[Q] Stop Erasing My SD Files! - Galaxy Tab 3 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Newbie question, forgive me if it's dumb. I have a Galaxy Tab T310 that I just rooted because I wanted to be able to get around the SD card write issue. BUT, the real problem I have is that I want to simply copy movies from my desktop to the Tab via a USB cable but the Tab keeps erasing the files. It doesn't erase the directories I create on the SD, it just erases the files IN the directories and often the subdirectories. Sometimes it erases them as soon as I copy new files to the SD, sometimes when I reboot the phone. But it always erases them.
I'm assuming this is related to the Android security effort to "protect me," but I don't know how to keep it from happening. Will one of the root apps like SDFix keep this from happening? Again, I'm not talking about apps being able to write files to the SD, I'm just talking about me being able to write files to the SD using a cable and then KEEPING the files from being erased by the Tab. Thanks for the help!

Auto-delete files
Can anyone point me toward another forum where I might find an answer to this question? I thought this would be the best place but apparently I am the only person who has ever seen this problem. This makes me wonder whether there is another problem with the tablet....
k9bm said:
Newbie question, forgive me if it's dumb. I have a Galaxy Tab T310 that I just rooted because I wanted to be able to get around the SD card write issue. BUT, the real problem I have is that I want to simply copy movies from my desktop to the Tab via a USB cable but the Tab keeps erasing the files. It doesn't erase the directories I create on the SD, it just erases the files IN the directories and often the subdirectories. Sometimes it erases them as soon as I copy new files to the SD, sometimes when I reboot the phone. But it always erases them.
I'm assuming this is related to the Android security effort to "protect me," but I don't know how to keep it from happening. Will one of the root apps like SDFix keep this from happening? Again, I'm not talking about apps being able to write files to the SD, I'm just talking about me being able to write files to the SD using a cable and then KEEPING the files from being erased by the Tab. Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

k9bm said:
Can anyone point me toward another forum where I might find an answer to this question? I thought this would be the best place but apparently I am the only person who has ever seen this problem. This makes me wonder whether there is another problem with the tablet....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might try downloading an SD Card Fix app from the Play store. There are several of them. KK messed up the ability to copy to the Ext SD card.
If you're rooted, then download ES File explorer app. Run it and hit your menu button. Scroll down the menu and make sure Root Explorer is checked.
That's all I can think of that might help

Related

HELP !!!!!! What happend to all my sd files

all of a sudden all my folders on my sd card for my evo now end in .lnk extension i dont know what happened every single folder and file go converted in lost i dont understand i dont wanna loose all my data
kgdadon said:
all of a sudden all my folders on my sd card for my evo now end in .lnk extension i dont know what happened every single folder and file go converted in lost i dont understand i dont wanna loose all my data
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This just happened out of the blue? Had you downloaded and installed any new apps or anything like that? Were you making any changes or doing anything out of the ordinary when it happened? I've never heard of that before, and it's rather odd. Have you tried deleting the .lnk extensions from the files to see if you can still access them by deleting the extension?
k2buckley said:
This just happened out of the blue? Had you downloaded and installed any new apps or anything like that? Were you making any changes or doing anything out of the ordinary when it happened? I've never heard of that before, and it's rather odd. Have you tried deleting the .lnk extensions from the files to see if you can still access them by deleting the extension?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WELL I REMEMBER SWITCHING TO A NEW ROM AND TRYING TO USE A NEW FORMAT ALL ZIP , THEN WHEN I FINALLY BOOTED INTO THE ROM ALL WAS OK BUT WHEN I WENT TO TRANSFER NEW FILES FROM MY PC TO MY SD CARD I FOUND ALL MY FOLDERS HAD THAT .lnk extension at the end .. i was like wtf ??? then i noticed i can acess all my files from with in the phone but not through my computer .. and when i connect to my pc a pop up pops up and says virus detected on sd drive. thats why i think its a virus but i dont understand how to fix it i dont wanna loose myy daughters pics.. everything else i dont care to loose
man what a bummer, now have you tried downloading the free lookout or avg from the market and checked your phone for viruses, see if they find any. if not have you tried to disable your antivirus in your computer and try to open the sd files then. if you can create a restore point in your computer before you disable the antivirus, to do this just click on start menu and on the black search space at the bottom type system restore and it will take you to where you can create a system restore in case there really was a virus
This may be a stupid question but can you just rename them? I mean erase the extension or something? I know on some of my hidden files that's all it does is rename the extra at the end. If I change it I can see the file.
Edit: Just re-read buckleys advice and it was the same thing. Sorry.
Sent from "The EVO" using XDA Premium

[Q] Unable to see storage card when running on Android

Hi all,
I am trying to get android to work on my old Tilt2 for my fiance so we can play games together. I've gone through all the steps by adding the correct files to the root of the storage card and running Haret. Every thing seems to work "fine" other than the fact that I can't see a storage card while in Android. I tried to partition my SD card to see if that would help but I am unable to determine the proper way to do that. Any help would be appreciated
Do you have some type of file manager installed on Android? I know that I could always see it, with the exception of the Android folder on my card.
Demonic240 said:
Hi all,
I am trying to get android to work on my old Tilt2 for my fiance so we can play games together. I've gone through all the steps by adding the correct files to the root of the storage card and running Haret. Every thing seems to work "fine" other than the fact that I can't see a storage card while in Android. I tried to partition my SD card to see if that would help but I am unable to determine the proper way to do that. Any help would be appreciated
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've said this 100x, not sure why it never shows up on people's searches...
But backup all the data on the card. Format the card (full format, FAT32) using the HP Tool. Restore all the data on the card after the format, or start over fresh doesn't really matter. Apps should now be able to see the card, etc.
I'm not concerned about apps seeing the storage card. I don't have a "My Files" app that will let me navigate the card. Do I need to download a file manager in order for it to work?
I fixed it.. I had to download a file management app I feel dumb now.
Which App?
lotusfrontera said:
Which App?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Astro is pretty good, and is included in AndroidApps folder IIRC.
arrrghhh said:
Astro is pretty good, and is included in AndroidApps folder IIRC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amusingly, I use multiple file storage apps. Super Manager for making system files r/w, and file expert for the look and feel. I have astro too, on my other phone, but only really use it for enabling all file type downloads from the web.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App

[Q] Help me with media issue?

So i was on g2 apps v5.5 rom for some time when all of a sudden my media stopped scanning, i wasnt sure why, rescan media apps werent working either, so i decided to flash a new rom and i chose candykat, since then all of my files that i used to have, pictures, videos, etc have completely vanished. i cant locate the files in 7 zipper, es file explorer, and media scan apps still bring me nothing. Yet my internal storage still has the same amount of space used that it did before, and also when i go into CWM and choose install a zip it shows all the folders and things that i am missing, but that is the only place i see the folders but i dont have access to my files from cwm. Also i have noticed that when i am on 7zipper looking through files my internal storage says storage/emoulated/0 and i have no idea what the emulated is about, if anyone has any info or knows what im talking about please to help, Im not too great with phone stuff but i am okay, so if anyone has any simplified steps to give me on how to fix this issue it would be appriciated, thank you.
No answers anyone?
Just do some searching mate. And use ROOT EXPLORER and give it access.
nsh121193 said:
So i was on g2 apps v5.5 rom for some time when all of a sudden my media stopped scanning, i wasnt sure why, rescan media apps werent working either, so i decided to flash a new rom and i chose candykat, since then all of my files that i used to have, pictures, videos, etc have completely vanished. i cant locate the files in 7 zipper, es file explorer, and media scan apps still bring me nothing. Yet my internal storage still has the same amount of space used that it did before, and also when i go into CWM and choose install a zip it shows all the folders and things that i am missing, but that is the only place i see the folders but i dont have access to my files from cwm. Also i have noticed that when i am on 7zipper looking through files my internal storage says storage/emoulated/0 and i have no idea what the emulated is about, if anyone has any info or knows what im talking about please to help, Im not too great with phone stuff but i am okay, so if anyone has any simplified steps to give me on how to fix this issue it would be appriciated, thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The way Kitkat makes the "SDcard"/"Internal Storage" directory is different from how it was on Jelly bean. <--EDIT: By this, I mean that the directory path is different.
The card is reading that X amount of data is on the card, yet you can't see it because your files are technically still there, but under the old directory path.
There are a couple of ways to fix this, but the EASIEST (IMO) way is to first restore a JB Nandroid backup (you can backup your KK ROM first if desired). First thing you'll notice is that the files will be there again. Now, plug your phone into your computer and copy all the files to it.
Reboot into recovery and format the internal SD. It's best to do it from within recovery, because otherwise, JB will just recreate the JB file structure and immediately start saving stuff to it. So when you get to KK, there will once again be the old structure hidden and with some files taking up space.
Now either reflash your KK rom or restore your KK backup.
Boot it up and copy your files back to the phone.
*I ran into this same issue after flashing KK for the first time. This is the exact process I did to resolve it.
Another way is to use a root file browser and locate the old directory and copy everything over to the new one. However, I think this might take quite a long time since the phone can do this only so fast.
spexwood said:
The way Kitkat makes the "SDcard"/"Internal Storage" directory is different from how it was on Jelly bean. <--EDIT: By this, I mean that the directory path is different.
The card is reading that X amount of data is on the card, yet you can't see it because your files are technically still there, but under the old directory path.
There are a couple of ways to fix this, but the EASIEST (IMO) way is to first restore a JB Nandroid backup (you can backup your KK ROM first if desired). First thing you'll notice is that the files will be there again. Now, plug your phone into your computer and copy all the files to it.
Reboot into recovery and format the internal SD. It's best to do it from within recovery, because otherwise, JB will just recreate the JB file structure and immediately start saving stuff to it. So when you get to KK, there will once again be the old structure hidden and with some files taking up space.
Now either reflash your KK rom or restore your KK backup.
Boot it up and copy your files back to the phone.
*I ran into this same issue after flashing KK for the first time. This is the exact process I did to resolve it.
Another way is to use a root file browser and locate the old directory and copy everything over to the new one. However, I think this might take quite a long time since the phone can do this only so fast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, thank you, I will try that soon and see if it works.

[Q]

Hi
Just got my TAB S 10.5 wifi. Painstakingly been trying to setup the pc so the tablet can talk to it. And installed ES File explorer so I can simply copy & paste my music to my SD card when ever I want.
But when I came to it, ES explorer will not let me do it, it says it needs to be rooted, which I don't want to do, I did on my S3 but that was purely to installed Viper for android.
2 questions:
Does anyone know if lollipop will sort out this permission problem when it's released.
and if not, is there a way to write to my SD card without rooting?
Many Thanks
At least make a proper effort at posting a subject line in the right sub forum and somebody might make an effort to reply...
Lollipop should fix sd issue i guess. I am running cm12 and have no problems. And theres no way to write to sd without rooting on kitkat or maybe i havent found a way
Dibbley247 said:
Hi
Just got my TAB S 10.5 wifi. Painstakingly been trying to setup the pc so the tablet can talk to it. And installed ES File explorer so I can simply copy & paste my music to my SD card when ever I want.
But when I came to it, ES explorer will not let me do it, it says it needs to be rooted, which I don't want to do, I did on my S3 but that was purely to installed Viper for android.
2 questions:
Does anyone know if lollipop will sort out this permission problem when it's released.
and if not, is there a way to write to my SD card without rooting?
Many Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try stock file explorer?
Dibbley247 said:
Hi
Just got my TAB S 10.5 wifi. Painstakingly been trying to setup the pc so the tablet can talk to it. And installed ES File explorer so I can simply copy & paste my music to my SD card when ever I want.
But when I came to it, ES explorer will not let me do it, it says it needs to be rooted, which I don't want to do, I did on my S3 but that was purely to installed Viper for android.
2 questions:
Does anyone know if lollipop will sort out this permission problem when it's released.
and if not, is there a way to write to my SD card without rooting?
Many Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kitkat introduced SD Card restrictions that meant apps could only read SD card data without being able to write to them or modify anything. Samsung somehow worked around this with their stock My Files app which allows writing to SD.
Lollipop should fix this by default and open up access to ES again
Sent from my Note 4
ashyx said:
At least make a proper effort at posting a subject line in the right sub forum and somebody might make an effort to reply...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did not realise the title went missing, my phone is a bit Laggy now and plays up.
Anyway, bit more digging, and I have come across an app called B1 File manager.
anyway, move this to the SD card, and you can write to it's own folder. Then I can assign my media player albums to the sub folder and works a charm!!!!!
And I never tried the stock file manager. I'm still learning what's on here, I've been stuck on jellybean for the past 2 years so there's probably lots on here to figure out.
Dibbley247 said:
did not realise the title went missing, my phone is a bit Laggy now and plays up.
Anyway, bit more digging, and I have come across an app called B1 File manager.
anyway, move this to the SD card, and you can write to it's own folder. Then I can assign my media player albums to the sub folder and works a charm!!!!!
And I never tried the stock file manager. I'm still learning what's on here, I've been stuck on jellybean for the past 2 years so there's probably lots on here to figure out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How does this method work?
Sent from my Z667T using XDA Free mobile app

Is there any way to get write permissions to SD card - xposed Fix EXTSD dont work

I seem to have been at this for hours now. I finally got Xposed framework on my Tab S and Note 4 and decided to try Marshmallow SD fix
https://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed/modules/xposed-marshmallow-sd-fix-write-t3403263/page29
and then EXT SD fix
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software/fix-extsd-fix-v1-0b-2016-01-18-t3296266
In each case going to Titanium backup it just doesn't work - I get the same old "Folder is not writable" message for anything on the SD card.
Since many people are having success - I'm assuming this is because of the Samsung version of Xposed framework ?
I don't know but nothing I do seems to work.
Any suggestions / advice - has anyone got this to work on their tab s or note 4?
louiscar said:
I seem to have been at this for hours now. I finally got Xposed framework on my Tab S and Note 4 and decided to try Marshmallow SD fix
https://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed/modules/xposed-marshmallow-sd-fix-write-t3403263/page29
and then EXT SD fix
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software/fix-extsd-fix-v1-0b-2016-01-18-t3296266
In each case going to Titanium backup it just doesn't work - I get the same old "Folder is not writable" message for anything on the SD card.
Since many people are having success - I'm assuming this is because of the Samsung version of Xposed framework ?
I don't know but nothing I do seems to work.
Any suggestions / advice - has anyone got this to work on their tab s or note 4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it's lollipop you need the sdcard fix. If it's mm you just need to allow write permissions to the app.
ashyx said:
If it's lollipop you need the sdcard fix. If it's mm you just need to allow write permissions to the app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure I understand that. Are you talking about extsd or marshmallow fix ? Also there are no permissions to set other than the ones shown. For Titanium those are all set to on. Ie. Storage.
Is there a specific 'write' permission elsewhere that I've missed?
louiscar said:
I'm not sure I understand that. Are you talking about extsd or marshmallow fix ? Also there are no permissions to set other than the ones shown. For Titanium those are all set to on. Ie. Storage.
Is there a specific 'write' permission elsewhere that I've missed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any app that wishes to write to the external storage should show a dialog requesting permission to the ext sd after that it will have full write access.
Any app that doesn't isn't mm compatible.
Which folder path are you trying to use?
ashyx said:
Any app that wishes to write to the external storage should show a dialog requesting permission to the ext sd after that it will have full write access.
Any app that doesn't isn't mm compatible.
Which folder path are you trying to use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Titanium problem is fairly common. if all apps need to be was mm compatible then we wouldn't need a fix for the SD cards I would have thought.
But coming to Titanium itself I can select the old folder with is exsdcard/titaniumbackup but Titanium will tell me this has no write access but I can use it to read from and restore.
There is no location that Titanium will use or see on the extsdcard. What one has to do to is to copy the contents of your backup folder to the internal card then select that as the backup folder in Tba. Then you have elect to change the backup folder but choosing DocumentProvider storage. At this point you then have to create a folder - an existing folder is no good. Once created it will copy the contents of the internal folder to the extsdcard. Apart from the fact that this 'workaround' is much slower it is also inconvenient and any kind of change for whatever reason in the backup folder means that you can't just switch to the old one you have to go through the whole creation process.
As far as I am concerned this is why I wanted an SD card fix but I also understand to some point your view and it does make some sense. However it is confusing. When this nightmare started with Kitkat I understood that apps were allowed their own folder but couldn't affect or write to other folders. Also they were media folders only. This as I remember also affected file managers which then couldn't do their intended job.
With MM and without any fix Solid explorer can and does have full access to the sd card and can write in any folder from what I can see. Other apps seem to possibly access with documentprovider permissions - I'm not sure but many appear to have no problems but the pop up is very much like the documentprovider - choose a folder. So I am confused why Titanium has these problems and can understand a point of view that they haven't adapted as they should have perhaps but then I find it hard to believe that they wouldn't have done what they can with the features /tools they have for one of the most popular backup programs..
Either way, at the end of the day I was really hoping I could have got a fix which worked much like sdcard fix on Kitkat which stopped the nonsense and Google's insistence that they know best how we can and should use our SD cards.
And indeed for many people Marshmallow fix and or EXTSD appear to work for a lot of people in the way I was hoping - hence the creation of this thread because
1) it certainly doesn't for both my Samsung devices and
2) Many people with Samsungs (and some other devices) appear to be having the same difficulty.
I don't understand what has been done on MM to make it so difficult to overcome the problem but obviously it appears Google is just plain bloody minded and trying to make it more foolproof.
louiscar said:
The Titanium problem is fairly common. if all apps need to be was mm compatible then we wouldn't need a fix for the SD cards I would have thought.
But coming to Titanium itself I can select the old folder with is exsdcard/titaniumbackup but Titanium will tell me this has no write access but I can use it to read from and restore.
There is no location that Titanium will use or see on the extsdcard. What one has to do to is to copy the contents of your backup folder to the internal card then select that as the backup folder in Tba. Then you have elect to change the backup folder but choosing DocumentProvider storage. At this point you then have to create a folder - an existing folder is no good. Once created it will copy the contents of the internal folder to the extsdcard. Apart from the fact that this 'workaround' is much slower it is also inconvenient and any kind of change for whatever reason in the backup folder means that you can't just switch to the old one you have to go through the whole creation process.
As far as I am concerned this is why I wanted an SD card fix but I also understand to some point your view and it does make some sense. However it is confusing. When this nightmare started with Kitkat I understood that apps were allowed their own folder but couldn't affect or write to other folders. Also they were media folders only. This as I remember also affected file managers which then couldn't do their intended job.
With MM and without any fix Solid explorer can and does have full access to the sd card and can write in any folder from what I can see. Other apps seem to possibly access with documentprovider permissions - I'm not sure but many appear to have no problems but the pop up is very much like the documentprovider - choose a folder. So I am confused why Titanium has these problems and can understand a point of view that they haven't adapted as they should have perhaps but then I find it hard to believe that they wouldn't have done what they can with the features /tools they have for one of the most popular backup programs..
Either way, at the end of the day I was really hoping I could have got a fix which worked much like sdcard fix on Kitkat which stopped the nonsense and Google's insistence that they know best how we can and should use our SD cards.
And indeed for many people Marshmallow fix and or EXTSD appear to work for a lot of people in the way I was hoping - hence the creation of this thread because
1) it certainly doesn't for both my Samsung devices and
2) Many people with Samsungs (and some other devices) appear to be having the same difficulty.
I don't understand what has been done on MM to make it so difficult to overcome the problem but obviously it appears Google is just plain bloody minded and trying to make it more foolproof.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The fix for KitKat and lollipop isn't needed for MM because Google did in fact listen to people griping about the ext card restrictions.
MM will give full access to properly coded apps.
I have many different devices running MM and all gave write access to the ext sdcard including TB, which I use regularly.
However that doesn't mean to say I haven't had the issue you speak of. I may have even had it with TB.
The folder path I use in this case is mnt/media_rw/
This path is almost always accessible by apps and is the path I'm using right now for TB.
If that doesn't work try disabling 'mount namespace separation' in SuperSU settings then reboot also make sure your TB is up to date.
ashyx said:
The fix for KitKat and lollipop isn't needed for MM because Google did in fact listen to people griping about the ext card restrictions.
MM will give full access to properly coded apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok understood.
I'm guessing then that the so called Marshmallow fix via xposed is to get older apps which may not be updated to work
ashyx said:
I have many different devices running MM and all gave write access to the ext sdcard including TB, which I use regularly.
However that doesn't mean to say I haven't had the issue you speak of. I may have even had it with TB.
The folder path I use in this case is mnt/media_rw/
This path is almost always accessible by apps and is the path I'm using right now for TB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so now the plot thickens and I've no idea what is going on here. Tba says when I navigate to this folder [and I'm assuming that the choice when asked is "filesystem storage" and not "Filesystem storage - Media" (which only offers internal memory anyway)]
"This folder cannot be accessed"
and that is before getting to the external sd card which would be the number (F91E-D472) in my case. ie. mnt/media-rw
Needless to say - Solid explorer can see this and navigate to the sd card no problem.
This happens on both Note 4 and TAB s and I'm really curious now because something on my systems are different.
ashyx said:
If that doesn't work try disabling 'mount namespace separation' in SuperSU settings then reboot also make sure your TB is up to date.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, namespace is unchecked - did that on both devices some time ago, and Tba is up to date.
Pretty damn confused now
louiscar said:
Ok understood.
I'm guessing then that the so called Marshmallow fix via xposed is to get older apps which may not be updated to work
Ok so now the plot thickens and I've no idea what is going on here. Tba says when I navigate to this folder [and I'm assuming that the choice when asked is "filesystem storage" and not "Filesystem storage - Media" (which only offers internal memory anyway)]
"This folder cannot be accessed"
and that is before getting to the external sd card which would be the number (F91E-D472) in my case. ie. mnt/media-rw
Needless to say - Solid explorer can see this and navigate to the sd card no problem.
This happens on both Note 4 and TAB s and I'm really curious now because something on my systems are different.
Sure, namespace is unchecked - did that on both devices some time ago, and Tba is up to date.
Pretty damn confused now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried placing the TB folder on your ext sdcard then used the detect button (whole device) in preferences to detect the folder and then select it under mnt/media_rw?
ashyx said:
Have you tried placing the TB folder on your ext sdcard then used the detect button (whole device) in preferences to detect the folder and then select it under mnt/media_rw?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was the method I used as soon as I updated to MM and didn't notice the "this folder is not writable" message.
However, the option to choose mnt/media_rw isn't available. If I use Detect > whole device I'll be offered :
/storage/F91E-D472/Titaniumbackup
perhaps I'd see the other option under normal circumstances but Tba is not able to access that path so wouldn't find it in a search ... I guess
Aha! could this be the problem?
see post #15
https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/917126/write-to-external-sd-restriction-in-marshmallow/
What is your sd card formatted as - mine is FAT32 so perhaps I need to go exfat?
..but then such links show that I'm certainly not alone - this one actually confirms that tb has this write problems and leads to the Documentprovider solution:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GATqU1_xzqA
louiscar said:
Aha! could this be the problem?
see post #15
https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/917126/write-to-external-sd-restriction-in-marshmallow/
What is your sd card formatted as - mine is FAT32 so perhaps I need to go exfat?
..but then such links show that I'm certainly not alone - this one actually confirms that tb has this write problems and leads to the Documentprovider solution:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ExFAT. Anything above 4gb should be ExFAT.
ashyx said:
ExFAT. Anything above 4gb should be ExFAT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
curiously I set permissions to 777 for the mnt/media_rw and titanium can go there but any further (even though I've done the same for the sdcard folder - nada!
and sadly after converting to exfat - mnt/media_rw .... "this folder cannot be accessed"
Not sure what else I can do.

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