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

Help unable to move apps to external storage in a rooted phone

  • Thread starter Thread starter Android Question
  • Start date Start date
A

Android Question

Guest
Phone : Micromax a177
OS : Jelly bean 4.1.2
Root status : Rooted

I am unable to move apps stored in internal memory to external memory card. Whenever I try to move installed app, it gets moved only between the Phone storage and Internal storage. It never gets moved to external storage. I tried apps like Link 2 Sd. Still no good. Is there any other way I can do that?
 
Did you partition your SD card before using Link2SD?

Simply rooting won't change the behaviour of the build-in move to SD option, so if that wasn't working before rooting it won't be working after. Link2SD, or something similar, is your best bet.
 
I havent partioned my sd card. What is it actually? What am i supposed to do? Could u please tell me how i can do that?
 
Haven't much time for a long explanation. Storage devices have their space set up as one or more "partitions" - think of it as each partition being a virtual disk drive. By default SD cards have a single partition, but Link2SD works by using a second partition on the card as an extension of the internal app storage: it copies apps to the partition, then leaves a pointer in the internal storage so that the phone can find the app.

But this means that you need to put a second partition on the card. Partitioning will usually erase the card, so copy all of your data to a computer first. You then want to create a second one after the first (don't bother with "swap partitions" if the tool asks). Personally I'd use ext3 or ext4 format for the second partition (linux native filesystems), fat32 for the first (which is what you will currently be using on the card), though I believe that Link2SD can work with fat32 for both.

As for what you use to partition the card, the best tool is GParted, but if you don't even know what partitioning is that might require a little reading up first. Some custom recoveries can partition your cards, which will be simpler if you have one. Many websites recommend a Windows utility called MiniTool, but mainly I think because most PCs come with it rather than because it's any good. If you end up using that, try making 2 fat32 partitions - I'd really not use it for ext formats, but as fat32 is Windows native it should be OK for that.
 
Thank you Hadron for that long detailed explanation. Well infact I know what partitioning is. I am familiar with GParted as I use it for partitioning my PC harddisk for OS installations and stuffs like that. But I have never come across a scenario where I am needed to format a pendrive or memory cards so far.
So you are saying that partitioning the memory card is required for the link 2 sd app to move apps to external storage. I shall first try it first on a 2 gb memory card creating 2 partitions. one fat32 and another ext3. Ill let you know the results. Thank you :)
 
Ah, OK, that's good news then! :)

Hope it works. I used to do such things with my previous phone, but not for the last couple of years.
 
Hi Hadron. I partitioned my memory card into 2. both fat32. unfortunately, my phone says the memory card is damaged and it needs to be formatted. Then I changed one partition into ext4. Still its not getting detected.Any Idea?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom