Getting more space for apps while keeping Signalboost

[Guest soulhand]

I bought my wife an Orange SF 2 recently to replace a lost phone.

Mostly, it's pretty good, but it has already run out of app space.

I've done some reading and searching in the forum, but I'm a bit confused about the options available to me.

What should I do now to get more space for apps?

There seem to be TPTs that change the partitioning. Can I use these with the stock ROM?

Can I remove some of the Orange bloatware, and thereby free up more space? How do I do this?

I'm happy to install a custom/debranded ROM - but we MUST have Signalboost (we're in a poor reception area for pretty much every mobile network). Are there any such ROMs?

Thanks for any responses. Feel free to point me to articles I should have found and read.

EDIT: Oh yes, and I have been instructed it has to run Smurf Village, whatever I do :)

Edited October 16, 2012 by soulhand

[Guest CurtisAndroidSF2]

This will be the best option for you;

http://www.modaco.co...or-zte-blade-2/ - Install clockworkmod recovery by following the details on the first post- Easy process, shouldn't run into any problems. If you run into the most common problem which is about drivers then follow this link and it should fix it for you; http://sanfranciscoa...n-francisco-ii/. (Only follow that one page, you can close it after you've finished installing the drivers as you don't need any more information from there).

Then you can flash an Orange debranded ROM or Fish N Chips. Fish N Chips is a custom rom which runs better than the Orange ROM, it looks better, has notification toggles etc and everything works on it. If you don't want to touch a custom rom then just go for the Orange Debranded but I'd recommend Fish N Chips.

Orange Debranded; http://www.modaco.co...ty-gingerbread/

Fish N Chips: http://www.modaco.co...5-testing-rls8/

Before you flash a new rom you should boot into the new recovery you've installed (Turn device off then hold down power on button and volume down) and go to backup/restore and do a backup. Just in case anything goes wrong.

Almost done. Now you should partition your SD card, if you can tell me what gb it is I can try and help you find a suitable option for the partition. Before you partition your SD remember to back it up by transferring all the files on your SD onto your computer as it will be wiped during the partition process.

You partition it by booting into Clockworkmod Recovery and go to advanced then select partition sd card, you'll get some options now; "Select the EXT size that you want (128M, 256M, 512M, 1024M, 2048M or 4096M)" (I have a 16gb sd card so I did a 1gb partition and that's fine for me but you should do this based on the size of your SD, the second menu will ask you to set a swap size, i think I chose the 2nd one from the top (The one after 0). I'd wait for someone with more experience on partitioning to comment before you do this.

After you partition it you can flash the A2SD scripts; http://www.mediafire...e69w1wxegx5ak4f

Then you boot the phone, go to the market and download https://play.google....o.a2sdGUI&hl=en (A2SDGUI) then open it and accept it when it asks for root permission, click the 'Dalvik' menu and then click 'Dalvik cache on sd ext' then click 'move and rebuild', your phone will reboot and then you'll have plenty of space for apps. I had over 250 apps installed on previous ROMs with plenty of space left for more.

You 'flash' things via Clockworkmod by putting the files onto your phones SD card then booting into Clockworkmod Recovery (power button and volume down) then doing a full wipe (Wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache and then advanced wipe dalvik cache and battery stats). Before you do this do a backup though, always do a backup! Then go to 'install zip from sd card' then 'choose zip from sd card' and find the file you wish to flash then select it and when it finishes click reboot phone and you're done.

I hope I've helped, and I apologise for the huge post. I wasn't sure if you were experienced or not when it comes to Android development so I tried to keep things simple, if you're experienced then this will just be a doddle to you.

Edited October 16, 2012 by CurtisAndroidSF2

[Guest soulhand]

hope I've helped, and I apologise for the huge post. I wasn't sure if you were experienced or not when it comes to Android development so I tried to keep things simple, if you're experienced then this will just be a doddle to you.

Brilliant. Thanks very much. I know very little about Android, but I'm pretty OK with other things IT.

We have just the standard 2Gb SD card currently. I think maybe I'll start by getting a bigger card then following your instructions...

[Guest CurtisAndroidSF2]

You're welcome. There's a zip somewhere to install the Orange Signal Boost app on any ROM, I'll find it for you in a second just in case it isn't included in a ROM of your choice. And here it is; http://crescent.thebronasium.com/files/addon_ouk-signal-boost.zip

I'd recommend upgrading your SD, you can pick up a 16gb class 10 from Play.com for around £11 with free delivery, great deal. (http://www.play.com/...urlrefer=search)

Edited October 16, 2012 by CurtisAndroidSF2

[Guest soulhand]

You're welcome. There's a zip somewhere to install the Orange Signal Boost app on any ROM, I'll find it for you in a second just in case it isn't included in a ROM of your choice. And here it is; http://crescent.theb...ignal-boost.zip

Hmm. That ZIP is notably instructions-free :) How would it be installed?

[Guest CurtisAndroidSF2]

Same way as you install ROMs and other flashable zips.

Put it on your SD card, boot into clockworkmod recovery (Power button + volume down), select install zip from sd card, then choose zip from sd card then find it and select it, let it flash then reboot and you're done.

[Guest robt77]

The zip is the file that needs to be installed save the file transfer to SD card on phone. Reboot into recovery choose option install zip from SD card choose file and OK. If not done do as Curtis diad do a back up of ROM first

[Guest soulhand]

All installed and working - with F&C, A2SD etc. Except (and it's a biggy) gmail force closes on startup. Any ideas?

EDIT: Uninstall and re-install of Gmail fixed it.

Edited November 10, 2012 by soulhand

[Guest CurtisAndroidSF2]

Hope you enjoy the device a bit more now!