Which other file system works on 9900 SD Card ?

**linuxbbm** · 06-01-2012, 01:52 PM

Hello all,

I was wondering what other file system are read and writable on 9900 microSD, Cause when i format it i remember the only format which worked was FAT32, So my question is, is this possible to change its file system format and make it like ext3,Ext4,NTFS etc ?

Thanks

**Pete6** · 06-01-2012, 01:58 PM

The only valid BlackBerry Media Card format is FAT. Today's MicroSDHC (>=2GB) cards will require FAT32. You could format a <2GB card as FAT16 and it would work in a BlackBerry.

Why would you wish to change something that works on a phone?

**linuxbbm** · 06-01-2012, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by Pete6

The only valid BlackBerry Media Card format is FAT. Today's MicroSDHC (>=2GB) cards will require FAT32. You could format a <2GB card as FAT16 and it would work in a BlackBerry.

Why would you wish to change something that works on a phone?

Well thanks, No just i was wondering if that's possible, I would have switched the format to Ext4 tho, its not readable on windows i believe since i am on Linux.
I should better learn about how to encrypt data on SD
Thanks

**Pete6** · 06-01-2012, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by linux.bbm

Well thanks, No just i was wondering if that's possible, I would have switched the format to Ext4 tho, its not readable on windows i believe since i am on Linux.
I should better learn about how to encrypt data on SD
Thanks

Hehe. I kinda guessed that you were a linux guy. You're stuck with FAT though on a BlackBerry.

Media Card encryption is easily done via Options, Security, Encryption.

**linuxbbm** · 06-01-2012, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Pete6

Hehe. I kinda guessed that you were a linux guy. You're stuck with FAT though on a BlackBerry.

Media Card encryption is easily done via Options, Security, Encryption.

Well kinda yeah

I am stuck with it but its working fine anyway

I did encrypted my SD card once, and i wiped the phone and i couldn't recover data no more on MMC? why is that?
Anything you could help me understanding encryption and decryption on Blackberry i would be thankful

**Tõnis** · 06-01-2012, 03:10 PM

Okay, I understand the media card file system is FAT. I don't format it for anything else. I do store some TrueCrypt encrypted files on my card, not to be accessed from my BlackBerry, just to store them there. When I make the Truecrypt container, it always gives me a choice between formatting it for FAT or NTFS. I always choose NTFS, because that's my comuter's file system. When it's made I drag and drop it onto my media card for safe keeping. I'm not really sure if what I'm doing with the file system makes any sense. Does it?

**linuxbbm** · 06-01-2012, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Tõnis

Okay, I understand the media card file system is FAT. I don't format it for anything else. I do store some TrueCrypt encrypted files on my card, not to be accessed from my BlackBerry, just to store them there. When I make the Truecrypt container, it always gives me a choice between formatting it for FAT or NTFS. I always choose NTFS, because that's my comuter's file system. When it's made I drag and drop it onto my media card for safe keeping. I'm not really sure if what I'm doing with the file system makes any sense. Does it?

Well, It does make sense or i wouldn't be asking this question, cause for me NTFS on my 9900 doesn't work (btw havent tried on OS 7.1) i tried on when i got phone with OS 7.0 the one it was shipped with
So you use it as a data keeper on your SD thats fine, yes it is unaccessable from your Blacberry cause i don't think its gonna read your NTFS filesystem even if it did it wont show you encrypted true crypt data on a mobile phone
and about filesysem if that makes any sense, well if i change my SD card's file system to lets say EXT4, I won't be able to read it on windows or mac

only on linux! understood?

**Tõnis** · 06-01-2012, 03:37 PM

For BlackBerry encryption, first set a password. Then go to Options>Encryption and enable encryption for Device Memory. Choose the strength. If you choose "Stronger," use a password that's at least 12 characters. If you choose "Strongest," use a password that's at least 21 characters. Check "include media files" and decide whether to include contacts. If you include contacts, custom contact alerts will only work when the BlackBerry is unlocked. When the BlackBerry is locked, the phone will ring with the active profile's ringtone. If you don't encrypt contacts and allow outgoing calls while the phone is locked (that option is in the Password settings), a user who goes to make calls while your phone is locked will have access to your contact list.

Next, enable encryption for your media card. "Device Password," "Device Key," and "Device Password and Device Key" are your three options. "Device Password" is the only option that will allow you to view your encrypted media card files in a BlackBerry other than the one you used to encrypt them (so long as you remember your password), but it comes with the small risk that someone who finds or steals your BlackBerry will use software to launch an attack against your media card and extrapolate your BlackBerry's password. The other two modes are not vulnerable to this kind of an attack and are therefore more secure, but make sure you back up your data. If your BlackBerry dies or performs a security wipe, or you do an os reload, that media card data will be unrecoverable if either of the other two modes is in use. Check the box to encrypt media files.

To encrypt files you transfer from your pc to your BlackBerry, you must use the "Files" feature of Desktop Software (version 6 works, not sure which others do). Plug in your BlackBerry, open DTS, enter your password, and click on the "Files" tab. A window will open in DTS, and you can then move files back and forth by dragging and dropping them from your computer's explorer windows to the DTS window and back. Do not use the USB (mass storage) mode to move files you want encrypted on your media card (they won't be encrypted) or to move/backup encrypted files to your pc (they will be useless and unencryptable). I would encrypt pictures and personal videos by tranferring them to your media card using BlackBerry Desktop Software's "Files" feature, but I wouldn't bother to encrypt music. Just drag that onto your media card using USB mode (not with DTS's Files).

**Pete6** · 06-01-2012, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by linux.bbm

Well kinda yeah

I am stuck with it but its working fine anyway

I did encrypted my SD card once, and i wiped the phone and i couldn't recover data no more on MMC? why is that?
Anything you could help me understanding encryption and decryption on Blackberry i would be thankful

I have never used encryption on my BlackBerry file system. I am puzzled as to why you could encrypt your Media Card data, wipe the phone and then not be able to recover your Media Card data via the phone.

The only thing I can think of is that the encryption uses a one-time seed to encrypt and that is not replicated across OS rebuilds. It seems to be both logical and illogical as an explanation.

It would seem clear from what you say that you would need to either use the BlackBerry to allow USB Drive type access to the Media Card prior top OS updating or, to remove the encryption from the Media Card prior to OS upgrading. I think that I would prefer the last choice since it would leave the Media Card immediately readable after the upgrade. Then you could re-encrypt it.

I had a quick look at the BlackBerry knowledge base and here's the page I found. BlackBerry Knowledge Base

As I said, I am no expert here so you will have to look through a number of articles yourself. at least it's a start.

**Tõnis** · 06-01-2012, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by linux.bbm

Well, It does make sense or i wouldn't be asking this question, cause for me NTFS on my 9900 doesn't work (btw havent tried on OS 7.1) i tried on when i got phone with OS 7.0 the one it was shipped with
So you use it as a data keeper on your SD thats fine, yes it is unaccessable from your Blacberry cause i don't think its gonna read your NTFS filesystem even if it did it wont show you encrypted true crypt data on a mobile phone
and about filesysem if that makes any sense, well if i change my SD card's file system to lets say EXT4, I won't be able to read it on windows or mac

only on linux! understood?

I think so. I always format the media card in my BlackBerry and encrypt everything I access from my BlackBerry (device memory and media card). I purposely buy a larger capacity card than I need so I can store my TrueCrypt computer files on my card, kind of like offsite backup and storage in my back pocket.

**Tõnis** · 06-01-2012, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Pete6

I have never used encryption on my BlackBerry file system. I am puzzled as to why you could encrypt your Media Card data, wipe the phone and then not be able to recover your Media Card data via the phone.

The only thing I can think of is that the encryption uses a one-time seed to encrypt and that is not replicated across OS rebuilds. It seems to be both logical and illogical as an explanation.

It would seem clear from what you say that you would need to either use the BlackBerry to allow USB Drive type access to the Media Card prior top OS updating or, to remove the encryption from the Media Card prior to OS upgrading. I think that I would prefer the last choice since it would leave the Media Card immediately readable after the upgrade. Then you could re-encrypt it.

I had a quick look at the BlackBerry knowledge base and here's the page I found. BlackBerry Knowledge Base

As I said, I am no expert here so you will have to look through a number of articles yourself. at least it's a start.

"Device Password" is the only media card encryption mode that will allow your encrypted media card files to be decrypted in a different BlackBerry (or the same BlackBerry if you do a security wipe) so long as you remember the password. The other two modes both use a device key which will be unavailable on a different BlackBerry or lost on the same BlackBerry if a security wipe is performed.

**linuxbbm** · 06-01-2012, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by Tõnis

I think so. I always format the media card in my BlackBerry and encrypt everything I access from my BlackBerry (device memory and media card). I purposely buy a larger capacity card than I need so I can store my TrueCrypt computer files on my card, kind of like offsite backup and storage in my back pocket.

True yes

When i was on Nokia i used to do that too, And people actually just put files in a zip folder and drag it to the SD, but that's accessible on a PC not on a phone unless you access it on a PC and its not encrypted

**linuxbbm** · 06-01-2012, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by Tõnis

"Device Password" is the only media card encryption mode that will allow your encrypted media card files to be decrypted in a different BlackBerry (or the same BlackBerry if you do a security wipe) so long as you remember the password. The other two modes both use a device key which will be unavailable on a different BlackBerry or lost on the same BlackBerry if a security wipe is performed.

Thanks a lot

Lets say i have encrypted SD Card and i did a phone wipe and i had to insert into another (a different BB) and want to access my data, what exactly will i have to do next after putting the SD card back, and how do i make it accessible on the same phone i just wiped
cause once i did that and dad became unacceptable to me on my same phone after a wipe, Please tell me in detail i will be thankful

Cause i'm thinking to encrypt my SD Card

**Tõnis** · 06-01-2012, 04:14 PM

Well, here's what I found when I tried it. If you use "Device Password" to encrypt your media card files, and you put the media card in a different BlackBerry, a message will pop up that says, "A media card with encrypted files has been detected. Please enter your password to access the media card files" (or something to that effect). When you enter your password, it will ask if you want to change your media card password to the new BlackBerry's password. Either way, whether you choose yes or no, your files will be completely accessible in the new BlackBerry. If you choose not to change the media card's password to the new BlackBerry's password, you'll have to go through the same steps (entering the password, choosing yes or no) each time you take the card out or reboot the phone. Now, I can't remember if a security wipe wipes the media card, but let's say you've taken your media card out and do a security wipe and put it back in, the BlackBerry will see the card as coming from a another BlackBerry and ask you for it's password.

So, very important. If you choose a mode other than "Device Password," make sure you've properly backed up your media card files. If a security wipe wipes the media card (I'll look into it), it's worth backing up your media card data then, too.

**Tõnis** · 06-01-2012, 04:23 PM

Okay, I just looked at the security wipe options and wiping the media card is a selectable option when doing a voluntary security wipe. You don't have to wipe it. But I'm not sure what the phone will do if it's an involuntary security wipe like when you enter the password incorrectly more than the preset allowed attempts, and the phone wipes. I'm not sure if then it will wipe the card. I don't think so, but I'm not sure. Worth looking into if you don't plan to back up the files anywhere else.