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androidmemoryexternalinternal
Jenix
Jenix

Reputation: 3076

About the Android's Internal Storage and the external SD Card

Is '/mnt/sdcard' the root folder of an Android device when we access the files and folders using Windows Explorer?

If so, this means '/mnt/sdcard' is the internal storage, right?

I tested several times and found this is true but I'm really confused between android's internal storage and external memory.

1. Why is the internal memory called 'mnt/sdcard' not 'mnt/hda'?

2. Why do I have to set 'SD Card Size' in the window 'Edit Android Virtual Device (AVD)' in order to use '/mnt/sdcard' folder even though I set 'Internal Storage' size already?

I have a Galaxy Note 2 and it has no SD Card at all, but I can access '/mnt/sdcard'.

3. If 'mnt/sdcard' is a part of the 'Internal' storage, why do we use the method 'Evironment.getExternalStorageDirectory()' to get the folder 'mnt/sdcard'?

4. How can I access the REAL external SD Card?

Upvotes: 2

Views: 2598

Answers (1)

Ojonugwa Jude Ochalifu
Ojonugwa Jude Ochalifu

Reputation: 27255

Just to answer part of your question.From the official documention:

All Android devices have two file storage areas: "internal" and "external" storage. These names come from the early days of Android, when most devices offered built-in non-volatile memory (internal storage), plus a removable storage medium such as a micro SD card (external storage). Some devices divide the permanent storage space into "internal" and "external" partitions, so even without a removable storage medium, there are always two storage spaces and the API behavior is the same whether the external storage is removable or not.

You do not have a removeable SDCard, but your device has a location on its internal storage that behaves like one.

Upvotes: 2

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