Using the latest version of x-plore file manager (donated) on android 8.0, I'm trying to copy a file to a USB drive I have plugged in via the app.
However on repeated occasion it doesn't let me copy a file over to the USB, is this a restriction of x-plore file manager, if so any working alternative apps?
Or do I need to format the USB stick via AndroidTV?
I thought it was a basic function to be able to copy/move over a file from internal (built in TV memory to external (USB)...
Solid Explorer
If you email Michal (the X-plore developer) and explain your issue he may be able to help, he is very responsive to suggestions and fixes.
Or you can use the contact on his site:
If I remember correctly on a removable drive you can only write to a folder inside the _Nvidia folder. The Shield should have auto created this folder when the drive was plugged in.
ES files explorer is very good as well. You can even copy trough network with it if you need
I'd recommend
GhostCommander
:)
There are also a lot of FS/connection
plugins
if you need one.
Apps can only write to a particular folder inside a USB disk that's not formatted as internal drive.
Unfortunately there isn't a wise app maker who has even made a file explorer and included this basic necessity . Atleast not the ones on play store.
There are ways to achieve this, bit trust me at the end of it all it's just not worth it.
Format your HDD as internal memory. You can't use this HDD anywhere after that. Depending on devices some devices support upto 4 tb , meanwhile most will support 1 tb and 2 tb without issues.
Root your device . As far as I know, no Android TV had been reported to be rooted except those fake Android TV boxes sold by Chinese market as ore rooted devices. Those don't work very well .
What exactly are you trying to do?
There are plenty of torrent apps that have the ability to write onto USB HDD without needing to format them. Those files can be read by any other app, just won't be able to edit or write them or extract them if it's zipped.
There's alternative at present to achieve whatever you are doing for atleast a solid 90% tasks . Do share and ppl will give you the alternatives.
It's a restriction by the native USB-OTG driver in firmware. You can turn on "Use X-plore USB-driver" in X-plore's configuration. It will instead use its own USB-OTG driver to bypass this writing restriction ( http://www.lonelycatgames.com/docs/xplore/usb-otg ). But it only supports writing to FAT32 formatted USB drive. MiXplorer ( https://labs.xda-developers.com/store/app/com.mixplorer ) has similar USB-OTG driver option and can write to FAT32 & exFAT.