All Android browsers suddenly unable to download to microSD card.

[TetraShiva]

I am completely baffled by this one.

I have a relatively new Samsung Galaxy S9. It put the microSD card from my previous S7 into it, and for a couple months I had no problems. Sometime in the last few days, I have been unable to download any images from the Samsung browser onto my SD card. They will download to my internal storage, but not the microSD. I am still able to take photos on the microSD and download Netflix videos. Having searched for possible problems, here is what I have tried so far:

Tried on both WiFi and mobile data.

Replaced the SD card with a new card, bought in the store, not off Amazon.

Reformatted the the new SD card.

Reset permissions.

Uninstalled and restarted Samsung browser.

Installed different browsers, such as Firefox, Kiwi, & Brave.

Tried the new browsers on WiFi and mobile data.

Nothing works. Kiwi just crashes. Brave will download but the images can't be found. Even Samsung Beta Browser is having issues. It's such a specific problem, and for the life of me I cannot figure it out. I'm hoping that it's something simple that I am just not thinking off.

 

[Rukbat]

Have you tried changing the download location in the browsers?

 

[Gayle Lynn]

Latest Internet from Samsung 9.0 Jan 2019. I stopped using beta 8.2 once 9.0 series out.
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/samsu...msung-internet-for-android-9-0-01-48-release/

 

[Gayle Lynn]

SD cards fail. Very inexpensive. If reformatting in Mac or PC doesn't suffice I'd buy SanDisk Extreme 256GB.

SanDisk Extreme Pro SDXC UHS-I U3 A2 V30 128GB + Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G3H5RBT/?tag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU6443753

 

[TetraShiva]

Have you tried changing the download location in the browsers?

I did. So far I have only been able to download to the internal storage, with the exception of Brave & Chrome. They seem to create their own sub-directory in the Android folder on the microSD into which to download, which isn't ideal, but does work. I would still like to understand what is happening, however.

As of now I am using Samsung Browser Beta & Firefox, and then simply transferring the files from the internal storage to the microSD in the gallery. It's frustrating, but it does work.

SD cards fail. Very inexpensive. If reformatting in Mac or PC doesn't suffice I'd buy SanDisk Extreme 256GB.

Buying a new SD card is one of the first actions I took. The SD cards work fine. It's a mystery.

 

[jgreg02]

do you encrypt your SD cards?

 

[krisqz]

When you did reset of permissions, did it ask you for an access to sd card again? Because it seems like permissions issue for Download folder if Chrome and Brave can create their own.

 

[waqqas31]

Backup the data off the card asap. When you can't write to it, the end may be near.

 

[Adam Frix]

I did. So far I have only been able to download to the internal storage, with the exception of Brave & Chrome. They seem to create their own sub-directory in the Android folder on the microSD into which to download, which isn't ideal, but does work. I would still like to understand what is happening, however.

What's happening is that you do NOT have access to the root directory of the SD card.

 

[TetraShiva]

What's happening is that you do NOT have access to the root directory of the SD card.

Hmmm. That's interesting. A couple questions, if you don't mind:

1) Is there a way to check this?

2) How would I change this?

3) Less important, but any idea why this would change would suddenly occur?