[closed] Move files from internal to external storage.

[T2D]

I recently purchased an SD card for my phone. I wish to transfer the existing AlpineQuest data (627 Mb) from internal storage to the SD card (external storage).

The following screen indicates I have only one available option for "Application Path". The first option is unavailable and says "Your system prevents usage of this location". I'd prefer to use this location because the second one indicates its contents are deleted when AlpineQuest is uninstalled.

I've clicked "More" and read the related online help file. App permissions for AlpineQuest consist of Location and Storage and both are enabled. Beyond that, I don't know what else I can do.

My phone is a 2015 Moto X Play running Android 6.0.1. Is there anything else I can do to fix this or do I have to settle for using the location in the second option? In other words, is this a restriction in Android 6 where an app's data must be a sub-folder of "/Android/Data"?

Screenshot_20161127-193710.png

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[Psyberia-Support]

Hi,
The only way to freely use your external SD card is to "adopt" it to turn it into an internal like storage. However it requires that you format it before (which erase all data). This is done from the Android settings.
After doing that, you'll be able to select the other folder, like it's currently the case with your internal storage.
Best regards

[Yemble]

Hi,
The only way to freely use your external SD card is to "adopt" it to turn it into an internal like storage. However it requires that you format it before (which erase all data). This is done from the Android settings.
After doing that, you'll be able to select the other folder, like it's currently the case with your internal storage.
Best regards

Sorry, but that is not strictly correct. We have discussed this before and there is a way to regain full access to the extSD card in Android 5 and 6. It requires Root and an edit to the packages.xml file following each update to AQ.

Yes this is a PITA, but it does work.

[T2D]

Thank you (both) for your replies.

Use the SD card as "Adoptable Storage"
I don't want to use adoptable storage because it encrypts the SD card's contents and the encryption key is tied to the phone. Should the SD card ever develop a hiccup, its contents become unrecoverable. I can't simply insert the encrypted SD card into a PC and use recovery software to salvage undamaged files.

Root the phone.
This is not something I wish to do at this time. The phone is still under warranty and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize the coverage. Although Motorola doesn't explicitly mention this about rooting, it does indicate unlocking the bootloader voids its warranty.

I can live with the option of having the data reside in a sub-sub-sub-folder.

[Yemble]

Thank you (both) for your replies.

Use the SD card as "Adoptable Storage"
I don't want to use adoptable storage because it encrypts the SD card's contents and the encryption key is tied to the phone. Should the SD card ever develop a hiccup, its contents become unrecoverable. I can't simply insert the encrypted SD card into a PC and use recovery software to salvage undamaged files.

Root the phone.
This is not something I wish to do at this time. The phone is still under warranty and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize the coverage. Although Motorola doesn't explicitly mention this about rooting, it does indicate unlocking the bootloader voids its warranty.

I can live with the option of having the data reside in a sub-sub-sub-folder.

You are absolutely correct about formatting extSD as internal storage... it is Google's dumbest ever idea for all sorts of reasons!

My workaround is quite technical and potentially dangerous if you cock it up (phone will boot loop), so it is not for the feint hearted

I always root my Android devices, even my Moto X's, so this is second nature to me. My specific reason for doing this workaround for AQ, is that I have made a huge investment in both time and effort, creating a comprehensive OS map (and AQ cache) of the UK in both 50K and 25K scales, which I store on a 200Gb extSD. I DO NOT want Google ever deleting it!

[stevej]

There are some apps I have on Android 6.1 which seem to be able to use an "external" SD card, like PlayerPro and GoldenDict. Couldn't AlpineQuest be modified to be able to also use an external SD card?

[Psyberia-Support]

AlpineQuest is already able to use the external SD card.
You just have to select the app folder located on the SD card (the last one in the screenshot above).

[stevej]

Ok that works thank you.