[HOWTO] DTa2sd on MIUI

[justs]

In my last setup, I just partitioned the sd with an ext3, I never ran the dta2sd zip in recovery. Tibackup did pick up the 2gb ext3 I had setup, and I used Apps 2 sd free from the market to move apps to the sd. I'm thinking I messed up two fold, but not flashing that zip, and by using that app I used. Am I gonna have to repartition when I get home?

Well, technically you shouldn't have to repartition. You should start fresh with today's release though and flash DTa2sd before restoring apps. Also, you can use the a2sd app if you really want to, but I don't think there will be any benefit if you are already using DTa2sd. Rememeber to read the OP to see the difference between DTa2sd and stock FroYo a2sd.

Just for the sake of keeping things clean, here is what I would do if I was in your shoes. This is all in the OP BTW. You can modify as you choose, but this is exactly how I would do it:

1. Backup the SD
2. Repartition the SD (via your preferred method)
3. Wipe everything with FORMAT_ALL.zip (or similar)
4. Wipe everything with AmonRA or CWM
5. Do a fresh install of MIUI 1.5.20
6. Flash you desired kernel (or keep stock)
7. Flash DTa2sd zip in the same recovery session
8. Reboot
9. Install Terminal Emulator
10. Open terminal and type

    su
    /system/bin/a2sd check 
    
    (to confirm DTa2sd is installed and working)

    su 
    a2sd cachesd
    
    (to provide even more space by moving cache to SD EXT)

11. Close Terminal
12. Install Titanium Backup
13. Restore preferred apps (restore 10 or so and check Titanium to see a2sd partition is working)
14. Enjoy!

[BIGWORM]

Well, technically you shouldn't have to repartition. You should start fresh with today's release though and flash DTa2sd before restoring apps. Also, you can use the a2sd app if you really want to, but I don't think there will be any benefit if you are already using DTa2sd. Rememeber to read the OP to see the difference between DTa2sd and stock FroYo a2sd.

Just for the sake of keeping things clean, here is what I would do if I was in your shoes. This is all in the OP BTW. You can modify as you choose, but this is exactly how I would do it:

1. Backup the SD
2. Repartition the SD (via your preferred method)
3. Wipe everything with FORMAT_ALL.zip (or similar)
4. Wipe everything with AmonRA or CWM
5. Do a fresh install of MIUI 1.5.20
6. Flash you desired kernel (or keep stock)
7. Flash DTa2sd zip in the same recovery session
8. Reboot
9. Install Terminal Emulator
10. Open terminal and type

    su
    /system/bin/a2sd check 
    
    (to confirm DTa2sd is installed and working)

    su 
    a2sd cachesd
    
    (to provide even more space by moving cache to SD EXT)

11. Close Terminal
12. Install Titanium Backup
13. Restore preferred apps (restore 10 or so and check Titanium to see a2sd partition is working)
14. Enjoy!

Thanks for the help. I believe that apps 2 sd was actually moving apps via the google a2sd. So if a Tom supports dta2sd, I shouldn't have to use tibackup every time I flash a new rom? I'm still so newbie to a2sd. Thanks again.

[justs]

Thanks for the help. I believe that apps 2 sd was actually moving apps via the google a2sd. So if a Tom supports dta2sd, I shouldn't have to use tibackup every time I flash a new rom? I'm still so newbie to a2sd. Thanks again.

In theory, this would be correct, if you are flashing a new MIUI version over a previous MIUI version wiping only dalvik and cache, you shouldn't have to do anything with DTa2sd, it should just continue to work.

If you are coming/going to a new ROM or wipe everything to do a fresh install, then my recommendation is to always flash DTa2sd in recovery directly after the new ROM and before restoring apps.

[BIGWORM]

Ok, so here's what I did. I didn't flash to 1.5.20 yet because it's not out. What I did do, instead, was run the DTa2SD zip from Amon recovery. Booted back to MIUI, where things were slow as F, overall laggy, a couple of FCs, with an eventual reboot. Pulled the battery. I went back into recovery, wiped both caches, and booted back up. MIUI is running fine now, with TiBackup reading my original 2GB EXT3 partition again, yay. I'm assuming I'm gonna have to do a fresh install in order for TiBackup to move apps to SD via DT method, correct? I'll save the fresh flash for 1.5.20. =D

[Hollis]

d2a2sdgui keeps telling me that my partition is ext2, although I've changed it 3 times now in AmonRecovery using the "ext2 to ext3" function. And used the d2a2sd gui application to attempt to "switch to ext3" but it keeps saying it is still ext2. Is there any other way to check the partition to see if this is maybe just an error in the GUI?

[justs]

d2a2sdgui keeps telling me that my partition is ext2, although I've changed it 3 times now in AmonRecovery using the "ext2 to ext3" function. And used the d2a2sd gui application to attempt to "switch to ext3" but it keeps saying it is still ext2. Is there any other way to check the partition to see if this is maybe just an error in the GUI?

Where are you seeing EXT2 in DTa2sdGUI? To my knowledge there is no such reading, but I've been wrong before, so let me know where you are seeing "EXT 2".

[M4tt_03]

Where are you seeing EXT2 in DTa2sdGUI? To my knowledge there is no such reading, but I've been wrong before, so let me know where you are seeing "EXT 2".

I am experiencing the same issue with ext partition. I also converted my ext 2 to ext 3 in amon. But when I download a2sd gui fron the market the first tab in the app shows that I have an ext 2 and when I try to change it within the app nothing happens. Also when I set up my sd card I left swap available but it won't let me enable swap for some reason?

Redefining Android With My Miui Evo
HTC Evo. HW 003
MIUI 4.29 w/ Tiamat 3.3.7 SBC

[justs]

I am experiencing the same issue with ext partition. I also converted my ext 2 to ext 3 in amon. But when I download a2sd gui fron the market the first tab in the app shows that I have an ext 2 and when I try to change it within the app nothing happens. Also when I set up my sd card I left swap available but it won't let me enable swap for some reason?

Hmm, there isn't any reference to EXT type in a2sdGUI. Could one or both of you report your experience at the DTa2sdGUI thread and see if he has any feedback. Also in that thread at the bottom of the first post are some screen shots. Does yours look different from that? As you can see there is no area on the first tab (or any tab) where it indicates EXT type. I'm not sure what is going on there. Come to think of it, it has been weeks since I checked anything on mine, but then again it is all working. I do know that I received confirmation when going from EXT 2 to EXT 3 in AmonRA so it follows that I should be on EXT 3, but I never really checked.

[Hollis]

Hmm, there isn't any reference to EXT type in a2sdGUI. Could one or both of you report your experience at the DTa2sdGUI thread and see if he has any feedback. Also in that thread at the bottom of the first post are some screen shots. Does yours look different from that? As you can see there is no area on the first tab (or any tabe) where it indicates EXT type. I'm not sure what is going on there. Come to think of it, it has been weeks since I checked anything on mine, but then again it is all working. I do know that I received confirmation when going from EXT 2 to EXT 3 in AmonRA so it follows that I should be on EXT 3, but I never really checked.

http://imgur.com/U8rNa

Just to be clear, everything is working fine. I just want to get the most speed. I converted ext2 -> ext3 in Amon recovery, as well as pressing the "convert" button in the screen shot. Still reads out at ext2. I have even done ext3 -> ext4, still shows up as ext2. I think its just a bug in the new version of the GUI, but I was just making sure.

[justs]

http://imgur.com/U8rNa

Just to be clear, everything is working fine. I just want to get the most speed. I converted ext2 -> ext3 in Amon recovery, as well as pressing the "convert" button in the screen shot. Still reads out at ext2. I have even done ext3 -> ext4, still shows up as ext2. I think its just a bug in the new version of the GUI, but I was just making sure.

Interesting, I haven't upgraded my version of a2sdGUI so I don't have those options. Maybe something broke in the new version.

[M4tt_03]

So I am having that same issue with it reporting I only have an EXT 2, if it is just a glitch in the app, my next question would be do you have swap enabled on your phone JustS? Because when I do a2sd check in terminal it says there is no swap partition, therefore my swap is not working. But I am positive I set it up that way in Amon.

Interesting, I haven't upgraded my version of a2sdGUI so I don't have those options. Maybe something broke in the new version.

[individual11]

http://imgur.com/U8rNa


Just to be clear, everything is working fine. I just want to get the most speed. I converted ext2 -> ext3 in Amon recovery, as well as pressing the "convert" button in the screen shot. Still reads out at ext2. I have even done ext3 -> ext4, still shows up as ext2. I think its just a bug in the new version of the GUI, but I was just making sure.

I have noticed the same issue. I generally have my 16gb card partitioned with an ext4 partition. I noticed that in A2sdGui, it says it is reading it as ext2. I tried repartitioning it in ra to ext3 without effect, stil reads ext2 in A2sdgui. I repartitioned the card using gnome partition in Ubuntu to ext3 - no change, and ext4, no change. It always works correctly, so I am thinking a bug in the a2sdgui program.

[justs]

So I am having that same issue with it reporting I only have an EXT 2, if it is just a glitch in the app, my next question would be do you have swap enabled on your phone JustS? Because when I do a2sd check in terminal it says there is no swap partition, therefore my swap is not working. But I am positive I set it up that way in Amon.

I have noticed the same issue. I generally have my 16gb card partitioned with an ext4 partition. I noticed that in A2sdGui, it says it is reading it as ext2. I tried repartitioning it in ra to ext3 without effect, stil reads ext2 in A2sdgui. I repartitioned the card using gnome partition in Ubuntu to ext3 - no change, and ext4, no change. It always works correctly, so I am thinking a bug in the a2sdgui program.

I believe that this is an issue with a2sdGUI. I emailed the dev. You might want to drop by the official thread and make mention of it as well. I have left the link up but made not e of the bug. As long as the DTa2sd is showing up in Titanium or via terminal/adb, and functioning you are good to go. To bad because the app had great potential.

[12gage]

do i need to flash this if I'm just doing the weekly miui update?

[MonsterMatt]

do i need to flash this if I'm just doing the weekly miui update?

No this is all extra and only if you have partitioned your SD card.

Also Justs ever since I was experiencing those problems doing this I stopped but now I bought a second SD card and am gonna attempt again now that I don't have to worry as much another quick question since this put's all the apps onto the EXT Partition what about the apps that normally are not Move to SD compatible do those still work? Also do the widgets work because I was under the impression they stop functioning when they are on the SD.

Thanks again.

[justs]

No this is all extra and only if you have partitioned your SD card.

Also Justs ever since I was experiencing those problems doing this I stopped but now I bought a second SD card and am gonna attempt again now that I don't have to worry as much another quick question since this put's all the apps onto the EXT Partition what about the apps that normally are not Move to SD compatible do those still work? Also do the widgets work because I was under the impression they stop functioning when they are on the SD.

Thanks again.

You are exactly correct, if you actually move apps to SD (FroYo/Google version of a2sd) you will lose function of those items each time you mount your SD. If you use DTa2sd, it creates symlinks rather than physically running the app from the SD, thus you can still run every app even when the SD is mounted (as in say a car stereo, which used to cutoff my Pandora access when I used FroYo a2sd previously.)

The apps are never actually moved to the SD with DT, only links are created. Same with widgets. If you are setting this up correctly, there is no manual action regarding apps that should take place. You basically have three steps.

1. Flash DTa2sd with ROM.
2. Take any additional actions with DTa2sd (such as the a2sd cachesd command)
3. Restore apps.

If you are doing anything more than that with regard to apps, SD or a2sd, then you are doing too much and probably using FroYo a2sd. If you are still confused or just need some help, PM me and we can hop on Gchat.

[MonsterMatt]

You are exactly correct, if you actually move apps to SD (FroYo/Google version of a2sd) you will lose function of those items each time you mount your SD. If you use DTa2sd, it creates symlinks rather than physically running the app from the SD, thus you can still run every app even when the SD is mounted (as in say a car stereo, which used to cutoff my Pandora access when I used FroYo a2sd previously.)

The apps are never actually moved to the SD with DT, only links are created. Same with widgets. If you are setting this up correctly, there is no manual action regarding apps that should take place. You basically have three steps.

1. Flash DTa2sd with ROM.
2. Take any additional actions with DTa2sd (such as the a2sd cachesd command)
3. Restore apps.

If you are doing anything more than that with regard to apps, SD or a2sd, then you are doing too much and probably using FroYo a2sd. If you are still confused or just need some help, PM me and we can hop on Gchat.

Thanks a ton hopefully my new SD card comes in the mail today and I'll try it out again following your steps, will keep you posted.

Swyped from my HTC Evo running Miui.

[Chase]

i have dta2sd on my phone and i just cleared cache flashed a new kernal

when i booted back up all the applications were "unable to be found" - did i do something wrong for this to happen?

would clearing cache make the apps undiscoverable by the system?

[justs]

i have dta2sd on my phone and i just cleared cache flashed a new kernal

when i booted back up all the applications were "unable to be found" - did i do something wrong for this to happen?

would clearing cache make the apps undiscoverable by the system?

That should have no effect. I do that every week. I would try rebooting a couple of times.

[gkaugustine]

Justs you are the man. This solved my limit ROM issues with the nexus one KUDOS!!