6.0 Marshmallow: SD Card, Adoptable or Portable Storage?

[lgGslateuser]

I just noticed that when I go under Storage and USB in the settings, it shows internal and Lexar but when I go under lexar settings I see "format as Portable" so this would tell me that I'm formatted as Adoptable...however I would think that if that were true it wouldn't show the lexar as having 59 gigs free it would be all under internal? thoughts?

 

[B. Diddy]

It may just be giving you the option to reformat the card, and adding "as Portable" to remind you that the reformatting process still keeps it as Portable. If you use a file manager app, is the card listed as /storage/sdcard1 or /storage/emulated/1? If so, then it's installed as Portable, not Adoptable.

 

[SandersJC1964]

It's not formatted as adoptable. Once you format it as adoptable storage you won't have any format options available at all. Another way to confirm is in the camera app settings, you'll no longer have the option of where to automatically save your pictures.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[tpence2177]

I got a new 64gb sandisk ultra class 10 that transfers at 80mb/s and tried it. I have formatted as internal. And it doesn't show up like it used to as a separate ejectable drive. So does that mean that it is now adopted storage?

 

[tpence2177]

This is what mine is showing now that I completed the formatting to internal and transferring files over

 

[SandersJC1964]

This is what mine is showing now that I completed the formatting to internal and transferring files over

View attachment 219434

Yes, that is set up as adoptable storage now.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[lgGslateuser]

What tells you it's formatted as Adoptable? is it becuase the SD card shows SanDisk and not Lexar like most show? or is it becuase at the top it shows 90.53GB of of total storage. This is what mine looks like right now but it shows me having a Lexar SD Card which I do not.

 

[tpence2177]

What tells you it's formatted as Adoptable? is it becuase the SD card shows SanDisk and not Lexar like most show? or is it becuase at the top it shows 90.53GB of of total storage. This is what mine looks like right now but it shows me having a Lexar SD Card which I do not.

If it is adoptable you cant eject it like you used to be able to. They are both together now where they used to be separate.

 

[lgGslateuser]

Well that's strange then I have the same look in the storage & USB screen as above with the excption that it says Lexar and not Samsung which is what I have. but when I got under SD Card and I hit settings I have the option to eject and format as Portable but no Format as internal which I used to have.

 

[doogald]

Well that's strange then I have the same look in the storage & USB screen as above with the excption that it says Lexar and not Samsung which is what I have. but when I got under SD Card and I hit settings I have the option to eject and format as Portable but no Format as internal which I used to have.

It's already formatted as internal. Format as portable must be there as an option if you have changed your mind and want to switch back to portable.

I think it's too bad that Android doesn't add a bunch of "Are you sure?", "Are you really sure?", "Are you really, really sure?" to the dialog to format as adoptable. I always get nervous about using more than one media device as one virtual driver or partition - now you've just increased the chance that the whole thing will fail compared with using discrete storage units. I know that SD cards are pretty stable, and almost everybody who puts one in keeps it in, but I can't believe that people can't get by using portable storage for media and that 32 GB isn't enough for apps and data. It may be that Android is intelligent about storing apps and data on adoptable storage - maybe that any app that runs on internal has its data on internal and any app on adopted storage stores it's data only there, so that if the SD card fails, it doesn't destroy any apps that are left. Still - it would make me nervous.

 

[lgGslateuser]

Thats just the thing, I remember a couple days ago hitting the button to format as internal and it poped up a message that said "your sd card appears to be slow this could cause problems or slow downs, do you want to continue" I said NO...but here we are and I don't have the option to format as internal anymore. I will say I haven't noticed any slowdown for that matter as I have a class 10 uhs-1 card.

 

[B. Diddy]

I think it's too bad that Android doesn't add a bunch of "Are you sure?", "Are you really sure?", "Are you really, really sure?" to the dialog to format as adoptable. I always get nervous about using more than one media device as one virtual driver or partition - now you've just increased the chance that the whole thing will fail compared with using discrete storage units. I know that SD cards are pretty stable, and almost everybody who puts one in keeps it in, but I can't believe that people can't get by using portable storage for media and that 32 GB isn't enough for apps and data. It may be that Android is intelligent about storing apps and data on adoptable storage - maybe that any app that runs on internal has its data on internal and any app on adopted storage stores it's data only there, so that if the SD card fails, it doesn't destroy any apps that are left. Still - it would make me nervous.

This this this. And I would add that SD cards on the whole just aren't as reliable and long-lived as eMMC memory (i.e., the chips that make up Internal Storage on the motherboard). I spoke to someone in the memory industry, who told me that consumer SD cards (even from reputable brands) are nearer to the bottom of the barrel when it comes to quality, in comparison to eMMC. And in addition to that, you also have to be vigilant for the occasional counterfeit card.

 

[Snareman]

When I try and open Spotify now it tells me to "Check the device storage setting" and then won't open. Any idea what I'm supposed to do with that?

 

[adayoff]

I don't think I understand the benefits to keeping the SD card separate vs "internal" format? I don't plan on taking my card out for any reason. It's on a 32GB card but it works for me. Why should I care if it's internal storage, portable, etc?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[doogald]

I don't think I understand the benefits to keeping the SD card separate vs "internal" format? I don't plan on taking my card out for any reason. It's on a 32GB card but it works for me. Why should I care if it's internal storage, portable, etc?

If it is portable, if the sd card fails, you'll only lose the data on the sd card, which would be photos, videos, music, maybe some external app data for apps that can allow you to store data on an sd card.

If it is adopted, you will have at least some apps storing the app and all of its internal data on the card. If the card fails, you may end up losing access to apps and all of their data. In fact, android is designed so all new app installs go onto the storage location with the most available space, so that may end up putting all of your apps on the sd card. I think the same thing would happens with photos and videos.

The SD card will be slower than the internal storage that the turbo 2 uses, so you may see some extra lag caused by slower read write access to storage. (I'm not sure what the performance degradation would be and how noticeable it would be.)

If you have to do a warranty replacement, you won't be able to put the sd card on the new phone and get all of the apps and data back. The card is formatted and encrypted with a key that allows its use in only that one device. With portable storage of course you can mount the card in any device with a card reader and the data will be available.

Some good info here: http://m.androidcentral.com/inside-marshmallow-adoptable-storage

Technical info here: https://source.android.com/devices/storage/adoptable.html

 

[adayoff]

If it is portable, if the sd card fails, you'll only lose the data on the sd card, which would be photos, videos, music, maybe some external app data for apps that can allow you to store data on an sd card.

If it is adopted, you will have at least some apps storing the app and all of its internal data on the card. If the card fails, you may end up losing access to apps and all of their data. In fact, android is designed so all new app installs go onto the storage location with the most available space, so that may end up putting all of your apps on the sd card. I think the same thing would happens with photos and videos.

The SD card will be slower than the internal storage that the turbo 2 uses, so you may see some extra lag caused by slower read write access to storage. (I'm not sure what the performance degradation would be and how noticeable it would be.)

If you have to do a warranty replacement, you won't be able to put the sd card on the new phone and get all of the apps and data back. The card is formatted and encrypted with a key that allows its use in only that one device. With portable storage of course you can mount the card in any device with a card reader and the data will be available.

Some good info here: http://m.androidcentral.com/inside-marshmallow-adoptable-storage

Technical info here: https://source.android.com/devices/storage/adoptable.html

Excellent info! Thank you!!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[tlacour]

If it is portable, if the sd card fails, you'll only lose the data on the sd card, which would be photos, videos, music, maybe some external app data for apps that can allow you to store data on an sd card.

If it is adopted, you will have at least some apps storing the app and all of its internal data on the card. If the card fails, you may end up losing access to apps and all of their data. In fact, android is designed so all new app installs go onto the storage location with the most available space, so that may end up putting all of your apps on the sd card. I think the same thing would happens with photos and videos.

The SD card will be slower than the internal storage that the turbo 2 uses, so you may see some extra lag caused by slower read write access to storage. (I'm not sure what the performance degradation would be and how noticeable it would be.)

If you have to do a warranty replacement, you won't be able to put the sd card on the new phone and get all of the apps and data back. The card is formatted and encrypted with a key that allows its use in only that one device. With portable storage of course you can mount the card in any device with a card reader and the data will be available.

Some good info here: Inside Marshmallow: Adoptable storage | Android Central

Technical info here: https://source.android.com/devices/storage/adoptable.html

Exactly my thoughts on this. Well put. Thanks

 

[fuddster]

When I try and open Spotify now it tells me to "Check the device storage setting" and then won't open. Any idea what I'm supposed to do with that?

I had to go into Settings->Apps, and delete data, then tap on the permissions and make sure all were turned on.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Snareman]

I had to go into Settings->Apps, and delete data, then tap on the permissions and make sure all were turned on.

Posted via the Android Central App

That worked. Thanks!

 

[adayoff]

So my new SanDisk Ultra 32GB micro SD HC I that I left as portable storage started acting up. The pics that I took and went straight to the card would not display in the gallery app. I went to storage and saw that where my SD Card was previously labeled as SD Card 32GB had its name changed to a bunch of different letters and symbols. Then all of a sudden it was corrupted. I didn't do anything to it. I don't understand why it failed. I reformatted the card by putting it in my laptop and started the process again. It ended up going back to the weird letters, etc. What does anyone think? I guess I need a new card? The Motorola webpage shows the type of card to use which my card has all the same requirements. The card looked legit and not a fake. What gives?