[Q] Getting "Couldn't install on USB Storage or SD Card" error with multiple apps.

[Tachyon_1]

[Q] Getting "Couldn't install on USB Storage or SD Card" error with multiple apps.

My TF-701 is dead stock, no root, no ROM and lately I've been getting an increasing list of apps failing to update with the error "Couldn't install to USB Storage or SD Card".
It started with Aldiko Premium, then RealVNC and now Pocket Admin.
I tried uninstalling the first two and now I can't even (re)install them as I get the same error.

Has anyone else been having this issue?
Does anyone know the cause?
Is there a fix or workaround?

Asus Transformer TF-701 (K00C) running stock Android 4.4.2
Kernel - 3.4.66-g96e53b8
Build number - KOT49H.US_epad-11.4.1.17-20140711

UPDATE: Unmounting and removing the microSD Card does provide a workaround. It seems to me like this is a programming error in the app, probably some incorrect path checking when there is a microSD Card installed. I almost wonder if there is some change in Android L that some developers are adapting for but are breaking backwards compatibility by doing it incorrectly?

Screencap of the error attached

 

[Murpsel]

I sometimes had the same error message. For me the installations went fine when I removed all SD cards (SD-Card and MicroSD card) before installing/updating the apps.

 

[ryocoon]

Yeah, I get this too. Popping out the MicroSD, and then hitting install seems to temporarily fix the issue. I'm guessing that there is some code on the install/update of some apps that check something on external storage, and the 4.4.x stuff blocks that, and therefore fails as saying it couldn't put something on the SD card. This only happens with certain apps. However, if I uninstall the app, format the SD card, reboot, then reinstall the app... It still does it. Therefore it has to be something to do with the apps and possibly their install routines or their declared permissions.

At least this is my guess. I haven't bothered to trace this stuff, nor anything further.