Database Develop

[Q] Just an idea: repartitioning with some tools

I had an idea this minute
if we are using images with a size of 1,7GB or what else... why aren't we using some tools like resize_reiserfs and so on to repartition the Internal SD and creating a new partition with native yaffs2 or ext4 on it?
I dont't really know where our ext2 images are laying but if this could be possible it should be much faster right?

That's the thing - it won't be faster. The internal SD card is pretty slow. That's why the original lagfix used a repartitioned external SD card..

r3loaded2010 said:
That's the thing - it won't be faster. The internal SD card is pretty slow. That's why the original lagfix used a repartitioned external SD card..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, it IS faster... That's why the newer lag fix uses an image on the internal SD card
I'm also wondering why nobody's trying to mount the internal SD with ext or yaffs2 instead of rfs...
EDIT : some answers : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=750663

That's right !!!
We are using a mounted image with a filesystem laying on a native filesystem.
The reason why we aren't using the whole internal SD card with yaffs2 or ext4... is we cannot partition the whole internal SD card and copy our files afterwards.
BUT... we are able to compile some tools like "fdisk", "resize_[filesystem]" for ARM to use them direcly on the system for resizing (smaller) -> creating a new one -> and format it with yaffs2 for example.
After that we have the ability to use this partition like the ones in all other lagfixes mounting, symlinking...
That's the Idea

DasLeo said:
That's right !!!
We are using a mounted image with a filesystem laying on a native filesystem.
The reason why we aren't using the whole internal SD card with yaffs2 or ext4... is we cannot partition the whole internal SD card and copy our files afterwards.
BUT... we are able to compile some tools like "fdisk", "resize_[filesystem]" for ARM to use them direcly on the system for resizing (smaller) -> creating a new one -> and format it with yaffs2 for example.
After that we have the ability to use this partition like the ones in all other lagfixes mounting, symlinking...
That's the Idea
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you read what's already been written in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=7739573 ??
It's been tried by mimocan already, but didn't give a better result. Please do not start new threads on topics that's already been discussed elsewhere.

okay then close this

[Q] What did Clockworkmod repartitioning actually accomplish?

I thought I was at least a little savvy about this stuff but I'm feeling a bit noobish. I have a SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 running Cognition 3.04 with the default Cog kernel and modem. This evening I was messing around with Clockworkmod and did the "Partition SD Card" option (512M ext, 32M swap) thinking this was going to partition my external (4 gig) sdcard. Instead, it appears that CWM actually partitioned the internal (16 gig) sdcard. Best I can tell it created a root partition using ext3 or similar fs and then formatted the remainder of the card as vfat. So, this leaves me with two questions?
1. What is the value of this? Obviously I'm not gaining any storage just by splitting up the internal card, and I would assume the downside is this limits the amount of apps I can install to the space on the root partition?
2) What's the easiest way to get back to single partition? I have CWM and TBU backups prior to formatting and run linux on my home desktop.
Thanks.

bump.. anyone?

I believe this is if you wanted to have APPS2SD if your internal ROM is full for apps. This way you could install apps on your internal SD card by fooling the OS into thinking the ext partition on your sd card part of your ROM.
At least this is what formatting the SD card with an ext partition was for on my previous android.
Ive personally never used APPS2SD because it just seemed more trouble if anything but this is an option for those who fill up the 2GB of ROM space that i believe android alots.
Hopefully that helped you out.

[Q] Why is SD set as the removable sd in the fstab?

Hi,
I just changed the mounting of the sdcard and emmc to be reversed. As far as I understand, the sdcard is "usually" the internal sd, and emmc is "usually" the external sd.
The biggest issue I faced was that everytime I reboot my phone, I'll have to remove and reinsert the sd card so that the sdcard is detected by the phone. After I swapped the mounting, everything went well. Is there a reason why the devs use the scheme?
Thanks
EDIT: I'm seeing this on CM nightly 204

haven't use nightly 204 but in stable CM7, there is an option called 'Use Internal Storage' under setting menu 'CyanogenMod Settings'->'Application', check it then internal sdcard would be mount as /sdcard.

Hmm... That's a good option.
Just wondering why the it is not checked by default.
I didn't have sd inserted at first, so *nothing* is working. Camera complains, installing apps failed, etc.

CyanogenMod reverses the sd and emmc mountain as the internal sd is rather small and external is typically larger. They do this since many apps do not offer a way to switch storage location. It is possible to switch them back and there is a tread on it but since I'm on mobile I really can't link to it right now.
Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk

I see, that made sense... Yes, option to swap it back is mentioned by hkkp.
But I still think it should default to sd as internal sd, emmc as external flash. Let user make the switch if they wishes to...

thloh85 said:
Hi,
I just changed the mounting of the sdcard and emmc to be reversed. As far as I understand, the sdcard is "usually" the internal sd, and emmc is "usually" the external sd.
The biggest issue I faced was that everytime I reboot my phone, I'll have to remove and reinsert the sd card so that the sdcard is detected by the phone. After I swapped the mounting, everything went well. Is there a reason why the devs use the scheme?
Thanks
EDIT: I'm seeing this on CM nightly 204
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i use nightly 204, and didn't happen like you did. i prefer external sd card is default and internal to be external. because external sd is bigger then internal one and faster i use class 10

antec123 said:
i use nightly 204, and didn't happen like you did. i prefer external sd card is default and internal to be external. because external sd is bigger then internal one and faster i use class 10
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odd... Must be some dirty data during flash. Could you check this out?
1. Go to Terminal / adb to the phone
2. type "cat /etc/vold.fstab" without the quotes
3. paste the output here
Could you also check if "Settings->Cyanogenmod Setting->Applications->Use Internal Storage" is checked by default?

[Q] MiniCM7-2.1.9 a2SD problem

can someone please help me to set a2SD on MiniCM7-2.1.9 becouse i have big problems with that, i have set saving to external memory, also formated card to ext4, i dont know what is the problem, it transvers applications to SD, but not in ext4 part, but in fat
Thank you in advance.

Hey this is not a problem! when you set to save the apps in external memory the app sent to fat partition, because the ext4 partition is like extension of the internal memory. Set to save the apps in internal memory (the apps go to ext4 partition) and all is fine!

ok, tkanks man

[Q] Swap Area / EXT2 partitions - Help needed.

Hello, I'm hoping someone can answer a few questions I have regarding the format of the SD Card for the Android system. - Apologies if this has already been explained on this forum, I did a search but didn't find anything too useful that answered my questions.
(I have knowledge of the linux file-system and swap drives, just unsure of the benifits of this for android).
Currently using a 16GB SanDisk Class4 SD Card.
I'm aware that you can format the SD Card to use as a swap-drive and for use of ext2 file-system.
While searching for info on this I found the following xda link which simply explains how to do this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/SD_card_partitioning
My questions are:
1. What are the benifits of having the ext2 file-system? (Would apps stored on SD Card run faster etc?)
2. Do I need to keep a FAT32 partition (as opposed to just having a swap and ext2 partitions without any FAT partition).
3. Does the swap drive greatly improve performance. And is this worth doing on a Class4 SD Card?
Thanks in advance!

Hi.
at the first I must say swat will decrease SD card life.
i recommond you to create EXT3 or EXT4 partition.
1)one of the benefit of EXT partition is your phone storage will not full and its help your phone performance.
2)yes.of course you should have fat32 partition for eg:music-movies...and other files.
3)yes.swap is a very good.and it helps your phone ram.eg:when you play plants vs zombie at the first screen game will exit because of ram and swap will use like ram and its good for gaming.

Thanks for the reply, much apprecaited.
Are you sure I need a FAT32 partition though? Videos, music etc etc can all be saved to ext2/3/4 on a linux OS so I just assumed I could just do away with FAT32 all together?
Is the following just not the same as using an App2SD app?
"1)one of the benefit of EXT partition is your phone storage will not full and its help your phone performance."
Sorry for being a bit fussy but I'd like to fully understand what the Ext/2/3/4 partition is actually used for. Is it just used purely for storage?
Thanks again!

In a short summary (and assuming you are using a Kernel and ROM supporting the features) ...
- "Swap" on a swap partition has its own own "filesystem". The data structures are actually created by "mkswap" and the partition is not directly accessible by the user. If your phone runs low on physical memory unused parts of the memory will be swapped out into the virtual memory to make room for other apps.
Note that this is no "magically increase your RAM" solution. Once swapping occurs it actually slows down the system as the swapped out memory regions need to be copied back into physical memory, sooner or later. It may only help to run "RAM hungry" applications.
- "SD-Ext" is a, most likely, ext2 formatted partition to where Apps you move to the SD (either by Android or App2SD) will go. This increases the amount of apps you can possibly install, but doesn't resolve the problem that apps having widgets or apps that are started during Android boot-up need to reside in the internal phone memory.
- The /sdcard partition where all your user data is being stored should be kept FAT32 (for the simple reason of making a backup of your data by slapping the card into card reader easier - Windows can't read Linux filesystems by default). Some ROMs will allow you to format /sdcard ext3 or ext4 ... the advantage is that ext3/4 (if the mount options are correctly set) may perform a lot better than FAT32, though your mileage may vary.
Roger? ...or do is something still unclear?

Many thanks B.Jay - I'll hit the thanks button after I post this reply! You cleared up all my questions, but just going back to the FAT32 partition;
I use linux as my main OS, so accessing the EXT format partition wouldn't be a problem; Do you know if all ROMs would work without a FAT32 partition and replace it with EXT2/3/4 partition? If you're unsure I can always find out by formatting and loading a rom.
Thanks again, you've been most helpful!

Agenty1609 said:
going back to the FAT32 partition;
I use linux as my main OS, so accessing the EXT format partition wouldn't be a problem; Do you know if all ROMs would work without a FAT32 partition and replace it with EXT2/3/4 partition? If you're unsure I can always find out by formatting and loading a rom.
Thanks again, you've been most helpful!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Linux would, of course, be able to mount a ext partition (even on a SD card put into a card reader).
As for the ROM ... it depends.
The Stock Kernel Modules AddOn of GingerDX introduces ext3 and ext4 modules for the SEMC Stock Kernel, so in theory (I didn't test it!) you should be able to access /sdcard when being formatted ext3/4 - though it could be that you might need to adjust the vold script to properly mount the partition. The modules are mainly for supporting the sd-ext partition for "Apps-to-ext3/4-partition-on-mSD".
There's also alfsamsung's Alfs Kernel which is compatible with GingerDX and some other ROMs. That would be something you could try as well.
Simply look through the ROM threads ... I think MiniCM7 (+nAa's Kernel) should be able to support it, though this could involve some tinkering.
Personally speaking, I only have a ~2GB sd-ext on the SD in my X8 and the rest is a normal FAT32 partition (/sdcard).

yes you need a FAT32 partition.
when you partition your SD card you can move moveable app and games to ext partition.
please dont move app wich they cant move to ext partition.
cause after restart app that you moved to ext will corrupted.
good luck.

Thanks again! I think I'll follow your trend and try the 2GB SD-ext and the rest FAT32.

sd-ext missing!!
hey guys!! I've a small prob, would appreciate some tips. I normally move apps to sd card, if the app is movable by default. if the app is not movable by default, i use this app2sd by droidsail (available in the market) which force moves parts of the app 2 sd card. When I make back ups using xrecovery, i have no problem.
but when I use cwm for back ups, it gives an error saying sd-ext not found and it skips that part of the back up!! so any app I've moved by default or forced moved to sd card doesn't get backed up!! So I presume I have to create a sd-ext partition manually? How do I do it? I do have an sd-ext folder. but its not in sd card. it's in the root. (never had this prob with xrecovery though)
thanks in advance!!

neo_na said:
hey guys!! I've a small prob, would appreciate some tips. I normally move apps to sd card, if the app is movable by default. if the app is not movable by default, i use this app2sd by droidsail (available in the market) which force moves parts of the app 2 sd card. When I make back ups using xrecovery, i have no problem.
but when I use cwm for back ups, it gives an error saying sd-ext not found and it skips that part of the back up!! so any app I've moved by default or forced moved to sd card doesn't get backed up!! So I presume I have to create a sd-ext partition manually? How do I do it? I do have an sd-ext folder. but its not in sd card. it's in the root. (never had this prob with xrecovery though)
thanks in advance!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which version of CWM would that be?

Saipro said:
Which version of CWM would that be?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's cwm 4.0.1.5