Android 6.0.1 update unable to format SD card as internal memory can't move app to SD card

[UncleSammo]

I just updated to Android 6.0.1 last night and I realized many things has changed. I can't access my apps store on the SD card from Android 5.1.1. I was able to move the apps to the SD card on 5.1.1 to free up some internal memory. The Marshmallow update supposed to have a better feature. It can mount the SD as internal memory provided I have to formated as internal memory. I bee playing around with my phone all day and I realized on the Sony release, they do not have this feature. I been YouTubeing around and found that within 6.0.1 in the settings /storage/SD card sub-menu, there should be 3 options. Eject, Format, and Format to internal memory. That's what I'm missing. Also if u insert the SD card for the first time, it should pop up a notification asking you what to do with the SD card. It didn't ask me. This is a known feature with marshmallow. My phone only have 16g, it won't hold all my apps, that was the reason why I move some apps to SD on Android 5.1.1. So what's going on?

I also factory reset my phone and format my SD again on my computer, it still don't work. It only treats it as a portable storage.

[CameronT]

@UncleSammo,

That's really strange because the Z3 Compact supports up to 128 microSD. I'm glad it's working for you now though.

@WitchDoc758,

Welcome to the community.

I will pass your feedback along. If the feature ever does come just be aware that the speed of your device will be severely limited (up to 10X slower in most cases) unless you use a high speed SD card, which most users do not have.

As for the update to your phone, it takes time to roll out. Check out this post about updates.

[UncleSammo]

@CameronT

I don't believe that is a Sony device issue. other on the internet have this issue also have different devices. it could be a Android bug, but very strange as well. I didn't pay attention to this issue when I had Android 5 because the 1st thing I did after I got the card was I loaded all my music, photos and videos. so when I start moving the apps to SD on Android 5. it's was fine because I have less then 32G left on my storage. Since formated the card, it had a full 64G and problem showed up.

Also I do agree with WitchDoc758, it's a feature that should no be remove. We know the read/write speed is much slower then internal flash. but the concept goes far far back where computers have hard drives and we still run programs off floppy drives.  The whole idea is to free up some internal storage or for people who does not have a large amount of storage.

[strizh]

Agree with other Sony Xperia Z3 users - PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE do not kill Marshmallow main difference from KitKat and Lollipop, i.e. ability to use SD card as additional storage for applications. My reason to buy Sony was an ability to use SD card for apps. I did not had any problems with latest Lollipop version on my phone and my most likely slow SD card was working perfectly for all apps installed there.

Since upgrade to Marshmallow I have experienced next issues:

1. Some originaly mounted on SD card applications were not accessible. The issue partially "cures" after multiple system reboots, but strange thing happens: not all SD apps are unavailable, just some, and these "some" apps are different from every reboot. For example, CandyCrash would be unavailable once, then it is a turn of CandyCrash Jelly after another reboot.

2. This Saturday evening Play store quit on me showing "Error on Server" message. Couple of reboots did not fix the problem, but Google search suggested to delete cache and data, I did that and Play Store started to work after couple of reboots. However, it lost my setting to opt out from automatic updates for my apps, and, as a result, all my 200 apps received updates before I've noted this. In no time my phone became unstable since updates used only internal memory for all apps, even the ones I've uninstalled before, and it quickly fulfilled 10Gb, leaving no empty space for operational system functionality. Phone reboooted itself several times, nothing was assessible until I've managed to switch it to airplane mode and uninstall some high weight applications. After a few reboots, I was able to manually move just a handful number of applications to SD card (through Settings--> Storage-->Internal Storage -->Apps-->App of your choice, then "move ro SD"), while majority (I suspect the ones which were updated without my consent) are not movable anymore.

3. Now every time I reboot the phone my moved to SD apps are not accessible for a good 3-4  minutes, so it looks like system is having a lag connecting to SD card and indexing everything there.

4. New issue since yesterday - after every reboot of the phone I've got pop up message: "Unfortunately, Media Player for Xperia has stopped". Have no idea where this player is sitting and why it stopped working...

5. New issue: Xperia Companion software is not seeing the device - it connects to the device in MTP mode for a few seconds, then dropps connection...

6. Complete messup with Internal Storage, SD card if Xperia Z3 content in MTP mode if viewed throug Windows explorer - internal storage shows only books, which I have actually on the SD card, while File Commander and ES File Explorer on the phone shows books on my SD card. why it is so is beyond my understanding...

So, Sony people, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, do not assume all the users are idiots and will bombard you with issues of their slow SD card and PLEASE reverse that stupid decision to remove the main feature of Marshmallow system to use SD storage for applications. Better decision would be to divide applications to "important" and "entertaiment" type and allow move of usually heavy games and apps which do not require high communication speed (music players, text book and audiobook readers, customization apps etc) to SD card.

Or, alternatively, provide people with Lollipop 1.1 downgrade option - it worked for me flowlessly, I was stupid to rely on my previous experience with Sony upgrades and hoped for improvements when I've jumped on Marshmallow upgrade last week.

I am as UnceSammo do not want to buy another phone simply because I do not have enough internal storage and I can, as I am sure most of the users, tolerate slow speeds of SD card in lieu of ability to dump there entertainment applications.

Thank you in advance and hope to see soon an update fixing all the issues reported to SONY by diappointed users who upgraded to Marshmallow.

[AisCream]

I saw this new features posted in everywhere which allow to format your sd card as internal storage... It seems to available on the beta version as well.
Just updated to marshmallow this morning, factory reset and format the sd card due to all my apps at sd card gone haywire.
End up I can't find this sole features that I'm so looking forward to.
I'm so disappointed!!!!! And feel so regretted to support Sony for years.
Please do a wider beta test next time and don't listen to stupid comments and complaints that lead to removal of nice features.

Thanks

[UncleSammo]

it's a very very unfortunate thing that Sony opt-out on this feature. As the OS advances, newer features will be added as well and if they keep on opt-out on these features, then what's the point for the upgrades? I gotten to like my Sony over times, however this experience will make me think 3 times before purchasing another Xperia device again.

[UncleSammo]

@strizh

sorry you run into all these problems. I had some as well right after the upgrade. I just said screw it and formatted my SD card. maybe just to backup all your stuff and just go ahead and formatted and see if you are still running into these problems. At this point, it's could't make it any worst then it is already.

Good luck

[vachan]

Same here ... Xperia Z3.... Sony, Why do you remove options that people find very useful?? LIke in lollipop,  We could move apps to sd card.. After marshmallow update, i cant even find "apps" in transfer to sd card option. !!! And all the apps that was on sd card, they show up with some lame icon with sd card in it !!!! what the fish did you guys do???!!! I was very exicted for marshmallow update!! now I regret updating it !!! screwed it up !!! big time !!!! And you took soo long to figure out how to screw up stuffs!!!

[ph2-austria]

Same problem with my phone!!!! I will NEVER EVER do a Sonyupdate agein. I'm very angry and diappointed about this software update and about Sony. I have already warned 3 colleagues not to install the update and to use the phone with Android 5.

SHAME on Sony!!!

I have bougth the phone and a 64GB SD-Card and I don't giv a s.... on the speed of the apss, because these are mainly apps that I use really seldom and that need a lot of space.

If it is not possible for me to move the apps in an easy way to the SD-Card I will sell the phone an NEVER buy Sony again!!!!!!!

At the moment, it is NOT possible to move an installed app from the internal memory to the SD card!

... a very angry P.

[ph2-austria]

I don't even have the menu entry "move to SD-Card" any longer. There is no such button when you click on your favourite app. I n Lollipop it was possible only by klicking "move to SD card".

I'm really ANGRY!!!!

[UncleSammo]

@ph2-austria

you have to go into the apps within setting, then go through each app individually. 

click on one of the app, touch Storage (not a button), then you'll see a CHANGE button. if you do not see that CHANGE button, that means the app is no longer movable to SD.

it's a little more comlex then 5.1.1 where all the movable apps are in it's own tab. now you have to go through each app individually. takes a little more time, but still able to do so.  

However I remember you mention you had a 64G. I don't know this is a bug by Google or not, but if you have any more then 32G of free space, the app is not movable to SD. you will get an error. load your SD card up with music, movies, pictures, what ever you need to fill up the space. as soon as you have less then 32G of free space, restart your phone and you should be able to move the apps to SD fine.

took me days and lots of internet search to find this issue. hope this help