What Does It Mean to "Mount" An SD Card?

[pdmike]

What does it mean to "mount" an SD card? I see the term used all the time in the context of transferring photos from phone to computer or vice versa. I can't find the term referenced anywhere in the Manual.

 

[Tanknspank]

It is just making it so the computer can access the files on your phone's sd card.

Sent from my Droid

 

[Ralffers]

In my understanding, the word "mount" is used to define a program installed on a virtual drive, without which it could not run.

In the context of cell phone, to mount an sd card simply means that an sd card is installed in a phone.

 

[BayouFlyFisher]

You're both correct. Mounted to the phone, the phone sees it. Mounted to the computer the computer sees it.

 

[Skibum1969]

How can I know if pics from my camera are saved to my SD card ? Does it happen automatically or do I tell the pic to go there?

 

[pdmike]

In my understanding, the word "mount" is used to define a program installed on a virtual drive, without which it could not run.

In the context of cell phone, to mount an sd card simply means that an sd card is installed in a phone.

So then, if my Incredible in fact has an SD card in it (which it does), I can then consider the SD card to be mounted?

 

[pdmike]

How can I know if pics from my camera are saved to my SD card ? Does it happen automatically or do I tell the pic to go there?

Excellent question - I will watch for the answer to it myself, because that was going to be my next question.

 

[fiver643]

In my understanding, the word "mount" is used to define a program installed on a virtual drive, without which it could not run.

In the context of cell phone, to mount an sd card simply means that an sd card is installed in a phone.

So then, if my Incredible in fact has an SD card in it (which it does), I can then consider the SD card to be mounted?

it would be mounted to your phone. if you connect your phone, via usb, to your computer. your phone will ask you if you want to mount your phone. that would be mounting your phone to your computer. you would then be able to transfer docs/pics/music from your computer to your phone.

 

[aaf709]

How can I know if pics from my camera are saved to my SD card ? Does it happen automatically or do I tell the pic to go there?

Excellent question - I will watch for the answer to it myself, because that was going to be my next question.

If the Incredible is like the Droid 1, your pictures are in DCIM > Camera on your sd card.

 

[eliassami5]

any picture that is taken with the camera is saved to the SD card under the folder named "DCIM".
The incredible is a bit different tho. When you you mount it to the computer you will see two different drives, one is the internal memory of the phone, and one is the actual SD card. So if the pics arent in one drive then go to the next one.

And once again..Mounting something simply means that you are able to view/access whatever you are mounting (the SD card in this case) from whatever device you are mounting to (the computer in this case).

So if you mount to a computer then the computer can read/view/access the files on the SD card.
If you mount to a phone then the phone can read/view/access the files on the SD card.

 

[angelman]

I think the use of this rather techy linuxy terminology is what drives people to iphones. Even the action of having to explicitly mount the phone/sd card before transferring pictures seems rather convoluted. After all I don't mount my camera before transferring pictures.
I wish at the minimum they could come up with a better term that was more descriptive than "mount" it's very 1980's I think...

 

[HarshReality]

Well.. if you think about it the droid could maintain a constant check on the sd but it would be at the cost of battery life. As far as the term 'mount' being old... the same could be said for confusing a buyer by creating a new term and 'misleading them by calling it something other than a traditional term.

As far as driving people to iphone.. I tend to disagree. People tend to look for what meets their needs and no further. This crowd however clearly sees the potential as well as the current.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[pdmike]

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this thread thus far. My question has been answered very well.

 

[takeshi]

I think the use of this rather techy linuxy terminology is what drives people to iphones. Even the action of having to explicitly mount the phone/sd card before transferring pictures seems rather convoluted. After all I don't mount my camera before transferring pictures.

Sure you do. Mounting applies to far more than just "linuxy" OS's. You have to mount any drive that you intend to use to any system. It's just that a lot of OS's automatically do this for you.

It's not convoluted by any means. If the memory card was simultaneously mounted to multiple devices you'd potentially have some serious contention problems. You're the traffic controller since you know what you intend to do with the memory card. If it's really bothersome, there are some automount solutions. I personally don't use them as I don't intend to have the card mounted every time I connect the USB cable to my PC.

 

[eliassami5]

I think the use of this rather techy linuxy terminology is what drives people to iphones. Even the action of having to explicitly mount the phone/sd card before transferring pictures seems rather convoluted. After all I don't mount my camera before transferring pictures.

Sure you do. Mounting applies to far more than just "linuxy" OS's. You have to mount any drive that you intend to use to any system. It's just that a lot of OS's automatically do this for you.

It's not convoluted by any means. If the memory card was simultaneously mounted to multiple devices you'd potentially have some serious contention problems. You're the traffic controller since you know what you intend to do with the memory card. If it's really bothersome, there are some automount solutions. I personally don't use them as I don't intend to have the card mounted every time I connect the USB cable to my PC.

Amen........