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Forcing Apps to install to the SD card without root

CafeKampuchia

Android Expert
Dec 8, 2011
2,542
2,785
Pursat, Cambodia
One of the biggest complaints levelled at the HTC Explorer is the severe lack of internal memory. There are ways around this, one of which is forcing downloaded apps to install to the SD Card. There are a couple of pre-requisites, but the process itself is relatively straight forward. :)

You'll need HTC Sync installed (or at least the drivers that come with HTC Sync) and ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or the Android SDK. The SDK itself is a >100MB download and can be relatively difficult to install, however if you head here, look under the section entitled Mini SDK, click show, you can download a zip file called SDK-Tools.zip. Once downloaded, extract the contents of that folder to a folder of your choosing. I recommend somewhere easy, like C:\Android\ as you'll need to navigate to it via a command prompt later.

You'll also need to enable USB Debugging on your phone. that's easily enough done by heading to Settings -> Applications -> Development -> USB Debugging. You'll get a warning message, but just ok that you'll be fine.

Once you've done all the above, the process is as follows:

1. Connect the Phone to the PC in Charge Only mode
2. Open a command prompt (Start -> Run -> CMD, you'll need to run as Administrator)
3. Navigate to the folder you extracted ADB to. In my case, the command would be "cd\Android" (minus the quotes).
4. Type adb devices and press enter. You should then see the serial number of your phone displayed on screen. If you don't check, that USB Debugging is enabled and you're connected in Charge Only Mode.
5. Type adb shell, press enter.
6. Type pm setInstallLocation 2 press enter (it's important you enter this exactly as written as it's case sensitive)
7. Type Exit, then disconnect your phone.
8. PROFIT! :)

You can now move apps that are already on the handset to the SD Card. Head to Settings -> Applications -> Manage Applications -> All -> Click an app -> Move to SD Card. All new apps will also install to the SD Card by default.

It's worth mentioning that apps with active widgets cannot be moved. Also, a certain portion app will remain on the phones data partition, but this goes a long way to assist with the lack of internal memory!

Pics for the ADB stuff below:

1.png

2.png

3.png

4.png

5.png

Credit: A big thanks to El Presidents for permission to copy his original guide for the Wildfire S.
 
It seems that, when downloading an app, it is first stored on phone memory and then installed to sd card(after applying above method). If the app is bigger than remaining internal memory, it does not refuses to download stating "insufficient storage available". What is solution for such apps?

In some cases that's correct. So the work around is to remove some apps to make room to install the ones you can move, then put them back (if that makes sense!).
 
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I will try this because i have the same problem with low memory.

But i have questions:

1. How about the warrenty?
2. If i reset factory defaults, is that save?
3. After factory reset, have to do this again?
4. After installing this is it possible to disable usb debugging?

EDIT
5. (FIXED) I have installed this and this is very very very very very nice, mannnnnnny thanks!!!
But by default it installed new apps to the phone not to the SD.
I can move it to the SD but it will not automatic to the SD.
By example the app drag racing.
Find it by myself, some apps will automatic to SD and some apps not.
6. Is it save to delete HTC sync from my phone?
7. How to get it back to default? (maybe: Type pm setInstallLocation 1 press enter (it's important you enter this exactly as written as it's case sensitive))?

Gr. Kees.
 
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I will try this because i have the same problem with low memory.

But i have questions:

1. How about the warrenty?
2. If i reset factory defaults, is that save?
3. After factory reset, have to do this again?
4. After installing this is it possible to disable usb debugging?

EDIT
5. (FIXED) I have installed this and this is very very very very very nice, mannnnnnny thanks!!!
But by default it installed new apps to the phone not to the SD.
I can move it to the SD but it will not automatic to the SD.
By example the app drag racing.
Find it by myself, some apps will automatic to SD and some apps not.
6. Is it save to delete HTC sync from my phone?
7. How to get it back to default? (maybe: Type pm setInstallLocation 1 press enter (it's important you enter this exactly as written as it's case sensitive))?

Gr. Kees.
Sorry for the late reply:

1. This has no impact on your warranty.
2. It is safe to do a factory reset, but you will lose the SetInstallLocation setting as it will revert back to 1.
3. So, yes, you would have to do this again. But now you know how and it's easy!
4. Yes, you may now disable USB debugging.
5. Good work! Enjoy!
6. HTC Sync is not installed on the phone, but your computer.
7. Yes, SetInstallLocation1.

Hope that helps! ;)
 
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I tried what you told.But I couldn't get it.My device is not getting recognized.Did exactly what you told.Please help.Thank you
Vishusaga, welcome to Android Forums :hello: Give this a try instead:
Before you begin, make sure that your computer can properly recognize the phone:
You will need SDK tools for Android, Java runtime, and HTC Sync installed on your Windows computer. Be sure to follow the directions for SDK tools for Android very carefully.

1. You only need to install HTC Sync for the drivers that come with it. But the program sometimes causes conflicts, so during this procedure, make sure it is not running. Open Task Manager in Windows and kill it. If you don
 
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My process *seemed* to work; there was no 'daemon' indicated but after setting the SetInstallLocation 2 it just gave the $ sign. It had seen my phone's serial number so it appeared to be connected ok.

I still can't move my apps to the SD card (which is a shame as it's a decent 16Gb); the option 'Move to SD Card' is greyed out in all apps I have not already moved without performing this hack.

Is there anything else I need to do?

Thanks so much btw, great guide, easy to follow even though I can't seem to see the results yet :)
 
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