Alternative to app2sd >>>> link2sd

[pvella]

Awesome work on link2sd, really appreciate the effort of the development community.

There is no problem with the scripts. This is the way that we have got this to work on the Huawei S7. I would be happy to do more testing for you. We currently do not have a recovery ROM and custom ROMs will come, but for now, the only way we can add mods at boot time is to use the install-recovery.sh. I can send you some screenshots showing link2sd working on my device. It would be amazing to have official support for the Huawei S7 for this application, and I am happy to help you out with testing it. I am sure there are many others in this forum that would like to help out too.

If you look carefully at the script you will see that it is called a couple of other mods as well. One is the /cache remount mod. The other is a camera fix mod.

 

[xaueious]

This is nice. Might look into this later.

 

[pvella]

once we get all the other good stuff into a custom ROM, we should be able to run with standard link2sd. It did not work for me as standard. Cannot remember why.

Sent from my S7

 

[jjnagy]

Are you sure? I am using these scripts with the cache and camera fix lines removed, so install-recovery.sh should only be running the init-sd2.sh portion. I am still using original ROM on the Huawei S7 from US Best Buy, and it doesn't work properly? If I go in and manually run the init-sd2.sh script I can get link2sd to work until I reboot, and then for some reason the mount to ext2 is lost? So for some reason the script does not seem to run properly when booting up.

Did you have to do anything else to get the ext2 scripts to work on the S7? Could there be an issue the ROM version I'm using versus yours Singapor?

Would really appreciate your help and insight into this issue. This is really the only issue I have with the Huawei S7, geeting more app memory space.

Awesome work on link2sd, really appreciate the effort of the development community.

There is no problem with the scripts. This is the way that we have got this to work on the Huawei S7. I would be happy to do more testing for you. We currently do not have a recovery ROM and custom ROMs will come, but for now, the only way we can add mods at boot time is to use the install-recovery.sh. I can send you some screenshots showing link2sd working on my device. It would be amazing to have official support for the Huawei S7 for this application, and I am happy to help you out with testing it. I am sure there are many others in this forum that would like to help out too.

If you look carefully at the script you will see that it is called a couple of other mods as well. One is the /cache remount mod. The other is a camera fix mod.

 

[pvella]

The most common problem is CR and LF at the end of lines. Especially if you edit the files in windows. See my notes in the apps2sd section about notepad ++.

It works awesome on my S7.

Sent from my S7

 

[bakpinar]

Can you try this install-recovery.sh script on your phone?

script /system/etc/install-recovery.sh

#!/system/bin/sh
MYLOG=/data/install-recovery.log
echo "$(date) Starting install-recovery.sh" > $MYLOG
sleep 2
mount -t ext2 /dev/block//vold/179:2 /data/sdext2 1>>$MYLOG 2>>$MYLOG
mount >> $MYLOG
echo "$(date) Finishing install-recovery.sh" >> $MYLOG

Does this script run properly when booting up?
Or do we need to create another script and call it from install-recovery.sh in the background on Huawei?

 

[pvella]

Will be too busy to test that for a bit. It would need a wipe because of myy other mods. Not quite ready to do another wipe yet.

 

[buzzman]

OK. I figured this link2sd out. Here is what I did.

Reflashed the C62B13 rom-( this is really the C62B11 rom when installed).

It will come up in chinese. Go to settings and 10 lines down you will see an icon with a square and the letter A. (Select this.) Then select the 1st line and you will get your selection of languages. You will also have to go into the keyboard settings- the Huawei IME settings. Select input languages and uncheck Zhuyin. This prevents you from handwriting in chinese. This part is done.

Root your tablet using Z4root

load titanium backup and run- make sure busybox is installed-Version 1.17.2. If you accidentally reinstall, it will give you 1.16 and you will get a force close. If this happens, just go back to problems and uninstall busybox. Look at the root access line and you should now see OK (busybox 1.17.2 from system)

I reformatted my internal sd card (make yourself a backup of your files so you can reinstall( esp. important for aldiko books, or you'll get stuck retransferring your library.)

Using easeus partition manager make your ext 2 partition.


Step 1: Partition your internal SD card. (credit to kevmueller and pvella)

-With your tablet connected to the PC click on the "i" in the upper right corner and under notifications tap on USB connect [Internal SD Card]Select to copy files to/from once you do this you will get a box pop up and you will want to click on Mount.

-Now open up the Partition Manager you downloaded on your PC.

-This will show all the drives you have hooked up to your computer. Your computers hard driver will be Disc 1. If you have only one hard drive and no other drives connected to your computer Disc 2 will be your tablet. This should show as a FAT32 with about 7.53 GB on size. Click on this drive to highligh and then on the toolbar click on Resize/Move.

-In the window that pops up you will then change the Patition Size by subtracting the amount of space you want to have on the card for apps. If you are just starting and are not sure the easiest thing to do would be to change the first number from a 7 to a 6. This will give you almost 1 GB for apps (almost 6x what you have now). This will change you Unallocated Space After to the amount you lowered. It has been recommened that you do not change this to over 2 GB or 2000 MB. Once ready hit OK.

-Now on the toolbar click Apply and click on the options to start this.

-Once done you now have on your tablet a second partition that is Unallocated, click on this and on the toolbar click Create.

-In this menu you will want to change the Create As: to Primary and the File System: to Unformatted. Click OK

-On the toolbar click on Apply and click on the options to start this.

-You now have a second partition on your internal storage card. Close down the PC program and unplug your tablet from the computer and reboot your tablet.

2. Now make your new partition a ext2 file system
Using adb again- Using this command line-- busybox mke2fs /dev/block/vold/179:18 -- hit enter, and your done. Disconnect. This will make your ext2 partition usable by link2sd.

( this was originally printed -- busybox mke2f /dev/block/vold/179:18 -- tcaudill01 caught the error and I tracked down what it should have been A big thanks to you. If anyone use this mod before * 8:40 pm* east.daylight time on Feb. 10th and it worked anyway please post.) If it screwed you up I apologize ;( and give it another try. Thanks to kev and pvella for helping me track down the wrong line! And a big thanks to tcaudill01 for catching it!


I did not use any scripts with this mod. Just did above instructions.

3. Download link2sd from market, run, reboot tablet and you should be good to go. Now restore whatever you need to on your internal card and if your lucky you can start using link2sd. If you get the screen ext2 partition not mounting, you have done something wrong. Reread and give it another go.

This is where I am now. I need to restore all info and apps. I will update tomorrow.

It's now easier than ever to get this working for android ignorant people like me! Above all, do not panic if something goes wrong. Just work the problem and reach out for help. And learn from your mistakes.

I was able to get apps2sd working but experienced so many force close and freeze issues it wasn't worth it for me so I wanted to try this. Thanks to goodoane, kevmueller, and pvella for your input. ( and all others who collaborated to get the apps2sd working)

 

[pvella]

Nice writeup. Gratz on getting it working.

Sent from my S7

 

[goodoane]

@bakpinar
Now your application work well with the internal memory(sdcard) on Huawei Ideos S7 tablet.
Can you add the sdcard2 option on your mounting(detection) configuration because our tablet is set to see the external card as sdcard2.
I use an external card 3.32GB fat32 and 512MB ext2 and I manually create the script(is the only way to make this to work with external card)
When I press the storage info it show only Phone Memory 175MB, SD Card(internal memory sdcard) 7.52GB, SD Card ext2(manually mount on external card sdcard2) 512MB but it not show the SD Card 2 partition(fat32 sdcard2)3.32GB
Thank you.

 

[buzzman]

Thank you verry much! I have recopied my back up onto the internal card. When you install to link2sd the program will let you know what is transferable and what is not. I needed to move my apps over in 3 batches.

Install your programs. Tablet lets you know you are low on space. Move these onto link2sd. Reboot and you're ready to install again. Start the cycle again.

When you update apps in the market you will have to re-link those apps again.

Everything is working great for my tablet. Much more stable and reliable. For awhile it felt like I was back on windows mobile OS..lol

Thank you to the creator of this great app..thanks for sharing.

Sent from my S7

 

[bakpinar]

@bakpinar
Now your application work well with the internal memory(sdcard) on Huawei Ideos S7 tablet.
Can you add the sdcard2 option on your mounting(detection) configuration because our tablet is set to see the external card as sdcard2.
I use an external card 3.32GB fat32 and 512MB ext2 and I manually create the script(is the only way to make this to work with external card)
When I press the storage info it show only Phone Memory 175MB, SD Card(internal memory sdcard) 7.52GB, SD Card ext2(manually mount on external card sdcard2) 512MB but it not show the SD Card 2 partition(fat32 sdcard2)3.32GB
Thank you.

To determine the external storage (SD Card) location, I'm using Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory(), I'm not using hard coded "/sdcard".

Can you run "set" command from terminal on your device and check EXTERNAL_STORAGE environment varible.
This should be your external card mount point and Link2SD uses it as base for detecting ext2 device.

 

[kevmueller]

buzzman, great write up, this does seem a lot easier than the whole process of Apps2SD that is being used. (knock on wood) my tablet has been very stable since my last flash to C62B13 so I could use ADW as the launcher with widgets. However when I flash again I may have to give this a go and see how it works.

Thanks

 

[jjnagy]

Mine still does not work?

Should this still work if you use create the ext2 partition on PC, and format as ext2 using partition software on PC?
This the only thing I did different and I can't seem to get it to work.

I have the Huawei S7 version with sdcard and sdcard2.

Thanks,
Jeff

OK. I figured this link2sd out. Here is what I did.

Reflashed the C62B13 rom-( this is really the C62B11 rom when installed).

It will come up in chinese. Go to settings and 10 lines down you will see an icon with a square and the letter A. (Select this.) Then select the 1st line and you will get your selection of languages. You will also have to go into the keyboard settings- the Huawei IME settings. Select input languages and uncheck Zhuyin. This prevents you from handwriting in chinese. This part is done.

Root your tablet using Z4root

load titanium backup and run- make sure busybox is installed-Version 1.17.2. If you accidentally reinstall, it will give you 1.16 and you will get a force close. If this happens, just go back to problems and uninstall busybox. Look at the root access line and you should now see OK (busybox 1.17.2 from system)

I reformatted my internal sd card (make yourself a backup of your files so you can reinstall( esp. important for aldiko books, or you'll get stuck retransferring your library.)

Using easeus partition manager make your ext 2 partition.


Step 1: Partition your internal SD card. (credit to kevmueller and pvella)

-With your tablet connected to the PC click on the "i" in the upper right corner and under notifications tap on USB connect [Internal SD Card]Select to copy files to/from once you do this you will get a box pop up and you will want to click on Mount.

-Now open up the Partition Manager you downloaded on your PC.

-This will show all the drives you have hooked up to your computer. Your computers hard driver will be Disc 1. If you have only one hard drive and no other drives connected to your computer Disc 2 will be your tablet. This should show as a FAT32 with about 7.53 GB on size. Click on this drive to highligh and then on the toolbar click on Resize/Move.

-In the window that pops up you will then change the Patition Size by subtracting the amount of space you want to have on the card for apps. If you are just starting and are not sure the easiest thing to do would be to change the first number from a 7 to a 6. This will give you almost 1 GB for apps (almost 6x what you have now). This will change you Unallocated Space After to the amount you lowered. It has been recommened that you do not change this to over 2 GB or 2000 MB. Once ready hit OK.

-Now on the toolbar click Apply and click on the options to start this.

-Once done you now have on your tablet a second partition that is Unallocated, click on this and on the toolbar click Create.

-In this menu you will want to change the Create As: to Primary and the File System: to Unformatted. Click OK

-On the toolbar click on Apply and click on the options to start this.

-You now have a second partition on your internal storage card. Close down the PC program and unplug your tablet from the computer and reboot your tablet.

2. Now make your new partition a ext2 file system
Using adb again- Using this command line-- busybox mke2f /dev/block/vold/179:18 -- hit enter, and your done. Disconnect. This will make your ext2 partition usable by link2sd.

I did not use any scripts with this mod. Just did above instructions.

3. Download link2sd from market, run, reboot tablet and you should be good to go. Now restore whatever you need to on your internal card and if your lucky you can start using link2sd. If you get the screen ext2 partition not mounting, you have done something wrong. Reread and give it another go.

This is where I am now. I need to restore all info and apps. I will update tomorrow.

It's now easier than ever to get this working for android ignorant people like me! Above all, do not panic if something goes wrong. Just work the problem and reach out for help. And learn from your mistakes.

I was able to get apps2sd working but experienced so many force close and freeze issues it wasn't worth it for me so I wanted to try this. Thanks to goodoane, kevmueller, and pvella for your input. ( and all others who collaborated to get the apps2sd working)

 

[tedkitch]

I have installed and confirmed that Link2SD works. It is really simple to do. I've moved almost all of my downloaded apk files from the limited main memory to the internal sdcard and everything appears to be working wonderfully.

You can download the apk and find the instructions here.

I created a 1 GB ext2 partition on the internal SD. I did try configuring my microSD card, but the Link2SD app is only configured to look at /sdcard, not /sdcard2, so only the internal memory will work.

I'm excited to get around the limited memory issue and with Link2SD I don't have to wait until Froyo to install more apps on the S7.

Please be aware that this only creates a symbolic link to the apk file, so all of an apps files will not be on the internal SD. I was able to recoup over 50MB of space, YMMV.