how to get a2sd working? - Droid Eris Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Well i'm wondering about a2sd and apps2sd and have a few questions that maybe someone more experienced than me can answer.
1. What is the difference between a2sd and apps2sd? Or are they the same program?
2. How do i get it enabled on my phone, I'm currently switching between WhiteWidow Rom and Aloysious Rom, I have seen the option for it but it is grayed out and I cannot access it.
3. Maybe someone could explain the benefits or using these programs vs not using them.
Thanks in advance for any answers.

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I'm sure you could have searched this honestly.
1. Same thing.
2. There should be instructions if it's possible on those roms.
3. Extra space so you can use more apps. They may be slower, I suggest upgrading your card to at least class 4.

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sorry wasn't trying to just ask questions without searching for it. I was just trying to find a decent walktrhough. I'll do some more research. Thanks for the response.

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darkside86 said:
2. How do i get it enabled on my phone, I'm currently switching between WhiteWidow Rom and Aloysious Rom, I have seen the option for it but it is grayed out and I cannot access it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my experience of experimenting with different ROMs, the option (in the "Settings" menu) won't even show up unless the ROM/kernel supports the option. Since you see it and the threads for both of those ROMs say it supports, I will guess that it will remain grayed out until your SD card is set up (partitioned) properly in order to use A2SD. That involves adding an EXT3 partition to the card.

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1. No difference...they are the same program (i.e. Darktremor A2SD and Darktremor Apps2SD are the same program).
2. Your SD card has to be partitioned for it (it must contain an EXT2 or EXT3 partition on it. EXT4 doesn't always work if the kernel the rom is using doesn't support it). Your rom must be able to launch apps2sd either directly or via Busybox run-parts. Your rom also must have apps2sd installed (doesn't matter which Apps2sd).
Once you have those, the apps2sd should activate automatically on startup (unless it is being prevented via a flag file (Darktremor) or a property value (DamageControl)).
3. Using apps2sd will free up internal storage by moving your applications to the SD card. Some more advanced apps2sd will also have the option of moving the dalvik-cache to the SD card, freeing more internal storage. This will allow you to run more programs without worrying about running out of internal storage (Android tends to act flaky when there's not enough storage for it to work with).
darkside86 said:
Well i'm wondering about a2sd and apps2sd and have a few questions that maybe someone more experienced than me can answer.
1. What is the difference between a2sd and apps2sd? Or are they the same program?
2. How do i get it enabled on my phone, I'm currently switching between WhiteWidow Rom and Aloysious Rom, I have seen the option for it but it is grayed out and I cannot access it.
3. Maybe someone could explain the benefits or using these programs vs not using them.
Thanks in advance for any answers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

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Thank you guys for the informative responses, now I have a pretty good idea what it does,i would like to give it a try, do I need to back my sd card on my pc before trying? Because it sounds like formatting my card will delete everything, am I right on this?

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Yes...back everything up (do a nandroid backup before you backup your SD card...this way you'll make a copy of the nandroid backup). Repartitioning will wipe the data from the card.
darkside86 said:
Thank you guys for the informative responses, now I have a pretty good idea what it does,i would like to give it a try, do I need to back my sd card on my pc before trying? Because it sounds like formatting my card will delete everything, am I right on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

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tkirton said:
Yes...back everything up (do a nandroid backup before you backup your SD card...this way you'll make a copy of the nandroid backup). Repartitioning will wipe the data from the card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I'll give it a try.

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additoinal questions
Hello
I have a few additional questions:
1) how can I access the ext2 partion on my sd card in windows through adb?
I want to be able to do this because I want to confirm that the apps are indeed being installed to the sdcard because I notice the internal storage continues to decrease (now this may be due to the apps cache since I am not putting the cache on the sd card...yet)
I would also like to be able to pull apps.
2) I kind of address my next question with the last statement of question 1, can you still pull apps and if so how?
3) I have DConfig on my phone which acts as a gui for app2sd (i think) but when I ran it for the first time I noticed that it did not move any of the apps that came with the rom (all the htc stuff, youtube, facebook, wireless teathering, etc), can these apps be moved and if so how?

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dsMA said:
Hello
I have a few additional questions:
1) how can I access the ext2 partion on my sd card in windows through adb?
I want to be able to do this because I want to confirm that the apps are indeed being installed to the sdcard because I notice the internal storage continues to decrease (now this may be due to the apps cache since I am not putting the cache on the sd card...yet)
I would also like to be able to pull apps.
2) I kind of address my next question with the last statement of question 1, can you still pull apps and if so how?
3) I have DConfig on my phone which acts as a gui for app2sd (i think) but when I ran it for the first time I noticed that it did not move any of the apps that came with the rom (all the htc stuff, youtube, facebook, wireless teathering, etc), can these apps be moved and if so how?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) You really can't. Windows doesn't support ext2-3 partitions. There is software out there that will allow it, but most of it is buggy at best. You can see them if it's mounted in Linux though.
2) Do some googling on this one. I'm inclined not to instruct on such things, as "pulled apps" usually end up floating around torrent sites and screwing honest devs out of their $1.99.
3) I don't believe system apps themselves are generally moved, but I may be wrong on that. (it happens sometimes ) If you move the cache, then their cache will be moved, but that's all.

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dsMA said:
Hello
I have a few additional questions:
1) how can I access the ext2 partion on my sd card in windows through adb?
I want to be able to do this because I want to confirm that the apps are indeed being installed to the sdcard because I notice the internal storage continues to decrease (now this may be due to the apps cache since I am not putting the cache on the sd card...yet)
I would also like to be able to pull apps.
2) I kind of address my next question with the last statement of question 1, can you still pull apps and if so how?
3) I have DConfig on my phone which acts as a gui for app2sd (i think) but when I ran it for the first time I noticed that it did not move any of the apps that came with the rom (all the htc stuff, youtube, facebook, wireless teathering, etc), can these apps be moved and if so how?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use the app Root Explorer, and you can check your ext on there to see what's in it. Also you can move apps around using that app.

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I'll ask this here as it seems to be on topic.
The info below was a real help in getting me straightened out on this thanks.
tkirton said:
1. No difference...they are the same program (i.e. Darktremor A2SD and Darktremor Apps2SD are the same program).
2. Your SD card has to be partitioned for it (it must contain an EXT2 or EXT3 partition on it. EXT4 doesn't always work if the kernel the rom is using doesn't support it). Your rom must be able to launch apps2sd either directly or via Busybox run-parts. Your rom also must have apps2sd installed (doesn't matter which Apps2sd).
Once you have those, the apps2sd should activate automatically on startup (unless it is being prevented via a flag file (Darktremor) or a property value (DamageControl)).
3. Using apps2sd will free up internal storage by moving your applications to the SD card. Some more advanced apps2sd will also have the option of moving the dalvik-cache to the SD card, freeing more internal storage. This will allow you to run more programs without worrying about running out of internal storage (Android tends to act flaky when there's not enough storage for it to work with).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, so I have wiped the phone and partioned the SD card but A2SD still not working, my ROM says it will work, when I do a ADB check of A2sd app I get this...
C:\AndroidSDK\android-sdk-windows\tools>adb shell
# a2sd check
a2sd check
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting xtr init scripts for a2sd and memory at 07-28-2010 01:38:45
setting variables from default init.apps2sd.conf file in /system/etc/
varialbe capture - xtr.a2sd.data.active false
varialbe capture - xtr.a2sd.apps.active true
varialbe capture - xtr.a2sd.dalvikcache.active true
varialbe capture - xtr.swap.active false
varialbe capture - xtr.swap.swpto swppart
varialbe capture - xtr.swap.swappiness 30
[*] Check for ext partition and move files between /data/ and /system/sd/ as per init.apps2sd.conf s
ettings
[ ] Searching for Mount Point...
[ ] Mount point found..no further action required.
[!] Ext partition found.
[ ] Checking Ext partition...
e2fsck 1.40.8 (13-Mar-2008)
/system/bin/e2fsck: Device or resource busy while trying to open /dev/block/mmcblk0p2
Filesystem mounted or opened exclusively by another program?
8
[!] Mounting ext partitions as ext3.
mount: mounting /dev/block/mmcblk0p2 on /system/sd failed: Device or resource busy
[!!] Mounting ext partition as ext3 failed.
[!] Mounting ext partition as ext2.
mount: mounting /dev/block/mmcblk0p2 on /system/sd failed: Device or resource busy
[!!] Mounting ext partition as ext2 failed.
[!!] Can't use Apps2sd....
#
Any idea what I'm doing wrong? I would really like to move some of this to the large SD card and free up the phone for phone stuff.
Also How dose this effect phone memory use if at all? I would like to maximize usable memory for apps to run in as well as allow the phone to run as fast and reliably as possible.

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Still looking for an answer. I can not get a2sd working.

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With xtr you have to wipe then flash the rom then boot up and set up your phone but don't download any apps....then go back to recovery and flash the rest like stock apps then reboot and let the phone do its thing then back to recovery and then flash a2sd on then reboot and finish setting up your phone....I encountered that too after flashing then flashed the other modules before turning phone on. Does that make sense?

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Do everything one at a time with a restart in between, correct?

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indie1138 said:
I'll ask this here as it seems to be on topic.
The info below was a real help in getting me straightened out on this thanks.
OK, so I have wiped the phone and partioned the SD card but A2SD still not working, my ROM says it will work, when I do a ADB check of A2sd app I get this...
C:\AndroidSDK\android-sdk-windows\tools>adb shell
# a2sd check
a2sd check
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting xtr init scripts for a2sd and memory at 07-28-2010 01:38:45
setting variables from default init.apps2sd.conf file in /system/etc/
varialbe capture - xtr.a2sd.data.active false
varialbe capture - xtr.a2sd.apps.active true
varialbe capture - xtr.a2sd.dalvikcache.active true
varialbe capture - xtr.swap.active false
varialbe capture - xtr.swap.swpto swppart
varialbe capture - xtr.swap.swappiness 30
[*] Check for ext partition and move files between /data/ and /system/sd/ as per init.apps2sd.conf s
ettings
[ ] Searching for Mount Point...
[ ] Mount point found..no further action required.
[!] Ext partition found.
[ ] Checking Ext partition...
e2fsck 1.40.8 (13-Mar-2008)
/system/bin/e2fsck: Device or resource busy while trying to open /dev/block/mmcblk0p2
Filesystem mounted or opened exclusively by another program?
8
[!] Mounting ext partitions as ext3.
mount: mounting /dev/block/mmcblk0p2 on /system/sd failed: Device or resource busy
[!!] Mounting ext partition as ext3 failed.
[!] Mounting ext partition as ext2.
mount: mounting /dev/block/mmcblk0p2 on /system/sd failed: Device or resource busy
[!!] Mounting ext partition as ext2 failed.
[!!] Can't use Apps2sd....
#
Any idea what I'm doing wrong? I would really like to move some of this to the large SD card and free up the phone for phone stuff.
Also How dose this effect phone memory use if at all? I would like to maximize usable memory for apps to run in as well as allow the phone to run as fast and reliably as possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you move ext 2 to ext 3? What allocations did you make? 512 mb for apps? It's been a while since I've done this so it's no longer fresh on my mind.
Why not install one of the Froyo roms? You don't have to format the sd (or do anything special with it) for apps2sd to work. In fact, if your sd is partitioned now, the rom will ask you if you'd like to reformat it at the first boot (which removes the partition for you). The only catch with these roms (or at least KaosFroyo) is you can't move system apps to the sd card (yet) and any app that you use widgets with or apps such as home launchers, texting, etc should be saved in internal memory or you'll have errors each time you usb mount or reboot. I've got a lot of apps installed (many on my internal for the reason listed above) and I'm only at about 35% internal storage. It's a quick rom too.
Sent from my FroyoEris using XDA App

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I am using DamageR Rom and it has DamagedConfig but I can't get any of the apps to my sd. I don't know what to do. I've been looking around for the answer and I just can't figure it out. The creator said to look for it on one of the a2sd threads but I just can't get it right.

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indie1138 said:
I'll ask this here as it seems to be on topic.
The info below was a real help in getting me straightened out on this thanks.
OK, so I have wiped the phone and partioned the SD card but A2SD still not working, my ROM says it will work, when I do a ADB check of A2sd app I get this...
C:\AndroidSDK\android-sdk-windows\tools>adb shell
# a2sd check
a2sd check
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting xtr init scripts for a2sd and memory at 07-28-2010 01:38:45
setting variables from default init.apps2sd.conf file in /system/etc/
varialbe capture - xtr.a2sd.data.active false
varialbe capture - xtr.a2sd.apps.active true
varialbe capture - xtr.a2sd.dalvikcache.active true
varialbe capture - xtr.swap.active false
varialbe capture - xtr.swap.swpto swppart
varialbe capture - xtr.swap.swappiness 30
[*] Check for ext partition and move files between /data/ and /system/sd/ as per init.apps2sd.conf s
ettings
[ ] Searching for Mount Point...
[ ] Mount point found..no further action required.
[!] Ext partition found.
[ ] Checking Ext partition...
e2fsck 1.40.8 (13-Mar-2008)
/system/bin/e2fsck: Device or resource busy while trying to open /dev/block/mmcblk0p2
Filesystem mounted or opened exclusively by another program?
8
[!] Mounting ext partitions as ext3.
mount: mounting /dev/block/mmcblk0p2 on /system/sd failed: Device or resource busy
[!!] Mounting ext partition as ext3 failed.
[!] Mounting ext partition as ext2.
mount: mounting /dev/block/mmcblk0p2 on /system/sd failed: Device or resource busy
[!!] Mounting ext partition as ext2 failed.
[!!] Can't use Apps2sd....
#
Any idea what I'm doing wrong? I would really like to move some of this to the large SD card and free up the phone for phone stuff.
Also How dose this effect phone memory use if at all? I would like to maximize usable memory for apps to run in as well as allow the phone to run as fast and reliably as possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like you are on one of my ROMs in which case there is a good write up in the 1st post of both my ROM threads that should get you going
Sent from my ERIS using XDA App