How To Write To An External Drive in the Z10 Pro Max Android Box

Hi Sam

I am unable to set up an external drive (using an HDD, micro SD or thumb drive) on the Z10 Pro Max. I have followed your instructions above explicitly and although the z10 recognizes the existence of the external drive, and can read from it, it does not allow me to write to the drive.

I contacted Formuler support regarding the issue and they advise that the Android 10 operating system does not allow the addition of a read / write drive. Yet your instructions above seem to indicate that it is possible. There are also a lot of users in multiple forums that claim to be able to mount and write to an external drive.

Is there a work around?

Quote from SAM

Please explain in detail what you want to do. recording live TV or moving files from pc to same connected hdd on the box (last one will not work)? 𝐍𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐱.

Yes it does! I use my NAS with my Z10 Pro Max without problems.

Spectre, I believe your issue is to do with the fact that the box and google TV OS 10 is pretty locked down. It does serm to be possible however as the OS does seem to give MOL2 permission to write to USB storage and put recordings there.

I know this as I've tried to use file explorer tools to write to the USB and permission is denied.

Other IPTV apps such as VLC are also denied access. Until the devs sort this out or root access is gained, it is not going to work unfortunately. As Sam mentioned, NAS storage does work and I am using this flawlessly with tivimate while the devs try to resolve a recording issue that I have.

The link here explains the issue with Android TV OS 10 and a broken implementation of the Storage Access Framework which is probably what is going on here:

https://commonsware.com/blog/2017/12/2…ing-action.html (mods please remove if I'm not allowed to link to an outside page)

SAM, is there a way to format a external USB device as internal storage? I've seen this done with developer options but I only ever get the option to format as external. I'm thinking that I could manually point apps to whatever mount is made and gain write access that way?

I was hoping that, if it was mounted as internal storage, It would become writable. I was then planning to point tivimate to this mount so I could record to it given that recording on MOL2 is not working for me at this time.

At this moment, Tivimate cannot switch the recording folder to external USB on the Z10 Pro Max as it cannot get write permissions.. The same is the case for any file manager type applications as well.

Quote from SAM

Please explain in detail what you want to do. recording live TV or moving files from pc to same connected hdd on the box (last one will not work)? Nas works perfect with this box.

Hi Sam

I'm trying to add external storage to save media that I have downloaded through Kodi.

I can write to internal storage with no problem. Can I simply expand internal storage beyond the installed 32Gb using say, an SD card? I haven't been able to do that either.

Also, I haven't been successful connecting the box to my WD MyCloud Home device. I enter all of the required information- NAS name, IP address, username, password. I get a message advising that the connection parameters are incorrect.

Thanks!

Quote from Spectre

Hi Sam

I'm trying to add external storage to save media that I have downloaded through Kodi.

I can write to internal storage with no problem. Can I simply expand internal storage beyond the installed 32Gb using say, an SD card? I haven't been able to do that either.

Also, I haven't been successful connecting the box to my WD MyCloud Home device. I enter all of the required information- NAS name, IP address, username, password. I get a message advising that the connection parameters are incorrect.

Thanks!

Be sure to check that your MyCloud has SMB 3 set ON.

My Formuler Z11 Pro Max also can't write to external USB disk (Sandisk 128GB). I want to use this drive as extra space for recordings, and backup. I formatted the disk with Rufus, I tried NTFS, Fat32, exFat but none give access to the disk.

use network adb it will work with usb flash but not the microsd.

you can copy to and from the connected usb flash

for your info:

if you decide to use the adb extension to mount the z10 as a drive in explorer, only usb/microsd cards formatted in fat32 will work.

Quote from Jumping Rabbit

for your info:

if you decide to use the adb extension to mount the z10 as a drive in explorer, only usb/microsd cards formatted in fat32 will work.

I'm not familiar with adb extension, how do I do that?

use the one at xda called [TOOL] Android File System (Network ADB Extension) for Windows

OK, here's a strange thing. When I use Mytvonline 3 I can record to the usb disk, so there is writing access. But when I try to record in Tivimate it won't, writing access denied. In Filexplorer I also can't write to the usb. Is there an easy way to remove the writing access of the usb drive?

z10 have the storage scope limitation

try tv file commander from the formuler market; some users report it works for them.

Sadly File Commander also doesn't write to any of the usb ports :-/

The xda called [TOOL] Android File System (Network ADB Extension) for Windows also didn't work for me. I can get into Developpers Mode, but the Debug option is greyed out

maby file manager plus?

File Manager - Apps on Google Play

Fast, easy-to-use and full-featured file manager app with cloud integration.

play.google.com

I use on my z10 for movies.

I can also delete/write files with this app on my network hdd.

under debugging

is the "usb debugging, debug mode when usb is connected" grade out?

Quote from Lucky133

maby file manager plus?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/det…tor.filemanager

I use on my z10 for movies.

I can also delete/write files with this app on my network hdd.

I tried this and many other File Manager apps, none have access to write to the usb. When doing a Google search I'm not the only one with this problem, and there's just no answer to it.

its a limitation you can't delete from connected usb flash or microsdcard using file manager.

I use the network adb option so i don't have to remove the card/usb flash.

the controversial scoped storage.

Ok, last night I gave 1 more filemanager a try, and finally could access the drive. It's AnExplorer from the Googleplay Store.

nice bro.

I used nmm in the pass but the permission came up for every folder.

Quote from wiscel

Ok, last night I gave 1 more filemanager a try, and finally could access the drive. It's AnExplorer from the Googleplay Store.

How did you get AnExplorer to access Z11 recordings? When I try it, I see “Can’t access folder” errors. Did you discover a trick?

I just installed the app, and did nothing special

Quote from wiscel

I just installed the app, and did nothing special

Fascinating! And just by installing the app you are able to access this folder on the hard drive plugged into the Z11?

Android\data\tv.formuler.mol3.real\Recordings

Yes, don't ask me why or how. Like I said earlier none of the other filemanager apps could write to the usb drive/sticks. And this one app does.

Hi I’ve followed all instructions on formatting 64gb usb stick to incase storage on z10se and nothing works. I want to expand the storage so I can install more apps on the box. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance