Changing SD card with data on it.

[jerrykur]

Hi,

I am new to the S8 and realize I want a bigger SD card. Since this is my first phone with an SD card I have a couple of questions.

First, I understand the S8 stored my videos and movies on my existing SD card. How do I move these to the new SD card.

Second, how can I set an application to store it's data on the SD card? In particular, I use BeyondPod to download a lot of podcasts and want to put these on the SD card.

Thanks!

 

[SpookDroid]

Hi there,

You can use SmartSwitch to do that, but basically what it'll do is copy your SD Card onto internal memory (or to your PC if you're using SmartSwitch on a computer...recommended if you have a lot of data since PCs tend to have more memory than a phone), then move the data back to the new SD card. You can do that manually, too, if you want.

You can also use a card reader on your computer (or another phone) to transfer the files to the new card in your phone via USB or Wireless.

As for apps saving data to SD Card, that depends on the app. If BeyondPod doesn't support SD Cards, then you won't be able to save its data there. There should be an option in the app's settings to change storage for downloads, just like your camera has for pictures/videos.

 

[Suntan]

I've always just powered down the phone, popped out the mSD card then mounted the card on a PC, then copied all the files/folders from the old card to the new card. Pop the new card into the phone and power it on.

 

[anon(123856)]

This is the method I've use and this has always worked well for me. I found this online somewhere so I can't take credit for it. Merely passing it along.

You will have to re-allow any apps that you had previously granted SD Card permissions to but besides that it's pretty easy.

"Unmount the storage card from you phone (Settings —> Storage —> Unmount SD card)

Turn off the phone, remove the back cover, and carefully take out your current microSD card.

Slide it into an SD-adapter and then slide the adapter into your PC

Using Windows Explorer find your card listed among the available drives and make a note of the drive letter assigned to it (in my case it was F, but depending on your setup, it could be G or some other letter).

Click on the Start button on your desktop.

In the search window, type: Command Prompt — and then press the Enter key to open the Command Prompt window.

Enter the following commands (pressing the Enter key at the end of each line):

cd /
md sd-card
cd sd-card
xcopy F:\ "*.*" /s /e /v /h

The first command above changes the current directory to your root drive.

The second command creates a new folder (directory) in your root drive named “sd-card”. (You can use any legal file name here, but you must remember to substitute that name in place of “sd-card” in the code below. If you use spaces in your new name, then you must put double-quote marks around the new name.)

The third command changes the current directory to “sd-card”.

The fourth line is the key line. Make sure you type exactly as shown. In this line, I have used the drive letter F, if your system assigned a different drive letter for your card, use that letter instead of the F. (Remember also, if you used a different name than “sd-card” for your folder, you must use the new name here (with quote marks if you have spaces in the name). The quotes marks around the wildcard characters (*.*) is what tells windows to preserve your long file names. (Not that Microsoft bothers to tells you that in any of their documentation that I found.) The letters at the end this line are called switches and tell the system how to copy you files: /s copies folders and subfolders except for empty ones; /e copies any subfolder, even if it is empty; /v verifies the copying; and /h copies hidden files.

It may take several minutes to copy the files from your current card into the sd-card folder (or whatever you have named it).

When the copying is complete the systen will tell you how many files you have copied.

Remove your micro card adapter from the computer and then carefully remove the micro card from the adapter.

Now insert your new micro card into the adapter and insert the adapter into your computer. The system will assign it a drive letter (almost always the same letter as before — but it could be different, so check to be sure).

In the Command Prompt window, type in the following, hitting the Enter key at the end of each line:

cd /
cd sd-card
xcopy "*.*" F:\ /s /e /v /h

As you are typing the above, make the necessary substitutions if you are using a different name for the folder, or your drive letter is different.

After the files have been copied onto you new card, remove the adapter from your computer, and then carefully remove you new card from the adapter.

Carefully insert your new card into your phone, replace the cover, and start your phone.

You will find all your apps, pictures, movies, text messages that were stored on your old card are now on your new card."

 

[jerrykur]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will see how it works when the new sd card arrives in a couple of days.

BTW, do I need to format it on my PC before I use it? Sandisk 256 GB

 

[SpookDroid]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will see how it works when the new sd card arrives in a couple of days.

BTW, do I need to format it on my PC before I use it? Sandisk 256 GB

You don't have to (these should be usable out of the box), but if you must, it's easier to either format in the phone itself or if you do it on your PC, just make sure that it's with ExFAT format.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Personally I have a USB card reader, cost less than $10 and it's very useful. Plug it into a PC or phone, and easily drag the files from the SD card in the device.

Otherwise you can transfer the files onto a computer, than onto the new card. Or if you have enough internal storage on your phone, you can move everything onto the phone with the files app, than move it onto the new SD card.

 

[gregg6942]

Hook your phone up to a computer, find the phone on the comp, open & navigate to "sd card", open, then copy all the files you want to a folder on comp. When done delete all from old sd card. Then "safely" unplug from comp. Remove old sd card from phone, insert new sd card. Then reconnect to computer, open sd card , make or choose a folder for your files. Select all in your folder on comp, click & drag selected files to folder on phone...and there ya go!!

 

[neil74]

Are there any hidden files that might not copy!

I have been thinking of moving my data over using android file transfer on my mac i.e copy files off of old card to mac and then copy them back to the new card using android file transfer. Using a standard card reader seems to give me read or write errors.

 

[SpookDroid]

Are there any hidden files that might not copy!

I have been thinking of moving my data over using android file transfer on my mac i.e copy files off of old card to mac and then copy them back to the new card using android file transfer. Using a standard card reader seems to give me read or write errors.

For those, using the long method described above should work as this copies the entire structure exactly and matches the name of the card. But for files and media only, just copy-pasting/dragging-dropping/manual transfer should work just fine.