4.3 SD write access

[Sasazuka]

This thread is probably what is being referred to in regards to rooting. Read through all of it before you start - most of the stuff that's relevant is at the end.

 

[kjnangre]

May have to do this if all else fails. They told me when I called the play store that rooting voids the warranty is that true? I have no experience with rooting is there much chance of bricking your phone with this method? If you could give me a link to this method and any tips for a total noob at this it would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Yep, in particular I used this: xda-developers - View Single Post - [HOWTO] Root Stock i9505G 4.3 (Google edition)

Didn't work with my 64-bit PC, but once I switched to my 32-bit laptop, it took less than 2 minutes to root the phone, and then another 5 minutes to modify the text file.

I'm far from an expert. I think if you follow the instructions, you should be safe from bricking, but I could be wrong. I have no idea about warranties. Perhaps other who know more will answer you better.

 

[spacolin]

Got a email back from the Google play supervisor. He heard back from the higher ups and this issue will not be fixed, the code to allow writing to the sd card was taken out of the 4.3 update on purpose by Google. I sent him a reply email will let you know if I get any more news

Thanks guys looks like it is time to start learning to root. Appreciate your help!

 

[planoman]

Got a email back from the Google play supervisor. He heard back from the higher ups and this issue will not be fixed, the code to allow writing to the sd card was taken out of the 4.3 update on purpose by Google. I sent him a reply email will let you know if I get any more news

Thanks guys looks like it is time to start learning to root. Appreciate your help!

???

Why would they sell a phone with a external SD card and then take out one line of code that allows third party apps to write to it? I guess sense just goes out the window.

I am missing that phone! I may pick up a used one which I see now for less $$$ and apply the fix myself...Or wait to see if the new nexus has 32GB...

 

[planoman]

Bit the bullet this morning. Rooted and fixed the code. Have full write access to the SD card again! Wasn't too hard, used SamuriHL's automated tool. Love that I can fully unroot and get the phone back to exactly how it was yesterday (except with a working SD card)!

so you rooted, applied the fix and unrooted?

 

[kjnangre]

so you rooted, applied the fix and unrooted?

Haven't unrooted yet. There's a "full unroot" button in SuperSU, I just have to press it whenever I want and I'm told it's as simple as that. For now, being rooted isn't causing any problems so I haven't pressed the button yet.

 

[kyoo]

Got a email back from the Google play supervisor. He heard back from the higher ups and this issue will not be fixed, the code to allow writing to the sd card was taken out of the 4.3 update on purpose by Google. I sent him a reply email will let you know if I get any more news

Thanks guys looks like it is time to start learning to root. Appreciate your help!

disappointing.. looks like i'll have to learn the rooting deal too. hopefully it can work on 64bit computers

 

[planoman]

Back in the game. I just pulled the trigger on a used mint s4 GPe for substantially less than the $700 I paid for my first one. I will most likely root and apply the fix.

It is still the best android device in my opinion. I will still check out the new nexus and if it has 32 GB etc etc I may sell my GPe and get the new nexus. I just do not see the external SD card getting supported going forward for vanilla android.

Sent from my SGH-I337

 

[argold]

I may be fooling myself but I don't think the fat lady has yet sung her last note on this. Yes, Google is hostile to external SD for a mixture of reasons, believing that it confuses the users on where their stuff is stored and concerns about control over software licensing. Also there are some real limitations on what apps can be installed on SD - for example I understand that programs with widgets can not be run from external SD. So likely we should not to expect external SDs on any Nexus branded products. But let's see when happens when Google tries to take their SD's away from the multitude of existing users of Samsung, Sony and HTC products. They will certainly complain loudly and likely that will force resellers such as VZW, ATT and Vodafone to object. So let's see how this plays out.

 

[kjnangre]

I may be fooling myself but I don't think the fat lady has yet sung her last note on this. Yes, Google is hostile to external SD for a mixture of reasons, believing that it confuses the users on where their stuff is stored and concerns about control over software licensing. Also there are some real limitations on what apps can be installed on SD - for example I understand that programs with widgets can not be run from external SD. So likely we should not to expect external SDs on any Nexus branded products. But let's see when happens when Google tries to take their SD's away from the multitude of existing users of Samsung, Sony and HTC products. They will certainly complain loudly and likely that will force resellers such as VZW, ATT and Vodafone to object. So let's see how this plays out.

I don't think you have a proper understanding of this issue. Google has no plans to "take their SD's away from the multitude of existing users of Samsung, Sony and HTC products". Stock Android does not have external SD card support. Those companies create their own customized version of Android, in which they add whatever features they wish (such as external SD Card support).

In the case of the GPE S4, this custom feature wasn't added. Actually, that's not very surprising. The whole idea of the GPE phones is that you get stock Android with no custom features. That means, no external card support.

This issue has no affect on any phone other than the Galaxy S4 GPE phone.

 

[argold]

I don't think you have a proper understanding of this issue. Google has no plans to "take their SD's away from the multitude of existing users of Samsung, Sony and HTC products". Stock Android does not have external SD card support. Those companies create their own customized version of Android, in which they add whatever features they wish (such as external SD Card support).

In the case of the GPE S4, this custom feature wasn't added. Actually, that's not very surprising. The whole idea of the GPE phones is that you get stock Android with no custom features. That means, no external card support.

This issue has no affect on any phone other than the Galaxy S4 GPE phone.

That is not an entirely accurate or full history of our situation. The write-to-SD support very much was there in the phone that we bought from Google with 15 days to approve or return, and then that facility was later taken away without either warning or permission.

 

[kjnangre]

That is not an entirely accurate or full history of our situation. The write-to-SD support very much was there in the phone that we bought from Google with 15 days to approve or return, and then that facility was later taken away without either warning or permission.

True. At launch, the S4 GPE had full write access. This is a custom feature that is not part of Android. Frankly, it's entirely possible that its inclusion was a mistake (Google never advertised this feature), and they fixed the mistake with the recent software update.

Still don't see how this helps your point at all. Google is not planning to remove SD card support from any other phones, so the upcoming revolt that you talked about is not gonna happen. There was a tiny revolt from S4 GPE users with this latest update. Perhaps even a few folks returned their phones. Google doesn't seem too worried about it.

 

[argold]

Ah yes, that other suppliers could adopt 4.3 but without the same crippleware had indeed not occurred to me.

It's a tough decision, whether to stick with GPE and hope that I will always have the ability to add back external SD write-access after each Android upgrade or else to jump over to a TW phone with delays or even omission of Android upgrades but with a supplier who is more likely to put their customers' wishes ahead of their own ideology.

I'm still thinking.

 

[planoman]

Ah yes, that other suppliers could adopt 4.3 but without the same crippleware had indeed not occurred to me.

It's a tough decision, whether to stick with GPE and hope that I will always have the ability to add back external SD write-access after each Android upgrade or else to jump over to a TW phone with delays or even omission of Android upgrades but with a supplier who is more likely to put their customers' wishes ahead of their own ideology.

I'm still thinking.

I hope the new nexus has a 32GB option! I fear the ext SD card is gone going forward but I can make it work with 32GB just not 16GB...

Sent from my bada$$ GT-I9505G

 

[kjnangre]

Haven't unrooted yet. There's a "full unroot" button in SuperSU, I just have to press it whenever I want and I'm told it's as simple as that. For now, being rooted isn't causing any problems so I haven't pressed the button yet.

Today my phone prompted me to install the 4.3 security update. So I finally did the full unroot. And then installed the update. Worked fine. I still have SD write access btw (didn't need to re-root and update the code again)!

 

[planoman]

Today my phone prompted me to install the 4.3 security update. So I finally did the full unroot. And then installed the update. Worked fine. I still have SD write access btw (didn't need to re-root and update the code again)!

Cool! I wonder if it will stay after the update to Kit Kat? I have not done the root and fix yet. Just moving my pics with ES file explorer!

 

[kjnangre]

I wonder if it will stay after the update to Kit Kat?

No idea

 

[Imran Ali5]

So guys does this mean that the security update fixed the write issue?

 

[kjnangre]

So guys does this mean that the security update fixed the write issue?

No. It's seems likely that this issue was created on purpose. It is not a bug. Therefore, it will likely never be "fixed"

 

[Beachbum37]

Hello, new at posting and first time rooting. I just rooted and applied the fix.Pretty easy after i figured out how to set permissions using root access. I haven't unrooted yet but probably will soon. I am glad i fixed that.