So I bought a used Moto E 1st Gen to use while my Nexus 5X is being repaired, but I've found it to be almost unusable, thanks to its limited internal storage. It can't even update all the built in apps without running out of room, and none of them are transferable to my 32GB micro SD card! Installing new apps is very difficult, and sometimes impossible.
I think that part of the trouble is that it's running Android 5.1, which I believe significantly impaired the ability to make use of the external memory (right?).
I was hoping to use this phone temporarily as a backup device, and as such, I really just wanted it pure and simple and easy. The phone seems fine and the battery life is great, but I can't put all my apps on it.
So what's the most pragmatic way of dealing with this problem? Can I flash an older, stock ROM without having to unlock the bootloader? If I unlock it and flash a custom ROM, won't the later ones suffer this problem too? Would I be best using an older ROM from the days before Lollipop when external memory was easier to take advantage of?
Thanks wise sages, George
@hendrald
See friend, if you don't want to unlock your bootloader then you must flash the stock KitKat ROM as you can use your memory card to move the apps. But you can only move the apps which can be moved to external and if you have apps which can't be moved to external, you may run out of storage.
If you unlock your bootloader and flash Custom ROM which is MM or higher then you can use your memory card as adoptable storage. Using Sd Card as adopted storage would not let you run out of storage and is future proof as heavy apps moves automatically into adopted storage
Ankit_29 said:
@hendrald
See friend, if you don't want to unlock your bootloader then you must flash the stock KitKat ROM as you can use your memory card to move the apps. But you can only move the apps which can be moved to external and if you have apps which can't be moved to external, you may run out of storage.
If you unlock your bootloader and flash Custom ROM which is MM or higher then you can use your memory card as adoptable storage. Using Sd Card as adopted storage would not let you run out of storage and is future proof as heavy apps moves automatically into adopted storage
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, I hadn't heard of the adopted storage thing, because there's no SD card slot in the Nexus. It's exactly what I needed. I've installed the latest Lineage nightly and its working wonderfully, so far.
Henrald said:
Thank you, I hadn't heard of the adopted storage thing, because there's no SD card slot in the Nexus. It's exactly what I needed. I've installed the latest Lineage nightly and its working wonderfully, so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To make adoptable storage insert a card into your phone running MM or higher it will ask you if you want to use the SD card as a portable device or Internal. By selecting ‘Internal’ you are now moving to the new Adoptable Storage function and the SD card will be formatted. Make sure you backup your data on card and you must use a high speed(class 10) memory card.
Related
Hi guys!
I have a bit of a problem with my S2 storage. I'm running cyanogenmod. So I wanted to ask you guys how could I best manage all my apps/pics/videos/backups etc.
My current status:
System ROM 528MB, 149MB free
Internal 2.11GB, 637MB free
SD Card 12.3GB, 1.35GB free
Ext. SD Card: 31.9GB, 29.1GB free.
So you see here my problem...I have this huge 32GB SD card that is mostly empty, while all my installed apps go either to the 600MB of internal data partition or to the internal memory. Either way, I barely have 2GB available for data, and a huge partition that now I can't even take for the camera (CM will only save to internal DCIM folder).
Titanium Backup allows to move the data folder anywhere, so it's into the big SD card.
ScummVM allows to save the ROMs anywhere, so also these ones are in the SD card.
Movies/Videos I download are in the SD card.
...And that's it. Whenever I take pictures, I need to remember to move the files manually to the external SD, because the camera app will only save them in the internal memory. What can I do? How can I improve this?
THanks a lot!
Up!
A camera app such as Camera Zoom Fx available on play, will allow you to specify where your pictures are saved.
Also, I am running the latest NEATROM lite based on the JB leak and the stock camera allows you to choose between internal and sd card as storage. This may not be the case on older versions of the stock camera.
Hope this helps with the picture issue at least!
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
Yeah, thanks. All the Samsung stock cameras allow saving into the SD card. The AOSP one, however, doesn't. Still don't quite understand it.
Anyway, besides the camera, would there be a way to move installed apps (or its data) to the SD card?
timonoj said:
Yeah, thanks. All the Samsung stock cameras allow saving into the SD card. The AOSP one, however, doesn't. Still don't quite understand it.
Anyway, besides the camera, would there be a way to move installed apps (or its data) to the SD card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have never done this with GS2 but on HD2 we could create a sdext partition on external sd. This partition would then be used by system to extend internal storage. I think this can be done on GS2 via cwm by partitioning sdcard. You would need to backup your data from external card first though before partitioning.
There is also Apps2SD on google play which will move installed apps to ext card.
Yeah, that's it! I did something like this on my Nexus One on its day. It wasn't perfect but it was good. I'll look into this. Thanks!
Hi all,
I just got my hands on a Boost Mobile LG Realm. It turns out this phone only has 1gb of internal storage. I popped in a micro sd thinking it would solve the issue. It turns out that you cannot save apps to the SD card. Shoot, some of my apps don't even have the option of setting the SD card as the primary save location.
I have done some research, but alas I still need some assistance. Can someone tell me how I can use my SD card as my primary storage on Kit Kat 4.4.2? I have discovered that my phone has an emulated external storage so that it stops the SD card from being used as a primary storage.
I have successfully rooted the phone via Towelroot, and I have frozen/uninstalled some bloat ware using Titanium Backup
Edit: I have attached my vold file via dropbox: dropbox com/s/ihpfoo4h79kaphx/vold.fstab?dl=0
Like I said I have done some research and the code in my vold file does not match the ones in the guides.
Jaeger1 said:
Hi all,
I just got my hands on a Boost Mobile LG Realm. It turns out this phone only has 1gb of internal storage. I popped in a micro sd thinking it would solve the issue. It turns out that you cannot save apps to the SD card. Shoot, some of my apps don't even have the option of setting the SD card as the primary save location.
I have done some research, but alas I still need some assistance. Can someone tell me how I can use my SD card as my primary storage on Kit Kat 4.4.2? I have discovered that my phone has an emulated external storage so that it stops the SD card from being used as a primary storage.
I have successfully rooted the phone via Towelroot, and I have frozen/uninstalled some bloat ware using Titanium Backup
Edit: I have attached my vold file via dropbox: dropbox com/s/ihpfoo4h79kaphx/vold.fstab?dl=0
Like I said I have done some research and the code in my vold file does not match the ones in the guides.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your gonna be kinda stuck. While you can move the apps to sdcard with a few tools the app data will still be on the internal storage. There are a few ways to move that also but due to the way sd cards work on Android it kills app performance and may even stop the app from working all together. This is due to android removing all sd card code from stock Android and each OEM has to add it back on their own so coding is different from one device to another.
zelendel said:
Your gonna be kinda stuck. While you can move the apps to sdcard with a few tools the app data will still be on the internal storage. There are a few ways to move that also but due to the way sd cards work on Android it kills app performance and may even stop the app from working all together. This is due to android removing all sd card code from stock Android and each OEM has to add it back on their own so coding is different from one device to another.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I understand; I guess I will have to lightly use this.
Well...
I've got a moto E and a 8GB SD card. I have been using MM(AICP) for like months and I really love the ROM and its battery backup but the thing is I'm running out of storage space.. The system itself takes like 1.2 GB out of 2.1 GB available internal storage and few basic apps - I'm full...
I have only 1 game and would like to try more like I used to but can't download as play stores says I'm out of space... Updating apps have been an issue too.. I want to fix this by buying a Samsung 32GB EVO+ class 10 (20MB/s Write Speed) and use it as my internal storage...
Worth it?
Anyone using their SDCards as internal storage? Bugs or Good Experience?
Should I buy or go back to CM11?
-Thanks
Yes. It will be worth it and the problem you are facing is faced by everyone.
So is your phone rooted? If not search xda for methods to root your phone. Then use Link2sd. You can find detailed guide on how Link2sd works in xda itself. if not then i can help.
How link2sd works? In short:-
It requires 2 partitions of your sd card (you will know how to partition your sd in every link2sd guide) one partition for media storage like songs videos images etc and the other will work as internal memory. For this you will require rooted device. And also you will need Foldermount which will enable you to move the obb or game data from internal to external sd. And root is necessary for this too. Hope it helps.
Marshmallow has inbuilt feature of using Memory Card as Internal Storage.
I am using it from a month and honestly no bugs.
The only problem is that you have to format your SD card in the phone itself to use again as portable storage device.
The second thing is that If you format your phone or start using another ROM your SD card data will be of no use and you will have to format it again.
Hope I helped you.
Thanks both of you... I should go for a 32GB class 10 then?
sarmamanashjyoti2012 said:
Yes. It will be worth it and the problem you are facing is faced by everyone.
So is your phone rooted? If not search xda for methods to root your phone. Then use Link2sd. You can find detailed guide on how Link2sd works in xda itself. if not then i can help.
How link2sd works? In short:-
It requires 2 partitions of your sd card (you will know how to partition your sd in every link2sd guide) one partition for media storage like songs videos images etc and the other will work as internal memory. For this you will require rooted device. And also you will need Foldermount which will enable you to move the obb or game data from internal to external sd. And root is necessary for this too. Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks both of you... I should go for a 32GB class 10 then?
pXbz said:
Thanks both of you... I should go for a 32GB class 10 then?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can.
Now... I've got the SD Card. What should I prefer? Link2SD or Marshmallow's feature?
I want to get the best performance out of SD card... Plus hassle free operation.
pXbz said:
Now... I've got the SD Card. What should I prefer? Link2SD or Marshmallow's feature?
I want to get the best performance out of SD card... Plus hassle free operation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
marshmallows feature since it automatically moves all apps to SDcard.
One more thing link2sd will create partition out of your SD card while marshmallow will automatically format your SD card as internal storage..
Marshmallow feature is strongly preferred.
Hope I solved your query.?
Well I've been using this hybrid method lol. I partitioned my SD card so that - one partition is used for marshmallow's feature and rest space as portable storage
Didn't wanted to go all in as the feature encrypts the entire card and makes it unusable on other devices.
My phone's running smoother than before maybe coz of the Class 10 UHS-1(though UHS-1 speeds aren't supported by my device) card I've been using. I'm getting ~11.63 MB/s which is faster than phone stock internal storage(~11MB/s).
Thanks for all you suggestions and inputs!
Thank you for looking onto this post!
Is Apps2sd/Link2sd still working with MM? I tried to use Apps2sd to create mount scripts since it's not working for Link2sd. It worked and I can link app datas and files into the Sd card. However, since I partitioned the SD card with one Fat 32 for storage and one ext2/ext4 (tried both), only the ext partitions work and the primary partition Fat32 can't be read by the phone. Leaving me with only a 2nd partition for linking and a corrupt primary partition/sd card as MM reads it. Is there a way around here since my phone is nearly full on internal. TY in advance!
-Galaxy S5 G900F International 16gb
-MM 6.0.1
What you would want to do is reformat your SD card so it's all one partition and enable Adoptive Storage.
This app should help with that: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.superthomaslab.rootessentials&hl=en
Keep in mind, Adoptive Storage will encrypt your card so it will only usable by that phone unless you reformat it again, but it's a way cleaner and better set up option that the hacked way Link2SD works. No offense to the app as it is very useful in many situations, but Adoptive Storage is a feature made by Google and is built into Android 6+ but for some phones has to be enabled via ADB commands or an app (that just automates the process for you). AS makes it so your phone sees your SD card as the internal storage and works just like it. You should have a fast SD card for this to work best. Like SDXC type. Don't use a regular class 4 SD card.
es0tericcha0s said:
What you would want to do is reformat your SD card so it's all one partition and enable Adoptive Storage.
This app should help with that: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.superthomaslab.rootessentials&hl=en
Keep in mind, Adoptive Storage will encrypt your card so it will only usable by that phone unless you reformat it again, but it's a way cleaner and better set up option that the hacked way Link2SD works. No offense to the app as it is very useful in many situations, but Adoptive Storage is a feature made by Google and is built into Android 6+ but for some phones has to be enabled via ADB commands or an app (that just automates the process for you). AS makes it so your phone sees your SD card as the internal storage and works just like it. You should have a fast SD card for this to work best. Like SDXC type. Don't use a regular class 4 SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello! Thanks for the reply and I guess I have no choice. I did adoptive storage and the app you gave worked well! But my adopted storage and SD card has the same name and confuses me at times. Is there a way to rename it? Also, how can I move apps from my internal to adopted? And is there a way to automatically install apps on adopted? Thank you!
My understanding is that once you have the adoptive storage set correctly then the phone should register that as part of the regular phone's storage.
Okay, I know the differences between setting up the SD card as either expanded usable memory and secondary storage. I know people will have different opinions on this as well. I'm currently using RR and have my 128gb sd card set up to be used as main memory with the memory built into the Redmi Note 4x. It's encrypted so if I want to flash a newer version of the rom I believe I can do it from an OTG flash drive in TWRP (correct me if I'm wrong.)
I'm new to nougat so it looks like if I wanted to switch to using the sd card as secondary I can still move the apps and files in the app's properties in the storage area. Is that correct? I just have lots of apps installed that would take over the 32gb of internal storage. On older phones I've used Link2sd and foldermount to move items and data over to the SD card.
What's the best solution on Nougat without having to use the memory as expanded primary memory?
Thanks in advance.