by George Heymann|@techeadlines
I started receiving installation errors on my recently purchased Android phone which wouldn’t allow me to install some apps on my phone nor let me update others. Other applications, however, installed normally.
What really was puzzling is that in all three cases, there was ample space on the internal phone memory as well as the SD card storage.
At first I thought the problem was related to my particular handset, the LG G2X. After doing some additional searching, I found it that this was a known problem on Android and could happen on any Android device.
The problem turns out to be a temporary file “smdl2tmp1” that is created by some applications during the installation process. If the installation gets interrupted, the temporary file does not get deleted properly. The next time the installation runs it can’t create the file and instead gives the installation error. This bug may have already been addressed in Gingerbread but that is unconfirmed.
The solution provided by Artem Russakovskii at Android Police is to manually delete the “smdl2temp1” file. The file is likely to reside in 2 locations:
1. /sdcard/.android_secure: this is an invisible folder on your SD card, which you can access with any file manager, like ASTRO
2. /mnt/secure/asec/: access to this folder requires root and a program like Root Explorer
Note: I couldn’t delete the file directly from my phone using a file manager including “Astro.” My phone would see the hidden folder but did not see the “smdl2tmp1” file, which was also hidden. My solution was to mount my phone via USB and navigate to the folder and delete the file from my PC.
Once the file was deleted, everything was back to normal with application installs and updates. I hope this saves you some time, as this has been extremely frustrating and time consuming problem to track down.
Source: Google Code Blog via Android Police
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Filed under: Android, General technology, Google, Hardware, How To's, Software, Android, android couldn't install on sd card, Android installation error, Android OS, Android OS Bug, Artem Russakovskii, bug, couldn't install on usb or sd card android, Couldn't install on USB storage or SD card, delete, Failed to create secure container, File Management, File manager, Handhelds, Hidden file and hidden directory, MicroSD, Personal computer, problem, problem installing on Android, SD, SD Card, SD card error, SDHC, Secure Digital, smdl2tmp1, smdl2tmp1.asec, Storage, Temporary file, Universal Serial Bus, USB storage error, why does it say couldnt install on usb or sd android
George, fantastic. Thank you so much got my HTC updating OK again. It does beg the question , how many other people out there are struggling with this issue and don’t have the good fortune to stumble across your post. Thanks again
Bill, I’m really glad you found us and the solution to your problem. I know that this problem was extremely frustrating for me as well. Hearing that I was able to help you diagnose and resolve your problem and hopefully help others in the process made taking the time to share my experience totally worth it.
i can not find the file any where.
Hi Steven,
If you’ve already followed the posted directions and have searched both using a native Android file manager as well as one on your PC, and can’t locate the file in the designated folders your problem may be unrelated to this issue. If you discover an alternate solution to the problem affecting your handset please come back and post a follow up comment and share it with our readers.
Hi Gheymann,
does it work if i connected my phone to my imac because i do not have pc.
Hi
Yes, it works fine, I also use a Mac as my main computer. Good Luck!
Thanks so much for sharing this George. You made my day!
Thanks a lot..! It works for me …
cheers mate. worked for me.
Thank you for your efforts on this website. My daughter Betty has been learning via the valuable guides on your blog. Fabulous job!
Thanks a lot. I too tried to delete the file from Astro first and after reading your post I connected to PC.
Following are the points I would like to add.
1. We need to enable USB debugging in settings/applications/development so that the phone’s internal memory is shown on PC
2. /mnt/secure/asec is manifested as .android_secure and so we will find this file in .android_secure folder (Ref. http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=9593#c3)
I can’t see the file,smdl2temp1, on my PC although USB debugging has been enabled!!
Hi Shivani,
Your problem may be unrelated to this issue.
Thanks guy! I finally fixed this stupid bug and my moibile is working again =))
i just restored all the settings
Thanks for your comments, I’m so glad to be a part of the solution to this very frustrating problem
Thank you so much for finally helping me realize that deleting the file from the pc would work when astro didn’t. You’ve saved me from a lot more headaches.
King
Glad you found the article of help, Lots of folks have emailed me as well after they were able to resolve their installation problems after reading the article. I’m still getting about 50 -100 hits a day on the article even though it was written several months ago.
[...] Installation error: “Couldn’t install on USB storage or SD card” solution for Android [...]
THANK YOU!
Ed: P.S. Glad to be of help. You’re welcome!
I think has been the must useful post I have seen in this time trying to fix… this shit! I am getting an iphone after my contract end f*%k android and its bull^@#t….
ED: David,
I empathize with your frustration and I’m glad I was able to help!
Thank you! So much unnecessary pain…
Ed: Thanks for your note, this post has been one of the most rewarding to date for me. I’ve had so many people email me to let me know that the post was of help. I wish more would take a moment and share the post with their network.
Regards
geO-
hi george, thank you very much!
I had given up on a lot of apps that had this problem, until I found your post,
Thanks for giving me back the satisfaction of android.
Hi Joel,
You’re welcome, glad to have helped. Please share our links with your social network!
Like the others on hear I’m so glad I finally found the post. I couldn’t locate the file with ASTRO, but when I looked for it on my computer there it was. Since then, I’ve Downloaded all my updates with no error and didn’t have to move apps to Phone and back to card, like I had done with some apps.
Kudos
Hi Mole, I am sorry if I am asking a silly question/instructions, can you please point out how exactly you did it via your computer? B’coz I am trying to do it the same way as I am unable to even install Astro in my phone.
Help from anyone reading this will be appreciated.
I found it Mole, deleted it. phone working file
Pheww!
This file keeps coming back every couple of days, and I go back in and delete it, but then it comes back a few days later. Thoughts?
I haven’t had the problem you describe. Once I deleted the file the phone never had any additional installation or update problems. I’ve since moved on to another phone and have not yet experienced the error on that handset. Since this problem is part of an installation problem, have you noticed the file issue after installing a particular app, or apps from a specific developer?
Thank you so much. i was very frustrated within the issue, at last ur solution worked.
i do not have the file smdl2temp1 !!! running sonybread 7 on X10 mini
switching back to cm7 ;(
any way of fixin it ???
[...] Installation error: “Couldn’t install on USB storage or SD card” solution for Android « Techn…. Posted by jorge at 8:16 am Add [...]
God bless you man !!!…i’ve been trying to solve this thang from a month…….thanks..!!!
Mid-December and your post is still saving Android devices around the world.
J, UK.
Just used your tips. But I noticed the file seems to re-appear after deleting and the issue continued after unplugging my Samsung Galaxy S2 from the PC and attempting to download updates, etc. Any thoughts?
Hi Reuben,
From your description, it seems one of your applications is trying to install itself in the background and is failing. I would first try to kill all unneeded background applications before trying again. If you continue to have problems, I would uninstall the last few apps you installed before first experiencing the problem and then try again. It may take a little trial and error, but it’s worth checking out. If all else fails you may need to back up your phone, hard reset and then add back the applications one at a time. I hope one of the other steps takes care of your problem. Good Luck and thanks for reading. Hope to see you back and please share our links with your social group.
thanks a lot sir
Thanks, Mr. Heymann! This is a big help!
Thank you so much for this information – this error has been annoying and frustrating.
wow, that worked.. thank you G Heymann..
Thank you so much .. That was very helpul but i tried to download Astro and Root Explorer but i couldn’t .. This error message keeps showing !!!
What can i doabout that?
I have a samsung galaxy mini
Hi Omnia,
No problem, if you can’t download a file manager and you don’t have another one already installed. Mount your phone from your PC or Mac and use the file explorer on your computer to track down and delete the file.
thanks this was starting to make me mad but what you said worked i didnt have to root it or anything like that i was doing this on a tablet the dell streak 7 and it let me view the file thank you again
I am unable to see the file..I am having the same problem in my Samsung Galaxy 5
Hi Ashish,
Did you try mounting your phone from your PC or Mac and deleting the file using the computers file browser?
Thank you so much! It’s been so frustrating and nice to finally find the answer.
what do you have to do on a mac to delete the file cos i can’t find it?
Hi Adersh,
If you can’t install a file manager from the official Android Market because of existing problems on your handset, you might use one of the alternate Android markets like Getjar (www.getjar.com) to download the application to your computer and then side load the app onto your handset. If one of the Android file managers do not work, and you aren’t able to see the problem file from your desktop file manager. Your issue may be unrelated to this problem. If you find an alternate solution. Please post a follow up post here to share with our readers.Good Luck!
thank you …….its working
Wow. I have tried all kinds of fixes, from clearing cache and delete history from Marked and download manager, to tempoary demount the SD card and removing the battery and SIM but nothing worked.
Deleting “smdl2tmp1” did the trick. I can’t thank you enough.
Hey George Heymann thank you….u are genius its resolved my problem I neverthought because of this cache its cab would get corrupt. but how u come to know that ” “smdl2tmp1”” can caused a error
Большое СПАСИБО! Очень помогла ваша информация, оказалось все просто, еще раз спасибо! Все заработало))))
Россия, Новосибирск.
Google Translation:
Thank you very much! It has helped your information, it was all easy, thanks again! Everything worked))))
Russia, Novosibirsk.
all i can say is thank you. when i first encountered the problem i thought it was just normal but when it became often i thought to myself that there was really serious problem about the phone. the error really pissing me off. so thank you very much. your blog was very helpful.
Wow…!!
Dude ur a genius…!!
Thank u SOOOO MUCH for this
Now i can install apps again…!!
Thank you so much! It solved my problem straight away!
Thank you so much! I haven’t been able to update for 10 days, and it was driving me slightly insane
thank you for the walkthrough, saved me from getting in trouble with my father. everything is back to normal again now.
I needed this for my android…thank you so much!
Have to add my thanks to the list. It was driving me nuts that I could install new apps on my Optimus V but couldn’t upgrade the ones I had.
i havent these files in my sd card.. where i can find them?
There are two places two check for the file
First is the following directory on your sd card:
1. /sdcard/.android_secure: this is an invisible folder on your SD card, which you can access with any file manager, like ASTRO
The second is on the phone itself at the following directory:
2. /mnt/secure/asec/: access to this folder requires root and a program like Root Explorer
I actually found the file on my computer and deleted it however I am still getting the error message but only on some app installs. Any ideas?
Hi Craig
Did you also check the two folders outlined in the story to see if the file also exist there?
1. /sdcard/.android_secure: this is an invisible folder on your SD card
2. /mnt/secure/asec/: access to this folder requires root and a program like Root Explorer
This really answered my problem, thank you!
thnku so very much.. it wz so frustrating… thanksa ton for solving this problem..
Add me to the list of the no longer frustrated by this annoyance. Thanks.
Thanks a lot. I was unable to update for since 1 month. lots of apps to update.. Cheers.
.. I dont have a file manager app and cant install one because my phone is messed up this way.
What do i do now?
Hi Denise,
That shouldn’t be a problem, just mount the phone from your PC or Mac, and use the desktop file manager to navigate to the proper directory and delete the file. Just re-read the article it’s all explained in detail there.
i have a problem too :
my card is disconnected herself from time to time, often when the phone is not used (at night) how to solve the problem? (android 2.3.4)
Your problem is unrelated to this issue, however there are a few things that I would try, first copy the contents of your SD card to your computer, then reformat the card in the phone you will be using the card with then restore the contents and see if this helps. If that doesn’t work I would try to use a different card with the phone if you have one available to see if the problem is related to some defect in the SD card. Worth a try, good luck!
T H A N K Y O U !
You’re most welcome!
Have searched for the file both using Astro and root explorer on my Galaxy S2, have also connected my phone to my pc and used windows explorer to search for the file but it doesn’t appear to be there. Only getting the message when trying to install a couple of apps at the moment, nectar and o2 priority moments (both uk based loyalty reward things). Any further suggestions other than wiping and reinstalling ICS would be most welcome, though i may do that if I a solution can’t be found
Hi Adam,
Sounds like you’ve followed the suggestions I’ve posted, it’s possible that your problem is unrelated to this issue. I went ahead and added your note to the comments section in hope that someone else may have another suggestion other than wiping, and reinstalling which is what I would probably do in your case. Please post a follow up response if you find another solution to your problem.
Tried a factory reset last night but that still hasn’t resolved the issue so going for reinstalling the firmware will see if that resolves the issue and will let you know how i get on.
reinstalling ICS and wiping all cache’s and partitions has fixed the problem now just to set everything up again :S
Just a further update after reinstalling ICS all was fine until i then rooted the device, at which point the problem reappeared. So in my case it was the rooting of the device that had caused the problem. Though the problem only affects a small number of apps not everything!
Thanks for sharing, hopefully your information will help someone that is experiencing the same issue.
I just want to tell you that I am just beginner to blogs and absolutely loved your page. I will likely bookmark your website. Thanks for sharing with us.
omg thanks i love you dude
I can find that file on my android with Terminal Emulaton in my rooted device just
$su
#cd /mnt/secure/asec
#ls
…
smdl2tmp1.asec
#rm smdl2tmp1.asec
I do that… I hope It work for me
Wow
This worked like a charm. At first I couldn’t find it while using ASTRO or Root manager, but via my computer USB’ed it was located in the /sdcard/.android_secure
Now I can install directly to SD card with no problem.
HTC Desire
Hi Casper,
Thanks for your note, glad to have helped!
Regards,
geO-