Does Lollipop 5.0 fix the issue with the SD?

phone-a-holic

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Jun 15, 2012
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I would like to be able to save to my SD card again without have to save to the device and then transfer the files over. Also, does anyone have a date for when lolly will reach the Sprint S5's?
 

Rukbat

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Feb 12, 2012
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There's no "issue with the SD", there's an issue with people not understanding what Google did.

Up to 4.3, any app could read from or write to any folder on the SD card - it was just an external data dump. That's not just bad security, it's no security. Put your password program's data file on the SD card and any virus can steal all your passwords. A badly written app can write a file to another app's folder that's using the same file name for its data - wiping out the second app's data.

Since 4.4, the SD card is part of the Linux file system that Android runs on. An app needs Linux permission to read from or write to a folder - on the SD card now, the same way it always did in the /data folder tree in internal storage. An app that's properly written (see: "hen's teeth" - most "Android app developers" aren't software developers, and the concept of "you can't do just one thing" is something they never heard of) will allow you to set its data storage location to a yet-to-be-created folder on the SD card. It will then create the folder and be able to use it with no problem. If the app you're using can't do that, it probably has other problems as well. (If the folder already exists, rename it using your computer [which doesn't know about Linux permissions], create the folder with the app, then move all the current files from the renamed folder to the new one [using the computer again] and delete the renamed folder.)

Or, if you don't care about security, corrupted or lost data, etc., run NextApp SDFix: KitKat Writable MicroSD (root) (the phone has to be rooted because only root has unconditional access to all folders) and you can use the phone like 4.3 did - anything can write anywhere on the SD card..
 

phone-a-holic

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As far as I am concerned it is an issue for me. I just want to know is back to the way it was or still the same? I saw in another post that it was changed. Thanks for the write up but I am fully aware of what Google did.
 

drhex

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They have eased the restrictions somewhat in Lollipop, but applications need to be rewritten to take advantage of that, (I'm not yet allowed to post links, but google "lollipop new intent sd card")
 

cliffgi

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May 22, 2013
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'Real users' completely disagree with the ridiculous statement that Google did not significantly cripple the OS when they removed free access to the SD card. It is smoke and mirrors to say it was for security risk. Face it! It was nothing more than an attempt to force people to 'cloud' services where they advertise and attempt to sell you something. It is my system. I'll do what I want and deal with the consequences. If that weren't the case, I'd stick to Microsoft. Why do so many so-called experts first opt for their off-color opinions, rather than just simply answering the question? Google messed up and users know it. Get over yourself and admit it.

Thankfully as in this case, others often pipe in and provide real answers and useful information.
 

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