Root Link2SD and you (a tutorial)

[kzrdr]

Thanks for the Great write up.
I followed and worked flawless.
I do have one ?,
I know that you can move, /data/app.
are we allowed to move, /system/app, or is that a no go?

Thanks in advance.

 

[benslgdroid]

Thanks for the Great write up.
I followed and worked flawless.
I do have one ?,
I know that you can move, /data/app.
are we allowed to move, /system/app, or is that a no go?

Thanks in advance.

The system apps have no effect on usable space its on its own partition on the phone wHich is why the option is unavailable in the app. Even if you could you would have no access to that freed up space.

 

[Screwball]

I have a few questions for anyone willing to answer the best they can.

Besides freeing up internal memory what else does using link2sd do to your phone?
How exactly does it work?
Finally, why would one find link2sd to be better than any other app that does the same thing?

 

[MacFett]

It moves virtually (save data) the entire app to the 2nd partition on the uSD card and puts a short cut on the phone linking it to the uSD. This leaves very little of the app on the phone's internal memory freeing up a considerable bit of space for more apps.

As for other apps that do the same, there is only one other of which I have heard that does this, but the card must be formatted Ext2 (or Ext3). FAT is a more universal architecture than Ext, I think all OSes support FAT.

 

[kalel666]

Any idea why my available memory goes down continuously? When I first installed and linked my files, I had something like 106mB available, which was nice. Since then, I've installed some new apps, all linked, and I'm down to about 59mB. It seems like I lose about 1-2mB a day. I'm not sure where it is going or how to clear it. Any ideas?

 

[MacFett]

Both application caches and application data files are on the internal memory and grow in size. Have you tried the relink library file button?

 

[sushifor5]

OK, I'm about to install a new card and do the Links2sd...so, if you'll bear with me, I just want to be sure i have the steps right.

First, I connected my phone to my computer and I copied my current stock 2g sc card. I disconnected my phone from my computer.

Now, I'm going to take out that card. I'm going to put in the new 16g card.

I format the card on the phone?

EDIT: oops...i think first, I do:
Then i disconnect phone from computer and download Titanium Backup and I backup all my apps that are on my phone?

And then I do:
Then I plug the phone into my computer and I partition my card.


Then I download Links2sd and do the magic....

Is that right?

And in which step should I copy the info from the old card (which is now on my computer's hard drive) onto the new card?

Thanks SO much!!!

 

[MacFett]

I just want to be sure i have the steps right.

From the guide:

• Root your phone, I suggest this guide. [How-To] Root the LG Optimus V - Android Forums
• Backup everything on the SD card, I suggest using Titanium Backup. Make sure there is a backup not on the SD card (like on your hard drive)
• Connect your Optimus V to your computer and mount the SD card.
• Resize the partition, I used Minitool Partition Wizard, leave 1-2gb of free space.
• Create a new FAT32 partition with the free space, mark it as primary.
• Disconnect your Optimus V and reboot it.
• Download and install Link2sd if you have not done so already.
• Run Link2sd, it will tell you it needs to reboot to mount the second partition.
• Run Link2sd, it will list all apps it can move and tell you which ones are currently on the SD. It can't do anything with the apps on the SD already.
• Inside Link2sd select an app to link to your sd.
  • If your app is on your internal memory select Create Link.
  • If your app is on the SD card select Manage. This will take you to the stock app management screen. Move the app back to the phone.
  • Hit the back button to go back to Link2sd and now you can select Create Link.

 

[sushifor5]

Right, I had read that...I guess I was wondering in my case of swapping the old card for the new one if I needed to know/do anything else. No worries, I'm going to give it a whirl.

Except that when I went to open my sd card, I noticed that it was a full-size sd, not micro, ugh! So, will be waiting for order of micro sd card to arrive, LOL!!

Thanks for your tutorial! Cheers!

 

[benslgdroid]

If switching to a new card once partitioned and reboot reconnect the phone to the pc then transfer your backup to the new card. Then continue from the install link2sd step.

 

[sushifor5]

OK, I got the new uSD card and I partitioned it on my mac (pretty easy to do thru disk utility). I made two partitions. I named the first Primary and made it 6gb; this would be for Links2sd. I named the second Primary2 and it was the remainder of the 16gb card (just under 10gb), which will be for music and pictures. I put the uSD back into my phone, and now I have a question...

The phone is telling me the uSD storage is only 5.58gb. What happened to the rest? Is this how the phone "sees" a partitioned card? So how do i access the other parts for music/pictures? Did I partition incorrectly?

I don't understand how this works and if anyone could explain, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

EDIT: I went ahead and connected my phone to my computer and I copied all the stuff from my original stock sd card onto the second bigger "Primary2" partition of my new sd card. I rebooted my phone after disconnecting and tried to play music to test, but it is saying there is nothing.

did i do my partitions wrong? i'd like to figure this out and fix it before i do Links2sd and mess this all up even more, LOL. Thanks!

 

[benslgdroid]

OK, I got the new uSD card and I partitioned it on my mac (pretty easy to do thru disk utility). I made two partitions. I named the first Primary and made it 6gb; this would be for Links2sd. I named the second Primary2 and it was the remainder of the 16gb card (just under 10gb), which will be for music and pictures. I put the uSD back into my phone, and now I have a question...

The phone is telling me the uSD storage is only 5.58gb. What happened to the rest? Is this how the phone "sees" a partitioned card? So how do i access the other parts for music/pictures? Did I partition incorrectly?

I don't understand how this works and if anyone could explain, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

EDIT: I went ahead and connected my phone to my computer and I copied all the stuff from my original stock sd card onto the second bigger "Primary2" partition of my new sd card. I rebooted my phone after disconnecting and tried to play music to test, but it is saying there is nothing.

did i do my partitions wrong? i'd like to figure this out and fix it before i do Links2sd and mess this all up even more, LOL. Thanks!

You did them backwards the first should be largest the app mounts the second partition also you don't really need more than 2 or 3 gig for the second partition.

 

[sushifor5]

OK, can i "re-partition" my card and start again? should i format first or partition first? i'm a bit nervous now...can i actually damage my sd card and/or my phone thru this trial and error?

EDIT: well, i'm going to just give it a try. I reformatted the sd card in the phone, erasing everything, then i took out the card and put it in my computer. the two partitions were gone...it just said one sd card...was that b/c i formatted it empty first?

so, i went back in to disk utility and made two partitions...the first is "Primary1" and is the big one, and the second is "Primary" and is 2gb. Now I'm copying my stuff from the stock card (with my nandroid and music, etc) that i put on my computer onto the big partition.

is that right?

EDIT 2: apparently it worked as far as my copying...the music and photos are now on my phone like they were before...i put it all on the first big partition. now i'm going to do the links2sd tutorial...

if i've done anything that seems to be wrong, please let me know. thanks!

 

[benslgdroid]

OK, can i "re-partition" my card and start again? should i format first or partition first? i'm a bit nervous now...can i actually damage my sd card and/or my phone thru this trial and error?

EDIT: well, i'm going to just give it a try. I reformatted the sd card in the phone, erasing everything, then i took out the card and put it in my computer. the two partitions were gone...it just said one sd card...was that b/c i formatted it empty first?

so, i went back in to disk utility and made two partitions...the first is "Primary1" and is the big one, and the second is "Primary" and is 2gb. Now I'm copying my stuff from the stock card (with my nandroid and music, etc) that i put on my computer onto the big partition.

is that right?

EDIT 2: apparently it worked as far as my copying...the music and photos are now on my phone like they were before...i put it all on the first big partition. now i'm going to do the links2sd tutorial...

if i've done anything that seems to be wrong, please let me know. thanks!

Looks good now install link run it to mount the script and have fun with you new found space.

 

[sushifor5]

I'm on my way, getting there slowly, LOL.

So for Titanium Backup, which I did download last night but have not used yet...

Do I want to keep TB on my phone's internal storage or link it to the sd card? Does it matter?

EDIT...OK, this might be a really dumb question, but I've downloaded and am looking at link2sd and i'm wondering...how do i do this?

do i actually just link one app at a time? is there a way to do multiple apps together?

should i only link the apps i have downloaded?

what apps should i NOT link? is it bad to link busybox and terminal emulator and titanium backup and superuser and the apps used in rooting?

can i link the apps that came standard on my phone, like all the google apps and the "bloatware?"

and how do i "freeze" the bloatware?

EDIT: Ack, nevermind...i reread the OP and went in and did reboot, and now i have 74% free internal storage, 133mb...is that considered good? OK, I was being impatient and instead of waiting for someone to answer, I just started going thru the list individually. i did "create link" for everything it would allow, which was just the apps i have downloaded. then i checked my free space, and i only gained 9% on internal storage...i'm at 89mb free, 49% free (i'm rooted but still on stock rom).

that doesn't seem like a big gain...did i do something wrong? what is on my phone's internal storage that is eating almost half the space? what can i do with links2sd to fix this? i was hoping for lots of storage space for more apps...not sure if i misunderstood what to do with link2sd.



BUT, I still have this market problem:

i noticed my notification bar told me i had app updates to install. so when i clicked the link to do market updates, it said it couldn't do it and force closed. i linked market to sd...is that a big no-no? what do i do about getting updates to work?

so, if anyone could answer the above questions and/or give me some insight to this issue, i'd be really grateful! TIA!


TIA!!!

 

[benslgdroid]

Don't link market or maps they don't like it. It won't allow system apps to be linked. I have everything else linked.

 

[MacFett]

Don't link market or maps they don't like it. It won't allow system apps to be linked. I have everything else linked.

I have maps linked, you have to remove it from system apps and then reinstall it.

 

[sushifor5]

I have maps linked, you have to remove it from system apps and then reinstall it.

How do I do that?

It seems like at least half of what is on my phone cannot be linked...is this right or am I missing something?

 

[sushifor5]

Don't link market or maps they don't like it. It won't allow system apps to be linked. I have everything else linked.

So even though in Link2sd it gives the option to link them I shouldn't? Are there other apps that would fall into this category?

 

[benslgdroid]

The map issue may just be my rom. In link2sd push the menu key on your phone select sort by then select not linked user and it will show you what can be linked.

 

[MacFett]

How do I do that?

Use Titanium Backup to remove it as a system app, or uninstall it. Then you can reinstall it from the market.

It seems like at least half of what is on my phone cannot be linked...is this right or am I missing something?

For an app to be linked it has to be on the internal memory, you can not link apps on the uSD.

So even though in Link2sd it gives the option to link them I shouldn't? Are there other apps that would fall into this category?

Apps that have widgets you plan to use.

 

[benslgdroid]

Use Titanium Backup to remove it as a system app, or uninstall it. Then you can reinstall it from the market.


For an app to be linked it has to be on the internal memory, you can not link apps on the uSD.


Apps that have widgets you plan to use.

My widget apps are all linked with no problems

 

[MacFett]

My widget apps are all linked with no problems

Just don't boot the phone and forget with the uSD inserted.

 

[sushifor5]

Just don't boot the phone and forget with the uSD inserted.

Can you be more explicit about this? Are you saying that I would need to remove my SD card when turning off my phone or turning it back on? Sorry, just didn't understand this last point. Thanks!

EDIT: I'm also wondering about home screen replacement apps (Go Launcher, Zeam, etc)...would it be bad to link one of those to the sd card?

Also, i haven't had occasion yet to use google maps, so i'm wondering what goes wrong with it when it is linked to sd card. i think mine is currently linked and when i touch on the app, the map of my current location comes up so it seems to be working, but i don't know?

 

[benslgdroid]

I'm confused as well