FAT32 & EXT4 Partitions For Android Internal Storage?

[STAndroidAJIM]

Hi wonder if anyone can tell me if the following is possible. I am acquiring a new android gaming handheld with emulators and will be storing my roms on a 256gb micro sd card which will leave space spare. Can I partition the micro SD into one partition for FAT32 to store my roms whilst creating another partition in an Ext4 format which the device can use to expand the internal storage to store Android apps and games?

 

[ocnbrze]

yes you can partion the card any way you like, but your device probably will store only in the fat32 part of the card. i believe if you can root the device then it might be possible. but i'm not sure if that is possible on an android emulator device. even if you can root it, you will need a custom rom that can handle ext4 which means you will need a developer to come up with that concept. and most devs only support phones for the most part.

 

[Hadron]

Using an ext4 partiton on a microSD card for app storage was a common way of expanding the storage of rooted Android devices in the early years. Link2SD is probably the best-known method for this. But since the device's OS will only attempt to mount the fat32 partition you did need to add modifications to mount the second partition and establish links to it from the relevant parts of the phone's storage (which is what the Link2SD app does), and that all requires that you have root access.

On an unrooted device there is no way of doing this.

 

[STAndroidAJIM]

Thanks guys, I may have over complicated this myself. What about if I made two partitions (both FAT32), using one to store my Roms. Could I then use the second partition only as android internal storage?

 

[Hadron]

Actually Android's internal storage is ext4. FAT32 is used only for expansion (microSD).

I think you'll still need root to use the second partition. If you simply partition an SD card and stick it in an android device it will mount the first partition and that's it: it's not expecting a partitioned card, so it won't check for a second partition or try to mount it.

 

[Xavier Black]

Yes you can, I did it because at this time I'm NOT interested in the Fat32 but just the swap..and I accomplish it..it won't show, though..

 

[Xavier Black]

If you refer to the Ext4..no, it isn't possible..

 

[ocnbrze]

Thanks guys, I may have over complicated this myself. What about if I made two partitions (both FAT32), using one to store my Roms. Could I then use the second partition only as android internal storage?

you will need to gain root access to do this.....so unless your device can be rooted, nothing you want to achieve is possible.