Howto: Using larger SD cards, or 'no more storage woes'

[DKGerbil2]

Excellent guide. Thanks. For whatever reason I've never bothered with Link2SD, but my SD card needed a format, so I thought I'd give it a try. The guide was easy to follow, and I was able to work a ROM install into it without any issues due to the clear steps.

 

[colonelcack]

I don't understand...if you're giving it a 1GB partition why is it only showing 140MB? Is that all this gives it or is that just what the max it can report? This won't give you 1GB of "internal" storage?

 

[DKGerbil2]

I don't understand...if you're giving it a 1GB partition why is it only showing 140MB? Is that all this gives it or is that just what the max it can report? This won't give you 1GB of "internal" storage?

Because it's external storage. It doesn't magically increase the size of your internal memory. It just acts like internal in how widgets still work. It's much cleaner because it's a partition that isn't shared. It's all apps. So it's more powerful than simply moving it to the SD card. I'm unsure of this but I also think it will move the data to the SD card. Which really helps with apps like Google Music which get huge once you load a few thousand songs since the data file stays on the phone even if the app is on the SD card.

 

[colonelcack]

Because it's external storage. It doesn't magically increase the size of your internal memory. It just acts like internal in how widgets still work. It's much cleaner because it's a partition that isn't shared. It's all apps. So it's more powerful than simply moving it to the SD card. I'm unsure of this but I also think it will move the data to the SD card. Which really helps with apps like Google Music which get huge once you load a few thousand songs since the data file stays on the phone even if the app is on the SD card.

I don't fully understand but I just bought a 32GB card. If i currently have 25-30MB free on my internal storage what can I expect it to go up to? 140MB? And like someone else asked...is 1Gb the maximum you can set the ext partition to? Or are there no more benefits past 1GB?

 

[EarthnFire78]

I don't fully understand but I just bought a 32GB card. If i currently have 25-30MB free on my internal storage what can I expect it to go up to? 140MB? And like someone else asked...is 1Gb the maximum you can set the ext partition to? Or are there no more benefits past 1GB?

As a rule of thumb the partition size should be no bigger then 10% for a Class 10 and for a class 2 no bigger then 5%. An sd-card is flash memory, and flash memory does not take partitioning very well if the partition size is to great. Another rule of thumb is to use either ext3 or ext4 because both file systems use journaling, which means that if you have to pull the battery out the data on the ext partition well not be lost.

There are some scripts in many custom ROMS that move the data over the the sd-ext partition like the one used in my ROM, and by doing so it acts like internal storage. What the means is what ever your sd-ext partition size is shows up as your phones internal storage.

 

[colonelcack]

As a rule of thumb the partition size should be no bigger then 10% for a Class 10 and for a class 2 no bigger then 5%. An sd-card is flash memory, and flash memory does not take partitioning very well if the partition size is to great. Another rule of thumb is to use either ext3 or ext4 because both file systems use journaling, which means that if you have to pull the battery out the data on the ext partition well not be lost.

There are some scripts in many custom ROMS that move the data over the the sd-ext partition like the one used in my ROM, and by doing so it acts like internal storage. What the means is what ever your sd-ext partition size is shows up as your phones internal storage.

I bought a 32GB class 4 card. What should my ext partition be? And i'm running backside iho but soon want to upgrade to quattrimus when beta is announced...

 

[EarthnFire78]

I bought a 32GB class 4 card. What should my ext partition be? And i'm running backside iho but soon want to upgrade to quattrimus when beta is announced...

For a Class 4 I would use the Class 2 rule of thumb for the partition size, and make the partition file system and ext4

You would be looking at a 1.15GB ext4 partition in your case.

 

[tvall]

For a Class 4 I would use the Class 2 rule of thumb for the partition size, and make the partition file system and ext4

You would be looking at a 1.15GB ext4 partition in your case.

On a class 2 or 4 I would personally recommend ext2. The journal would decrease performance and life span of the card.

 

[EarthnFire78]

On a class 2 or 4 I would personally recommend ext2. The journal would decrease performance and life span of the card.

That is even true for a Class 10, that is one of the reasons a lot of scripts that move data of the ext also adjust Read-Ahead-Cache.

 

[droidmyme]

Can someone knowledgable explain why Link2SD is used here? I simply use Android's native "Manage Applications," select the app, and click "Move to SD card." It does the exact same thing and doesn't need an app. This method frees up the same amt of internal space as L2SD.

If the app I'm using doesn't have storage permissions, I simply find one that does. That's the great thing about Android market: a variety of apps.

The only noticeable difference between FAT32 and ext2 is journaling. Really the two file systems are not going to have any speed differences in Android apps.

My understanding of Android is that you don't see performance hits until you drop below 20MB of internal space. Freeing up to 140MB of space isn't really going to do anything more than 40MB of internal space. People should explain this useability aspect from the get-go right? So again, why make things complicated? Why not just use manage apps?

 

[EarthnFire78]

Linkt2SD is much more then an app manager, what it does is mount the second partition as phone internal. So now you can move all you apps and widgets to the sd partition.

Point of fact neither FAT32 or ext2 has journaling.

 

[droidmyme]

Linkt2SD is much more then an app manager, what it does is mount the second partition as phone internal. So now you can move all you apps and widgets to the sd partition.

Point of fact neither FAT32 or ext2 has journaling.

Ok, that's pretty cool. Meaning, all your system apps can run off the SD as well?

So ext4 has journaling but not ext2 right?

 

[EarthnFire78]

Ok, that's pretty cool. Meaning, all your system apps can run off the SD as well?

So ext4 has journaling but not ext2 right?

Would not run any system apps off the sdcard, as stated earlier in the thread flash memory does not like being partitioned to a great degree: and well shortens the life of the sdcard, Journaling a great thing, if you every have to pull the battery the data on the card would not be effected.

 

[droidmyme]

Linkt2SD is much more then an app manager, what it does is mount the second partition as phone internal. So now you can move all you apps and widgets to the sd partition.

Point of fact neither FAT32 or ext2 has journaling.

You say that Link2SD moves one's apps and widgets to the SDcard. Which is exactly what App Manager does. So I don't really understand how these two things are different.

 

[EarthnFire78]

You say that Link2SD moves one's apps and widgets to the SDcard. Which is exactly what App Manager does. So I don't really understand how these two things are different.

Read the info about Link2SD, I personally do not use it, I use a script that marks the sd-ext partition of my sdcard as internal storage. There is a difference with Androids app Manager and anything that uses the second partition for apps. The mean difference is that app and widgets that you have on your sdcard moved over by Android, are not functional when the sd is mounted to your computer: now if those same apps are on the sd-ext partition they can still be used while the sd is mounted to your computer.

 

[droidmyme]

Read the info about Link2SD, I personally do not use it, I use a script that marks the sd-ext partition of my sdcard as internal storage. There is a difference with Androids app Manager and anything that uses the second partition for apps. The mean difference is that app and widgets that you have on your sdcard moved over by Android, are not functional when the sd is mounted to your computer: now if those same apps are on the sd-ext partition they can still be used while the sd is mounted to your computer.

Ahhh, that is super helpful. Thank you! So when you say "second partition," that is sd-ext.

What script is it that you use? What folder does it go in, and does it have any dependencies?

 

[harriett_watt]

Hello all,

I would like to try this, as I am sick of the low storage messages, however I am relatively new at modifying my phone and am nervous about doing something wrong. So I was hoping some kind soul could clarify a few points for me, and I apologize if some of my questions are too basic.

1. The backup app recommended here is titanium; I am using MyBackup Root. Is that ok or should I switch?
2. My phone is rooted but I still have the stock ROM. I did install a custom recovery image using Flash Image GUI (I followed the instructions on this page: http://forums.androidcentral.com/op...-how-simplified-root-recovery-custom-rom.html). Will that work for this?
3. I have an 8GB SD card, but I'm not sure what class it is. There's a little 4 in a circle on it, is that it? And if it is a class 4, so I still follow these steps or do something different?

Those were my main questions, and I appreciate any help you guys can provide. Thanks!

 

[clodfelterac]

1. should be fine...
2. yes...
3. same steps...
remember to make a copy of your sdcard contents to your pc, before doing anything...

 

[riggerman]

If you are still on the stock rom and kernel, your second partition (for link2sd) will have to be formatted to FAT32, the stock kernel does not support anything else. You will have partition your sd card with Mini Tool Partition Wizard on your PC. The recovery will format it to ext3, which the stock kernel can't read.

 

[harriett_watt]

Hi riggerman,

Thanks for letting me know that. So I would have to download Mini Tool Partition Wizard, plug the SD card into my computer, and partition that way? Will this be pretty easy to figure out or are there instructions somewhere? I assume with this I won't have to boot the phone to custom recovery, but all the other steps stay the same? Also, it was mentioned that FAT32 does not have journaling, will that be a problem? Thanks for all your help!