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[TUT] How to force install apps to SD card without ROOT!!!

praky

Well-Known Member
Jun 11, 2011
224
91
Note: Works on both froyo & GB

Source:Androinica How to Install Apps to the SD Card by Default on Android 2.2 Froyo (not for Ace)

You can find the latest version of this tutorial here. Though I will try to keep updating this thread too.

Getting Ready:
1. First you have to enable USB debugging on your Android device from Settings > Applications > Development > USB debugging.
2. You need to download and install the latest Android SDK on your computer from http://developer.android.com/sdk/.
3. Install the latest java SDk if you don't already have one.

Tutorial:
1. Extract the package to the folder of your choice [Let's say- C:/android-sdk-windows/], run SDK Manager.exe

2. Close the command / windows command prompt window that opens.

3. In the new window, click on Available Packages to the left. Untick all options you are prompted to download except the USB driver option & Android sdk tools revisionx(13 as of now) & Android sdk platform-tools revision x(7 as of now) if they are there.
(Note-If you get an error message at this point, enable “Force https://…” in the Settings. From the list of available packages, select “Usb Driver package”, click on the Install Selected button in the bottom right corner and follow the prompts. )

4. Do not open Samsung Kies. Connect your phone to your computer with a USB-cable. Your OS will prompt you to install new drivers. Choose to install them from the android-sdk-windows/extras/google/usb_driver folder. Do not mount your device; you only need to plug-in the cable.
(If you don't see this prompt, It means USB drivers are already installed or else install them manually: SAMSUNG USB drivers from samfirmware.com)

5. Run command prompt in administrator.
Type in the following after the ">" at each step (without quotations,and including spaces and capital letters)

"cd C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools"
"adb devices"
"adb shell"
A $ sign should pop up
"pm setInstallLocation 2"
Another $ should pop up

And your done. Close everything, disconnect phone, turn off phone and then turn it back on again

Note:Now the phone will be set to install all apps you install onto the SD card. However, current apps on phone will mostly still be stored on the internal memory. This process doesn't move these apps for you, it adds the ability. So you must now manually move those already installed on the phone. Install some apps like app2sd etc.

It’s preferable to install certain apps to the main memory, since it will take a while before the SD card becomes available when you start your phone. Applications installed on the memory card will also be unavailable to the system each time you mount your phone as a disk drive.

In general, apps that integrate with the Android OS and that often run in the background is better to install on the internal storage, while games and most other applications will have no problem chilling outside on your SD.

Widgets should essentially be installed on phone memory.

Update:
From what I have come to understand (correct me if I am wrong), Each app will store some .odex files on phone memory to speed up the boot process.
So don't complain that phone memory is getting lesser after each install. Though if you could've installed 40 apps before now maybe 150+ and still have 30-40 mb left. (depends on what kind of apps you install).

Darktremor's a2sd scripts deodex the apps and COMPLETELY move the apps and cache to sd card but you will need to root and run the scripts.
How to install Darktremor's a2sd on Froyo!!
Though an easier way will be to install a custom rom.

Press the thanks button if the tutorial helps!
____________________________________________
Samsung Galaxy Ace Tips n Tricks | Want to Rock Your Ace?
 
After a lot of people asking the same questions in different threads, I decided to make this thread since other thread is slightly outdated.
http://androidforums.com/desire-tips-tricks/160560-force-apps-install-sd-without-root.html

Getting Ready:
1. First you have to enable USB debugging on your Android device from Settings > Applications > Development > USB debugging.
2. You need to download and install the latest Android SDK on your computer from http://developer.android.com/sdk/.

Tutorial:
1. Extract the package to the folder of your choice [Let's say- C:/android-sdk-windows/], run SDK Manager.exe

2. Close the command / windows command prompt window that opens.

3. In the new window, click on Available Packages to the left. Untick all options you are prompted to download except the USB driver option. Usb driver option will need and addition package called xxx.revision 5 at the top of the list. So you need to check a total of 2 options.
(Note-If you get an error message at this point, enable
 
Upvote 0
Hi! Praky! I have a doubt.
I install the latest android SDK. Extracted it to C:\ (coz its easier to access).
But when i run SDKManager.exe and select available packages i can't seem to find USB Driver option.

This is the screenshot of it:
2011062611.jpg


So should i continue with step 4 of you tut or not.
Help me man ! i need this done! :eek:
 
Upvote 0
@praky
Yay! I took the plunge and did it. I was a bit scared and over cautious. Answer to my doubt was in your tutorial itself. There was no 'USB Driver' in Available packages coz i had Kies install and update on my pc.

Followed rest of the tutorial and everything worked just fine. All 54 apps that i do not use frequently are on my SD now !

Cheers man!:D
 
Upvote 0
I see. Thanks man. So now I use Apps2sd to move all my apps to sd card? Does this application really works? I used it before and it just don't move any apps to my sd card :)

Using apps2SD wont do anything. But once you're done with every step in tutorial do a reboot and then run apps2SD. Now you'll find apps in 'Movable apps section'. click on the app that u want to move to and then click on 'move to SD card'.
 
Upvote 0
LOL I completed the tutorial and everything already. I followed every step and I think I do it right. The app2sd don't really work for me. There are no movable apps found from the storage it seems. Should I redo all the steps again? Can anyone show me what the Command Prompt show when everything is done? :)
did the 2 $ signs popped up?
 
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I have a question.
I have followed all the steps and it worked fine. I was able to move some of my apps from Phone memory to SD card using move2sd app. But later on I installed few more apps but one of them(yahoo Mail) was installed in my Phone memory and it is not shown as a movable app. So does that mean there is no way we can move this to my SD card anymore?

Thanks,
 
Upvote 0
I have a question too. I did everything and it works perfectly. I installed quite a lot of apps on my sd card but I don't know why my phone memory still increasing. In my phone memory there are only a few apps which take only few mb but when I check the phone memory space it left only 40mb and when I install some apps the phone memory keep on increasing. Is there any solution? :thinking:
 
Upvote 0

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