[Q] Wiping ext2 partition on Apps2ext? - Motorola Droid and Milestone General

I have a 1gb partition made on my SD card. What's the easiest way to wipe this partition clean?
I want to know becuase when I install new ROMs that require a full wipe, all my apps are still on the ext2 partition and so when I install my ROM, all the apps come along.
Right now I'm trying to do a fresh install of CM7 and to start fresh without all that bloat that I had in my old apps and probably useless apps I don't want anymore. How do I wipe that ext2 partition clean in the easiest way? It

Use FuFu's OR. It has an option to wipe ext partition. You can find it here.

Related

[Q] a2sd darktremor and Enomther's ROM

Does a2sd Darktremor work with Enomther's ROM?
I've installed a2sd darktremor via the zip file in recovery.
the sd card has an ext3 partition.
When in terminal emulator, typing /system/bin/a2sd check comes back with "not found"
Thanks
Enomther's ROM contains built-in support for A2SD. Absolutely no need to install anything else, just to look in the thread and in Spare Parts.
You can simply check app2sd related options(including dalvik cache moving) in spare parts. However, since you flashed Darktremor's over, I don't know if it will work well. If not, you need to wipe all, then flash the ROM again.
Thank you for the replies.
I've made a clockworkmod backup before I started tinkering, so everything is backed up.
The only changes i made, was to change my micro sd card from the standard 4gb FAT32 partition to a 8gb one (7gb FAT32, 1gb ext3)
In spare parts i then enabled oldstyle-extfs-apps2sd.
I noticed the free space on the internal storage increased from ~20mb to 60mb.
The a2sd storage 120mb has currently been used. My question is what exactly is in the ext3 partition and how do i move apps there ? (is it possible to individually move them)
Finally a bit OT, but a when doing a titanium backup i'm assuming this will still back up all system/user data?
If you check A2SD option - ALL your apps will move to EXT. Their data and Dalvik cache will remain on the phone.
If you check Cache2SD - Dalvik cache will also move to EXT.
You can't move the apps data to SD, unless you do it manually.
TB will backup everything.
All the rest you can read about in DarkTremor's thread.

[Q] Backup ext?

So my daily build is the CM7 nightlies.
I have pretty much all my apps on my ext3 partition. However, if I want to flash another ROM (aside from another nightly) I pretty much have to wipe. Wiping also wipes the ext3 partition.
I do do a nandroid before wiping, and it does back up the ext3 partition, but when I restore it doesn't seem to restore the ext. Also for some reason, after restoring I am unable to install apps at all to the ext3 partition, and I have to format the whole sd card to fat32, then make a ext3 partition again.
I actually kept getting hotboots after restoring a nandroid whenever an app would try to install. This was after I installed dta2sd.
So how can I backup a ROM with info on an ext3 partition, and restore it after wiping the partition.
I guess you're using ROM Manager with its default recovery.
Use AmonRa's recovery.

I could really use some help solving my A2SD+ problem

For the life of me, I CANNOT get A2SD to work properly.
ROM: MIUI 1.9.16
SD Card: 16GB w/ 1GB EXT4 partition
Problem:
When I do a fresh install of MIUI (wipe cache, wipe dalvik, wipe data/factory reset) A2SD+ in settings->system->storage says available and used are "0.00B".
If I use dark tremor a2sd install scripts, they 'claim' to have activated the space. It appears space is used on it too (around 100mb, despite previous wipe of all data which says it wipes SD-EXT). When new apps install they east away at my meager "internal" storage (IE: 20mb remaining) and my programs area says I ahve a total of something like 200mb of storage (shouldn't this change to over 1GB because of the partition?!).
As of right now I've restored my previous install, which says "0.00B" for A2SD+, and I have a 1GB EXT4 partition sitting here doing nothing.
a2sd is auto on MIUI after flash/reboot--shouldn't need to run scripts--but you can
try reformatting sdcard outside of phone and with sdformatter, then partition it as ext3 0 swap
ext4 never worked quite right for me
then fresh install with system/data/cache wipes 3 times each
Thanks for the reply. What's with this common habit of wiping 3 times? Doesn't wiping just unlink all the inodes from the partition table, then mark the sectors as free space anyways?
Anyway, MIUI at flash point never picks up this partition. I will try changing it to EXT3 and seeing what happens.
I am not a tech, but I think the phone doesn't do thorough job. That's why I format outside phone. Don't know for sure on System wipe, but most peolple recommend 3 or more times on data/caches.
I have been using these methods for quite awhile now and have much fewer flash issues between roms. Thanks to Temasek on his Format zips--------
ken
Well would you look at that. Fresh flash of the ROM with an EXT3 partition and it works! Didn't have to flash any DT zip. Thanks!
EDIT:
After using MIUI backup to restore my apps and stuff, I'm already out of space. My sd-ext isn't being used! how do I fix this?!
Your Welcome--
Sorry for double post, but I spoke too soon. A2SD still doesn't appear to be working correctly. I've attached a few screenshots to help show what I'm talking about. Titanium backup doesn't see the space (I don't think) either. It appears MIUI sees the space available... but doesn't use it. I just did an a2sd zipalign, followed by a a2sd cachesd to move the dalvik cache to the SD card which helped my space woes a bit, but my a2sd partition seems to be completely unused, other than the dalvik cache!
I can't view your thumbs, get error on page. May be my work computer
Had that happen once and a2sd was doing its thing, just not showing in Root Explorer as ext being used
Do you have any low mem warnings
You could try Quick System from market and see what it says
Your A2SD is working fine. As you can see, you have >100 MB of apps installed on it (0.94GB SD-EXT partition size, 832MB free). The reason you still see your internal memory being used is - 1) Dalvik-cache is still on the internal memory, 2) App data is still on internal memory. You can change that in A2SD GUI settings. If it tells you that Dalvik is already on SD - it's lying, the app isn't too correct, the script is much more correct. You can run the script to move Dalvik to SD in that case.
And the integration of A2SD isn't system-wide - actually, the system has no idea that A2SD is present, and doesn't report anything else for its partition sizes but the original sizes.
Jack_R1, after a random soft reset occurred, titanium now shows the a2sd. Thanks for clearing some of the information up for me.

[Q] ext4 problems when changing ROM's

So I like to switch ROM's quite frequently, the only problem is that I seem to have to format my sdcard and set up the partitions each time I switch. I feel like nandroid either doesn't restore data to the ext4 properly or messes up the partition when I do a factory reset, since it formats the ext4 partition. Whatever the case, I am unable to move apps to the ext4 after a flash.
Whenever I want to switch to another ROM I have to backup my sdcard to my computer, format the card using diskpart, create the partition again in recovery mode, restore sdcard contents, and then finally flash the ROM I want. This can take forever and makes trying new ROM's out a huge hassle.
If I don't restore a nandroid and flash a ROM from scratch, I'll install s2e, reboot, and navigate to /sd-ext using root explorer and there will be no files.
I mainly use s2e with CM7, but I have tried a2sd with similar results. As far as I know though, they both use the same technique to move apps so it shouldn't matter.
Am I doing something wrong? I use nandroid and everything, but once I do a factory reset it refuses to restore the ext4 backup, and I get an error relating to space limitations.
Thanks a lot.
I've changed ROMs a few times, and everytime I've done so, the ext4 partition has remained fine. Although, it is seriously recommended that you flash the latest darktremor a2sd script as the incorporated ones don't seem to work well.
Flash darktremors, then enter the command line emulator on your phone and type:
su
a2sd reinstall (your phone will reboot)
su
a2sd cachesd (your phone will reboot)
su
a2sd zipalign
This should always be done after a ROM switch.
Alright, I will try that out.
Just wondering, will this restore all the apps I have on the ext4 partition? For example, if I flash MIUI for the first time, then commands the commands you gave me, will all my apps be restored? I assume no since clockworkmod wipes the ext4 partition when doing a factory reset.
The S2E and DarkTremor's a2sd apps actually use different ways of utilizing the ext partition, so the two are incompatible (although, S2E includes a way to convert from DT's to its own).
And as long as you didn't wipe the ext partition (which a Factory Reset does), using those commands should restore your apps.
But with what you are doing, it may be easier to use Titanium Backup to restore your apps back rather than nandroid. This will allow you to keep all your app settings and saved info as well. Just be careful to not back up system data. Restoring those on the same ROM can cause issues, and it would probably cause a lot more if it is between two different ROMs.
Switch your Ext 4 Partition to Ext 3 and you'll notice a lot more stability when switching roms.
Some roms don't have the correct Apps2SD or Kernel installed to support ext 4 but most, if not all, support ext 3.
I recommend using AmonRa Recovery as CWM always corrupts the ext partitions.
Re-partition your SD-Card and start again.
If This Helped please Hit THANKS

create ext4 for use with a2sd

hi,
i'm usin ra passion 2.2.1 and wan't to use a2sd from ics 4.0.3 evervolv. how can i create a part ext4?
Google:
"a2sd partition sd card".
Enjoy.
Try 4EXT recovery www.4ext.net
I think its the easiest way to create partition.
Or else you can do it in pc via partition managers(i use minitool partition wizard)
You can google it and also can search in youtube for video tutorials.
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk
thanks for your help, i've done it in recovery.
one question is left:
what happen if i format the partioned sd-card under windows and do a full wipe in preparation for installing a new rom. i've read sd-ext even survive a full wipe? what does that mean? stays the partition untouched when i format the sd-card with windows? and what about the apps in the partition? are they still there even after a full wipe and can i use them after flashing a new rom out of the box?
Glad u succeeded in partitioning
Now if you format the fat32 partition in windows using those partition tools doesnt affect ur ext. Ext stays untouched but all the data on fat32 will be wiped(so backup first to pc)
If u want to merge there is an option called merge for that.
There is an free windows software called sdformatter, that formats the entire sdcard(fat32+ext)
Hope i helped a bit :thumbup:
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk
ok. i wan't to format it with the windows internal function via right click. is it the same and the ext4 stays untouched?
Full wipe in recovery wipes SD-EXT too.
heinz gruber said:
ok. i wan't to format it with the windows internal function via right click. is it the same and the ext4 stays untouched?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i do beleive that it should be untouched, cos normally windows cannot see the ext partition and hence only fat32 will be formatted
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk
ok. when ext4 stay untouched and i flash a new rom the apps are still in the launcher after flashing?
Jack_R1 said:
Full wipe in recovery wipes SD-EXT too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when i flash a new rom i use the format.zip form the xda user temasek which wipes system, boot, data and cache. so is sd-ext untouched when i use this file?
You insist on not listening and/or not understanding.
When you select "wipe data/factory reset" in custom recovery, EXT partition IS WIPED COMPLETELY. It doesn't stay.
I believe the same happens when using temasek's script, never bothered using it, so I can't say with 100% certainty.
If you don't wipe your phone and install a new ROM - be prepared for crashes of anything to everything, unless you install a ROM which is 100% compatible with what you have already - the next generation of the same ROM, usually.
If you're using A2SD and don't wipe EXT partition - you'll have crashes as soon as you boot, since system apps' data will be there (and wrong).
To keep your apps and their data, use one of the backup apps available in the Market, like Titanium Backup.
as Jack_R1 explained its always better to wipe everything(system,cache,dalvik n sdext) to be on safer side to avoid crashes n FCs.
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk
Temasek's Extreme Wipe does Data/System/Boot partitions but don't remember seeing ext in the list
However, as alluded too, I would format all outside phone with sdformatter or I think gparted, although never used that one
I thought I read a long time ago Windows formatter not recommended and do a full wipe not partial with whatever you use
Back up sdcard first
also, I believe you can use the Alignment Cool zip to get ext 4 from 3 on Amon and not lose anything--still backup
you do know MeDroid uses Ia2sd and different from a2sd on implementation
You don't need to wipe the regular FAT partition on SD card between flashes, because there's nothing there that loads automatically. And "wipe data/factory reset" option in recovery also wipes /sdcard/.android_secure.
hey guys, thanks for your answers i will keep them in mind.
edit:
one more question:
if i uses temaseks script and the sd-ext is untouched and i flash a newer version of my rom, are the apps then still there after flashing and booting the updated system? or is there another step i've to do?
No, the apps aren't there anymore - or to be correct, the apps are there, their data is gone (because the app data doesn't reside on EXT partition, unless you use specific mounting methods).
When you flash an updated version of your ROM, just don't wipe anything at all unless the instructions specifically mention having to wipe before installing that version. That means - don't execute temasek's script at all.

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