[Q] Internal-External Memory Swap: useful or not?

eletto1987 · Apr 10, 2012

Hi

I have a Samsung Galaxy W, and you know that this device has such a little memory for apps and games.
I bought a 16 gb class 10 external sd and I was wonder if the memory swap mod could be a really useful operation.

I'm not usual to install lots of applications and games, (I really use only social apps) however sometimes I like to play some heavy-data games. So I need a help: do you suggest me to keep the sd as a default external memory, maybe trying to move the heavier apps in this external space with link2sd and other stuff, or it would be better to make the swap and then make the sd recognized as internal memory?

I read that sometimes the swap operation causes lags and some other stuff, so I need your opinions and suggests.

Thanks in advice

TheGatorade · Apr 10, 2012

Some custom ROMs automatically swap /sdcard/ with /sdcard/external_sd/
You could try that, it's a great solution IMHO.
Did you try "GL to SD(root)"? Download it from the market... It just mount the external SD as the sdcard, but temporarily. And it also moves game data to external SD.

Sent from my GT-I8150 using XDA on CyanogenMod 9

snwman · Apr 10, 2012

Also bugs me as well. I just bought 32gb class 10 card and i am using cow bionic 2 rom. But i already changed the vold.fstab folder back to stock. I would be the same not a heavy app storer. If i dont use the app any more i delete it.

But supposedly if you have a class 10 card you should not experience any lag if you have the swap done?? How true this is i dont know

memelizer · Apr 10, 2012

maybe i'll find this useful for heavy data games like generation of chaos or other apps/games that install themselves on the internal storage and not on the sd card, other than that, i seriously don't know what other advantage it can provide

yewsiong · Apr 10, 2012

Of course, swapping is a good solution for huge games data storing on external sd and u own a class 10 sd card which is fast enough for swapping. However, this may cause problem when u want to remove sd card as most of the apps are stored on it.
GL to sd is a better solution to me personally. I wrote a similar script instead of using GL to sd. This mounts certain paths to ur external sd card while keeping other important apps such as launcher, theme, widgets, on the internal sd.

snwman · Apr 10, 2012

yewsiong said:
Of course, swapping is a good solution for huge games data storing on external sd and u own a class 10 sd card which is fast enough for swapping. However, this may cause problem when u want to remove sd card as most of the apps are stored on it.
GL to sd is a better solution to me personally. I wrote a similar script instead of using GL to sd. This mounts certain paths to ur external sd card while keeping other important apps such as launcher, theme, widgets, on the internal sd.

Care to explain about the script you wrote. Also whats GL?? I wouldnt use any big games so no point in me swapping. But if any roms i flash to the phone has this done ill not bother changing it back to stock. Also is class 10 not the highest micro sd card you can get??

yewsiong · Apr 10, 2012

snwman said:
Care to explain about the script you wrote. Also whats GL?? I wouldnt use any big games so no point in me swapping. But if any roms i flash to the phone has this done ill not bother changing it back to stock. Also is class 10 not the highest micro sd card you can get??

Yes, class 10 is the fastest writing speed for MicroSD at this moment.
I used script manager to create a script for mounting and give it SU and set it on boot. It is very simple.

Create a new script file and type the following:
(I used the Android folder as example)

Code:

mount -o bind sdcard/external_sd/Android sdcard/Android

This is for gameloft

Code:

mount -o bind sdcard/external_sd/gameloft sdcard/gameloft

After creating these, u need to cut the files in Android or gameloft from internal sdcard and paste them to the new location on external sd. Leave the original folders empty.

Remember to set them "boot" and "su".
enjoy

Edit: if u download any other games that stores its data in Android folder, it will automatically move to ur external sd card as the script has mounted the path to external sd since every boot.

irishpancake · Apr 10, 2012

yewsiong said:
Of course, swapping is a good solution for huge games data storing on external sd and u own a class 10 sd card which is fast enough for swapping. However, this may cause problem when u want to remove sd card as most of the apps are stored on it.
GL to sd is a better solution to me personally. I wrote a similar script instead of using GL to sd. This mounts certain paths to ur external sd card while keeping other important apps such as launcher, theme, widgets, on the internal sd.

However, this may cause problem when u want to remove sd card as most of the apps are stored on it.

But, in a swap situation, on the Wonder, Apps are not moved to External SD Card........

without swap they are moved to /sdcard/external_sd/.android_secure folder

with swap, moved Apps should be on re-mapped internal SD, so removing SD Card should not have any effect on Apps...

of course App Data should be on External [Removable] SD Card...re-mapped as /sdcard

It seems to me, for game players, Game Loft, etc.....Gl to SD is the ideal solution....****see also EDIT below****

Video for Wonder Here:

****EDIT: Just to say, yewsiong script looks good for gamers, etc.....****

saphiecor · Apr 14, 2012

It's pretty useful if you're an avid gamer. Some games usually reach 400mb+. But if not, you could still use it for storing music and videos.

irishpancake · Apr 14, 2012

saphiecor said:
It's pretty useful if you're an avid gamer. Some games usually reach 400mb+. But if not, you could still use it for storing music and videos.

Which solution do you mean......

see yewsiong post here

yewsiong · Apr 14, 2012

irishpancake said:
Which solution do you mean......

see yewsiong post here

I think he meant without swapping, external sd can still be used as data, music, pics, etc. storage.

a.fontenele · May 15, 2012

Go for it!

IMHO I see no cons whatsoever in performing the SD Card swap, just pros. I got my 32Gb Class 10 just for the swap... Check my signature links to see what I've done to my SGW...

[.::MDT::.] · Jul 17, 2012

a.fontenele said:
IMHO I see no cons whatsoever in performing the SD Card swap, just pros. I got my 32Gb Class 10 just for the swap... Check my signature links to see what I've done to my SGW...

Hi,
I followed the method outlined in your signature (http://latgale.co.uk/?p=70) and now I can see about 15GB (I have a 16GB class 10 SD) available for apps on SD.

However, when I try to move an app to the SD by using App2SD, the app doesn't go to the 15GB partition. How do you do?

Thanks a lot.

a.fontenele · Jul 17, 2012

[.::MDT::.] said:
Hi,
I followed the method outlined in your signature (http://latgale.co.uk/?p=70) and now I can see about 15GB (I have a 16GB class 10 SD) available for apps on SD.

However, when I try to move an app to the SD by using App2SD, the app doesn't go to the 15GB partition. How do you do?

Thanks a lot.

Yeah... This is something I haven't found a solution for. Whenever you try to move an app, it goes to the USB Storage. Since we swapped memories, the app will be moved to the 1.7GB memory. For me it'd be great to have everything in the Micro SD card, the 1.7 GB memory is useless to me...

[.::MDT::.] · Jul 17, 2012

a.fontenele said:
Yeah... This is something I haven't found a solution for. Whenever you try to move an app, it goes to the USB Storage. Since we swapped memories, the app will be moved to the 1.7GB memory. For me it'd be great to have everything in the Micro SD card, the 1.7 GB memory is useless to me...

Yeah, that's a real pity! :crying:

I wonder what's the point of doing so, if the memory available for the apps still remains the 1,7GB partition... why swapping partitions then?

Do you have any idea if there is any ROM that lets you install apps in the "bigger partition" (the 14,3 GB according to the example above) or are you aware of any other possible solution?

Thanks.

irishpancake · Jul 17, 2012

[.::MDT::.] said:
Yeah, that's a real pity! :crying:

I wonder what's the point of doing so, if the memory available for the apps still remains the 1,7GB partition... why swapping partitions then?

Do you have any idea if there is any ROM that lets you install apps in the "bigger partition" (the 14,3 GB according to the example above) or are you aware of any other possible solution?

Thanks.

But, as I said before here ad nauseam, the External Physical SD Card is where Apps moved by App2SD are designed to go......so before doing a vold.fstab mount point swap, ppl should ask themselves.......

Do I really need a gigantic Internal USB Storage at [/mnt/sdcard], for what reason do I need this??

I think myself, that this is only useful for those who require to have Storage requirements for certain Games and GPS Maps Storage, etc, which do not have a built-in ability to store data on the External Physical SD Card [/mount/sdcard/external_sd]....but there are other ways to achieve this!!!

BTW, the Tutorial linked http://latgale.co.uk/?p=70 is by Eric Pīgoznis, who posted here in the very early days!!!

[.::MDT::.] · Jul 17, 2012

First of all, thanks a lot for your answer!

irishpancake said:
But, as I said before here ad nauseam, the External Physical SD Card is where Apps moved by App2SD are designed to go......so before doing a vold.fstab mount point swap, ppl should ask themselves.......

Do I really need a gigantic Internal USB Storage at [/mnt/sdcard], for what reason do I need this??

I think myself, that this is only useful for those who require to have Storage requirements for certain Games and GPS Maps Storage, etc, which do not have a built-in ability to store data on the External Physical SD Card [/mount/sdcard/external_sd]....but there are other ways to achieve this!!!

Yep, that's exactly what I would like to have!
I bought a 16GB card to install many maps and games, but I quickly ran out of memory so I cannot add anymore apps (without removing already installed apps of course).
That's why I would like to use my SD card for apps - if possible of course!
And it's a pity I have 15GB free (for what? Just my music/video/pictures?) and I cannot use this space for apps.

What are the other ways to achieve this you mentioned?
It'd be really helpful!

irishpancake said:
BTW, the Tutorial linked http://latgale.co.uk/?p=70 is by Eric Pīgoznis, who posted here in the very early days!!!

Yes, I found the same instructions on this forum, you're right...

Dhada · Jul 18, 2012

hmm

Swapping Internal/External is the most important for those HD gamers :good:

[.::MDT::.] · Jul 18, 2012

irishpancake said:
But, as I said before here ad nauseam, the External Physical SD Card is where Apps moved by App2SD are designed to go......so before doing a vold.fstab mount point swap, ppl should ask themselves.......

Do I really need a gigantic Internal USB Storage at [/mnt/sdcard], for what reason do I need this??

I think myself, that this is only useful for those who require to have Storage requirements for certain Games and GPS Maps Storage, etc, which do not have a built-in ability to store data on the External Physical SD Card [/mount/sdcard/external_sd]....but there are other ways to achieve this!!!

BTW, the Tutorial linked http://latgale.co.uk/?p=70 is by Eric Pīgoznis, who posted here in the very early days!!!

Dhada said:
Swapping Internal/External is the most important for those HD gamers :good:

I agree... any news about that then?

Thanks a lot!

[Q] Internal-External Memory Swap: useful or not?

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