Develop Bugs

[Q] Any uses for /system folder? (Rooted Phone)

I've a strange question that might or might belong in the development thread, but figured since it's a question, I'll try here first.
I'm using a Stock DeOxed Rooted Rom on my EVO.
I recently installed a few more apps and saw this pesky little warning about low on space.
When I went into my "SystemPanel" app to see how much space was left exactly and noticed that my /data folder only had around 30megs out of it's 428M available.
Ok.. time to delete some apps I thought, but then I noticed that my /system folder (Where I presume pre-installed apps live) had almost 1/3 of it's space still available (115 out of 350megs available).
So I'm wondering.....
Is there some method that I can use to install Apps directly to this folder instead of the standard /data that apps appear to go to when installed?
Is it as simple as moving the APK file with Root Explorer, or are there some under the hood items in apps that prevent this sort of thing?
I've a few rather large apps that I cannot move to the SD card due to widget problems and the like but would be perfect for the system folder if I can find a way to move them there easily.
Thoughts?

DroidGnome said:
I've a strange question that might or might belong in the development thread, but figured since it's a question, I'll try here first.
I'm using a Stock DeOxed Rooted Rom on my EVO.
I recently installed a few more apps and saw this pesky little warning about low on space.
When I went into my "SystemPanel" app to see how much space was left exactly and noticed that my /data folder only had around 30megs out of it's 428M available.
Ok.. time to delete some apps I thought, but then I noticed that my /system folder (Where I presume pre-installed apps live) had almost 1/3 of it's space still available (115 out of 350megs available).
So I'm wondering.....
Is there some method that I can use to install Apps directly to this folder instead of the standard /data that apps appear to go to when installed?
Is it as simple as moving the APK file with Root Explorer, or are there some under the hood items in apps that prevent this sort of thing?
I've a few rather large apps that I cannot move to the SD card due to widget problems and the like but would be perfect for the system folder if I can find a way to move them there easily.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
/system/app is where system apps are kept. If I remember correctly, any app can be installed into there, but you have to do through flashing an update.zip if I'm remembering properly. You may be able to take the apk that's in /data/app for the app you want to move and move it to /system/app, but I'm not sure if that will work properly or not. Someone who cooks ROMs might know more.
Also, you can partition your sd card and use true apps2sd with most ROMs. Its a little bit of work and will shorten the life of your card, but that gives you a lot more room if you need it.

I don't know that there's a way to move user apps to system. It's very possible there is a way, I've just never seen any posts about it. Apps 2 SD is usually the way to go.
ps. 30 megs?!?! Geez, how many apps do you have?
Sent from my SUPERSONIC

Easy peasy
First, use a true apk backup tool to backup e apk files you want to move. Titanium backup will NOT work because it compresses and distorts, and we need true apk files. I recommend file manager by adao team. Just go to applications, check what you want, and hit backup. Next, get the apk files on your computer by mounting sd and copying files from backups folder. You will lose all app data, but what can you do? Next, adb push the files to system app folder while in recovery mode (just say so if you don't know how to do this and i will tell you) and reboot. Done. Tell me if it works well.
By the way, 30 megs???

Doesn't froyo install to the sdcard if you tell it to?
I thought a2sd was obsolete

You can put apps there after changing the folder's permissions but I wouldn't recommend it. Just not a good idea to put regular apps there.
Just install them to your SD card instead
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

go into the android app manager and go through all your programs and click on move to sd card...
they will all still occupy some space on your nand, but not nearly as much.

Thanks for the advice, I thought it might not be as easy as moving them, oh well, just seems a shame for there to be over 100 megs I cannot do anything with.
I already had moved all I could to the SD card prior to posting this, but thanks for that advice as well, I'm sure others forget they can do that with Froyo.
As for the 30 megs I had left.. we'll it's back up to about 70 free which should be plenty for a while. (Remember we only have about 420 to start with).
Some of the big ones which could not be moved to the SD card are:
Swype (Deleted, took over 17megs)
TouchDown (12 megs.. must keep for tasks sync sadly)
Google Maps update (7.6 megs)
Documents to go (8megs)
A few various games that cannot yet be moved to the SD card at around 5megs each..
The rest are just lots of little apps.. I'm sort of an app junkie You should have seen my old Palm Centro... it was amazing!
According to Titanium, I currently have 194 'User apps', though I think a few are simply widgets, icon packs and the like.

Wow.

Hi all,
I have been a winmob user for over 5 years and i know pretty much everything about them. (see join date) Though 3 days ago i got a a8183 desire.
My god i have a lot to learn about Android. Winmob seemed so much simplier to pick apart with registry and custom roms.
Anyways i have been reading thread after thread for days yet i still have a couple of questions that i cannot get clear answers for.
I have a a8183 telstra desire running on optus. I have updated to the latest offical 2.2 ROM. (Everyone mentions OTA (over the air) though i downloaded it and installed thru windows).
So i would appreciate if someone could help me out with my questions/assumptions.
1. From what i have read you cannot r00t a froyo OS. Is that right? Though i have found an app z4root that will do it temporarily until reboot. Unrevoked doesnt seem to work.
2. To change system files you need not only root though you need the clockworkmod recovery part of the bootloader. (eg. to replace HOST file for adblocking).
3. You need permanent r00t to install the clockworkmod (so i cannot do this).
4. You cannot remove default ROM apps from your phone without the clockworkmod.
5. You need clockworkmod to install custom ROMs.
So from what i gather.. r00t is good. though really only cause it gets you the clockworkmod recovery which is where you can really hack it.
And to get this i need to downgrade to 2.1, r00t, clockwork then use a hacked rom for 2.2?
Your help is greatly appreciated.

hi sage, i too came from windows mobile so i know how you feel, lucky for me i jumped on the android bandwagon earlier with the htc hero, after i got bored with my HD1, anyway your wrong on quite a few points, so i'll point you in the right direction.
1) the latest version of unrevoked (www.unrevoked.com/recovery) is more than able to root the froyo roms, its a one click app and can root your device in minutes
2) to easly modify system files you need s-off (this is equivalent to HSPL on wm devices) after you have rooted, you need to search for alpharev, this is a linux live cd, you just burn it and boot it and it will security unlock your device.
3) when you download and run unrevoked, it will not only root your device but insatall the latest version of clockworkmod recovery. (just hold vol down and power when your device is off to access hboot, and choose recovery from the list) so unrevoked kills 2 birds with one stone
4) to remove the apps in the /system/ partition there are 2 ways, from recovery using adb, or if you flash the s-off mod, you can remove them directly from your device using a file manager.
5) yes you need clockworkmod or another custom recovery to install custom roms, but now you know how to do it, thats not a problem

Hi Sage,
If you're looking for an easier way to get rid of all the Telstra apps (more like a blob of links really ) on your phone you may want to try one of the stock HTC WWE ROMs. It's clean and you can flash it via exe, just like in WM. The latest RUU I believe is the 2.29.405.2. Also, be aware of the risks of rooting your phone.

thanks for your response guys
Ok so i am now r00ted and running Leedroid's WWE ROM! (thank you!) it was actually pretty easy.
I think unrevoked was failing cause i was using a USB HUB.
OK so now i just want to remove some more of the default apps that come with it.
So i will try alpharev to security unlock my device. (is this permanent or if i reflash my rom it will come back?)
once i have done this i can then delete anything i like thru r00t explorer?
At this stage i am trying to just make some more room for apps. As a number of them wont move to SD Card.
A couple of last questions if i may. I have an new SD Card on order. Am i able to simply copy everything from my existing SD to my new and then swap it over in my phone and it will all be ok? Or do i need 'clone' it with some tool?
Where in the system paths do i remove 'shortcuts' within all apps? (or even simply rename them.)
Much appreciate your help. Android is growing on me. I especially love adb logcat!

ok.. i am now security off'd alpharev worked a treat.
i am now using r00t explorer to try and delete items from /system/app though they come up read-only so i cannot delete them
i take when i get to remove these the phone will have more stoage space for apps yeah?
i also still cannot find where the all apps shortcuts sit! (so i can rename/remove).
and lastly now i have the alpharev bootloader so gonna google how to change that
i did use the Leedroid apps2sd ROM. though most of my apps are still going to phone memory and i cant move them across.
Is there a fix for this? i guess once i work out how to delete these read-only files ill be ok anyway.

Unfortunately removing system apps wont give you more space to install apps, they are stored under a different partition, /system and /data are not on the same disk so you can save as much space on /system as you want but it won't affect /data at all.
With running out of space you have a few choices:
Go to settings..applications..then manage and move as many apps to SD as you can. This is fro-yo apps2sd, not all data is moved and not all apps can be moved, so you will probably run out of space again anyway.
Or
Reboot into recovery and partition your sdcard to create an ext partition, when you boot your rom ALL apps will be moved to the ext partition leaving lots of free space. Backup your sdcard before you partition it, you will lose all data.

Sage said:
ok.. i am now security off'd alpharev worked a treat.
1) i am now using r00t explorer to try and delete items from /system/app though they come up read-only so i cannot delete them
2) i take when i get to remove these the phone will have more stoage space for apps yeah?
3) i also still cannot find where the all apps shortcuts sit! (so i can rename/remove).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) Press on Remount as R/O, this should allow you to delete/replace system stuff & ringtones, fonts...etc.
2)No, because apps install to data/apps & not system/apps.
3)You mean like the applicatiuon menu when we used to delete shortcuts or rename them? Hahaha man that was sooooooooooooo long time ago for me. Anyway, the applications installed are displayer & you can't hide them or rearrange them like Winmo. You might want to try Launcher Pro to hide apps in the apps drawer.
If you need more info, ask freely because 2 years ago I went through the same

mr.r9 said:
1) Press on Remount as R/O, this should allow you to delete/replace system stuff & ringtones, fonts...etc. Typo..You meant R/W
2)No, because apps install to data/apps & not system/apps.
3)You mean like the applicatiuon menu when we used to delete shortcuts or rename them? Hahaha man that was sooooooooooooo long time ago for me. Anyway, the applications installed are displayer & you can't hide them or rearrange them like Winmo. You might want to try Launcher Pro to hide apps in the apps drawer.
If you need more info, ask freely because 2 years ago I went through the same
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm..actually the new MTD partition table hack should be able to free space on the /system, adjusting partitions with less for /system and /cache and more for /data/app should give enough space..Though I'm not sure if he wants to try this right now, since it's considered an advanced task and maybe he'd like to get more accustomed to Android before attempting it? His wish though..
And well, there's yet another method to remove system apps, other than the other two methods. This is to modify the zip file of the custom rom to remove the actual apks from /system and reflashing it on top of the actual flash..

droidzone said:
And well, there's yet another method to remove system apps, other than the other two methods. This is to modify the zip file of the custom rom to remove the actual apks from /system and reflashing it on top of the actual flash..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ohh yes indeed. OP, you can edit the zip before installing it to your device. You can remove/replace application in system/data and fonts...etc. Just remember to change signature verification to off in your recovery.

my god. i have spent days on this baby and im only barely scratching the surface
much appreciate all your help guys!
ok.. so its time to use app2sd i hear that app2sd+ is better though? (it moves more data to SD yeah? appcache?)
i only have 2Gb microsd right now so i might wait until i my 8GB arrives before i flash a new ROM and start again (again!)
i also noticed these online kitchens. http://cookmyrom.co.cc
which look great! tho they are still a version behind the leedroid i am using tho its a good way to get rid of some default apps.
i certainly like the idea of reparitioning the default disk though not quite ready for that yet especially when app2sd+ sounds much more straight forward.
i am dumbfounded that you cant remove 'shortcuts' from the All Apps! or even rename them!! my god. i would think that was first thing available on such an open source OS.
So i have now created a folder called "Folder" to reduce the clutter.. and now i guess i cant even rename it!?? and if i create another one its called "Folder" too!
lol.. this OS is so advanced yet some basic stuff seems to be overlooked.
I did try launcher pro though it removed my HTC Sense (which i like). So i might need to keep looking for an app to help organise my All Apps and my desktop (is desktop what its called?)
And just how do i add ringtones?
love your work guys thanks again.

Create a folder called Ringtones on the root of your SD to have...ringtones.
When you open a folder, long press on the header to rename it.
As for organizing, I stopped caring & started to use search, but maybe if you want you can try an app called folder organizer.

mr.r9 said:
Create a folder called Ringtones on the root of your SD to have...ringtones.
When you open a folder, long press on the header to rename it.
As for organizing, I stopped caring & started to use search, but maybe if you want you can try an app called folder organizer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nice one thank you!

Sage said:
...So i have now created a folder called "Folder" to reduce the clutter.. and now i guess i cant even rename it!??...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Open the folder then hold where it says folder to change its name.

Ok. Now have app2sd working!
thanks to all of you. Beginning to love this android phone now. I feel sorry for all the people who use them as they come from the factory! Thank god for all the xda people who rip them to shreds and make them better

If i can have one last question. Any way to remap hardware buttons to start an app?
Like when you hold down the search button it launches Google Voice. I want it to launch a different app..
I did a search and found the hardware button remapper though it only does hardware to hardware.. not hardware to app

For Folders(Assuming you're using full HTC Sense), just open it and hold the title bar. Took me some time to figure out. You cannot easily rename the apps in "All apps", but you can remove them(Which is essentially uninstalling them) from Settings > Applications > Manage, unless they are system apps which need to be manually deleted either via S-OFF + Root explorer(OR something similar) or ADB + Custom recovery(Clockworkmod or Amon Ra).
For setting a custom ringtone, open the music app, select the music > Menu > Set as ringtone.

so no love on the hardware remap for apps?
Oh well i have done a lot of googling and it seems it cant be done (well at least not easily).
My last question is when you launch an app from a folder the folder stays open.. any way to force close or change its behaviour?

for those following this. I found the Tasker app remaps hardware buttons amongst doing amazing other things.
Still no love on closing folders though.

i ended up using tasker to create app widgets to replace the folders...

If you want app widgets, there's also "Desktop Visualizer".
In terms of killing of an app, have you tried "Settings -> apps settings -> development" then there's an option there for "stop apps via long press"?

[Q] How to uninstall downloaded skins

i know this may be a noob question but how do I uninstall skins i downloaded from xda on the incredible 2? i tried going to skin picker menu but theres no delete button

nvm i got it...u should use the apk file to uninstall

uninstall using apk's
...and just exactly how do you do that?
having the same issue with no delete option when hitting menu on the skin picker...

blackepoxy said:
...and just exactly how do you do that?
having the same issue with no delete option when hitting menu on the skin picker...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are these sense skins if so ?
i believe if you long hold them down you get the deleted option but i can remember for sure is been a while since i play with sense

Yes hTC sense 2.1 skins
ubuntunerd said:
are these sense skins if so ?
i believe if you long hold them down you get the deleted option but i can remember for sure is been a while since i play with sense
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Specifically, the ones on here posted by sopL87 (the 30 additional ported from the thunderbolt) and the ones by gadget from team bamf.
Stock 2.3.4 (installed the 5 RSSI update recently) sense 2.1
... I know that is probably a sin on these forums...
(not being rooted, that is)

you can put the .apk file on your sd card and use it to uninstall it that way, or go into system/app and find the skin and delete it.

skins, skins
Long holding them while in panel view gives me "ernt" of haptic feedback like something is supposed to happen, but nothing does. When I was on froyo hitting menu in the skin picker brought up list/panel view and delete with an x. Now all I get is list and panel...
I understand how to download & install the skins to sd card making sure the file extension is .apk or they won't install. I know you press on them in the file explorer (I use ES) to install them like any other app or .apk.
I looked in the phone's internal storage directory with es under system/app and found where the stock skins that come pre installed on the phone are, but where are the ones I have downloaded and installed stored?
I will probably have to find them there to delete them. Then again, I am not rooted and might not be able to delete them if they are in the phones internal memory and designated as a system file.
Deleting the file off the sd card does not un install the skin, it simply deletes the file off the sd card.
*sigh*...

blackepoxy said:
Long holding them while in panel view gives me "ernt" of haptic feedback like something is supposed to happen, but nothing does. When I was on froyo hitting menu in the skin picker brought up list/panel view and delete with an x. Now all I get is list and panel...
I understand how to download & install the skins to sd card making sure the file extension is .apk or they won't install. I know you press on them in the file explorer (I use ES) to install them like any other app or .apk.
I looked in the phone's internal storage directory with es under system/app and found where the stock skins that come pre installed on the phone are, but where are the ones I have downloaded and installed stored?
I will probably have to find them there to delete them. Then again, I am not rooted and might not be able to delete them if they are in the phones internal memory and designated as a system file.
Deleting the file off the sd card does not un install the skin, it simply deletes the file off the sd card.
*sigh*...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how did you download the skins with your phone or your pc browser ?

All with phone using dolphin mini browser.

Are they under manage applications in settings
Tap'n on miui incredible 2

Same prob here, i had to do a factory reset. Only thing that worked
Sent from my ADR6350 using xda premium

Can't find them
aardvark502 said:
Are they under manage applications in settings
Tap'n on miui incredible 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I don't see them there either.
Yeah, I had to do a factory reset recently, like a month ago, and that is a sure fire way to clear them out.
It is not bothering me that bad to pull the trigger on a factory reset.
I just thought there might be another way (easier) to uninstall them than that.
How about clearing data on the skin picker under manage applications?
What would that do?
Probably won't clear them out, huh?

blackepoxy said:
No, I don't see them there either.
Yeah, I had to do a factory reset recently, like a month ago, and that is a sure fire way to clear them out.
It is not bothering me that bad to pull the trigger on a factory reset.
I just thought there might be another way (easier) to uninstall them than that.
How about clearing data on the skin picker under manage applications?
What would that do?
Probably won't clear them out, huh?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're rooted, use titanium backup
Sent from my Incredible 2 HD using Forum Runner

No, not rooted yet.
tylerlawhon said:
If you're rooted, use titanium backup
Sent from my Incredible 2 HD using Forum Runner
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When using titanium backup, I would back up my setup now with the skins installed & then find the .apk files in the backup & delete them there.
Then when I restore the saved backup, they would be gone, right?

Or you go into TiBu, click apps at the top, find and select the skin, click uninstall

[Q] how can i restore system apk.

First off I'd like to start off by saying that I am kind of an idiot...with that said; I like to mess around with important files on my device(Acer a100) even though I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing.
Using titanium backup I uninstalled that download system apk. The one with the green icon and the white arrow pointing down. Now when I try to restore it through tit. Backup it will just freeze and keep saying that it is restoring and I have to finally force close titanium. I have also tried messing around with permissions in root explorer, fixing permissions in rom manager, navigating to system/app and installing it manually through a file explorer( get message install fail), and hard resetting.
The main problem is that everything I download will show in my notification bar and after I close/exit them they come back 5-30 min later. If I click on the download in my notification(not on the x) then my notification bar just closes. I can kinda fix this by turning my notifications off or cleaning data/cache on ?download storage? Apk/app.
Does anyone know of an easy fix for restoring this system apk. For there are no custom roms or recovery sources for this device that I have seen yet.
Thank-you, Robb

Get the system.apk file from the roms here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1307046

i tried downloading those recovery files and twice they came back saying they were corrupted, is there any way someone can just upload the system file i need from their a100...its the downloads apk. the green icon with a white arrow pointing down

RobbandJenica said:
i tried downloading those recovery files and twice they came back saying they were corrupted, is there any way someone can just upload the system file i need from their a100...its the downloads apk. the green icon with a white arrow pointing down
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PM me with your email address, I'll email you the apk from my A100, I'm still running the stock rom that I pulled it out of the box with.
You can download it straight to your tab from your email, beforee you do, get a file manager (like es file manager) from the market. You will be able to get to your downloads folder from there and install it.
ummmmm............ could you repeat that?

6stringandy said:
PM me with your email address, I'll email you the apk from my A100, I'm still running the stock rom that I pulled it out of the box with.
You can download it straight to your tab from your email, beforee you do, get a file manager (like es file manager) from the market. You will be able to get to your downloads folder from there and install it.
ummmmm............ could you repeat that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He's got Root Explorer, that should do the trick.
To the OP: You are mounting the system partition R/W in Root Explorer when you try this, aren't you? Hate to ask a dumb question but.....

Yes I am hitting that button up top on root explorer changing it from r/w to r/o but I think some how I just got the wrong apk....after titanium wouldn't restore it I think I remember copying apk. From my phone (g2x) and attempting to restore those...dumb, I know I might of tried changing the names of the apk. Too,..like I say I f*** with s*** I have no business Fu****** with. I will p.m. my email now maybe I can get a screen shot of the system files if anyone feels up to it, so I can cross check proper name and sizes

How about just reinstalling the 3.2.1 update that is in the developer section. There should be no reason to factory reset since it is the same version. I have soft bricked mine a few times and I have just did the update again.
I even upgraded from whatever version the device shipped with to 3.2.1 without wiping the data.

A100 development section??? I see three a100 recovery downloads and one a101 recovery in our development section but when I download them i t says they were corrupted...if those are what your talking about...which one exactly should I use and what do I do with the file after words???
----sorry two that say a101 and two a100
So should I use file Id # 115,116,117,or 109

Use the one in this post. It is already decrypted. The ones in the frist post need to be decrypted using the Acer decryption tool. I have used the one I linked to probably 20 times. Once you run the update you will have to re-root the tablet.

thank-you all..recovered and fixed!!!
I was able to fix my problem by using the recovery update zips. But I want to thank everyone that helped, and remind people from experience to freeze unwanted system apps instead of uninstlling in titanium backup.u
Very important advice also is to search and read before starting new posts. I could have saved some time and headache just by doing that...the answers were just a couple paragraphs away the whole time.

Link2SD & CM11: Optimal Strategies

I am super-curious if & how anyone here is using Link2SD successfully with CM11 (on the Epic 4G, specifically).
I've tried scouring these forums, and the Internet in general, to figure out the best way to get this to work...
But everything that I've tried, it all seems to be working great, only up until the first time that the phone reboots, then it all goes to hell.
I am wondering if there are any extra steps to follow, specifically for the Epic 4G, or any particular pitfalls known to avoid?
That's why I wanted to ask here, specifically to Epic 4G users...
If you are getting Link2SD to work well with CM11, then please chime in here, and can you explain how you got it all set up and working well?
(I feel like this is the one last thing that if I could conquer it, then I could really continue to get a lot of life out of this phone... as it stands, it seems too risky to put much faith in Link2SD, because if the phone happens to spontaneously reboot while I'm out running around, then I'm screwed because so many apps just disappear, and then it's a pain to re-download, re-install, and re-setup each of them...)
Thanks in advance for any help,
AS

I am using Link2SD on my Epic 4G with CM11 with some success. I just did a reboot, and as usual lost any icons that had links created in Link2SD, so I go to the app locker & re-add them to my home screen. This is typical of what happens on a reboot for me. One thing I did notice is that it takes a minute or so for the deleted app icons to show up in the app locker again, so if you are reinstalling them, it may be a matter of waiting for them to show back up. Also on occasion(not this time), Link2SD will prompt me about a problem with the links and then prompt me to reinitiate the partition or something to that affect. Once I do that and it reboots, the app icons are still gone, so I just re-add them. Anyway, I know its not a perfect solution, but with this device its better than running out of RAM. One last thing, needless to say, I only create links for enough apps to free up enough RAM to keep my Epic working properly.

I've finally got a system going that seems to work for me, and so I thought I'd share some things.
I'm on CM11 (as of today, cm-11-20140602-NIGHTLY-epicmtd.zip) and I'm using Link2SD.
HERE'S A "GOTCHA" THAT HAD ME PULLING MY HAIR OUT FOR AT LEAST A DAY OR TWO:
Link2SD was having problems mounting the 2nd partition - it would just say "Mount script cannot be created." or something like that (not a very helpful error message), no matter how many times I rebooted and tried again. What I *finally* figured out (somehow), was that this error was being caused by /system being completely full. When I went and deleted a few things from /system (such as goofy wallpapers or that 'Apollo' app that I never use), then Link2SD was able to successfully create the script, and then I'd reboot and could use the 2nd partition successfully.
It's still a little aggravating that any reboot of the phone will cause all of my "Linked" apps to disappear - I've played with this until I am blue in the face, and have resigned myself to accepting that this is just "how it is" (?) - but I'm now using Titanium Backup as my workaround.
STEPS I TAKE WHEN THE PHONE REBOOTS:
1) Go into Link2Sd and make sure the 2nd partition is usable, otherwise recreate mount scripts (deleting wallpapers/Apollo if necessary)
2) Under Link2SD's "More" menu, perform the following:
a) Clean up the 2nd partition
b) Clean up the dalvik-cache
c) Clear all app caches
3) Restore apps from Titanium Backup
a) starting with Facebook app (the biggest hog) and then immediately go and make Facebook a "Linked" app again
b) restore a few more apps (to internal/phone), then go and shuffle those over to "Linked" apps via Link2SD
c) (repeat step 'b' until all apps are restored and "Linked" via Link2SD
^ This is the only way I've been able to get this to work for me... but now I can put about as many apps on the phone as I'll ever possibly need, and I have to say everything is running pretty smoothly now - but if anyone can see a better way, or how to improve what I'm doing, then I'm all ears... please let me (us) know.
Thanks!

Apex launcher doesn't lose the icons. I can free about 66MB of system space by swapping the launcher, deleting CM wallpapers, live wallpaper and Google keyboard.
I verified link2SD plus was not working properly but free link2SD works as advertised. For me, just installing the plus version will break the working functions of the free version. The free version scripts, links and launcher icons survive reboots. The plus version continually lost mount and wouldn't properly clean up the second partition and was not copying the lib files and placing them in the second partition.
Edit: per the developer's request, after verifying free link2SD was setup and surviving reboots, I added plus link2SD and rebooted: OK so far. Next I linked a file with plus version; OK until reboot. The application was not found except in directories. Dalvik cache cleanup finds the dex link and file in second partition as unneeded files. Had to manually delete all the files and links for the broken application and reinstall it. Also had to uninstall plus link2SD to properly link again. Sent the results back to developer.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Edit: 6/20/2014; link2SD 3.4.8 fixed the reboot issue for the link2SD Plus version for me. Sent email to developer to thank him for the fix.
See post #8.

Update on my last entry:
I emailed the link2SD developer and got a reply asking me to check the plus version again. In my reply back I linked him to this thread.
Another tip to add for nightly flashers that use link2SD and modify the zip prior to flashing: pull the mount script, 11link2SD, found at /system/etc/init.d and move it same location on zip before flashing. If retaining data, ie: dirty flashing; the mount securely retains your apps after flashing new nightly. Just checked with free version of link2SD: works.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

Arson Smith said:
I am super-curious if & how anyone here is using Link2SD successfully with CM11 (on the Epic 4G, specifically).
I've tried scouring these forums, and the Internet in general, to figure out the best way to get this to work...
But everything that I've tried, it all seems to be working great, only up until the first time that the phone reboots, then it all goes to hell.
I am wondering if there are any extra steps to follow, specifically for the Epic 4G, or any particular pitfalls known to avoid?
That's why I wanted to ask here, specifically to Epic 4G users...
If you are getting Link2SD to work well with CM11, then please chime in here, and can you explain how you got it all set up and working well?
(I feel like this is the one last thing that if I could conquer it, then I could really continue to get a lot of life out of this phone... as it stands, it seems too risky to put much faith in Link2SD, because if the phone happens to spontaneously reboot while I'm out running around, then I'm screwed because so many apps just disappear, and then it's a pain to re-download, re-install, and re-setup each of them...)
Thanks in advance for any help,
AS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using link2SD for all minus 16gb internal android device. Here is what i do in epic 4g, currently on CM11 20140523, use 20131209 gapps. I just write the part involved link2sd :
1. Buy atleast 16gb microSD and class 10 is a must, make 2nd partition (usually about 4gb - 6gb) as ext2 - ext4 (depends on the OS).
2. Device rooted, install titanium backup & root explorer 3.1.3 (make sure the root explorer working). Uninstall system apk (one of the launcher, whisper push, terminal emulator (I prefer use better terminal emulator, install as user app), CM filemanager, etc - still more that can be uninstalled for more space in system.
3. install link2SD, pick ext2 - ext4 (depends), dont restart yet. go to setting, uncheck everything then restart.
4. After back to launcher, open root explorer, go to root/data/, check app & dalvik-cache folder, press copy. Go to sdext2 folder, delete lost&found folder (usually there), and paste. So the app & dalvik-cache folder is there now (you could copy data/data folder too if you really want maximum extra space in internal, but in epic 4g i didn't copy data folder because it's enough space).
5. At the sdext2 folder, long press app folder, select "link to this folder", go to root/data/, press "create link" - "yes". Then go to sdext2 folder again, long press dalvik-cache folder, select "link to this folder", go to root/data/, press "create link" - "yes". Do the same if you copy data/data folder to sdext2 folder.
6. Reboot. Done. Then installing others app or restore with titanium backup.
I hope this is useful. Some Screenshot attached.

Hello
Thanks for that solution.
I`m searching for this solution since 1-2 weeks.
I had the same Problem on xcover 2 Link2SD.
Now it`s clear i have installt Link2SD and works perfect for just 3-4 days then i upgrade to Link2SD plus and then it happend like the Threat above.
I`m wondering that Lin2SD works perfectly on CM11 and if you go to Link2SD plus for money and this don`t work.
Free works perfectly and paid work not.
I have go back and everything its fine.
I hope the autor will fix the problem then i go back to plus.
Thank Thanks Thanks works fine!
regards marle.m

Good news! It appears the link2SD version 3.4.8 released today has a bug fix to survive reboots for linked apps when linking with link2SD plus version.
So far, I've only linked one app with plus version enabled and it survived one reboot. Then Ⓘ linked the data folder and rebooted again which also survived the reboot.
Looks like plus version is fully functional; I'll update if it fails some time later.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

Finally had a chance to sit down and mess with this...
Yeah! Success! Freeing up space in /system worked.
Next question...Will I have to remove the bloat prior to flashing from now on? ie no more CyanDelta easy flashing
Anyone have any Scripting-Fu to come up with an automated method of stripping out said bloat?
thx sno

Snoshrk said:
Finally had a chance to sit down and mess with this...
Yeah! Success! Freeing up space in /system worked.
Next question...Will I have to remove the bloat prior to flashing from now on? ie no more CyanDelta easy flashing
Anyone have any Scripting-Fu to come up with an automated method of stripping out said bloat?
thx sno
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was thinking the gapps could be modified at the updater-script to remove some system bloat. Then remove some bloat from that as well. Most remove their own bloat choices so maybe a diy tut would be more useful?
I agree, the script would make the nightly flashing easier.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

Just realized that if using Link2SD Plus to multi link all folders of an app to sdext2 after a clean install is still broken, if using intended method. Apps linked this way are missing after reboot.
Working on a safer suggested method that focuses more on removing apps from Gapps but also removing some other system apps after flashing a nightly that requires no modification of the nightly zip on a computer. Have to focus on linking only a minimum amount of apps with free Link2SD considered less risky to move, like larger stand alone apps, not needed tools.
I've got a working script and method that works but the risks to be avoided need to be detailed along with the tut to script and tool your own modified Gapps that minimizes the flash to flashing the nightly as-is and then flashing a custom Gapps that includes preferred launcher and restore methods.
Removing CMWallpapers, Apollo music and Trebuchet launcher. Substituting blacked out Google play. Replacing removed apps with Apex beta test launcher for test group, blacked out Pandora (these will be installed at /data partition where they can be easily uninstalled or updated) I use my own borrowed wallpaper.
Along with the removed bloat from Gapps, this frees a bit more than 40 MB of system space.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

UPDATE: the latest version of Link2SD (3.5.2) has "fixed the bug that causes linked apps disappear on reboot when internal data is linked".
So... if you've also ponied up the buck or two for Link2SD Plus (as I have), then this finally works again like you'd always hoped it would.
I just loaded a bazillion apps back on the phone, and have been able to reboot multiple times without losing them.
The only time I "lost" them for a moment was after flashing to the latest CM11 nightly, but then doing the "Recreate mount scripts" and reboot brought them right back, with no other shenanigans necessary.
(Just wanted to let people know, because this is such a relief to me now....)
HURRAY!

OK I'm trying this again. Reboots are fine as long as I don't select quick or soft reboots; I lose mount, linked apps not installed.
Now need to try the clean install of nightly.

Snoshrk said:
Finally had a chance to sit down and mess with this...
Yeah! Success! Freeing up space in /system worked.
Next question...Will I have to remove the bloat prior to flashing from now on? ie no more CyanDelta easy flashing
Anyone have any Scripting-Fu to come up with an automated method of stripping out said bloat?
thx sno
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One possible solution:

more scripts to limit steps
Another possible solution (click link)