Simple Question:
When moving my Apps to my SD card using the "Manage Applications" section... Where exactly do they go?
Also, do I need to use an app for this if my EVO already supports this?
They go into .android_secure on your SD card. However, you won't see them while the card is mounted on your phone. If you switch to Disk Drive mode or use the card in a card reader, you'll see .asec files. These are encrypted containers that are tied to a key on your phone (so you can't just insert a card full of paid apps into a friend's phone and do "Move to Phone").
There are a few programs on the market that are out there just to help you identify which apps can be moved to the SD card. They still use the native feature, but out of the box there's no way to tell at a glance what can be moved and what can't. Other than that, you don't need it (but I find it very useful and do use Apps 2 SD Free myself).
There's also the apps2sd method that's an option for rooted users, but that's something totally different. That moves all apps to the SD card, whether they're flagged as eligible for the SD card or not. It involves a little more work to setup.
Wow, everything I needed to know. Thanks.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Hi!
I was looking after this issue since my holidays. My Glide just uninstalls random applications that are on SD card (external_SD) after reboot. The replication is 8 out of 10. I had almost 30 apps on the SD card (mostly games).
What I did:
-restart the launcher
-wipe/factory reset
-change microSD cards
-reformat microSD card
How can I tell apps are uninstalled?
-checked Market
-checked TiBu (Backup/restore > Uninst. filter)
As I said, different apps are uninstalled every reboot. If I again reboot my device, the app(s) previously removed will be installed and another app(s) is removed.
Temporarily, my apps are transferred on my Internal storage (2gb) and so far, no issues. This quite puzzles me for I did not encounter any issues using my microSDs in file transfers, media and etc except for this one.
May you have similar issues and have solutions for them, please share and it will be greatly appreciated.
I posted this in the subforum for this only happened on my Glide (did not see in my Captivate and Infuse with same micrSDs). If you see this as inappropriate, please leave me a message or reply, or simply report my post.
Thanks
Correct me if I am wrong but apps moved to SD actually install to the 4gb USB storage in the unit (/sdcard). Nothing goes to the external SD (/sdcard/external_sd) unless manually moved there. If you want to install a program to the SD you have to use root utilities.
Doesn't help you with your issue but you should be able to completely remove the SD card and see if you continue to have the problem.
I haven't noticed this on my wife Glide but it does happen on my Skyrocket.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using XDA App
Installed adw launcher last night and haven't had a problem with the disappearing apps.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using XDA App
eddiert said:
Correct me if I am wrong but apps moved to SD actually install to the 4gb USB storage in the unit (/sdcard). Nothing goes to the external SD (/sdcard/external_sd) unless manually moved there. If you want to install a program to the SD you have to use root utilities.
Doesn't help you with your issue but you should be able to completely remove the SD card and see if you continue to have the problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No your wrong when you hit the button move to SD Card it actually goes to the MicroSD card. I tried hitting that button without a Microsd card and I get an error it says not External card detected or something like that. When I installed my MicroSD card it moved the apps to it.
JB
dudejb said:
No your wrong when you hit the button move to SD Card it actually goes to the MicroSD card. I tried hitting that button without a Microsd card and I get an error it says not External card detected or something like that. When I installed my MicroSD card it moved the apps to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct. Good to know. I verified that I have a few apps moved to SD and they do not work when the SD is removed.
However, I can not replicate the OPs original issue. I put the SD back in and the apps are launchable again. All apps remain after reboot. When the SD was swapped was it with a different brand/model. I am using an 8gb Sandisk.
I could not replic
dudejb said:
No your wrong when you hit the button move to SD Card it actually goes to the MicroSD card. I tried hitting that button without a Microsd card and I get an error it says not External card detected or something like that. When I installed my MicroSD card it moved the apps to it.
JB
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's weird because I was able to move to SD without inserting a Micro SD card and when I move to SD, it moves them to the internal USB storage instead of the Micro SD card.
vil33 said:
That's weird because I was able to move to SD without inserting a Micro SD card and when I move to SD, it moves them to the internal USB storage instead of the Micro SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird how we both have different results here. I have the Rogers running Android version 2.3.5 and Kernel version 2.6.36.3
JB
responses are greatly appreciated....I also tried moving two apps on SDcard after transferring them to the internal (2GB) storage. my glide automatically removed one of them after reboot. Well it's not a concern until i ended up running out of space on my internal
I noticed this as well on some apps I just reinstalled them on the internal and will not transfer them to the SD I again. I guess some programs don't want to be transferred to SD.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I927R using XDA App
dudejb said:
Weird how we both have different results here. I have the Rogers running Android version 2.3.5 and Kernel version 2.6.36.3
JB
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the exact same phone, I think you are confused. Move to SD never moves to external SD. Why else would apps like 'Apps2SD' exist then?
Apps2Sd allows you to map certain folders that are hard coded to the sd internal. For example game loft games install on the internal applicaton 2 gig partition a small installer and then Download extra content on the internal sd card. Apps2Sd allows you to map the game directory from the internal sd to your micro sd card. Similar in linux with a sym link. The Move to Sd from the Os (gingerbread). Allows you to alleviate some room from your 2 gig applications partition and move apps to the Microsd card.
JB
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I927R using XDA App
dudejb said:
Apps2Sd allows you to map certain folders that are hard coded to the sd internal. For example game loft games install on the internal applicaton 2 gig partition a small installer and then Download extra content on the internal sd card. Apps2Sd allows you to map the game directory from the internal sd to your micro sd card. Similar in linux with a sym link. The Move to Sd from the Os (gingerbread). Allows you to alleviate some room from your 2 gig applications partition and move apps to the Microsd card.
JB
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I927R using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could it be that whether it move to internal or external SD depends on the app? None of my apps have been moved to the external microSD yet. Maybe it is because I have extra space on my internal microSD? Also when I go to Manage Apps > On SD Card, it shows the space used and remaining on the internal SD(USB storage).
vil33 said:
Could it be that whether it move to internal or external SD depends on the app? None of my apps have been moved to the external microSD yet. Maybe it is because I have extra space on my internal microSD? Also when I go to Manage Apps > On SD Card, it shows the space used and remaining on the internal SD(USB storage).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you are rooted, look for a folder named .android.secure on your Glide's hard drives. That folder contains apps that are moved to SD card. I see mine on /sdcard/external_sd/.android.secure
Hi, even if this thread is an old one, the same issue happened to my phone:
I can't use the internal memory to move apps because they are uninstalled every time the phone is rebooted. What is the clue?
Sent from my NX505J using Tapatalk
Any way to truly move apps to the external SD card?
I have just recnetly learned that moving apps "to the SD card" in the settings>apps menu doesnt truly move them to the external SD card.
Why is that?
I dont have many apps yet, but it seems the apps i do have slowly get larger and larger as i use them and they save user data. (game progress for example).
Id like to know that I could at least move things that i dont care how fast they load to a truly external SD card (along with my wallpapers, ringtones, etc)
Even if theres a manual way via USB, thats cool. Just hoping someone with more than about a months worth of experience with a captivate glide (or really, i guess any phone that by default wont let you) could give some advice.
thanks!
Pawprints1986 said:
Any way to truly move apps to the external SD card?
I have just recnetly learned that moving apps "to the SD card" in the settings>apps menu doesnt truly move them to the external SD card.
Why is that?
I dont have many apps yet, but it seems the apps i do have slowly get larger and larger as i use them and they save user data. (game progress for example).
Id like to know that I could at least move things that i dont care how fast they load to a truly external SD card (along with my wallpapers, ringtones, etc)
Even if theres a manual way via USB, thats cool. Just hoping someone with more than about a months worth of experience with a captivate glide (or really, i guess any phone that by default wont let you) could give some advice.
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have sd card integrated to the board, its not true sd card. You can swap internal sd to external sd, then you can use same move function to use external micro sd card as application storage.
bubor said:
You have sd card integrated to the board, its not true sd card. You can swap internal sd to external sd, then you can use same move function to use external micro sd card as application storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So theres no way to just manually tell it to move there without messing up whats already on the internal storage?
The Android system still has no option to move app to external sd. You can copy everything from internal (built-in) sd to external and apply change-fstab.zip to make Android think that your external sd is internal and vice versa. Works on every 4.4 rom. No performance drawbacks if using class 10 sd card. Worked for me flawlessly and thanks to bubor for this great feature.
And for manually... There's an app called Link2SD. It's some sort of workaround. You make second partition on your external SD and move apps there, leaving links for Android system on your internal storage. You can find it in google market, be sure to read instructions first.
Makshow said:
The Android system still has no option to move app to external sd. You can copy everything from internal (built-in) sd to external and apply change-fstab.zip to make Android think that your external sd is internal and vice versa. Works on every 4.4 rom. No performance drawbacks if using class 10 sd card. Worked for me flawlessly and thanks to bubor for this great feature.
And for manually... There's an app called Link2SD. It's some sort of workaround. You make second partition on your external SD and move apps there, leaving links for Android system on your internal storage. You can find it in google market, be sure to read instructions first.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I remember trying link2sd on a friends tablet recently. it recognized certain apps as moveable, but when i actually tried to move them (on an SD that i had already partitioned) it said failure every time.
But im not sure i want to switch my storage entirely. I would just like to allow, say another 4 gigs on my SD card (with the other 4 being for wallpapers, ringtones, etc). i have an 8 gig card right now.
Then you should try link2sd here. Basically, no other options, unless you wish to emulate Link2SD work with some scripts and move apps manually. I saw some patches for Lenovo phones to combine internal storage or something like that, but they will not work on Glide obviously.
I know the method one is supposed to follow, the app prompts you to select your external memory card in the next screen, and then you are presented with a screen where you select your SD card in the sidebar on the left. The problem is, on my Zenfone 2, the SD card just isn't being shown in that screen.
I've made sure 'Hide SD Card' is unchecked, but the selector app just refuses to see my SD card, no matter what, and no matter which app I try this from.
All apps can read my SD card just fine, and the Settings > Storage dialog also shows the SD card properly, so I know it's not an issue with the card being detected. It's just the 'write access permission' dialog/app that refuses to see my SD card.
Any leads on what could be causing this, or what I could do? I tried giving my SD card a name, via my laptop, but that didn't work either.
Bump, anyone managed to grant SD write access on your Zenfones?
write access on sdcard with lollipop 5.0 is a know issue...
You must be root and install https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nextapp.sdfix&hl=fr to get write access.
ilos said:
write access on sdcard with lollipop 5.0 is a know issue...
You must be root and install https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nextapp.sdfix&hl=fr to get write access.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for reply, but are you sure about this? As far as I know, write access is an issue in Kitkat/4.4, and in Lollipop, this was fixed by allowing the user to explicitly grant write access permission to the external MicroSD card, using a special folder picker dialog . I can get to the picker dialog, but the picker doesn't show my SD card in there, to select.
Even the app you linked me to is pretty clear in specifying that this is for Kitkat/4.4, which had a known policy against allowing apps write access.
I have previously posted this issue, both in here and in the Power Amp forum (another 3rd Party app which suffers from this).
There appears to be no solution yet. According to Google, app developers can allow users to select to grant permission to edit files on Ext SD cards, but even knowledgable developers seem to be struggling to implement this.
All right, I solved the problem, for anyone interested.
The card (SanDisk Ultra, 64 GB) came pre-formatted as exFat, which it appears Android only has read ability for.
I reformatted the card as NTFS first, and that didn't work either. I then tried FAT32, which worked perfectly, I can now grant external SD write access to any app, as expected.
The only downside is that I cannot store any files larger than 4 GB on my memory card, but that isn't something I foresee needing to do, for now.
Write access is solved by Google in 5.0.1 and up. Without app provided in my Last post i can't backup anything on sdcard With titanium backup. In preroot thread someone confirmed write issue solved with this app. Also i've the same sd than you and don't needed to format.
Envoyé de mon ASUS_Z00AD
I'm not sure if it related to ASUS implementation or Android itself, but besides standard media_rw rights there is another problem. chmod of /mnt is 700, not expected 770.
If you have root access, try install Folder Mount, the app will ask to patch you android system for 2 times then after reboot for two time after each patch you get full access sdcard on you phone.
Sent from my SM-G900F
DanielKennethRego said:
All right, I solved the problem, for anyone interested.
The card (SanDisk Ultra, 64 GB) came pre-formatted as exFat, which it appears Android only has read ability for.
I reformatted the card as NTFS first, and that didn't work either. I then tried FAT32, which worked perfectly, I can now grant external SD write access to any app, as expected.
The only downside is that I cannot store any files larger than 4 GB on my memory card, but that isn't something I foresee needing to do, for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you provide an example of an app that had not permission to write on external sd before you formatted it in Fat 32, and that have the permission after?
hardhu said:
Could you provide an example of an app that had not permission to write on external sd before you formatted it in Fat 32, and that have the permission after?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Every app I happened to try. For example X-Plore file manager and FolderSync.
DanielKennethRego said:
All right, I solved the problem, for anyone interested.
The card (SanDisk Ultra, 64 GB) came pre-formatted as exFat, which it appears Android only has read ability for.
I reformatted the card as NTFS first, and that didn't work either. I then tried FAT32, which worked perfectly, I can now grant external SD write access to any app, as expected.
The only downside is that I cannot store any files larger than 4 GB on my memory card, but that isn't something I foresee needing to do, for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am having the same issue. How did you format a 64GB card using FAT32? I thought the limit for FAT32 is 32GB.
ZenFone 2, Sansung EVO 64GB (exFAT)
More info on solution
I found out that FAT32 supports larger drives, but Windows will not (easily) format FAT32 to drives >32GB.
I used fat32format to format the card. Apparently I cannot post an outside link yet, so google: ridgecrop.demon.co.uk fat32format
To reiterate the issue, the access-granting UI that is on the ZenFone 2 lollipop (5.0) will not show the sd card. The process of what is supposed to happen is here: again, google metactrl.com sdcard-on-lollipop
yc1437 said:
If you have root access, try install Folder Mount, the app will ask to patch you android system for 2 times then after reboot for two time after each patch you get full access sdcard on you phone.
Sent from my SM-G900F
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can confirm that this worked on my phone with root.
Great
natebizu said:
I am having the same issue. How did you format a 64GB card using FAT32? I thought the limit for FAT32 is 32GB.
ZenFone 2, Sansung EVO 64GB (exFAT)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had first formatted it as NTFS, and tried to use it in the phone. The phone told me the card wasn't formatted, and offered to format it for me. When I allowed it, it has formatted it as FAT32.
I'd really prefer not having to go to FAT32 as I routinely store and move files larger than 4GB on my microSD. I think this is an Asus issue, they just need to make the microSD card visible on the app selector.
So I have now had my Zenfone 2 for 1 week and I noticed that when I tried backing up my phone with Titanium backup to my SD card, it would not allow me to do so. I could only back up to the internal storage. Am I understanding that this is an issue with Lollipop rather then with the zenfone?
Regarding writing note..txt.saving...on sd card...the only 2 i tried es file explorer and fx file manager are the ones working..i can freely edit with those while files on external sd drive...imbut im still waiting for mix explorer to that...
DanielKennethRego said:
All right, I solved the problem, for anyone interested.
The card (SanDisk Ultra, 64 GB) came pre-formatted as exFat, which it appears Android only has read ability for.
I reformatted the card as NTFS first, and that didn't work either. I then tried FAT32, which worked perfectly, I can now grant external SD write access to any app, as expected.
The only downside is that I cannot store any files larger than 4 GB on my memory card, but that isn't something I foresee needing to do, for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you "grant external SD write access to any app"? Did this require root? (Without root I can write to external SD with ES File Explorer and Astro File Manager, but can't do so with other 3rd party apps of interest to me.)
I had the store where I bought my ZENFONE 2 install my 64 Gig SD card.
I can see the external memory, and even make folders, but it won't allow me to save any files to it. At the top of the screen, where all the little icons are, it shows the symbol for the SD card, but it also has an "X" on the symbol. Settings doesn't show an option for formatting the SDCard. Is it because it is already formatted? Would appreciate some advice. Lawrence
ok i am confused i have noticed lots of post of people saying they cant move apps to sd card or write to sd card.. i just bought the sm-t700 titanium 8.4 version, and it came with 4.2 android i then upgraded to LP 5.0.2 and i am still able to move apps to sd card, i am running stock rom and am rooted, so i am confused on why most posts or customs roms say they have added the sd card fix?? was it certain models that have moving apps to sd card and others not??? also the build date of mine says may 5 2015....
just asking as i am afraid to put custom rom on it for fear of losing the move apps to sd card....
From my perspective, moving apps to the SD card is not the issue. You can do that with most apps (though some move precious little of their total size to the external storage). The issue is that this is about all you can do with the SD card. You can't use it as a default storage location (for web browser downloads, for example). Basically all you can do is "move" apps to it and copy files manually to and from. I haven't even been able to create a folder on the SD card using my file browser.
It`s third-party app on an non-rooted tablet that cannot write/delete files to the microsd, I think you can on v4.2 and v5.0.2 but not on v4.4.2
John.