unable to write files to external sd card
- Thread starter Mr Dasher
- Start date
This is my screen shot. After pulling my hair out over my Tab 7;0 Plus not being able to write to its SD card, I tried this idea from this forum and it worked like a charm!!
(See the top line of the screen cap.)
Knox B.
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@thaloneus :
Thank you SOOO much for this.
But, I have to frickin' ask:
Is this a bug?
An oversight on Samsung's part?
A problem with Honeycomb?
Do other Honeycomb devices have the same problems?
Do all Honeycomb devices have this problem??
Not a bug. Its a design change with honeycomb that very few (if any) app developers have caught up with. I think that at least some tablet makers have modified that .xml file in their stock firmware, but certainly not all of them.
Gary
I'm afraid this didn't work for me. I'm a bit new to working with an android device, but I have rooted the unit, and then acquired root explorerer, and then carefully edited the xml file noted. I rebooted and still cannot write to the extSD.
When I went back into the xml file, I noted that in place of two "group" tags (including the one I added for "media_rw"), only the one I added was in the permissions group noted. The one that was there when I edited is now gone. Even root explorer was not able to test create a new folder on the extSD.
Any suggestions?
CORRECTION: I can now navigate to the extSD and create folders via root explorer. But so far, other file managers (beyond the systems default) do not seem able to do so. Strange (to me). This also means I cannot copy and paste files either except through root explorer (which is sort of unfriendly to this newb vs. other file managers).
When I went back into the xml file, I noted that in place of two "group" tags (including the one I added for "media_rw"), only the one I added was in the permissions group noted. The one that was there when I edited is now gone. Even root explorer was not able to test create a new folder on the extSD.
Any suggestions?
CORRECTION: I can now navigate to the extSD and create folders via root explorer. But so far, other file managers (beyond the systems default) do not seem able to do so. Strange (to me). This also means I cannot copy and paste files either except through root explorer (which is sort of unfriendly to this newb vs. other file managers).
Last edited:
My solution was to use a different text editor than stock (used "Text Edit," free through market) after using Root Explorer to set the folder to r/w (read/write). I had no luck using the stock editor...
It does not.
I almost forgot this important step when I edited the file:
"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."
Check to make sure you are saving the edit before you reboot.
Oh yeah!!! of course, if it doesn't, then it can't be created on the new files or folder in external storage.
Double check again, created the new text file on the root of "extStorages", then reboot.... result: File is gone
FYI
I'll write a script to make this change to the perms file sometime this weekend (something that can be installed from recovery.) Using sed, I should be able to make the change "in-place" instead of completely overwriting the existing file. That'll ensure no breakage.
Thank You very much, garyd9. At that moment, whatever related to development on this tablet would be on your hand, Bro, and we are still waiting for the cooked rom... Hope it should be on your project.
Thanks again.
I'm also facing the same problem as KChauJen, where I have successfully made the changes to permissions.xml, tested it by creating a folder in the ext sdcard. However upon reboot, the permission is reset back (i.e. <group gid="media_rw" /> is removed).
I've tested it with the fix permission script and the permission is still reverted back
I've tested it with the fix permission script and the permission is still reverted back
Which model 7+ are you using? Is it from a phone carrier? Are you rooted (and if so, does 'root' stay intact after a reboot?)
Are you using any custom kernel's, recoveries, or anything like that?
Thanks and take care
Gary
I'm using GT-P6200, bought from phone carrier SingTel.
I've performed root following the steps here.
I believe it is still rooted after a reboot, as I'm still able to grant superuser access to FileExpert to perform modification to permissions.xml.
Other than that, I'm not using custom kernels. I do have avast AV installed, however, it does not give any alerts when I make manual modification to the permissions.xml
I've performed root following the steps here.
I believe it is still rooted after a reboot, as I'm still able to grant superuser access to FileExpert to perform modification to permissions.xml.
Other than that, I'm not using custom kernels. I do have avast AV installed, however, it does not give any alerts when I make manual modification to the permissions.xml
Can you please go into settings -> "About Device", and type here the "model number" shown, and the "build number" shown?
My reason for asking is that there are many different versions of the same tablet floating around (GT-P6200, GT-P6200L, GT-P6200N, SGH-T698, etc) all being called a "6200" when they are slightly different. I don't have any of the 6200 tablet's myself (I have a 6210), but someone else (who has the same tablet/build as you) might notice something.
As well, it may be helpful if you could check the time/date of the platform.xml file immediately before AND after you make the change, then reboot the tablet and check the time/date of the file again. Does the time/date revert to what it was before you made the change, or does it change to something else?
Finally, permissions/platform.xml is considered a security file (as changes to it could make your device easier for a virus to infect) so it's possible that your AV is, in fact, reverting it. I don't use avast, so I don't know if it is or isn't...
Take care
Gary
I've got it working now. I'm not really sure what did happen, as FileExpert cannot overwrite the permissions/platform.xml or ext sdcard any more, even though it has been granted superuser access.
Instead, I did the following:
1) I uninstalled avast
2) installed and used Root Browser Lite to change platform.xml
3) reboot
4) installed avast back
5) reboot
After 1st and 2nd reboot, I checked that I'm able to write to the external sd card.
Instead, I did the following:
1) I uninstalled avast
2) installed and used Root Browser Lite to change platform.xml
3) reboot
4) installed avast back
5) reboot
After 1st and 2nd reboot, I checked that I'm able to write to the external sd card.
I just got a GT 7+ (P6210) - US Version and after I rooted the GT, I can go to /mnt/sdcard/extStorages/SdCard and write to it. I.e. using Root Browser, I can create a file.
I don't have to do the steps mentioned above. Is the steps above make it so that Market application CAN use the SD Card to install their support files? I.e. some games requires large downloads and in my Thunderbolt, that download will automatically go to the SD Card.
I don't have to do the steps mentioned above. Is the steps above make it so that Market application CAN use the SD Card to install their support files? I.e. some games requires large downloads and in my Thunderbolt, that download will automatically go to the SD Card.
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I can't post a link to the original post on another forum that worked for me so I will quote it:
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.62
It does not.
I almost forgot this important step when I edited the file:
"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."
Check to make sure you are saving the edit before you reboot.1
i used the free Astro File Manager to navigate to /system/etc/permissions/platform.xml. When I tapped on the platform.xml file I was given a choice of text editors to open it with. When I finished I was offered the option to save the file.1
Oh yeah!!! of course, if it doesn't, then it can't be created on the new files or folder in external storage.
Double check again, created the new text file on the root of "extStorages", then reboot.... result: File is gone
FYI
