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Apps2SD and partitioning

Elpelco

Well-Known Member
Nov 13, 2009
213
0
UK
:mad::thinking::(

Has been me today. I am trying oh so hard to partition my SDcard, but to no avail. I've tried to do it this way: *** How To PARTITION SDCard *** - Android @ MoDaCo but my phone won't boot to the recovery screen for some reason, all I get is an image of a phone with an exclamation mark. This is driving me nuts, if anyone can help me I would REALLY appreciate it.

USing an unbranded GSM Hero, Modaco 2.9 installed.
 
Forgive me for begin dense, what is the best way to partition a card on my pc?

Yes I did. The thing is when I try to do anything in adb on that screen, it says device not found.

Ok. Update. I've managed to partition the card, I THINK. ONly now my file browser keeps force closing and apps to SD tell me I need to visit a website and look at the tutorial. The adress doesn't work. I am officially out of ideas.
If anyone can help me out I would very much appreciate it. I keep being told 'well just Google it, look for the info, it's there.'
Guess what? No, it's not. AppstoSD is not simple to use, I get that, and I'm not a noob, I just don't understand how to get it to do what I want it to.
So PLEASE help, I'm at the end of my tether with this. :-( I don't expect someone to do it for me, but I can't find anything online to help me figure it out.
 
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If anyone can help me out I would very much appreciate it.

I'll try.... You'll require a card reader if you want to try this.

Download GParted LiveCD and burn the .iso to a CD.
Copy anything you require to keep from the memory card to your PC.
Insert the memory card into the reader and connect the latter to the PC.
Boot the PC from the GParted LiveCD and once in GParted itself select the memory card from the drop-down list of volumes top-right.
Delete any partitions on the card.
Warning: double-check you've not selected a hdd by mistake!
Now recreate your required partitions. The first one must be FAT32, the second ext3. If you're also adding a swap partition it will be third and formatted linux-swap.
Once finished, exit GParted, remove the CD and reboot (right-click to access shutdown menu).
Insert memory card in the handset, switch on and you should notice a lengthy delay during startup as AppsToSD moves everything from internal memory to the ext3 partition.

AppstoSD is not simple to use, I get that, and I'm not a noob
Actually, it should be. Something's gone wrong somewhere with your installation, that's all. Keep the faith - we'll get it sorted. :)
 
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I have yet to install any custom ROMs on my device, but I have looked into it enough to say I am 95% sure I coud do it.

The fact that adb devices doesn't return any connected devices suggests that you haven't properly rooted your Hero. Try reflashing the custom recovery image. Check out this page: [GSM/CDMA] 09/11 - Installing the patched recovery image on your device - Android @ MoDaCo

It has the easiest method of rooting your phone and flashing the custom boot loader.
 
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Oh hosanna, reasonable people!
Alrighty. I managed to do format the card in the way suggested from the modaco thread, apparently, and when I rebooted my phone, the apps I'd installed were gone. Market said they WERE installed but unable to load. Had to uninistall and reinstall them.

The recovery image I used is a Cyanogen one, so I booted to that and did the partition thing. My phone doesn't boot to it when I power on+home, though.

That's my situation right now.

So, @quantumrand, if I do that, is it going to do anything to the ROM I have installed? Or is it simply reinstalling (or whatever it is) the recovery image?

Thankyou for your patience, internet cookies for all.
 
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Hmm...I can't say for certain how it will affect your current ROM. I would assume that your ROM should still start up without any issues, but I suppose there's always the possibility that your current bootloader acts significantly differently, though I doubt it.

Furthermore, are you certain you have MCR 2.9 installed? It seems odd that adb wouldn't report any connected devices if you are in fact on the MCR. It should say definitively in Settings>About Phone whether you have MCR or not. I know it may seem trivial, but it's always helpful to comfirm such things.
 
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The recovery image I used is a Cyanogen one, so I booted to that and did the partition thing. My phone doesn't boot to it when I power on+home, though.

It sounds to me that the recovery image didn't flash correctly, as booting up with HOME held should bring it up. If you're seeing the standard recovery screen then something's screwed up. Quantumrand's suggestion is a good 'un, and won't affect your existing ROM at all. The only thing overwritten will be your existing recovery image.
 
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It sounds to me that the recovery image didn't flash correctly, as booting up with HOME held should bring it up. If you're seeing the standard recovery screen then something's screwed up. Quantumrand's suggestion is a good 'un, and won't affect your existing ROM at all. The only thing overwritten will be your existing recovery image.

Interesting. I wonder why that was? I shall try it tomorrow, thanks muchly. :D

Ok, moment of truth....

IT WORKED! Thankyou so much guys, I was beyond frustrated. I'm off to partition my SD card now, and once I've got appstoSD running, my Hero will be exactly the way I want it to be.

And now I must ask....how do I set up apps to SD? I tired partitioning the card from the recovery screen, and then installed apps to SD, but it didn't work, apps tells me to check the website for the tutorial.

**EDIT**
I installed apps then repartitioned the card. Rebooted, now all my apps are gone.

**EDIT 2**
I did a wipe on the phone and repartitioned the card, several times. Now if I install an app it's there, fine, but when I reboot it's gone. Market says it's installed but it can't open. What have I done?!
 
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And now I must ask....how do I set up apps to SD? I tired partitioning the card from the recovery screen, and then installed apps to SD, but it didn't work, apps tells me to check the website for the tutorial.

If you're running one of the recent MoDaCo ROMs then there's nothing to set up, as AppsToSD is included in the ROM. Provided your card is partitioned correctly (FAT32 + EXT3) AppsToSD will automatically move all your installed apps to the second partition on the first restart. That's why there can be quite a delay during boot.
 
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If you're running one of the recent MoDaCo ROMs then there's nothing to set up, as AppsToSD is included in the ROM. Provided your card is partitioned correctly (FAT32 + EXT3) AppsToSD will automatically move all your installed apps to the second partition on the first restart. That's why there can be quite a delay during boot.

I didn't partition the card before the flash. If I do it now, from the recovery screen, and reboot, will that do it?

Sorry for all the questions. :(
 
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If I partition the card from the recovery screen, do I install apps to SD before or after that?

You don't install AppsToSD - it's already there as part of the ROM.

The normal sequence of events with a stock handset would be:

(a) Flash the modified recovery image to the handset
(b) Repartition card as desired (1st partition FAT32, second partition EXT3)
(b) Run the ROM update.zip file from the memory card via the recovery image.
(c) Reboot and wait while AppsToSD moves everything it can to the EXT3 partition.
(d) Enjoy!

With MCR 2.9 already installed, simply partitioning the memory card correctly and rebooting the handset should get AppsToSD working its magic.
 
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You don't install AppsToSD - it's already there as part of the ROM.

The normal sequence of events with a stock handset would be:

(a) Flash the modified recovery image to the handset
(b) Repartition card as desired (1st partition FAT32, second partition EXT3)
(b) Run the ROM update.zip file from the memory card via the recovery image.
(c) Reboot and wait while AppsToSD moves everything it can to the EXT3 partition.
(d) Enjoy!

With MCR 2.9 already installed, simply partitioning the memory card correctly and rebooting the handset should get AppsToSD working its magic.

Sorry, I realised after I typed it, I did edit but not quickly enough. Thankyou for your patience. I'll do it tomrrow.
 
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How do I know if it worked?

I think he's more concerned about whether it will delete his data or not.

From the looks of the wording, I would assume it should save your data, but perhaps you should back it up to your computer before hand, just in case.

She. :)
And I did back it up but it didn't delete it.

**edited because I sounded snotty**
 
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When you say phone memory, do you mean RAM as per reported by an app like TasKiller or some other process manager, or the internal phone storage available in the Settings?

The internal memory of the phone.

Would really appreciate some help on this :-(
I can't seem to get it to work. I tried partitioning the card from the recovery image, and when I rebooted, my installed apps are all gone. Market says they're installed but they won't open. (I've got some shortcuts on the homescreen)

Any suggestions?
 
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