I have rooted my Nook Color (Blue Dot) with Clockwork, and CM7 Nightly install from 11-16-2011. I installed all the OS data on the internal memory in the Nook. I have a 8GB SD (Class 10) card that that I used to do the root, but now when I try to mount the SD to use to install apps to it, I can only get 1GB as SD Card and the rest mounts as /mnt/emmc. I can't seem to get it to mount the whole card as SD. I have tried using a partition manager on a Windows and Linux machine to partition it, but that did not work. Is there something that I am doing wrong? I want to be able to use the whole card mounted since I use apps and a 512 MB Swap file. One thing that I thought it may be is when I rooted the Nook I used the the 1GB image of Clockwork 3.2.0.1 since I could not find a 8GB image. The only 8GB image I could find was of CWM 3.0.2.8. I don't think that that would be the problem though. You guys have any ideas? Any help would be greatly appreciated. MODS, you can move this to the Android Forum if needed.
nevermind misread your q
Wingwalker84 said:
I have rooted my Nook Color (Blue Dot) with Clockwork, and CM7 Nightly install from 11-16-2011. I installed all the OS data on the internal memory in the Nook. I have a 8GB SD (Class 10) card that that I used to do the root, but now when I try to mount the SD to use to install apps to it, I can only get 1GB as SD Card and the rest mounts as /mnt/emmc. I can't seem to get it to mount the whole card as SD. I have tried using a partition manager on a Windows and Linux machine to partition it, but that did not work. Is there something that I am doing wrong? I want to be able to use the whole card mounted since I use apps and a 512 MB Swap file. One thing that I thought it may be is when I rooted the Nook I used the the 1GB image of Clockwork 3.2.0.1 since I could not find a 8GB image. The only 8GB image I could find was of CWM 3.0.2.8. I don't think that that would be the problem though. You guys have any ideas? Any help would be greatly appreciated. MODS, you can move this to the Android Forum if needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is how CM roms mount the external SD cards.
So I won't be able to mount the card and run more than 1GB of apps from it? Or is there a way to mount it and run the apps from /mnt/emmc. Also, when I remove the SD card, the mount of the SD card at the top (the 1GB one) stays mounted...should it?
Wingwalker84 said:
So I won't be able to mount the card and run more than 1GB of apps from it? Or is there a way to mount it and run the apps from /mnt/emmc. Also, when I remove the SD card, the mount of the SD card at the top (the 1GB one) stays mounted...should it?
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Click to collapse
Yes the one that stays mounted is your internal storage system. If it only has a max of 1gb then that is all you can store on it. The only way to safely unmount the the internal storage is in recovery as it is not using it but it is not advised. You can find an app that will move apps to SD card and have some bigger apps on there but mind you widgets will not work if the app is on the SD card. Here is a screen shot of my device. The 1.3 gb is my phones on board storage and the 29.81 gb is my external 32 gb sd card.
Ok, thanks for the info. What app is that that you took a screen shot of, and off the top of your head, you know of any that will flip the apps to the SD card? If not I will research it, I am sure it can't be to hard to find one.
Wingwalker84 said:
Ok, thanks for the info. What app is that that you took a screen shot of, and off the top of your head, you know of any that will flip the apps to the SD card? If not I will research it, I am sure it can't be to hard to find one.
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Click to collapse
The app is android assistant and depending on your OS version apps2sd should work. I know never versions of the OS has the ability built in
Ok. I tried Link2SD, but it said it was moving it to the SD card, but it moved it to the 1GB mount not to the /mnt/emmc where I have the 7.5GB of free space. I will try the apps2SD and see if that works. Thanks a lot bud.
Wingwalker84 said:
Ok. I tried Link2SD, but it said it was moving it to the SD card, but it moved it to the 1GB mount not to the /mnt/emmc where I have the 7.5GB of free space. I will try the apps2SD and see if that works. Thanks a lot bud.
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Click to collapse
It maybe an issue how to CM roms mount the storage. I am not sure to be honest
zelendel said:
It maybe an issue how to CM roms mount the storage. I am not sure to be honest
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, no worries. I will continue working on it. if I find anything out I will post back. Thanks for your help.
I figured it out...
If you have the "Use internal storage" checked under CyanogemMod Settings/Application CM7 will mount the SD card as mnt/emmc and create a 1GB partition and mount it as mnt/SDCard. If you un-check it and then reboot, the SD Card will be mounted as mnt/SDCard and the internal partition will be mnt/emmc, allowing you to use the whole SD Card for storing apps, while still being able to store the apps on the main internal partition. I am glad I figured that out, now I can load more apps, and use the swap file.
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
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
Click to expand...
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 ....?
Click to expand...
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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!
I own a Galaxy Note 10.1 GT-N8013, it is rooted but I still use the stock ROM. I've been doing some tests to see if Link2SD would solve my storage problem. During these tests I noticed that all the big games I linked to the 2 partition of my SD card aren't really linked, as they still are inside the internal storage!!! After that I also noticed in the storage info that I have an external SD card, a SD card second partition and a SD card strangely similar in size to my internal storage!!!! (image attached to help undestand) Can someone explain this to me and possibly give me a solution!!!
No Problem with LINK2SD!!!
PedroJGT said:
I own a Galaxy Note 10.1 GT-N8013, it is rooted but I still use the stock ROM. I've been doing some tests to see if Link2SD would solve my storage problem. During these tests I noticed that all the big games I linked to the 2 partition of my SD card aren't really linked, as they still are inside the internal storage!!! After that I also noticed in the storage info that I have an external SD card, a SD card second partition and a SD card strangely similar in size to my internal storage!!!! (image attached to help undestand) Can someone explain this to me and possibly give me a solution!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using LINK2SD and I don't have any problems.
In fact I have close to 370+ apps (user) and except ENCRYPTED apps (~8) all are in EXT SDCARD 2nd partition.
It is TRUE whenever I'm flashing a NEW ROM - I don't see all those 360+ apps because 2nd partition is not mounted yet (because of new flash).
When I click LINK2SD it again re-creates mount scripts and I have all the apps again.
So far so good.
What I'm saying is that whenever I move a big game like Real Racing 3, Link2SD only moves a couple of MB's that are in the internal memory to the SD card's 2 partition, the 1GB of game data stays in the internal SD card!!! My space problem is a result of many games in my note, so I need to move the game data to the SD card!!
I'm a new Galaxy Note 10.1 GT-N8013 owner and need a few pointers on using link2sd. I installed it and understand that since our tablets don't support Apps2Sd natively that we have to move the relevant files to their respective locations onto the 2nd(exFat) partition of the SD card. I understand this however I am not sure how to do it since the tablet can't see this second partition(at least mine can't). If I go to Settings->Storage I can only see my main 16GB internal storage and the 1st(Fat32) partition on the sdcard. No other file managers allow me to see this 2nd partition on the sdcard either. With that in mind, how do I access this 2nd partition to move the linked files to the sdcard?
Dudes, you need to understand, that Link2SD and app2sd DON'T move the big app (game) data from the /mnt/sdcard0/Android folder to your external SD. It only moves the app itself. It was always this case, so I'm wondering about the hype unless you don't have a small app partition.
You have to use Directory Bind or FolderMount for moving big files to external SD. Or simply swap external SD with internal storage.