A2SD in changing ROMs

[Malachi73]

Maybe a simple question, but after searching and reading I can't find the answer.

If I moves my apps to SD, then I flash a different ROM, I have to wipe EXT or the new ROM won't boot. And so I lose all my apps. But, I thought that was one of the points to moving apps to SD was you wouldn't have to re-install them after flashing ROMs. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Darkshneider]

To me the point of A2SD was to prevent using internal memory for apps so you had more for system. For that, you need to use Titanium Backup. Most ROMs need a full wipe in order to run correctly.

 

[Malachi73]

I see. Guess I misunderstood the concept.

Tried Titanium, was ok. I prefer Appbrain. But, I'd rather they just carry over.

But, thanks for the help.

 

[wtphoto]

I think both are/where nice points of a2sd that being said the reason that SOMETIMES you have to wipe the ext partition is because not all rom devs use the same version of a2sd I have found that even if a2sd is cooked into the rom that I flash darktremor a2sd seperatly and while there are still rare times that i still have to wipe the ext its not nearly as offten.

 

[Malachi73]

Going in a little bit of a different direction, but....

I have noticed since switching to Cyanogenmod, that sometimes when I flash a newer ROM, or wipe for whatever reason, when I first open up "Market" it automatically re-installs all the apps I had before I wiped. But, most of the time it doesn't. What's going on?

 

[Darkshneider]

When you flash a ROM and go to the market, you see the previously installed apps in the downloaded section, even if you wiped. CM6 uses this and downloads them automatically to your phone.

 

[Malachi73]

But, why is it that sometimes it doesn't work?

For instance, I took my phone into Sprint yesterday and they replaced it due to some problems I was having with it. When I got home, I rooted it and flashed the same ROM, CM testing 2, and when I went to Market, Downloads, the only thing there was an update to Maps.

While I appreciate AppBrain in a pinch, it is waaaaaayy more work since you have to click Install and Ok, on every app, and it only does about 10 at a time. Whereas the Market, when it works, does all the apps in the background.

I tried Titanium, it seemed no better than AppBrain in that you have to actually Install each app, plus I kept getting FCs after each app. But, maybe it was just me.......

 

[Malachi73]

But, back to the original topic. Now that I have CM testing 2 installed, and all my apps on here, how do I move them to sd? I plan to stick with CM, and, as I understand it, even if I upgrade to the RC, or later versions, I won't have to wipe ext, so my apps would just carry over, no?

I know there is a way in Recovery to move apps and dalvik to sd, but last time I tried that CM lost track of the apps altogether.

And, yeah, I'm a total newbie to Android. Been with WM for last 4 years. Just switched to Android this summer, and never looked back.

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

But, back to the original topic. Now that I have CM testing 2 installed, and all my apps on here, how do I move them to sd? I plan to stick with CM, and, as I understand it, even if I upgrade to the RC, or later versions, I won't have to wipe ext, so my apps would just carry over, no?

I know there is a way in Recovery to move apps and dalvik to sd, but last time I tried that CM lost track of the apps altogether.

And, yeah, I'm a total newbie to Android. Been with WM for last 4 years. Just switched to Android this summer, and never looked back.

Go to settings-->Applications-->Manage Applications--> click each one you want to move and manually move it. You could select in cyanogenmod settings the default app install location to sd card, but since they are already on there, you will need to manually do each one.

 

[wtphoto]

if you are running CM6 then there are a few questions that you need to answer,

do you want to use the stock froyo way of a2sd? if so then do the method mentioned above the only problem with this method is that when you have your phone in mass storage mode the apps are not available, but it does seem to be a very stable way of doing it. Or do you want to go the route of having the ext partition on your SD card? this method is a hack and not official but to me I prefer it since it seems to be a little faster and if your fat partition is corupted then you dont have to worry about the apps being corupt. if you go the ext partition route then you need to flash the zip for it and reinstall your apps. the down sides to this are the obvious of having to reinstall the apps but also when upgrading you have to remember to flash the a2sd zip as well or you get sent into a boot loop.

the option is yours but those are the choices.