Sdcard duplicate? - XPERIA X8 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Here's the problem. I have got no cardreader. I got a new microsd card. I'd like to duplicate all the existing stuff on my current card onto the new card and use the new one. Do I need to batch tar all my files on my current sdcard and copy onto my host pc then place it on my new card and then untar the files?
How do I do this efficiently and problem-free?

Move everything from the sdcard to the pc by using ur phone and then put the new sdcard in the phone and move it there
Sent from a X8 using my thumbs

the current sdcard partition is of vfat. The future card partition where I would like is ext4. Now what happens to all the permissions bits of those folders on a VFAT partition? Once I tar them the permissions will preserve but when I copy to an ext4 partition all the permissions bits are simply wrong and incompatible. How do I fix this mess?

u yourself know d solution! Thats the only way to preserve permissions...
Btw why are sd card permissions bothering you? They dont affect the rom

I will tell you why permission bothers me. Say for example one day my application works perfectly next day when I convert everything to a new microsd card thing does not work because of wrong permission. have you experienced anything like that before? Permission denied!
No it wont affect the rom but it will screw up my apps.
VFAT worldview of permissions is totally different from that of EXT4. So I wonder exactly what happens when I untar all these folders onto a ext4 partition?

Don't directly move the data to ext4 instead partition your card with vfat and ext4, copy your data to vfat. Check if everything works fine(if there's a problem, try fix permission from recovery). If no problem, activate app2sd that will allow you to move your apps to ext4. Using the same app that you used to move your apps to SD card move the apps back to phone, app2sd will automatically move them to the ext4 partition.
I hope this helps.
Sent from my X8 using XDA

Related

Formatting SD card? Ext3

So I have had my memory card get corrupted twice here recently, probably within two weeks. It caused me to have to reformat my SD card entirely. I was wondering if I format the SD card to be Ext3 completely, would I still be able to save everything on it as usual? I know I won't be able to use it on a windows machine, but I don't really care about that. I am just wondering if the phone needs it to be formatted to Fat32. I don't use A2SD, compcache, swap, or anything else. Just storage.
It might work if u make changes in init.rc to specify the file system type when it mounts it on boot up...
craigacgomez said:
It might work if u make changes in init.rc to specify the file system type when it mounts it on boot up...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, well I may have to give that a try. Does the int.rc already specify the existing file system (just so I can find it easier, or will I have to create something new)?
I had a spare micro SD card laying around and formatted it to Ext3. None of the apps I had recognized it.

[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] 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

[Q] Directory Bind and Link2SD

I was quickly running out of room on my phone as everything was being installed to my internal SD card (4Gb) and not to my 32Gb external card.
I found an app called directory bind which I thought would move my large games data files and put them on my external card telling my phone where to find them while freeing up my internal SD card. So I tried the following
Source /mnt/extSdCard/Gameloft/
Target /sdcard/Gameloft/
I end up with a copy of my data files on my external sd card but the files are still on my internal sd card. So instead of saving me space this takes extra space on my ext SD card as well. I thought I'll just delete the data on my internal card as its on my external card. What happens? It deletes the files from my external card as well. Really strange. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Personally speaking I would've called the internal SD card the source and the external card the target. Perhaps thats where I'm going wrong but everything on using this app shows the ext card and int card used like this.
I've just found another app called link2sd would this be a better solution than directory bind?
Not sure about what you're asking. But this might help your problem: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2078603
Link2SD won't work either.
Sent from my GT-I8190 using xda premium
swagmeister said:
Not sure about what you're asking. But this might help your problem: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2078603
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds like the perfect solution. I still don't understand why directory bind doesn't move the folders for me and just copies them. Also at a loss why deleting from internal sdcard deletes the external sdcard contents too. It looks like there is a binding between the two folders but whats the point if it doesn't clear space on your internal sdcard and just duplicates the folders.
You aren't doing it correctly... I'm using Directory Bind without any problems, although it was a little frustrating at the beginning.
Go to its settings, then change the default data path to
Code:
mnt/extSdCard/
and the default target path to
Code:
/sdcard/
Also, have the Alternate dbase mgmt and Persistent service boxes checked.
Now, just follow this tutorial and it'll work http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1889550. Of course, you can specify exact folders both in the data and target paths, I just like to specify each time.
kicker63 said:
Link2SD won't work either.
Sent from my GT-I8190 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, yes, Link2SD works on the S3 mini but we need the init.d support for the secured boot.img. I found the batchscript created by doomlord and I have modified this script for our S3 mini. Then I create a ext4 partition (Guide by einstein.frat) on my microSD and the apps with dalvik cache files (.DEX) and library files (libs) is outsource to the ext4 partition. Until now it works without bugs. I`ll later report this in the devlopment section.
Regards
leather.face said:
Hi, yes, Link2SD works on the S3 mini but we need the init.d support for the secured boot.img. I found the batchscript created by doomlord and I have modified this script for our S3 mini. Then I create a ext4 partition (Guide by einstein.frat) on my microSD and the apps with dalvik cache files (.DEX) and library files (libs) is outsource to the ext4 partition. Until now it works without bugs. I`ll later report this in the devlopment section.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any input about it? Is it still doing well?
And since you dealt with it, do some of you guys have any advice on this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2227471
Thanks,
Directorybind works fine, or foldermount.
What you see in internal is actually files on external. Try to unmount or delete some file on external and you will see its not a copy.
Sent through time and space from my s3mini.
Data just pretends to be on internal storage. Use an app call DiskUsage to see exactly how much space it takes up in a nice visual graph

[Q] Some apps don't see sdcard1

I have tried to Google this issue with little success. What happens is I used to have the Xperia Ray (GB 2.3.4) where apps like ZDBox can detect my Samsung 32GB microSD and moved apps to SD without issue. Now with the SP, it cannot see the ext SD at all (but Cleanup Master still can). Another issue is that SD Tools was able to display the Samsung SD ROM data on the Ray but can't now with the SP. Also, SD Booster used to recommend 2048 for 32GB SD on the Ray, but now saying 512 is optimal? I am so confused. Is it a SP or JB 4.1.2 issue? Both are rooted BTW.
Because the Sp has internal memory mounted as SD card you won't be able to move apps to SD card.
To move apps and data a lot of people use link2sd to move apps to ext SD card and apps like folder mount to move game data/obb files to ext SD card.
Only works if rooted.
Sent from my C5303 using xda premium
zolaisugly said:
To move apps and data a lot of people use link2sd to move apps to ext SD card and apps like folder mount to move game data/obb files to ext SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is that link2SD din't move the /data/data/x folder to the ext2 Sd partition, then if you have a lot of files there (like music temporal files of Google Music) the benefits are poor.
themacboy said:
The problem is that link2SD din't move the /data/data/x folder to the ext2 Sd partition, then if you have a lot of files there (like music temporal files of Google Music) the benefits are poor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will not move it. It will mount it in this point.
Link2SD can move data to other partition. But. You have to had two partitions on sd card. First one in FAT on wich you hold any files (music, movies...) and second on wich you will move app data. With new version you can have on second partition ext2, ext3, or fat filesystem.
You need to have root of course. You can try make only one partition in sdcard, but in this case you have to make ext2 or ext3 partition on SDCard and I really dont know if it work. I didnt see option in link2SD where you can set your data partition so it will try to find second partition on sdcard.
I use 32GB sd card with 16GB with FAT filesystem and 16 in ext3 to move app data there.
To create 2nd partition you need to use PC and a partition creating tool I use easeus maker.
You need to create partition and make it primary,if you use fat32 it will be supported by stock ROM.
Once done put card back in phone start link2sd and it will find new partition and ask how to handle select format that matches yours.
Then you can link all the apps you want apart from system apps.
Sent from my C5303 using xda premium
I usually use AParted to format all my partitions on SD card from my phone.
As I said before, in my phone link2SD din't manage /data/data/x folder on second partition (ext2, ext3, ...), only manage /data/app/x and probably others.
Then if you try to move to ext2 partition (link) any app with a lot of data files stored, alll this files din't point to ext2, will remain in internal memory.
For exmaple:
Try to download Google Music app, link this app to ext2 partition. Now in app make ready a lot of file in offline mode. It will store all this temp song files in /data/data/com.google.andorid.music folder.
Now check in Link2SD and with any filebrowser, you will see that this files are always in internal memory because link2SD din't manage /data/data/x to link it to second partition on external sd.
Sorry I can't help any more as I dont use that app you said. I do use link2sd and have no issues when linking the app to the ext SD card.
Remember you may see info still on data/app but the contents are sym linked.
But if you are sure you have set 2nd partition correct to primary and using fat32( stock supports this)
I can't help you further sorry
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
I ended up just using Clean Master moving 19 apps to SD. There are many can't be moved but not too bad consider it is far more convenience than Folder Mount. I also removed SD booster which was tested to offer no speed advantage. Next will be battery drain problem. Boy I feel I have spent more time tweaking the android than actually utilizing it.
themacboy said:
I usually use AParted to format all my partitions on SD card from my phone.
As I said before, in my phone link2SD din't manage /data/data/x folder on second partition (ext2, ext3, ...), only manage /data/app/x and probably others.
Then if you try to move to ext2 partition (link) any app with a lot of data files stored, alll this files din't point to ext2, will remain in internal memory.
For exmaple:
Try to download Google Music app, link this app to ext2 partition. Now in app make ready a lot of file in offline mode. It will store all this temp song files in /data/data/com.google.andorid.music folder.
Now check in Link2SD and with any filebrowser, you will see that this files are always in internal memory because link2SD din't manage /data/data/x to link it to second partition on external sd.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now I'll check that once again (I had to buy new SD Card) and you have right. Link2SD move only:
APK File - /data/app/*.apk
Dex files - /data/dalvik-cache/[email protected]*.dex
Libraries - /data/data/*/lib/app_libraries
And other things from /data/data/ stays there. Only libraries are moved from this folder ((
But Its a solution. Just use FolderMount from Google Play It works awesome.

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