The built-in memory of an Android device often runs out quickly, so users have to store large amounts of information on a microSD. But what if Android does not save downloaded content to the memory card - applications, photos, music, and other files?
This article is suitable for all brands that produce phones on Android 9/8/7/6: Samsung, HTC, Lenovo, LG, Sony, ZTE, Huawei, Meizu, Fly, Alcatel, Xiaomi, Nokia and others. We are not responsible for your actions.
Memory card problems
First of all, you need to make sure that the memory card is in good working order and is ready to receive files. What to do:
The memory card may not be compatible with your smartphone - for example, it may exceed the capacity for your particular phone model. If the flash drive is larger than a certain amount of gigabytes (32, 64, 128, etc.), then it simply does not recognize it, because not programmed for that volume. In this case, the only way out is to use another microSD medium with a smaller volume.
If no card is detected, it makes sense to contact the service center. Perhaps there is a hardware problem with the phone that prevents it from working with external drives.
Wrong folder in browser
If problems with saving occur while downloading files in the browser, then you should check the destination folder. It may be specified incorrectly, due to which the browser does not understand how to save photos, music, videos and other content. Let's look at the example of UC Browser:
- Open the "Downloads" section in the main menu.
- Click "Settings".
- In the "Download path" field, specify the folder on the memory card.
Increase After such a short setup, files in the browser will be downloaded only to the specified directory on the card, without clogging up the internal memory.
Files cannot be transferred to memory card
This is most often the case for built-in Android apps. In the phone, they can only be stored on the internal storage, otherwise the smartphone will not work. At the same time, any application from a third-party developer can be moved to micro SD.
- Open the Android settings, go to the "Applications" section.
- Find the program you want to transfer to the memory card along with all the files.
- Click Move to SD.
Increase If the button is inactive, then the application cannot be moved. If it says “Move to phone” instead of “Move to SD”, it means that the program files are already stored on the memory card.
The settings for transferring files to a memory card are lost
In Android settings, you can manually specify which memory is used by default - internal or external. Depending on the selected value, the files will be downloaded to the phone or microSD card. After updating the system, the settings may fly off, so it's worth checking them.
Not every model and manufacturer has this setting. Check with yourself.
- Open Android settings.
- Go to the "Memory" section.
- Select "SD" in the "Installation Location" or "Default Memory" field.
Increase When there is no setting
If it is not possible to set the default location for saving files, then the applications themselves will come to the rescue. In the same Samsung "Internet" browser, it is possible to set the storage location:
Increase Look in your application where you are going to save files from, if there is an option in the settings to choose a save destination. If this is not the case, then you will have to manually move the files from the internal memory to the microSD card.
Good day everyone!
Today, the popularity of SD-flash drives, I think, is not inferior to USB-flash drives. Judge for yourself: phones, tablets, cameras, cameras - SD-flash drives are used everywhere (sometimes they are called SD-cards)!
In general, I must admit that SD-cards are quite "capricious" devices, and it is not uncommon for a computer not to recognize or see it. In these cases, usually, we immediately remember that there are important photos, files, data on the flash drive - which simply need to be 100% returned and restored!
In this article, I will give the most common reasons for the invisibility of an SD card by a computer (laptop), as well as recommendations for eliminating them. I hope my humble advice will be useful to someone. So...
Many users confuse one point (although it is not the key one, it will help in solving the problem). I will show it on the example of one user question.
I took the card from my phone (microSD) and inserted it into my new device, but he offered to format it. Then I put it back in my old phone, but he also wanted to format it. My laptop also does not see this card and suggests formatting it. What to do? Help get the data back from the flash drive.
An illustrative case. The laptop sees your flash drive, and even offers to format it - i.e. he does not understand that there is data on it, he cannot recognize your flash drive, he cannot read the file system (in this case, the file system is marked as RAW).
This often happens due to:
- failure of the file system on the flash drive;
- Windows cannot read an unfamiliar file system (for example, it often happens with disks connected to a TV - it can reformat them into its file system, and then Windows does not see it).
by the way, many make one mistake when connecting microSD to a computer: when inserting a card into an adapter, they do not push it all the way (see photo-1 below). As a result, the PC simply does not see anything when the SD adapter is connected.
USB flash drive check: fix file system errors
In this case, you can try to restore the operation of the flash drive and all the files on it using the utility for checking and correcting errors - chkdsk (built into Windows).
To do this, do not agree with Windows' suggestion to format the media (screenshot above), but just run command line (The easiest way: press Win + R, then enter CMD and press Enter, see the screen below).
Disk / flash drive check
An example of recovery is shown in the screenshot above. After such a simple procedure, the flash drive returned to its working state and functions normally to this day.
When the check is successful, usually the command line will report something like: "Windows checked the file system and found no problems. No further action required.".
As a rule, if there was a slight failure of the file system, then chkdsk it will be eliminated and the flash drive will become readable (after this procedure, both the phone and the laptop will be able to read it).
Now what to do if chkdsk did not help, but you need to restore files from a USB flash drive ...
Recovering files from a flash drive
If, after trying to fix errors, Windows still intends to format it (i.e. the OS sees it, but does not recognize it), then first of all, I will recommend that you recover files from it (if, of course, you need them).
After you format the flash drive, it will be more difficult to recover data from it (and in the case of writing new files, it is completely impossible!).
There are special programs for data recovery. Some free and popular ones, I will list in the table below.
Instructions! How to recover a photo from a MicroSD memory card or USB flash drive -
3 free data recovery software
| Recuva
One of the best programs for low-level formatting of various drives: hard drives, flash cards, etc. Key features:
How to format SD card in HDD Low Level Format Tool:  Letter conflict: drive letter changeIn general, when you connect a drive (including a flash drive) - Windows assigns a letter to this drive (for example, F :). But there is such a "glitch" that the letter is assigned incorrectly: for example, the one that is already in the system - as a result: a conflict occurs and your flash drive is invisible! Therefore, if the flash drive is invisible, the first thing I recommend to do is to go to "Disk Management": see the drive letter, change it (it is possible to format the media). 1) To do this, first press the buttons Win + R, into line "Open" enter command diskmgmt.msc and press Enter.
2) Next, find in the list the disk (microSD card) that you do not see (is not visible). Right-click on it (sign-1 on the screenshot below) and select "Change drive letter or drive path" . If in "Disk Management" the desired flash drive is not in the list, go to the next subsection of this article. If the file system is marked as RAW, the flash drive must be formatted (more on this at the beginning of this article).
Change drive letter 3) In the next step, press the button "Change"(number-1 in the screenshot below), then set the slider to "Assign drive letter (A-Z)" and choose some unique letter (the one that is not in the system). Agree to the changes made. Sometimes, you may need to restart your computer (laptop).
If the problem was related to an incorrectly set drive letter, the flash drive will become visible and will work as usual ... Classes and formats of SD cardsSD card SD card strife - they differ not only in volume and manufacturer, but also in size, class (speed), generation. All this, of course, can affect the visibility of the SD-stick in the card reader ... Sizes of SD cards There are three form factors for SD cards: SD, miniSD, MicroSD (differ in size). Cards are used in a variety of portable devices: phones, cameras, camcorders, tablets, etc. The most widely used are microSD cards (due to their compact size, they can even be inserted into a miniature phone or MP3 player).
To connect a microSD card to a laptop or computer, a small adapter is always included with it (see photo below).
Typical SD card information
Manufacturer : here no comment. The only moment is when you buy yourself an SD card, I recommend staying at well-known manufacturers: SanDisk, Transcend, Sony, etc. SD card type
Important! Compatibility table of card readers and types of SD cards In principle, each card reader (on the packaging with it) indicates which cards it supports. Naturally, if you insert a newer card, he simply will not see it and you will not be able to read it. The table below will show you the compatibility of card readers and types of SD cards.
Card class (speed) Usually, SD cards indicate not the speed of work (in MB / s, although sometimes it is indicated), but the class of the card. Using the tables below, you can find out what speed your card will support. Important: the higher the speed, the more expensive the card. Some devices require a specific class of card (for example, a camera, otherwise video recording will be slow, or not at all) - so be careful with this moment! Speed class UHS Speed Class
Capacity, card size The bigger, the better. True, try to proceed from real needs: if you need to store a dozen or two photos, then maybe there is no point in overpaying and taking a large-capacity card? Lack of driversIt is possible that your flash drive is not displayed due to the fact that the drivers are not installed on the card reader. In this case, the card reader itself does not work, which means that it will not read the SD card either. In this case, usually, the flash drive is not visible in "Disk Management" and in device manager - a question mark will be lit in front of the device (it means that there are no drivers).
No driver (that's why the flash drive is not displayed ...) - device manager How to enter device manager
In the device manager, look at the "USB Controllers" tab, it should just be, something like "Realtek USb 2.0 Card Reader" (see screenshot below). No question marks or red icons should be lit in front of the device.
If you do not have a device (card reader) in the lists, and there are unknown devices with question marks (example -) - most likely you simply do not have a driver. There are several ways out: PS A few more tips:  On this I am finishing the article. For additions on the topic - a separate merci in advance. All the best! |
Sometimes the camera flatly refuses to see the memory card. This problem occurs quite often, especially if the drive is of questionable quality. There can be several reasons for this kind of malfunction.
First of all, you need to pay attention to the lever located on the side of the memory card. Perhaps it has moved mechanically to the "lock" position. This memory card mode is designed to prevent accidental deletion or copying of drive files. In this case, solving the problem is quite simple. It is necessary to move the lever to the opposite position from the lock, and then the memory card will resume operation again.
If, after doing the manipulations with the lock lever, you do not solve the problem that has arisen, pay attention to the camera socket. Perhaps the contacts in it are dusty, or a speck has got into the hole. In this case, carefully clean the connector from any dirt and try using the memory card again.
If the problem remains unresolved again, there is a problem with the memory card or camera. Try inserting a different memory card into the camera. If it recognizes the new drive and works correctly with it, the problem is definitely not in the camera.
The camera may not be able to see the memory card in one more case. The storage capacity may not meet the requirements of the camera. Then there is only one way out - to buy a memory card with a slightly smaller amount of memory.
In the event that the problem lies not in the flash drive, but in the camera itself, things can take a difficult turn. It is not recommended to solve this problem on your own. It is better to contact a specialized service center, where experienced technicians can diagnose your camera and identify the cause of the malfunction, and then fix it.
Independent methods of solving the problem
If the memory card malfunctions, it is recommended that you first format it on a computer. It is best if this process is carried out on the standard settings of the formatting process. If this procedure does not give any results, you should seek help from special software.
The next step after formatting the card will be flashing its controllers. There are many programs and applications for this procedure. If, after flashing, there is still no result, and valuable files are saved on the memory card, you should contact a special organization that can recover data from the damaged media.
In some cases, the phone does not see microSD, but not all users know why this happens and how to fix the problem
Moreover, this problem is serious, since it does not allow access to all the information stored on the flash drive.
For a user who has a phone, a player, a device for Internet surfing, such a problem can be a serious problem.
The essence of the problem
How does this problem manifest itself? How do you know if the phone really can't see the device? It is quite simple and becomes clear immediately after installing the memory card.
The device does not reflect that it was installed. At the same time, there is no memory card icon on the panel on the home screen, or removable media is displayed in the Memory section in Settings.
Accordingly, in all directories of the phone (for example, Music, Gallery) there are no corresponding files before.
Sometimes, after installing an external storage device in the phone, the device does not immediately display a message about its installation, as it usually does.
Sometimes, while working with microSD, it can suddenly turn off, and a message like "Memory card disabled".
In the most rare cases, the device reports a damaged memory card.
The problem can occur both on the new device and on the old one. And also both with an old memory card and with a new, empty media. Regardless, the reasons are often the same for all cases.
Possible reasons
There are several reasons for this phenomenon. They can be conditionally divided into two large groups: problems with the phone and problems with the drive itself. The first group includes:
- Direct damage to the memory card slot;
- Other hardware problems in the device;
- Problems with the functioning of the software, due to which the device does not see.
From the side of the memory card itself, there may be the following problems:
- Failure of the device (especially when a previously working card suddenly ceases to be recognized or the device reports its malfunction, which is typical for old memory cards with great wear and tear);
- Physical damage to the contacts on the card or other problems;
- File system mismatch (some new file systems do not "see" old phones, then it is shown that the drive is missing).
Depending on the cause of the malfunction, one or another way of eliminating it can be selected.
<Рис. 2 Слот>
Elimination
There are several ways to deal with this problem. They are selected depending on the cause that caused the malfunction.
If this reason is not clear, then you will have to try several methods.
Working with hardware
<Рис. 3 Контакты карты памяти>
The first step is to check what exactly the problem is. Install another memory card into the device, and if it is detected, then the problem is in the drive itself.
If not, then the problem is most likely in the phone.
What can the user do in this case? It is recommended to clean the card slot from dust, as well as wipe the contacts on the carrier itself. This can be done with a cotton swab.
Most likely, this will not solve the problems, but sometimes it helps. However, if it turns out that the card slot is broken, then the only way is to replace it.
Recovery
<Рис. 4 Восстановление>
Each has a Recovery mode. Launching it will allow you to "roll back" all dubious settings to the factory values.
Thus, if the device previously saw the cards, but now it does not see, then this method can help.
- First, carry out a regular reboot of the device (not turn off and on, but reboot);
- If this does not help, proceed to recovery;
- Hold down the power and volume down buttons at the same time and hold for up to 10 seconds (most often, this is how the recovery function opens);
- As soon as the device restarts, a special start menu will open in Windows;
- Go to the Wipe cache partition item (you need to do this with the buttons or by clicking on the screen, depending on the device);
- Reboot the machine (reboot may take much longer than usual).
The map should now be identified. If this does not happen, then you will have to work with it on a computer.
Formatting
<Рис. 5 Форматирование>
Install the memory card into the computer using the adapter. Open it through the "My Computer" section in order to make sure the device is working properly.
If the computer does not see the drive, then the memory card is faulty.
- Hold Win + R and wait for the Run window to open;
- In it, write the command diskmgmt.msc;
- Now a window should open in which all memory devices are displayed - external, internal, formatted, not formatted;
- If the letter denoting the card coincides with the letter, for example, of an optical drive, etc., then you need to rename the card;
- In rare cases, renaming can fix the problem;
- If the problem is not solved in this way, then you need to completely format the card and create a new file system (of course, it is worth remembering that the data from the media must be copied before this);
- You can format the device from Explorer;
- Click on the memory card with the right mouse button;
- A menu will open in which you need to select the Format line;
- A window will open in which you need to remove the marker from the window next to the inscription "Quick Format";
- Specify below that you need to create a file system of the format (most often this parameter is set by default);
- Click OK;
- Wait for the process to finish.
Then insert the memory card into the phone. It should be successfully recognized. If this still does not happen, then it is possible that there is still a specific hardware malfunction in it.
Recovery of work
<Рис. 6 Восстановление через ПК>
Restoring the operation of a microSD card is a specific case when a carrier that was successfully recognized before suddenly ceases to be detected by the same device.
At the same time, there was no damage to the carrier or the phone, no changes were made to the phone software, etc.
Also, this method can help when the phone says that "Cannot access memory card", "The memory card is damaged, etc.".
This method is quite effective, but only for old cards. And only on condition that they worked properly before. It's pointless to use this method for new cards.
- Connect the memory card to a PC or laptop to make sure it is working properly;
- Open Explorer and right-click on the map;
- Select Properties from the drop-down menu;
- Go to the Service tab;
- Run Check Disk, having previously indicated the need to automatically correct the detected errors and malfunctions;
- In the same section, you can Surface test with automatic recovery of bad sectors (although this is optional).
A more difficult option is to troubleshoot by working in the HKLM branch. This is done as follows:
- Find the SYSTEM directory in the folder tree;
- In it, open the StorageDevicePolicies section;
- The parameters that need to be changed will appear on the right side of the window;
- Assign a zero value to the defining parameter (write in brackets the number zero in the combination 0x00000000 (1)).
The card should now work properly with the phone.
File system
<Рис. 7 Файловая система>
There are microSD HC and microSD XC memory cards. The second option is typical for cards with a capacity of more than 32 GB.
They have a different file system, which has its own advantages (for example, the recording speed and the length of the recording segments), but is not recognized by all phones, tablets and other devices.
Thus, some phones are simply not designed to support cards larger than 32GB. In this case, it is almost impossible to change the file system without special skills.
However, it is worth remembering that the type (HC or XC) of the card is registered directly on it, therefore it is important to choose the appropriate one.
WHAT TO DO IF ANDROID (PHONE) DOES NOT SEE THE MEMORY CARD?
The phone does not see the microSD flash drive: what to do, how to fix it?
Having problems on your android phone or any other with a memory card? Can't read the data from it or the android phone / tablet doesn't detect it?
You can repair a damaged micro SD card if it is damaged using a computer, check it for errors, or reformat it completely.
In general, the fact that the SD card cannot be read is not unusual. If you have a lot of data stored on it and you are actively using it on your phone, there is always the possibility that you may have a problem reading the content.
However, this does not mean that the card should be discarded immediately. There is always a chance to restore the work of the SD card.
Sometimes the solution can be to check the file system for errors in saved files, repair bad sectors, format the card, or completely delete the partition (card structure) and re-create it. Below we will look at all these solutions.
How can I restore the functionality of an external SD card
To fix a damaged sd card you will need:
- Windows computer or laptop;
- any way to connect the SD card directly to the computer.
You can connect it to your computer using an adapter - if not, you can buy a USB card reader.
Method one - repairing the damaged CHKDSK file system
If your device writes sd card is damaged here's what you can do. The first and easiest way is to use the Windows system drive recovery tool, that is, CHDSK.
This tool is from Microsoft and is only available on Windows computers. CHKDSK does this without deleting any files, so you won't lose card data.
First, connect the SD card directly to your computer or laptop and launch My Computer or This Computer (Windows 8 and later).
In the list of drives, find the supplied SD card and note which drive letter it was assigned to. For the purposes of this manual, we will assume that the card has been assigned the letter “D”.
Press the Windows Key + R key combination to bring up the Windows Startup window. In the run window, enter the following command to enable the command line: CMD.
A new command prompt window will appear. Now you must enter the appropriate command, which will scan the memory card and fix errors on it. The command looks like this: chkdsk D: / f
Of course, instead of "D:", write your drive letter (not forgetting the colon). Press the Enter button to start scanning.
After scanning, you can check your memory drive and see if everything works.
Method two - formatting a damaged SD card
The second way is to fix the damaged SD card by formatting it by deleting all data. This parameter can help if CHKDSK was unable to verify and there are still problems (for example, errors reading individual files).
Of course, you will lose all data, but there is a chance that formatting will fix the card.
To do this, connect the drive to your computer, and then open “My Computer” or “This Computer”. Find the connected SD card in the list of drives and right-click on it.
Select "Format" from the context menu. A new format window will appear for the specified drive (in this case SD card).
Click the "Default Allocation Size" button and make sure "FAT32" is selected as the file system.
You can format with the "Fast format" option selected, but for more accurate results I recommend that you uncheck this box - formatting will take much longer, but it is done more carefully, which can help solve problems with the card.
After formatting, reinsert the card into your smartphone, tablet, digital camera, or other device you are using and make sure the card is working properly.
Method three - completely delete all partitions and re-create it again
An SD card is no different from a regular disk - it can have one or more partitions. By default, there is always only one section.
You can format the card in such a way as to completely delete the partition and leave it unallocated.
This is called low-level formatting. Note that this will also permanently erase all data on the memory card.
After formatting, you can create a new section. This often helps when the memory card appears as "RAW" after plugging in and does not display the partitions that can be accessed.
For such formatting, you can use a program called "HDD Low Level Format Tool". You can download it below.
Connect the drive to your computer, and then run the Hard Drive Low Level Tool.
See a list of all your drives on your computer, including the connected external drive. Find your SD card in the list and select it.
Make sure you choose the right one. Once selected, click Continue and go to the Format this device tab.
The card will be fully formatted and all partitions will be deleted. This will now be a clean, unallocated surface.
That's not all - the card is in such a state that it will be useless. Now go to the "Start" menu and locate the "Windows Administration Tools" folder, and in it select "Computer Management".
A new window will appear. In it select "Disk Management". A new window will appear displaying all drives - both internal and external, connected via USB.
Find your drive with a black surface. Right-click the black unallocated area and select New Simple Volume.
You will see a wizard that guides you step by step through the partition creation process. You don't need to change anything, just click Next. Note the File System field and make sure FAT32 is selected instead of NTFS.
Confirm the creation of the new section. Your micro SD card will now appear in the My Computer window with an automatically assigned drive letter. You can disconnect it from your computer and connect it to your phone or tablet. Good luck.
Developer:
http://hddguru.com/
Operating system:
windows
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