[initrd][DL Data2SD/Ext4+ V1.5] Enable your build with fast ext4/data.img support

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This is my development based on Takaaki's initrd, during I develop my build at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=913597, I spent a lot of time to enhance the data2sd and ext4, after studying almost all the popular methods: App2SD, Data2SD, Data2ext, Data2whatever, I develop this:

Features:
1. Support both data 2 data.img or ext4.
2. Support SquareFS.
3. Auto-format the 2nd partition with block size of 4096.
4. Utilize the Nand data partition to improve the performance.
5. Switch the PPP/RMNET.
6. Config the gps_zone
7. Support the update without re-flash. (you can fully customize your build based on this feature)
8. Backup the ext4 to data.img (implement in future)
9. Restore the data.img to ext4 (implement in future).

To enable external data.img
1. create '.data' folde under sdcard (/sdcard/.data).
2. create 'config.txt' under '.data' directory.
3. copy old data.img to '.data' directory, otherwise a new data.img will be created.
4. boot into Android.
Config.txt for data2SD.

data_img=1
data_ext=0
sd_boost=1
nand_data=0

To enable ext4
1. create '.data' folde under sdcard (/sdcard/.data).
2. create 'config.txt' under '.data' directory.
3. Config.txt for data2SD.

data_img=0
data_ext=1
sd_boost=0
nand_data=0
format_ext4=0

For first installation, it is always good to set the format_ext4=1 to format your ext4 partition with proper block size, after 1st boot, change it back to 0.

To config PPP/RMNET and GPS_ZONE
ppp_mode=1 will enable the ppp, set to 0 will use rmnet.
gps_zone='your country code', - country code, us, fr, jp, etc
To update/customize your build
1. Create a folder /DLZUPDATE under your sdcard.
2. put your app's apk under AndroidApps in /DLZUPDATE, that apps will be automatically installed into your data partition.
3. put your kernel file or other under root in /DLZUPDATE, all the files under root will be copied to your build, if your want to upgrade your kernel, just put zImage in /DLZUPDATE/root/system, and module files under /DLZUPDATE/root/system/lib/modules. etc.

Download
DL.Data2SD&EXT4.v1.5.zip

Install
1. extract the zip to a folder on your pc
2. backup your existing initrd.gz using adb
3. In "command prompt" env, run install.
4. your existing initrd.gz will be backup at the same folder named backup.initrd.gz.
5. if your have problem to boot into the system, just try: adb push backup.initrd.gz /system/initrd.gz. (even system can not be booted into the launcher or sense, in some point of time, the adb still can function, so just keep trying.)

Caution: if your build current use app2sd, you have to disable it before using this, rename the init.local.rc under etc to init.local.rc.bak, remove the 00start, 04apps2sd from /system/etc/init.d.

If your build uses boot partition, you should change the installation script to push the initrd.gz to replace the existing one wherever it is.

Thanks to
- ownhere (he is the expert of the ext4 or other file systems, and developed the data2ext.)
- melethron (the author of data2whatever)
- Takaaki (the author of data2sd)
- Cedesmith (He is guru of initrd )

Donation
I do not work for money, but it is always nice to know people really like my work and encourage me carrying on.

Please could you provide also information in case that NAND rom already use EXT4 for data2ext4 (like AF403 DesireHD stock based 1.0a)?

Good stuff.. thank you!
I am trying your NAND ROM now....

Good knowledge ... keep up cool stuff
i already use ur nand rom

If you don't want to look into the code to find out the difference, then, how about just try 1st.

Originally Posted by totalcmdext

Please could you provide also information in case that NAND rom already use EXT4 for data2ext4 (like AF403 DesireHD stock based 1.0a)?

Sent from my DL DesireZ v2.5 using XDA App

Ok, i've managed to understand the concept of data2ext, and when on initial setup everything gets what i expect, i've 1 GB (depends on ext partition size) of free memory space, but i get an horrible performance even if formated with your tool, i guess it's SD performance/quality because i can't run any ext build published here where most of users claim to get good performance. So i try data2sd but instead of the 512MB (img size created with this) of memory i get only the 80MB of the free nand internal ram. What is stored on this img file ? only settings ? On 20 applications i use only 4 are movable to sd, so after my initial setup (and of course with good performance) i get a lot of memory low warnings.

Thanks

Looks like the data2sd was not enforced, what's your configuration in config.txt?

Originally Posted by jpl69

Ok, i've managed to understand the concept of data2ext, and when on initial setup everything gets what i expect, i've 1 GB (depends on ext partition size) of free memory space, but i get an horrible performance even if formated with your tool, i guess it's SD performance/quality because i can't run any ext build published here where most of users claim to get good performance. So i try data2sd but instead of the 512MB (img size created with this) of memory i get only the 80MB of the free nand internal ram. What is stored on this img file ? only settings ? On 20 applications i use only 4 are movable to sd, so after my initial setup (and of course with good performance) i get a lot of memory low warnings.

Thanks

Sent from my DL DesireZ v2.5 using XDA App

This is good and detail steps http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...&postcount=341 on how to config, better than mine

Sent from my DL DesireZ v2.5 using XDA App

If i understand this, this is only change existing inird with modified initrd?

I'm sorry but with all this flash/unflash install/uninstall download configure i've lost my config, but i'm sure data_img=1 and data_ext=0
(just a note gps_zone=pt should configure gps to be used here in Portugal right ?)

If you say that it should work i'm going further with my tests and post here results because i don't want to flame this thread.

Update:
I've a stock 8GB class 4 card swaped with 4GB class 2, results on nand/ext4:
Initial setup (with format ext4) 1/2 time, second boot 1 minute and everything runing muuuch smother and faster so or i've got a malfunction card (?) (and i've read someone complaining about a 16GB class 10) or lowest class gets more speed (?)

Update2:
The diference is really amazing, i've got a completly functional android now with this card.
You should mention on your threads that if you get bad results on initial setup forget about that nand, return to SD builds or get other card.

Can you please post your card type please ?