[HOW TO] Install Android system on SATA (SSD or HDD)

gaara

Allright !
I have now 3.94 GB in /data and 51.26 GB in /sdcard.
To optimize all, I have compiled the kernel with swap active (General setup -> Support for paging of anonymous memory (swap) ) and actived it with the app 'RamExpander'
All works fine !

liab

I tried a lot this weekend. It's also possible to use sda1 (sd_card) instead of sda4 and format sda4 to ntfs.

In fact the boot-time is ca. 15 seconds shorter. But in practice, after android is booted, I noticed no gain. My important apps, like vu+ and kodi, will not start faster. So I finished the experiments an use the ssd again as normal ntfs or ext4 formatted hdd. But it was very interessting to play with the different possibilities.

gaara

You're right, it's possible to play with partitions, and make some differents configurations.

I have modified sys_partition.fex and increase all the patitions (without boot), and sda1 is smaller, because I don't use it.
But at the first boot, all my personals apps (I put them in /ANDROID/android/out/target/product/sugar-lemaker/system/preinstall) are more faster installed.

I have tried a Benchmark before and after the hack (with AnTuTu). It was 10500 Pts, and now it's 12000 Pts. So it's a little difference, but a little more
Maybe your SD card is faster than mine, because I see the change in normal use!

Anyway, thanks for your contribution

kbrowne

gaara replied at Mon Mar 23, 2015 00:57
You're right, it's possible to play with partitions, and make some differents configurations.

I ha ...

Thanks to  Gaara’s initial work  and not being able to download the Android Github  image I was able to get my SATA HDD to boot following the  process below.

I have made all the change as detailed by Gaara’s Howto link below , but tried a different option using DragonFace v2.1.2

http://forum.lemaker.org/thread- ... ta_ssd_or_hdd_.html



Loaded  DragonFace v2.1.2  ( right click on file and run as Administrator)

I selected  Android  v4.2.2 img …   Android v4.4 has  a different structure and configuration files I suspect.

Select Advanced Settings  and click on  Int.rc  File  button.

This file has the same contents as the file /ANDROID/android/device/softwinner/sugar-lemaker/init.sun7i.rc

Make the necessary changes and save to a new image.. burn and follow Gaara’s howto in order to complete the boot process.

Big up the man called Gaara….

gaara

Thanks !

mattrix

Ummm.

Pretty sure you can edit that device/softwinner/sugar-lemaker/init.sun7i.rc using DragonFace on an existing image.
Meaning: no need to compile Android.

Download an image, open with dragonface, edit file. Save image.
Burn image to SD card.
Copy SD to HDD.
DONE

Ooops, should read the post 2x above first.
Haha

Alfm

kbrowne replied at Thu Mar 26, 2015 07:20
Thanks to  Gaara’s initial work  and not being able to download the Android Github  image I was a ...

Thanks !

gaara

Thanks all for your returns, but I think I will go back with a (fast & big) SD card.
After some weeks of use and many apps installed, if the system freeze, the system is not able to be as stable as the begining. And it finish to not boot at all.
Perhaps some securities of Android I havn't seen...
So it's good to play, but not if you want a stable system.

gaara

Maybe a problem of 5V. I will try to power the SSD with an external power.

vba

So.. Where do you get the source? The github repo is closed? and the link kbrowne posted doesn't work