HOW TO: Manually partition your SD card for Android Apps2SD with MT3G Slide

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This article is for people with rooted Android phones and having trouble with eugene's method. Everyone else please ignore. There are dozens of ways to partition your SD card and I would like to share the one that has worked for me every time. I prefer to manually partition my SD card because it gives me complete control.

Requirements before getting started:

Already Rooted Mytouch 3G Side
Clockwork recovery
SD Card (Class 6 suggested but any will work)
Android Device Bridge(ADB): Comes with the Android SDK.
Command Prompt on your computer


These instructions apply to both the Windows command prompt and the Mac terminal. I was using Windows 7. You can partition your SD card at any time, but you might as well do it before you flash a new build of Android. As always, back up your data when performing any hacks. Partitioning your SD card will erase all data on it. Read the whole thing before starting.
I'm Not Responsible for Any Damage to your Phone or Memory Card

All commands you need to type are in bold (my comments are in parenthesis). If you do not know how to use ADB, leave a comment for help or read ADB for Dummies over in the forums.


Step 1.
Step 1: Connect your phone to your computer via USB. Reboot into Clockwork recovery mode. Make sure your phone is seen by adb. After your phone has booted into the clockwork recovery and seen on the recovery screen. Go to the partition menu and unmount sdcard.

Next:
Command: adb shell (type this after your phone has booted into the clockwork recovery and seen on the recovery screen. it should take you to a # prompt)

Step 2.
Step 2: Open parted to partition your SD card.

Command: parted /dev/block/mmcblk0 (opens parted and mounts your SD card)



Step 3.
Step 3: Check the size and partitions of your SD card. The print command will display this info. You can see the size of my SD card is 7944 MB (8 GB). I have 1 partition which is fat32. If your SD card is blank and no partitions are listed, you can skip to Step 5.

Command: print (displays SD card information)


Step 4.
Step 4: Remove all existing partitions. If you have multiple partitions, remove each one at a time.

Command: rm 1 (deletes partition number 1)
Command: rm 2 (if needed. keep going till all partitions are removed)
Command: print (check when you are done to make sure all partitions are removed)

Step 5.
Step 5: Create your new partitions. You can make these any size, but the most common setup is 32 MB linux-swap partition, 512 MB ext2 partition, and remaining free space as a fat32 partition. In order to work properly, the partitions must be created in this order: fat32, ext2, linux-swap.

The linux-swap partition is used for a swap file on some builds. Not all builds use linux-swap, but I create one just in case I ever need it.

The ext2 partition is where your apps will be installed. I use 512 MB which gives me plenty of room but you can go larger like 1024 MB if you want. Parted only creates ext2 partitions.

When using the Linux command mkpartfs, you must tell it where to start and and end each partition. This can be done by taking the total SD card size and subtracting the linux-swap then ext2 partition sizes. See the following example for my 8 GB card that came with phone.

Command: mkpartfs primary fat32 0 7400 (start is 0 and end is Total C)
Command: mkpartfs primary ext2 7400 7912 (start is Total C and end is Total B)
Command: mkpartfs primary linux-swap 7912 7944 (start is Total B and end is Total A)


7944 Total A
-32 linux-swap
7912 Total B
-512 ext2
7400 Total C


Partition sizes for a 8 GB SD card.

Step 6.
Step 6: Check the sizes of your partitions. Use the command print again to display the partition sizes. If you made any mistakes you can return to Step 4 and remove them.

command: print (displays your partition information)

Step 7.
Step 7: Exit parted. For most users this is the final step.

command: quit (exit parted and return to # prompt)

Now you have a partitioned sdcard for A2SD

how to upgrade to EXT 3

That's a good question. I don't think the script eugene used has the upgrade feature. I couldn't upgrade_fs to get to ext 3 neither. That's why I left it out.

Some will probably want to know this as well... If I am trying to go back to a full SD card of just a FAT partition, I imagine when making the partitions, you would simply use:

Command: mkpartfs primary fat32 0 7944

And thats all, using your 8gb example size, correct?

Originally Posted by lstevens86

That's a good question. I don't think the script eugene used has the upgrade feature. I couldn't upgrade_fs to get to ext 3 neither. That's why I left it out.

thanks for the info. wish he added it cause i really wanted the lenged rom wit app2sd and i require ext 3 to work

PS C:\androidsdk\tools> adb shell
~ # parted /dev/block/mmcblk0
parted /dev/block/mmcblk0
/sbin/sh: parted: not found
~ #

So what do I do here? My Slide is rooted, I'm in clockwork, the SD card was unmounted (says mount /sdcard in the partitions menu)...

ADB shows the device is connected in recovery.

Originally Posted by fermunky

Some will probably want to know this as well... If I am trying to go back to a full SD card of just a FAT partition, I imagine when making the partitions, you would simply use:

Command: mkpartfs primary fat32 0 7944

And thats all, using your 8gb example size, correct?

Yes this is correct, just make sure you rm 2 for ext 2 and rm 3 for swap

Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App

Originally Posted by lesstalk

PS C:\androidsdk\tools> adb shell
~ # parted /dev/block/mmcblk0
parted /dev/block/mmcblk0
/sbin/sh: parted: not found
~ #

So what do I do here? My Slide is rooted, I'm in clockwork, the SD card was unmounted (says mount /sdcard in the partitions menu)...

ADB shows the device is connected in recovery.

I've done 3 different sdcards so far. just make sure the card isn't mounted.

Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App

so after i do this, and the partitions are good, how do i actually get my apps to the sd.

Originally Posted by jefwallbanger

so after i do this, and the partitions are good, how do i actually get my apps to the sd.

Yes if the rom you install allows it