New FP6 install, external SDCard issues: perms, disappearing dismount, RAM mounted as sdcard?

Using /e/OS Troubleshooting
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I’m setting up a brand new FP6 + e/OS (v 3.3-a15-20251210556408-official-FB6)

I’ve an External SDcard,

SDcard (Samsung EVO 256GB MicroSDXC)

brought over from previous phone, a Samsung + rooted, custom ROM.

before install in the FP6, it was checked/verified as error-free.

I’m seeing three External-SD related issues:

(1)  unable to write/modify some, not all, dir/folder paths on sdcard
(2)  '/sdcard' mount isn't sdcard ... it's RAM.
(3)  random 'disappearance' of external sdcard mount; requires reboot

Are these known/fixable from within the e/OS settings/UI?
Or are adb &/or card reFORMAT required?

(1)
On install/setup, the sdcard’s immediately recognized.

it mounts at

/storage/XXXX-XXXX
169.83 GB used, 86.25 GB free, r/w

it’s readable.
it’s writable (create/edit/delete) in MOST subdirs, but not all:

E.g., attempt to DELETE a folder I no longer want/need

/storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android/obb/com.samsung.accessibility

on attempt to direct-delete (long-press select + delete), pops up

com.samsung.accessiblity
Are you sure you want to delete this folder?
[N0] [YES]

Click [YES] gets

Delete failed
com.samsung.accessibility from /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android/obb

Short-press select on the Folder gets

Primary Storage Permission

After you press OK, the Android document selection dialog will be displayed, PLease press "Use this folder"
[Cancel] [OK]

Click OK, gets to a dir display that announces

Can't Use this folder
To protect your privacy, choose another folder

Is there

Checking perms

777 /storage/XXXX-XXXX
770 /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android
770 /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android/obb
770 /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android/obb/com.samsung.accessibility

(2)

I note that

/sdcard
28.62 GB used/ 195.34 GB free, r/w

appears to be the INTERNAL ram … also bound to, available at

/storage/emulated/0

the use of “/sdcard” there seems misleading.

(3)

Last night, I put the phone down for the evening.
At the time I did, my EXTERNAL sdcard was mounted & available.

This morning, I find a Notification

Issue with Samsung SD card
Tap to fix
2026-01-21  06:18

and note the sdcard is no longer available.
I can, so far, find no indication of when/why it “disappeared”.

The ‘tap to fix’ option is to FORMAT the card … no thanks.

On REBOOT of the FP6, the EXTERNAL sdcard’s again mounted at its location, as above.

2

The /sdcard is a relict from Androids past, yes it points to the soldered, internal flash, here’s the history.

if the filesystem is posix based (f2fs, ext4) you might end up fighting residual uid/gid leftovers from the prior install. You could just sudo rm-rf them outside Android.

If vold (the volume manager) complains about the mount though and dismounts.. you have to dig the logs for the reason.

Sounds sad, but I’d reset the storage if some simple weeding doesn’t make vold happy. Also remember: that storage isn’t encrypted.

1 Like
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>> The /sdcard is a relict from Androids past, yes it points to the soldered, internal flash, here’s the history.

aha.  didn't know!  blech.  nbd, it seems.  thx o/

>> if the filesystem is posix based (f2fs, ext4) you might end up fighting residual uid/gid leftovers from the prior install.

the fs on the external SD is exfat

checking mounts in DevInfo

all under /mnt, e.g.

	/mnt/media_rw/XXXX-XXXX

are fs:exfat

whereas

	/storage/XXXX-XXXX

is /dev/fuse

>>  You could just sudo rm-rf them outside Android.

sure.  would _like_ to understand mystery ...

something's preventing access to some, allowing others.

my 1st guess is selinux.  dunno yet what control i have over it here ... without root.

>> If vold (the volume manager) complains about the mount though and dismounts.. you have to dig the logs for the reason.

i'm digging around trying to find something useful.
so far, haven't found the needle in the log haystack.

> Sounds sad, but I’d reset the storage if some simple weeding doesn’t make vold happy.

... which _should_ cure the problem.

> Also remember: that storage isn’t encrypted.

yup