Maybe it's time to root...

[Standroid43]

So far, I have been able to live within the constraints of stock Android releases on my phones. This ZU Gpe is my first AOSP phone and it's great to be out from under the bloatware. In fact, almost everything about this phone is perfect for my needs. But the crippled access to the external sd is a deal breaker!

It's like I just found the road bike of my dreams, with all the right components and light as a feather and when I pull it out of the box it turns out to be a stationary trainer with no rear wheel! Arrg!


There are multiple accounts floating around the net, including right here in this forum, that describe a simple fix that restores full access - if your phone is rooted. So, if Google is going insist on being evil I guess it's finally time to root my first phone. How scary is it on this phone? Is there a good, step-by-step procedure that doesn't assume that this is the umpteenth phone you have rooted?

Stan

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[zedorda]

Did you read this post yet?

KitKat and SD cards — what's fixed, what's broken and what's misunderstood | Android Central

Might want to wait for some more apps to update because the SD card is very usable just not the same way as before and apps have to updated to get the benefits.

 

[Standroid43]

Yes, I read that, but it wasn't very comforting.

If I understand it correctly, only the app that creates and owns the directory can modify its contents. No write access from a file manager app.

So, MyTracks is great at recording a GPS track and it provides some useful analysis. But, it takes real mapping apps like OsmAnd and GPSies to do what I need to do with that track file. That means that I normally copy each track to two or three other apps' directories for further processing. And, often times I drag the file over to a PC to massage it with Garmin software and bring it back into Android. None of those manipulations are going to be permitted under the new evil architecture, as I read it.

Please tell me I'm wrong!

Stan

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[zedorda]

File managers still have full functionality if updated to support KitKat. I use KitKat on 3 different devices and use X-plore File Manager all the time to move files from SD card to PC through Wifi. You should try it.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...s?id=com.lonelycatgames.Xplore&token=WYGMl_5N

 

[Standroid43]

Cool! And can you move files back from the Play (or sdcard0) to the external sd (sdcard1)?

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[Standroid43]

I think I just answered my own question. I installed your favorite file manager and tried to create a new directory on the external sd. No joy! It's no better with KitKat than ES File Manager or ASTRO.

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[dono222]

I think I just answered my own question. I installed your favorite file manager and tried to create a new directory on the external sd. No joy! It's no better with KitKat than ES File Manager or ASTRO.

I'm very bummed about that too... Lots of people are. Can't freely copy files, create my own directories, and store whatever I want on the mSD for "security purposes"... okay...

I was very pissed when all my info on the mSD that I took out of my Note 2 and inserted it to my new Z Ultra GPe before the Kitkat updates and after the update it erased my mSD. I thought the update won't touch my mSD, otherwise I would have backed it up first.

I guess word of advice, backup non Kitkat mSD before inserting into a Kitkat phone that updates. Not sure what happened exactly but after the update, I lost most of my photos, videos, music, etc that I can't replace. I think it didn't like the non Kitkat file structure on the mSD and erased what it couldn't fit/backup into the new Kitkat structure.

I vote for rooting!