/mnt/sdcard/ and /mnt/sdcard2/

SCION · 10-09-2011, 08:42 PM

This is really frustrating!!!

Is this a Honeycomb thing where /sdcard is designated for internal storage and /sdcard2 is for external storage? The problem is many apps don't even recognize /sdcard2. I'm using up internal storage for things that should be on a memory card simply because the apps see /sdcard and assume that's really an SD card.

Also you can't force the stock music and video apps to look in /sdcard2!

Is there some pending fix for this within Android or is this a manufacture's created mess?

Skydog · 10-09-2011, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

This is really frustrating!!!

Is this a Honeycomb thing where /sdcard is designated for internal storage and /sdcard2 is for external storage? The problem is many apps don't even recognize /sdcard2. I'm using up internal storage for things that should be on a memory card simply because the apps see /sdcard and assume that's really an SD card.

Also you can't force the stock music and video apps to look in /sdcard2!

Is there some pending fix for this within Android or is this a manufacture's created mess?

Honeycomb (at least in U.S. versions) does not support read/write to the external card (sdcard2) from the device. It is read-only unless your device is rooted and then you will be able to read/write. This is a Google limitation on U.S. devices. If you are not rooted, then you will need to connect your device to a computer in order to move your files between internal storage and the card.

You should be able to access your music and video files with stock apps - I can.

SCION · 10-09-2011, 11:51 PM

Thanks. Seems like my previously owned rooted NOOKcolor with a Gingerbread ROM was better.

SCION · 10-10-2011, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skydog

... If you are not rooted, then you will need to connect your device to a computer in order to move your files between internal storage and the card...

I don't understand. I'm not rooted and I can move my files between internal and external using an Android file manager (Astro, as an example).

Skydog · 10-10-2011, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

I don't understand. I'm not rooted and I can move my files between internal and external using an Android file manager (Astro, as an example).

Sorry, you beat me to an edited post! Yes, a couple of file managers (also File Manager HD, I think) have been written to support file transfer.

And why would you say a rooted NC is better when you can root a Honeycomb device and have a much better device? No comparison.

Root and problem solved.

SCION · 10-10-2011, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skydog

Sorry, you beat me to an edited post! Yes, a couple of file managers (also File Manager HD, I think) have been written to support file transfer.

And why would you say a rooted NC is better when you can root a Honeycomb device and have a much better device? No comparison.

Root and problem solved.

Still waiting on a Sony Tablet root.

Skydog · 10-10-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

Still waiting on a Sony Tablet root.

I know the Xoom is not the tablet you have but there is a current discussion taking place on this very issue as it relates to the end-user and the involvement of the developers to modify the various file explorer apps for utilizing read/write capability of SD cards. With enough requests it may happen sooner rather than later for stock NON-rooted Honeycomb tablets. This is only a (Google) restriction with U.S. devices and not those, for example, in Europe.

At any rate, read through this entire thread and it will (hopefully) make more sense:

SD Card and Moto Xoom

SCION · 10-10-2011, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skydog

I know the Xoom is not the tablet you have but there is a current discussion taking place on this very issue as it relates to the end-user and the involvement of the developers to modify the various file explorer apps for utilizing read/write capability of SD cards. With enough requests it may happen sooner rather than later for stock NON-rooted Honeycomb tablets. This is only a (Google) restriction with U.S. devices and not those, for example, in Europe.

At any rate, read through this entire thread and it will (hopefully) make more sense:

SD Card and Moto Xoom

Thanks so much for sharing!

SCION · 10-10-2011, 05:25 PM

I found this explanation helpful (clicked on a link in the thread you posted):

Quote:

Prior to honeycomb devices they didn't have all the internal storage build in. They had limited non-volatile storage and for most anything to actually work you had to add an SDCard to get storage, which mounted under /mnt/sdcard. On the honeycomb devices they build much more non-volatile storage into the device but to get applications to utilize it they mounted that storage under /mnt/sdcard because that is where apps expected the storage space to be.

But that left the issue of removable storage and how that would be handled. So google set it up to external removable storage gets mounted under /mnt/external#. So your SDCard gets treated as removable media storage and is mounted under /mnt/external1 which requires a different permission to access it than the stuff mounted under /mnt/sdcard. Its kind of confusing at first but if you just think of your SDCard more generically as a removable storage device, and not specifically an SDCard it might be easier to understand.

To write to /mnt/sdcard applications must request the android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission. To write to the /mnt/external1 they have to request the android.permission.WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE permissions.

Skydog · 10-10-2011, 10:13 PM

I'm glad that helped somewhat. It was much easier directing you to the discussion than trying to provide a lengthy explanation myself.

The guys over at that particular forum are very knowledgeable in all this stuff and I have learned a lot. Personally, I'm going to contact the developers in hopes of accelerating the process to enable read/write access in the the two file explorers I use. I am confident it will happen at some point.

SCION · 10-11-2011, 08:43 PM

So far I've been able to move a specific app's folder/directory from internal storage to my SD card. The apps have been able to find their folder.

In other words the path is changed from:
/mnt/sdcard/appfolder to /mnt/sdcard2/appfolder

So even though the apps set up their folder/directory in internal storage (thinking it's an SD card), actually moving the folder/directory to the SD card doesn't create any problems.

SCION · 10-12-2011, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

So far I've been able to move a specific app's folder/directory from internal storage to my SD card. The apps have been able to find their folder.

In other words the path is changed from:
/mnt/sdcard/appfolder to /mnt/sdcard2/appfolder

So even though the apps set up their folder/directory in internal storage (thinking it's an SD card), actually moving the folder/directory to the SD card doesn't create any problems.

I was wrong!!!

Turns out the apps re-created their folder/directory in internal storage. I deleted their stuff from internal storage after moving to the SD card, so I assumed they were working off of the SD card. Today I decided to view internal storage and noticed the app folders/directories are back!

I frequently download podcast videos, and prefer they go to the SD card of course. Ain't gonna happen.

10-09-2011, 08:42 PM	#1
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	/mnt/sdcard/ and /mnt/sdcard2/ This is really frustrating!!! Is this a Honeycomb thing where /sdcard is designated for internal storage and /sdcard2 is for external storage? The problem is many apps don't even recognize /sdcard2. I'm using up internal storage for things that should be on a memory card simply because the apps see /sdcard and assume that's really an SD card. Also you can't force the stock music and video apps to look in /sdcard2! Is there some pending fix for this within Android or is this a manufacture's created mess?

10-11-2011, 08:43 PM	#11
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	So far I've been able to move a specific app's folder/directory from internal storage to my SD card. The apps have been able to find their folder. In other words the path is changed from: /mnt/sdcard/appfolder to /mnt/sdcard2/appfolder So even though the apps set up their folder/directory in internal storage (thinking it's an SD card), actually moving the folder/directory to the SD card doesn't create any problems. Last edited by SCION; 10-11-2011 at 08:46 PM.

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10-09-2011, 11:51 PM	#3
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	Thanks. Seems like my previously owned rooted NOOKcolor with a Gingerbread ROM was better.

10-10-2011, 10:13 PM	#10
Skydog Wizard Posts: 2,243 Karma: 7400001 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Circling Earth @ Mach .83 Device: Elipsa 2E, Sage, Forma, Libra 2, Clara 2E, Kindle Oasis3, Voyage	I'm glad that helped somewhat. It was much easier directing you to the discussion than trying to provide a lengthy explanation myself. The guys over at that particular forum are very knowledgeable in all this stuff and I have learned a lot. Personally, I'm going to contact the developers in hopes of accelerating the process to enable read/write access in the the two file explorers I use. I am confident it will happen at some point.