Does my SD card only become available if my phone is rooted?

[AC Question]

Rooting and using sd card slot

Hi
I have an MK 809 Android 4.2.2 TV dongle with an additional 32gb sd card in it's slot.
On checking the memory usage of the dongle, it shows that apart from a little bit of format, the 32gb card is empty.
Do I understand correctly that the sd card only becomes useable if the device is rooted?
If so, if I can root the dongle, will the sd card be useable for buffering purposes?
I must say it seems crazy to have all that memory and no way to use it!!
Thanks in advance.

 

[Rukbat]

Re: Rooting and using sd card slot

Do I understand correctly that the sd card only becomes useable if the device is rooted?

No. As of KitKat (4.4.x) a folder on the card can only written to by the owner of the folder or an app running as root. On 4.2.2, the card is a plain vanilla SD card - any app can write to any place on the card.

If so, if I can root the dongle, will the sd card be useable for buffering purposes?

Buffering what? The card is for data storage (video files, picture files, document files, etc.)

I must say it seems crazy to have all that memory and no way to use it!!

You use it for storage, to leave more room in the internal storage for apps.

 

[ellisroy]

Re: Rooting and using sd card slot

If you are rooted you can move "unmovable" apps to your ext sd card. Not all of the data will transfer (will break app) as some must remain on device to function properly.
For example I just moved about 3 gb of data to ext sd of music from Spotify.
A very good article about kit kat and sd cards is available in this forum.

Verizon gs4 rooted and still learning

 

[Rukbat]

Re: Rooting and using sd card slot

If you are rooted you can move "unmovable" apps to your ext sd card. Not all of the data will transfer (will break app) as some must remain on device to function properly.

You can move anything anywhere if you're rooted - that doesn't mean that an "unmovable" app that you move to the SD card will actually work from there. Most unmovable apps are unmovable because they won't.