Database Users

Partitioning the SD

Can someone please educate me on partitioning the sd? Based on what I've read and my discussions with others, ext swap is for cache, fat32 is for apps, and the remainder is for usb storage???
I have a 8 GB class 6 (supposed to be faster) Samsung sd partioned at ext swap - 0 and fat 32 - 500.
If I'm right about ext swap (please correct me if I'm wrong), I could make my phone faster if I allocated some sd space to it??? One forum I read said that the phone is usually faster but it could have been referring to a different phone and a slower card.
If I did decide to change my partition what affects would it have (wipe sd, reinstall custom rom, etc)?
Thanks for any feedback!

Partitioning the SD card allows you to utilize a2sd/app2sd and/or swap space on your SD card - if the ROM in question supports it.
Note that the ext and swap partitions are separate things, not one and the same thing.
swap is for swap - set it to 0 (you will never need it)
ext{2|3} is for the A2SD/APPS2SD space for storing applications (and dalvik-cache for some ROMs) - 512 MB will be more than you ever need.
the rest is the VFAT partition - the MS-DOS partition you see from your Windoze box when you mount it from the PC.
Note also that partitioning your card destroys all data on it - make a backup if you decide to partition.
Neither A2SD nor having swap space will speed your phone up. (Adding swap - for ROMs which support it - will actually slow your phone down, except certain pathological cases, unless you become an expert on the process trimmer configuration and experiment with swappiness controls. The reason this happens is because the as-configured process trimmer kicks in too late if you merely add swap and do not reconfigure the trimmer).
My recommendation? Keep your life simple and avoid both A2SD and especially use of a swap area on the SD card, until such a time as you "need it". You might find a practical need for A2SD if you are going to be trying out a whole bunch of new ROMs as they come out, or you are an app hoarder and run out of space in /data.
Probably you will never need to use a swap partition on your card.
Again, in neither case will you notice a perceptible gain in "performance" of the phone.
bftb0
PS Josh. Please stop putting usage questions in the Development forum. Please. Put them in the General forum.

Thanks for clearing that up......and i will stop posting in development.

[Q] Partitioning of the SD Card

Hello
I'm posting this because I just changed my 1GB SD card for a 16 GB Class 6, everything works fine, but now (one of the goals of the operation) I want to upgrade to 6.0 Cyanogen
So, the question is: should I partition? what is the reasonable amount to allocate to keep the rest for any Debian etc.

Depend...
OK, I have the answer, so I give it in case you wonder.
In fact, there is no need to partition the point of view of 6.0, but some applications can seek an ext2 or swap (this is a constraint due to these applications, not to cyanogen) So if we can predict all at once as long as it does not take too much space (32 MB of swap, and around 800 / 1.2GB ext2 ...).
Still, I think there are people who program with their feet ...

Correct you don't need the EXT partition because Froyo supports apps2fat which means you can do it with a regularly partitioned card. However, if your going to install apps to your SD its better to flash fireats script that lets you use the EXT partition and go that route. Reason being, if you ever unmount your SD card with the system on, all your apps go with it.
Sent from my HTC Magic using XDA App

[Q] MTD Memory Handling Question

My epic 4g is running ei22 Legendary v.1 with the samurai 3.3 assassin kernel. I am a bit of an app whore and have loading it up with nearly 260 apps. I have accomplished this with the use of a 2.5gb ext4 partiton on my class10 16gb sd card, the darktremor script and the a2sdgui app. With this setup I am have all the storage I need and then some.
My question is; is it possible to repartition in order for more ram as opposed to storage?
I have excluded a fair amount of apps from starting up at boot, and I aggressively manage my memory with a memory manager, but I still feel I need more ram.

dewayne25 said:
My epic 4g is running ei22 Legendary v.1 with the samurai 3.3 assassin kernel. I am a bit of an app whore and have loading it up with nearly 260 apps. I have accomplished this with the use of a 2.5gb ext4 partiton on my class10 16gb sd card, the darktremor script and the a2sdgui app. With this setup I am have all the storage I need and then some.
My question is; is it possible to repartition in order for more ram as opposed to storage?
I have excluded a fair amount of apps from starting up at boot, and I aggressively manage my memory with a memory manager, but I still feel I need more ram.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe ram is a completely different chip in the phone, opposed to the storage space, because it functions a lot differently. But I may be wrong.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

iatedeadpeople said:
I believe ram is a completely different chip in the phone, opposed to the storage space, because it functions a lot differently. But I may be wrong.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait, WHAT?! The ram isn't in our SD cards?! You don't say! Although I was starting to suspect something when I noticed that if I remove the SD card (or mount it as USB storage), the phone keeps functioning, and I know that can't happen with any computer when the ram is removed...
The OP only mentioned partitioning of the SD card, not internal storage. Also, ram isn't partitioned... he is most likely referring to creating a swap partition on his sd card, which the system would then use as additional storage space for temporary data that would normally be held in ram. However, the CPU still needs the data in ram in order to interact with it, so if the required data is actually in the swap partition, then the system would need to free up some room in ram for the required data (often, by swapping places with data in ram that isn't currently needed, hence the name...
@OP - I'm fairly certain the Epic doesn't currently support swap files/partitions, but I recall seeing mention of other android phones with that ability. But it shouldn't be necessary, our phones have enough ram - if you are running out of memory (errors, not simply seeing a low amount of available ram) then you either have something wrong with your phone, or you need to stop trying to keep all of your favorite 3d games loaded at the same time, lol
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

Our phone does have the ability to support swap. Some Bonsai releases support swap. First you'd have to make sure the /sdcard was partitioned for swap to have a place to reside. Then, it'd have to be enabled in the kernel and there are tweaks to "swapiness" that sets aggressiveness of swap use - basically swap enable will try to take dormant items in RAM and move them to SWAP to free up RAM. You can run 'free' command from the terminal to see how much swap is available and in use.
All that said - I don't think the OP is referring to SWAP or RAM - as those would only help free up running memory. OP seems to be interested in more room on his OneNAND data partition and SDCard for Apps to be installed.
RE OP: CM7 MTD downsized the /cache partition in OneNAND and gave a sizeable boost to /data space for more apps (see images posted by AproSamurai showing free space). If you run the command 'df -h' from the terminal you'll see the size (total, used, available) of /system, /data, and /cache. On CM7 I have the following sizes, respectively, 268.5M, 676.5M, and 25M. Side note: The 25M cache isn't large enough for all Market apps to download though so noobnl fixed by mounting /cache/download on /data partition (MTDBlock3) to allow for larger apps to cache in download directory before install.
If you're sticking with a GB TW ROM though - I don't understand your setup. Why not just use the built in GB capability to move Apps to SD Card in Settings -> Applications (select app and "move to SD card" for those compatible/capable)? I don't get why you need to create a separate EXT4 partition and use 3rd party tools. Can you elaborate on why they wouldn't work?
Rereading your OP - NO - you can't get more RAM to fit in the phone. It's got what it's got and you can't get more from it. Enabling SWAP may help, terminating resident apps in the background MAY help, but at the end of the day you can't increase the RAM available. You'll need to better manage what you have.
Please don't confuse RAM with storage memory - that got me turned around in your OP.

Sorry for confusing you, if I did. I wasn't interested in partitioning my sd card for more ram on the sd card. My interest is in using the cache space for ram. I don't understand how a phone can be stated as having 512mb's of ram and 1gb of rom and not be. Yet all the epic can muster is 362mb of ram, most of our performance issues are due to that... If there was a way to unlock any more ram in samsung's specs claim I wanted to know.

If you're sticking with a GB TW ROM though - I don't understand your setup. Why not just use the built in GB capability to move Apps to SD Card in Settings -> Applications (select app and "move to SD card" for those compatible/capable)? I don't get why you need to create a separate EXT4 partition and use 3rd party tools. Can you elaborate on why they wouldn't work?
I would have loved to use the .android folder to save my apps but my dalvik cache would fill the internal space and limit me to about 180 apps. With the Darktremor script and a2sdgui I am able to put my Dalvik on the ext4 partition of my SD card.

I would have loved to use the .android folder to save my apps but my dalvik cache would fill the internal space and limit me to about 180 apps. With the Darktremor script and a2sdgui I am able to put my Dalvik on the ext4 partition of my SD card.

Increase HD2 internal memory

hi guys new user of HTC HD2 here (previous motorola defy user)
so I got this phone yesterday thru swapping, and this phone is awesome, but I was rather disappointed with the internal memory. Mines got 186mb of application space so I always get memory full prompts. I know there is a mod to increase the size.
I flashed paranoid android this morning and boy is it good looking
I just want to increase my internal memory and Id be happy with it
what's the maximum I can a lot to it?

chachoi said:
hi guys new user of HTC HD2 here (previous motorola defy user)
so I got this phone yesterday thru swapping, and this phone is awesome, but I was rather disappointed with the internal memory. Mines got 186mb of application space so I always get memory full prompts. I know there is a mod to increase the size.
I flashed paranoid android this morning and boy is it good looking
I just want to increase my internal memory and Id be happy with it
what's the maximum I can a lot to it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK first things first,
Are you familiar with the 'stuff' of the HD2? MAGLDR bootloader, ClockworkMod Recovery(CWM)? sd-ext partitions?

well I'm trying to learn this terms but this is gonna take a while I think,
the Previous owner has installed magdlr 1.13 and clockworkmod and I have flashed paranoid android rom this morning. So I do have a recovery
sd-ext partion not so much

**okay okay, you will need to do a lot of research about your device and using it to its full potential; too much that it can't be explained within one post **
but here is a method I found in xda of performing a sd-ext partition within cwm:
> GO to advance and then partition SD card
> Remember this will wipe the sd card so back everything up if need be
> Choose how much space you want, 1024mb is recommended, on the partition then then choose 0MB for swap
>PLEASE NOTE PARTITIONING WILL WIPE THE SD CARD!
>and hey presto your done
> from here you can install link2sd and your set to go. -note, you will need to read about link2sd before use. just search it
There are many benifits of this using EXT-Partition such as you apps will automatically transfer to your partition meaning you will free space on your internal storage!
apologies if there's any misinformation there, quite tired :$
Sent from space..

ah I see, so basically the sd card will be detected as and internal card and I won't face memory full errors whenever uninstalling?
but I can just use link2sd app to transfer apps to sd card manually right?
I was wondering why I only have 186mb of internal memory wherein in GSM arena it says at least 512mb.
what I want to do is a phone modification to increase it, just in case the sd card was corrupted, I still have my apps on the phone memory
thanks for the reply though, if you can add something feel free :victory:

chachoi said:
ah I see, so basically the sd card will be detected as and internal card and I won't face memory full errors whenever uninstalling?
but I can just use link2sd app to transfer apps to sd card manually right?
I was wondering why I only have 186mb of internal memory wherein in GSM arena it says at least 512mb.
what I want to do is a phone modification to increase it, just in case the sd card was corrupted, I still have my apps on the phone memory
thanks for the reply though, if you can add something feel free :victory:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It says 186Mb because when you flash CWM, you also partition your NAND to run Android. Essentially, the storage you get is 512Mb-CWM partition size, although normally it's lower as there are probably things other than this installed to the NAND.

Thank you

Nigeldg said:
It says 186Mb because when you flash CWM, you also partition your NAND to run Android. Essentially, the storage you get is 512Mb-CWM partition size, although normally it's lower as there are probably things other than this installed to the NAND.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi so are you saying I can increase my phone memory by re-partition? how can you tell me please! id be happy by 300mb at least

chachoi said:
Hi so are you saying I can increase my phone memory by re-partition? how can you tell me please! id be happy by 300mb at least
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it depends on the partition size you're currently using. If it's already the minimum for your ROM then no you can't increase the storage by repartitioning the NAND, but if it's any more than the minimum then you can increase this, by reflashing recovery with the correct size. Make a full backup in CWM first though.

so I reflashed 150MB recovery partition and flashed AOKP build by xylograph
now I have 217MB of internal memory
what should I flash so I can have more space?

the less is your recovery partition - more internal memory you get. Minimal recovery partition can be about 100 mb for some light roms I belive. So you can get 50 more mb than you hav now.
You've mentioned 300mb earlier, even if you get your desired 300mb it's gonna get filled up very soon.
I would advise you as was mentioned above to borrow 1gb from your sd card for sd-ext partition. Most of the roms support from the box (without intsalling any additional apps or scripts) sd-ext partition and install apps by default on that partiotion, Paranoid Android does, for instance, actually 80% of the roms do as well...

I don't know if it means anything, but you could look into a US HD2. Its got 1024 mb internal memory! That's double!

ok maybe ill experiment with this sd-ext partition
never had to deal with tgis when I was on defy

try this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1661892

I installed AOKP in NAND & had only a few 100mb's available, I just used Link2SD & moved most apps/ games to SD. SD has no ext. part. yet. will do it latter when i get a 32gig card, now just testing a 4gig SD

Increased Ram on CM using SDCard?

i heard that you can edit a partition on the sd card to Increased the ram since the boot, space and storage is all on the card... i hear you should be able to edit some them but i have no idea if it can be done and if it can what Tool
i was using MiniTool Partition Wizard Professional Edition v7.5

AACThaKid said:
i heard that you can edit a partition on the sd card to Increased the ram since the boot, space and storage is all on the card... i hear you should be able to edit some them but i have no idea if it can be done and if it can what Tool
i was using MiniTool Partition Wizard Professional Edition v7.5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are confusing ram and rom. Ram is the memory that the system stores the active stuff. It is volatile and loses everything when the power is off. The Nook Color comes with 512MB ram and that cannot be changed. ROM is non-volatile and keeps whatever is written there even with power off.
ROM is what is on the SD partitions for SD installs. And you can change the size of the partitions on the SD, but it is difficult to do with windows applications like Min-Tool once you have added data to those partitions.
If you use my newest image file (rev4) I have set it up to give you larger system and data partitions for larger SD cards so you don't have to do anything yourself.

leapinlar said:
You are confusing ram and rom. Ram is the memory that the system stores the active stuff. It is volatile and loses everything when the power is off. The Nook Color comes with 512MB ram and that cannot be changed. ROM is non-volatile and keeps whatever is written there even with power off.
ROM is what is on the SD partitions for SD installs. And you can change the size of the partitions on the SD, but it is difficult to do with windows applications like Min-Tool once you have added data to those partitions.
If you use my newest image file (rev4) I have set it up to give you larger system and data partitions for larger SD cards so you don't have to do anything yourself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i know what the ROM and RAM is
to help you out about what i mean........ after the img is burned to the card there are 3-4 partitions on it..... well a friend of mine who has the same set up was saying "Theory-Wise" since all the CM7 &/or CM9 setup and so-on is on the Card/Runs from the card... the RAM that you use to run games when using CM7 is also on the card so that means the card also has RAM on it(since the setup is on the card) you can Increase the RAM by messing with the size of the partitions......... can this be done???
as for the latest img you was talking about... can u give me a link to it?

Not everything is on the card. The ram is still on the device and not changeable. It uses the same ram as the internal rom does. There is no ram on the card.
The link to my new image is in my tips thread linked in my signature. See item B2 in the second post.