Help! Lollipop update means I can't play music from my MicroSD any more! What should I do?

[louiselouise]

Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Forgive me, but I posted about this on a UK site Hotukdeals and couldn't come to a solution. Here's my original post:

Is anyone having issues with music files on their Note 4 after the Lollipop update (I have a UK SIM-Free Note 4)?

I did the 5.0.1 update last night. My music files refuse to work (mixture of FLACs and mp3s). Tried the stock Music player and JetAudio Plus.

Cleared the cache/files for JetAudio, still doesn't work. Reinstalled JetAudio Plus. Took out the MicroSD card/battery. Restarted the phone.

When I restart the phone, curiously, the music files work for a few seconds then I get the "Sorry, the player does not support this type of audio file" notification.

Navigating to my "Card" via my PC (shows 53.1GB free of 59.5GB) brings up no files at all, whereas I can see files on my "Phone"! I have a 64GB Sandisk Ultra MicroSD card in there.

PS: I trawled the internet last night for some insight...can see many have had issues with the Lollipop update.

So far, I have tried: Installing PowerAmp, putting the MicroSD card in an SD adapter to do Chkdsk via Windows (error/fix). Turns out my PC reads all the MicroSD data (and plays my music) just fine.

Going to exSDcard via Astro File Manager (on my phone) says "Directory is empty".

Pasted an mp3 file and a FLAC file from my MicroSD (using a card reader/SD Adapter). Pasted them to the Phone's memory. PowerAmp finds them and plays them fine.

I can't reset the default music player as the stock (Samsung) music player says "no defaults set" so Clear Defaults button is greyed out. Same for PowerAmp and Rocket Player.

The entire "Card" file is still showing as blank when I navigate to my MicroSD card via my USB/phone.

Can anyone help me get my music back??

 

[Joe Vile]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Try vlc player. That plays every format no problems and all my music is on ext sd. If all else fails try a factory reset (pain in the arse I know but I did it and everything is better for it)

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Dukins]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

This happened to me last couple of days. I went to my local Best Buy and purchased a new Samsung sd card 64gb for $39 and my issue is now fixed. My phone can read the card. Turns out my old sandisk sd card was going bad. Hopefully you don't have to go to that extreme.

 

[louiselouise]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Try vlc player. That plays every format no problems and all my music is on ext sd. If all else fails try a factory reset (pain in the arse I know but I did it and everything is better for it)

Posted via the Android Central App

With all due respect, if the phone isn't "reading" my MicroSD card after the Lollipop update, I doubt adding yet another new music player will work! My phone played my mp3s/FLAC files from my MicroSD card perfectly with JetAudio before this Lollipop update.

The problem isn't with the music player (I have tried four new players so far), it's the phone reading the MicroSD card after this update.

Tried VLC, same again, "Empty Directory" for the exSDCard.

 

[Gunny94]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Happened to me but playing videos, went to grab another SD card from the store and problem got fixed

 

[louiselouise]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

But the MicroSD card shows/plays all my files via my PC's card reader>an SD adapter?

 

[louiselouise]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Beginning to think my Sandisk MicroSD card is gimped (I always run h2testw when I get new memory cards, so it's not a fake).

Running chkdsk /f via command prompt says: "Corruption was found while examining the volume bitmap. An error occurred while recovering lost files".

Even though my music and other files work via my SD adapter on my PC, I can't actually delete files or format the card with Windows.

Tried formatting the MicroSD card in my phone, and nothing seems to change.

I've also tried the SDFormatter tool with no luck.

 

[doohsun]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

i have music on my sd card don't have any issues with Lollipop. Use Musixmatch works great.

 

[wookiee2cu]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Just tested my SD card and plays music just fine, been on Lollipop for a few weeks now.

 

[juliesdroidsync]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

I still suspect the sd card. I think the timing was a coincidence. .. had similar issues before the lollipop upgrade and new Samsung micro sd solved all issues for me. My music plays fine on lollipop

 

[beh]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

The card has gone south in my opinion from my personal experience. The OS upgrade only exacerbated the issue.. If the card is 3 or more years old it has exceeded its expected life span according to Samsung. Try a new card. At the price of microSD cards these days that is a way less expensive fix than a new phone and far less frustrating that trying to fix the old card.

 

[dabaum]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

I had the same frustrating problem. Locked SD card. I was able to save my data but no longer able to write or format the card. As a last resort I contacted SanDisk on their website and described my problem. They asked for info pertaining to the place and approximate date of purchase as well as the serial # on the card. The next day I was informed that my 64gb card has a "lifetime" warranty on it and to send it in an they even paid for shipping. They also said if there is sensitive data on it to cut it in half first. My new card ships tomorrow at no charge. Turns out SanDisk is quite a stand up company. They have a customer for life now. I hope they can do the same for you.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[louiselouise]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

beh, juliesdroidsync, you're right, I think the Lollipop update was a coincidence and it looks like the card was going to turn to **** anyway. I have read some concerns about Sandisk Ultra 64GB MicroSD cards in the past.

dabaum, I did the same, I messaged Sandisk after reading their Forums the other evening. They have booked the card in for a return via post....trying to read the serial number etched on the back was a challenge though!! but nice to know they stand by their Warranty.

 

[louiselouise]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Hey, I only said p00p! I didn't think that was a swearword! O

 

[beh]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Hey, I only said p00p! I didn't think that was a swearword! O

Ah, but we now live in the land of "warm and fuzzy liberalism" so every word is now suspect LOL. After all there are puppies out there that might be offended to having excrement discussed

 

[beh]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

beh, juliesdroidsync, you're right, I think the Lollipop update was a coincidence and it looks like the card was going to turn to **** anyway. I have read some concerns about Sandisk Ultra 64GB MicroSD cards in the past.

dabaum, I did the same, I messaged Sandisk after reading their Forums the other evening. They have booked the card in for a return via post....trying to read the serial number etched on the back was a challenge though!! but nice to know they stand by their Warranty.

There have been any number of threads claiming that ScanDisk cards are no good. Personally I have used numerous ScanDisc memory cards of all of the available formats and have not had issues. I did have one go bad but it was also 4 or 5 years old. But I have also used Samsung, Kensington, Lexar, PNY all without issue. Sometimes I believe folks get frustrated and take it out on manufacturers without actually having all the facts. Similar to the Samsung phone heating issues that were in many cases due to defective 3rd party batteries.

 

[GregMargie]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

I agree with others that it sounds like the SD card is bad.

I have used Sandisk for many many years and never had a problem that I realized......until I got my Note 4 and put in my 32gb card that had been in 2 previous devices including the last which was a Note 2 and had no issues..... it could very well be a coincidence, but I think the card just got old or even corrupted. The first week my Note 4 was doing the Index Servicing like crazy, and constantly and I had major battery drain. Once I removed the card, rebooted my phone it completely stopped and has been Awesome ever since. I have never put another SD card back in, but thinking of buying a new 64 Samsung one soon. I am still on KitKat 4.4.4 and holding off the Lollipop, UGH for like 3 weeks now......

 

[louiselouise]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Stupid question time! I'm just putting together my UPS package and correspondence to return my failed MicroSD card to Sandisk.

In their email it says "Please DO NOT send any accessories like headphones, cables, plastic cases, adapters etc." I realise it's probably a catch-all phrase to ensure no bulky packaging is used, but is it okay to use the tiny clear plastic case? I'm worried my MicroSD card will get lost!!

 

[sparksd]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Stupid question time! I'm just putting together my UPS package and correspondence to return my failed MicroSD card to Sandisk.

In their email it says "Please DO NOT send any accessories like headphones, cables, plastic cases, adapters etc." I realise it's probably a catch-all phrase to ensure no bulky packaging is used, but is it okay to use the tiny clear plastic case? I'm worried my MicroSD card will get lost!!

I would think the case would be OK but you could just put it in a ziplock sandwich bag.

 

[beh]

Re: Help! Lollipop Update Means I Can't Play Music From My MicroSD Any More!

Stupid question time! I'm just putting together my UPS package and correspondence to return my failed MicroSD card to Sandisk.

In their email it says "Please DO NOT send any accessories like headphones, cables, plastic cases, adapters etc." I realise it's probably a catch-all phrase to ensure no bulky packaging is used, but is it okay to use the tiny clear plastic case? I'm worried my MicroSD card will get lost!!

I believe what the warning is about is that accessories and original packaging will not be returned if send in a device for warranty work or replacement. For example if you send in a phone and you include the supplied earphones and charger you most likely will not see them come back. So if you don't care if the card package comes back you have no worries.