Best A2SD method?

[Guest Frankish]

Right let's face it. The built in method of a2sd just doesn't work. I barely had any apps installed and get memory full with all possible apps moved to sd.

I think the options are,

Link2sd, tried this but requires a lot of user interaction even set to auto link.

Demon (I think it's called that?), requires initial setup in terminal.

Old style (Pauls script), I used to have a script that I think Paul wrote. Place it in init.d and it automatically make all apps go to ext.

What do you think is the best way? Does anyone have Pauls script lying around?

As a note I barely play any games so my space issues are from just general apps!

[Guest Liamness]

I have to move the cache too if I want to install a lot of apps. Probably affects performance slightly.

[Guest chris231]

which rom are you using? If on the CM9 just install the A2SD zip in CWM recovery, partition the sd card (in recovery), then install a2sdgui from play store and set to install on sd card.

job done.

could also consider re-partitioning the phone if space is an issue.

Edited August 6, 2012 by chris231

[Guest Frankish]

Thanks for suggestions guys. Think I'm already on the minimum partition size for cm9.

[Guest CurtisAndroidSF2]

I'm currently running FNC but I've previously ran CM9 and CM7, and on each ROM I just partitioned my SD via CWM, flashed the A2SD zip file via CWM then downloaded A2SDGUI from the Market then went to Dalvik Cache, selected Dalvik Cache on SD-EXT then clicked Move and Rebuild- Phone rebooted then I had around 150mb of internal and I'm still on about 130 and I have 70 apps installed.

Thanks, hope this helps.

[Guest gabriwinter]

I use links2sd and I've never had any problems with autolink

[Guest chris231]

Thanks for suggestions guys. Think I'm already on the minimum partition size for cm9.

you could also consider a 200mb partition for cm9. You just need to remove the unecessary apk apps from the rom(zip) and gapps before flashing.

my cm9 + gapps uses about 180mb system.

use a (tiny) app called diskinfo to see what your partitions are...

[Guest emulov]

Hello from Russia))

please explain in detail how to configure?

rom CM9 200mb partitioning

Edited August 7, 2012 by emulov

[Guest Dazzozo]

I always used to run "a2sd cachesdreset" on stock partitioning and never have any problems.

Obviously that changes in Jelly Bean...

[Guest chris231]

Hello from Russia))

please explain in detail how to configure?

rom CM9 200mb partitioning

If not already done so, TPT over to the phone you new partition layout. (see TPTs on the forum) be careful to choose one matches your phone.

These will wipe the phone (ie delete everything)

get the CM9 rom and gapps.

extract the zips and delete out apks and other stuff you don't use/need. This has been discussed on the CM9 thread.

re-zip the rom and gapps, make sure that the directory structure remains intact.

I normally auto-sign them (google auto-sign), this may not be necessary if you turn off verification in CWM recovery.

then flash as normal.

[Guest emulov]

If not already done so, TPT over to the phone you new partition layout. (see TPTs on the forum) be careful to choose one matches your phone.

These will wipe the phone (ie delete everything)

get the CM9 rom and gapps.

extract the zips and delete out apks and other stuff you don't use/need. This has been discussed on the CM9 thread.

re-zip the rom and gapps, make sure that the directory structure remains intact.

I normally auto-sign them (google auto-sign), this may not be necessary if you turn off verification in CWM recovery.

then flash as normal.

Thank you! I know how to) I can flash, removed the unnecessary ... tell me in detail how to configure A2SD

Edited August 9, 2012 by emulov

[Guest chris231]

You need to partition your SD card if you haven't already.

Doing this will delete all data on the sd card. So backup first.

Boot into cwm recovery and use the menus to partition sd. I'd select 512mb for the size or less.

Select zero for swap and allow to run.

Now using the mount usb option copy over the a2sd scrpt from Daz's post and install.

The above should be done after installing the ROM and gapps.

Now bootup phone

Install a2sdgui from play store.

Run this and make sure that zipalign and apps on sd are light.

Reboot if you toggle these settings.

Now apps are and will b installed to the sd card

[Guest the_crevis]

I'm on cm9 (just got a second hand mint condition vivacity for £31 off ebay ;) ) and i've partitioned my sdcard but links2sd doesn't won't work, if i flash the a2sd script the phone won't boot up and s2e doesn't think i have a partition, neither does freespace. However, my pc recognises the 512mb partition and i've tried formatting it in fat32, ext2 and ext3, nothing works. I recon its a problem with the ext partition not being mounted, its driving me nuts cause i need more space for apps! any ideas?

[Guest emulov]

Now using the mount usb option copy over the a2sd scrpt from Daz's post and install.

it? http://crescent.thebronasium.com/31032012-a2sd-ext3.zip

[Guest chris231]

it? http://crescent.theb...2-a2sd-ext3.zip

yes once you've partitioned the sd card in CWM, install this in CWM

then bootup and install a2sdgui from play and set zipalign and apps2sd

[Guest chris231]

I'm on cm9 (just got a second hand mint condition vivacity for £31 off ebay ;) ) and i've partitioned my sdcard but links2sd doesn't won't work, if i flash the a2sd script the phone won't boot up and s2e doesn't think i have a partition, neither does freespace. However, my pc recognises the 512mb partition and i've tried formatting it in fat32, ext2 and ext3, nothing works. I recon its a problem with the ext partition not being mounted, its driving me nuts cause i need more space for apps! any ideas?

never had this happen before....

did you do the partitioning in CWM recovery? if yes then good... (partition only 512mb)

did you flash rom, then gapps, then a2sd and then boot? if yes then good...

the partitioning should really be done before all this flashing (or a least that's how I prefer it)

once booted up install a2sdgui and forget all the other apps to do with moving apps about or the whole thing will probably go bad.

diskinfo is good for checking what's going on.

if you go down the S2E option then I don't thing you should be flashing the a2sd.zip file, will likely conflict.

Chris

Edited August 15, 2012 by chris231

[Guest cartwheelbob]

never had this happen before....

did you do the partitioning in CWM recovery? if yes then good... (partition only 512mb)

did you flash rom, then gapps, then a2sd and then boot? if yes then good...

the partitioning should really be done before all this flashing (or a least that's how I prefer it)

once booted up install a2sdgui and forget all the other apps to do with moving apps about or the whole thing will probably go bad.

diskinfo is good for checking what's going on.

if you go down the S2E option then I don't thing you should be flashing the a2sd.zip file, will likely conflict.

Chris

Did you get the micro SD card with the phone? Try a different one, even buy a new one they are cheap as chips. There should be no issue with paritioning if you use CWM to do so, the partition should be recognised by your phone and a2sd no problem. I have even tried 1gb partition just messing about and still didnt have an issue.

Sorry meant to multi quote-

the_crevis I'm on cm9 (just got a second hand mint condition vivacity for £31 off ebay ;) ) and i've partitioned my sdcard but links2sd doesn't won't work, if i flash the a2sd script the phone won't boot up and s2e doesn't think i have a partition, neither does freespace. However, my pc recognises the 512mb partition and i've tried formatting it in fat32, ext2 and ext3, nothing works. I recon its a problem with the ext partition not being mounted, its driving me nuts cause i need more space for apps! any ideas?

Edited August 15, 2012 by cartwheelbob

[Guest Bob Mann]

i find that cwm isnt the best for sd card partitioning, i prefer to use http://www.partitionwizard.com create a fat32 partition first and then create the rest as ext2 i only use 512mb partition too (the card is a 16gb Kingston Class 4) but was slightly over by a couple mb just to be sure.

I use a2sdgui to move the cache to sd card.

then i go into the console as su,

then run

pm setInstallLocation 2

so i dont have to manage moving applications to my SD card.

I dont notice any performance issues like i used to have with data2sd used with the HTC Desire (my old phone) 2-3 apps would fill a desires internal memory in no time lol

[Guest lohtse]

am on fish n chips and be buggered if apps will install to ext partition...

any ideas why?

tried links2sd and keeps requiring to remount script followed by a reboot.. so is some what pointless...

[Guest the_crevis]

it? http://crescent.theb...2-a2sd-ext3.zip

never had this happen before....

did you do the partitioning in CWM recovery? if yes then good... (partition only 512mb)

did you flash rom, then gapps, then a2sd and then boot? if yes then good...

the partitioning should really be done before all this flashing (or a least that's how I prefer it)

once booted up install a2sdgui and forget all the other apps to do with moving apps about or the whole thing will probably go bad.

diskinfo is good for checking what's going on.

if you go down the S2E option then I don't thing you should be flashing the a2sd.zip file, will likely conflict.

Chris

Did you get the micro SD card with the phone? Try a different one, even buy a new one they are cheap as chips. There should be no issue with paritioning if you use CWM to do so, the partition should be recognised by your phone and a2sd no problem. I have even tried 1gb partition just messing about and still didnt have an issue.

Thanks for the help guys! :) in the end for some reason the a2sd script that i got off darktremors website made the phone not bootup :S but then i tried the linked a2sd script above and it worked perfectly! :) Don't know why it was so hard to get it to work :L I'm a n00b at the a2sd thing but i thought i was reasonably good with the whole android thing! :P

Edited August 15, 2012 by the_crevis

[Guest irishpancake]

i find that cwm isnt the best for sd card partitioning, i prefer to use http://www.partitionwizard.com create a fat32 partition first and then create the rest as ext2 i only use 512mb partition too (the card is a 16gb Kingston Class 4) but was slightly over by a couple mb just to be sure.

I use a2sdgui to move the cache to sd card.

then i go into the console as su,

then run

pm setInstallLocation 2

so i dont have to manage moving applications to my SD card.

I dont notice any performance issues like i used to have with data2sd used with the HTC Desire (my old phone) 2-3 apps would fill a desires internal memory in no time lol

Hi Bob.....I am puzzled by your use of SetinstallLocation 2......in conjunction with DT A2SD???

Surely this forces all downloaded apps to the Fat Partition??

That's my understanding anyway...

0= Default: 1= Internal: 2 = External.

So, you are over-riding the advantages of DT A2SD, and the GUI, which automates the process of where apps go....the sd-ext partition...No???

You are forcing apps to the /mnt/sdcard/.android_secure folder on FAT32.....

More sense to have set location=1.... as A2SD works on the principle of fooling the system into thinking Linux partition sd-ext is Internal??

[Guest Bob Mann]

i only use a2sd to move the cache to the SD card, as far as the apps go, i was lead to believe that if they were internal even with a2sd they are still on the phone, this can be proved by removing the SD card, any application still on the phone (or at least appears on the phone) will still load.

maybe im not using a2sd properly, not really that bothered

[Guest irishpancake]

i only use a2sd to move the cache to the SD card, as far as the apps go, i was lead to believe that if they were internal even with a2sd they are still on the phone, this can be proved by removing the SD card, any application still on the phone (or at least appears on the phone) will still load.

maybe im not using a2sd properly, not really that bothered

But ppl may rely on advise given here as being correct!!!

Ehhh Bob...Internal is on the Phone....

That's what DT A2SD does....

it allows apps to seem to be on the phone I.e. Internal, even though they live on your external storage I.e. SD card in a sd-ext linux partition.....

which Android sees as part of its file system, therefore it remains mounted.......

even if you connect your device to a PC and select USB debugging those apps will work.....

but not if you physically remove the SD card obviously....

coz your sd-ext partition us on it!!!

However, if you have set up your phone by instructing apps to install on external.......Install Location 2.. .

what you are doing is using the Android secure folder on the SD card Fat32 partition, as your install location, which means those apps will not work if you connect to a PC, and mount...... they are no longer seen by Android!!!

Whoever told you otherwise was not correct....

[Guest Bob Mann]

whatever my understanding of a2sd and setinstalllocation is irrelevant, if i need the space for applications irrespective of how the device sees them or handles them then i will setup my phone how i see fit. i was merely commenting on how i configure my device, sorry for talking.

[Guest irishpancake]

whatever my understanding of a2sd and setinstalllocation is irrelevant, if i need the space for applications irrespective of how the device sees them or handles them then i will setup my phone how i see fit. i was merely commenting on how i configure my device, sorry for talking.

Sorry Bob, I don't mean to question your methods as far as they apply to your own phone, and your experience as you have described it, so no offence meant to you personally at all.

But, the thread is about Best A2SD method

as per the OP......

and the majority of posts seem to come down to the DT A2SD method, with the GUI App, which gives an automated and seamless method of giving much more space for App installation, depending on the size of partition you create.......

I merely pointed out, for the information of the forum, that what you advocated, namely combining DT A2SD moving Dalvik Cache to SD Card, with the built-in Android native App2SD forced method of moving apps to SD Card by using "pm setInstallLocation 2" seemed rather bizarre to me, as it used the mnt/sdcard/.android_secure folder on SD Card for Apps and A2SD for Dalvik Cache, when you could use the DT A2SD to move Apps to SD card, with the advantages that brings.

As it stands, any apps you have moved to SD card will be unavailable if you are connected and mounted to PC with USB, which would not be the case if you used A2SD for Apps???

There is also an argument that moving the dalvik particularly, would require a higher spec SD card than Class 4, for performance reasons, but you seem to have no problems in this respect, but I would have thought Class 6 at least??

Anyway, as I said, I absolutely respect your right to set your device up as you see fit, and I am not trying to be argumentative, but I have laid out my reasoning above, for discussion if you so wish.

Cheers, Danny [iP]