Patitioning SD Card

[fvaughan79]

Can anyone provide some help with partitioning my SD card and apps2sd? Before coming to MIUI, I had read somewhere that it required a partitioned SD to save apps to SD card. With this in mind, I partitioned my SD with Rom Manager. I have been able to manually move some (not all) apps to the sd, but under sd settings, it says "this device does not support a2sd+". Am I missing something or go wrong along the way?

[magiman7]

Can anyone provide some help with partitioning my SD card and apps2sd? Before coming to MIUI, I had read somewhere that it required a partitioned SD to save apps to SD card. With this in mind, I partitioned my SD with Rom Manager. I have been able to manually move some (not all) apps to the sd, but under sd settings, it says "this device does not support a2sd+". Am I missing something or go wrong along the way?

This isn't really answering your question, but you do not NEED to partition your SD Card to move apps that support the native GB a2sd. Do not worry about what it says under SD Settings. If you go to manage applications, you will see that you have an SD tab, and you can move any of those apps to the sd card. If any of them fail (which can happen when they are restored using MIUI Backup), just uninstall and reinstall them from the market, you will then be able to move them to sd card.

[individual11]

Can anyone provide some help with partitioning my SD card and apps2sd? Before coming to MIUI, I had read somewhere that it required a partitioned SD to save apps to SD card. With this in mind, I partitioned my SD with Rom Manager. I have been able to manually move some (not all) apps to the sd, but under sd settings, it says "this device does not support a2sd+". Am I missing something or go wrong along the way?

There are really 2 (more probably) predominant ways of moving apps to the sd card.

The first is the froyo/apps2sd method that is included in this rom. You DO NOT need to have an ext partition to do this. Go to settings>progams>manage applications>on sd card and you can move them manually there. Just check the radio button and move them, and they are mostly transferred to the .android/secure section of the FAT partition of the sd card. This does free up internal space, but it has several problems. One is that there is always some of the app left on internal, and that can still fill up and give low memory errors. The second is that many apps do not work well when transferred, and many widgits do not work when moved.

The second method, also included in this rom, is the A2SD+ / DarkTremor DT-a2sd method. This REQUIRES an ext partition on your sd card. What it does is make a link between the internal /data/app to the sd-ext and installs apps there. You can move the dalvik cache over as well (requires use of terminal command or loading a2sdgui from the android market and moving it, which is the easier way). Moving the dalvik cache frees up a lot of space on internal. For this to work, you must have an ext3 partition AND you must not have apps moved using the froyo/apps2sd method because it breaks the a2sd+. In order to use this, make an ext partition, flash the rom as normal and load the apps. The a2sd+ in the rom should take care of moving them automagically. If you want to move the dalvik for more space, load a2sdgui from market and click move and rebuild under the dalvik tab.

If you want to partition the sd card and do this, there are a lot of posts with that info on the forums, the easiest way to do so is rom manager or amon-ra recovery. You can do it on the computer if you have gparted. Generally you want the ext partition to be ext3, generally about 512mb to 1gb, and no (e.g, zero) swap. Back up what you want from the sd card before you do it on the computer, but do not back up the system files on the card. Copy back your stuff after you are done. You may have to reflash the rom or reload all your apps once you are done because of this. As a general rule, I only reformat/repartition the sd card right before I am going to reflash a rom and do a fresh install anyway so that it minimizes the inconvenience, that way you only have to do it once while you are doing a fresh flash/install anyway.

[danceswithbongs]

I swear by the app link2sd, free on market and has link to the original XDA thread for the app, to get the most important information regarding set up and how to guides. Also tons of participants to help as well.
By using this method, many of the normal app2sd issues are avoided as you can choose what you want linked and stored on your ext partition. I used rom manager to make the partition as well as a linux swap partition that works flawlessly with swapper2.
Moved applications can still let you use all widgets even though on sd ext partition.
Also allows you to link the dalvik cache files as well. Not sure if you still can't do that with apps2sd.
Give it a spin.
And usually rom manager will need to reformat the SD to make the partitions as at least linux swap partition needs to be specially formatted for linux swap file handling.
Hope you try it out and like the results.
Finding correct script to use in init.d may take some effort but the app will try to script it for you. But you may need to do an insmod for one of the ext modules present in /system/lib/modules/
Enjoy the app and take the time to skim the developers app thread linked to the market page.
danceswithbongs

[Droidlovinyogi]

Thanks for the info fellas. Can anyone elaborate on the differences and pros and cons of the methods described above, and using Titanium Back Up to batch move apps to SD?

[redjak]

Following Dances glowing review I think I'm going to try link2sd after I flash 1.7.8 I'm backing up the card right now. I'm following the "guide" here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=919326. I'm also considering buying a faster class micro-SD and I'm wondering if I clone it from the original if I'll need to re-install all the apps or if Android will recognize it. Thoughts?

[redjak]

@Dances I partitioned my SD with ROM Manager downloaded Links2SD selected ext3 in launch but receive error

Mount Script cannot be created.
mount: mounting /dev/block/void/179:2 on /data/sdext2 failed: No such device.

I assume this is what you referring to with the script in init.d but I that's over my head. Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks!

[danceswithbongs]

@Dances I partitioned my SD with ROM Manager downloaded Links2SD selected ext3 in launch but receive error

Mount Script cannot be created.
mount: mounting /dev/block/void/179:2 on /data/sdext2 failed: No such device.

I assume this is what you referring to with the script in init.d but I that's over my head. Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks!

red
So sorry I never got a notification that you had posted. Please reply as to what and where you are with progress on Link2SD as I can help you create the correct script since I have had to do some new scripting due to certain changes in commands like insmod or modprobe. So if you still haven't gotten it working I hope you are up for giving it another shot.
Just let me know what kernel you are running and results of terminal command lsmod to see what modules need loading to get this sucker running.
Also let me know what ext and jbd modules you have in the system/lib/modules/ folder.
Also I hope everyone else is having success and enjoying the new app and its functionality.
He just made a huge update where you can now multi select what you want moved rather than the one at a time method from the prior version.
I'll keep an eye on this thread to look for your or any other replies regarding how people like the app or any problems encountered that have kept anyone from using it.

walkin the walk while tappin the talk
danceswithbongs

[redjak]

red
So sorry I never got a notification that you had posted. Please reply as to what and where you are with progress on Link2SD as I can help you create the correct script since I have had to do some new scripting due to certain changes in commands like insmod or modprobe. So if you still haven't gotten it working I hope you are up for giving it another shot.
Just let me know what kernel you are running and results of terminal command lsmod to see what modules need loading to get this sucker running.
Also let me know what ext and jbd modules you have in the system/lib/modules/ folder.
Also I hope everyone else is having success and enjoying the new app and its functionality.
He just made a huge update where you can now multi select what you want moved rather than the one at a time method from the prior version.
I'll keep an eye on this thread to look for your or any other replies regarding how people like the app or any problems encountered that have kept anyone from using it.

walkin the walk while tappin the talk
danceswithbongs

Dances Thanks for the response. It's all good, we all get a little busy. You'll have to forgive me as I'm still pretty novice with Android. I know enough to be dangerous, beyond flashing a ROM you might lose me Just got myself a Spankin new Class 10 card so I'm ready to rock this!!

Kernel is 2.6.32.9-cm-stk so default MIUI
I am apparently not intelligent enough to run Ismod. I gave google a searchy and didn't find instructions I could follow. I tried through terminal but it just said there was no such beast.
In System Lib I have ext2.ko ext3.ko and ext4.ko along with jbd.ko and jbd2.ko

Lead and I shall follow and thanks again!

[danceswithbongs]

red
Sent you a pm so we can get you all squared away

Guys don't be jealous, one day you too may receive a pm as well.

walkin the walk while tappin the talk
danceswithbongs

[freakqnc]

I guess I am looking for the same info as it would appear that the most efficient way to move Apps to SD card is to format the SD card using ext3 partition (or is that just ext partition?) So at this point I wanted to ask: is there a step by step guide on how to do that so that I could move as much application and data/cache on the SD and free up the most internal memory on my DROID 1?

Thanks in advance for any info that could point me in the right direction

[danceswithbongs]

I guess I am looking for the same info as it would appear that the most efficient way to move Apps to SD card is to format the SD card using ext3 partition (or is that just ext partition?) So at this point I wanted to ask: is there a step by step guide on how to do that so that I could move as much application and data/cache on the SD and free up the most internal memory on my DROID 1?

Thanks in advance for any info that could point me in the right direction

Freak, go to the market for app Link2SD and install and then go to the apps website link found on the same market page.
Get acquainted and set up as much as you can based on the excellent info provided by the developer and others like myself.
Then pm me with where you get stuck if you do get stuck.
But the apps website thread has the steps you need to get you started on the right track.
This way you'll at least have gotten the set up steps complete so that when I come in we can work pretty quickly to finish the set up.
Specifically the setting up your partition and any of the other steps that take time so we don't need to have big gaps of time when we're dealing with the final steps and stay in the flow.

walkin the walk while tappin the talk
danceswithbongs

[Mandroid]

@Dances I partitioned my SD with ROM Manager downloaded Links2SD selected ext3 in launch but receive error

Mount Script cannot be created.
mount: mounting /dev/block/void/179:2 on /data/sdext2 failed: No such device.

I assume this is what you referring to with the script in init.d but I that's over my head. Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks!

I get this same response... i have a 1gb ext2 partition on my sd card

[danceswithbongs]

Freak and Mandroid and all others interested,
Tonight I am going to be walking redjak through the steps on Google chat. We are going to take the transcript and clean it up and then post it along with the text copied that you will need to add to certain folders.
This way redjak's questions which will be similar to the ones you may have will be shown along with my answers.
Hopefully supplying all with an easy to follow guide.
I am sure there are other ways out there to accomplish the task, and possibly steps I take that aren't necessary, but please understand that this has all been compiled by myself through trial and error. So if something works but has redundancies, feel free to not use those.
I just can't commit time to seeing what isn't needed as then I'd have no time to help others out.
Stay tuned for more information. And mandroid I got your pm but thought this reply would be easier for me to address all that have sought out some help.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.....

[Mandroid]

Hey, I recently had some success with this. I tried going about this several different ways and was finally successful. I used GPartEd (via LiveCD, you should be able to find the download on the GPartEd website) for my partition needs. What worked for me was to delete the rom manager partition, which creates unallocated space, and then create a new partition in it's place. Make it primary, ext3, no flags. Then flash darktremor's a2sd scripts, version 2.5.7.2 worked for me. Reboot, open your terminal, get super user, then type in a2sd check. Should look like this:
$ su
# a2sd check
Check the output. See if it found the partition. If so, your apps should be on the ext3 partition of your sd card, and you're done. Pretty simple once you do it the right way. Another way to check is to open titanium backup. At the overview screen there will be a new category of storage, it will say "SD card (a2sd)"

[danceswithbongs]

Mandroid
That's great to hear.
I am still trying to get Kris set up correctly but we're hitting a bump, though I had him basically do everything I have and used my scripts that work with the last few builds. But we are stuck with him requiring a hotboot after a reboot for them to appear.
That's why I have not released the step by step I mentioned above as I don't want to get everyone close but not all the way there.
We're still working on it and hopefully over the weekend we can narrow down the cause and then go at it until Link2SD surrenders to our will!
I hope that for now if people are waiting for me, they can go the mandroid route to sate their appetites.

walkin the walk while tappin the talk
danceswithbongs

[redjak]

So an update. First of all many thanks to Dances for his patience and assistance!! It looks like Prime who created the scripts set up a flashable fix for the D1 http://www.droidforums.net/forum/tea...ml#post1670107 Basically all you need to do is launch Link2SD and allow it to try to create the script. It will error out likely, reboot into recovery and flash the script creator at the link there and once you're back in Link2SD should work like a champ. Worked for me on one try!