Root Should I use my new 16gb card after root?

[sushifor5]

I initially wanted more room for apps and bought a 16gb class 6 card...don't even know if that was the right choice, but I hoped it would hold a lot, LOL.

I'm seriously considering doing the gingerbreak root without computer method; the consensus seems to be that I would need to root using the stock 2gb card, which is all i have in phone now anyway.

after i root, would i put the new, bigger sd card in and format it (i don't understand what FAT32 is and how to do it...or if i need to) and then download the backup apps to do backups and download links2sd to move my apps to the card?

i'm unclear on all the steps and when/how to deal with the new sd card.

THAnks for any input/help!!!

 

[benslgdroid]

Read this
http://androidforums.com/optimus-v-all-things-root/364833-link2sd-you-tutorial.html

 

[sushifor5]

Thanks for the thread...actually, I have read that and don't understand it, sorry! I am a techno dummy and really green newbie here....

I'm so out of my depth with all this that I don't even know what this stuff means or how to do it:

"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."

How do I backup? (i'm on a mac)
How do I mount the SD card?
What does resize the partition mean and how do I do that?

I won't go on into the details of my ignorance and confusion...but you can see that I'm really lost.

Any help or hand-holding available, LOL? TIA!!!

 

[MacFett]

How do I backup? (i'm on a mac)

This is only needed if you are going to use the same uSD card that has your data on it. If you are going to use the new 16gb card you have then you don't need to back up (you may want to make sure you have all your photos off the card, but you can do that at any time, just pop it into the SD adapter that came with the phone and then plug that into your Mac's SD slot or a SD-USB drive and navigate the card as a normal drive)

How do I mount the SD card?

When you plug the phone into the computer it should ask if you want to mount the drive as USB. You tell it yes, then your phone acts as a big uSD drive.

What does resize the partition mean and how do I do that?

Think of your card as a flower bed, the entire bed has room for 16 rose bushes. You decide you'd like something else too. So you put a wall up to section off room for 14 roses and 2 other flowers.

I hope that makes it easier for you to understand.

 

[sushifor5]

Wow, yes, that does help, thanks!

OK, next question would be how do I do this next step?

"Create a new FAT32 partition with the free space, mark it as primary."

I think I understand everything else. As far as the stuff I have currently on my stock sd card, pictures and music, can i transfer them to the new card? that's what you probably meant when you told me to plug the sd card into my mac. i don't know how to copy the stuff onto my mac, but will read and figure it out.

thanks again!

EDIT: ok, i thought of another question...do i need to partition my card? is this a must when using link2sd? is my new card big enough to not partition? i'm wondering if partitioning will cause problems with apps running (have been reading other threads on "issues" with moving apps to card...).

OK, thanks!

 

[MacFett]

"Create a new FAT32 partition with the free space, mark it as primary."

You need a disk partitioning app (the thing that creates the wall between your flowers). I used Minitool, it does not support Mac and the only Mac I have in the house is running OS 9 something. Maybe there is someone who is using a Mac around here that can help, otherwise try the ilounge or whatever it is called.

FAT32 stands for File Allocation Table 32 and as far as I know it is compatible with Mac, so it is just a matter of finding a Disk Partitioning program that will do what we need done.

I'll look around and see if there is an app on the android market that will do this right in the phone.

 

[sushifor5]

Thanks, MacFett...ok, last questions (I hope) on this topic...sorry if they're dumb:

Is partitioning a must?
Why would I want to do it?
Do I choose the size of the partition?
What if my apps exceed the size of the partition?

My sd card holds pictures and music and hopefully, after I root, apps...are they not supposed to mingle?
Do the Titanium Backup, Apps2sd and Link2sd apps stay on the phone or go on the sd card?
Do I need all three of those apps to function well with a rooted phone? I'm not sure I understand the differences between Apps2sd and Link2sd, but I get the feeling I need both.
Will my apps run correctly when placed on the sd card vs. being on the phone?

OK, I think that's it. THanks much!

 

[MacFett]

1. Partitioning is a must.
2. Link2SD moves the apps to the 2nd partition (the one that is 2gb) and links them on the internal memory. This causes the phone to think they are still on the internal memory.
3. Read the tutorial, this is covered there.
4. Then you have an app addiction.
5. These will be on the larger portion of the card, the 14gb.
6. When you install an app you make sure it is on the phone then through Link2SD you link it to SD. (There is a button called Create Link)
7. You don't need any of the 3 apps. App2SD is made basically useless with Link2SD, I just had it for the screen shot.
8. They will run fine, even widgets and live wallpaper run fine when linked. Just do not boot the phone without the uSD in the phone. It will bugger all of your widgets and your live wallpaper (if using).

 

[sushifor5]

Great, thanks...makes sense. Except, your last comment...when you say do not boot the phone without the uSD in the phone, what does that mean? what is uSD?

thanks so much!

 

[Petrah]

what is uSD?

I think he is talking about the SD card.

 

[MacFett]

The card in your phone is a micro SD card, the scientific symbol for micro is

 

[sushifor5]

got it, thanks!

 

[sushifor5]

Hello MacFett, I'm back, LOL...

Last night I rooted my phone (oh, the drama! it wasn't as easy as I had hoped...but then, I'm hopeless with technology).

I'm ready to begin moving apps to my new sd card once i get it formatted and partitioned (still trying to figure out how to do it on mac...googling stuff today...edit: apparently, my computer will do this for me thru Disk Utility...if only i understood what i was reading and trusted myself with the computer! LOL).

Oh, do i format the card before partitioning?

Assuming I can figure out the sdcard, I had a couple Links2sd questions.

I just finished reading the Links2sd tutorial link (all the posts...kind of made my brain more confused, LOL) and I think I understand most of it. Tell me if I'm wrong...

Using Links2sd will actually physically move my apps to the partition on my sd card.
Then, a "link" will be created in my phone's internal memory, causing my phone to think that the apps are still in the internal memory.

Is that right? So, here are my questions:

1) will all apps I download in the future be automatically moved/linked to my sd card?
2) what will be on my phone's internal storage?
3) what about apps that "need" to be on phone internal to run correctly?
4) what happens when i turn off my phone (reboot is that?)...which i do most evenings.
5) what happens if i run out of space in my sd partition (i don't know in reality how much 2gb of apps would be, considering the apps i like...no games, but tons of reference apps)
EDIT:
6) i'm reading about partitioning and i'm seeing people say, "i want one partition FAT32 and one ext2" or something like that...do i need to do that? I don't understand it, but want to do this process correctly.
7) with Links2sd, will the apps "crash" when i mount the sd card to my computer in future, as i saw in some articles about Apps2sd?
8) What do you think of the instructions here:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/op...ing-larger-sd-cards-no-more-storage-woes.html

It says to format to ext rather than FAT, and only 1 GB, and to partition on phone????

OK, I think that's it for now...hope you don't mind! TIA!!!

 

[MacFett]

1) If it downloads to the internal memory it will be linked, if it is an app that installs right to external storage it will install there. Then you just go into Link2SD tell it to move to phone and then link it.
2) dalvik cache and app data
3) They will still run because the phone thinks they are still on the internal memory. If you want to be sure leave them on the internal.
4) Nothing. It will take a bit more time to boot up again however.
5) You start uninstalling apps.
6) For link2sd both must be marked as primary (this is important) as well as formatted FAT32
7) While mounted none of the moved apps will work, mounting the card essentially removes it from the phone. It turns the card reader into a removable disk drive. I haven't mounted my uSD since the night I installed Link2SD.
8) I think my tutorial is fine and contains what you need to know to set up Link2SD (save the formatting of the uSD on a Mac). Just format the card FAT32, then resize the partition, shrink it by ~2gb. Create a new partition where the 1st partition was shrunk. Format it FAT32 and mark it primary.

 

[sushifor5]

Thanks for the answers...I will try to finalize my understanding of what I'm doing on the mac to partition the card, hopefully it will work.

For clarification:

You said in answer 1) "If it downloads to the internal memory it will be linked, if it is an app that installs right to external storage it will install there. Then you just go into Link2SD tell it to move to phone and then link it."

If an app installs right to external storage, why would I need to move it to the phone and link it?

In answer 7) you say: "While mounted none of the moved apps will work, mounting the card essentially removes it from the phone. It turns the card reader into a removable disk drive. I haven't mounted my uSD since the night I installed Link2SD."

So does that mean I can no longer (after doing Links2sd) plug my phone into my computer and download music and pictures onto my phone?

And finally, regarding size/space for apps...can I make the partition bigger than 2gb (the partition that Links2sd is moving the apps into)? If the card is 16 gb, can i make that partition 4 or 8 gb? I really want room for apps more than music, etc. on my phone.

Oh, and if I have two partitions both marked primary, how do I know which one is the partition with the apps on it?

Thanks so much for your help and patience!

 

[MacFett]

1) Because even though it installs to external it still is partially on internal and typically using Link2SD will take up less internal space than not using it.
7) You still can, but any and all apps on the uSD will not function while it is mounted. If you have any widgets linked they will break. You will have to remove the widget from the home screen and do the setup again for it (the widget not link2sd). I have enough internal memory currently that I have all of my widgets on internal.

If you follow my instructions on doing the setup for the uSD you will be fine. The phone will use the partitions correctly.

I am using a 8gb uSD, of my 179megs of internal I have 81.7mb free. My main uSD partition is 5.94gb total of that 1.38gb is free. My secondary uSD partition is 1.53gb of that I have 540mb free.

I have a total of 197 apps installed.

If you do it in the order that I say it won't matter. The phone will know what to do.

 

[sushifor5]

Good, great, thanks...very helpful. OK, (cringe) one more...Sorry!

from the post previous, when i asked what would be on internal storage, you told me:
"2) dalvik cache and app data"
And in post above, you said, " I have enough internal memory currently that I have all of my widgets on internal."

So I'm still wondering if Links2sd automatically puts everything on sd card, how do i choose to put something on internal? I want to have widgets and not have them break, so would want them on internal, as you have done. But I'm not clear on how to do that.

Am I incorrectly assuming that Links2sd forces everything to the sd card? How much control does the user have over app/widget placement?

(and i know it's awful, but i'm not sure i understand the difference between a widget and an app and how i would know which of my apps had widgets that i need to keep on internal.....)

OK, thanks VERY much...I will be using your directions with the only variation of me (hopefully successfully) partitioning on my macbook.

 

[MacFett]

The best thing I can tell you is install it so you can see the interface, if you keep dragging your feet you're just going to wear out your shoes.

You can unlink (Link2SD's wording for moving an app to the 2nd partition) any app you wish.

A widget is a app that runs on your home screen, such as a weather widget that constantly updates weather conditions or a news ticker that gives you stories, both without having to open an app. If you have an app with a widget you use, just unlink the app and you'll be fine.

 

[sushifor5]

The best thing I can tell you is install it so you can see the interface, if you keep dragging your feet you're just going to wear out your shoes.

LOL!! You are right...I'm generally not a "plunge in" kind of gal, but I should probably give it a go and see what happens. I suppose nothing is "undoable," eh? (as long as it isn't a maneuver that would "brick" my phone, which so far I have managed to avoid, Yay!)