Writing to SD card

[muggo]

I've just bought a Hudl2 running 4.4.2.
Like many others, I'm disappointed in not being permitted to write to the external card. However, using File Manager FX which has a workaround, it seems I can. Or can I?
In FM FX, it shows some photos I've transfered to the Hudl residing in a folder called Photos on the external card & a folder on internal memory called Photos being empty. In Android Storage, it shows the photos sitting in internal memory & the SD card being empty.
Obviously both statements can't be true, so what's going on?
I'd like to keep the internal memory as free as possible & use the external memory for storing photos, music etc.
Before anyone suggests rooting the tablet, I have to say I'm an Android novice & don't want to go down that route.
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[leeshor]

There aren't many logical reasons for not being able to copy or move your media, (which is what it sounds like you are doing) to the external microSD card. Any decent file manager should be able to do that. There are 2 notable exceptions. Either there is a bad/corrupted or unsupported size card in the slot or the slot is bad.

See if you can format the card, IN the tablet.

 

[muggo]

Thanks. Yes, I am trying to add media to somewhere other than (limited) internal memory but still be able to access it eg photos.
I thought 4.4.2 wouldn't let anyone other than an "approved" vendor write to an external card, thus severely reducing it's usefulness.
Therefore I don't think it's a hardware issue but a function of KitKat.
Is that right?

 

[PitCarver]

Your "Gallery" app will find your photos wherever you store them. While you may have limited editing functions with them on the SD card, they'll still show. You can also search different file managers on the Play Store. ES3 and Astro are a couple of good ones.

 

[leeshor]

Thanks. Yes, I am trying to add media to somewhere other than (limited) internal memory but still be able to access it eg photos.
I thought 4.4.2 wouldn't let anyone other than an "approved" vendor write to an external card, thus severely reducing it's usefulness.
Therefore I don't think it's a hardware issue but a function of KitKat.
Is that right?

We may be getting a little confused here. 4.4.2 WILL allow media, (photos, movies, music etc.) to be written to the SD card bit not apps. Approved vendor does not come into the picture here at all. So either you can write those files to the MSD card or the card may be bad as previously stated.

Again, so we're clear on this, KitKat will allow media to be written to the MSD card, not apps.

 

[muggo]

OK. Perhaps I am getting confused. To be clear, this is exactly what I did:
I copied photos onto a USB stick & connected it via the USB port. It showed up as "USB drive" in File Manager. I then tried a couple of File Mgr apps to copy or move the photos onto the SD card but they reported that the files couldn't be moved. Folders couldn't be created either. I then tried to do the same using File Mgr FX which reported I couldn't move files to the SD card due to KitKat rules but they had a workaround which might work. I ticked the workaround box & the files moved OK.
My original question was why is there a difference between where FM FX reports the data lies vs Android Storage app.
PS I've wrapped the tablet (it's a Christmas gift) so I can't try loading photos directly onto SD card for a couple of weeks. Maybe I should have done that in the first place...

 

[leeshor]

You've lost me. Can you move files from the internal memory to the MSD card?

 

[muggo]

As I said, I'm unable to check until after Christmas, so let's put this on hold until I'm able to try your suggestions.
I do appreciate your help though.
Best regards
Paul

 

[hallv5]

My understanding has been that you can write to the SD card, but not the extSD card. To do that you have to have the device 'rooted' and run a 'fix', or 'fixes', on it to allow the write permissions.

I had done all that (root & fixes) but still couldn't write to the extSD card. Turned out I had a 'bad' card and once I replaced it with a tested/known good one the write worked as it was supposed to with no problems.