[TIP] Cloning Your Micro SD Card

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koop1955

Senior Member
Mar 17, 2011
1,853
1,969
Las Vegas
www.larrykuperman.com
Moto G 5G
I recently bought a new and faster Micro SD card for my Epic 4G. I tried to copy the files on my old Micro SD card over through my Windows computer; however Windows Explorer failed. I have a number of applications installed on my SD and Windows was just not happy with .gz format files, etc.

A number of back up and cloning utilities were suggested at various forums; the one that I found be the best, in terms of small footprint and ease of use, is the HDD Raw Copy tool from HDD Guru. It is free, so small and light that you can run it as a portable app, easy to use and did I mention free? :D

You can find the app on the HDD Guru website. (Forum rules prevent my including the link in this post.)

It is going to be part of my tool kit from here on out. I hope this helps someone.

Here you can download a free copy
 
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edmondt

Senior Member
Mar 21, 2006
700
295
Toronto
Thanks for the post! Was looking for a solution to this, tried copying in OSX, Windows, TeraCopy no luck so far... Your solution looks promising!
 

noouch

New member
May 6, 2007
1
2
That's because it directly copies the partitions. You need to resize them afterwards. I used minitool partition wizard (can't post links, google it), which did the trick nicely. For moving the contents of my 2GB SD card over to a 16GB one, the procedure was pretty straightforward: write contents to an image using HDDRawCopy, use the same tool to write the image to the new card, and then resize using the partition wizard.
 
That's because it directly copies the partitions. You need to resize them afterwards. I used minitool partition wizard (can't post links, google it), which did the trick nicely. For moving the contents of my 2GB SD card over to a 16GB one, the procedure was pretty straightforward: write contents to an image using HDDRawCopy, use the same tool to write the image to the new card, and then resize using the partition wizard.

Minitool Partition would make my laptop go bonkers , making it run in emergency grub command prompt with no help

This was sent from a Galaxy Ace. Problem?
 

dimspace

Senior Member
Apr 28, 2012
519
374
Newcastle
velorooms.com
thanks for this.. im bizarrely going a backward route.. from a 32gb class 4 card, to a 16gb class 10 card.. (work that one out)

Which involves the fun of reducing the partitions on the 32gb first, and then raw copying :S
 

Mazarin07

Senior Member
Mar 11, 2012
87
4
This program will only work for two SD cards that are the same size. I tried to clone my 8Gb SD4 card to my new 16Gb SD10 card and it did exactly that: it turned the 16Gb into a 8Gb SD card. :)

This is a good example of someone who would like to help, but only gives a half solution, thus misleading the inexperienced user.
 

Hesterien

Member
Mar 13, 2013
13
1
Copenhagen
Alternative

Using ADB, has in my experience, always! been the best and most secure way to pull/push from and to my LT18i.

It's simple, light and secure.

get sdk-tools and extract it to your ROOT drive on Windows (EG. C:/)
(Im not experienced enough on this forum to post outside links, so use google and search for Android SDK.)

In your sdk-tools folder,now make a folder called:

sdcard_{today's date}

Example - sdcard_08042013

Plug in your phone, leave it on Charge only.

Now -

Step 1 - get a DOS window (Start - Run - cmd)

Step 2 - in that window enter (use copy/paste): cd c:\sdk-tools

Step 3 - in that window enter (use copy/paste): adb devices
(that ensures that adb is running, and your device is connected)

Step 4 - if using ICS, in that window enter: adb pull /mnt/sdcard sdcard_{date}

If using JellyBean enter: adb pull /storage/sdcard0 sdcard_{date}

Wait....done!

And when you are ready to push the backup to your phone again:

adb push sdcard_{date} /mnt/sdcard

Just for the record, if you break your phone or sdcard doing this, I hold no responsibillity. You do this, it is your doing.
I am not an expert in ADB nor android phones in generel. This information is something i've picked up along the way.

This is an ALTERNATIVE, and not to be mistaken for the ONLY CORRECT way.

There are plenty of other options to achieve the same goal, this is just one of them.

Good luck and Godspeed!
 

tedrogers61

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2012
520
83
Using Linux / Ubuntu to copy / clone

I'm currently moving from a 16GB to a 32GB UHS-I microSD card...and I'm just copying the files over in Ubuntu Linux (with Show Hidden Files enabled in Nautilus [the file management system])...simply enabled SHOW HIDDEN FILES in the VIEW menu.

The phone is on and active...connected by USB to my laptop.

I'm hopeful it will work, and I'll re-post / update this if it does. :cowboy:

== UPDATE ==

Yep...that all worked sweetly! :) The problems other people have experienced might be simply down to the fact that a RAW copy is not taking place, so some of the "hidden" system files etc. are not being copied in Windows etc.
 
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__-_-_-__

Senior Member
Nov 23, 2011
73
5
Xiaomi Mi CC9 / Mi 9 Lite
sorry in this old and stupid topic but I think it should be deleted because I tried the tip and didn't read the other posts and end up screwing my sd cards.

the thing is that you really don't need anyting to clone an SD card and to work it with android.
the problem is that people don't actually copy all the files because there are hidden files. they have to check "VIEW HIDDEN FOLDERS" on windows explorer or something like that. and then copy. it will work flawless.

no need for 3rd party stupid clone moron programs that screw your sd cards. this topic is just useless and missleading and will trick the ones who don't read the entire topic.

I think it should be deleted asap.
 

baggio4378

Member
Aug 25, 2006
26
4
sorry in this old and stupid topic but I think it should be deleted because I tried the tip and didn't read the other posts and end up screwing my sd cards.

the thing is that you really don't need anyting to clone an SD card and to work it with android.
the problem is that people don't actually copy all the files because there are hidden files. they have to check "VIEW HIDDEN FOLDERS" on windows explorer or something like that. and then copy. it will work flawless.

no need for 3rd party stupid clone moron programs that screw your sd cards. this topic is just useless and missleading and will trick the ones who don't read the entire topic.

I think it should be deleted asap.

No this is the best way of cloning SD cards. If you have a basic seup of your card then sure you might get away with just copying files over. If like me however you have a partitioned card with an ext2/3/4 partition this is the better way of cloning cards.
 
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geronemo

Senior Member
Jul 5, 2007
270
7
That's because it directly copies the partitions. You need to resize them afterwards. I used minitool partition wizard (can't post links, google it), which did the trick nicely. For moving the contents of my 2GB SD card over to a 16GB one, the procedure was pretty straightforward: write contents to an image using HDDRawCopy, use the same tool to write the image to the new card, and then resize using the partition wizard.

I copied everything using HDD Raw copy. Now I am mini tool partition wizard. The problem i am facing is that I want everything to be present in exFat format so I can copy stuff bigger than 4GB. Now I when I create partition on the unallotted part of microSD ( I am going from 32GB to 64GB) it's not letting me use merge command as is saying it's not available in free home edition. Also the format or the microSD is showing as other not exFat.

I am trying to go from 32 to 64GB and keeping exFat as the format of the card.

Thanks :)
 

norman619

New member
Feb 13, 2015
1
0
Nope

sorry in this old and stupid topic but I think it should be deleted because I tried the tip and didn't read the other posts and end up screwing my sd cards.

the thing is that you really don't need anyting to clone an SD card and to work it with android.
the problem is that people don't actually copy all the files because there are hidden files. they have to check "VIEW HIDDEN FOLDERS" on windows explorer or something like that. and then copy. it will work flawless.

no need for 3rd party stupid clone moron programs that screw your sd cards. this topic is just useless and missleading and will trick the ones who don't read the entire topic.

I think it should be deleted asap.

No... You mistakenly did something with your cards w/o first double checking. The post wasn't bad. It's actually pretty straightforward and the best way to CLONE your cards. Don't blame the post for your mistake.
 

__-_-_-__

Senior Member
Nov 23, 2011
73
5
Xiaomi Mi CC9 / Mi 9 Lite
No... You mistakenly did something with your cards w/o first double checking. The post wasn't bad. It's actually pretty straightforward and the best way to CLONE your cards. Don't blame the post for your mistake.

not sure if you are a troll or if you are just stupid. who the **** are you to call me a liar? I nothing to my cards. I've confirmed that what I said is completely true. you don't need to clone. you just need to copy the information. obviously you need to copy ALL of the information so if you stupid retard don't understand what hidden files are it's not my fault.
 

stoyantenev97

New member
Mar 30, 2015
2
1
not sure if you are a troll or if you are just stupid. who the **** are you to call me a liar? I nothing to my cards. I've confirmed that what I said is completely true. you don't need to clone. you just need to copy the information. obviously you need to copy ALL of the information so if you stupid retard don't understand what hidden files are it's not my fault.

Well obviously you are the stupid one indeed, I get the feeling that you are a horse with eye-flaps on dude, don't you read what the other dudes here are saying ? It looks like you are total noon without even a basic knowledge of filesystems.. Just so you know: android is based on LINUX and WINDOWS IS NOT - IT IS A STANDALONE OS THAT IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM LINUX... So there it goes - windows uses FAT32 or NTFS - Linux DOES NOT and nor does ANDROID, and what you don't know at all is that WINDOWS FILE SYSTEMS DO NOT SUPPORT FILE PERMISSIONS THE WAY THAT THE ANDROID SYSTEM SUPPORTS IT.

So people, what I am trying to say is that, if you are a basic user and use your SD for pics and music only - the windows way would work (probably) BUT if you are using your SD for apps and etc, actually the ADB way might just be the best for you ;)

And finally - I don't mean to be mean or to offend anyone, it's just that noob uneducated guy that expresses his non-proffesional "beliefs" in a way that is offensive to the users who actually have contributed to the thread and he tries to get a very useful thread deleted, which is driving me crazy nuts! I hate flaming other people and I hate seeing a noob that flames good guys for the sakes of post number and a stubborn hatefull debate - that's why I am flaming the flamer.
And some advice - dude, please don't use the f-word on forums - its not cool - its kiddish - you're probably thirteen y-o :D
 

sbahd2

Member
Jan 23, 2010
13
0
On my AndroidOne Nokia 7.1 I noticed that the SD card is mounted as /storage/XXXX-XXXX where XXXX-XXXX is the volume's serial number.

Here's how I cloned my smaller SD card onto a larger one:

  1. Formatted the 200GB µSD using http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?fat32format.htm (Windows says it’s too large)
  2. Copied using ROBOCOPY /S /ZB /V g:\ f:\
  3. Changed the volume serial number using SysInternals’ VolumeId.exe:

PS> cmd /c vol f:
Volume in drive F is LUMIAUSD200
Volume Serial Number is 1F04-2747
PS > Volumeid.exe f: B14F-130C

VolumeId v2.1 - Set disk volume id
Copyright (C) 1997-2016 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

Volume ID for drive f: updated to b14f-130c
PS > cmd /c vol f:
Volume in drive F is LUMIAUSD200
Volume Serial Number is B14F-130C


After that I inserted the new card into the phone, and voilà! all apps were happy (since the mountpoint had not changed).

HTH
 

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  • 25
    I recently bought a new and faster Micro SD card for my Epic 4G. I tried to copy the files on my old Micro SD card over through my Windows computer; however Windows Explorer failed. I have a number of applications installed on my SD and Windows was just not happy with .gz format files, etc.

    A number of back up and cloning utilities were suggested at various forums; the one that I found be the best, in terms of small footprint and ease of use, is the HDD Raw Copy tool from HDD Guru. It is free, so small and light that you can run it as a portable app, easy to use and did I mention free? :D

    You can find the app on the HDD Guru website. (Forum rules prevent my including the link in this post.)

    It is going to be part of my tool kit from here on out. I hope this helps someone.

    Here you can download a free copy
    2
    That's because it directly copies the partitions. You need to resize them afterwards. I used minitool partition wizard (can't post links, google it), which did the trick nicely. For moving the contents of my 2GB SD card over to a 16GB one, the procedure was pretty straightforward: write contents to an image using HDDRawCopy, use the same tool to write the image to the new card, and then resize using the partition wizard.
    1
    Using Linux / Ubuntu to copy / clone

    I'm currently moving from a 16GB to a 32GB UHS-I microSD card...and I'm just copying the files over in Ubuntu Linux (with Show Hidden Files enabled in Nautilus [the file management system])...simply enabled SHOW HIDDEN FILES in the VIEW menu.

    The phone is on and active...connected by USB to my laptop.

    I'm hopeful it will work, and I'll re-post / update this if it does. :cowboy:

    == UPDATE ==

    Yep...that all worked sweetly! :) The problems other people have experienced might be simply down to the fact that a RAW copy is not taking place, so some of the "hidden" system files etc. are not being copied in Windows etc.
    1
    sorry in this old and stupid topic but I think it should be deleted because I tried the tip and didn't read the other posts and end up screwing my sd cards.

    the thing is that you really don't need anyting to clone an SD card and to work it with android.
    the problem is that people don't actually copy all the files because there are hidden files. they have to check "VIEW HIDDEN FOLDERS" on windows explorer or something like that. and then copy. it will work flawless.

    no need for 3rd party stupid clone moron programs that screw your sd cards. this topic is just useless and missleading and will trick the ones who don't read the entire topic.

    I think it should be deleted asap.

    No this is the best way of cloning SD cards. If you have a basic seup of your card then sure you might get away with just copying files over. If like me however you have a partitioned card with an ext2/3/4 partition this is the better way of cloning cards.
    1
    Still a good way to clone and resize and partition! Thank you.