Note 3, KitKat, /sdcard, External SDCards, and...

[trparky]

OK, so people have been saying that beginning with KitKat external SDCards can't be arbitrarily written to. Like, I can't simply write data to anywhere on the external SDCard (/storage/extSdCard, not /sdcard).

So, I updated my AT&T Note 3 to the new KitKat version and opened up ES File Explorer to do some testing. I copied my Music folder from /sdcard to /storage/extSdCard and much to my surprise... the file copy worked. I opened up the folder and there were the files. I then deleted that copied folder and again, the delete process worked.

I even made a new blank file in /sdcard using ES File Explorer and sure enough... I was able to make that blank file with no error messages.

Wait a second, I'm confused. I thought that based upon everything that people have been saying concerning KitKat that I should not have been able to do that. But I did just that and I received no error messages.

 

[drexappeal]

OK, so people have been saying that beginning with KitKat external SDCards can't be arbitrarily written to. Like, I can't simply write data to anywhere on the external SDCard (/storage/extSdCard, not /sdcard).

So, I updated my AT&T Note 3 to the new KitKat version and opened up ES File Explorer to do some testing. I copied my Music folder from /sdcard to /storage/extSdCard and much to my surprise... the file copy worked. I opened up the folder and there were the files. I then deleted that copied folder and again, the delete process worked.

I even made a new blank file in /sdcard using ES File Explorer and sure enough... I was able to make that blank file with no error messages.

Wait a second, I'm confused. I thought that based upon everything that people have been saying concerning KitKat that I should not have been able to do that. But I did just that and I received no error messages.

I wasn't sure what your topic would be about until I clicked through, but I'm glad I did.

I actually have experienced what has been mentioned. I typically use Astro. What's odd is, it was just Astro that I had issues doing this. I also use Solid Explorer, when connecting wirelessly to my work CPU to transfer files, and that worked fine. The OEM file explorer worked fine as well. And from what you've said, ES works too.

As much as I've enjoyed using Astro, I might just drop it if this can't be accomplished anymore. I move files all the time, from my download folder, so not having the ability anymore will be a deal killer.

 

[ScandaLeX]

I didn't know copying was a problem. That's probably due to me already having what I wanted on my card when I moved it from one phone to the other.

 

[Rukbat]

opened up ES File Explorer to do some testing. I copied my Music folder from /sdcard to /storage/extSdCard and much to my surprise... the file copy worked. I opened up the folder and there were the files. I then deleted that copied folder and again, the delete process worked.

ES is the owner of the folder, so it can put files there, delete them, delete the folder, etc.

Use another app to create a folder, then create files in it. Now open ES and see if it can put files in that folder or delete the files that were put there by the other app.

Root and the file's (or folder's) owner can always do anything they want to it.

 

[trparky]

I created a test folder in /extSdCard called "Test" using My Files (it's the built-in Samsung provided file manager app), I then launched ES File Explorer and opened up /extSdCard/Test folder and attempted to create a dummy file. Sure enough, it worked.

I then proceeded to delete said test folder in /extSdCard and again, ES File Explorer worked with no error message.

 

[trparky]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.estrongs.android.pop

According to that page, version 3.1.1 of ES File Explorer has a fix for "Samsung external card write issue on Android 4.4 Kitkat".

 

[drexappeal]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.estrongs.android.pop

According to that page, version 3.1.1 of ES File Explorer has a fix for "Samsung external card write issue on Android 4.4 Kitkat".

Looks like it is ES that figured it out. Hope the other file explorer developers figure it out also.

 

[joe sando]

so I install this and then what do I do to get my tom tom working again from my sd card?

 

[Rukbat]

so I install this and then what do I do to get my tom tom working again from my sd card?

If it was previously using a folder on the external card, copy that folder to your computer. Then uninstall TT, reinstall it and let it create a folder on the card that it owns. (If you want to put the files from the folder you saved back into the new folder, you might have to chown the files to the new owner.)

 

[joe sando]

I got a copy of sygic working so will use that instead but cheers