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?

Any apps to force *.cab file install to storage card?

Any apps to force *.cab file install to storage card?

well you can try to edit the cabs you need with WinCE Cab Manager for hardcode the paths to point in the storage card but some applications are needed to be in or to have parts of them in Windows folder or to run from the device, so this will not work in all applications

so wince doesn't support installing apps in the storage card?
storage gonna be a problem, unlike in smartphone it asks where to install it.
is it possible to save contacts and email,sms, mms messages directly to the storage card? i remember smartphones have a reg hack for that.
thanks.

it asks depending on the cab, most of the cabs i create i adjusted them not to ask where to install if they can not be installed on the storage card. but other cabs ask if you want to install on the device or the storage card

I have this issue with a couple of games 'Hawx' and 'Xtrakt' no matter what I do even selecting the option to install on storage card they install in the Phone Program files.. They both use nerly 15MB of space which is a big chunk of the 200MB available.

Virtualburn said:
I have this issue with a couple of games 'Hawx' and 'Xtrakt' no matter what I do even selecting the option to install on storage card they install in the Phone Program files.. They both use nerly 15MB of space which is a big chunk of the 200MB available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have 200MB of available Storage in the BA?!?!

egzthunder1 said:
You have 200MB of available Storage in the BA?!?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
in other words: you are in the wrong section

I have 50MB left of the phone storage so 15MB is a lot, I don't see why the game can't be installed on the memory card.
Is there any app that will list where all the space is being used up, I do agree 200MD is quite a bit, but I have cleared out all temp files I can think of..

Virtualburn said:
I have 50MB left of the phone storage so 15MB is a lot, I don't see why the game can't be installed on the memory card.
Is there any app that will list where all the space is being used up, I do agree 200MD is quite a bit, but I have cleared out all temp files I can think of..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess you did not get my comment... the BA does not have 200 MB of storage, no matter what you do. MemMaid or SKTools might be ale to give you the info that you are looking for.

Camera Storage problem..pls advise

i got XDA Trion, but for some reason when i start the camera, it will prompt me that i have installed a storage device and if i wish to have it as my default storage for my pics and videos. However it never does, i cant even choose the storage card as a means activating it as a default storage. i got 2GB sandisk Mircro SD. Can someone help me or if theres already been a thread like this, post the link coz i tried the search but i couldnt find any similiar to the problem that i have. regards.

It's most likely because either you or an application has enabled the network folder. See here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=380351
Mike

How to?
So how do i disable it then? sorry but im a noob so please bare with

Ok, as I can't remember if you can enable/disable the network folder in the File Explorer (already installed on your device). I suggest you download Total Commander:
arm/xscale/pxa
This downloads a cab file that you move directly to your SD card and then on the phone tap the file to install it to your storage card (with me so far?)
Once you get it installed let us know and someone will tell you how to disable the network folder using Total Commander.
By the way Total Commander is a very nice application that has many uses as I'm sure you will learn if you hang around XDA-Dev for a while.
Mike

Cool!
Thank you, i got it sorted now, my camera saves all the pics and vids on my storage card now.

memory

last 3 dax i have mesage - out of memory,try to uninstall some programs
in memory menager i see
sd card - free 6 giga
phone memory - almost completely full
but i didnt instal anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
i have made soft reset,deleted all sms,mails and mms
pictures are on sd card
heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp

tatek1325 said:
last 3 dax i have mesage - out of memory,try to uninstall some programs
in memory menager i see
sd card - free 6 giga
phone memory - almost completely full
but i didnt instal anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
i have made soft reset,deleted all sms,mails and mms
pictures are on sd card
heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How full is the phone memory? Details...
Did you download something? Downloaded files usually goes to the root of the main memory.

search moving cache on here, that takes up a big chunk of memory...

arxx said:
How full is the phone memory? Details...
Did you download something? Downloaded files usually goes to the root of the main memory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no downloaded anything
device
total storage 181.60 mb
used storage 181.60 mb
free storage 0.00 mb
total program 336.97 mb
used program 140.63
free program 195.44 mb

paulking said:
search moving cache on here, that takes up a big chunk of memory...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how , pls tell me

I've got the same problem with my son's phone it keeps on coming up with the message "your phone is running low on free storage space. delete old or unused items to create more space" when I look in file explorer/ windows/youtube its full of old files but will take for ever to delete them indavidualy does anyone know how to remove these old files as I can't access them when the phone is conected up to the pc, plus is it possible to change the cache so these files are saved to the memory card instead.
Please help as my son is driving me around the bend asking me to fix it !!!!!

Hard reset the phone to clear the storage.
Also check you don't have something like voice recorder activating in your pocket or something creating large files of nonsense filling the memory.

I've managed to delete all the old you tube files 525 of them but storage memory is still full
total 180.98mb
in use 177.89mb
free 3.09mb
so now I don't know whats using allthe memory
does any one have any idea whats wrong
cheers

caz3mc said:
I've got the same problem with my son's phone it keeps on coming up with the message "your phone is running low on free storage space. delete old or unused items to create more space" when I look in file explorer/ windows/youtube its full of old files but will take for ever to delete them indavidualy does anyone know how to remove these old files as I can't access them when the phone is conected up to the pc, plus is it possible to change the cache so these files are saved to the memory card instead.
Please help as my son is driving me around the bend asking me to fix it !!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
youcan access them from your computer so long as you allow hidden and system files.(in win 7 open the phones windows folder, click alt, tools, folder options, then I think its the second tab, un tick hide protected files and the hidden files one, apply and they should appear.you MAY need to apply to all folders)
or, use resco explorer on your hd2, much than the built in one and will also allow you to choose to un hide system and hidden files.
as for multi select...in resco is a menu option for multi select.

Going to do a hard reset but can't keep on doing that every time it fills up it's only been 2 weeks since it was last reset.

Fryo I800 installation help!

Ok So I am here because I've posted in other places in these forums with no replies yet, So it would be better to create a thread specific to my problem.
I have an Omnia 2, thinking of acquiring the Fryo 2.2 OS, not specific about wether I want what version but here are the problems I come across before being able to install it.
1- plugging in my phone under Settings -> My storage will not show my storage on my computer, having the external SD option will show my 16GB SD card.
2- Backing up. How do I back up my storage if I can't see it on my computer? When I turn on active sync a blank storage appears other than my SD card (assuming its the internal storage) but the size seems rather small (167MB). I've been reading peoples' posts and I'm supposed to have around 2GB I believe, and either way the files I'm trying to put inside for the android OS don't seem to fit there.
3- Partitions? How can I set those up for both the internal and external storage? Is there a program or feature to do so? My SD card under properties says FAT-32 so I'm not sure on how to do it IF I need to.
4- Using a W7 computer, so that knocks off any ubuntu installations, and also link is broken for Almars Beta 1 file that I was thinking of using for an SD installation.
Any help would be appreciated, I've had this phone since 2009 and I'm really hoping I can come across some help to make it work since I do want to keep this phone for a bit longer before I spend more money on a different cellphone!
Thank you!

Try out the new CyanogenMod from the link below.
http://windows.modaco.com/topic/346446-cyanogenmod-beta1-omnia-2-updated-02122011/
It has the SD Card auto installer, try it..
Back up data on your SD card first and then format your SD card within the phone and then use auto installer to install it.
As you said your computer wont detect the My Storage, try the steps below..
Transfer your data from My Storage to external SD Card, then connect your phone to computer using My Storage mode in settings.
Download Mini Tool partition wizard and format your My Storage (Mini tool partition will be able to see your My Storage even though your computer doesn't).
After format, your computer should be able to detect My Storage.
Now copy the downloaded android files to My Storage and run the auto installer as instructed in the ReadMe file inside the download package.
PS: Don't forget to backup the data on SD Card to your computer
Hope this helps

Ok so what you meant by taking things from my storage is going to file explorer and basically copying everything from the "my device" to the SD card?
Just want to make sure because if it doesent work then I haven't gotten anything backed up right.
Went to file explorer -> copied everything in the top folder which is application date, connMgr, doc and setttings, program files etc. is this all thats needed basically?
Thanks
P.S some of the things I tried taking like global.txt or exe couldn't be copied because of violations or some weird error, is it alright not to have those?
Update: My storage is still not revealed by the mini tool partition program, went under usb settings -> my storage and refreshed disk information, nothing shows up ugh it might be impossible for me to do this after all....

nobody can help me in regards to this? well then I guess a new cellphone is in order
grrrrr I should've gone with a iphone 3G or BB 9700 at the time instead...

ClaudioPerez said:
Ok so what you meant by taking things from my storage is going to file explorer and basically copying everything from the "my device" to the SD card?
Just want to make sure because if it doesent work then I haven't gotten anything backed up right.
Went to file explorer -> copied everything in the top folder which is application date, connMgr, doc and setttings, program files etc. is this all thats needed basically?
Thanks
P.S some of the things I tried taking like global.txt or exe couldn't be copied because of violations or some weird error, is it alright not to have those?
Update: My storage is still not revealed by the mini tool partition program, went under usb settings -> my storage and refreshed disk information, nothing shows up ugh it might be impossible for me to do this after all....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess you will have to reflash the ROM again since your problem seems to be unsolvable. My suggestions is to flash a stock 6.5.3 ROM before you transfer the auto SD installer.