Develop Bugs

APPS on SD?

Any ideas how I could get my apps onto my 4gig sd card.
I have read the tutorial but in my clockwords recovery mode, there is no option to partition.
The reason for the partition is for adding my apps to my SD card.
Currently I have tons of apps and allot of them slow my phone down.
Should this be the case? I was advised that the way android works is, it auto closes apps when the speed starts to slow down?

mobad said:
Any ideas how I could get my apps onto my 4gig sd card.
I have read the tutorial but in my clockwords recovery mode, there is no option to partition.
The reason for the partition is for adding my apps to my SD card.
Currently I have tons of apps and allot of them slow my phone down.
Should this be the case? I was advised that the way android works is, it auto closes apps when the speed starts to slow down?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the linux kernal will close apps when it needs to but that has very little to do with where the apps actually reside.
you need to partition your card with rom manager from the market in order to enable apps2sd( not the crappy froyo apps2sd mind)
copy the contents of your card at the moment to your pc. downlaod rom manager from the market, use it to partition your card with 512mb and 32mb swap. then dowload modinstalllocation from the market, this will allow you to chose where you save your apps too. choose 1 internal( ie the 512mb ext 3 partition for apps2sd you made with rom manager). copy all your content back to your sd card. all your apps should now be in your ext3 partition. if you really want to move apps to the actual sd card main partition, choose location 2 phone with modinstallocation but beware that whenever you mount the sd card those apps wont work till its remounted( its wise not to put widgets on the sd card). to check all this info and make sure apps2sd is working correctly you can downlaod quick settings info from the market and it will give you all the info you need on internal and apps2sd storage on your phone.

Many thanks for your reply.
I have just done as you said and then downlaoded aroudn 4 apps equalling around 20mb.
They seem to be on the sd card and internal.
The size of external has gone down by around 15mb and around 5-10mb has goen down on the internal as well?

mobad said:
Many thanks for your reply.
I have just done as you said and then downlaoded aroudn 4 apps equalling around 20mb.
They seem to be on the sd card and internal.
The size of external has gone down by around 15mb and around 5-10mb has goen down on the internal as well?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is correct. If you are using legacy Apps2SD or Froyo Apps2SD, the Dalvik cache (see here) remains on the internal phone memory.
So, when you install a new application onto SD card, it will consume memory on internal phone memory, though at a lesser rate than if the app was installed on phone memory (in my experience, roughly half the rate).
The only way to "resolve" this is to install legacy Apps2SD+, which also moves the Dalvik cache to SD card.
Personally, I don't do this - what I do is actively manage my applications using Titanium backup. For example, I seldom use certain large apps such as Google Earth, and some games, but I do want to keep them available. So I install them on the phone, and then back them up using Titanium Backup. When storage is low, I will remove them from the phone, but I can bring them back quickly (and without using data) as required.
I don't use legacy Apps2SD+ because I do have several SD cards that I want to be able to swap between quickly.
Regards,
Dave

Dave - many thanks for your comprehensive and useful reply.
What would be the limitation for using Apps2SD+?
From your reply im assuming it would stop me from chaing sd cards?

Essentially yes - you'd need to keep the EXT partition across SD cards in sync, which while not impossible, is more difficult than just copying .android_secure folder from one card to another which I believe should work ok so long as being used in the same phone.
Regards,
Dave

Excellent.
I think im ready to set it all up.
Got two not technical final question for you -
Which rom would you recommend?
I'm currentl with Frost 2.9a however I found Modaco's custom rom to be mroe fruitful with apps/stability.
Which 16gb/32gb sd card would you recommend?
Thanks

mobad said:
Which 16gb/32gb sd card would you recommend?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I regularly use two 16gb Class 2 Sandisk cards and a 8gb Class 6 Transcend card. To be honest, I've no performance issues with either and my Sandisk cards regular exceed Class 6 minimums. Personally, I see no point paying extra for a large capacity Class 6 or Class 10 card - I may try 720p recording on my Class 6 soon though to see if it improves the framerate, but I doubt there will be much if any difference.
Regards,
Dave

Bought a new SD card, what do I have to move across?

I just upgraded from an 8GB Class 4 MicroSD card to a Memorette 32GB Class 10 card (got it for like £25 on ebay ). I want to move everything on my SD across so I don't have to re-install etc...
I'm not so much worried about my apps, but what other data is on my SD? Is there stuff to do with my root, ROM or anything on there? I see a lot of folders on my current SD which seem to be related to the OS (not things I have created).
Is everything held on the phone, or do I need to clone the card for it to work straight away?

A lot of apps and games use memory card to hold stuff in seemingly random places, just move the lot to be safe.
Do you have an ext partition on your sdcard? If so perform a nandroid backup then copy the entire memory card over then nand restore and your done.
If you want to start again from fresh you will lose any apps saved on sdcard and some data from some apps, probably nothing important like cache from maps. It wont affect your system or root or anything though.

I'm actually not sure what I have. I literally have rooted it, installed Oxygen, installed the custom HBOOT and that is it. I haven't touched partitioning or format type.
What is the default?

alex98uk said:
I'm actually not sure what I have. I literally have rooted it, installed Oxygen, installed the custom HBOOT and that is it. I haven't touched partitioning or format type.
What is the default?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you haven't touched partition or anything your card is default!!
I would copy everything onto PC (backup is always recommended) and then copy onto your new card.... should just work from what you have said ?!

BigMrB said:
If you haven't touched partition or anything your card is default!!
I would copy everything onto PC (backup is always recommended) and then copy onto your new card.... should just work from what you have said ?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, OK, if it's that easy then... awesome
I didn't know if Oxygen formatted it some special way. Good to know. Is a Class 10 going to make any difference at all. I was going to buy a normal 32gb card, but this class 10 one about £5-£10 cheaper than big brand Class4/6 ones.
Trader has good feedback, I just hope it's a good card...

Balls, I have looked around and it seems these 32GB Memorette cards are hacked and will corrupt data passed 2GB... cancel time.

SD vs USB storage

Ok, so here is my question, sorry if it was asked, i used the search and couldn't find something like me.
So whenever I install games, many uses about 200-300MB of space, it will use my USB storage which its coming to a fill very soon, if i keep downloading new games. My question is, how can i make use of my 16GB SD card to install game files. And, I just re-read the GS2 box, and it saids it has 16BGB-32GB, is there a way i can upgrade the internal USB Storage, or what exactly did that mean?

The 16-32 Gbs are like iPhones they come with 16orll or 32 gbs units. Have you tried pushing the data from tthe gamed to the sdcard?
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App

I know i can copy it from USB to SD, or move, but i know that wont do what i want to do. Since it will be move, whenever i load the game and looks for the files, it wont look in the SD card, but the USB storage.

I thought the GS2 only came as a 16GB model. It will accept up to a 32GB microSD card and Android seems to be pretty intelligent about being able to find stuff on the external SD card if it's not in USB storage (internal). It finds my ringtones and images on my external SD card without me having to do anything.
If the apps/games you're using aren't enabled for being moved to the SD card (Settings/Applications/Manage Applications/On SD Card) then you'll have to find some other way to make space, perhaps moving your images to the external SD and configuring the camera app to store images there, or uninstalling apps.

it can actually use larger than 64 GB microSD see my HowTo guide

I'm curious as well because some titles like Asphalt 6 and GTA 3 download much more data than the .apk was to download.
For instance GTA3 from the market is 12.93MB, and if you move to external SD Card, you're moving only 13MB, but the game data to download is around 450MB and where's that stored? I have an external 32 and I'd rather prefer to store everything on that primarily.

I was so seeing the same thing. I have 32gb SD card and I would to find a workaround for this silly issue. Any input would be awesome!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

On a regular linux system, it would be a simple matter of finding the folder where the data files were stored, copying them to a new drive and then configure /etc/fstab to mount the new drive on top of the data file folder.
not sure if this is possible with Android and would require root if it were possible.

mayhem204 said:
I was so seeing the same thing. I have 32gb SD card and I would to find a workaround for this silly issue. Any input would be awesome!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
imabug said:
On a regular linux system, it would be a simple matter of finding the folder where the data files were stored, copying them to a new drive and then configure /etc/fstab to mount the new drive on top of the data file folder.
not sure if this is possible with Android and would require root if it were possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, it's that simple indeed
just check out my HOWTO guide, it's in the INDEX stickied

tried app2sd?

sorry for the delay respond to all.I was away from a computer for awhile. So, i see all this talk, and it has helped me understand a bit more. I actually decided to delete some already beaten games to make space.
In regards to the pics and music, they have always been in my SD card. But i will download app2sd and see if it works. The actual app itself does not bother me. Most of the time, they are very little. Is the download after what does bother me. Most games need from 300mb to nearly 1Gb of space. Now thats a lot, when a phone comes only wiht 11.5GB of 16GB and we know why that happens.

dragonfire665 said:
Ok, so here is my question, sorry if it was asked, i used the search and couldn't find something like me.
So whenever I install games, many uses about 200-300MB of space, it will use my USB storage which its coming to a fill very soon, if i keep downloading new games. My question is, how can i make use of my 16GB SD card to install game files. And, I just re-read the GS2 box, and it saids it has 16BGB-32GB, is there a way i can upgrade the internal USB Storage, or what exactly did that mean?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you cant upgrade internal but u can always put an sd card in for extrernal

dragonfire665 said:
sorry for the delay respond to all.I was away from a computer for awhile. So, i see all this talk, and it has helped me understand a bit more. I actually decided to delete some already beaten games to make space.
In regards to the pics and music, they have always been in my SD card. But i will download app2sd and see if it works. The actual app itself does not bother me. Most of the time, they are very little. Is the download after what does bother me. Most games need from 300mb to nearly 1Gb of space. Now thats a lot, when a phone comes only wiht 11.5GB of 16GB and we know why that happens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
app2sd is not going to help you, if you already have the stuff installed to SD card
those cheesy App2SD apps only shows you which Apps can be moved to SD
you need Link2SD the real deal, the one that actually convert stuff over to the hidden partition in your SD card to use as Internal memory, which you are short on
just look up my HOWTO guide, it's stickied in the INDEX topic

[Q] Internal-External Memory Swap: useful or not?

Hi
I have a Samsung Galaxy W, and you know that this device has such a little memory for apps and games.
I bought a 16 gb class 10 external sd and I was wonder if the memory swap mod could be a really useful operation.
I'm not usual to install lots of applications and games, (I really use only social apps) however sometimes I like to play some heavy-data games. So I need a help: do you suggest me to keep the sd as a default external memory, maybe trying to move the heavier apps in this external space with link2sd and other stuff, or it would be better to make the swap and then make the sd recognized as internal memory?
I read that sometimes the swap operation causes lags and some other stuff, so I need your opinions and suggests.
Thanks in advice

Some custom ROMs automatically swap /sdcard/ with /sdcard/external_sd/
You could try that, it's a great solution IMHO.
Did you try "GL to SD(root)"? Download it from the market... It just mount the external SD as the sdcard, but temporarily. And it also moves game data to external SD.
Sent from my GT-I8150 using XDA on CyanogenMod 9

Also bugs me as well. I just bought 32gb class 10 card and i am using cow bionic 2 rom. But i already changed the vold.fstab folder back to stock. I would be the same not a heavy app storer. If i dont use the app any more i delete it.
But supposedly if you have a class 10 card you should not experience any lag if you have the swap done?? How true this is i dont know

maybe i'll find this useful for heavy data games like generation of chaos or other apps/games that install themselves on the internal storage and not on the sd card, other than that, i seriously don't know what other advantage it can provide

Of course, swapping is a good solution for huge games data storing on external sd and u own a class 10 sd card which is fast enough for swapping. However, this may cause problem when u want to remove sd card as most of the apps are stored on it.
GL to sd is a better solution to me personally. I wrote a similar script instead of using GL to sd. This mounts certain paths to ur external sd card while keeping other important apps such as launcher, theme, widgets, on the internal sd.

yewsiong said:
Of course, swapping is a good solution for huge games data storing on external sd and u own a class 10 sd card which is fast enough for swapping. However, this may cause problem when u want to remove sd card as most of the apps are stored on it.
GL to sd is a better solution to me personally. I wrote a similar script instead of using GL to sd. This mounts certain paths to ur external sd card while keeping other important apps such as launcher, theme, widgets, on the internal sd.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Care to explain about the script you wrote. Also whats GL?? I wouldnt use any big games so no point in me swapping. But if any roms i flash to the phone has this done ill not bother changing it back to stock. Also is class 10 not the highest micro sd card you can get??

snwman said:
Care to explain about the script you wrote. Also whats GL?? I wouldnt use any big games so no point in me swapping. But if any roms i flash to the phone has this done ill not bother changing it back to stock. Also is class 10 not the highest micro sd card you can get??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, class 10 is the fastest writing speed for MicroSD at this moment.
I used script manager to create a script for mounting and give it SU and set it on boot. It is very simple.
Create a new script file and type the following:
(I used the Android folder as example)
Code:
mount -o bind sdcard/external_sd/Android sdcard/Android
This is for gameloft
Code:
mount -o bind sdcard/external_sd/gameloft sdcard/gameloft
After creating these, u need to cut the files in Android or gameloft from internal sdcard and paste them to the new location on external sd. Leave the original folders empty.
Remember to set them "boot" and "su".
enjoy
Edit: if u download any other games that stores its data in Android folder, it will automatically move to ur external sd card as the script has mounted the path to external sd since every boot.

yewsiong said:
Of course, swapping is a good solution for huge games data storing on external sd and u own a class 10 sd card which is fast enough for swapping. However, this may cause problem when u want to remove sd card as most of the apps are stored on it.
GL to sd is a better solution to me personally. I wrote a similar script instead of using GL to sd. This mounts certain paths to ur external sd card while keeping other important apps such as launcher, theme, widgets, on the internal sd.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
However, this may cause problem when u want to remove sd card as most of the apps are stored on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But, in a swap situation, on the Wonder, Apps are not moved to External SD Card........
without swap they are moved to /sdcard/external_sd/.android_secure folder
with swap, moved Apps should be on re-mapped internal SD, so removing SD Card should not have any effect on Apps...
of course App Data should be on External [Removable] SD Card...re-mapped as /sdcard
It seems to me, for game players, Game Loft, etc.....Gl to SD is the ideal solution....****see also EDIT below****
Video for Wonder Here:
****EDIT: Just to say, yewsiong script looks good for gamers, etc.....****

It's pretty useful if you're an avid gamer. Some games usually reach 400mb+. But if not, you could still use it for storing music and videos.

saphiecor said:
It's pretty useful if you're an avid gamer. Some games usually reach 400mb+. But if not, you could still use it for storing music and videos.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which solution do you mean......
see yewsiong post here

irishpancake said:
Which solution do you mean......
see yewsiong post here
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think he meant without swapping, external sd can still be used as data, music, pics, etc. storage.

Go for it!
IMHO I see no cons whatsoever in performing the SD Card swap, just pros. I got my 32Gb Class 10 just for the swap... Check my signature links to see what I've done to my SGW...

a.fontenele said:
IMHO I see no cons whatsoever in performing the SD Card swap, just pros. I got my 32Gb Class 10 just for the swap... Check my signature links to see what I've done to my SGW...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I followed the method outlined in your signature (http://latgale.co.uk/?p=70) and now I can see about 15GB (I have a 16GB class 10 SD) available for apps on SD.
However, when I try to move an app to the SD by using App2SD, the app doesn't go to the 15GB partition. How do you do?
Thanks a lot.

[.::MDT::.] said:
Hi,
I followed the method outlined in your signature (http://latgale.co.uk/?p=70) and now I can see about 15GB (I have a 16GB class 10 SD) available for apps on SD.
However, when I try to move an app to the SD by using App2SD, the app doesn't go to the 15GB partition. How do you do?
Thanks a lot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah... This is something I haven't found a solution for. Whenever you try to move an app, it goes to the USB Storage. Since we swapped memories, the app will be moved to the 1.7GB memory. For me it'd be great to have everything in the Micro SD card, the 1.7 GB memory is useless to me...

a.fontenele said:
Yeah... This is something I haven't found a solution for. Whenever you try to move an app, it goes to the USB Storage. Since we swapped memories, the app will be moved to the 1.7GB memory. For me it'd be great to have everything in the Micro SD card, the 1.7 GB memory is useless to me...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's a real pity! :crying:
I wonder what's the point of doing so, if the memory available for the apps still remains the 1,7GB partition... why swapping partitions then?
Do you have any idea if there is any ROM that lets you install apps in the "bigger partition" (the 14,3 GB according to the example above) or are you aware of any other possible solution?
Thanks.

[.::MDT::.] said:
Yeah, that's a real pity! :crying:
I wonder what's the point of doing so, if the memory available for the apps still remains the 1,7GB partition... why swapping partitions then?
Do you have any idea if there is any ROM that lets you install apps in the "bigger partition" (the 14,3 GB according to the example above) or are you aware of any other possible solution?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But, as I said before here ad nauseam, the External Physical SD Card is where Apps moved by App2SD are designed to go......so before doing a vold.fstab mount point swap, ppl should ask themselves.......
Do I really need a gigantic Internal USB Storage at [/mnt/sdcard], for what reason do I need this??
I think myself, that this is only useful for those who require to have Storage requirements for certain Games and GPS Maps Storage, etc, which do not have a built-in ability to store data on the External Physical SD Card [/mount/sdcard/external_sd]....but there are other ways to achieve this!!!
BTW, the Tutorial linked http://latgale.co.uk/?p=70 is by Eric Pīgoznis, who posted here in the very early days!!!

First of all, thanks a lot for your answer!
irishpancake said:
But, as I said before here ad nauseam, the External Physical SD Card is where Apps moved by App2SD are designed to go......so before doing a vold.fstab mount point swap, ppl should ask themselves.......
Do I really need a gigantic Internal USB Storage at [/mnt/sdcard], for what reason do I need this??
I think myself, that this is only useful for those who require to have Storage requirements for certain Games and GPS Maps Storage, etc, which do not have a built-in ability to store data on the External Physical SD Card [/mount/sdcard/external_sd]....but there are other ways to achieve this!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, that's exactly what I would like to have!
I bought a 16GB card to install many maps and games, but I quickly ran out of memory so I cannot add anymore apps (without removing already installed apps of course).
That's why I would like to use my SD card for apps - if possible of course!
And it's a pity I have 15GB free (for what? Just my music/video/pictures?) and I cannot use this space for apps.
What are the other ways to achieve this you mentioned?
It'd be really helpful!
irishpancake said:
BTW, the Tutorial linked http://latgale.co.uk/?p=70 is by Eric Pīgoznis, who posted here in the very early days!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I found the same instructions on this forum, you're right...

hmm
Swapping Internal/External is the most important for those HD gamers :good:

irishpancake said:
But, as I said before here ad nauseam, the External Physical SD Card is where Apps moved by App2SD are designed to go......so before doing a vold.fstab mount point swap, ppl should ask themselves.......
Do I really need a gigantic Internal USB Storage at [/mnt/sdcard], for what reason do I need this??
I think myself, that this is only useful for those who require to have Storage requirements for certain Games and GPS Maps Storage, etc, which do not have a built-in ability to store data on the External Physical SD Card [/mount/sdcard/external_sd]....but there are other ways to achieve this!!!
BTW, the Tutorial linked http://latgale.co.uk/?p=70 is by Eric Pīgoznis, who posted here in the very early days!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dhada said:
Swapping Internal/External is the most important for those HD gamers :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree... any news about that then?
Thanks a lot!

Partition Sizes

Curious if anyone has modified the partition table on the device? With the System taking up 4 some gigs... seems silly not to shrink it down a bit for more app usage. Any thoughts on this one or am I just thinking silly on it?

I think the same but i found nothing. I flashed a debloated rom for the 10.1 and now have 1.2GB free on system parts. I used titanium backup to transfer some app from data to system but it's boring. But it's nothing compared to my MicroSD card memory

eowindel said:
I think the same but i found nothing. I flashed a debloated rom for the 10.1 and now have 1.2GB free on system parts. I used titanium backup to transfer some app from data to system but it's boring. But it's nothing compared to my MicroSD card memory
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did transfer some apps over as well, or in reality can remove them because they sit on the SD partition because of updates (really wish it would just update to system by default). I know moving some updates over just screws it up, let alone just moving screws up the icons on the desktop portion.
I don't have a de-bloated rom right now. The way I see it, its being used or wasted at this point. Apps don't seem to be slowing it down, though im sure a few are running in the background, but nothing that has hampered battery life like my previous Nexus 7 (2013). This seems to do much better at not wasting power. Guess im not being as picky as I use to with random apps chewing up space.
I would of jumped all over a 32GB edition from the get go. Paired with a 64GB SD card, its win win. Even now it is, just can't install everything I want to in 1 go since most apps still are stored locally on the main internal SD Partition and can't be transferred over. I can live with it, and im sure someone will figure it out. I know I use to do it with an old phone that had, next to no internal memory (a loong time ago). PITA to update, but well worth being able to use the phone.

You can use FolderMount [ROOT] to create a symbolic link between internal SD card and external to move your application.
For example if you want your google offline music on sdcard you can mount /sdcard/android/data/com.google.android.music on external sdcard.
It is possible to do it for every folder so it solves the problem :highfive:

eowindel said:
You can use FolderMount [ROOT] to create a symbolic link between internal SD card and external to move your application.
For example if you want your google offline music on sdcard you can mount /sdcard/android/data/com.google.android.music on external sdcard.
It is possible to do it for every folder so it solves the problem :highfive:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah just read into that. Thanks for the link so it reminds me.
Course, internal storage is always faster But for music/movies obviously SD Card just works fine with that.