no apps can write to SD card, it is factory formatted to exFAT. I read thread after thread from 1.5 to 2.0 years ago all saying Android 5.0 would allow apps to access SD card. It makes no sense to me that after all this time, the latest android offered by TMobile still cannot do this. Can someone explain why this ability exists in some forms of Android and not in others?
Welcome to Android Central! Are you certain the S4 can read SD cards in exFAT? I thought most Android devices require the SD card to be formatted in FAT32.
Also, are you trying to move apps to SD, or just have them save data to the SD card? If you open the Camera app and go to its settings, are you able to change the default storage location to the SD card?
Also, are you trying to move apps to SD, or just have them save data to the SD card? If you open the Camera app and go to its settings, are you able to change the default storage location to the SD card?
I'm trying to write data to the card. I can only hope that if I succeed with that, the apps will be able to read that data, and also that they will be able to write to the sd card as well.
The android central forum at this location"
http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s3/187789-what-format-sd-card.html
talks about formats (for galaxy S3 anyway) The phones can read either format, but each format has problems. I can't find anything that covers galaxy S4 specifically. I tried to look on Samsung websites to see what format it is supposed to read, but found nothing.
Why is this such a difficult question to answer? Someone ought to know, especially at Samsung. But nothing. Is it bugs in the software, as if everyone has adopted the Microsoft business model of selling the product before they finish writing it? Almost makes me want to switch to Apple. At least with that, you can go to the genius bar and get some help.
The android central forum at this location"
http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s3/187789-what-format-sd-card.html
talks about formats (for galaxy S3 anyway) The phones can read either format, but each format has problems. I can't find anything that covers galaxy S4 specifically. I tried to look on Samsung websites to see what format it is supposed to read, but found nothing.
Why is this such a difficult question to answer? Someone ought to know, especially at Samsung. But nothing. Is it bugs in the software, as if everyone has adopted the Microsoft business model of selling the product before they finish writing it? Almost makes me want to switch to Apple. At least with that, you can go to the genius bar and get some help.
The SD card could be corrupt, defective, or counterfeit. Install SD Insight to see if the card is genuine or counterfeit. Counterfeit cards are programmed to report more storage than they actually have, and if you try saving more than the card can actually hold, then files can start getting corrupt.
If it's a valid card, then go to Settings>Storage, Unmount the card, remove it, and insert it into your computer. Can the computer read these files? Backup as much as you can right now, then run chkdsk to look for bad sectors: http://forums.androidcentral.com/am...guide-using-chkdsk-fix-corrupted-sd-card.html.
You could also try bringing it to your local Best Buy and ask the Samsung rep there if they can help.
If it's a valid card, then go to Settings>Storage, Unmount the card, remove it, and insert it into your computer. Can the computer read these files? Backup as much as you can right now, then run chkdsk to look for bad sectors: http://forums.androidcentral.com/am...guide-using-chkdsk-fix-corrupted-sd-card.html.
You could also try bringing it to your local Best Buy and ask the Samsung rep there if they can help.
B Diddy,
SD Insight says it is an invalid card.
My computer can read and write to the card.
I used Windows 10 utility for disk repair and it reported that it fixed some errors.
My old Galaxy S2 running Cyanogenmod 10.0 can read and write to the sd card as well.
Both the S4 and the S2 reported 62.5 GB total space on the card.
Went to Best Buy and asked the Samsung rep for help. He was a bit befuddled by the layout of the Google phone, but he kept at it. His first statement was "your card is bad." So I bought a new 64 GB Samsung card and put it into the S4. The device could read it but not write to it. Just like my invalid card. He gave me my $$ back. Then he reverted to "your phone must be bad." (Frankly, I was underwhelmed by that.) I'd believe that there is something goofy with my copy of Android 5.1 (came ota from TMobie last Oct) before I'd believe the phone was bad. The rep also erased the sd card, but could not format it because that option is not available on this phone. After erasing, unmonting, power down, he removed the sd card put it back in and booted. The sd card mounted on reboot, and it now shows 67GB total space. I queried him on what I have read on various forums: that Samsung phones have a history of trashing sd cards, his reply was that's not true, its rare and usually is operator error. I guess the internet lied to me once more. But who to believe?
Anyway, my theory now is that maybe my ota copy of Android 5.1 is corrupted somehow. My previous experience with factory reset (different phone, not Samsung) was that factory reset does not touch the system files. So that won't help me. Anyone know if I might fix this safely by flushing system cache and maybe the delvik (sp?) cache?
And if not, where can I find detailed instructions for how to find another copy of Android 5.1 to download and how to install it? (I will of course, check with TMobile, but I'm not expecting any help from them. So I think I'm on my own.)
SD Insight says it is an invalid card.
My computer can read and write to the card.
I used Windows 10 utility for disk repair and it reported that it fixed some errors.
My old Galaxy S2 running Cyanogenmod 10.0 can read and write to the sd card as well.
Both the S4 and the S2 reported 62.5 GB total space on the card.
Went to Best Buy and asked the Samsung rep for help. He was a bit befuddled by the layout of the Google phone, but he kept at it. His first statement was "your card is bad." So I bought a new 64 GB Samsung card and put it into the S4. The device could read it but not write to it. Just like my invalid card. He gave me my $$ back. Then he reverted to "your phone must be bad." (Frankly, I was underwhelmed by that.) I'd believe that there is something goofy with my copy of Android 5.1 (came ota from TMobie last Oct) before I'd believe the phone was bad. The rep also erased the sd card, but could not format it because that option is not available on this phone. After erasing, unmonting, power down, he removed the sd card put it back in and booted. The sd card mounted on reboot, and it now shows 67GB total space. I queried him on what I have read on various forums: that Samsung phones have a history of trashing sd cards, his reply was that's not true, its rare and usually is operator error. I guess the internet lied to me once more. But who to believe?
Anyway, my theory now is that maybe my ota copy of Android 5.1 is corrupted somehow. My previous experience with factory reset (different phone, not Samsung) was that factory reset does not touch the system files. So that won't help me. Anyone know if I might fix this safely by flushing system cache and maybe the delvik (sp?) cache?
And if not, where can I find detailed instructions for how to find another copy of Android 5.1 to download and how to install it? (I will of course, check with TMobile, but I'm not expecting any help from them. So I think I'm on my own.)
It'd be interesting to see if SD Insight also read the card as invalid on other devices as well, since you mentioned that the card in question seemed to work in other phones. It's possible that if your phone's firmware is corrupt, it may mistakenly think the card is invalid.
You're correct that a factory reset doesn't help with corrupt firmware. You could try reinstalling the firmware using either Samsung Kies (http://forums.androidcentral.com/am...amsung-emergency-recovering-samsung-kies.html), Samsung Smart Switch, or Odin (http://forums.androidcentral.com/am...w-flash-stock-rom-via-odin-new-interface.html).
You're correct that a factory reset doesn't help with corrupt firmware. You could try reinstalling the firmware using either Samsung Kies (http://forums.androidcentral.com/am...amsung-emergency-recovering-samsung-kies.html), Samsung Smart Switch, or Odin (http://forums.androidcentral.com/am...w-flash-stock-rom-via-odin-new-interface.html).
Huh, that's still strange, since you said the S2 can read and write to it without difficulty. I'd still try reinstalling the stock firmware using those methods I previously linked.
JadeRain
Active member
Iam not to good at this but theres an app u can install on ur computer that will fix the sd card, its just like if u partion ur pcs hard dirve it will partion ur sd card, the only problem i have is how to explain how u get said app. If ur interested please email me. [email address redacted by Mod]. Ill explain
Last edited by a moderator:
Please do not include your email address in posts, for your own privacy and safety. You can send Private Messages to one another within the forum, and give an email address that way.
JadeRain
Active member
OK--but we still have a policy about private info like email addresses. Please review the Community Rules & Guidelines when you get a chance: Community Rules & Guidelines - Mobile Nations Forums
I know this is an old thread but I want to close it out. I solved my problem. I rooted the phone, installed lineage 14.1 {based on Android nougat}. Once that was accomplished, that phone could read and write to the counter fit SD card and to another proper SanDisk SD card. Nothing wrong with phone or the SD card. But the stock android would not do I. All the places I read about Google fixing KitKat when they released marshmallow were wrong for that phone. No more Google phones for me, and custom rooms will be on my phones now. I won't trust Google or the experts on forums.
RumoredNow
Well-known member
FWIW...
If larger than 32GB cards don't read/write as exFAT it is likely due to the firmware not being enabled for exFAT so they don't have to pay the licensing fee for exFAT.
Try formatting as NTFS which is royalty free and will handle larger storage sizes. Using NTFS is more likely to be included in firmware since it is free.
Wasn't exFAT royalty part of the fees Samsung owed MSFT issues that just resolved a couple years ago?
Source: FAQ - GenBasic™ (check the bottom of the page)
If larger than 32GB cards don't read/write as exFAT it is likely due to the firmware not being enabled for exFAT so they don't have to pay the licensing fee for exFAT.
Try formatting as NTFS which is royalty free and will handle larger storage sizes. Using NTFS is more likely to be included in firmware since it is free.
Wasn't exFAT royalty part of the fees Samsung owed MSFT issues that just resolved a couple years ago?
Source: FAQ - GenBasic™ (check the bottom of the page)
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