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.

SD Card as standard

Hey Guys!
I took over the Wildfire of a friend and he reseted it. Now i wanted to put my SD-Card in it but all the Apps i want to download are safed in the internal storage. By Google search i just found solutions for saving fotos and videos on SD-Card but not Apps and so on.
It runs with 2.3.5 Android. Can you help me?
Thanks

Would it not be easier as it is to put all your apps into an online backup like SOS? (Link here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...yLDEsImNvbS5zb3NvbmxpbmViYWNrdXAuYW5kcm9pZCJd
Then backup your apps, photos, videos, music etc.. After that download the app onto the other device, sign into your account and redownload everything to the SD. The way you're trying to do it just opens the door to confusion.

Pazens said:
Hey Guys!
I took over the Wildfire of a friend and he reseted it. Now i wanted to put my SD-Card in it but all the Apps i want to download are safed in the internal storage. By Google search i just found solutions for saving fotos and videos on SD-Card but not Apps and so on.
It runs with 2.3.5 Android. Can you help me?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you should try the titanium backup(you can find it here "http://www.filecrop.com/77298937/index.html").you can backup almost everything you have...you should definitely give it a try

Neo_92 said:
I think you should try the titanium backup(you can find it here "http://www.filecrop.com/77298937/index.html").you can backup almost everything you have...you should definitely give it a try
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah nice solutions, the problem is i got a new SD. So the only way i can imagine how it could work is to download all the APKs i need, and put them on my SD-Card... but i think it wants to install on the internal storage, or does it install whereever the apk is?
Thanks!

Pazens said:
Yeah nice solutions, the problem is i got a new SD. So the only way i can imagine how it could work is to download all the APKs i need, and put them on my SD-Card... but i think it wants to install on the internal storage, or does it install whereever the apk is?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No suggestion how it could work?

Pazens said:
No suggestion how it could work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately for you, mate, the Android is made so that an app is almost always installed on the internal space and, if the developer included this, it could be moved to the sd card. The location of the apk makes no difference and even if you moved it, it leaves parts in the internal storage (like moving only half of it).
I suggest you use Data2SD or Link2SD (I preffer the latter) to install whatever app you need totally to the sd.

[Q] moving apps and game data?

Just got a GT N7100 few days ago. rooted it. i have lots of games installed like max payne, gta3 etc. so all my storage is gone. i want to ask how do i move games and apps to external sd? can i backup game data which is everytime whopping over 1gb so that i do not need to download it again if i reinstall any game. is there any way to move gamedata to ext. sd?
and:victory: i just got idea if i do not uninstall game back but just backup gamedata and delete it from phone to free up memory and when i need app i just move back data to its original location which is usually android data, will it work.
i have 300 mb free space and now my phone doesnt allow me to install an app even less than 1mb of size..any idea......thanks in advance.......:good:

Moving to external sd has been asked and answered before. Here is one I replied to: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010235
"can i backup game data which is everytime whopping over 1gb so that i do not need to download it again if i reinstall any game"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No if you want to use the same files/folders on another phone. The game downloads files for your specs, not for other phones.
If its for your or another Note 2 then it might work if the game has not been updated since your backup. If it has been updated it might need the new files.

RE
what about if i do not uninstall game back but just backup gamedata and delete gamedata from phone to free up memory and when i need app i just move back data to its original location which is usually android data, will it work and yes i will be doing this on same phone.

That will probably work unless you open it by a mistake. Maybe not if it has the permission to run at startup. It could look for the files then, and not find any.
Both of the solutions i linked to works for me.
Directory Bind is most useful for me with this phone.
And then you don't have to wait for the copying every time you want to play a game.

re
can u shed some light on directory blind and how to use it?

I used this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1889550
Remember that apps with root access can do everything they want with your phone, including making it as usefull as a brick.
Don't use an app with root access until you think you understand a little of what it does, and you have read a few reviews/posts about it.
Be extra careful with root apps that are not in the Play store/Market. This is not. Why are they not there? Maybe because Google rejected it because it does bad things?
I wanted all of the data in the folder DirectoryBind on my external SD card. What you are supposed to do then (step 2 in that guide) is change the default data path to /mnt/extSdCard/DirectoryBind. I wrote /extSdCard/DirectoryBind because my Galaxy S II had a link to the microSD card there. The Note II does not, so the /mnt/ is important
Took me a while to realize what was wrong...

Thanks man .. DB did the job.....everything s now fine.

Startup soung stopped working?
hey man ! after installing DB startup tone doesnt work..any ideas?

The Samsung tone when you turn on the phone? I don't want that, so let me know if you find out what removed it.

Apps not working after internal/external memory swap

Hi,
I'm using CM10a3 by arco... I did the internal/external memory swapping and it worked.
The problem now is that many apps I had installed do not work anymore!
Apollo crashed - can't open it anymore! - while others say that they are not installed!
How can I repair them?
I tried copying all my folders from my internal memory to the sdcard (after the swap), but I still face the problems mentioned above!

Of course they dont work. Because you didnt move them. So now you have to reinstall them again

talat054 said:
Of course they dont work. Because you didnt move them. So now you have to reinstall them again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean?
They were not installed installed in the sdcard!
And also copying them to the sdcard does not solve the problem as I wrote before...
So what do I have to copy exactly and from where to where?
Can I go back maybe by undoing the swap? Would it work?
Tx

[.::MDT::.] said:
What do you mean?
They were not installed installed in the sdcard!
And also copying them to the sdcard does not solve the problem as I wrote before...
So what do I have to copy exactly and from where to where?
Can I go back maybe by undoing the swap? Would it work?
Tx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best to swap immediately after flashing rom..try to clear data and reboot..or better to reflash and swap again. Thats d 1st thing i do. After flashing i boot up, open play store and only download root browser lite before swapping and reboot. Den ony install apps
Sent from my GT-I8150 using xda app-developers app

K&Q said:
Best to swap immediately after flashing rom..try to clear data and reboot..or better to reflash and swap again. Thats d 1st thing i do. After flashing i boot up, open play store and only download root browser lite before swapping and reboot. Den ony install apps
Sent from my GT-I8150 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you saying I should swap back and reboot?
I'll try that.

[.::MDT::.] said:
Are you saying I should swap back and reboot?
I'll try that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mean if u can reflash cm10 it would be better..less chance of bugs..start over. So your process should be..
Wipe data and cache
Flash cm10
Flash Gaaps
Reboot
Then after setting up phone, download any root file browser. I personally dont like d cm10 file manager.
Do the swap. Change 0>1, 1>0
Then REBOOT
And you're done. Can install ur other apps/backups.
Sent from my GT-I8150 using xda app-developers app

K&Q said:
I mean if u can reflash cm10 it would be better..less chance of bugs..start over. So your process should be..
Wipe data and cache
Flash cm10
Flash Gaaps
Reboot
Then after setting up phone, download any root file browser. I personally dont like d cm10 file manager.
Do the swap. Change 0>1, 1>0
Then REBOOT
And you're done. Can install ur other apps/backups.
Sent from my GT-I8150 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, tx for your piece of advice, but I don't want to flash everything from scratch.
I swapped int/ext memory back and now everything works again, of course not the swap anyway...
What's the process of swapping in a not-pristine environment (i.e. with many apps installed)?
Tx.

[.::MDT::.] said:
OK, tx for your piece of advice, but I don't want to flash everything from scratch.
I swapped int/ext memory back and now everything works again, of course not the swap anyway...
What's the process of swapping in a not-pristine environment (i.e. with many apps installed)?
Tx.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No worries
I haven't tried non-pristine flashing b4 but this should work (its vy similar to the above):
I am not responsible for any mishaps *MAKE NANDROID BACKUP*
Make CWM backup
Wipe data and cache (and dalvik cache, if u want)
Flash cm 10
Flash GAAPS
Reboot
Swap sd card (refer above)
Boot into cwm
Backups and restore > Advance restore > restore data
Wipe cache
Reboot
Pls tell me if it works out=)
If it doesn't jz restore ur backup..
P.s. If some apps FC or have problems after this method, try uninstall and reinstall.
Sent from my GT-I8150 using xda app-developers app

MDT ...
The apks aren't working because when you did the swap you broke the "file paths" (to use windows terminology).... in other words, the phone OS was unable to locate the apk code/file where it expected to find it and the apk force closing/not working was the end result.
Have you undone the swap and found that everything now works?....
If that's the case, then there's no need to reflash. All you need to do is use an app like Gemini app manager to move all your apps to internal phone storage, then apply the swap and finally use Gemini again to move your apps back to your (now swapped) SD card....it's what I do, and it works perfectly every time.....
Sent from my CM10 powered Wonder with Tapatalk 2......it's all good......

keithross39 said:
MDT ...
The apks aren't working because when you did the swap you broke the "file paths" (to use windows terminology).... in other words, the phone OS was unable to locate the apk code/file where it expected to find it and the apk force closing/not working was the end result.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Clear, thanks.
keithross39 said:
Have you undone the swap and found that everything now works?....
If that's the case, then there's no need to reflash. All you need to do is use an app like Gemini app manager to move all your apps to internal phone storage, then apply the swap and finally use Gemini again to move your apps back to your (now swapped) SD card....it's what I do, and it works perfectly every time.....
Sent from my CM10 powered Wonder with Tapatalk 2......it's all good......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct: undoing the swap, everything works fine again.
You're right: I can confirm that the apps that the OS does not find - after the swapping - are those now on my SDCARD memory (moved via App2SD).
I had forgotten about these, sorry!
So I assume that following your suggestion, these apps will work after the swapping.
Nevertheless, Apollo - which is NOT on my sdcard - after the swapping FC, whereas it works flawlessly in "normal" (not swapped) environment... any idea how to solve that?
Tx a lot.

[.::MDT::.] said:
Clear, thanks.
So I assume that following your suggestion, these apps will work after the swapping.
Nevertheless, Apollo - which is NOT on my sdcard - after the swapping FC, whereas it works flawlessly in "normal" (not swapped) environment... any idea how to solve that?
Tx a lot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, doing the move "post swap" with Gemini will work and has worked several times for me....
As for Apollo, I'm afraid I can't help there......I don't use it, I've frozen it in favour of Google Play Music which I downloaded from a link on XDA.
There are some apps which I keep on phone storage no matter what.... apps which I guess are used during start up.....apps like trebuchet, any themes you might have installed (and are using) and any security apps...(anti virus, permissions managers... that sort of thing).....the reason being that the phone performs a media scan at every startup, and the SD card is always the last storage volume to be mounted and scanned, so if there are any apps stored there that are needed during startup, the phone won't be able to access them until the Mount and scan has been performed......(remember I mentioned about file paths in my previous reply.....same principal applies)
Edit...just had a thought about Apollo, there are *some* apps that will only work if installed in phone memory....Gemini app manager is one of them.....maybe Apollo is another?....just a guess...
Edit 2....just had a similar problem with Google play music....to begin with, I had it in phone memory, then I moved it to SD card and suddenly the "widget" for it stopped working and the playlists I'd created were all empty.....moved it back and no issues other than the fact I had to re create the playlists.....
Sent from my CM10 powered Wonder with Tapatalk 2......it's all good......

BTW...here's the link for Google play music...
http://db.tt/ZMQZBzjz
Sent from my CM10 powered Wonder with Tapatalk 2......it's all good......

keithross39 said:
Yes, doing the move "post swap" with Gemini will work and has worked several times for me....
As for Apollo, I'm afraid I can't help there......I don't use it, I've frozen it in favour of Google Play Music which I downloaded from a link on XDA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK... does Google Play Music fully replace Apollo, i.e. can u you use GPM even for your (offline) mp3s?
I thought it was only for listening to music while connected, or for buying new mp3 tracks...
keithross39 said:
There are some apps which I keep on phone storage no matter what.... apps which I guess are used during start up.....apps like trebuchet, any themes you might have installed (and are using) and any security apps...(anti virus, permissions managers... that sort of thing).....the reason being that the phone performs a media scan at every startup, and the SD card is always the last storage volume to be mounted and scanned, so if there are any apps stored there that are needed during startup, the phone won't be able to access them until the Mount and scan has been performed......(remember I mentioned about file paths in my previous reply.....same principal applies)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I know, but imho it's not a problem waiting those 10 seconds for the SD to be read... every time you reboot your phone (very rarely in my case, like 2-3 times a week).
My policy anyway is to keep everything on phone storage, if possible, and move things to SD when the space is finishing.
keithross39 said:
Edit...just had a thought about Apollo, there are *some* apps that will only work if installed in phone memory....Gemini app manager is one of them.....maybe Apollo is another?....just a guess...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, fair enough, but I did not move Apollo to SD card, so even after the swap it should be in the phone memory and runs flawlessly... I don't understand!
keithross39 said:
Edit 2....just had a similar problem with Google play music....to begin with, I had it in phone memory, then I moved it to SD card and suddenly the "widget" for it stopped working and the playlists I'd created were all empty.....moved it back and no issues other than the fact I had to re create the playlists.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I think for using widgets you need to have apps in phone memory, if I remember correctly.
keithross39 said:
BTW...here's the link for Google play music...
http://db.tt/ZMQZBzjz
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!

[.::MDT::.] said:
OK... does Google Play Music fully replace Apollo, i.e. can u you use GPM even for your (offline) mp3s?
I thought it was only for listening to music while connected, or for buying new mp3 tracks...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
No.
[.::MDT::.] said:
OK, fair enough, but I did not move Apollo to SD card, so even after the swap it should be in the phone memory and runs flawlessly... I don't understand!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a folder called /mnt/sdcard/android/data
If you swap the SDcards, that folder becomes 'shifted' to /mnt/external-sd/android/data.
Apollo dies.
[.::MDT::.] said:
Yes, I think for using widgets you need to have apps in phone memory, if I remember correctly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True. Unless you symlink your apps into SDcard.

pepoluan said:
There's a folder called /mnt/sdcard/android/data
If you swap the SDcards, that folder becomes 'shifted' to /mnt/external-sd/android/data.
Apollo dies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info.
So, are you basically saying, there is no way of making Apollo work if you swap your int/sdcard memory?

[.::MDT::.] said:
Thanks for the info.
So, are you basically saying, there is no way of making Apollo work if you swap your int/sdcard memory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Swap before you run Apollo for the first time.
If you've run Apollo before, try Clear Data before.

[.::MDT::.] said:
Thanks for the info.
So, are you basically saying, there is no way of making Apollo work if you swap your int/sdcard memory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apollo working find after swap. Yeah lik Pep said, just wipe data..
Sent from my GT-I8150 using xda app-developers app

Can't access SD Card on PC since RamExpander installation

Hi!
I recently installed the RamExtender application for my One V so it could run games more fluently.
However, right after installing it and creating a "ram-swapping" partition, my SD Card would not show up anymore in "My Computer" tab. I can only see my phone storage and the H: letter (usually the SD Card) is there but when I click on it, it says "Please Insert a disk into removable disk".
Please see the picture attached to the thread so you can see what's actually happening. The SD Card is not corrupted since my games still work and I can browse its files in ASTRO file manager... HTC Sync Manager won't sync either.
Any ideas how to fix it? I still want to put music and custom APKs in my SD Card!!
Thank you very much everyone

First of all, NEVER use these kinds of apps
if you're ROOTED, flash the Turbo Boost MOD
just delete the swap file u created from the SD card and you should be okay !

Seraz007 said:
First of all, NEVER use these kinds of apps
if you're ROOTED, flash the Turbo Boost MOD
just delete the swap file u created from the SD card and you should be okay !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much! Well I did uninstall the app and deleted the .swap file left behind by the app, but still the SD Card won't mount on Windows because it seems Ram Expander is not fully uninstalled
What other file/directory should I be looking for? How to be sure it's fully deleted?
Thanks again!

alpha8768 said:
Thank you very much! Well I did uninstall the app and deleted the .swap file left behind by the app, but still the SD Card won't mount on Windows because it seems Ram Expander is not fully uninstalled
What other file/directory should I be looking for? How to be sure it's fully deleted?
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well after deleting the swap file should have worked(it worked for me before)
umm try installing the app and then Removing SWAP FILE from the APP itself

alpha8768 said:
Thank you very much! Well I did uninstall the app and deleted the .swap file left behind by the app, but still the SD Card won't mount on Windows because it seems Ram Expander is not fully uninstalled
What other file/directory should I be looking for? How to be sure it's fully deleted?
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best and final way is to make factory reset, wiping everything, including SD card....
Then just install everything from scratch and you'll have working hov...

Seraz007 said:
well after deleting the swap file should have worked(it worked for me before)
umm try installing the app and then Removing SWAP FILE from the APP itself
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I reinstalled the App in order to try it but there is no option to remove the swap file in it I'll try to contact the dev by Email and see what I can do...
*UPDATE* The dev says he's not avaible to provide me support. Contacting another user who used this app before.
bratusm said:
The best and final way is to make factory reset, wiping everything, including SD card....
Then just install everything from scratch and you'll have working hov...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*Cut my life into pieces. This is my last resort* -Lyrics from Papa Roach. And here comes the awesome guitar rift!
Hope this will not be necessary. As a newbie in the Android ecosystem (I come from Windows Phone 7.8 lol), I had a real hard time rooting/unlocking my bootloader and installing the new kernel+rom...

U can do 1 thing.....
Use es file explorer and in the menu click on manager then choose SD card analyst.....
Once it stops scanning check 4 swap file if present delete it and reboot....
Hope it solves the issue
Sent from my HTC Wildfire S A510e using Tapatalk 2