Question :

I installed the simple2ext in my cyanogenmod 9 as mentioned  in this article at Handy Information blog. after installing when I checked my task manager it shows that all my apps are installed in device but when i check the sd-ext directory it's showing all apps there. My device, which is Samsung galaxy mini gt-s5570, is showing 81 MB used memory in task manager application. I can't understand whats happening, please help?

Reply :

Galaxy Ace GT-S5830L is a variant of Samsung Galaxy Ace GT-S5830 smartphone and the models which are sold in Americas are especially know by this (GT-S5830L) model number. In this article, I'll explain to you in details the step by step instructions to upgrade your handset with latest Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread firmwares. So, to begin with download a firmware for your region below and provided you have give requirements already (if you don't have them then download them too) we are ready to move ahead.

GT-S5830L 2.3.6 Firmwares Downloads

From past few days, I've seen around different android groups spread via social networks, the issue of downloading mediafire links in android devices. Seeing this it made me think, is this really a big issues at all. Well, I still think it isn't? And, there are probably many different ways download files that are hosted on file sharing site like mediafire on your mobile phone. Below are five easiest methods of downloading such files.

Question :
I bought an 8GB SD Card the other day, but, it didnt work on my galaxy mini. The guy at the shop said that Samsung Galaxy Mini GT-S5570 can not handle it. So, I am stuck on my 2gb SD Card.
I just wanted to ask you if partitioning this 2GB SD Card, will I be able to make the partition to 500MB ?
The original 180MB for apps is way too low, and I think I could do with 500MB somehow.
Reply :

The guy at the shop probably didn't know much about it. In fact, Galaxy Mini can support sdcard upto 32 GB, however I don't recommend using it, since your device will load slow as it'll take much time to scan the card and load files. 8 GB or 16 GB memory card should be enough for galaxy mini users. Now, for you case, if you are really not satisfied then, I suggest you pay a visit to some other shops and seek for a 4, 8 or 16 GB card. Don't forget to try it out on the spot. It should work fine.
Note : Some cards need to be formatted before you can see or use them.

Also, yes, you can partition your 2 GB card to create a sd-ext partition of 500 MB which should be enough if you are a normal users. Simply follow the step by step instructions given at this article to partition your sd-card. In case you buy a new card, don't allocate more than 2 GB for your sd-ext partition. 500 MB or 1 GB should be enough for normal users.

Also, it is to be noted that, even if you use sd-ext partition (to preserve your internal memory), it doesn't necessarily mean all apps should be installed in sd-ext/app/ directory. Some apps, which support Androids' app2sd (a new feature introduced by Google with Android 2.2.1 Froyo release, which let's developer to install some or all part of application and data to be stored in sd-card.)  feature will be installed in sd-card as usual. This means, most games will be installed in sd-card which justifies the reason why you shouldn't allot more than 1 GB of memory for your second partition in sd-card.

Good luck and happy partitioning.

Question :
I use CyanogenMod RC 5.7 on my Galaxy Mini/Pop GT-S5570 and No Frills CPU Control App to configure CPU frequencies. And I have a question which is best "governor" and "I/O scheduler" for my galaxy mini?

Reply : 
Well, in cyanogenmod  rc5.7 you can simply configure CPU Settings from within the rom's Settings=>>CyanogenMod Settings=>>Performance=>>CPU Settings options. It provides more configuration option than No Frills CPU control app. But, you can use any according to your preferences.

While, which configuration is better for Governor and I/O Scheduler filed depends upon the use of the device. Most, better and battery efficient configuration is to select SmartAssv2 as Governor and sio as I/O Scheduler. Smartass governor monitors the device's usages regularly and adjust CPU frequency accordingly between Maximum and minimum frequency. This way it will both be efficient for performance as well as battery life.

To optimize your device for efficient battery life, simply set Max. CPU frequency to not more than 700 MHz and minimum CPU frequency to below 300 MHz. Also, you can optimize the Max. CPU screen-off frequency by selecting it to around 400 Mhz. While this will save battery, it might make your device lag while waking up from sleep or in case you use background data and sync continuously even while screen is off. If that is the case then, the normal 600 Mhz or any other frequency near it should be fine.

Questions :
Could you please answer following two questions about Samsung Galaxy Ace?

1. How do I root Android 2.2.1 (JXKC1) ? I've tried some ways but they didn't work; such as "z4root" or "supper one click". My friends say i should first upgrade it to Gingerbread 2.3.3 but I don't want to lose lots of installed apps and a calendar with hundreds reminder points!

2. Is there any app to lock the screen? I know this feature is on phone but it locks it in period of time like every 30s . I wanna do it myself when I need.

Replies :
It simple to root Android 2.2.1. Most probably Super One Click can root it so, I suggest you try it again following these simple instructions. However, if you are still unable to root with it try using Unlock Root app, which is a one click simple root utility that supports and roots many devices in no time. You can find more information about it and download it from here. If you are still unable to root, post a comment below and we'll work out something for it.

However, I too would recommend you to upgrade to latest Gingerbread 2.3.6 version since you'll get a lot of improvements in your device and smooth performance after the update. I can see that you are afraid of losing your apps and data. But, there's no need to worry about it. You can use a powerful mobile management tool called MyPhoneExplorer  to backup most of your data including contacts, SMSs, Calls Lists, Calender, Notes, Alarm, etc and many others.

Just connect your device to the PC and run MyPhoneExplorer app then, sync everything to your PC as well as do a backup from Extras menu. Later you can sync the data again back to your device. Most probably it can help you backup applications too, but, if you are unable then use App Control app to backup your applications. Also, calender is in constant sync with Google servers, so, you won't lose your remainders even if you don't back it up. So, grab MyPhoneExplorer from here and give it a try. You can alternatively use Smasung Kies to sync your apps, however the difference is Samsung Kies is not compatible with custom roms while MyPhoneExplorer stand out with most android devices with any rom out there.

Then, follow these simple step by step instructions to upgrade to latest Android 2.3.6 version. When you are done upgrading you can simply root your galaxy ace gt-s5830 smartphone by flashing a small zip file on your recovery. Detailed steps on rooting galaxy ace running gingerbread are given in this article.

I'm not sure about the lock screen thing. I can't understand why you'd like to keep your screen awake as it will consume some battery. So, it is better to lock your screen while not in use. However, I think I got what you are trying to do and a simple solution is change the screen lock time to 15 minutes or 30 minutes depending upon your preferences. Then, it won't turn off in 30 seconds, but if you'd like to turn it off you can press the Power (aka Lock) button and lock the screen whenever you want. This is quite secure method, since it will lock the screen anyway in 15 or 30 minutes even if you forget to lock it by yourself.

I hope this solves your problem and all your queries are answers. If you have any doubts, do post a comment below and I'll try my best to clear it out. Have a nice time rooting and upgrading.

It is well known that custom roms such as cyanogenmod doesn't come with a task manager. The developers believe android system to be intelligent enough to handle various stages of android activity and thus, manage task properly by itself. However, end users are more interested in managing the task by themselves.

Such users believe that killing task will free more RAM space as well as save their battery and prolong it's life. While it sounds to be true, it is not. Instead killing process that are required for the system will cause them to be loaded again in the memory, which consumes more battery then it would when they were active in the memory. Yes, starting new applications in mobile devices consumes more energy then keeping it alive. So, android handles them quite efficiently by caching frequently used processes. Thus, I'd recommend users not to mess with the running processes and leave everything up to the system to manage them.

However, I'll not end it here. As the title suggests, this article will help you get working task manager in your android custom roms. The task manager app below is tested to be working fine in Samsung Galaxy Mini/Pop GT-S5570, but, it will probably work on other devices too. So, if you are here looking for one, just give it a try.

I've also, posted about getting task manager on custom roms previously at this article. However, users found the process (instructions) mentioned there very difficult to follow. So, in this article, I'll provide you with a simple flashable zip file which you can flash in your custom recovery and get the task done easily. So, let's begin :

• Download Task Manager.zip file from below :
  

  File Name : TaskManager.zip
  File Size : 856 KB
  File Type : Zip | Flashable via Recovery
  Download : Link 1
  

• Copy the downloaded zip file to root directory of your sd-card.
• Reboot your android device to clockwork mod recovery. [Press Home + Power button simultaneously to go to recovery.]
• Select Install Zip From SD-Card => Choose Zip From SD-Card and select the file named TaskManager.zip from the list.
• Wait till it is installed on your system.
• Reboot your device, when everything is done.

That's all. Now you should get Task Manager app on your app drawer. Run the application and manage all the processes as much as you like. However, you might also want to consider my note from above and leave the job to the system. It's all your choice.