Kit Kat won't allow that to happen.
Only apps that copy their own data to their own folders are allowed to use the SD card.

Just about ruins the functionality of the SD cards. Your camera can save pictures to the SD card in its' own folder, but you can't use a File Manager to copy files to the SD card.

SD card is just about useless now.

 

Your laptop I am sure is NOT running Android. So, if you have Windows or Unix or iOS, then you can format, copy, move, anything to the SD card.

As to whether Android is going to allow you to access those files, I can't say.

 

For installing new programs, just download the .apk and side load it onto your phone.

I downloaded an .apk for something, can't recall what now, oh, it was Ad Block which Google saw fit to remove from their Play Store. Well, I downloaded it to my computer, then I copied it to the Download folder on my S5.

Then I opened File Manager on the S5 and clicked on the .apk
The Ad Block app went through the normal install just fine.
However, you must first go into Settings and put a check mark on the spot to Allow installs from "Unknown sources"

Don't forget to go back and remove that check mark when you get through... just for insurance.


Change System folders? why? You cannot do that without having SuperUser access, and it won't happen unless you root your phone.

 

You still didn't say what OS your laptop is.
So, I'm going to assume it is Windows.

but, even with my older Apple G4 laptop I have noticed the same thing with it as in every Windows System I have used.... and that is all of them.

Drag and Drop is NOT reliable. I have used Drag 'n Drop between folders and lost all of the files. There folders are still there, but the files disappear.

I use Copy/Paste exclusively now to avoid that problem.

I'm a keyboarder rather than a mouse dragger.... so, I do a Control-C, Alt-Tab to switch a new copy of Windows Explorer and then do a Control-V to start the Paste process.

Yes, I run two copies of the File Manager at the same time.

Also, there is a file manager called Xplorer2 that uses split window panes. That one is extremely reliable with Drag 'n Drop.

xplorer

 

Root the phone and change permissions to rwxrwxrwx and that shouldn't be an issue.