[Q] What is the "SD Card" in my GNex? - Samsung Galaxy Nexus

So rooting and ROM running have a lot to do with your SD card, with data being split between the SD card and the phone which makes plenty of sense (I understand it is more complex than this, I am just referring to the fact that some data is on the SD while some is on the phone itself). My Thunderbolt made sense to me. When I go to recovery, I see that files are stored on my SD card and that was logical as I indeed had an SD card, but what is the SD card that recovery is telling me about on my GNex? Is it just a matter of a partition that separates the GNex hard drive into one section that it calls the "SD Card?"

/sdcard/ is your phone's internal hard drive
its pretty much a irremovable sdcard. thats it.
if you use a galaxy s phone,
it has irremovable sd card + expandable. so it'd be /sdcard/sd/
or /sdcard/ /removable/sdcard/

zephiK said:
/sdcard/ is your phone's internal hard drive
its pretty much a irremovable sdcard. thats it.
if you use a galaxy s phone,
it has irremovable sd card + expandable. so it'd be /sdcard/sd/
or /sdcard/ /removable/sdcard/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So the "SD" part is a catch all for both types of storage? I never thought about it before because all of my Android phones up until now have had an SD slot (Evo, Thunderbolt). Thanks for the answer!

The /sdcard on the Galaxy Nexus is just a symlink to a folder on the data partition: /data/media
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Your phones storage is just one big partition. There's no separate system / sdcard storage.
You'll notice this is why there is no USB Mass Storage on the Galaxy Nexus (uses MTP/PTP), as you wouldn't be able to mount the entire storage because the system needs to continue running.

So is there a way to stop CWM from wiping /data/media when you wipe data?

hacky486 said:
So is there a way to stop CWM from wiping /data/media when you wipe data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It won't wipe it by default, nothing extra to do
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

Some apps have error when trying to backup data cos default dir is "sdcard"!
There's our issue...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App

Related

Storage

I have a few general and a few specific questions regarding storage:
1. Why did Samsung create 2 directories for internal storage? It has regular internal storage and "SD" storage but both are really internal storage. Why not just make one big partition and SD storage is actually your removable SD card (this is how it was on the OG EV) Someone please explain this to me if you know the answer.
2. On CM9 rom how do you save apps and their data to a external SD card? I'm trying to install a Gameloft game but it's saying I don't have enough space available which I certainly do.
3. On TW based ICS roms how do you save apps w/ data on the actual external sd card? Possibly planning on trying out Rujelus' rom so I'd like to know before hand.
SantinoInc said:
I have a few general and a few specific questions regarding storage:
1. Why did Samsung create 2 directories for internal storage? It has regular internal storage and "SD" storage but both are really internal storage. Why not just make one big partition and SD storage is actually your removable SD card (this is how it was on the OG EV) Someone please explain this to me if you know the answer.
2. On CM9 rom how do you save apps and their data to a external SD card? I'm trying to install a Gameloft game but it's saying I don't have enough space available which I certainly do.
3. On TW based ICS roms how do you save apps w/ data on the actual external sd card? Possibly planning on trying out Rujelus' rom so I'd like to know before hand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OG evo didnt have an emmc partition. It had internal storage dedicated to things like app storage, same as any other phone. You cant mount internal storage to your PC so combining these would be a waste of space.
You might be able to push game data from emmc to the sd card and they might still locate it but I have never tried as I never fill up my emmc, I just keep everything else on the sdcard. But worth a shot.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
barnacles10 said:
The OG evo didnt have an emmc partition. It had internal storage dedicated to things like app storage, same as any other phone. You cant mount internal storage to your PC so combining these would be a waste of space.
You might be able to push game data from emmc to the sd card and they might still locate it but I have never tried as I never fill up my emmc, I just keep everything else on the sdcard. But worth a shot.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't quite get your reply but to make things easier for myself what is the best way to format the SDcard. I am talking about the internal SDcard not my actual removable micro SD card. I know there is an option in storage but I don't know what SD card its referring to.
SantinoInc said:
I don't quite get your reply but to make things easier for myself what is the best way to format the SDcard. I am talking about the internal SDcard not my actual removable micro SD card. I know there is an option in storage but I don't know what SD card its referring to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just remove your external then hit the format option in storage. And if you move back to the fd16 kernel on cm9a3 you will be much happier with the way the storage is handled.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium

Way To Make Virtual SD Card?

Hey guys just got my Galaxy Nexus for Verizon. It obv does not come with an SD card, something I am not accustomed to.
I am wondering if there is some way to maybe partition the internal memory so when doing wipes and installing roms, that partition of memory is not affected.
Thanks for any help!
Doing wipes and rom installs doesn't affect the sdcard, only the internal memory that holds the os/apps gets wiped, so there's no need to partition anything. Its only when you format the sdcard is when you lose everything on it.
peachpuff said:
Doing wipes and rom installs doesn't affect the sdcard, only the internal memory that holds the os/apps gets wiped, so there's no need to partition anything. Its only when you format the sdcard is when you lose everything on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think he's asking if there is a way to make the internal memory set up to have a portion of it look like an external ad card... ie splitting the partition one says internal memory the second would be fake sdcard memory
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk
fmartine said:
I think he's asking if there is a way to make the internal memory set up to have a portion of it look like an external ad card... ie splitting the partition one says internal memory the second would be fake sdcard memory
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If virtual sdcard had its own partition it would theoretically then be possible to treat it as a real usb mass storage device like a real sdcard.
galaxy nexus (gsm) / cm9 / trinity @ 1.4GHz

Can A Backup Be Made On The SD Card?

AT&T GS3
I have looked over and over. And I see articles mentioning how to backup your device before Flashing ROMs. They even show how to do it. One of the articles said it could be done and how to do it. I did it and just like the other ways I tried the backup is stored on the Internal Storage.
I have all this room on my SD card available. My internal storage is almost completely filled with me not being able to store games or any apps for that matter on my SD card. Right now I have about 4GB left for my Internal Storage. After the backup I had 1GB left (I deleted the backup on the Internal Storage).
Is everyone else just storing the backup(s) on your Internal Storage? Your computer? SD Card?
davidstech11 said:
AT&T GS3
I have looked over and over. And I see articles mentioning how to backup your device before Flashing ROMs. They even show how to do it. One of the articles said it could be done and how to do it. I did it and just like the other ways I tried the backup is stored on the Internal Storage.
I have all this room on my SD card available. My internal storage is almost completely filled with me not being able to store games or any apps for that matter on my SD card. Right now I have about 4GB left for my Internal Storage. After the backup I had 1GB left (I deleted the backup on the Internal Storage).
Is everyone else just storing the backup(s) on your Internal Storage? Your computer? SD Card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you can backup to the internal sd card a d once you made a nandroid you can move the folder "clockworkmod" to your external sd card. And once you need to backup just move it back like a storage kind of thing. Tbh I'm not sure if you can make a backup to your external but I would always save it on your computer if anything happened to your phone
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Thanks. I think I am going to go ahead and do it the way you said. Have a good one.
I do it this way but would prefer to backup directly to the sd card.
TWRP can do nandroids on the external sd.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 10.1
davidstech11 said:
Thanks. I think I am going to go ahead and do it the way you said. Have a good one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Happy to help!
PMentior said:
TWRP can do nandroids on the external sd.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 10.1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had to look up what TWRP was. LOL
Anyway, I looked it over, decided to try it and it worked! I now have my device backed up on the SD card instead of my internal memory.
I want to thank you and the other person for the helpful info. Each of you helped point me in the direction I wanted to go. Have a good one.
My cwm automatically backs up to external sd card. I'm pretty sure most versions do this now but can't verify. Also when I flash zips it will look in external unless I choose install zip from internal sd card
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda app-developers app
Doesnt work with the newest version of cwm. It worked with the 5.5.0.4 one though.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

ICS on Note 2?

Hi
I am really tired by apps on SDCard is not working on Note 2 with Jeally Bean. If I install ICS or older version will that work?
I have root it with Odin
Regards
RakeshRaja said:
Hi
I am really tired by apps on SDCard is not working on Note 2 with Jeally Bean. If I install ICS or older version will that work?
I have root it with Odin
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you really misunderstand what A2SD actually does.
If you consider a Note 1 running Gingerbread or ICS, it has 16GB of storage just like the Note 2, but was partitioned in such a way that the lions share of the additional space was on a partition that appeared to be an SD card to the OS and apps (the so called, internal SD card). When you used A2SD on the Note 1, it moved the bulk of the app from the smaller /data partition to the larger /sdcard partition, but it was still taking up space on your "internal" 16GB of storage, and not on the real "external" MicroSD card.
Fast forward to the Note II, the 16GB storage is not split in the same way, so essentially /data and /sdcard are on the same partition.
So, switching from JB to ICS won't mystically make A2SD available on your external MicroSD.
The best ways of achieving the effect you desire is either to "swap" the internal and external SD cards, or to use DirectoryBind in order to make specific directories on your external SD card appear as if they are on the internal storage.
Regards,
Dave
foxmeister said:
I think you really misunderstand what A2SD actually does.
If you consider a Note 1 running Gingerbread or ICS, it has 16GB of storage just like the Note 2, but was partitioned in such a way that the lions share of the additional space was on a partition that appeared to be an SD card to the OS and apps (the so called, internal SD card). When you used A2SD on the Note 1, it moved the bulk of the app from the smaller /data partition to the larger /sdcard partition, but it was still taking up space on your "internal" 16GB of storage, and not on the real "external" MicroSD card.
Fast forward to the Note II, the 16GB storage is not split in the same way, so essentially /data and /sdcard are on the same partition.
So, switching from JB to ICS won't mystically make A2SD available on your external MicroSD.
The best ways of achieving the effect you desire is either to "swap" the internal and external SD cards, or to use DirectoryBind in order to make specific directories on your external SD card appear as if they are on the internal storage.
Regards,
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can I "Swap" internal SDCards?
DirectoryBind works partially now.. as it just support "sdcard" folder.. while actuall data is on /data/ folder which is not supported by DirectoryBind and DB is not supported by developer anymore
edit: Oh when I say SDCard I mean external SDCard not SDCard of phone.... [Sorry I am totally new to Android. Ex iPhone user.]
Rom toolbox also has the option of app2sd I dunno if you've tried that option or not.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda app-developers app
RakeshRaja said:
DirectoryBind works partially now.. as it just support "sdcard" folder.. while actuall data is on /data/ folder which is not supported by DirectoryBind and DB is not supported by developer anymore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not true.
/sdcard can be changed to any prefix in the preferences.
- Frank
RakeshRaja said:
How can I "Swap" internal SDCards?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://leemn.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/galaxy-note-2-swapping-external-sd-card-as-internal-memory/
I'm sure there's an XDA link/tutorial for this, but I couldn't find something "local".
Regards,
Dave
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2
I would like to add a question to this thread
Is there a way to get ICS on Note 2 GT-7100 by any chance? I use Game-Cih3 speed hack for almost every game as well other apps at times and GAME-Cih doesn't work on Jelly bean. Works on ICS and Gingerbread. Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

[Q] Question about SDcard and Internal Partitions.

Hi Guys,
After using an Motorla Atrix 4G for some time I purchased a Note 2. Been using it for a few days now I have a question.
My Atrix had a 2gb partition for apps. The remaining space was mounted as sd-card and external cards as sdcard-ext.
Is it possible to create this for the Note 2 as well? Or are we stuck with the current layout (expect for the SD card mount change trick.)
Thx in advance
Morgenavond said:
Hi Guys,
After using an Motorla Atrix 4G for some time I purchased a Note 2. Been using it for a few days now I have a question.
My Atrix had a 2gb partition for apps. The remaining space was mounted as sd-card and external cards as sdcard-ext.
Is it possible to create this for the Note 2 as well? Or are we stuck with the current layout (expect for the SD card mount change trick.)
Thx in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whats wrong with the current layout?
i find the current layout to be much better. on the 2gb partition layout on my atrix 4g and my note 1, i was constantly bombarded with out of space error messages. by unifying the partitions into one storage partition, we can now install 16gb worth of apps instead of 2gb worth of apps without having to mess with apps2sd, which means its a lot harder to hit the out of space error message.
Hi,
The thing is I have installed a few (large) games and some apps and allready I am almost out of diskspace. My thoughts would be to mount the internal memory indeed as one big partition but as an "apps" partition so the sdcard can be mounted as "sdcard" and store big files.
Just so that all the storage can work as intended.
Morgenavond said:
Hi,
The thing is I have installed a few (large) games and some apps and allready I am almost out of diskspace. My thoughts would be to mount the internal memory indeed as one big partition but as an "apps" partition so the sdcard can be mounted as "sdcard" and store big files.
Just so that all the storage can work as intended.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you look around on these forums (may not be note 2 specific, may also be in s3 forums), there are a few mods going around. One involves kinda linking your SD card as a folder in the internal memory, the other involves swapping your SD card and internal memory around (allowing up to 128gb as your main partition), i think the latter one might help you.
Hi thx for the reply but that not what I am after. When changing the mount from the external card to the internal memory path u do indeed get hoops of storage but u will sacrifice the internal memory.
The one-x for example also uses a 2gb data partition for app storage and the rest is data partition for (mounted as SDCARD) storing app and game data.
My idea is to change the internal memory of the Note2 to a data partition and the external memory (sdcard) to a proper sd-card mount.
Is this possible?

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