Root DGB partitioning

[rtr86]

Hi all,

I am happily running DGB and have just put in a 32gb card.
From my understanding DGB does not support 'move2SD' but because the rom size is so small I can further increase the size partition of another internal folder?

If so, what is this folder and how best should I increase it?
Many thanks,

 

[Hadron]

It does support "move to SD" - that's the standard android method. What it doesn't include is a script for using an additional partition on the SD card to supplement internal storage.

You can re-partition your internal storage. To do this the phone needs to be S-Off. You then replace the hboot with a custom one from the dGB download site.

The procedures for doing this (S-Off, replacing hboot) are described in the root memory FAQ, linked from the All Things Root Guide sticky post in this forum. Please read carefully and make sure you are happy with the procedures before attempting them. If at all unsure, ask first. It's not too hard to do, but it is modifying some critical components of the phone, so it's better to avoid problems rather than have to fix them

 

[rtr86]

Thanks

It does support "move to SD" - that's the standard android method. What it doesn't include is a script for using an additional partition on the SD card to supplement internal storage.

Ahh I see, so this method is not really ideal? Although its using a little bit of the SD card - not much?

You can re-partition your internal storage. To do this the phone needs to be S-Off. You then replace the hboot with a custom one from the dGB download site.

The procedures for doing this (S-Off, replacing hboot) are described in the root memory FAQ, linked from the All Things Root Guide sticky post in this forum. Please read carefully and make sure you are happy with the procedures before attempting them. If at all unsure, ask first. It's not too hard to do, but it is modifying some critical components of the phone, so it's better to avoid problems rather than have to fix them

I see, so this way you are 'opening up' the internal card even more due to a decrease in partition for the system files? Do you know how much gain there is (i.e what can the other folder size be increased to)?

So ideally it is always best to have apps running internally but for some users they need more then what the internal offers? Therefore the SD comes into play but even then 100% of the app will never run on SD alone?

Are things like contacts and messages never stored on SD?

Kind regards,

 

[Hadron]

Ahh I see, so this method is not really ideal? Although its using a little bit of the SD card - not much?

SUroot's the guy to explain the philosophy (it's his ROM), but his thinking is basically this: If you use an ext partition on your card to extend app storage, the size is fixed. So if you are only using part of it, you are wasting the rest of the allocated space, and conversely if you manage to fill it you can't extend without the hassle of repartitioning. The "move to sd" method however is dynamic, i.e. it only uses up the space that it needs, with no fixed limit. Hence it makes more efficient use of the card.

The real drawback with move to SD is that widgets don't work when moved that way. Thus apps with widgets that you intend to use should be left in internal storage.

I see, so this way you are 'opening up' the internal card even more due to a decrease in partition for the system files? Do you know how much gain there is (i.e what can the other folder size be increased to)?

Yes. The most extreme custom hboot, 60MB /system, 5 MB /cache, will leave 373 MB for /data (i.e. user apps and app data, what the phone calls your "internal storage"). Many of us actually use the 65 MB /system hboot, to allow a little more space e.g. for theming, which then gives you 368 MB. This is a gain of 220-225 MB over the standard partitions.

So ideally it is always best to have apps running internally but for some users they need more then what the internal offers? Therefore the SD comes into play but even then 100% of the app will never run on SD alone?

Are things like contacts and messages never stored on SD?

Contacts and messages are app data, and so those are always internal. You can back them up to SD (or the cloud), but the phone apps will always use the copy that's in internal storage.

Neither the "move to sd" nor "a2sd+" method moves the whole of the app to sd. I believe that other techniques, such as Data2SD, do, but there are more major performance drawbacks with those. I've never tried them, but many who have have reverted to the simpler methods.

 

[rtr86]

Ahh now I am starting to understand more, many thanks.

So would I be right in saying;

A 'nadroid' backup is an exact copy of the entire internal storage, no matter how it is partition. Therefore people who install apps using just internal would have a full backup. However, it is the people who have started moving into their SD card that would then need a titanium backup app?

What I would like to do eventually is install the emulator 'Scummvm' (have you herd of this?), the 'roms' it uses are quite large so I presume this would be a case of using the SD? For everything else I can easily fit everything inside the internal.

Many thanks,

 

[Hadron]

So would I be right in saying;

A 'nadroid' backup is an exact copy of the entire internal storage, no matter how it is partition. Therefore people who install apps using just internal would have a full backup. However, it is the people who have started moving into their SD card that would then need a titanium backup app?

A nandroid does indeed back up the full internal storage. This also includes any apps moved to SD via either method (some recoveries, e.g. Amon Ra, offer the option whether to back up the ext partition or not).

Titanium backups serve a different purpose. If you try to flash an update to your phone and it goes wrong (or you made a mistake) then the phone won't boot. If you took a nandroid before doing that you can just restore it and you are fine. But a Titanium backup won't help with that, because you need to be running Android to use it.

Conversely, when you change ROMs you have to factory reset the phone. So if you want to keep your apps and their data you need to back them up, then restore the backup after flashing the new ROM. For that you need a Titanium backup (plus some other solution for SMS, which are stored as part of the system data and hence should not be restored from Ti to a new ROM). A nandroid can't be used for that purpose because restoring it will replace the new ROM as well.

Do check out the rooting FAQ, linked from the sticky post, which describes these things.

What I would like to do eventually is install the emulator 'Scummvm' (have you herd of this?), the 'roms' it uses are quite large so I presume this would be a case of using the SD? For everything else I can easily fit everything inside the internal.

For this I can't help, as I've never heard of this one.

 

[rtr86]

Good points regarding nandroid Hadron, thanks.

I have looked through various guides but cannot find one that relates to my position. From what I gather I need to s-off and then alter the internal folder sizes to suit my needs. Should I use the following do you think?


http://androidforums.com/desire-all...any-iso-vmware-player-updated-jan-2012-a.html


'

 

[dan55]

hi
i like to use the cm7r2 hboot as it allows me to switch roms without messing with hboot again gives me around 150mb for dgb

 

[SUroot]

Good points regarding nandroid Hadron, thanks.

I have looked through various guides but cannot find one that relates to my position. From what I gather I need to s-off and then alter the internal folder sizes to suit my needs. Should I use the following do you think?


http://androidforums.com/desire-all...any-iso-vmware-player-updated-jan-2012-a.html


'

Not for dgb. That's for partitioning the sdcard. For dgb you just flash the hboot supplied, as Hadron has already said

 

[Hadron]

What we're talking about for the internal memory is described in the "alpharev partition tables" section of SUroot's root memory faq. Read that and the documents linked from it. The dGB hboots are obtained from the dGB site (see first post of the dGB thread) rather than from alpharev, but the principle is the same. alpharev also include detailed instructions for flashing a new hboot via fastboot on their site, and we have a faq which explains how to set up and use fastboot.

 

[ou7shined]

OMG... something's wrong. I actually understood most of this.

 

[rtr86]

Yes many thanks for reply and again, apologies for all the questions.

I now understand I need the new DGB hboot to get the revised sizes. From my understanding alphare has provided a .iso file on their site which I can burn to CD which should help me s-off the phone - my question is, do I need the dgb file on hand (or on the sdcard) for use directly after? Or do I just flash the dgb hboot after, as I would a rom?

Kind regards,

 

[Hadron]

Do the S-Off first. Then make sure you know what the hboot flashing process is, then do that at your leisure.

I was S-Off for several weeks before I first changed hboot.

 

[saltire]

Do the prep ie double-check guides and faqs.

Take a nandroid.

Check the hboot md5.

Better to be safe and keep a working phone

Edit: ninja'd as usual

 

[nicka3200]

Yes many thanks for reply and again, apologies for all the questions.

I now understand I need the new DGB hboot to get the revised sizes. From my understanding alphare has provided a .iso file on their site which I can burn to CD which should help me s-off the phone - my question is, do I need the dgb file on hand (or on the sdcard) for use directly after? Or do I just flash the dgb hboot after, as I would a rom?

Kind regards,

Have I missed something? Why not use Revolutionary to s-off? Its very straight forward, much more so than than iso files on cds.