• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Root [MetroPCS] [MOD] [Beta] SdCard Memory Hack

pressy4pie

Android Enthusiast
READ THIS FIRST
READ IT

Couple things:
1) I don't have a lot of time to work on this right now in all honesty.
i hardly ever use this phone anymore. so i don't spend a lot of time with it.

2) As I've told a few of you, this mod is a terrible implementation of a memory mod. it requires a kernel tweak and a special recovery to operate, so if you guys ever get new roms they won't work without a second version. having two versions of every rom would confuse noobs and just be overall not a good thing. You can still use it if you like, but in all honesty Link2SD and similar are a far better option imo.

I made this mod as a little project to keep myself busy before i bought a new phone. I'll keep it going and hopefully get the app installing properly again, but if you don't know how or why it works, just use GT's guide.

if you really want to have this work, read on.

DID YOU READ THAT

First, i don't know what on earth to call this, so I'm calling it the SDcard Hack. If someone thinks of something cooler, and catchier get at me. Anyway.

I know every one has been bitching about this, but I've finally got it put together enough to release. It will replace whatever current kernel you use with my modified one. (So no OC from GameTheorys) sorry i just dont care enough to put overclock onto an SOC that is plenty fast as it is. And along with that you are not REALLY gaining much imo. Qualcom changed how they handle acpuclock in the kernel (google it) but anyway you can't have a default clock speed, so I don't want to accidentally cause someones phone to stop working. To quote PlayfulGod: "all chips aren't created equal"

This hack comes with a boot image, and a recovery image. they MUST be used together. If you use one without the other you will be very unhappy. The "Install CWM Recovery" tab in the app is not the same as the SD Card Hack recovery. These differences will make you very unhappy if you don't do it correctly. The "Install CWM Recovery" will install a recovery that will say: "v6.0.4.6-Stock-Data" the new SD recovery will say "v6.0.4.6-SDcard-Data" on the main screen when booted to recovery.

Now if you decide to change kernel's it will cause the device to revert to the stock data partition. The device should hopefully still boot, assuming you left the stock data in tact, but remember to flash back to my stock recovery if you do such a thing. I know it is kind of confusing but just think of it as having two possible configurations.

My sincerest apologies for the poor quality of the app. I don't much like Java and I'm no app developer. I've just been throwing this together to help the device.

What is it?
This mod will replace your internal /data partition with one that will be created on the sdcard. The details are not really that complex really. But make sure to read the entire post, because you could easily miss something. (or i could forget to include something w/e)

Also please note that using either version of my recovery will cause you to not be able to receive OTA updates.

Instructions
OK. first. Factory reset your phone. Do it. There is no avoiding it. once you do that, progress. Also if you stop at any of the below steps, your phone will be left in some sort of limbo and you will be sad.

Step 1) Partition your SDCARD. this has to be done very specifically. You need to make sure the first partition, (size of your choice) is made FAT32, then the second partition (also your choice of size) is made to be EXT4. I wont go into detail on this because you should be able to use google. But you can use any partition tool (linux works best but is not the only option)

here is a list:
1) AParted Can be used on android.

2) Parted can be used in recovery.


Step 2) Download and Install the new F6 Utilities package HERE. (uninstall the old F6Utilities if you have it still)

Step 3) Open the shiny new app, select "SD Card Data Hack", skip the disclaimer like I know you will do, and wait a few seconds.

Since I'm pretty lazy i don't know if I put a toast note or anything to signal success, but it shouldn't fail.

Now your done. Reboot and enjoy. This is effectively a factory reset (you have a blank /data partition) I had a couple try a few different ways of backing up and the best i could get is the individual apk's. don't try to restore app data because it will probably result in boot loop.

if you get boot loop, then your SD card is not partitioned correctly. You can reboot to recovery by taking the battery out, replacing it and booting while holding the volume down key. It will bring up a prompt, just hit POWER a few times and it will boot to my CWM. Do NOT try to restore backups from Stock CWM to SDCARD HACK CWM. You will have to fix the partitions with parted or KDZ restore. I plan on making a guide to partioning at some point but not today.

EDIT: extremely sorry guys. ive got it all fixed now. i accidentally was writing the recovery image to the boot partition. The new build has it all fixed (and the ability to root which is pretty cool)

This should for all intensive purposes work on any rom, but dont bitch at me if it doesnt. This update is a lot (lot) smaller, but instead downloads the files from the OUDHITSquad Server (shoutout to ShabbyPenguin, Interloper and everyone else)

[donations]
if you want to tip me, you can send me :
bitcoin at: 1AVD2mAs4FVnhcj1KCGXogL82UfQvDP3p2
dogecoine at: DCb6QPzsr52f8mDLQWyQnPn5PnWdHUnSXx
 
Pressy4pie is this the twrp recovery or a modified cwm? How does this recovery play with the mod. If I wanted to factory reset would this recovery be able to do it?
 
Ohh I figured out where the confusion came from. You're saying power+volume down boots to recovery instead of an instant factory reset sorry lol
 
You da man. :congrats: :rock: Thank you for being the one to actually finish what so many have started, or claimed to. :beer: :cheers:Knowing the history and how much you've already done I'm confident this will work. :thumbup:

Just got your PM, you must have sent it as I was shutting down last night, sorry about that, but EXTREMELY grateful to log in and see this thread. This is the number 1, must have fix for anyone with an F6, and FINALLY you're the one that posted the solution everyone with an F6 NEEDS. I'm going to reboot into Ubuntu, and set it up now. Any issues and I'll let you know. Thanks again man, I'm a data hoarder so this is much needed. I'll Report back in a bit.
:vroam:
 
Omg thank you!!!! Been waiting for this!
Pressy4Pie

Should both FAT32 and EXT4 be formatted as Primary partition?

Also should the FIRST factory reset be done in the OS or in the recovery or vol down and power? I rooted my phone already.

Also do you think if we used something like Win32DiskImager could we create a backup img of the original card and burn this img to another card if the original ever gets corrupted?

If so do you think we wanted to move from a 32gb card to a 64gb card we could just burn the original 32gb img then use a partition tool to recover the rest of 32gb?

Thanks again!
 
Check it out...do I need to reformat the SD card even though my 32g sdcard is formatted as such with fat32 and 4gig as ext4?
 
I have flashed Freedom Kernel. Should I go to recovery (F6 Utilities) to do the factory reset?
I am asking because read in other forum that you cannot factory reset having Freedom Kernel and flashed "Flashable Debloater"... any alternative procedure?
 
Tjb90 can you be more specific? Does your phone boot? Did you create two partitions? One fat32 and the second ext4? I can try to help you.
 
I have flashed Freedom Kernel. Should I go to recovery (F6 Utilities) to do the factory reset?
I am asking because read in other forum that you cannot factory reset having Freedom Kernel and flashed "Flashable Debloater"... any alternative procedure?

You can use the lg mobile support tool (Google it) to restore your phone to stock and then go from there.
 
Can you restore your phone to the way it was, after flashing this?

I tried both a nandroid backup/restore and a titanium backup/restore and both soft bricked my phone. I was only able to backup and restore my apps without data successfully using titanium backup. Don't use nandroid and don't try to restore system apps or any data with titanium backup.
 
I went to stock flashing "MS50010i_00.kdz", then made a factory reset, then rerooted it, then installed "F6Utilities_v1.2.apk"...
When I tried to flash recovery "pressy4pie-Recovery-SDHACK.zip":
E: [-] Failed to map aboot.
E: Error loki-ifying the boot image.
 
Back
Top Bottom