Database Users

[HOWTO] Partition SD card

Introduction
Transcend and several other manufacturers make 4GB SD cards these days. They're great if you use your HTC device as MP3 player or Camera, as they offer enough space for thousands of songs and pictures.
My device, the HTC Universal, handles them just fine. However some applications, most notably the Camera application, don't like it.
Why some apps don't like it
The main problem here is the way in which they calculate the free space.
the processor is 32-bit, which means it can handle numbers ranging from 0 to 2^32. 4GB is exactly 2^32 bytes, so that shouldn't be the problem.
The problem is that applications sometimes handle the number as signed, which means that it differentiates between negative and positive numbers.
With signed numbers, the last bit is actually used as the sign (positive or negative), and the new range stretches from -2^31 (-2GB) to 2^31 (2GB).
Up to 2^31, the unsigned numbers and signed numbers are the same, but after that the last bit is set in unsigned numbers, which means that if treated as signed it will be seen as a negative number.
So if you have more than 2GB free, and the application mistreats the number of bytes free as being signed, the application actually thinks you have less than 0 bytes free
How to fix this?
There are several ways to fix this. The most simple one would be to have a simple dummy file so you always have less than 2GB free. This works for the camera application, but any miscoded application taking a look at the actual size of the disk will still screw up
The other solution is partitioning your SD-card. This means that you actually split the SD-card up into several virtual SD-cards of smaller sizes. So one SD-card of 4GB could be seen as four of 1GB (my set up).
This way you still have 4GB of storage, but applications will not get confused as it's split up into several chunks.
WARNING
Before you start remember to back up the current data on your SD-Card. the procedure will completely erase your SD-card. You might be able to retain the data by using partitionmagic's resize partition features, but you'd have to test yourself.
Also I'd like to mention that although I tested this procedure myself, I can't garantuee it will work for you. If it renders your SD-card useless, I can not be held responsible.
My set-up
This tutorial was written using:
- T-Mobile MDA Pro (HTC Universal)
- Windows XP SP2 MCE (equivilant to Pro)
- Transcend 150x 4GB SD-Card
It might work with a different set-up, but I can't garantuee anything
Requirements
- Windows Mobile 5
- WM5Storage (do not use CardExport2, you need the ability to turn off "Removable Class"!)
- Big SD-Card
Let's get started
Just follow the following steps
First, make a backup of your SD-card! the following procedure will erase it!
Next, install WM5Storage. I will attach a copy of version 1.53 with this post, but you can get the latest version here.
Just copy the .cab file to your device, and execute it from the file explorer. Just make sure you install on the main memory, as the SD-card becomes inaccessible during the procedure
Start WM5Storage. On my device, WM5Storage did not put anything in the start menu or the today screen, so I had to launch it through the file-explorer. You can find it at My Device\Program Files\WM5Storage\.
Be sure to untick both "Read-Only" and "Removable Class". Optionally you can set it to light a LED on read/write, but that's not neccesarry for this procedure.
Disconnect your device from your computer.
Insert the SD-Card if you haven't done so already
Hit "Activate" (bottom, right)
Re-connect your device to your computer.
From now on all steps are done from the PC
Wait until windows has recognized all "new hardware", and you have new a new hard-drive listed in "My Computer".
Open the control panel (Start -> Control Panel)
Go to either Performance and Maintenance -> Administrative Tools (category view) or directly to Administrative Tools (Classic View)
Double-Click Computer Management
Go to Computer Management (Local) -> Storage -> Disk Management (might take a little while to find all drives)
In the bottom view, find the disk that has your SD-card in it (You can find out by looking at the contents through "My Computer", or by seeing which disk is added once you plug in your WM device)
Right click the partition (white block ), and choose for Delete Partition
In the just created "Unallocated" space, right click, and choose for New Partition
In the wizard:
choose for a Primary Partition
For size, enter 1024MB (or if there is no more remaining, just the remainder). Ofcourse you can also choose your own size
Assign any drive-letter you want (or none if you only want it to be accessible on the WM Device).
Format the partition as Filesystem FAT32, Allocation unit size Default, and pick any volume label you want (You will only see the volume label on the PC, on the WM Device it will just be "Storage Card X". Also tick "Perform a quick format"
Wait until the bottom line in the new partition reads "Healthy" (wait for it to format basically )
Create as much partitions as you'd like (just resume from right-clicking and picking New partition)
You're done partitioning! If you want, you can fill the contents of the SD-Card now before you deactivate WM5Storage
Disconnect the device from the computer
Next few steps on the Device
Click "Deactivate" (same place as "Activate" was before )
Close WM5Storage
You're all done! have fun with the multiple storage cards you have now
Afterword
I've put quite a bit of time in this tutorial, I'd appreciate if you at least told me if it worked
If you can spare a few coins, I'd also appreciate a donation. You can donate with PayPal to "[email protected]".

nice post, i'm bloging it right away 8)

I have a 2GB SD card. My o2 mini prompt me to format it when inserted. After formatted. o2 mini shows 0.01 MB only.
"My computer using card reader shows 14KB and from Disk Management, it shows 1.86 GB Free. I believe this "1.86GB Free" means unallocated space.
I right click on the unallocated space, but there is no option for me to choose a Primary Partition. It only has 3 options.
"New Logical Drive...",
"Delete Partition...", which is grayed out and
"Help".
Help! How to allocate this 1.86GB and format it to fat32?
Any kind soul please help me get this 2GB SD card to work with my o2 mini. 1.86GB and not 0.01MB.
Thanks

is there anyway to rename the partition with a different name? i've tried a lot of ways but in vain... the 2nd partition always follow the name of the 1st partition... any help please?
thanks in advance...
non

After having lots of problems with my SD card, I already thought that partitioning possibly could solve the problem and, using your howto, I can use my 2 GB SD-card without any problems.
Thanks!

ive done this on a 512 sd and using wm03, used a card reader to do the partition.
actualy worked well for a while if you have alot of files to store in one of the partitions, but ended up being a real pain when you wanted to re-do it

Really nice post and easy too.

thanks
hi i tried it.....realyy wonderful....thanks a lot for posting this one...keep posting things lik tis.....
cheers,
Siva....

thx for this tips!
I used it for my 2GB MiniSD card, but now I would like to keep my TomTom maps on the second partition, but TomTom can't recognize the map. (Storage Card2\)
I tried by editing the 'CurrentMap.dat' file and set the path to the Storage Card2 but still TomTom doesn't want to read this second partition. Anyone a solution for that?
thx!!

Nice tutorial. I have problem with reading of my 4GB SD card. Now I'm using two partitions (1GB for cameras and 3GB for my PocketPC). Thank you

I have been trying this but all I seem to be able to do is partition the card but only able to format the first partition s the rest of the card is rendered useless
Any help appreciated

Great tutorial, will link it up from my related articles!

partitioning 4GB help
Hi,
I've followed you instructions (great job, btw) HOWTO partition SD card....using the file download WM5torage.cab For some reason, I cannot get past the part after clicking on ACTIVATE immediately after inserting the SD Card. My MDA (TMobile Wiz) keeps locking up and I have to do a soft reset. I've tried reformatting the 4GB Mini SD card a few times and I've actually gotten different results. My last format (FAT32) shows (on PC) 1930MB free and 1931MB used which befuddles me. I formatted it again and it showed 3.78 GB free. Perhaps you or someone could assist me if possible. I bought the Mini SD card off eBay from a reputable seller. It was suppossed to be a Samsung 4GB Mini SD card and I was a bit surprised when it arrived as a SanDisk. Any idea as to why the phone keeps locking up? I also wonder if there might be an issue with the card...I examined the back of the card where the contacts are with magnification and the sides of the black composite show traces of perhaps an epoxy or bonding agent...I think SanDisks QC is better than that. To make things easier, you can also email me at [email protected]

I have cingular 8125 and vista. I tried to use the program wm5storage but when I go to computer management there is not recognition of the 4 gig sd, nor is there any recognition of an sd when using my pda. Anyone know how to get the phone to recognize it (I tried reformatting) so that I can partition. Thanks

I have had some success with 4 GB cards from IntegrityElectronics and TopRam on my T-Mobile MDA running latest TMO ROM.
The problem I am running into a when using apps that are installed on the card and write dat to the card, other files get corrupted and render those applications unsuable. If I limit use to playing MP3 and videos, thing tend to stay stable.
Has anyone else observed this behavior?

Ok, I used the storage program to access the card. Then with the disk
management on XP I formatted the card as FAT for the entire 4gb card.
It looks like it worked. I copied all my files to it. Everything is running.
I have done several restarts with no problems...
Hope it stays so.
Good luck folks. I will report back if anything weird happens.

Ok. So it all got completely screwed.
I guess it got corrupted. My guess is when
I started using the camera. All of a sudden
there are only blank folders on the storage
card with a period as the names. Tons of them.
Nothing else. Any ideas?
And now I cannot get wm5storage to work.
It keeps telling me that something is accessing
the card. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

It seems the problem was that there was a hidden Recycler folder on the storage card that would not let me use wm5storage. Probably from
Resco File Explorer... Deleted that with my PC...
Somehow magically my pc read the card. I don't know how to explain
that seeing as it was formatted in FAT not FAT32...
Then wm5storage worked and I paritioned it into 2 halves.
Lets see how that goes.
I hope, well.

This may be a silly question but...
Can't you plug the micro SD into a card reader and use Windows XP Disk Management tool (or any other partintioning tool) to create the partition on the storage card? What's WM5Storage actually doing?
SG

Anyone? Can't one just soley use the Disk Management tool in Windows to partition a SD card?

Cannot delete file with question mark in it

Somehow an installation file became named PocketPuTTY_WM2k3_release_?007-02-28.zip I don't know how the question mark got there, but now it won't let me delete it. What do I do? Won't let me rename it, either. Total Commander doesn't work either.

Sounds like it is corrupt. Have you tried a soft reset?

wassup said:
Sounds like it is corrupt. Have you tried a soft reset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you mean holding down the power button and restarting it, then yes.
When I try to rename it to remove the question mark, it says "A file name cannot contain any of the following characters: \/:*?"<>|"

Can anyone help me with this? The file is named PocketPuTTY_WM2k3_release_?007-02-28.zip

Hi endolith,
Is the file on the device or on the memory card, if it's on the memory card then copy everything onto your PC and format the card then copy it all back.
Just a thought.

dav3ywrx said:
Is the file on the device or on the memory card, if it's on the memory card then copy everything onto your PC and format the card then copy it all back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it's on the device. I downloaded a thing that turns the device memory into a USB storage device, and I can access it in Linux and see the bytes, but can't mount it as a drive. I think it's not formatted with a normal file system.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=803050

[deleted double post]

That's a good idea to use WM5torage to try and delete it.
You could try deleting it with Total Commander for Pocket PC but if that fails it may be hard reset time. Perhaps that would be the best thing anyway as I had a problem similar to this on the MiniSD card and never trusted it again until I formatted it but it seems like a drastic measure just to remove one file.
Good luck.

dav3ywrx said:
You could try deleting it with Total Commander for Pocket PC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried that too. I wonder if there's another file manager that can do lower-level things.
but if that fails it may be hard reset time. Perhaps that would be the best thing anyway as I had a problem similar to this on the MiniSD card and never trusted it again until I formatted it but it seems like a drastic measure just to remove one file.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe I can use WM5torage read/write and use a byte editor? Or maybe there's a low-level memory editor available for WM5.

Yes, indeed, if you can find something that will alter the file allocation table then perhaps you could replace the dodgy character in the file name, leave the hard reset as a last resort.

Use a MiniSD card reader or WM5Storage and use the MSDOS commandline interface to delete the file by using wildcards.
e.g., from start/run/cmd.exe
Code:
z: (or whatever drive your SD card is in)
cd "\directory name\with quotations\if you use spaces"
del PocketPutty*.zip

_Alex_ said:
Use a MiniSD card reader or WM5Storage and use the MSDOS commandline interface to delete the file by using wildcards.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WM5torage doesn't seem to be able to turn the main memory into a drive, though. It creates 3 partitions, but none of them seem to be mountable.

Artemis Card Flashing

Hi all,
i was saw thread about flashing Artemis SD Card flashing Here
well in my P3300 i have a problem i m not able to connect my Pocket PC to PC cause its have a hardware problem so i m not able to do there Steps
1. install WM5torage in your pda (example: http://freewareppc.com/communication/wm5torage.shtml)
2. start the program
3. deselect all voices in the panel (expecially Removable Class)
4. connect your pda with PC via USB
so i have decide to make partition with card reader and i find a way to make partition in MMC Here
now with this thread i finally made a 256mb partition into my 1gb MMC then i copy Arteimg.NBH file into my MMC & then i started booting my P3300 its say checking SD Contents after 5 sec its hang on vertical colored bars i was wait for 20mins but its still hang can anyone 1 tell me where i m doing wrong????
please tell me

Well try all capital except the file type ( like this => ARTEIMG.nbh )
The sd card should have partition fat32 and it helps if it is all empty.
the vertical bars is bootloader mode. were it should check for an img on the sd card. And read it. if it downloads it ( wich does take very long with a factory img allready) it should work, if it gives an error then try again
But i would try fixing the hardware conflict first, cause it makes it a lot easyer.
and get the factory img as backup , to use in bootloader if you brick it.

Big problem with 64gb sd card

Hi,
I buyed a 64gb sd card for my I9505 from ebay : http://www.ebay.de/itm/321281740225.
I copied from PC to the S4 (64gb card) a mp4. file.
But when I restart the phone or else the file don´t show up more?
I also search the mp4. file with "root explorer" but no solution.
When I connect the sd card with the PC, It´s also don´t show up the file so I lost it.
Can Anybody help me?
(Sry for bad english )

xn0live said:
Hi,
I buyed a 64gb sd card for my I9505 from ebay : http://www.ebay.de/itm/321281740225.
I copied from PC to the S4 (64gb card) a mp4. file.
But when I restart the phone or else the file don´t show up more?
I also search the mp4. file with "root explorer" but no solution.
When I connect the sd card with the PC, It´s also don´t show up the file so I lost it.
Can Anybody help me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Language is not a problem... a few questions:
1. Have you used "USB device unplugging" from your PC, or have you just pulled out the plug? Sometimes Windows is buffering and writing the files (especially large ones) even if it displays message that the process is complete...
2. After purchase, have you formatted the card from the phone's level?
3. Are you sure that you have copied the file into EXTERNAL SD card, not to INTERNAL memory?
4. If you'd try to copy any small file, what's the result (before doing that, see 5 below)
5. Have you moved the file (copy on PC would be erased), or have you copied it (copy is still existing on your PC and you could use it)?
If you have moved the file - dedicated for SD cards and/or for PC data recovery software may work for you to restore it.
6. Have you reset the phone? In some cases I experienced the fact that copied file was not visible on the card until I made the phone reset

spamtrash said:
Language is not a problem... a few questions:
1. Have you used "USB device unplugging" from your PC, or have you just pulled out the plug? Sometimes Windows is buffering and writing the files (especially large ones) even if it displays message that the process is complete...
2. After purchase, have you formatted the card from the phone's level?
3. Are you sure that you have copied the file into EXTERNAL SD card, not to INTERNAL memory?
4. If you'd try to copy any small file, what's the result (before doing that, see 5 below)
5. Have you moved the file (copy on PC would be erased), or have you copied it (copy is still existing on your PC and you could use it)?
If you have moved the file - dedicated for SD cards and/or for PC data recovery software may work for you to restore it.
6. Have you reset the phone? In some cases I experienced the fact that copied file was not visible on the card until I made the phone reset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first thx for the fast answer !
1. I just pulled out the plug.
2. Yes I format It to "Exdata" there Is also "NTFS" that I can tick. But I formated with Exdata.
3. Yes I´m very sure
4. I copied also a small file (5mb) It´s the same result :/
5. I moved and copied files.
6. I came from 16gb sd card It´s perfect worked. Do I really must reset the phone ? :/ or just a option?
just a question: Why is there no option for format to "fat32"? There are only Exdata and NTFS.

xn0live said:
first thx for the fast answer !
1. I just pulled out the plug.
2. Yes I format It to "Exdata" there Is also "NTFS" that I can tick. But I formated with Exdata.
3. Yes I´m very sure
4. I copied also a small file (5mb) It´s the same result :/
5. I moved and copied files.
6. I came from 16gb sd card It´s perfect worked. Do I really must reset the phone ? :/ or just a option?
just a question: Why is there no option for format to "fat32"? There are only Exdata and NTFS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ad 1: try to repeat with: unmount the device on PC
Ad 2: OK
Ad 3: damn...
Ad 4: Lucky you, you have a copy
Ad 5: same as for 3...
Ad 6: I do not know, but I had that behaviour a few times with my phone/64G card, so I suggested it to you.
To format 64G as fat32, you'd need the special software (please read more info here. BUT, please remember that I'm not certain if your phone would recognize that partition correctly.

With fat32 same problem
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app

xn0live said:
With fat32 same problem
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remove the card from phone, put it in card reader and try again. see what will happen. Can be damaged card.

spamtrash said:
Remove the card from phone, put it in card reader and try again. see what will happen. Can be damaged card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The pc read the card normally.
Only the videos are deleted.

Download GUIFormat & use it to format the card FAT32, put files back on & try in phone again.

MistahBungle said:
Download GUIFormat & use it to format the card FAT32, put files back on & try in phone again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you read the post #5? He did it already...
---------- Post added at 03:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:53 PM ----------
xn0live said:
The pc read the card normally.
Only the videos are deleted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Put the card in the reader, connect to PC, try to copy the video and other files. Try different types and sizes.
Remove card, put it back in PC. Are all files visible? If so - place card into phone, turn it on, and verify it.

[Q] Note 3 dead and 64gb card damaged. any chance to save data?

my note 3 is dead. samsung told me the motherboard needs replacement. and on the same day my 64gb micro sd card stopped working. it says its damaged and needs formatting when inserted in a different phone. its doesn't even show up on the laptop when connected. so basically im trying not to lose ~90gb data. its heartbreaking. is there any way i can at-least try to save some of it

What happens if you insert the SD-card into your laptop and check for it via Disk Manager?
To do so: Go to your desktop and right click on Computer>Manage>Storage>Disk Management and check if you can find it there. Look at the lower part of the window (gray background) and see if you can see the storage there.
If you can see your SD-card's storage there you might have some hope. Though I can't really help you any further from this point but I can assure you that if you see your storage unit there you can save some data from it.

BunnyPig said:
What happens if you insert the SD-card into your laptop and check for it via Disk Manager?
To do so: Go to your desktop and right click on Computer>Manage>Storage>Disk Management and check if you can find it there. Look at the lower part of the window (gray background) and see if you can see the storage there.
If you can see your SD-card's storage there you might have some hope. Though I can't really help you any further from this point but I can assure you that if you see your storage unit there you can save some data from it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the sdcard shows up in disk manager you can use GetBackData to restore your files. The software is not free but can be If you google. After you have restored the files you needed you can then format the sdcard.
I have only used this software to restore deleted files on NTFS formated harddrives but there is a FAT version of GetBackData.

you need to put in a sdcard reader on you computer and use testdisk to restore your mbr
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
I used many times and it's very efficient

Do not do any writr accesses to the card from niw on as it may destroy your data
to restore the filesystem ( error 'sd must be formatted') use the windows tool chkdsk | type into cmd 'chkdsk /?' and read the you will need
for data recovery use "recuva" its freeware
for both you will need windows and a card reader, also make sure the card is not in locked status
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

BunnyPig said:
What happens if you insert the SD-card into your laptop and check for it via Disk Manager?
To do so: Go to your desktop and right click on Computer>Manage>Storage>Disk Management and check if you can find it there. Look at the lower part of the window (gray background) and see if you can see the storage there.
If you can see your SD-card's storage there you might have some hope. Though I can't really help you any further from this point but I can assure you that if you see your storage unit there you can save some data from it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
at first it showed up under disk management, now it doesn't.. now it just shows up on my computer and it freezes when I try to open
rayman95 said:
you need to put in a sdcard reader on you computer and use testdisk to restore tour mbr
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
I used many times and it's very efficient
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Killberty said:
Do not do any writr accesses to the card from niw on as it may destroy your data
to restore the filesystem ( error 'sd must be formatted') use the windows tool chkdsk | type into cmd 'chkdsk /?' and read the you will need
for data recovery use "recuva" its freeware
for both you will need windows and a card reader, also make sure the card is not in locked status
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
recuva wont open when my sd card is plugged in, but it opens as soon as I eject it. and then when I re insert it , it doesn't find the memory card.. CMD has so many options. if I select F, then it says its in use by other program

moinsheriff said:
recuva wont open when my sd card is plugged in, but it opens as soon as I eject it. and then when I re insert it , it doesn't find the memory card.. CMD has so many options. if I select F, then it says its in use by other program
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
reboot your computer and use chkdsk /f /r
EDIT: recuva will only work when you have a working filesystem, cann you properly acces the file system on your sd, or does it tell you you have to format the card first (which you shd not do ofc)
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Killberty said:
reboot your computer and use chkdsk /f /r
EDIT: recuva will only work when you have a working filesystem, cann you properly acces the file system on your sd, or does it tell you you have to format the card first (which you shd not do ofc)
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so I entered chkdsk e: /r It's been an hour but there's no progress. Cmd not showing anything either. Is it supposed to be like this.

moinsheriff said:
Ok so I entered chkdsk e: /r It's been an hour but there's no progress. Cmd not showing anything either. Is it supposed to be like this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i repeat
you need to put in a sdcard reader on you computer and use testdisk to restore your mbr
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
I used many times and it's very efficient