using DATA2SD or DATA2EXT upon MCR?

[Guest hongkongtom]

dear experts,

I've been hearing around DATA2SD and DATA2EXT, I only know that it have something to do with the ext4 partition and symlink of Linux system, anyway, it should make my Desire faster and having a lot more rooms for apps by moving the /data/data also to the SD ext partition (correct me if I misunderstood).

I'm wondering could we do DATA2SD OR DATA2EXT on our MCR? (I'm using r9 personaly and waiting for r10 :) ) I'm super fine with the speed that r9 provides (I'm fine even with sense stock 2.2). but I'm just too greedy on apps and A2SD+ started to fill up after around 80-100 apps installed. (~30mb left right now).

What EXACTLY the differences between DATA2SD and DATA2EXT? people said DATA2SD is faster and takes more steps and DATA2EXT is slower but needs less steps and easier to setup. as a newbie, I'm quite confused w/ these two. besides, people've saying having a Class 6 or Class 10 SD is highly preferred for A2SD+. while I only have a Class 4 16gb and a 2gb ext3 partition (I know too well now 2gb partition is too large but don't bother to re-partition) but working real fine. For DATA2SD or DATA2EXT, do I really need to go buy myself a Class 10 SD?

really hope somebody could clarify to us newbies.

Edited December 14, 2010 by hongkongtom

[Guest bpivk]

I have a class 4 SD card. There are a lot of names flowing around so I'm not exactly sure what Data2Ext is. If it's moving the /data/data/ directory to ext than that's simple to implement in MCR and I was using it for quite some time. The only downside on Class 4 SD card is that you won't be able to update multiple apps at the same time because the updating procedure will slow your card down. Other than that I never experienced any problems whatsoever (and you'll save a lot of space).

Both options can be achieved on MCR but the second one is simpler to implement because I can send you a modified A2SD script that moves everything do /data/data.

You can find a lot of guides for the first on xda.

Edited December 14, 2010 by bpivk

[Guest owilsky]

Both options can be achieved on MCR but the second one is simpler to implement because I can send you a modified A2SD script that moves everything do /data/data.

Could you post that modified script here along with some instructions how to install (add it to init.d or replace another file in init.d)?

Oliver

[Guest bpivk]

@owilsky: Here it is.

DISCLAIMER: Don't nag if you brick your phone. This script works on phones that use the standard a2sd script.

You NEED to have a fast SD card (Class 4 is bare minimum) and you have to have a second partition like the standard a2sd.

Ok here it goes:

- Download the new script to your Android SDK/tools folder (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5388237/40a2sd)

- Or download this script that also moves Dalvik but rename it to 40a2sd (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5388237/40a2sd-dalvik)

- Use the command line and go to tools folder

- Issue these commands:

adb push 40a2sd /etc/init.d/

adb shell chown 0:2000 /etc/init.d/40a2sd

adb shell chmod 755 /etc/init.d/40a2sd

- Reboot the phone and wait because this could take some time

The script doesn't move Dalvik because there is no need for it (check internal storage and you'll see what I mean).

Edited December 14, 2010 by bpivk

[Guest EddyOS]

Have to bare in mind that this reduces the life of the SD card so isn't always a good idea

[Guest owilsky]

The script doesn't move Dalvik because there is no need for it (check internal storage and you'll see what I mean).

And what happens with my already moved Dalik cache and my apps that were already moved? I use R9 with A2SD+.

[Guest owilsky]

Have to bare in mind that this reduces the life of the SD card so isn't always a good idea

Well, they are quite cheap, so no problem if they don't last 3 years and I have to replace it after 1 year. But <20MB free with already moved dalvik cache and apps is not funny.

[Guest Upquark]

@owilsky: Here it is.

DISCLAIMER: Don't nag if you brick your phone. This script works on phones that use the standard a2sd script.

You NEED to have a fast SD card (Class 4 is bare minimum) and you have to have a second partition like the standard a2sd.

Does this mean it works with ad2d, but it doesn't with ad2d+?

[Guest bpivk]

Does this mean it works with ad2d, but it doesn't with ad2d+?

No it should work fine with both. But I can make one with moved Cache if you want. And yes it will reduce SD card's life but it's ok if you want more internal storage.

Edit: I've edited my post and added the second option that includes Dalvik. But you probably won't need it because the first option is enough.

Edited December 14, 2010 by bpivk

[Guest owilsky]

adb push 40a2sd /etc/init.d/

FYI:

This did not work for me as /etc/init.d/ does not exist in recovery mode. You have to mount /system r/w and then you can use /system/etc/init.d

Thanks for the scripts!

[Guest hongkongtom]

really thanks bpivk for the reply and guide, however, would you recommend DATA2SD or DATA2EXT? heard that DATA2SD is faster. is it true?

[Guest EddyOS]

Well, they are quite cheap, so no problem if they don't last 3 years and I have to replace it after 1 year. But <20MB free with already moved dalvik cache and apps is not funny.

How many apps have you got installed??? Must be in the 100s as to use the internal storage with A2SD+ already in use is quite an achievement!!

[Guest owilsky]

How many apps have you got installed??? Must be in the 100s as to use the internal storage with A2SD+ already in use is quite an achievement!!

Hmmm... no, maybe 50 apps. But e.g. Skype has 3 MB data although the app itself is on SD.

But I had more space free (>30MB) before I did a restore with Titanium Backup. Maybe there are any orphanes left?

[Guest bpivk]

How many apps have you got installed???

I'm a little ashamed but I like some games on my phone and those usually take 4-6mb of memory so that's why I use those scripts.

@owilsky: I didn't say that you have to go to recovery. :) I usually just push and reboot.

How you get there isn't important. It's important that you overwrite the file and that it works. :)

Edited December 15, 2010 by bpivk

[Guest bpivk]

really thanks bpivk for the reply and guide, however, would you recommend DATA2SD or DATA2EXT? heard that DATA2SD is faster. is it true?

I like both but the second option is simpler to implement. I don't know which one is faster because I have a Class 4 card and a lot of apps. The speed of the phone is the same on both. But I do have a feeling that Data2SD installs apps faster on my (slow) card.

[Guest iserlohn]

@owilsky: Here it is.

DISCLAIMER: Don't nag if you brick your phone. This script works on phones that use the standard a2sd script.

You NEED to have a fast SD card (Class 4 is bare minimum) and you have to have a second partition like the standard a2sd.

Ok here it goes:

- Download the new script to your Android SDK/tools folder (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5388237/40a2sd)

- Or download this script that also moves Dalvik but rename it to 40a2sd (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5388237/40a2sd-dalvik)

- Use the command line and go to tools folder

- Issue these commands:

adb push 40a2sd /etc/init.d/

adb shell chown 0:2000 /etc/init.d/40a2sd

adb shell chmod 755 /etc/init.d/40a2sd

- Reboot the phone and wait because this could take some time

The script doesn't move Dalvik because there is no need for it (check internal storage and you'll see what I mean).

For some reason, this looks extremely similar to the A2SD+/data/data script modification for the Nexus One Desire port here -

http://android.modaco.com/content/google-n...ata-to-sd-card/

I can see that you removed the dalvik-cache on SD for one of your versions. :)

[Guest bpivk]

For some reason, this looks extremely similar to the A2SD+/data/data script modification for the Nexus One Desire port here -

It could be. I found the info somewhere (I think that it was posted on xda but I'm not sure) when I was browsing and never found it again. It seemed like a good idea and something I was planning to do so I've made a few versions (with and without Dalvik), compared it with Pauls script so that I've made sure that it didn't break anything and saved it. Feel free to take the credit if you've made that script. :)

I can see that you removed the dalvik-cache on SD for one of your versions. :)

Yes. Dalvik on SD is unnecessary with all the free Internal storage.

Edit: I've checked the site you've linked to and the script is the same so I guess we have you to thank for the script.

Edited December 16, 2010 by bpivk

[Guest hongkongtom]

I like both but the second option is simpler to implement. I don't know which one is faster because I have a Class 4 card and a lot of apps. The speed of the phone is the same on both. But I do have a feeling that Data2SD installs apps faster on my (slow) card.

Thx, so, do u notice any lag or slow after using DATA2EXT rather than A2SD other than while installing apps? I'm not a big fan of great benchmarks or performance, I really need the phone to be stable and usable for everyday use. :)

[Guest bpivk]

No. As I've said. The speed of the phone is the same for me.

[Guest hongkongtom]

No. As I've said. The speed of the phone is the same for me.

clear enough, thx, I'll give it try in the X'mas :)

[Guest hongkongtom]

I've found this post at XDA, any difference than the method posted by bpivk? which one is better? how to apply the XDA one if that's better?

one other quick question, if I've applying the script provided by bpivk (or iserlohn), what's the recommended ext3 partition size for a 16GB class 4?

Edited December 18, 2010 by hongkongtom

[Guest hongkongtom]

@owilsky: Here it is.

DISCLAIMER: Don't nag if you brick your phone. This script works on phones that use the standard a2sd script.

You NEED to have a fast SD card (Class 4 is bare minimum) and you have to have a second partition like the standard a2sd.

Ok here it goes:

- Download the new script to your Android SDK/tools folder (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5388237/40a2sd)

- Or download this script that also moves Dalvik but rename it to 40a2sd (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5388237/40a2sd-dalvik)

- Use the command line and go to tools folder

- Issue these commands:

adb push 40a2sd /etc/init.d/

adb shell chown 0:2000 /etc/init.d/40a2sd

adb shell chmod 755 /etc/init.d/40a2sd

- Reboot the phone and wait because this could take some time The script doesn't move Dalvik because there is no need for it (check internal storage and you'll see what I mean).

FYI: This did not work for me as /etc/init.d/ does not exist in recovery mode. You have to mount /system r/w and then you can use /system/etc/init.d Thanks for the scripts!

I've done everything and still not working, anything go wrong? internal memory still showing around 80mb left.

adb push 40a2sd /system/etc/init.d/

adb shell chown 0:2000 /system/etc/init.d/40a2sd

adb shell chmod 755 /system/etc/init.d/40a2sd

[Guest bpivk]

If you have S-OFF use root explorer and just copy the file to your phone and then use root explorer to move it to /system/etc/init.d/.

What does it say? Do you get any errors? Did you reboot the phone?

Use root explorer and check the /system/etc/init.d/ folder, long press on the 40a2sd file and view it. Is it the same as the one you've pushed?

Edit: Again with Root explorer navigate to /data/data folder. How much storage is left (upper left corner)? That's how you'll check if it's working.

Edited December 18, 2010 by bpivk

[Guest hongkongtom]

If you have S-OFF use root explorer and just copy the file to your phone and then use root explorer to move it to /system/etc/init.d/.

What does it say? Do you get any errors? Did you reboot the phone?

Use root explorer and check the /system/etc/init.d/ folder, long press on the 40a2sd file and view it. Is it the same as the one you've pushed?

Edit: Again with Root explorer navigate to /data/data folder. How much storage is left (upper left corner)? That's how you'll check if it's working.

I guess my phone is not S-OFF (I don't know how to/what is S-OFF TBH ;) ) since I have to do all the copy and paste in recovery (clockworkmod) every time (w/ mount /data, etc). I did the full wipe before and after copying the script. I didn't check w/ root explorer but I've checked using the stock "setting" --> "SD card & phone storage setting" --> and I found that internal storage left is something around 130mb, not the case of ~1gb

besides, after I applied the script, I can't restore using my Nandroid backup :D (it said "md5 mismatch" )(I've resized my ext3 partition from 2gb to 1gb, does that make the Nandroid restore fail?)

EDIT: I messed up the Nandroid backup because renamed the backup folder, now the backup is working fine :) but still trying to figure out the DATA2EXT

Edited December 18, 2010 by hongkongtom

[Guest bpivk]

The script is probably working if your internal storage remains at 130. I think that it should be lover if it wasn't working but you can easily check with Root explorer. Your phone will report internal storage as it is because that's one of the differences between the two options you were mentioning. You whole internal storage is transfered to ext with data2ext that's why it's bigger if you check the phone's info.

This will only move the relevant parts so you'll remain at 130mb of internal memory but it won't decrease. Try to install angry birds and check internal memory before you install it and after. It should remain the same.