Thanks for reading. I have searched and read a bunch of threads but didn't see an answer.
I have two related problems with a new generic android device (a TV box, which is android not Google). I can get by with only fixing one of the two problems.
My data partition is too small but what’s worse; it seems to be formatted in such a way that programs installed on it take too much space... when I move programs to external SD they go from 5-6 mb to 300-400k. So… too little space + the space gets filled too fast.
If it is less work; I could get by if I could fix just problem two (filled too fast). On a PC it would be something about partition type and cluster size. Is there a way to just format the data partition that might be easier than redoing the entire internal storage? If so; can it be with apks that can be downloaded out of the market? I'm also ok with a Linux command line.
If not; can anyone recommend a thread (I looked, really) on how to redo the entire internal storage when using a generic device and out of market software? Everything I’m seeing is tied to a particular device and/or needs a market based app that I can’t see with my unit.
It’s a nice device otherwise… A9, great picture, et cetera…
Thanks again.
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A
Related
Hi guys. I've reached my breaking point on the anemic app storage space on our handy dandy little device. So far I've avoided any real mods for this device because I didn't want to start a new habit of flashing on the regular (been there, done that, fun but sometimes time consuming). But right I can't install any large programs without having the constant low space message. So if the only real functionality I need is an extended app storage partition what method would be best to achieve that. Thanks in advance everyone.
dancnpete said:
Hi guys. I've reached my breaking point on the anemic app storage space on our handy dandy little device. So far I've avoided any real mods for this device because I didn't want to start a new habit of flashing on the regular (been there, done that, fun but sometimes time consuming). But right I can't install any large programs without having the constant low space message. So if the only real functionality I need is an extended app storage partition what method would be best to achieve that. Thanks in advance everyone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think there is only one way: Urukdroid.
I thinks its the only way to extend app partition Try it
Okay follow up question, should I then get a ne SD card as mine is only class 2, or should I install on internal. Pros?cons? Again thanks
dancnpete said:
Okay follow up question, should I then get a ne SD card as mine is only class 2, or should I install on internal. Pros?cons? Again thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Install on sd card is better if you want more space on your tablet
But otherwise i prefer install on internal
There is a thread in here somewhere in which a fella found that gen8 devices keep a cache of old APK files. I cleared out that cache and it fixed all my maddening app storage problems. Look for that thread.
I tried finding the thread you mentioned with no luck, any idea what to search for?
I just spent a good 20 minutes searching and couldn't find it either.. weird. I'll see if I can't find the directory on my own when I get home.
Can you get a temp root? That's necessary.
Knowing there is an answer is half the battle.
I found .apk's in internal \Downloads directory and \system\APK. I didn't even have to use adb, just mounted the disks and used explorer.
I can confirm that deleting them doesn't hurt anything. However, there really wasn't that much and it didn't help my sort of storage issue.
I haven't tried this on my A101 yet, but Link2SD http://market.android.com/details?id=com.buak.Link2SD should work. You will have to create a second partition on your internal storage or SD card though.
Hi there, noob speaking... (at least in terms of Android)
Let's start with the fact that I bought rooted phone with Cyanogenmod alredy installed which is my 1st Android device. That way I omitted few steps of learning how to root, how to flash it, etc. not to mention that I'm not a Linux guy, so even the way system handles folders and files is new for me. As the problem is more phone-related than system-related I'm posting it here, on XDA.
I'm trying to learn how to partition an "internal SD card" to make it work with Link2SD. I've found lots of tutorials how to do this with an external memory card, but there is not much info about doing the same with internal storage. I've found a tutorial for a diffrent phone, but I'm worried that droid devices seem to be very diffrent and simply retyping everything without understanding what I'm actually doing may cause more harm than good.
My biggest objection is the fact that I'm alredy using my internal SD and beside various media files (photos, music, etc.) there are lots of system, or app related stuff there. There are folders like .android_secure which as I guess store app-related files (or even parts of apps that I moved to SD with build-in feature). If this was Windows, I'd simply back up everything, format it, partition into "general storage" and "app memory" and put backed up files back directly onto new partition only worrying to keep correct letters assigned to new partitions. I'm preety sure that doing same in Android (by copying everything to PC and back to phone) would not work because all those permisions, or am I wrong?
Anyway - Any advice how to do this?
Additional question is related to accessing whole phone memory via PC connected by USB. I know that Android phones are made with security in mind and "system" partition is hidden when connecting USB, but there should be some other way than browsing everything from some phone apps with root permissions. I'd really like to browse my phone both for educational reasons and to check what really takes up space on my "system storage". I'm suspecting that some app went crazy eating lots of space, because once every time I uninstalled something my storage after few minutes was again at 20mb level and it continiued for some time.
BTW: Is there any reason why having about 200mb empty space for apps is not enough to install or update some small applications, while other install even when just 100mb is left?
Tl;dr:
-How to partition internal SD to make it work with link2sd while there are some system/app files on internal SD alredy?
-How to browse "system memory" from PC via USB?
-Why some apps don't install when there is still 200mb+ free space?
Hello,
I already posted this in device specific forum but there i got no answer and i think it's a problem common to many devices.
So what's the problem: I really like my G2 but i have one annoying issue:
When using one of those great custom roms i end up with pretty much free space on internal storage (system partition).
Since i'm having the 16GB-version i have ~10GB of usable space and currently ~3-5GB wasted space.
When using OSM-Maps 10GB is not much so i hope there is a way to utilize the free space on internal storage.
I have some ideas but i'm no dev and i hardly know about linux and even less about android.
So thats what i thought of:
Idea 1: Change partition size.
Well i think not a good idea but on my old HTC HD2 i could choose how the storage is partitioned. Don't know if this is possible on G2 and if changes there are not to risky.
Idea 2: Create a virtual SD-Card.
I know that this is possible somehow because i can do that with androidx86 on my tablet. So why dont write an app or zip-File-Patch that creates a custom-size virtual sd-card on internal storage/system partition. Problem is that i can't do that. Help of a dev would be needed.
Idea 3: Redirect folders.
On Linux and Windows it's possible to create "virtual folders" that are just links to the real folder that is stored somewhere else. Pretty handy on windows to move music-library to sd-card with full functions for example.
I think i've seen such things on android too when browsing my device. So why don't move for example the DCIM-Folder and others to internal storage this way?
But again a dev would be needed.
Idea 4: Copy some stuff with root and file explorer.
Thats maybe the simpliest way but i don't know how and where i can copy things. For example i've around 4GB of music on my device and if i can still access it i would have no problem to move it to internal storage somewhere. Maybe to ringtones folder or something like this.
But i'm not sure where i should put it to be on internal storage and access being still possible.
It would be great to further discuss this ideas with you and find some kind of solution
Hi guys, so I've got this tablet for free with my new contract and I want to root it to play a bit with it . Do you guys have any idea how to do it ? I haven't managed to find any tutorials on the web .
Vonino Onyx QS root request
+1 on this issue.
I too have a Vonino Onyx QS tablet running on Android 4.4.2. The device is decent enough, but storage management is awful! Despite being advertised as an 8 GB tablet in terms of storage, the Onyx QS runs aground at about 900 MB of installed apps (including related data and cache) and starts yelling that there is "Insufficient storage available". This renders the tablet virtually unusable after installing just a few essential apps. Emails stop working, apps will no longer update and data-intensive apps such as Google Earth will simply refuse to run. The 32 GB external SD card I've added makes no difference. It's almost like the OS has no clue what to do with it.
I suck at Android. However, after a lot of digging for pieces of information I've come to undersand that these devices use separate partitions for the apps and other files. Some folks have also hinted towards the fact that the puny 0.9 GB app partition can be resized on a rooted device by means of a partition management app. Or apps could at least be moved to the SD card right before their installation (making use of an app such as Link2SD and, again, a rooted device).
This bring us full circle back to the OP's request: could someone please create and explain a rooting method for this tablet?
Just so you know, these are fresh screenshots of this fresh factory reset configuration. Thought it would fix the problem, but it didn't.
SilentGTX said:
Hi guys, so I've got this tablet for free with my new contract and I want to root it to play a bit with it . Do you guys have any idea how to do it ? I haven't managed to find any tutorials on the web .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Muravey said:
+1 on this issue.
I too have a Vonino Onyx QS tablet running on Android 4.4.2. The device is decent enough, but storage management is awful! Despite being advertised as an 8 GB tablet in terms of storage, the Onyx QS runs aground at about 900 MB of installed apps (including related data and cache) and starts yelling that there is "Insufficient storage available". This renders the tablet virtually unusable after installing just a few essential apps. Emails stop working, apps will no longer update and data-intensive apps such as Google Earth will simply refuse to run. The 32 GB external SD card I've added makes no difference. It's almost like the OS has no clue what to do with it.
I suck at Android. However, after a lot of digging for pieces of information I've come to undersand that these devices use separate partitions for the apps and other files. Some folks have also hinted towards the fact that the puny 0.9 GB app partition can be resized on a rooted device by means of a partition management app. Or apps could at least be moved to the SD card right before their installation (making use of an app such as Link2SD and, again, a rooted device).
This bring us full circle back to the OP's request: could someone please create and explain a rooting method for this tablet?
Just so you know, these are fresh screenshots of this fresh factory reset configuration. Thought it would fix the problem, but it didn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try with Kingo ROOT. You do it at you'r own risk.
Successful rooting of Vonino Onyx QS tablet
Paget96 said:
try with Kingo ROOT. You do it at you'r own risk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, Paget96! Thank you so much for the solution!
I'm writing this to let you, the OP and everybody else know that Kingo Root did it! I have succesfully rooted the tablet and the process itself was quick and merely a matter of installing the software on my PC, connecting the tablet via USB and clicking my way through.
Afterwards I installed Link2SD Plus to manage the transfer of apps from internal storage to the external SD card (32 GB in my case). The app is dirt cheap and truly what you need, because the free version does not allow you to move app data, only the app itself and its libraries. As I've come to know, data and cache build-up is what ends up killing storage space.
Before installing Link2SD however, one must prepare the SD card by means of a partitioning program. Highly recommend you do this via card reader on an actual PC. Use MiniTool Partition Wizard, it seems to be very popular these days. Delete whatever's already on the card and make two PRIMARY partitions: the first one will be FAT32 and will store the media you consume (like music, photos, videos etc.), while the second partition has to be ext4 (ext2 did not work for me on this tablet) and will hold the apps and their data. You can go ahead and name them "Media" and "Apps" respectively to avoid confusion. Remember: both must be primary partitions, the first one is FAT32 for media, the second is ext4 for apps. I made my app partition 10 GB big. Overkill, you say? Hey, I'm done with insufficient storage space errors, ok? :silly:
While you're at it, you might want to add a third partition for swap space to add more RAM to your device. There are tutorials for it on the web.
Once you're done formatting the card, reinstall it in the tablet, open up Link2SD and choose ext4 at the script mounting prompt. From there on, moving apps from internal to SD card space should be intuitive.
Prior to all this fiddling I suggest you perform a factory reset on your device so you can start clean. Can't tell you anythihg about custom ROMs or stuff like that because I didn't have a need for them. This thing works fine apart from that silly storage limitation.
Phew! I can finally enjoy using my tablet... :fingers-crossed:
Muravey said:
Hi, Paget96! Thank you so much for the solution!
I'm writing this to let you, the OP and everybody else know that Kingo Root did it! I have succesfully rooted the tablet and the process itself was quick and merely a matter of installing the software on my PC, connecting the tablet via USB and clicking my way through.
Afterwards I installed Link2SD Plus to manage the transfer of apps from internal storage to the external SD card (32 GB in my case). The app is dirt cheap and truly what you need, because the free version does not allow you to move app data, only the app itself and its libraries. As I've come to know, data and cache build-up is what ends up killing storage space.
Before installing Link2SD however, one must prepare the SD card by means of a partitioning program. Highly recommend you do this via card reader on an actual PC. Use MiniTool Partition Wizard, it seems to be very popular these days. Delete whatever's already on the card and make two PRIMARY partitions: the first one will be FAT32 and will store the media you consume (like music, photos, videos etc.), while the second partition has to be ext4 (ext2 did not work for me on this tablet) and will hold the apps and their data. You can go ahead and name them "Media" and "Apps" respectively to avoid confusion. Remember: both must be primary partitions, the first one is FAT32 for media, the second is ext4 for apps. I made my app partition 10 GB big. Overkill, you say? Hey, I'm done with insufficient storage space errors, ok? :silly:
While you're at it, you might want to add a third partition for swap space to add more RAM to your device. There are tutorials for it on the web.
Once you're done formatting the card, reinstall it in the tablet, open up Link2SD and choose ext4 at the script mounting prompt. From there on, moving apps from internal to SD card space should be intuitive.
Prior to all this fiddling I suggest you perform a factory reset on your device so you can start clean. Can't tell you anythihg about custom ROMs or stuff like that because I didn't have a need for them. This thing works fine apart from that silly storage limitation.
Phew! I can finally enjoy using my tablet... :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
10gb is too big, you will broke your sd.
Better use 512mb.
Paget96 said:
10gb is too big, you will broke your sd.
Better use 512mb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you expand on that one, please? Why am I at risk of ruining the SD card?
Muravey said:
Could you expand on that one, please? Why am I at risk of ruining the SD card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Brcause sd work without stop, that is not good.
SD prob
Hi, i have the same tablet ... and i managed to root it ... but i cant manage to increse the storage . l've done the exact stepts ... installed micropartition deleted my sd card (2gb micro sd samasung) i did the first partition fat32 primary with a size of 800 gb and when i try to make the second one ext4 the program says that windows cant see the second partion on a removable device but i continuued anyways ,,, and created the second one with ext2 and then with ext4 as primary ... my windows and my tablet cant see the second partion ... need a little help ... thx
I heave installed the drivers, and nothing happens. Its not connecting to my pc. I changed the pc too. I heave the error: Unfortunately, Mobile data has stopped. I tryed to repair this with recovery -- Wipe data, factory reset. Not working.
Hello!
I have a somewhat unusual challenge on my hand and am hoping there is a solution, however after days of searching I am unable to come up with a clear or consistent answer. I got a shiny new SM-T580 around the holidays, and immediately set to work on installing twrp, rooting the device, etc. to be able to use it for my needs. My device is OEM unlocked, rooted, has Xposed installed, and has a ton of hard to come by apps installed, as well as a substantial amount of important personal files on it. On Saturday, I went to flash a zip file to install a tool pertaining to ROM modification and the install unexpectedly failed because TWRP couldn't mount my /data partition; I realized I had completely forgotten to format /data after disabling encryption back when I first did everything, and my /data partition was still encrypted.
That being said, I really do need to remove the encryption, but I really need to preserve my data also. To make matters more complicated, I have enabled adoptable storage, and am using a 64gb card formatted as internal storage, with about ~30gb data on it. I have backed up my personal files to the cloud, but now am trying to figure out how to move my apps and app data. Ideally I would like to preserve my entire existing directory structure, as well as home screen configurations, etc. I am left with a few questions that are preventing me from proceeding:
How do I determine which data is stored on the actual external SD card? From my own poking around, it looks as though the external SD is /mnt/expand/aa11a11a-blah-blah-blah/ but I am not positive. If that is my SD card, can I simply move it to a new install? I assume the SD card is also encrypted, as I am guessing the string following /mnt/expand/ is an encrypted serial number or something of the sort. If that is the case, can I simply copy the files from the above directory, and then copy them back in after formatting the card? Beyond this, as far as what is actually stored on my phone, is there a means of backing up and restoring the files and directory structure and having it all still work and point to the right places? I don't know how the system links the adopted storage and just feel like I'm in over my head when it comes to understanding the nitty-gritty of Android file system internals. I would simply backup the whole partition and then restore it but then I would be back to square one with the encryption. I am competent with TWRP, ADB, ODIN, etc and would be very, very happy if anyone could point me in the right direction on this, even if the solution is complex. If I am unable to figure this out before the weekend I am going to have to manually back up all apps and click through 300+ apk files. I do also have titanium backup but I am kind of in a bind with storage space vs backup size. Anyhow, if you made it this far thank you so much for reading and I am looking forward to your replies! :highfive
Edit: This was intended for the Galaxy Tab A forum. Mods, please move this thread to Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Questions & Answers if possible, though the question should pertain to both device series on 6.0+. Thank you!