Internal memory help...how to better understand where it is going and optimize.

Disaster

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I'm constantly dealing with steadily evaporating memory. This phone is still a bit too high maintenance. When things start getting hairy, as they always seem to eventually do, I go back and review all apps sorted by size and delete another one I think I can live without, or remove one and look for a smaller one or one that can move to external memory. Even so, it is a weekly occurance.

I'm not interested in rooting yet...not until I'm more comfortable with the phone and while 2.3 might be just around the corner. Reinstalling everything when an update comes is also in the high maintenance category for me.

I'm down to about 20Mb of memory with about 70 "downloaded" apps, though some of them are quite a few are basic needed apps...perhaps, updates, like "Market", "Maps", and "Voice Search."

I've learned some stuff (through research and trial and error) but I'm still not satisfied.

1. Delete old chat threads and reduced the number stored per thread from 200 to 20.

2. Delete the cache...sometimes going after specifically hungry programs like Market but this is a very temporary solution and just helpful to get out of an immediate bind (like when texts can't be received.)

3. Read the "real" size vs. the advertised size. For example, I like Handscent, but the actual size in memory was almost twice what it says on the download page. I switched to the smaller GoSMS.

Now for the questions.

1. What is the easiest way to figure out how much "real" internal memory programs are using?

2. Do some programs leave remnants when you uninstall them...like used to happen in Windows?

Any other tips that won't require too much work when a maintenance release rolls along?
 

hamagc

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there are a few threads in this section regarding how to free up some space on your device. i would suggest starting there for information.

for how much space, there are a few different apps that tell the space being used. i personally like the one in settings under manage applications. it shows what apps are using what space.

apps shouldn't leave remnants on your device itself, however you will find many leave folders and infromation on your sdcard.
 

Disaster

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there are a few threads in this section regarding how to free up some space on your device. i would suggest starting there for information.

Read a ton of threads on this subject, here and on 20 other forums. That is what I meant when I said I learned by "research" and trial and error.

for how much space, there are a few different apps that tell the space being used. i personally like the one in settings under manage applications. it shows what apps are using what space.

I mentioned that I used that too...when deciding which apps to delete or when comparing apps. However, I'm concerned it isn't giving the entire picture. Besides the application, cache and data, might there be other stuff on the internal memory that the program is responsible for? When it says the size, is that the true size on the SD card...or is there also some stuff left on the internal memory (besides the cache and data which are reported.)

apps shouldn't leave remnants on your device itself, however you will find many leave folders and infromation on your sdcard.

Nor should they do that in Windows, but they do. Wasn't sure if Android handled this better.

It would be nice if one could parse through the internal memory and be able to tell what files and directories belonged to what programs and if there were orphans.

I wouldn't be suspicious if it weren't for the memory loss creep I keep experiencing despite not installing anything.
 

hamagc

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Read a ton of threads on this subject, here and on 20 other forums. That is what I meant when I said I learned by "research" and trial and error.



I mentioned that I used that too...when deciding which apps to delete or when comparing apps. However, I'm concerned it isn't giving the entire picture. Besides the application, cache and data, might there be other stuff on the internal memory that the program is responsible for? When it says the size, is that the true size on the SD card...or is there also some stuff left on the internal memory (besides the cache and data which are reported.)



Nor should they do that in Windows, but they do. Wasn't sure if Android handled this better.

It would be nice if one could parse through the internal memory and be able to tell what files and directories belonged to what programs and if there were orphans.

I wouldn't be suspicious if it weren't for the memory loss creep I keep experiencing despite not installing anything.

there are a few things to remember with android. the dalvik-cache is in the /data partition. you may need to google to learn what the DC is but as the DC adds more information, you will see your data space get smaller.

apps also have their own cache (browser for example) that can take up alot of space. i had my browser at 80mb at one point until i cleared the history and cache on it bringing it back down to 8mb or so.

this can easily account for your "creeping" memory loss.

other than the listed, i can not think of anywhere on the internel memory that apps would use. what you see reported is what it is. when you move an app to the sdcard, a portion of it stays in internal memory. the rest goes to sd. whats then reported in manage apps is whats in the internal memory. an app such as quick system info will give you a few more details such has what is being used by apps2sd and whats in the internal memory.

as for file orphans, you will see this in DC. this can be cleared in the recovery menu (even stock i believe). this will clear up some space on the internal memory but the first boot will be slower than usual. once the DC is rebuilt, your reboot times will be faster.

hopefully this helps.
 

debh945

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I know you can do this through "manage applications" but I use Quick App Clean Cache to clean all the cache of all apps with one click. There's also a widget that you can put on your homescreen that you just tap to clean the caches without opening the app.

The screen shots on Appbrain show the button (must have root) but the app was recently updated so that you can one-click cache clean without root.
 

Disaster

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We've now got several of these in the family and I've been comparing mine to my son's and several oddities are apparent.

For example, Google Maps is version 5.0.0 on my phone and 10.3Mb. It is only 4.52Mb on his phone and version 4.5.0. Mine has been updated. His says there are no updates?

Similarly he has Voice Search 2.0.1 at a meer 480Kb. I've got 2.1.1 which is 10 times bigger, at 4.42Mb!!!

Those two alone account for a 9Mb difference.

He's got about 96Mb free...me only 25Mb.
 

mrinehart93

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Dude... just root your phone. You have nothing to worry about. It's not like you're going to be doing development stuff on your phone so the likelihood of you bricking the device is virtually non-existent. Just download z4root and run it, done. Easy as that. Then just install a custom ROM, and enjoy all the new space you have. To back up your apps, just use Titanium Backup. I know you don't want to deal with rooting, etc., but the pros of rooting heavily outweigh the cons (when you take into account the chance of you actually breaking the phone while rooting).
 

Disaster

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I know you can do this through "manage applications" but I use Quick App Clean Cache to clean all the cache of all apps with one click. There's also a widget that you can put on your homescreen that you just tap to clean the caches without opening the app.

The screen shots on Appbrain show the button (must have root) but the app was recently updated so that you can one-click cache clean without root.

I like the cache view of that app....as opposed to having to open each individual app. As far as clearing, I have a couple other programs that do that, including, if I recall, Apps2SD.

Dude... just root your phone. You have nothing to worry about. It's not like you're going to be doing development stuff on your phone so the likelihood of you bricking the device is virtually non-existent. Just download z4root and run it, done. Easy as that. Then just install a custom ROM, and enjoy all the new space you have. To back up your apps, just use Titanium Backup. I know you don't want to deal with rooting, etc., but the pros of rooting heavily outweigh the cons (when you take into account the chance of you actually breaking the phone while rooting).

I understand the benefits to rooting. Used to do all that kind of stuff years ago...starting back with the first Palm devices. Spent a ton of time optimizing them. You are probably way too young to remember the days of Windows memory managers, where you'd play with each byte...borrowing from the bios and shadow video... I learned a crapload of totally useless info (at least it is useless today.)

Today, I'm not wanting to spend that kind of time optimizing, then reoptimizing, every time and update comes out. I'm now more of a "set it and forget it" kind of person. I was surprised to find Android does not manage memory as well as iOS or WebOS. Hopefully, Google and developers will start getting it right in future iterations. In the meantime, I'd like to learn enough to NOT have to hassle with it...as opposed to spending hours and hours tweaking. I understand the enjoyment of it (been there) but I also understand the big black hole of time wasting it can become.
 

cordell

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Things have changed from years ago. You can root with one click, custom recovery with a few lines of code, flash a ROM and kernel all within one hour (or less!). When a ROM update is released you flash right on top of your current set up, no having to reinstall apps, or go through sign in process again (ThundeROM appears the most stable for flashing on top of existing set up). So you can "set it and forget it" :)
 
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brad75204

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I have over 100mb of internal memory free now. I know alot of apps wouldnt move to SD with the apps2sd app or by froyo itself. I used Titanium Backup and used the "move to SD card" feature and moved some memory hogs that i dont use alot to SD. It is still really quick when using these apps. I dont see a slowdown at all.

I was able to move 70mb of apps to SD this way
 

Disaster

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I have over 100mb of internal memory free now. I know alot of apps wouldnt move to SD with the apps2sd app or by froyo itself. I used Titanium Backup and used the "move to SD card" feature and moved some memory hogs that i dont use alot to SD. It is still really quick when using these apps. I dont see a slowdown at all.

I was able to move 70mb of apps to SD this way

Sounds like the old Palm operating system days. The first memory card app programs moved the app to the memory card and then copied it back when you went to run it. I seems like you could write a little shortcut to a backup program that would do the same thing, without rooting.

I am only a couple steps away from that in convenience. I backed up the programs I thought I might use again before deleting them. Will have to recover them from the backup to run them...then rearchive them.