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How to get back write access to SD-Card

Posted: 2018-12-18, 15:29 UTC
by Tex-Twil
Hi,
a member of my family is using Android and Total Commander on it but it cannot access the connected USB flash. The problem is exactly the same as in this thread https://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?t=41086&start=45 but since it is an old topic I thought I d start a new one.



After this confusion alert from TC is presented, the Android file browers is opened but the only files I can see is the iternal SD card. There is no way to go to the root of the mounted USB.

I did try to set a label on the USB as mentioned in the above thread but it does not help. In fact the USB already had a label.

The Android version installed is 8.1.0 and the device is a Galaxy Tab S4 not rooted.

How is this supposed to work. Im an Apple user and not familiar with Android. Is an app supposed to have access to a USB mounted device?

Thanks for your help

Re: How to get back write access to SD-Card

Posted: 2018-12-20, 10:26 UTC
by ghisler(Author)
1. Which file system is used on the USB flash? FAT32? NTFS? EXFAT?
2. Does the Samsung file manager see it?

Re: How to get back write access to SD-Card

Posted: 2018-12-20, 12:46 UTC
by Tex-Twil
The USB us formatted in FAT3 but I tried to format it in NTFS as well. TC sees it as ///_FLASH (FLASH is the volume name). When a tap on it, I get the above mentioned prompt

The USB stick is connected via a USB -> USB-C cable to the Galaxy Tab

In the Samsung My Files app, I see only "Internal Memory" and "SD Card" storages

Re: How to get back write access to SD-Card

Posted: 2018-12-24, 10:54 UTC
by ghisler(Author)
Apparently your system cannot see the USB stick. You can try one of the third party plugins available via "Add plugins" to access it.

Re: How to get back write access to SD-Card

Posted: 2018-12-24, 11:30 UTC
by Tex-Twil
When I use a Samsung USB-C to USB-A adapter it works. It looks like Samsung accepts only Samsung cables ... nice 🙄.

thanks for your support.

Re: How to get back write access to SD-Card

Posted: 2018-12-27, 09:24 UTC
by ghisler(Author)
That's not the point - the problem is that for phones, the adapter needs to include a special "USB host" logic device inside. This is done by putting resistors between certain pins, to signal the phone that the connected device is not a PC as usual, but a peripheral. If the adapter is for PCs with USB-C plug, then such a logic device isn't needed because the PC is always running its USB ports in host mode.

Re: How to get back write access to SD-Card

Posted: 2018-12-27, 15:11 UTC
by Tex-Twil
ok thanks for the clarification.

cheers