SD card can't be changed!

I have a Galaxy S4 with a 64 gig SD. Ever since a couple of Android updates ago (the one that screwed with SD card permissions) I cannot make changes to my SD card.

I have tried reformatting the SD card, deleting entire folders from both the file manager app and via my PC's USB connection, etc. But, whenever I make any change, either copying files to it or deleting files, it appears to work for a short time (minutes? an hour?), and then the card is soon restored to the way it was, including all music files etc I had previously stored on there prior to the Android update. Nothing I do seems to prevent this reset.

It seemed like some kind of backup/synch application so I searched through my apps, but I cannot figure out what could be causing this.

Anyone ever run into this kind of weirdness?

Accepted answers

stef7

Do you have an option on your phone to format the SD card while it is still in the phone? That I would try first.

If I were in your situation and I could get the SD card formatted using a menu option on the phone itself (my LG G2 doesn't have an SD card), I think I would try using the build in file explorer MyFiles app to move files, -or- I would consider downloading an FTP program for moving files between a PC and the SD card.

I think with KitKat, people with phones having SD cards have been restricted as to where Apps can place files (they can only place files in directories they own or something like that).

BUT, your SD card should work and you should be able to format it and store stuff on it.

Good Luck.

All comments

jrh4054

You may have a bad SIM card. I had one and confirmed it by trying to read it from my laptop. When the laptop didn't recognize it, I knew the card was bad and replaced it.

jrichview2

Well, it worked like a charm prior to 2 Android updates ago, but I suppose it could have gone bad at around the same time.

stef7

Do you have an option on your phone to format the SD card while it is still in the phone? That I would try first.

I think with KitKat, people with phones having SD cards have been restricted as to where Apps can place files (they can only place files in directories they own or something like that).

BUT, your SD card should work and you should be able to format it and store stuff on it.

Good Luck.

easternma

Here is the story. KitKat and SD cards — what's fixed, what's broken and what's misunderstood | Android Central

JoeMikeKnight

I think I am familiar with your issue. From the countless days of researching and troubleshooting the issue. It is simply PHYSICALLY corrupted. I used all types of formatting software and "fixes". The only resolution is to get a Samsung brand microSD. It seems 2 conditions caused this 1. A recent update (mine happened around the second to last so don't know if its a coincidence). 2. If its any other brand of SD besides Samsung (I was using a SanDisk 64GB XD prior). I would change GBs and GBs of data and it will all come back an hour as if I stepped in a time machine. What gave further evidence it was physically corrupted is i did an experiment and played some songs over and over that would "disappear" in the past. I listened to the songs go corrupt in real time. It went form playing one song, to a garbled mess, then playing a completely different song, although the title never changed. Sorry to break it to you.

stef7

I was thinking poor driver software for their SD card interface.

It IS possible for a rogue piece of software to write portions of the SD card that shouldn't be written.

JoeMikeKnight

I forgot to mention i tried writing/testing the SD card on several computers, different card writer/readers, and 2 different smartphones. Same result every time.