Android forum: Samsung Galaxy Tab GT-P6800 Not Supporting SD Cards?

The upgrade came directly from Android. My Tab's notifications said I had an upgrade available. When I clicked on it, the upgrade turned out to be ICS which successfully downloaded over the air. Had anything else been involved I wouldn't have attempted it.

I could understand this if it's a carrier pushed update which it sounds like it was but your wrote "from Android" and not "from my Android." These are slightly different so I'm going with a carrier update.

If it fails to work with the SD card and the card is a supported size then back to the cell carrier's support for fix, repair or explanation.
Bob

I guess I said it wrong. The ICS update would not have come from my carrier, AT&T. AT&T thinks my GT (P-6800) is an international phone (though my account says iPhone). It was necessary to give it a phone rather than a tablet designation because otherwise AT&T would not support its phone feature. The manager at my local AT&T worked this out for me in person as he did for my original SGT 7.0 after AT&T disabled my sim card for making calls.

The update came as per the ICS roll out scheduled for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7. When I said it came from Android, I guess I should have said from Samsung. I thought all Samsung tablets were Android and thus used one term for the other. I'm sorry for the misdirection and really do appreciate any help you can give me.

I posted the prior discussion link in these forums. Part of why I'm not counting on it being fixed is the OS is from Google, not Samsung or the carrier. Plus that unit has a lot of internal memory so for now you put apps on internal and data on the external.
Bob

Hi,

I wasn't able to find where you'd posted our discussion on other Tab 7.7 forums but I appreciate it. You mentioned a CNET Samsung forum a while back and I copied/pasted my original post here to that site. Haven't gotten any response yet.

You say it was Google that sent the ICS update?!?! How did you figure that out? Since Samsung announced that the ICS update was supposed to occur on my 7.7 Tab when it did, and others the same day said they'd gotten it, I thought I should do the update, too, when my Tab notification said one was available and never questioned where it came from. What is wrong with the Google one? Can I remove Google's ICS update and either go back to Honeycomb, assuming the SD card will work on it, or would I be better off getting whatever ICS update my Tab should have? Kies and Odin and all the other stuff are just to scary for me to attempt. Besides, from what I've read Kies and Macs don't work well together, so I can't go that route. Rooting looks to be the best option from what I've seen but I don't know how to find anyone who can do that either. What would you do?

How do I put "data on the external"? What kind of data do you mean? I don't know if I have any and I still don't know how to get the Tab to recognize the SD card.

Yipes, now I have more questions than I started with. This really is a can of worms.

Google however is where Samsung gets the OS from and then they add their touch to it. If there is an OS issue then Samsung rarely can fix it.

ARE YOU REDEFINING THE ISSUE HERE?

In your top post you write about not being able to move apps, now you write "don't know how to get the Tab to recognize the SD card."

==> I'm finding Android to tax some users a bit too much. For example the usual Android does not come with a file manager and folk rarely can move a video file from internal to external cards.

I use ES File Explorer for that work. Remember I can't write tutorials here.
Bob

Hi Bob,

I don't think anything's being redefined. My concern remains the same -- moving apps to the SD card.
You've been most helpful in pinpointing the cause of the problem which, if I understand you correctly, is the ICS upgrade having come from Google and not directly from Samsung causes the Tab to not be able to recognize the SD card as it was meant to do. While this is important, it doesn't address the basic situation which as stated in my first post is "The device does not have a real primary external storage, or the primary external storage is emulated. Moving apps to SD function may not be supported on this device." If the present ICS prohibits this, I still need to know what I must do.

It seems that we're here: Problem: Tab can't see SD card as primary external storage.
Result: Apps can't be moved from default internal storage to SD card.
Reason: Google version of ICS doesn't work with SD cards
Solution: ?

Moving apps to the card is an issue. Not being able to use the card is an entirely different issue. If you deal with support long you have to stick to the issue you need help with.


Now with that out of the way, why not put your music, photos and video files on the SD Card?

And since this is an OS issue you'll have to decide if this is a killer issue. Is it a reason to return the product? For some it will be.
Bob

Hi Bob,

I don't want to argue with you (heavens knows you're the only one who even replied to me so if I need to figuratively kiss your feet I'll gladly do that) but truly I don't understand. The issue is only one thing as I understand it: not being able to move apps to the SD card because the Tab doesn't recognize it.

Then you write, "Now with that out of the way, why not put your music, photos and video files on the SD Card?" I don't do this because the Tab can't recognize the card so nothing as far as I know -- music, photos, apps, widgets, whatever can go on it. That's been the sole problem all along.<div>
Is this a killer issue, reason to return the product? No. First of all, if it's ICS from Google that is causing the problem then the seller would have no reason to take it back. I'm the one who updated the OS.

Secondly, this is my 2nd SGT 7.7. The first had/has a defective SIM card casing and thus can't read the SIM card. This means, no calling or Internet access except WiFi. The international branch of Samsung says since I bought it from someone in the states it has to be fixed here, but there is no Samsung Repair Center in the U.S., and people who can work on this Tab here are not permitted to buy the part from Samsung which is needed to fix it.

U.S. Samsung says since it was originally purchased in Singapore, it has to go back to Asia to be fixed. Samsung in Hong Kong will not take the Tab back directly from me (even though the warranty is still good until next February) but only from the original Singapore seller who tells me it will cost $98.16 for shipping each way to and from him. I paid too much for that first SGT7.7 and can not pay another $200 just to have it shipped for repair. I gave it to a good friend for his 65th birthday present and bought my present one which I love.

One thing to note: the original SGT 7.7 about which I just wrote and gave away has not been updated to ICS. It still is running Honeycomb and it, too, gets the identical message as mine regarding the SD card not working with it. This is partly why the title of my original post was Samsung Galaxy Tab (P6800) Not Supporting SD Cards? Because of this I have to question whether or not the ICS update, regardless of where it came from, is the real issue.

</div>

I find most owners can't deal with Android well. I read nothing about your posts where you showed you knew about ES File Explorer.

You're right it can't use the card for apps. And it's a shame they want you to ship the unit back for what looks to be an OS issue (can't put apps on the card.)

But as it stands, from what you've written I can't guess if you know how to use Android.

--> You're making a fine case why my buddy calls Android the new Windows.

Sorry but again, if this is busted, why keep the phone? Take it back to where you bought it, bail out of the contract and get something that works.
Bob

Hello, my name is David, and I see you are/were having a problem with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7. I am no expert with the Android Tablets, but I know some people who are. First let me explain a little bit about the Android OS(Operating System). Google, like Microsoft is for the PC, is the owner and maker of the Android OS.

You stated " if it's ICS from Google that is causing the problem" Bob responded "Google however is where Samsung gets the OS from and then they add their touch to it", he only meant that like PC manufactures do. If you buy a Dell PC, you will have an interface or some system tweaks by them. They don't change the OS to operate any differently when processing commands. So only when there are upgrades to the, shall we call it the model number, will the system change itself, and only by Google. But only with either more or less commands. Sometimes, they might handle certain procedures differently, but rarely. They need to maintain a consistent handling of the data.

You stated " if it's ICS from Google that is causing the problem", please note all Android software is written by Google and no one else. It is only those tweaks that tablet manufactures might add to the tablet. I have what I hope is your solution to the problem. I found this at "http://www.thegalaxytabforum.com/index.php?/topic/8739-sd-card-not-totally-recognized/page__st__20", for your sake I hope they fix this problem real fast.

It says "apps have to request for WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE if they want to write to the external SD card, but many of them have not yet been updated to do so yet. Like they suggest for now you can download the apps to your PC, and your PC can write the programs to the SD card.

I hope this helps out. Good Luck and have a great day

David

I see they mention the app "My Files" which is like another file manager. One wonders why they did that but has any one tried that app ES File Manager yet? I use that across all my droids but do not have this Samsung (and reading the yelps, I doubt I want it.)
Bob

Hi Bob,

I use ES File Manager on my HTC-EVO phone and on the Kindle Fire, not a heavy user of it though. I use it mostly for moving files around, not too much else. I like the functions that I do use, move, copy, search and I have used App Manager a few times. Couldn't even guess what it looks like on the Samsung, I can't imagine much if any difference. Samsung is now the top selling so called Smart Phone. So like I said in my first post, for consistency purposes it should be a lot like what you're used to.

Keep music in the schools, it works

David

The My Files app and ES File Explorer soon.

-> I wonder if Android has become another Windows. It's not a toaster and does require some learning about the OS and in this case, about how to manage files when you can't use the move to SD card tab.

Some folk forget this stuff is not perfect. In fact, why is the move to SD Card button even showing in this system for this machine?

Bob

Hi Guys,

Bob, after your last post to me I wrote you three times and each time as I tried to make a change in the post the whole thing disappeared and I gave up. Much more briefly this time.
You're right, I know nothing about Android. I've been a dedicated Mac person for over 30 years and have only gotten Samsung Tabs because the iPhone screen became too small for me to see with declining eyesight and cataracts and the iPad was too large for me to carry in my purses. The Samsung Tabs take the place of both an iPhone and iPad and go everywhere with me, much as I imagine your Droid does, but with far more usefulness.

Secondly, the tablet/phone is not busted. It works beautifully and I've bought it every possible accessory to enhance the ways I can use it. Some aspects of it I don't understand and that's not its fault, but mine.

David, bless your heart, you found the solution to getting apps onto the micro SDHC card without going through contortions. I'm glad the Google ICS is the correct update. The idea of having to try to remove it and update through Kies and Odin gave me shivers since neither my iMac nor I could do it.

The past two days I've been dealing with your suggestion but not being able to get the SD card once it was in an adapter and in a card reader to show up on my desktop. Various folks told me the card was bad, the adapter was bad, or the reader was the wrong kind.
Naturally that meant getting and trying new ones of each of these things and still the card refused to show up under the Finder Devices as a removable drive which I learned it had to do. I asked it there was something I needed to do to the iMac but no one could help.

Just minutes ago I changed Finder preferences so they would open external disks on the desktop instead of under my name where it has been automatically set for the past 7 years.
Low and behold that card appeared as a .dmg image on the desktop and as a drive in the Finder. Yea!!!!!

Now all I have to do is see if the iMac will recognize the Tab when I connect them and then figure out how to get music off iTunes and pictures and applications that are in the Tab onto the card/drive. I think doubleTwist will handle the music and maybe I can just drop pics and apps into the card. Of course none of this would have been necessary had Google not decided since Honeycomb to split the write permissions for the internal memory and external card memory, but I'm learning little by little and will deal with it.

Anyway, both of you have been a blessing with all your ideas and help. Thank you so very much. Over and out.

Elena

Bob,

Just wondering if you know that some Apps can't be moved to the SD card. They say it's because of how the system interacts with that app. I guess certain system commands have to operate off the main memory. It is a pain sometimes, some apps like the ones that come with Android (Blockbuster, Facebook, etc) can not be moved. I heard if you root your phone you can erase and move these types of programs. I never did this, but I am thinking about it.

Since there are large Apps that are not used by me, I think I should be able to delete them. But Android makes money off these so they make it difficult to remove. I could free up 3 to 5 meg just deleting some of this garbage. I use that term not because the apps are bad, it's just that I don't use them and they take up way to much main line storage.

Oh Well, good luck and may peace be always with you,

David

From memory this unit has over a few GB of storage for apps. I've encountered a few users that rail and moan at a few MB. They expend a lot of effort with so little to be gained.

-> Are you sure you want such a system?
Bob

Again, this feels like "windows' all over again.

@Angino6495,

I have one idea that might help out. How many apps have you loaded onto your tablet/phone. If your internal phone memory is full it might not have enough memory to transfer the photos. The transfer first copies the photo to internal memory then it is copied over to the card. You .get an error message if this memory isn't big enough to do the job. Download one of the SD app movers like App2SD or Astro file manager. Let App2SD read your listing of apps in internal memory. If there are apps that can be moved to your card let it do the moves. When you are done with the moves try to move the photos again.

Good luck, and I hope this can work for you, if not post your error messages again an we will try to find a solution.

TheHeights