No USB Flash Drive Support

**crxssi** · 11-17-2012, 09:07 PM

It is probably no surprise (at least to anyone familiar with the Nexus line) but the Nexus 10 with 4.2 does not support mounting/using USB Flash drives and other storage devices. I tested it today. What is wrong with Google???? No SD card. No USB Mass Storage Mode. No 64GB model. And now no USB storage mount support.

(You should not have to unlock, root, and install third-party stuff to mount a damn flash drive)

It does, however, work quite well with a mouse... even the scroll wheel worked. Should work with a keyboard too.

**a22matic** · 11-17-2012, 09:20 PM

I'm going off memory here, but I thought Jerry said it did support it during this weeks podcast. It was towards the end of the podcast. Not sure if you listen to those, but its on the Android Centrals Website.

Sent from my Nexus 10 baby!

**crxssi** · 11-17-2012, 09:41 PM

Well, maybe I missed something, but it certainly doesn't "just work" when I try it. I suspect it needs all kinds of breaking, unlocking, rooting, addons, etc.

**a22matic** · 11-17-2012, 09:46 PM

I don't think so, but I'm only basing it on what Jerry said.

Sent from my Nexus 10 baby!

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 11-17-2012, 10:02 PM

It works as Google intended. When plugged in, you can read from the device with an app (this one works ) that can read the mass storage device. There's no use saying it's bugged, I tried that. Google intends it to work this way.

It does not mount/unmount automatically. Instead, for some crazy reason, there's no fstab entry and you need to be root to attach it to a mount point.
In other words, it works exactly like the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7, and Nexus 4.

I know from reading your comments on the blog that you know wtf you are doing. Just root it and mount it by hand, or root and use once the developer updates for 4.2.

**crxssi** · 11-18-2012, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand

It works as Google intended. When plugged in, you can read from the device with an app (this one works ) that can read the mass storage device. There's no use saying it's bugged, I tried that. Google intends it to work this way.

Google is be whacked! It should "just work"!!! It is beyond bugged, it is fundamentally FLAWED!!!

It does not mount/unmount automatically. Instead, for some crazy reason, there's no fstab entry and you need to be root to attach it to a mount point. In other words, it works exactly like the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7, and Nexus 4.

I know from reading your comments on the blog that you know wtf you are doing. Just root it and mount it by hand, or root and use once the developer updates for 4.2.

LOL! Who me?

I don't know nothing about all that there Linux and Bourne Again SHell and root and /etc/fstab stuff

Really, I am not just complaining for complaining sakes- we really should NOT have to root this thing just to mount a filesystem!!!!! (But thanks for posting)

**crxssi** · 11-18-2012, 07:47 AM

About rooting:

* Your warranty on your few-day old device is gone (at least it does on all other brands)
* You risk damaging the device in a way that cannot be recovered.
* Your DRM is broken and you can no longer use Google video rentals (at least it does on other brands)
* You can no longer use the TiVo stream (something I would like to do)
* If you plan on using certain security to protect the tablet, that is no longer effective
* You then have to sometimes delay updates

Rooting is not without consequences. You shouldn't have to root the device just to mount a flash drive.

**atg284** · 11-18-2012, 07:56 AM

Dang! I was going to root this puppy right out the gate! Now I'm second guessing that game plan :/

If you have a guest account on the tablet that does not have root would you still be able to tablet as if it were stock?

**crxssi** · 11-18-2012, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by atg284

Dang! I was going to root this puppy right out the gate! Now I'm second guessing that game plan :/

I was not trying to be mean, but people seem to forget that rooting is not right for everyone, isn't always as easy as some people portray, and has some potential and actual negative consequences.

If you have a guest account on the tablet that does not have root would you still be able to tablet as if it were stock?

I wish I could answer that question. But I don't know. It is very disturbing to see more apps detecting if the tablet is rooted and then refusing to work. DRM = punish only the honest people.

**atg284** · 11-18-2012, 11:47 AM

Yep totally agree..I have a HP Touchpad with cyanogenmod nightly android 4.0.4

I guess I'm so use to it being rooted that I forget the good things you can do with an unrooted device...I will be looking into the different accounts thing. I heard on a podcast I think that you could have one account rooted and another with stock...I could be wrong...it would be the best of both worlds though!

**mrfett79** · 11-18-2012, 02:16 PM

Does the Nexus Media Imported app and a USB OTG cable not work? Works on the N7. Asking because I am planning to upgrade to the Nexus 10 and would really like to continue to read from my thumbdrive.

**jrwatson** · 11-18-2012, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by mrfett79

Does the Nexus Media Imported app and a USB OTG cable not work? Works on the N7. Asking because I am planning to upgrade to the Nexus 10 and would really like to continue to read from my thumbdrive.

It works perfectly fine, as they've released a 4.2 update. the OP just wishes Nexus devices could recognize external memory without resorting to apps; though, the OP should at least give the app a chance, I think it works great.

**KevRDB** · 11-18-2012, 04:50 PM

I am planning to do this myself. I do not want to have to resort to rooting my device, atleast not now. I hope it will work. I think Google just want to direct us to their cloud service with their limited memory space of 32gb, no expsansion slot, and no fstab entry.

**crxssi** · 11-18-2012, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by jrwatson

It works perfectly fine, as they've released a 4.2 update. the OP just wishes Nexus devices could recognize external memory without resorting to apps; though, the OP should at least give the app a chance, I think it works great.

It is not just "resorting to apps." The "apps" (Nexus Media Importer" does not allow full read/write access; plus it is a non-free, non-open app. If you want full functionality and read/write, it requires rooting the tablet (which has some negative consequences), and this full functionality should be built-in. I still don't understand why Google is being stupid in this regard.

**atg284** · 11-18-2012, 05:14 PM

Can you play videos and music from the external memory with that app? That's all I'm looking for really.

Thanks

**jrwatson** · 11-18-2012, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by crxssi

It is not just "resorting to apps." The "apps" (Nexus Media Importer" does not allow full read/write access; plus it is a non-free, non-open app. If you want full functionality and read/write, it requires rooting the tablet (which has some negative consequences), and this full functionality should be built-in. I still don't understand why Google is being stupid in this regard.

You can read files and stream media, you just can't write. If you want to write, it's not too difficult to transfer it over to the device itself. There are clear and evident workarounds to external memory support. If it bothers you so much, you could get a wireless hard drive; or just not bother getting a Nexus device--there are plenty of great tablets with built-in microSD ports. It's obviously intentional on Google's part--especially the lack of microSD port--and I doubt they'll change their policy with future devices.

**Brendan Backhaus** · 11-19-2012, 01:48 AM

I've had flash support before the update so I'll give Nexus Media Importer with my USB connector to read my files from now on.

Thanks for an useful thread and hopefully the developer of Stickmount could get it working again or if google does another update with USB support included.

**Rob Bendig** · 11-22-2012, 02:14 PM

I just picked an OTG cable and experienced the same issue - just plugging a USB flash into my Nexus 7 yields no joy.

Now for the interesting thing, I tried the same thing with my Samsung S3 running 4.0.4 and it immediately recognized my flash and let me start playing tunes from it.

Any ideas what extra element has Samsung loaded to allow this? This is the way things are supposed to work.

**Maturola** · 11-22-2012, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by crxssi

(which has some negative consequences), and this full functionality should be built-in. I still don't understand why Google is being stupid in this regard.

ok lets clear something out, Rooting the device DOES NOT have any negative consequences..... what you do after you are rooted as a negligent user may have.....

Google had a long explanation why they believe the build-in storage is not a go for them, they got a business model around you having everything stream and stored on their server, to them this is a business after all.

**crxssi** · 11-22-2012, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by Maturola

ok lets clear something out, Rooting the device DOES NOT have any negative consequences....

WRONG! Try again. There are at least several apps that will no longer work due to DRM.

Google had a long explanation why they believe the build-in storage is not a go for them, they got a business model around you having everything stream and stored on their server, to them this is a business after all.

It is a stupid, short-sighted, and anti-consumer model and it needs to change. The way to be popular and have happy customers is *NOT* to restrict things that people are asking for. Those who want to "stream" everything when they are lucky enough to be in a stable, accessible WiFi area are free to do so either way.

**crxssi** · 11-22-2012, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by Rob Bendig

I just picked an OTG cable and experienced the same issue - just plugging a USB flash into my Nexus 7 yields no joy. Now for the interesting thing, I tried the same thing with my Samsung S3 running 4.0.4 and it immediately recognized my flash and let me start playing tunes from it.

Any ideas what extra element has Samsung loaded to allow this? This is the way things are supposed to work.

Samsung and just about every other vendor added back the missing automount support so it works they way it should, without needing to root.

**lexlucas** · 11-23-2012, 11:59 AM

Anyone here have the N10 and a USB OTG cable that has an elbow at the connector like this? -

Based on the way the adapter would plug into the N10 it looks like it would interfere with the headphone jack. Can anyone confirm?

**Maturola** · 11-23-2012, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by crxssi

WRONG! Try again. There are at least several apps that will no longer work due to DRM.

WRONG! there easy fix to make those app works if you expend just a few minutes reading.

Originally Posted by crxssi

It is a stupid, short-sighted, and anti-consumer model and it needs to change. The way to be popular and have happy customers is *NOT* to restrict things that people are asking for. Those who want to "stream" everything when they are lucky enough to be in a stable, accessible WiFi area are free to do so either way.

It is NOT stupid and short-sighed and the less anti-customer model it exits, you buy hardware maybe once a year of you keep up the latest release, software updates, ads, online streaming and cloud storage are use multiple time at minute, it is clear where the money is and they want it. Do I agreed with it? maybe not, but when that is the business model they chose.

**Shane Mc Grath** · 11-24-2012, 02:26 AM

They want to be very careful with that business model, It wont last long. I will opt for a Samsung device maybe wait for Samsungs version of a 10 inch retina tablet with micro sd slot.
Google is copying Apple with it's locked in devices with less options, Apple is starting to now feel the wrath from Samsungs devices which are open and have more options.
Samsung will be getting my dollars, My phone is iphone 3GS next phone is Samsung Galaxy Note II as it does everything, My tablet is ipad (1st gen) next tablet will be Samsung note 10.1 or preferably their next 10 inch retina tablet with a micro sd slot.

**skotter** · 11-27-2012, 10:23 AM

I'm going to have to agree with this being a bad idea. For my company we are comparing the Nexus 10 with the Asus Transformer Prime. If you have the dock with the Prime you can plug in a usb thumb drive and read and write to it with a built in app, with the Nexus 10 you cannot. The Prime also has an SD card slot. Right now that's a big minus for the Nexus 10. The Nexus 10 should be able to do this out of the box. I went android to get away from the Apple model of not being able to do this out of the box. Google as a company should know better. Google if you do in fact read these posts please release an update that allows for someone to plug in a usb flash drive and read and write to it. You'll sell more tablets in the Enterprise if you do so.