MicroSD card.issues with moving apps

[BrianQWebb]

One of the reasons that I got the z4 as my next tablet was it's ability to use a MicroSD card for external storage. However, I have run into some issues.

It Works:

1) Moving large files (data files, video ext...) to the MicroSD card from a PC/USB connection and accessing them from tablet apps.

It Sort of Works:

1) Moving app data when the OS warns me that my local space is running short. It starts and is sucessful at some, then the tablet seems to power off (or at least the screen turns off) and won't restart with a power button long press. It requires that I plug it in, then long press the power button to start again. Really weird.

Doesn't Work at All

1) From Apps in the Settings menu, trying to move individual apps to the MicroSD card. I tap the "Move to SD" button and a few seconds later (WAY too quickly for the 1-3GB apps that I'm trying to move), the button changes to "Move to Tablet"...but the app itself hasn't moved. This one is important to me as I'm a huge fan of late 90s Point & Click adventures and RPGs, all of which are awesome to play on a large tablet but are also very, very large.

I have the Xperia Z4 Tablet LTE version, bought in H.K. but being used where I live in Taipei, Taiwan on 台灣大哥大 network.

Thanks and I appreciate any help that you can give me. 

[_alexdon_ · Accepted solution]

This has been asked so many times. Read below:

/t5/Software-Updates/Apps-moved-to-SD-card-still-reserve-space-in-internal-storage/td-p/956195/page/...

[BrianQWebb]

Sort of kinda, yeah, I see. Lollipop. Okay. Doesn't explain the weird rebooting issue when moving data to the MicroSD, but I'll attribute that to Lollipop, too.

Fingers crossed for Marshmallow. 

Thanks for the help. 🙂

[_alexdon_]

Not sure if google will ever implement an option to fully move apps to SD, perhaps because of security issues and of read/write speeds.

[BrianQWebb]

I understand. There are OEM implementations of Lollipop (and I'm assuming Marshmallow, since why cripple a feature that's already there?) such as the Asus Zenpads (I also own a Zenpad S 8.0) and the Samsung Tabs which work around it, so I can be hopeful 😆

[_alexdon_]

Yes, some worked "around it" but that's not a standard feature of Android. People however do not understand and we see many complaints.

[BrianQWebb]

Good news: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/98437/20151022/android-6-0-marshmallow-lets-you-use-your-sd-card-a...  

[_alexdon_]

Yes, but this means you need a really fast microSD. And merging it with internal, well that's something new.

[BrianQWebb]

True, and even with the fastest cards things will be a bit slower. Unfortunately, it doesn't merge internal with external, but replaces it. So, if I put a 128GB microSDXC into my 32GB Z4 Tablet, Marshmallow will encrypt it and use it instead of the internal storage. 

[_alexdon_]

Yup, and the thing is you cannot add media there (according to that article). Only apps.