format your SD card with FAT32 file system.If you are using Windows OS then there is no need to get worried.Just go ahead with the normal procedure.
Once you format,all the folders and files will be deleted and when you mount it in your phone,the necessary files and folders will be created on its own.These necessary files do not belong to the applications you moved to SD card and it means that you must create a back up of your apps before you format your card,in order to use the apps even if you format your sd card.
I would suggest "Titanium Backup" app to back-up your apps.And when you are done with the back up, make sure that you copy the folder named "TitaniumBackup" from your sd card to your PC/Notebook and then format your card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats the answer I was waiting for
Thanks mate, I will delete all the files from my SD Card after the ICS update that we will have in about a month, unless if i flash another rom before that so I will have a clean phone.

Retrosid said:
Thats the answer I was waiting for
Thanks mate, I will delete all the files from my SD Card after the ICS update that we will have in about a month, unless if i flash another rom before that so I will have a clean phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All the best

Formating SD card
Guys i have a similar question!
I have an Htc sensation and i already have ICS (official). My question is: should i format my sd card along the recommended factory reset after the update??
And if so...wont i be loosing some preloaded stuff (if exists) that comes with the phone when i bought it?? i dont care about my apps, all that matters to me is the stock stuff! thank you

Mondea said:
Guys i have a similar question!
I have an Htc sensation and i already have ICS (official). My question is: should i format my sd card along the recommended factory reset after the update??
And if so...wont i be loosing some preloaded stuff (if exists) that comes with the phone when i bought it?? i dont care about my apps, all that matters to me is the stock stuff! thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you will lose all the things you have on your card including the demo videos, stock gallery images, etc.
Sent from my LT18i using XDA

I have formated my card already and it goes faster than ever
Sent from my Xperia Arc

Thank you Guys For your help

lost all my installed apps and files after sd card partition

Hi
I have just partitioned my sd card through recovery mode, and when it rebooted, all my apps had gone, the icons are still there though. How can I get these back? Also my photos etc. I didnt backup the SD card properly, so cannot get them from a backup
Thanks in advance

when you say "I didnt backup the SD card properly", does this mean you didn't back it up at all?
partitioning wipes the sd card, so if you don't have a backup of it, then all your photos will be gone unfortunately. there's not much we can do to recover these. i'm guessing some of your apps were manually moved to sd card, which is why some of them have disappeared as well.
which recovery were you using? clockworkmod recovery for desire doesn't make the best partitions, also uninstall rom manager if you were using it. i would recommend repartitioning your sd card with 4ext recovery (requires s-off) or gparted, search for guides.
then reinstall your apps which don't appear through google play. if you're lucky the app data should still be saved, so things like game saves etc will still be there.
you also have to make sure you're actually using the new partition. i don't know which custom rom you're using if any? it may have an a2sd script built in, so when you reinstall apps they'll go to the ext partition. otherwise you may need to use terminal commands to activate it, or flash a separate script. check and search the rom thread...use another app like 'diskusage' to browse your partitions.

Thanks for your reply
eddiehk6 said:
when you say "I didnt backup the SD card properly", does this mean you didn't back it up at all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I started copying the files over, but it didnt copy over all the files, not sure why.
eddiehk6 said:
partitioning wipes the sd card, so if you don't have a backup of it, then all your photos will be gone unfortunately. there's not much we can do to recover these. i'm guessing some of your apps were manually moved to sd card, which is why some of them have disappeared as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried using a file recovery program, but could only recover a few files, is there no way I can recover files from a formatted card?

bigmaz said:
Thanks for your reply
I started copying the files over, but it didnt copy over all the files, not sure why.
I tried using a file recovery program, but could only recover a few files, is there no way I can recover files from a formatted card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once information is deleted, you cannot recover it all back.

[Q] Questions about SD card cleanup

1- If I "format" my SD from android (bottom of the part where you see how much storage everything uses @ settings) I'll lose my apps too? Or just the photos and unused folders will be deleted? Doesn't matter if it deletes videos, music images and etc, I can restore them. (that would be great :l)
2- If I make a CWM backup and another backup with MyBackup Root, delete everything from the SD and restore everything, it will be working everything again but clean?
3- ORR YOU GUYS think I should use one of those clean-sd apps? If so, which?
Regards, Phen.

Phenomzye said:
1- If I "format" my SD from android (bottom of the part where you see how much storage everything uses @ settings) I'll lose my apps too? Or just the photos and unused folders will be deleted? Doesn't matter if it deletes videos, music images and etc, I can restore them. (that would be great :l)
2- If I make a CWM backup and another backup with MyBackup Root, delete everything from the SD and restore everything, it will be working everything again but clean?
3- ORR YOU GUYS think I should use one of those clean-sd apps? If so, which?
Regards, Phen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
If you format your SD Card, either from Android OS or your computer, everything will be deleted. If you make a backup, delete everything and restore everything I don't think it will "clean" your SD.
You can either usen SD Clean application (like SD Maid, which is good) or better just format your SD and install your apps again and copy paste only the files you need. It will take more time, but will get the job done.

Everything will be wiped from sd card after format
Sent from my IRIS_501 using Tapatalk 2

just format it through computer or laptop select quick format .. hit thanks if i helped
Sent from my Micromax A110 using xda premium

Babis_ECE said:
Hi,
If you format your SD Card, either from Android OS or your computer, everything will be deleted. If you make a backup, delete everything and restore everything I don't think it will "clean" your SD.
You can either usen SD Clean application (like SD Maid, which is good) or better just format your SD and install your apps again and copy paste only the files you need. It will take more time, but will get the job done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks kind sir, gonna try both!