(Q) The pros and cons of partitioning a sd card? - EVO 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

OK so I'm trying to find out if I should partition my sd . I've been wanting to do this cause of all these 3.0 sense ROMs out but the last time I did this on my old Samsung Moment I messed it up and got a damaged sd card reading . Back then I didn't know how to fix it or if it could be fixed so I had to get a new one so I was just wondering is there any real reason I shouldn't partition it ?
Thanks for any replies .
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

If there is nothing wrong with the card, then leave it alone. If you're having problems, want more space, or want to create a specific partition for use with apps2SD or the like then partition your card. I always repartition and re-format my card from time to time just to remove unused junk left over from roms or apps that I no longer use. Of course, I have a backup of my card;s contents saved on my MacBook, just in case.

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[Q] SD Card backups and Data2Ext

Hi All
Firstly, huge apologies if this has been answered already. I have searched a ton of threads and none really explain exactly what I need to know...
Secondly, I am in no way aware of how any coding or development works on the desire or any android device for that matter so my knowledge is only from what I have personally done to my device:
S-ON (dont have the balls to attempt this!)
Currently I am running RCMixHD ver 0.14. This ROM includes a script which (so I understand) activates the data2ext, and creates this within my ext partition. Now I have read a few threads and posts about possible corruption with this, and so I have a question?
Can I simply copy the entire contents of the SD card to my PC, and then in the event of the SD card becoming corrupt, copy it to a different SD card, pop it back in the phone and then carry on?
Also I am considering a bigger SD card than the 4gb one I have, could this method also be used to transfer everything onto the new SD card without wiping and losing every app and photo etc.
Apologies for the semi-noob post, but I want to be clear before I do any potential damage to my phone!
Thanks
Yes and Yes but i dont know if u need S-Off for data2sdext.
But switching to S-Off is not a real problem or really dangerous! Done this on many phones!
lick_the_fish said:
Hi All
Firstly, huge apologies if this has been answered already. I have searched a ton of threads and none really explain exactly what I need to know...
Secondly, I am in no way aware of how any coding or development works on the desire or any android device for that matter so my knowledge is only from what I have personally done to my device:
S-ON (dont have the balls to attempt this!)
Currently I am running RCMixHD ver 0.14. This ROM includes a script which (so I understand) activates the data2ext, and creates this within my ext partition. Now I have read a few threads and posts about possible corruption with this, and so I have a question?
Can I simply copy the entire contents of the SD card to my PC, and then in the event of the SD card becoming corrupt, copy it to a different SD card, pop it back in the phone and then carry on?
Also I am considering a bigger SD card than the 4gb one I have, could this method also be used to transfer everything onto the new SD card without wiping and losing every app and photo etc.
Apologies for the semi-noob post, but I want to be clear before I do any potential damage to my phone!
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once you have all your apps, clockworkmod recovery should backup all your ext partition. If you want an extra backup, boot in recovery and mount sdcard + ext, then do a tar of you ext partition and save it to you sdcard (something like cd /sd-ext tar czvf /sdcard/ext.tgz *)
Your ext partition will then be saved.

[Q] Potential dead SD after partition?

Hello guys, very very sorry if this is a repost. I've had a quick search but i can't spend my entire days searching. Apologies also if this is in the wrong section.
Please read and comment on my abbreviated story
Was running telstra branded froyo
Now running Leedroid (just did it yesterday)
Used ROM manager to partition the SD card, worked fine for a while, until i got silly 'read only' errors which i'd never seen before.
Tried to reformat the SD card. Lost some apps and decided to start over hard resetting everything because i'd lost everything that had moved to the swap partition...
Cleared the partitions on the SD card and rewrote them into a 10gb fat32, 2gb ext3 and a 2gb swap
Reflashed leedriod with another smaller card - works ok.
Tried my big card again and it didn't boot, stuck at the boot screen forever.
Put small SD card back in and it works... but some apps are now mising such as rom manager, titanuim backup, and the other things which i'm not familiar with.
WTF is going on. My head is throbbing! arrrrrrrgh
have i partitioned my card correctly?
Maybe try and partition the card in another way. rom manager did
work for me but ive also had similar problems before. Try the g-parted
method if you can get youre head around it, just try and format/partition
the card while its out of the phone because for me, thats what gave me the
exact same problems you mentioned.
If you ever want to back up the apps from sd-ext (apps2sd) you can
use titanium backup. I was in this same boat recently and found that the
easyest way. Also i dont see the need for any swap partition but i could be
wrong.
i use: 1gb ext3, 0 swap and the rest fat32 (16gb card)
good luck
So you flashed Leedroid A2SD+ with your "smaller card" in the phone?
And you just swapped the card to the "bigger one"?
In that way, the only way to make it work is creating a NANDROID backup with your "smaller" functioning card and copy that to the "bigger" one (must be in the same folder!).
Then put the card (bigger one) and do a full wipe & restore the NANDROID backup you've made previously.
Also, ROM manager is a piece of cr*p in partitioning, i had issues until i used GParted to create the partitions and no problems since.
It's funny you should mention this. I've had the exact same problem.
Small SD card works, big SD card doesn't work after being partitioned using ROM Manager. It gets stuck at the bootscreen for ever, and ever.
I will do some more testing when I get the chance.
Hey champs, i put the big sd back in the computer, turned it all back into fat32 and it works just fine.
Then i used rom manager to partition - 512 ext and 256 swap.. not enough imo, (crappy fkin desire fault). Might leave it for now... unless that read only disk thiing happens again
Cheers for the reply guys

[Q] apps like theft-aware when using sd-ext

Hello all,
I am receiving a new SD card tomorrow and I'm planning on making a partition on that card to install all my apps on the SD card.
Now I wondered, if you use apps like theft aware ( https://www.theftaware.com ) which I am considering, this does mean that from the moment the thief removes the SD-card, the whole app is gone right?
I read in an old topic that it's not possible to install an app in the phone's real internal memory when you use an external partition, is this still not possible?
The app is factory reset proof etc, only way to remove it is to flash a new ROM, but if removing the SD card also would remove it (in this case), it makes it already less attractive..
If anybody would also happen to have links on guides or more info about the sd-ext process, feel free to add them here, so far I have read http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/index.php?title=SD_card_partitioning and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1015532&page=164 and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1175550 but the more info before first trying it the merrier.
Cheers

Best way to format SD card

Hi I'm pretty sure this won't be an extremely popular topic but just wondering how people go about formatting there sd cards do u just wipe everything save ur backups? Ur photos music? Anything and also is there anything important I shouldn't delete?? Just curious to see how everyone else does it thanx for being nice
Sent from my HTC Desire Z using XDA
Well, you can use your phone to format it by going into settings and storage. You should back up anything you dont want to lose to your pc. I find that the most effective way is to connect the sd card to the pc either in your phone via usb or via a card reader. Then go to my computer, right click on it and hit format. It thould already be in the right file format(fat32) if im not mistaken. Then just place your pics and whatever else back on there and the android system will do the rest. Hope i helped!
Sent from my HTC Desire Z using xda premium
If you are working with a removable SD card I'd recommend HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool - v2.1.8. (free)
I had an 8 Gb card sitting around for a while and I wanted to use in my daughter's new phone. I put the card in the PC and deleted everything. Then I thought just format the damn thing. It seemed to only think it had 40 Mb. Windows would not format it to anything over 40 Mb. I had to download the HP tool and it would allow formatting to the full 8 Gb.
Hi,
Not sure if this is the right place.. I just installed coredroid 1.2 and my sd card is not detected. Removed the sd card. Complete format then reinsert still doesnt solve the problem. I am able to use the card using a card reader. Any suggestions
etp23 said:
Hi I'm pretty sure this won't be an extremely popular topic but just wondering how people go about formatting there sd cards do u just wipe everything save ur backups? Ur photos music? Anything and also is there anything important I shouldn't delete?? Just curious to see how everyone else does it thanx for being nice
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It sounds like you are formatting an existing (previously used) card? Do you have some issue with the card? Or just switching between devices? Can't see it making much difference using the built-in Windows disk management tool to format, using the phone to do it, or some other method.
I think even switching between devices, I haven't bothered to re-format, just deleted the files manually and swapped the card into the new phone.
For new cards, I don't even bother to format. They are always pre-formatted to FAT32, AFAIK. So I just insert it in the device and go . . .
redpoint73 said:
It sounds like you are formatting an existing (previously used) card? Do you have some issue with the card? Or just switching between devices? Can't see it making much difference using the built-in Windows disk management tool to format, using the phone to do it, or some other method.
I think even switching between devices, I haven't bothered to re-format, just deleted the files manually and swapped the card into the new phone.
For new cards, I don't even bother to format. They are always pre-formatted to FAT32, AFAIK. So I just insert it in the device and go . . .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how do you move apps to external sd card ? before there used to be option to move to sd card now i don't see that .. i had this problem ever since i upgrade to cm10 and now on aokp....
I use SDformatter.
It's better than just with right click and select format.
Sent from my Incredible S using xda premium
if you have just one partition formated with fat32 on your sd-card, you can format it with windows-tools. if there is another partition (ext2/3/4) on your card, its not possible to format the sd-card completely with this tools and you need, as written above, an external tool like that from HP.
Beside this, i don't really understand why you want to do this, except you have a problem with your card...
i wiped my sd card with h.d.d low level format ! now i cant create right ext partition now . how can i do that ? i did everything with partition magic software . but not use .
If you have a Linux box and an SD card read use gparted. If you don't the best/fastest way is with a good recovery in an android phone
Sent from my Nexus 4 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

[Q] SD Card problems

Hey everyone,
I've been looking everywhere to get some help with a problem I have with my 32GB SD card.
I'm using an Xperia Play (R800) rooted, unblocked and bloteware removed. Whenever I try to move files, I use one of 2 methods:
1) moving files by connecting the phone to my PC via USB cable and dragging files
2) unmounting the SD card from the phone and use a card reader to move files
In both cases, no matter how I try or how I move the files, eventually the phone will either freeze / freeze + reset / reset / or everything combined several times. Once the system boots up again, it restarts itself several times while trying to read the memory card.
This is really frustrating because it happens to me for the past 4 months, ever since I bought the phone and tried working on it. No matter what I try to do, I always end up with this problem, which eventually leads my SD card to randomly delete files. This includes music, transferred PSX games and such. It's really bugging me, and I really need some help.
If anyone can help me out, I'd deeply appreciate it.
Thanks a bunch in advance
NOTE:
The card was later formatted to 2 partitions: FAT32 and EXT2. This DID NOT help, so re-partitioning my card won't help. Think of something else.
Repartioning your sdcard over and over can result to data loss. Why did you have 2 partitions? You should only be using FAT32 as your primary partion.
chery2k said:
Repartioning your sdcard over and over can result to data loss. Why did you have 2 partitions? You should only be using FAT32 as your primary partion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I only did that once, and it doesn't have anything to do with the data loss as this happened before I partitioned the SD card. I have 2 partitions for Link2SD app. And even if I do have FAT32 as my primary partition, it still deletes my files at random...
I have 2 partitions for same reason as you Link2SD! That should not be a problem.
Couple of questions
(1) Is this a new SD card and have you used the card before on other phones (Could be a fault with card try different SD card)
(2)Have you been on the same rom since this problem started (If yes i would try a different rom could be a software problem.)
I would try these options to narrow down what the problem is seems like you have tried all the partition and formatting options already :fingers-crossed:
tallman43 said:
I have 2 partitions for same reason as you Link2SD! That should not be a problem.
Couple of questions
(1) Is this a new SD card and have you used the card before on other phones (Could be a fault with card try different SD card)
(2)Have you been on the same rom since this problem started (If yes i would try a different rom could be a software problem.)
I would try these options to narrow down what the problem is seems like you have tried all the partition and formatting options already :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To answer your questions:
1) This SD card has not been used on other phones since this is my FIRST smartphone (took me a while to move to the next step )
2) I never use roms, only the default stock rom.
I find it hard to believe that the SD card is the problem, but what do you think?
ArmyMan007 said:
To answer your questions:
1) This SD card has not been used on other phones since this is my FIRST smartphone (took me a while to move to the next step )
2) I never use roms, only the default stock rom.
I find it hard to believe that the SD card is the problem, but what do you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think only way to know if SD card is to blame is try another one,there are apps on Google Play that can test SD card but I don't know how reliable these are.Also you said you deleted bloatware did you delete something you should not have?It would be good if you could try another card then you would know for sure a smaller SD card just to test?
Well, oddly enough the problem WAS the SD card all along! I've been trying a new SD card for the past week and everything went smoothly.
Funny, but the solution was only to replace my SD card.
With that in mind, I'm changing my question. I guess there have been many posts about it, but I'm going to ask this anyway:
What would be the best SD card for the Xperia Play? The bad one I used recently was a SanDisk 32 GB Micro SD card, and the one I'm using now is a small sized 8 GB.
Can anyone help me out on this one?
ArmyMan007 said:
Well, oddly enough the problem WAS the SD card all along! I've been trying a new SD card for the past week and everything went smoothly.
Funny, but the solution was only to replace my SD card.
With that in mind, I'm changing my question. I guess there have been many posts about it, but I'm going to ask this anyway:
What would be the best SD card for the Xperia Play? The bad one I used recently was a SanDisk 32 GB Micro SD card, and the one I'm using now is a small sized 8 GB.
Can anyone help me out on this one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best sdcard for the xperia play is a Sandisk class 4 or 6 sd card. Preferably stick with the class 4.
chery2k said:
The best sdcard for the xperia play is a Sandisk class 4 or 6 sd card. Preferably stick with the class 4.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. Do you happen to have a link to a thread that can prove your point?
To prove my point? Your the one asking for help why dont you research it yourself.
You didn't understand me... Thanks a bunch though
As far as I'm concerned, this thread is closed.

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