iPad File corruption on copy to external storage

[Ludatyk]

Thanks. So what shall I do now? I have deleted that "Affinity Designer Documents" folder from Home of FB Pro.

What I’m trying to understand is… what is your end goal? Why do you want to access Affinity Designer files in the FBPro app?

I have Affinity Designer & FB app…. my Affinity Designer files are located within it. Now, I can always open a file in Affinity Designer and export the file to share it to whomever. You have to understand… that iPadOS is not a traditional OS where you can store all your files similar to File Explorer for Windows or Finder for macOS.

 

[hajime]

What I’m trying to understand is… what is your end goal? Why do you want to access Affinity Designer files in the FBPro app?

I have Affinity Designer & FB app…. my Affinity Designer files are located within it. Now, I can always open a file in Affinity Designer and export the file to share it to whomever. You have to understand… that iPadOS is not a traditional OS where you can store all your files similar to File Explorer for Windows or Finder for macOS.

End goal is to easily backup or share user files created from different apps between iPad and PC.

 

[hajime]

Now I can get some app folders showing up in ‘on my iPad’ in the files app. However those folders do not show up in Firebrowser Pro. Where are they? Is there a good place to learn how to use Firebrowser Pro? I don’t find the online manual useful especially with the issues I have encountered. I guess it is more like a reference manual rather than user manual or tutorial on how to do this or that using the app.

 

[sparksd]

Where is a good place to learn how to use Firebrowser Pro? I don’t find the online manual useful especially with the issues I have encountered. I guess it is more like a reference manual rather than user manual or tutorial on how to do this or that using the app.

If you have specific questions, send them to Stratospherix Support - they've been real responsive to me in the past.

 

[hajime]

I have several email exchanges with them but I don’t understand what they were talking about. I may add a NAS at home later. Maybe not. Not sure yet. If I just want to exchange individual user files between my iPad and a Windows PC, can I live without Firebrowser Pro? I found the app difficult to use and understand. I read some forum members said copying files to usb storage using the stock Files app is unstable. What other app can I use?

 

[sparksd]

I have several email exchanges with them but I don’t understand what they were talking about. I may add a NAS at home later. Maybe not. Not sure yet. If I just want to exchange individual user files between my iPad and a Windows PC, can I live without Firebrowser Pro? I found the app difficult to use and understand. I read some forum members said copying files to usb storage using the stock Files app is unstable. What other app can I use?

FE File Explorer and Documents by Readdle are other options but they all work pretty much the same, with some having more functionality than others.

 

[UltimoInfierno]

Now I can get some app folders showing up in ‘on my iPad’ in the files app. However those folders do not show up in Firebrowser Pro. Where are they? Is there a good place to learn how to use Firebrowser Pro? I don’t find the online manual useful especially with the issues I have encountered. I guess it is more like a reference manual rather than user manual or tutorial on how to do this or that using the app.

You do not have problems with the App. You have problems with Apples storage security surrounding Apps.

Short version: Originally iOS Apps could only access their “own memory” (memory, that could only be accessed, modified or even seen by the App).

Today, in simplified view, each App has “private memory” (ONLY accessible by the map), locally - on device - shared folder (memory, you can access via Files), Which is created by the App (do NOT remove) and iCluod folders (created by the App for specific sharing - do NOT delete). The latter is typically used for exchanging files between several devices. One example - among many - is Affinity Photos, where the iCloud folders is intended to be shared by the App - maybe between you iPad and Mac, but also possible to your Affinity Photo on a Windows 10 machine.

The last few iCloud versions allowed user created folders, and Files got other possibilities (not always handled reliably). If you view the folder types this way, you’ll have less problems:

Private memory
Not visible outside the App (typically not by the user either). Purely internal use.

Device only memory
Data folder that can be accessed only on the physical device (do NOT delete). Not everything should be assumed to be freely accessible for modification or deletion (some apps may store bookkeeping info on content)

iCloud memory
Data sharing folder across devices with access to iCloud (do NOT delete). It is not necessarily a given, that all available content should be modified (some is app bookkeeping of content).

General memory
User created folders in iCloud, on network shares, Google folders, OneNote folders etc. You can in principle do anything here, IF the creator has allowed you full access (some folders may be readonly - just to name an example). Whether it is intelligent to delete or modify anything here depends…. on a lot of conditions

This weird and thoroughly complicated use of memory in iOS and iPad is a reflection of the step by step evolution of an app only private memory system over time. In many views, iOS needs a thorough cleanup in the file system. If that will ever happen, is anyone guess. The current design is a real mess.

Hope this will help.

 

[hajime]

FE File Explorer and Documents by Readdle are other options but they all work pretty much the same, with some having more functionality than others.

Thanks. Are they reliable in copying files to usb storage?

 

[sparksd]

Thanks. Are they reliable in copying files to usb storage?

I have them but don't use them and can't say. As I mentioned earlier, the native Files app has problems with writing to - but not reading from - external storage formatted exFAT. Every test I have done with Files that failed, I have repeated using FileBrowser without a problem.

 

[hajime]

I tried them but didn’t see the usb flash drive mounted. Anyway, tried to copy files back and forth between a flash usb drive and iPad using just the Files app. So far so good. When I opened the thumb drive in Windows, I noticed each file has another copy with a dot at the beginning of the filename. What is that? Is it safe to delete those files? If not, how do I make them invisible?

 

[hajime]

You do not have problems with the App. You have problems with Apples storage security surrounding Apps.

Short version: Originally iOS Apps could only access their “own memory” (memory, that could only be accessed, modified or even seen by the App).

Today, in simplified view, each App has “private memory” (ONLY accessible by the map), locally - on device - shared folder (memory, you can access via Files), Which is created by the App (do NOT remove) and iCluod folders (created by the App for specific sharing - do NOT delete). The latter is typically used for exchanging files between several devices. One example - among many - is Affinity Photos, where the iCloud folders is intended to be shared by the App - maybe between you iPad and Mac, but also possible to your Affinity Photo on a Windows 10 machine.

The last few iCloud versions allowed user created folders, and Files got other possibilities (not always handled reliably). If you view the folder types this way, you’ll have less problems:

Private memory
Not visible outside the App (typically not by the user either). Purely internal use.

Device only memory
Data folder that can be accessed only on the physical device (do NOT delete). Not everything should be assumed to be freely accessible for modification or deletion (some apps may store bookkeeping info on content)

iCloud memory
Data sharing folder across devices with access to iCloud (do NOT delete). It is not necessarily a given, that all available content should be modified (some is app bookkeeping of content).

General memory
User created folders in iCloud, on network shares, Google folders, OneNote folders etc. You can in principle do anything here, IF the creator has allowed you full access (some folders may be readonly - just to name an example). Whether it is intelligent to delete or modify anything here depends…. on a lot of conditions

This weird and thoroughly complicated use of memory in iOS and iPad is a reflection of the step by step evolution of an app only private memory system over time. In many views, iOS needs a thorough cleanup in the file system. If that will ever happen, is anyone guess. The current design is a real mess.

Hope this will help.

Thanks for the history. It is a mess. Apple should spend time on iOS rather than new version of iPad.

I was able to drag a photo file from usb flash drive to Affinity Designer folder on iPad. In the case of pdf, where is the best place to copy it to in the iPad? Tried to drag it to Downloads and pdf expert folders but didn’t work.

 

[UltimoInfierno]

I tried them but didn’t see the usb flash drive mounted. Anyway, tried to copy files back and forth between a flash usb drive and iPad using just the Files app. So far so good. When I opened the thumb drive in Windows, I noticed each file has another copy with a dot at the beginning of the filename. What is that? Is it safe to delete those files? If not, how do I make them invisible?

Unless you tell, what the file is actually named, it is not possible to know.

The typical file in folder content originating from an Apple system is ".DS_Files", and that holds informations/attributes of the storage, as the content is seen from the "Apple side" of things. If you display the files in a (typically) a Windows system (or with "show hidden files" in some Apps), this file becomes visible.

If it is ONLY this file (that is normally never shown in iOS/iPad or on macOS), the only side effect is, that the "Apple side" - the next time the folder is used/displayd - will again be added by the OS. Read more here: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.DS_Store"

It is in some ways similar to the "desktop.ini" hidden files in Windows, that has a tendency to become visible on Mac systems or if you make hidden files visible in Windows (https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001060.htm ;-)

But files with leading dots are per definition system files in Linux/Unix and macOS, as well as in NAS systems, and if you delete those files, the effect can be dramatic (crashing, confusing backup or mail systems etc.).

What I do not understand, is why you're displaying this urge to delete everything unexpected coming your way. It doesn't harm you. It may be of real even vital importance in some circumstances, and innocent in others, but most "dot-something" files (or folders) actually have some kind of meaning or purpose.

When you work across different operating systems (Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS Linux, Unix, Android etc.) you learn to ignore these files.

Regards

 

[UltimoInfierno]

Thanks for the history. It is a mess. Apple should spend time on iOS rather than new version of iPad.

I was able to drag a photo file from usb flash drive to Affinity Designer folder on iPad. In the case of pdf, where is the best place to copy it to in the iPad? Tried to drag it to Downloads and pdf expert folders but didn’t work.

In a way, you're right, but iOS and iPadOS is very similar, and they are based on the file systems used in the Mac (or earlier).

The problem is, that the basic security system for iOS, is fundamentally dependent on this "mess", and any significant alteration of current behaviour, may compromise a lot of software (that depend on the "hidden and private" folder for security elements in their base configuration).

If the current iOS/ipaOS approach would be altered, it would - possibly - affect hundreds of thousands of apps. Whether they would work in an "insecure state" is hard to tell. Erring on the safe side, would make it impossible to use them on a revised iOS, but also create a lot of joy in developers circles, since a drastically altered iOS file system (let's say APFS as on Mac) would force users to upgrade, and the opportunity to release completely new versions, would obviously require users to pay for that privilege (most developers will - ahem - do that very reluctantly, while they smile on the way to the bank ;-)

Maybe Apple has deviced a slow - step by step - approach over several major iOS updates to reach a "sane solution" over the coming years. Who knows? I wouldn't hold my breath, though. It's a really tough task, even if you decide, that billions in profits, should go to the "cleanup" instead of the shareholders.

Anyone is free to judge, was is most probable in his or hers own opinion.

Regards

 

[UltimoInfierno]

Thanks for the history. It is a mess. Apple should spend time on iOS rather than new version of iPad.

I was able to drag a photo file from usb flash drive to Affinity Designer folder on iPad. In the case of pdf, where is the best place to copy it to in the iPad? Tried to drag it to Downloads and pdf expert folders but didn’t work.

There are no best solutions in every case.

What are your objectives?

In general, in your case, I would assign one directory to imports, let's call it "imports". You can place it in "iCloud", if you suspect, that the files will be of general importance. Then the contents are automatically transferred to all devices, and it does not matter, which device, the files are imported into.

Since you seem to use Windows too, I would suggest, that you perform all imports to iCloud on your PC (easier, more flexible, less hazzle etc.). That way, the files will also be accessible on iPhone, iPad and Macs (only problem is NAS and server systems, where integration of iCloud can be everything from a stability over a security hazard to completely impossible in real life).

Regards

 

[tliu93]

I have created an account just for this issue. I looks like the issue is still there on the latest iPad OS (15.2).

I have faced similar issue this week, during our ski trip in Austria. I have a GoPro 10 and I brought only 2 128GB SD cards with me, each day we shot 20GB-100GB of videos. So I also brought a Samsung T5 SSD for backing up videos. The T5 SSD is formatted to exFat because I want it to be usable on both my macs, iPad, and Windows PC.

I have a 2021 iPad Pro with me, so I brought it to use it as a simple computer during our trip. I used an Anker usb c hub for backup. So my I connected the usb hub to my iPad, and inserted SD card to hub then plugged in my t5 to hub as well. Sometimes I need to try a few times to let the iPad to recognise the disk. Then I used Files app to copy all the videos directly to T5 SSD.

During the first few days it was okay, all files are copied properly and we could view the videos from T5 on the iPad. On the third or fourth day of our trip, after copying around 80GB of video, I realised that most of the videos of the day before was corrupted. Some of them are showing zero bytes, and the others are not playable anymore. More than 50% of the video are corrupted. See the screenshot when I later checked on a computer.

Only the videos with proper thumbnails are playable, those with VLC icons or zero bytes size are not playable at all. So as you can see most of the files are broken.

I still don't understand what was the cause of this issue, to me it looks like the new copy only affects files from the day before. Older files was not corrupted. And only copying large amount of file (> 50GB) will affect older files.

During the trip I thought my T5 was broken, but actually it works fine. I am wondering if there are working solutions for that.

I saw the recommendation of FileBrowser, but it's not free I think, not even sure it will solve my problem. Formatting my T5 to APFS/HFS+ will make it not usable on my Windows PC, I prefer not to do it.

 

[sparksd]

I have created an account just for this issue. I looks like the issue is still there on the latest iPad OS (15.2).

I have faced similar issue this week, during our ski trip in Austria. I have a GoPro 10 and I brought only 2 128GB SD cards with me, each day we shot 20GB-100GB of videos. So I also brought a Samsung T5 SSD for backing up videos. The T5 SSD is formatted to exFat because I want it to be usable on both my macs, iPad, and Windows PC.

I have a 2021 iPad Pro with me, so I brought it to use it as a simple computer during our trip. I used an Anker usb c hub for backup. So my I connected the usb hub to my iPad, and inserted SD card to hub then plugged in my t5 to hub as well. Sometimes I need to try a few times to let the iPad to recognise the disk. Then I used Files app to copy all the videos directly to T5 SSD.

During the first few days it was okay, all files are copied properly and we could view the videos from T5 on the iPad. On the third or fourth day of our trip, after copying around 80GB of video, I realised that most of the videos of the day before was corrupted. Some of them are showing zero bytes, and the others are not playable anymore. More than 50% of the video are corrupted. See the screenshot when I later checked on a computer.
View attachment 1944731

Only the videos with proper thumbnails are playable, those with VLC icons or zero bytes size are not playable at all. So as you can see most of the files are broken.

I still don't understand what was the cause of this issue, to me it looks like the new copy only affects files from the day before. Older files was not corrupted. And only copying large amount of file (> 50GB) will affect older files.

During the trip I thought my T5 was broken, but actually it works fine. I am wondering if there are working solutions for that.

I saw the recommendation of FileBrowser, but it's not free I think, not even sure it will solve my problem. Formatting my T5 to APFS/HFS+ will make it not usable on my Windows PC, I prefer not to do it.

I do the same type of copying - I copy from a photo SD card with RAW images to a T5 or T7 SSD (I have both) formatted exFAT. The storage devices are connected via an Anker hub to my 2021 12.9 Pro. I use FileBrowser Pro to do the copy - it can access both drives in the hub after I add them as locations. I have not seen the same copy failures with it that I have seen with the Files. Is the app free? No, nor would I expect it to be. But it works, making it a good purchase.

 

[UltimoInfierno]

I have created an account just for this issue. I looks like the issue is still there on the latest iPad OS (15.2).

I have faced similar issue this week, during our ski trip in Austria. I have a GoPro 10 and I brought only 2 128GB SD cards with me, each day we shot 20GB-100GB of videos. So I also brought a Samsung T5 SSD for backing up videos. The T5 SSD is formatted to exFat because I want it to be usable on both my macs, iPad, and Windows PC.

I have a 2021 iPad Pro with me, so I brought it to use it as a simple computer during our trip. I used an Anker usb c hub for backup. So my I connected the usb hub to my iPad, and inserted SD card to hub then plugged in my t5 to hub as well. Sometimes I need to try a few times to let the iPad to recognise the disk. Then I used Files app to copy all the videos directly to T5 SSD.

During the first few days it was okay, all files are copied properly and we could view the videos from T5 on the iPad. On the third or fourth day of our trip, after copying around 80GB of video, I realised that most of the videos of the day before was corrupted. Some of them are showing zero bytes, and the others are not playable anymore. More than 50% of the video are corrupted. See the screenshot when I later checked on a computer.
View attachment 1944731

Only the videos with proper thumbnails are playable, those with VLC icons or zero bytes size are not playable at all. So as you can see most of the files are broken.

I still don't understand what was the cause of this issue, to me it looks like the new copy only affects files from the day before. Older files was not corrupted. And only copying large amount of file (> 50GB) will affect older files.

During the trip I thought my T5 was broken, but actually it works fine. I am wondering if there are working solutions for that.

I saw the recommendation of FileBrowser, but it's not free I think, not even sure it will solve my problem. Formatting my T5 to APFS/HFS+ will make it not usable on my Windows PC, I prefer not to do it.

Both FileBrowser and FileExplorer have “free versions” (as far as I remember). I have licensed both, but prefer the last, since it allows a kind of “AirDrop” between iOS and Android (both ways). Test them.

The simplest and always working solution is: “Never use Files in iOS or ipadOS for external transfers via USB, if you want to be absolutely sure, that your data survives undamaged”. It really is that simple.

Provocation (but true): Or buy a modern Android smartphone as “travel data manager”, if you want to avoid carrying a PC or Mac notebook along.

My iPads (pro or not) have not been allowed near any external media in earnest the last 12-18 months (Except for testing purposes involving large transfers with File - just to confirm, that file/content damage is still the main trait of using Files).

Apple knows this, but clearly does not make a real effort to remedy the Files behavior, once and for all. Handling ExFAT in a secure way, is not rocket science. Even most really cheap, ten year old point-and-shoot cameras from two-bit outfits work more reliable, than the Files app from the two-billion dollar Apple company. Why is that?

My Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 500GB (+400 GB internal uSDXC) from 2019 runs rings around any iPhone and most iPads - even my own Pro’s. On the USB-C connection I read up to 275 MByte/s and write up to 250 MByte/s (large video files) directly from an external SanDisk Extreme 500GB (or 1TB) SSD, and using an old and trusted USB-C powered hub I get around 200MB/sec transfers (now SD and uSD cards are also connected, as well as up to several external SSD’s plus the odd ordinary 2TB HDD for extra backup. Naturally while having full output to Full HD - 1080p - HDMI on the hotel TV). With Bluetooth keyboard and mouse - working as a mouse and not a finger replacement - I have a fairly usable desktop replacement (the Samsung scales Word, Excel etc. into “desktop like“ overlapping windows - quite similar to the overlapping windows on Windows or MacOS).

This critter is now on Android 11 with monthly security upgrades; last one this January. Video recording is up to 2268p/HDR10/500+megabit/second h265, when using FilMiC Pro.

I have not experienced damaged media, content or transfer date to/from the Samsung since getting it unpacked. It’s the modern version of Gnarbox 2 (now defunct, it seems), but far more flexible as a media travel tool.

My iPhone 12 Pro only has ProRAW foto format as a benefit, that’s really all (but then, even my many, many years older Panasonic LX100 handles video much better at f1.8 on the comparably “ginormous” near 4/3 format sensor. True bliss for low light videos, when traveling ;-)

If you make sure, that an old Android flagship is still supported, and that the flagship actually supports USB 3.x (some flagships use USB-C but still only support USB 2.0 speeds), you could probably benefit from the better reliability of Android for your use case, compared to iOS/ipadOS.

Regards

 

[sparksd]

Both FileBrowser and FileExplorer have “free versions” (as far as I remember). I have licensed both, but prefer the last, since it allows a kind of “AirDrop” between iOS and Android (both ways). Test them.

The simplest and always working solution is: “Never use Files in iOS or ipadOS for external transfers via USB, if you want to be absolutely sure, that your data survives undamaged”. It really is that simple.

Provocation (but true): Or buy a modern Android smartphone as “travel data manager”, if you want to avoid carrying a PC or Mac notebook along.

My iPads (pro or not) have not been allowed near any external media in earnest the last 12-18 months (Except for testing purposes involving large transfers with File - just to confirm, that file/content damage is still the main trait of using Files).

Apple knows this, but clearly does not make a real effort to remedy the Files behavior, once and for all. Handling ExFAT in a secure way, is not rocket science. Even most really cheap, ten year old point-and-shoot cameras from two-bit outfits work more reliable, than the Files app from the two-billion dollar Apple company. Why is that?

My Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 500GB (+400 GB internal uSDXC) from 2019 runs rings around any iPhone and most iPads - even my own Pro’s. On the USB-C connection I read up to 275 MByte/s and write up to 250 MByte/s (large video files) directly from an external SanDisk Extreme 500GB (or 1TB) SSD, and using an old and trusted USB-C powered hub I get around 200MB/sec transfers (now SD and uSD cards are also connected, as well as up to several external SSD’s plus the odd ordinary 2TB HDD for extra backup. Naturally while having full output to Full HD - 1080p - HDMI on the hotel TV). With Bluetooth keyboard and mouse - working as a mouse and not a finger replacement - I have a fairly usable desktop replacement (the Samsung scales Word, Excel etc. into “desktop like“ overlapping windows - quite similar to the overlapping windows on Windows or MacOS).

This critter is now on Android 11 with monthly security upgrades; last one this January. Video recording is up to 2268p/HDR10/500+megabit/second h265, when using FilMiC Pro.

I have not experienced damaged media, content or transfer date to/from the Samsung since getting it unpacked. It’s the modern version of Gnarbox 2 (now defunct, it seems), but far more flexible as a media travel tool.

My iPhone 12 Pro only has ProRAW foto format as a benefit, that’s really all (but then, even my many, many years older Panasonic LX100 handles video much better at f1.8 on the comparably “ginormous” near 4/3 format sensor. True bliss for low light videos, when traveling ;-)

If you make sure, that an old Android flagship is still supported, and that the flagship actually supports USB 3.x (some flagships use USB-C but still only support USB 2.0 speeds), you could probably benefit from the better reliability of Android for your use case, compared to iOS/ipadOS.

Regards

I'll pass on that. I've been doing lots of file transfers using FB Pro for a long time now (I started this thread almost two years ago) and have not had any issues with it (all to/from exFAT storage). I also still have 6 Android tablets (and returned a seventh, a Galaxy Tab S7+) and really have no desire to return to Android. Even with the custom ROMs I installed, I'd rather stick with iOS/iPadOS (I replaced my Android phones with a 12 Pro Max).

 

[UltimoInfierno]

I'll pass on that. I've been doing lots of file transfers using FB Pro for a long time now (I started this thread almost two years ago) and have not had any issues with it (all to/from exFAT storage). I also still have 6 Android tablets (and returned a seventh, a Galaxy Tab S7+) and really have no desire to return to Android. Even with the custom ROMs I installed, I'd rather stick with iOS/iPadOS (I replaced my Android phones with a 12 Pro Max).

I hear you, but I commented on Files (the goto "official standard file manager" on iOS and iPadOS).

Most users try to use Files, also in connection with ExFAT formatted external and/or movable media of virtually any kind (practically a standard for accessing camera media for at least ten if not fifteen or twenty years).

Apple is not handling ExFAT formatted media well, to be polite.

Since Apple is not necessarily forthright, when it comes to externally connected media, most users will obviously try to use Files. We both know, all reading this thread in fact know, that for certain tasks, there is a fair chance, that transferred data content may be “damaged”, and also the actual content of the external media, may be unreliable after “Apple processing”. Irreparable data loss may be the consequence. If File is used.

If that involves memories from a once in a life time travel - especially if done under the hardships of an epidemic - I'll understand, if a user gets "slightly miffed" (an extremely polite term ;-); especially if that happens as a consequence of an attempt to create a backup in the first place.

Most over the counter (or mail order) retail media also comes ExFAT formatted in order to minimize end user support issues. How many hundred millions of USB sticks and external drives (SSD or HDD) are flung into the world each year?

This “tiny” two billion dollar company, called Apple, is still not able to handle the most wide spread “alternative” file system - ExFAT - for cross platform access in a safe, reliable and trustworthy fashion.

Is that really acceptable?

How are the ordinary users to know, how to avoid putting the safety of their data at risk, when Apple is being very coy - the diplomatic term - in this matter?

I answered the most recent example of a user inadvertently getting “clubbered” by using Files. Probably by no fault of the user.

If iPad Pro users get the idea to try to use Files - an obvious choice for the uninitiated expecting "near notebook performance" (ahem) - they cannot be blamed. We know, that some will get burned and loose data, that cannot be easily replaced. Nowhere does Apple state, that it is a good idea to have a backup of the media, you plan to use with the Files App - depending on the intended use.

Is that fair to the users?

If someone, somewhere gets really annoyed (I was tempted to use a word starting with “p” and accompanied by the word "off" to emphasize the sentiment) and has the connections and wherewithal, there’s a potential law suit - even a class action - waiting to happen.

Regards

 

[Chaparral02]

I have created an account just for this issue. I looks like the issue is still there on the latest iPad OS (15.2).

I have faced similar issue this week, during our ski trip in Austria. I have a GoPro 10 and I brought only 2 128GB SD cards with me, each day we shot 20GB-100GB of videos. So I also brought a Samsung T5 SSD for backing up videos. The T5 SSD is formatted to exFat because I want it to be usable on both my macs, iPad, and Windows PC.

I have a 2021 iPad Pro with me, so I brought it to use it as a simple computer during our trip. I used an Anker usb c hub for backup. So my I connected the usb hub to my iPad, and inserted SD card to hub then plugged in my t5 to hub as well. Sometimes I need to try a few times to let the iPad to recognise the disk. Then I used Files app to copy all the videos directly to T5 SSD.

During the first few days it was okay, all files are copied properly and we could view the videos from T5 on the iPad. On the third or fourth day of our trip, after copying around 80GB of video, I realised that most of the videos of the day before was corrupted. Some of them are showing zero bytes, and the others are not playable anymore. More than 50% of the video are corrupted. See the screenshot when I later checked on a computer.
View attachment 1944731

Only the videos with proper thumbnails are playable, those with VLC icons or zero bytes size are not playable at all. So as you can see most of the files are broken.

I still don't understand what was the cause of this issue, to me it looks like the new copy only affects files from the day before. Older files was not corrupted. And only copying large amount of file (> 50GB) will affect older files.

During the trip I thought my T5 was broken, but actually it works fine. I am wondering if there are working solutions for that.

I saw the recommendation of FileBrowser, but it's not free I think, not even sure it will solve my problem. Formatting my T5 to APFS/HFS+ will make it not usable on my Windows PC, I prefer not to do it.

It comes to something when a £1000+ apple pro device can't even back up simple files to an external device ?

 

[Shirasaki]

This “tiny” two billion dollar company, called Apple, is still not able to handle the most wide spread “alternative” file system - ExFAT - for cross platform access in a safe, reliable and trustworthy fashion.

It's not they are "unable to" support exFAT, but rather they "choose not to", otherwise they'd offer at least decent performance and reliability right from the get-go. Get this: Apple STILL believe regular users should have ZERO access to any sort of file system whatsoever, even including managing their own. It's ingrained into their design philosophy, which is only slightly moved by constant customer complain and maybe some negative media coverage.

When the File app was introduced in iPadOS 13, I quickly figured out the file app was an absolute joke at copying anything, ANYTHING, yes, not even a single 4KB text file. It might succeed, but more often than not it will fail. More than 2 files? Good luck. APFS is the most reliable file system choice compatible with iPad Pro, naturally.

Until Apple changes their stance against files and filesystem, Files app will continue to be such piece of %#&@(*#$ and #@*(#^*(@!$, unsuitable for any sort of use, professional or not, and iPad will never replace any MacBook for anyone who wants more than web browsing and content consumption.

 

[UltimoInfierno]

[cut…]Files app will continue to be such piece of %#&@(*#$ and #@*(#^*(@!$[…cut]

Clear cut!

Couldn’t have said it better myself (you should hear, how it sounds - with the right emphasis - in my native language ;-)

Regards and a big smile

 

[hajime]

I think I read somewhere that if we use Apple's iCloud, home NAS or Dropbox, then there will be no issue in using Apple's Files?

 

[Chaparral02]

I think I read somewhere that if we use Apple's iCloud, home NAS or Dropbox, then there will be no issue in using Apple's Files?

Can you use any of these to transfer the files from an ipad to a USB stick or USB SSD storage ?

 

[hajime]

Can you use any of these to transfer the files from an ipad to a USB stick or USB SSD storage ?

I guess using these we don't need to connect the iPad directly to an USB device thus avoid the file corruption issue?
In my case I only need to transfer user files between iPad and Windows or perhaps also Linux PC. If I can do it reliably, skipping usb storage is fine for me.