Anyone have a Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite?

Forums › Android › Anyone have a Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite?

peejayw

1841 posts

Uber Geek

#300634 23-Sep-2022 16:14

As per the title, anyone who could help with an issue when trying to move an app to the SD card?

The issue is not related to just 1 SD card, I have tried 3, they work fine in my phone and an older Samsung tablet.

I can use My Files to write to and read from the SD card with no issue.

The problem I am experiencing is when I try to move an app to the card. Not all apps can be moved but for those that can ( Settings Apps Storage), when I choose to move it to the card I get a message saying there is no room on the card. In fact the card is basically empty.

If someone could duplicate this and advise of the result I would be most thankful.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

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120 posts

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#2972263 23-Sep-2022 18:04

just put a 32GB SD card in mine and no errors moving a couple of apps to external storage.

the card must have been already formatted as it didn't ask me any questions, does samsung ask if you want to use it as a system file system or media storage for a blank card??

anything specific you want me to try?

peejayw

1841 posts

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#2972277 23-Sep-2022 18:29

No, it just asks if I want to format the card which I have tried multiple times. Would you be able to look at the version number for the My Files app for me? Thanks.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

pc

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#2972283 23-Sep-2022 18:45

my files version 13.1.01.321

my model TAB A7 is SM-T225 running android 12

in developer options theres "force allow apps on external", i havn't got it enabled but maybe something to try. can't see any other options in developer that might enable/disable writing to external storage.

peejayw

1841 posts

Uber Geek

#2972286 23-Sep-2022 18:56

Hmmm, My Files version is 13.1.02.362

Model Number is SM-T220

I tried setting the option to force but I still get the same result, "Not enough storage space." very frustrating.

Thanks for your help.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

pc

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#2972287 23-Sep-2022 18:56

saw a couple of posts like https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Tablets/Galaxy-tab-a7-lite-ATT-apps-not-allowed-on-external-storage/td-p/1973283 mentioned external storage was fixed last year.

peejayw

1841 posts

Uber Geek

#2972289 23-Sep-2022 19:00

Yes I had seen them. I have the option to move apps to the card, it just incorrectly reports there is no room on the card and fails to make the move. I am going to try formatting the card on another device and see if that helps.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

mikep32

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2980809 12-Oct-2022 01:23

I have this very same issue. Tab a7lite, smt220. I've tried several apps that claim to be able to force a transfer of eligible apps to the sd card but none work, the error message is still the same. Did you get anywhere with this? I have a feeling it happened after updating to android 12.

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peejayw

1841 posts

Uber Geek

#2980810 12-Oct-2022 06:07

I have not been able to fix this. I think you are right about Android 12 update.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

mikep32

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2981936 12-Oct-2022 12:44

Thanks for answering. It's very frustrating, plenty of space on the sd card and plenty of apps which can in theory be moved. Do you know if the issue is limited to just our samsung models? Or other makes? It's odd that the issue is not more widely reported.
I have experienced similar to this before, with an earlier Samsung tablet, but was able to force move them with app management apps. This issue seems not amenable to that solution.

peejayw

1841 posts

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#2981942 12-Oct-2022 13:00

Agree, very frustrating. You can see that someone replied here that they did not have the issue, their model is I think the one with LTE. I have just found this on the spec page for the tablet... " External memory can be used to store media (photos, video and music files), but not applications. " Thats odd because obviously people are able to transfer apps. I asked the same question on XDA Forums and did not receive one reply!

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

1024kb

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#2981946 12-Oct-2022 13:18

There's 3 ways around this:

1. Root your Tab - moderately complicated, extensive manual process

1. via ADB Shell commands - still moderately complicated, manual process

2. App Mgr III - PlayStore requires payment or get it here. Easy as.

Megabyte - so geek it megahertz

mikep32

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2981954 12-Oct-2022 13:38

Thanks for the input.
The first 2 options are a bit offputting as they are somewhat complicated.
The third - i have tried several app managers including the one you mention, and get the same "no space on the sd card" message as through the settings/ apps menu. What makes it so frustrating is that i am certain i was able to send apps to the sd card at some time past, in fact i am sure i already had some apps on the sd card but now they seem to have reverted to the internal system storage! I'd maybe revert to android 11 or 10 or whatever if i knew how to do that without having to reinstall everything afterwards.

1024kb

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#2981961 12-Oct-2022 14:01

You may be able to downgrade but only if your baseband version is the same on the downgrade ROM. Under Settings / About / Software Information you'll see Baseband version. It'll be similar to this - T220FXXU2AVD7. Don't worry about the last 4 characters, it's the XXU2 part you need to know.

Now search for Tab A7 firmware & see if there's a downgrade ROM with the matching baseband ID. Usually the baseband version will carry over for 1 iteration (from Android X to X+1). After that, once the baseband is updated, your downgrade path is shut. This is an arbitrary decision by Samsung, not all manufacturers are so draconian.

As to backing up / restoring for this process, even if there was a 3U tools for Android - there isn't - you'd have major issues with backwards compatibility failures. All you can do is use the Samsung account backup in combination with the Google account backup, then restore your data from those two sources.

If you have difficulty sourcing a ROM, drop your baseband version in a reply. I have access to paid repositories with pretty much every ROM ever created. I'll find it & link you to it.

Megabyte - so geek it megahertz

peejayw

1841 posts

Uber Geek

#2981962 12-Oct-2022 14:02

Yes, that AppMgr doesnt work, same error message. This is obviously a software error but the chances of getting it fixed are slim I suspect. I may look into downgrading to Android 11.

I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

mikep32

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2982135 13-Oct-2022 00:05

Thanks for the offer 1024, but this stuff is really not my thing. I guess i could follow instructions to do a fix, but the prospect of spending hours doing something i won't enjoy doesn't do it for me. I'm using adb to get a little more space by uninstalling the oem apps that i don't want. If Samsung don't fix this issue, which i suppose is unlikely, I'll just have to put up with the limitations. Maybe the next android update will fix the issue since it seems that the last one caused it. But, If the issue is just a Samsung one my next tablet will definitely not be a Samsung!

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