• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Root New SD Card - Should I partition?

jericko

Android Enthusiast
Feb 13, 2011
344
124
Omaha
Hello

So I just got a 16 gig Class 10 SD card (Thanks to that thread that was posted here).

I currently don't partition my card, and use the program App 2 SD Pro (free from Amazon one day) to move all my apps to my SD card.

So if I partition my SD card, then re-install MikG it will automatically move all my apps to the SD card? Is that correct?

Whats the advantage of that over using the GUI App? I do like having control over which apps are on the SD card as some do not work as widgets when install on the SD card.

Just trying to understand this process


Thanks
Jason
 
Hello

So I just got a 16 gig Class 10 SD card (Thanks to that thread that was posted here).

I currently don't partition my card, and use the program App 2 SD Pro (free from Amazon one day) to move all my apps to my SD card.

So if I partition my SD card, then re-install MikG it will automatically move all my apps to the SD card? Is that correct?

Whats the advantage of that over using the GUI App? I do like having control over which apps are on the SD card as some do not work as widgets when install on the SD card.

Just trying to understand this process


Thanks
Jason

they are two different ways to movethe apps to the sd card.

1.apps2sd this is something that was introduced with froyo. the only thing is is that it does not move the entire app to the card. this is because the stock card is a class2 and google did not want the app that is moved to suffer as the read and write speed of a class 2 card is very slow and will cause the apps performance to suffer. so only part of the app is moved. one part is on the phone and the other is on the card. and like you said widgets will suffer for this. the app you have uses apps2sd so it is not really moving the whole app over.

2.a2sd is completely different. it moves the entire app to the card. it only leaves a symbolic link to the app on the phone. this tells the phone where to find the app. but because the entire app is on your card, you need a higher class card like the card you just received. you need a card that can read and write pretty fast so that the apps performance does not slow down. the thing with a2sd is that it is all or nothing. so you can't pick and choose what apps you want on your card. they will all move there automatically.

and i believe that mikg should have a2sd and automatically move them for you.
 
Upvote 0
I got the card and I partitioned and I am happy I did. It gives me more room in internal memory.

i never had any lag even when I had a class 4 card. But I don't play games.

I have used it with the later mik roms and it moved them automatically. The way I know to see activity in your a2sd partition is using the overview page of titanium backup pro. If you have a large partition, you won't notice much change unless you install something like angry birds, or whatever it is called, because it is a large apk. I have a 2gig partition, I think it is a bit overkill for my needs.

I don't know that it moves all the apps, I read once that it somehow just moves ones that will work. Not sure about that. I do know that when you look at managing apps on your phone, it looks like the apps are still there available to move with apps2sd like you have. I believe that that is representing the symbolic link that Ocn was talking about. I also understand that you shouldn't mix the 2 methods, which seems to make sense if my theory above is correct, don't want apps2sd trying to move the symbolic link over.

If you go to try some of the newer runnymede roms, they are large, so partitioning helps. The Energy one doesn't have a2sd built in, you have to dl and flash dark tremors with it and use the terminal emulator commands, I understand.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ocnbrze and jericko
Upvote 0
I just followed the steps in the guide but I opted for the 2gig partition by selecting 2048.

here are the directions from the sticky I followed.


"Partition Your Card

it is recommended that you do this before trying to flash a rom.
so here are the directions on how to do it:
1.copy your content of the card to a computer because partitioning will wipe the card's content.
2.go into recovery and select partition your sd card
3.enter 32 for swap, and 1024 or 2048 for ext2, and do the rest for FAT
4.select upgrade ext2 to ext3
6.select usb-ms toggle and transfer your contents of your card on your computer back to the card.
5.go to the main menu and do a full wipe (min data, dalvik cache and cache)
6.flash the superwipe
7.flash the rom of your choice.
8.reboot

from now on it is recommended you wipe dalvik cache, cache, data and sd ext.before flashing roms. MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO NOT SELECT WIPE SD CARD as it will do just that. your card will be erased. also make sure that when making a nandroid backup to select sd ext to be backed up as well."

Also, when you make a backup with a rom that takes advantage of this, select sdext for backup, as well, so it will be in the nandroid and fully restore when you use it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ocnbrze and jericko
Upvote 0
I just followed the steps in the guide but I opted for the 2gig partition by selecting 2048.

here are the directions from the sticky I followed.


"Partition Your Card

it is recommended that you do this before trying to flash a rom.
so here are the directions on how to do it:
1.copy your content of the card to a computer because partitioning will wipe the card's content.
2.go into recovery and select partition your sd card
3.enter 32 for swap, and 1024 or 2048 for ext2, and do the rest for FAT
4.select upgrade ext2 to ext3
6.select usb-ms toggle and transfer your contents of your card on your computer back to the card.
5.go to the main menu and do a full wipe (min data, dalvik cache and cache)
6.flash the superwipe
7.flash the rom of your choice.
8.reboot

from now on it is recommended you wipe dalvik cache, cache, data and sd ext.before flashing roms. MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO NOT SELECT WIPE SD CARD as it will do just that. your card will be erased. also make sure that when making a nandroid backup to select sd ext to be backed up as well."

Also, when you make a backup with a rom that takes advantage of this, select sdext for backup, as well, so it will be in the nandroid and fully restore when you use it.


By following these directions nandroid should work just like before both ways right (backup/restore) and I shouldnt need to flash anything else right before or after any rom. right now im running mikg and its running great. I followed your directions above.
 
Upvote 0
By following these directions nandroid should work just like before both ways right (backup/restore) and I shouldnt need to flash anything else right before or after any rom. right now im running mikg and its running great. I followed your directions above.
that is correct. there is nothing additional you need to flash. however, you do need to backup sd ext when making a nandroid backup. also you need to wipe sd ext before flashing a rom as well.
I was referring to darktremor 2.7.5.3
I dont quiet understand what it does.
dark tremors is a script that you run in terminal emulator. basically in te you enter commands that can move the apps to the card. please read the http://androidforums.com/evo-4g-all...ooting-dummies-guide-gingerbread-edition.html. it has a how to move apps to the sd card section. it also explains more in details how dt works.
 
Upvote 0
Upvote 0
I have an unrooted evo 4g and have been reading lots in prep to root for the first time. I am curious why partition only 2048 ext 3 on a 16gb sdcard? What is the rest of the card used for? If I create a 4096 ext 3 partition, will I run into some issue in the future?

Like Nater mentioned, the only thing that is going in your partition is apps, so you really don't need that much space. The EVO only has a gig of internal storage in it, so it doesnt need 4 gigs on the SD card.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones