[Q] Is it safe to parition sd card? - General Questions and Answers

To back up sd card all I must do is just right click on the removable disk and press cop and paste on desktop and that should make a complete copy of my sd card correct?
Also is parition a must? because i recently downloaded MIUI rom and i was running low on space so i thought partioning my sd card would do the trick. Is this the best thing to do?
Thanks and sorry i just recently rooted my phone and im a noob to it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning

Dark3n said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_partitioning
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This doesn't really help me

It actually does. You said that you were running low on space. Partitioning divides up space. You're cutting up what you don't have.

First copy SD content to PC, then format it FAT32 or use Panasonic SD formatter. Then u must create 1024kb ext partition on SD. This can be performed by many tools - CWM recovery or DISKPART etc.
Then copy SD content back to card and insert it to phone.

surely you mean mb or 1GB?

Related

[Q] SD Card replacement

Hi all!
I got a rooted and modded LG GT540 and I use a partitioned 4GB SD card (1 ext2 and 1 main partition).
Now I want to put a new 8GB or 16GB card on my phone. Is there a way to copy all the layout of the old card and build the new in such a way that it will be directly recognized by the phone, so that I dont set again the phone from the beginning?
Please help.
Thanks!
Hi there, just copy paste. If yo have a SD card reader use the computer for the new card and the phone as external disk. Copy your phone's SD card and replaces it with the new one. I recommend to stay with the original brand of the SD card which is often Sandisk.
But wouldn't that just copy data and not the partitions?
RDS
Robdunc said:
But wouldn't that just copy data and not the partitions?
RDS
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And that's exactly why I started this thread. I could just do the obvious and try to copy everything. However I believe there are some issues if you' re about moving to a larger SD. For instance, what about the ext2 partition. Should it be the same size? Should it be the same percentage against main partition?

[Q] Supreme_Sense-X-a2sd

i must be handicapped!
for some reason i can not partition my SD card correctly. i am using clockwork mod recovery 5.0.2.0. i go in partition the SD card for 512mb 0 swap. format the /sd-ext. everything is all good from this point.
my problem is the rest of the SD card is not formatted.
so like a retard i stick the SD card into my windows 7 laptop and format it so i can put the rom on to flash. when i do this i loose the 512mb ext partition it made on the SD card.
what am i doing wrong?
is there a better way to format the remaining space of the SD card without loosing the 512mb ext partition? so i can put the rom on the SD to flash the rom.
Format SD card to fat32 then partition your card in cwm. That's all you have to do
Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk 2
afterwards
the how to do i get the rom to the SD card? because if i stick the sd card back into windows laptop it wants to format the card again and wrecks the SD partition.
is there another way to push a rom from laptop to the phone by USB?
After you format the SD Card in Recovery, choose mounts and storage. Then choose USB Mount. After that load the backup of the SD Card back onto the card. If you don't have the Rom in your backup, load it then.
oh okay sorry i didn't understand you clearly but i'd do what prboy said
easy
much easier. i have been doing it the hard way all this time.
thanks both of you for the help.
So then you got it sorted out?
I don't think Windows can recognize/format an ext partition as it's a Linux file system. I had to set up my ext partition yesterday and Windows 7 only read the left over space when I mounted it through the phone and a card reader(14gb card read as 13gb). Should be good to format it when you plug it in.
Sent from the bushes outside your house....you gonna put some pants on anytime soon?
brandontowey said:
I don't think Windows can recognize/format an ext partition as it's a Linux file system. I had to set up my ext partition yesterday and Windows 7 only read the left over space when I mounted it through the phone and a card reader(14gb card read as 13gb). Should be good to format it when you plug it in.
Sent from the bushes outside your house....you gonna put some pants on anytime soon?
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I run Windows 7. I use SD Card Formatter, it Formats the entire card.
yes i managed to get it all sorted out. it is far easier to do it this way. the way i was doing took me for ever to get something done.
thanks guys for the help.
Glad it's all sorted

Micro SD Card repartioning

So i was looking through 4Ext touch's recovery menu and i saw an option in tools to check for sd card partition alignment so i did and according to that the sd card partitions were not properly aligned (whatever that means) so i backed up the data on my sd card and went to repartition it and now it's asking me to choose a partition size for the 1st and 2nd partition plus the swap. I have no idea what to put, i have a 32gb class 10 sd card. Can someone please explain to me what does this whole sd card partition alignment means and what should i choose?
We dont need to partition SD card for inspire. It is for devices will less ROM space, where you partition SD card and use it as phone storage. So just delete all partitions, and just have one.
ai6908 said:
We dont need to partition SD card for inspire. It is for devices will less ROM space, where you partition SD card and use it as phone storage. So just delete all partitions, and just have one.
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Ok, thank you very much.

Help needed to Understand Partitioning Sd card in detail!!

Hey Guys, I don't what basically Partitioning Sd card means!!?? ( I know it sounds noobish but can't help) Plz can someone explain me in detail about it! Plz ..
..... :what:
Any kind of response will be greatly welcomed!
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!
Ansh1107 said:
Hey Guys, I don't what basically Partitioning Sd card means!!?? ( I know it sounds noobish but can't help) Plz can someone explain me in detail about it! Plz ..
..... :what:
Any kind of response will be greatly welcomed!
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To understand what partitioning an SD card means, you have to know what partitioning is in the first place. Partitioning is the act of dividing some kind of physical device, either a hard drive or in this case an sd memory card, into multiple logical devices.
If you had a brand 10GB hard drive, it would come with only one partition, C:\ which totaled 10GB of space. But if you split that hard drive into 2 partitions of equal size, you would have a C:\ and a D:\ drive, each totaling 5GB of space. Partitions don't have to be of equal size, and they don't have to be in the same format.
Now for android, most times partitioning an SD card is used to gain more space to store apps. If you create a partition on the SD card which is formatted in ext2 ext3 or ext4, you can link apps to that folder to free space from your internal SD card.
An example of this would be if you have no more space left in your internal memory for say, Angry Birds. You could partition your 8GB SD card into a 1GB ext3 partition and leave the rest in a 7GB FAT32 partition. In this way, you could use an app like link2sd or app2sd to move apps to the SD card to free internal memory up.
universeman said:
To understand what partitioning an SD card means, you have to know what partitioning is in the first place. Partitioning is the act of dividing some kind of physical device, either a hard drive or in this case an sd memory card, into multiple logical devices.
If you had a brand 10GB hard drive, it would come with only one partition, C:\ which totaled 10GB of space. But if you split that hard drive into 2 partitions of equal size, you would have a C:\ and a D:\ drive, each totaling 5GB of space. Partitions don't have to be of equal size, and they don't have to be in the same format.
Now for android, most times partitioning an SD card is used to gain more space to store apps. If you create a partition on the SD card which is formatted in ext2 ext3 or ext4, you can link apps to that folder to free space from your internal SD card.
An example of this would be if you have no more space left in your internal memory for say, Angry Birds. You could partition your 8GB SD card into a 1GB ext3 partition and leave the rest in a 7GB FAT32 partition. In this way, you could use an app like link2sd or app2sd to move apps to the SD card to free internal memory up.
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Thanks a lit for reply!! Just a Q.So when say i flash a new Rom will all of my partition will be wiped off ...? Will the Remaining(say 7 Gb) will it remain the same ...??
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!
Ansh1107 said:
Thanks a lit for reply!! Just a Q.So when say i flash a new Rom will all of my partition will be wiped off ...? Will the Remaining(say 7 Gb) will it remain the same ...??
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!
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If you flash a new Rom, you will be formatting the internal flash memory as well as the apps partition on your sd card. In my example, the 7GB partition will be completely unaffected.I would be careful though, there are ptions in CWM recovery that do allow you to flash the 7GB partition. However, if you just do a simple wipe data/factory reset from CWM, your data will be safe.
universeman said:
If you flash a new Rom, you will be formatting the internal flash memory as well as the apps partition on your sd card. In my example, the 7GB partition will be completely unaffected.I would be careful though, there are ptions in CWM recovery that do allow you to flash the 7GB partition. However, if you just do a simple wipe data/factory reset from CWM, your data will be safe.
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OK so partitioning the Sd card do not wipe off music files(for eg) and some other stuff which I access through file explorer! Right ....?
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!
To understand what partitioning an SD card means, you have to know what partitioning is in the first place. Partitioning is the act of dividing some kind of physical device, either a hard drive or in this case an sd memory card, into multiple logical devices.
If you had a brand 10GB hard drive, it would come with only one partition, C:\ which totaled 10GB of space. But if you split that hard drive into 2 partitions of equal size, you would have a C:\ and a D:\ drive, each totaling 5GB of space. Partitions don't have to be of equal size, and they don't have to be in the same format.
Now for android, most times partitioning an SD card is used to gain more space to store apps. If you create a partition on the SD card which is formatted in ext2 ext3 or ext4, you can link apps to that folder to free space from your internal SD card.
An example of this would be if you have no more space left in your internal memory for say, Angry Birds. You could partition your 8GB SD card into a 1GB ext3 partition and leave the rest in a 7GB FAT32 partition. In this way, you could use an app like link2sd or app2sd to move apps to the SD card to free internal memory up.
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Click to collapse
There are a couple steps missing. Continuing from the hard drive example, the 8GB SD card would have 1 large partition, formatted as FAT (or a variant, such as FAT32). The internal memory space of the Android device is formatted as EXT (or variant), as Android is Linux-based. Android is designed to recognise FAT as "foreign," and EXT is seen as "native." Therefore, we can trick the OS (Android) into thinking there's more drive space than exists physically in the device, in the following way: Repartition the 8GB SD card to 2 partitions, format the 1st one as FAT, & the 2nd one EXT, then tell the OS to use the 1GB EXT drive to store stuff that's normally only put in internal "native" memory. In Windows, this is called a shortcut, & in Linux it's called a link. So you link a folder from the internal memory space to the 2nd partition of the SD card. This is managed quite easily through apps like link2sd, as mentioned previously. The OS (Android) doesn't know that the linked data actually resides on external memory.
Theoretically, you could link the entire everything to a gigantic SD card, and, in a way, that what people did when they rooted the Nook Color. This would give you tremendous space to play with, but does have potentially significant limitations.
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities
post-mortem said:
There are a couple steps missing. Continuing from the hard drive example, the 8GB SD card would have 1 large partition, formatted as FAT (or a variant, such as FAT32). The internal memory space of the Android device is formatted as EXT (or variant), as Android is Linux-based. Android is designed to recognise FAT as "foreign," and EXT is seen as "native." Therefore, we can trick the OS (Android) into thinking there's more drive space than exists physically in the device, in the following way: Repartition the 8GB SD card to 2 partitions, format the 1st one as FAT, & the 2nd one EXT, then tell the OS to use the 1GB EXT drive to store stuff that's normally only put in internal "native" memory. In Windows, this is called a shortcut, & in Linux it's called a link. So you link a folder from the internal memory space to the 2nd partition of the SD card. This is managed quite easily through apps like link2sd, as mentioned previously. The OS (Android) doesn't know that the linked data actually resides on external memory.
Theoretically, you could link the entire everything to a gigantic SD card, and, in a way, that what people did when they rooted the Nook Color. This would give you tremendous space to play with, but does have potentially significant limitations.
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities
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Click to collapse
Using one large SD card was also what I did with my first android phone, the LG Optimus V. It didn't have a real large internal memory space, so I used a class 10 SD microSD card to supplant it. Also, if you want to get truly technical, what link2sd and other similar apps are doing is creating what is called a hard link.
A shortcut, or rather a soft link, differs from a hard link in that a soft link appears to the OS as a shortcut. Meaning the OS knows that the file resides on another storage location. By using a hard link, the OS is not aware that the file resides in another location.
For example: Say you have the following setup
SD Card Partition 1: [/mnt/sdcard-ext/data] (For apps)
Partition 2: [/mnt/sdcard] (For everything else)
Internal Apps: [/data] (Normal app location)
If you wanted to move "/data/angrybirds.apk" to the SD card using a soft link, you (or an app) would have to move "angrybirds.apk" from [/data] to [/mnt/sdcard-ext/data] then create a soft link to "/data/angrybirds.apk".
However, the problem with this approach is that android doesn't accept soft links in place of application files. So to trick it, you create a hard link by the same method above. But this time, because it is a hard link, to the Android OS, the file doesn't appear to have moved at all.
---------- Post added at 01:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:57 AM ----------
Also, I forgot to mention that the class of SD card you use is very important. Cards are ranked from 2-10 with Class 10 being the fastest(1). If possible, I recommend buying at least a Class 8 card if not a Class 10 card. They are not available in most local shops, but they are available online for cheaper than the store would have cost anyway.
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital#Speed_Class_Rating
Ansh1107 said:
OK so partitioning the Sd card do not wipe off music files(for eg) and some other stuff which I access through file explorer! Right ....?
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Click to collapse
Partitioning will format the card and erase everything, so backup your sdcard! Like anything on here, make a backup before continuing, but for this, make sure you're backup is on your computer, not your phone.
Also, I forgot to mention that the class of SD card you use is very important. Cards are ranked from 2-10 with Class 10 being the fastest(1). If possible, I recommend buying at least a Class 8 card if not a Class 10 card. They are not available in most local shops, but they are available online for cheaper than the store would have cost anyway.
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital#Speed_Class_Rating
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Actually, those speed ratings are measured using burst read/write, so are most reflective of performance during operations with very large files. Typically, a higher class rating is associated with higher speeds with large files, but a slower speed with small files (~4kB). Hence, the recommended class rating of SD card depends on the intended usage: highest class affordable for high resolution video, while class 4 or 6 for reading/writing many small files (e.g., mobile phones).
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities
Thanks a lot guys For replying and letting me explore more about partitioning! So which is a better app to control partitions? A2SD or Link 2Sd?
Does partitioning causes any harm to OS....?
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!
Thanks a lot guys For replying and letting me explore more about partitioning! So which is a better app to control partitions? A2SD or Link 2Sd?
Does partitioning causes any harm to OS....?
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You cannot repartition the internal memory, so your question only applies to the external memory (SD card). Partitioning by itself only makes 1 "disk" appear as multiple "drives". So the real question depends on what you do with the partitions. Most people are satisfies with creating 1 additional partition, and using any of the many available "2sd" apps, which will do the hard work of creating the links (=shortcut, remember?) into the 2nd partition.
Basically, pick one and go with it. Remember that repartitioning your SD card will usually obliterate all data on it. Backup, backup!
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities
post-mortem said:
You cannot repartition the internal memory, so your question only applies to the external memory (SD card). Partitioning by itself only makes 1 "disk" appear as multiple "drives". So the real question depends on what you do with the partitions. Most people are satisfies with creating 1 additional partition, and using any of the many available "2sd" apps, which will do the hard work of creating the links (=shortcut, remember?) into the 2nd partition.
Basically, pick one and go with it. Remember that repartitioning your SD card will usually obliterate all data on it. Backup, backup!
-- Sent from my TouchPad using Communities
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Click to collapse
I would say it depends on your situation. Link2SD will let you choose what apps you want to be on the SD card. Apps2SD will put everything there. Also, Link2SD has a GUI you can use to move apps, where Apps2SD is done in a command line. So honestly, I would recommend Link2SD. It's free in the market.
As far pas whether partitioning harms the OS? No, it should not. that said, I would always make backups of everything anytime you have a fear of losing data.
If I switch to some other phone what will happen to my Partitions....?
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!
Partitions where? The partitions on the phone's internal memory will stay on the phone, and the new phone will have its own internal memory (I hope this is obvious). The partitions on the SD card will stay on the SD card. If you put the old SD card into the new phone... well, then nothing happens to the partitions. It's like taking a hard drive out of 1 computer and putting it into another.
post-mortem said:
Partitions where? The partitions on the phone's internal memory will stay on the phone, and the new phone will have its own internal memory (I hope this is obvious). The partitions on the SD card will stay on the SD card. If you put the old SD card into the new phone... well, then nothing happens to the partitions. It's like taking a hard drive out of 1 computer and putting it into another.
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Click to collapse
OK so no problems with partitions when switching phone! Right ..?
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!
Some stock ROMs do not have support for ext, so they will not be able to access any partition which has been formatted ext2/3/4. Therefore, if you have one or more partitions on your SD card which are formatted as ext, you are not guaranteed that the new phone will be able to read it. Of course, you can flash a new ROM (CM, MIUI, etc.), and the new phone will be able to read ext format.
Also, if you make a 2nd partition on your SD card for the purpose of using Link2SD, a2sd, or whatever *2sd scripts, your new phone will not know that you have apps installed on that partition, until you recreate the script to mount that partition during boot.
What is swap partition and what are scripts ...?
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!
Swap partition
Script
post-mortem said:
Some stock ROMs do not have support for ext, so they will not be able to access any partition which has been formatted ext2/3/4. Therefore, if you have one or more partitions on your SD card which are formatted as ext, you are not guaranteed that the new phone will be able to read it. Of course, you can flash a new ROM (CM, MIUI, etc.), and the new phone will be able to read ext format.
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Click to collapse
I have never used a ROM, stock or otherwise, that hasn't supported at least ext2/3; though your mileage may vary. Most if not all ROMs should be able to use these partition types. However, ext4 is a fairly new partition type, and does require special care to make sure the ROM/Kernel supports it.
Again, before you do any rooting, ROM'ing, or partitioning, you need to do your research and if there is any hint or fear of losing your data, back it up. Make sure the ROM supports the filesystem you intend to use. There should be a changelog / list of features on the thread for your ROM telling you exactly what is in it.
How many types of partitions can be made?
Sent from Galaxy Ace running ICS!

Will changing from FAT32 to NTFS effect anything on my phone or SD card ?

Hi all,
I've just found a way to convert file system of my SD card from FAT32 to NTFS (which allows me to copy extreme large files to the SD card). But I don't know if it harms the SD card.
What if I do the same thing to the internal SD card in my phone ?
I'm glad that I can now copy an 8 GB file to my SD card .
Thanks in advance !
econan1214 said:
Hi all,
I've just found a way to convert file system of my SD card from FAT32 to NTFS (which allows me to copy extreme large files to the SD card). But I don't know if it harms the SD card.
What if I do the same thing to the internal SD card in my phone ?
I'm glad that I can now copy an 8 GB file to my SD card .
Thanks in advance !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure your phone can read a NTFS SD Card... Being that Android is based on Linux, there might be issues reading the file system or possible corruption.
I wouldn't do it. What are you copying on to your SD Card that's 8GB?
I do believe u can read from the card, but I dont think android supports write to ntfs
what file is that? a whole 8gb? movie??
arkin56 said:
what file is that? a whole 8gb? movie??
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Click to collapse
That was an HD movie .
Thanks guys !

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