BUG: USB issues in Android 7.0

[Jecht_Sin]

There you are, @Anonymous, as requested:

Before upgrading my 49XD8099 to Android 7.0 I had this scenario:

• Android 6.0.1 could not format my Lexar JumpDrive P20 64GB USB 3.0 pen drive as extended memory
• I could correctly use an old 60GB HDD as extended memory
• I migrated the "/sdcard" into the external disk
• A couple of weeks ago it became Read-Only and so it stayed.

After upgrading to 7.0 I tested what was the situation:

• The /sdcard was still mounted on external the HDD and still Read-Only
• A couple of apps in the HDD that disappeared showed up again
• Trying to move an app from the HDD to the internal memory Settings kept crashing (always)

So I did a factory reset.. And this became the situation:

• The Lexar JumpDrive P20 64GB USB 3.0 pen drive could finally format as extended memory, but taking a loong time (a dozen minutes?)
• I could successfully migrate the internal memory into the pen drive
• I could successfully copy files into the /sdcard (which was in the pen drive)
• Trying to move apps around Settings was crashing again

All was fine until few hours later, when the /sdcard became Read-Only again! i could not copy any more files (58GB free). The Memory Setting was nearly untouchable because it was a crash after another. The only USB operation I could do from the tv  has been to format the pen drive as external and that (I think) restored the internal memory as internal memory (losing the content but there wasn't much).

Oh, I also tried to use the old HDD again, but the crashes when clicking on any app location were constant again so I gave up. I didn't touch it since, to avoid another headache.

[Kuschelmonschter]

Here are 4 of my USB issues with Marshmallow.

[hvalentim]

I can confirm I am also experiencing the inability to use a USB stick to extended the internal memory,

For me it only works until I switch the TV off. Upon the next time I switch it on problems appear where the files on SD (effectively on USB flash) became orphaned:

- they are no longer accessible to the apps (which start crashing)

- it is impossible to delete their "data" from within Android app manager

- it is impossible to delete them manually

- it is impossible to reinstall apps or install new ones (the procedure hangs),

In short: using an external device to extend internal memory is a BOGUS feature that effectively DOES NOT WORK properly.

Should have nothing to do with the pens, because I have experienced the same with several brands/models.

This is a major issue.

In Android 7 it seems to be even worst than in 6, where "at least" I was able to have it working  for a few days before the symptoms manifested.

[Jecht_Sin]

---

@hvalentim wrote:

- it is impossible to delete their "data" from within Android app manager

- it is impossible to delete them manually

- it is impossible to reinstall apps or install new ones (the procedure hangs),

---

Yes, indeed. Those are the side effects of the device going Read Only. For some reason some apps from the Play Store were downloading and installing, though. Others instead just hung the download as you described.

[oo.viper.oo]

Hi guys, are you by any chance using DVB tuner and PVR functionality with USB-attached harddrive? I wonder if this functionality is affected as well in Nougat. I'm not interested in extending memory via USB pen drive, but I do use USB harddrive for recording DVB shows and it would be a deal breaker for me if this functionality got broken in Nougat.

Thx!

[Jecht_Sin]

If you mean the recording of tv shows I formatted and mounted my USB key in Android 6.0.1 without issues. But I don't have an aerial, so I didn't really test it. I didn't try in Android 7.0. Still as a regular external SD Card it works fine (lack of write permissions apart, but that totally due to Android TV 6.0.1-7.0). The issues I had/have, which started with formatting, are always related to use the USB drive as extended memory. I did a full investigation in 6.0.1 and long story short it was a mess.

[Jecht_Sin]

After updating to 6.2671 it's still a mess. Now I can't manage to have the USB key formatted as internal memory at all. Not even via command line (via "adb shell").

Hey! But Samba TV has been updated! What a glorious update! 

[Kuschelmonschter]

I could successfully format an USB pen drive as internal, but it still gets lost upon deep sleep on my ATV1.

[Jecht_Sin]

I think in my case it doesn't like my USB Key. Which is a Lexar, so quite common. Technically, after formatting it as internal memory extension the two partitions get created by the TV. Just not recognized later.

The same USB Key gets recognized as "SD card" formatted as exFAT and the TV can even format (and recognize) it for Recording.

I tested this in the past many times and I eventually gave up. I even reported it to Sony support. What is complitely unaccettable is that after six months nothing has been fixed in the new update. Not that I expected otherwise, I just had some hope Sony/Mediatek did their job..

[hvalentim]

Issues (impossible to extend internal memory using an USB Pen) remain exactly the same with the latest update. For me:

a) Lexar USB Pen -> fails to format/encrypt (adb log shows a warning about a 180 seconds timeout) ->TV Shows a message saying it was impossible to format the Pen -> Still, if I leave the pen on after ~20 minutes it somehow does APPEAR to complete the formatting process and the Pen shows up as available.

b) Samsung USB Pen -> fails to format (adb log shows a warning about a 180 seconds timeout) ->TV Shows a message saying it was impossible to format the Pen -> Still, if I leave it on after ~30 seconds it somehow does APPEAR to complete the formatting process and the Pen shows up as available..

c) EMTEC USB Pen ->  fails to format (adb log shows a warning about a 180 seconds timeout) ->TV Shows a message saying it was impossible to format the Pen -> Still, if I leave it on after 5 minutes it somehow does APPEAR to complete the formatting process and the Pen shows up as available.

d) Kingston USB Pen -> Not recognized at all.

Still, in all 3 cases (a, b and c) problems start soon after. The Pen sistematically reverts to READ ONLY mode, shows erros about "Impossible to Move. Not enough space available" etc...

For me this only worked briefly with the original (Android 6) firmware using a Medion Pen (which I believe was an OEM version of a Kingston). Sadly now "burned". Nothing else ever worked. And God knows I have tried!!!

It's a crying shame!!!  And Sony support does not seem to care.

Right now my 8GB are already full and I am unable to install further stuff from Google Play Store.