File management on P9

[Type14]

I want to use the internal memory for apps,... (System based stuff) But I want to use the MicroSD card for all data. (Photo's, Music, Podcasts, Documents,...) A bit like a desktop environment.

In settings -> advanced settings -> memory and storage -> standard location: I switched it to the MicroSD card. (Note the menu route is a translation of the settings)

But I'm a bit worried I didn't need to do that because now I have a Android, LOST.DIR,... folder on MicroSD card. Is my system running on the MicroSD now?

What is the correct setting for what I want to do?

Thanks for the help!

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! No, the system won't run off the SD card. Any time you insert an SD card in an Android device, it will create an Android directory (which the system will use to save certain non-crucial bits of data) and a LOST.DIR directory (which is where broken files get stored, in case you have to try recovering them).

 

[Type14]

Ah so I did need to switch the standard location as I did?

Will app's still be installed on the P9 or will they be installed on the MicroSD?

 

[B. Diddy]

When you switch the storage location, that's only for files you download, and possibly for apps to store data (but not to save the actual app files). If you go to Settings>Apps and select an app, then tap Move to SD, that will move part of the app itself to the SD (but not the whole thing). The only way for an entire app to be installed to the SD is if you're on Marshmallow or above, and are able to format an SD card as Internal Storage (i.e., Adoptable Storage).

 

[Type14]

That's great! System and storage separated. Exactly how it seems right for me.