Writing to external SD guide

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vauxhallastra

Senior Member
May 22, 2009
218
37
Not sure if this has been covered already on the 7.7 forum, but it's a very useful guide.
This makes Titanium backup and other apps able to write to the external SD card.

Quoted from Thaloneus post on the 7+ forum.


Simple solution for external sdcard write access on Android 3.2...if you're rooted

I've found a simple solution for gaining write access to the external sdcard (/mnt/sdcard2) on Android 3.2. The sdcard is mounted r/w, but the owning group is media_rw which is linked to the WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE permission. Unfortunately, this permission was not required for access to the external sdcard prior to 3.2 so most file management utilities do not request it when they run...meaning they only have read access to the card.

The simple solution, if you're rooted, is as follows:
1. Using a root-enabled file manager, navigate to /system/etc/permissions and make sure you have mounted the file system r/w.
2. Edit platform.xml and find the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission.
3. Add an additional group definition for this permission...<group gid="media_rw" />
4. Save the changes to the file.
5. Restart your tablet.

After this change, any apps that request the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission (which includes almost anything that access either of the sdcards) will gain group membership in both sdcard_rw AND media_rw, giving them r/w access to both sdcard filesystems.



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USMC44

Senior Member
Mar 2, 2008
70
6
Orlando
Used root explorer in rw mode, copy & paste to

/etc/permissions/platform.xml

If you're using vauxhallastra's, don't forget to unzip it first.

Semper Fi!!!
Sent from GT-P6800
 
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Yarda

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2007
135
3
thx

did copy/paste , but.. i'm still not able to move apps to the external sd card
must forget something

followed the steps, tab is root
must be one of those days :-(
 

USMC44

Senior Member
Mar 2, 2008
70
6
Orlando
I used root explorer in RW mode. Did you do this as well as unzip the file.

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palexr

Senior Member
Jul 11, 2009
523
35
OK, so I have done this and all seems to be working. However, someone above mentions moving apps to the card, can someone explain how that should be done?
 

haidharbbc

Senior Member
Feb 22, 2012
94
68
what app2sd apps that you used? i tried few..but seems not to work either

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Yarda

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2007
135
3
answer is in mine opinion: not

Some people said that it is possible to move apps to sd card with Titanium Backup.
But when you looked afterwards at the size of your SD card nothing changed.
 

mrexperience

Member
Dec 17, 2011
11
0
Kingston
root enabled file manager?

Hi. I know this may sound stupid but what constitutes a 'root enabled file' manager? I've used the file manager that the 7.7 comes with, Astro, and ES explorer and I can't seem to find /sysem/etc/permissions.
What am I doing wrong?
 

teiglin

Senior Member
Jul 7, 2011
627
134
Hi. I know this may sound stupid but what constitutes a 'root enabled file' manager? I've used the file manager that the 7.7 comes with, Astro, and ES explorer and I can't seem to find /sysem/etc/permissions.
What am I doing wrong?

The default file manager won't let you browse root, and I've never used Astro, but ES definitely does. You have to check "Root Explorer" (and if you want to make any changes, "Mount File System" as writable) in the options. I also recommend checking "Up to Root" option so you can just use the Up button or Back softkey to go from /sdcard to / (root directory), but in any case the favorites button will give you quick access to the root directory from anywhere.
 
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do0b

Senior Member
Feb 28, 2011
272
18
Hi. I know this may sound stupid but what constitutes a 'root enabled file' manager? I've used the file manager that the 7.7 comes with, Astro, and ES explorer and I can't seem to find /sysem/etc/permissions.
What am I doing wrong?

root enabled file managers will allow you to browse and edit the system config files which we are doing here. the fact that you cant find /system/etc/permission might be because they are file managers. perhaps the paid version of those apps will allow you root access.
 

mrexperience

Member
Dec 17, 2011
11
0
Kingston
Next question:
Once I copy and paste this bit of code into platform. Xls, how do I ensure that its'saved. I see no option for that and pressing the 'back' button doesn't do the trick.
I also tried to use the link given. This was extracted using my astro file manager. What do I do with this document then? Should i copy and paste it in /systems/etc/permissions/ ?

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mrexperience

Member
Dec 17, 2011
11
0
Kingston
Figured it out. Thanks much.
In using ES explorer, you have to go to PREFERENCES first. Therein tick r/w and root. This will enable you to write on the system files.
I found that the Root explorer app didn't help me cause I couldn't save my copied and pasted amendment. Whereas it was easy to do with ES explorer. Hope this last bit helps anyone who needed spoon feeding like me.



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mbushnaq00

Senior Member
Apr 26, 2010
96
10
is there any way to divert the folder \sdcard\Android\data to \sdcard\extStorages\sdcard\Android\data ... this will save me atleast 9GB in my internal memory and will put my sdcard in full use :)
 

dr-PHP

Senior Member
Jun 10, 2011
113
9
Not sure if this has been covered already on the 7.7 forum, but it's a very useful guide.
This makes Titanium backup and other apps able to write to the external SD card.

Quoted from Thaloneus post on the 7+ forum.


Simple solution for external sdcard write access on Android 3.2...if you're rooted

I've found a simple solution for gaining write access to the external sdcard (/mnt/sdcard2) on Android 3.2. The sdcard is mounted r/w, but the owning group is media_rw which is linked to the WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE permission. Unfortunately, this permission was not required for access to the external sdcard prior to 3.2 so most file management utilities do not request it when they run...meaning they only have read access to the card.

The simple solution, if you're rooted, is as follows:
1. Using a root-enabled file manager, navigate to /system/etc/permissions and make sure you have mounted the file system r/w.
2. Edit platform.xml and find the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission.
3. Add an additional group definition for this permission...<group gid="media_rw" />
4. Save the changes to the file.
5. Restart your tablet.

After this change, any apps that request the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission (which includes almost anything that access either of the sdcards) will gain group membership in both sdcard_rw AND media_rw, giving them r/w access to both sdcard filesystems.



Sent from my GT-P6800 using xda premium

can we use this method I mean the zip file with tab 10.1
 

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  • 11
    Not sure if this has been covered already on the 7.7 forum, but it's a very useful guide.
    This makes Titanium backup and other apps able to write to the external SD card.

    Quoted from Thaloneus post on the 7+ forum.


    Simple solution for external sdcard write access on Android 3.2...if you're rooted

    I've found a simple solution for gaining write access to the external sdcard (/mnt/sdcard2) on Android 3.2. The sdcard is mounted r/w, but the owning group is media_rw which is linked to the WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE permission. Unfortunately, this permission was not required for access to the external sdcard prior to 3.2 so most file management utilities do not request it when they run...meaning they only have read access to the card.

    The simple solution, if you're rooted, is as follows:
    1. Using a root-enabled file manager, navigate to /system/etc/permissions and make sure you have mounted the file system r/w.
    2. Edit platform.xml and find the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission.
    3. Add an additional group definition for this permission...<group gid="media_rw" />
    4. Save the changes to the file.
    5. Restart your tablet.

    After this change, any apps that request the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission (which includes almost anything that access either of the sdcards) will gain group membership in both sdcard_rw AND media_rw, giving them r/w access to both sdcard filesystems.



    Sent from my GT-P6800 using xda premium
    2
    Copy or use mine at your own risk
    1
    Used root explorer in rw mode, copy & paste to

    /etc/permissions/platform.xml

    If you're using vauxhallastra's, don't forget to unzip it first.

    Semper Fi!!!
    Sent from GT-P6800
    1
    Hi. I know this may sound stupid but what constitutes a 'root enabled file' manager? I've used the file manager that the 7.7 comes with, Astro, and ES explorer and I can't seem to find /sysem/etc/permissions.
    What am I doing wrong?

    The default file manager won't let you browse root, and I've never used Astro, but ES definitely does. You have to check "Root Explorer" (and if you want to make any changes, "Mount File System" as writable) in the options. I also recommend checking "Up to Root" option so you can just use the Up button or Back softkey to go from /sdcard to / (root directory), but in any case the favorites button will give you quick access to the root directory from anywhere.