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Root [Virgin Mobile/Sprint] SD Card gone bad - but not unusable?

S

sfdreamsla

Newbie
My sd card went bad. I'd used aparted and link2sd to move pretty much everything over to the card on my rooted F3. The phone works - but only if I unmount/pull the card. Otherwise it freezes the phone completely. I am able to fully boot the phone without the card and then mount the card - but it can only see the storage partition from the phone and using USB cable on my pc. So I was able to backup all my photos etc... Unfortunately neither the phone nor my pc can see the partition with all the data and I didn't use titanium (even though I paid for it, it's installed and I used it on my last 2 phones all the time!) - so I'm probably going to have to start from scratch. :(
My questions are:
1. Is there any way to see that partition and copy those files - maybe I haven't tried the right thing? I figured if I copy them over, once I reformat, I could migrate them right back...
2. Should I just re-format the sd card and then use aparted again to partition? I don't see any physical damage on it plus it's the first time there was even a problem with it. Or is it not worth my time and I need to buy another?
3. Assuming I am not able to view/backup the files from the partition on the sd card, do I do a full system wipe reinstall from the phone since so many things had been moved over to the sd card - it's a mess? Also I was on v5 - never upgraded - should I upgrade to v6 first? Does it help the phone in any way to upgrade?
4. Once I've figured it all out, with the SD card partitioned - do I still do Titanium backup the same way as with my old phones? I was worried about doing it wrong before (with the sd partition) - so I never did it at all.

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Use minitool and wipe partitions and the first one should be FAT32 while the second one (the one used for link2sd) should be EXT4 with no label or name.
 
Epico said:
Use minitool and wipe partitions and the first one should be FAT32 while the second one (the one used for link2sd) should be EXT4 with no label or name.
Click to expand...
So I can't just format it on the phone? Like I said, the phone DOES recognize that there's an SD card - but it can't read one partition. What's the difference between wiping partitions and formatting. Sorry if it's a stupid question. I really appreciate all help!
 
I think he means wipe as in delete the partitions, then recreate them. Formatting leaves the partitions alone but just removes the data and/or change the file system. but be sure to make them both primary partitions or it will not work properly.


added note with the pc route you will have to use a memory card reader for your pc you will not be able to do it through the usb cable. you might be able to do it using the aparted app but I had problems with it.
 
jmpiv4 said:
I think he means wipe as in delete the partitions, then recreate them. Formatting leaves the partitions alone but just removes the data and/or change the file system. but be sure to make them both primary partitions or it will not work properly.


added note with the pc route you will have to use a memory card reader for your pc you will not be able to do it through the usb cable. you might be able to do it using the aparted app but I had problems with it.
Click to expand...

I unmounted the sd card and aparted won't let me delete or format the partition - says I need to unmount first - which I did. So what app do you use? Also, when I go into lin2sd and I do "clean up 2nd partition" it sees all 422 files - the data files. When I click "details", all the apk and data files are listed. Isn't there some other way to copy them before deleting the partition? Should I put the sd card in a reader and then put it in a pc? Is it more likely to see the partition that way than just browsing my phone through the usb cable? I just figure I could migrate all the files, reformat the sd card, and then put them back and it might just "work" again... Is that unrealistic? Thanks.
 
windows will not see the second partition linux will. Like i said about aparted i had troubles with it.... you might be able to us gparted live usb/disc linux distro, I try with mine and get back to you..


Well although possible with gparted it was a little work to get the partions to mount so you can open them with the file explorer, it would be easier just to use a ubuntu or mint distro they mount automaticaly and you can just copy and paste the files you wish to keep.
 
jmpiv4 said:
windows will not see the second partition linux will. Like i said about aparted i had troubles with it.... you might be able to us gparted live usb/disc linux distro, I try with mine and get back to you..


Well although possible with gparted it was a little work to get the partions to mount so you can open them with the file explorer, it would be easier just to use a ubuntu or mint distro they mount automaticaly and you can just copy and paste the files you wish to keep.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. Bummer - I don't have linux and nobody I know is on a linux machine. It's so frustrating. But it's probably more trouble than it's worth. I will just reformat and start again. This time I'll be sure to use titanium though! Thanks for trying to help. I really appreciate it.
 
sfdreamsla said:
Thanks for the advice. Bummer - I don't have linux and nobody I know is on a linux machine. It's so frustrating. But it's probably more trouble than it's worth. I will just reformat and start again. This time I'll be sure to use titanium though! Thanks for trying to help. I really appreciate it.
Click to expand...
The system uses a symlink for the 2nd partition on the SDcard. It can be found on your device at (/data/sdext2/). Hope that helps in some way. :)
 
sfdreamsla said:
Thanks for the advice. Bummer - I don't have linux and nobody I know is on a linux machine. It's so frustrating. But it's probably more trouble than it's worth. I will just reformat and start again. This time I'll be sure to use titanium though! Thanks for trying to help. I really appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Most Linux distros can be run from a USB or CD/DVD. Kind of a try before you buy approach. Might be an option for you if your just trying to copy data.
 
You must use a Micro SD card adapter if not, the USB option for the Phone is useless. Below i attached my settings for my 16GB Sandisk Ultra. This setting work best and never had a problem. I also attached a Picture of an Micro SD Card adapter if you don't understand what i mean.




Setting are:
E: FAT32 Primary
*: Ext4 Primary
(Second one should remain without a name or label)
 

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For better or worse I gave up and just reformatted the card. All is well except now I realize I lost the stock voicemail apk - so I have no visual voicemail or any sort of v/m notification at all. Ugh. If anyone has a link for the stock app let me know. Otherwise, maybe I'll just do a hard reset... Blargh. :(
 
sfdreamsla said:
So I can't just format it on the phone? Like I said, the phone DOES recognize that there's an SD card - but it can't read one partition. What's the difference between wiping partitions and formatting. Sorry if it's a stupid question. I really appreciate all help!
Click to expand...

xclusive36 said:
factory reset
Click to expand...

I did the factory reset and the vm app is back - but now it says my phone is unrooted? Do I need to re-root? I haven't rooted since December and don't remember what method I used. Any suggestions?
 
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