LG V20 Saves thumbnails but not photos

[Android Central Question]

LG V20 H990DS set to save pictures to internal memory
However many / most pictures are not on phone.

Viewing internal memory with windows explorer. some thumbnails can be found in DCIM\.thumbnails but the corresponding picture is either missing or 0 bytes
For other photos that were taken there is no thumbnail
Using the standard Camera app.

Any suggestions?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Just to be sure -- you looked in the /DCIM/Camera directory for these photos? Also, just in case, did you look in the /DCIM/Camera directory on the SD card (if present)?

 

[Mooncatt]

I have the V20, and don't have that .thumbnails folder. I'm not sure why you would have it if you only use the stock camera app, but I agree with B. Diddy on looking for a /DCIM/camera folder. That's how mine saves.

 

[B. Diddy]

@Mooncatt, I thought the /DCIM/.thumbnails directory was standard -- does your file manager have a setting to show hidden files/folders?

 

[Mooncatt]

@Mooncatt, I thought the /DCIM/.thumbnails directory was standard -- does your file manager have a setting to show hidden files/folders?

Shoot, you're right. I thought I had it set to view hidden folders.

Still, there should be the /camera folder like you mentioned.

 

[Mooncatt]

Shoot, you're right. I thought I had it set to view hidden folders.

Still, there should be the /camera folder like you mentioned.

Forgot the screenshot.

 

[Rincewindwiz]

Hi guys (of all genders!) and thanks for the interest
1. It is the sandard camera appp
2. I have checked the SD card and internal storage
3. Both have a thumbnail folder
4. Some photos
* produce nothing
* produce a thumbnail only
* produce an empty file (0 bytes)

It did it again today. 2 lots of 3 photos (phone not switched off in between)
Seems no pattern to which work and which do not

Confused and irritated. THis is nto what computers are supposed to do!

 

[methodman89]

Eliminate the SD card from the process, save to the internal memory. Attempt to read your SD card in a pc to rule that out too. Good luck

 

[B. Diddy]

Also, see if this happens in Safe Mode as well: https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-32496

 

[Rincewindwiz]

SD card scanned and tested on PC already. Flawless.
As mentioned above, problem happens when camera is told to save to internal storage as well

 

[methodman89]

SD card scanned and tested on PC already. Flawless.
As mentioned above, problem happens when camera is told to save to internal storage as well

U need to follow the above suggestion regardless. And in what way was your SD card flawless? Did you do a read write speed test? Format check? Could you post a screen shot of anything to see what experience we're working on?

 

[Rincewindwiz]

SD card - did the standard test for duff sticks (write over whole stick and see if it can be read back)
Think I have done pretty much everything that was recommended.
So I'll take 48 hours out and put together the results of a series of tests. HTH?

 

[Mooncatt]

Let's back this up a bit.

Is there a specific reason you're trying to access photos via the thumbnail folder I the first place? Are you not able to see the full photos in the gallery app or when accessing the respective folders with a file manager?

 

[B. Diddy]

My understanding is that @Rincewindwiz can't see the photos in the Gallery app, and when using a file manager app looking directly in the /DCIM/Camera directory (on both Internal Storage and the SD card), the full resolution photo file is also not there (or only shows up as a 0 Kb file). Is that correct?

 

[Rincewindwiz]

Pictures not visible in gallery (either simply not there or as a grey logo (mountain outline + exclamation mark) so I went looking with explorer to see where they were. Then discovered thumbnail folder (which has some but not all) and some zero length files in the DCIM folder

So yes B.Diddy is absolutely correct.
And this seems to happen whether photos are stored on internal storage or SD card

 

[B. Diddy]

Sorry, I'm not sure if you ever confirmed that this also happens in Safe Mode.

 

[Mooncatt]

Pictures not visible in gallery (either simply not there or as a grey logo (mountain outline + exclamation mark) so I went looking with explorer to see where they were. Then discovered thumbnail folder (which has some but not all) and some zero length files in the DCIM folder

So yes B.Diddy is absolutely correct.
And this seems to happen whether photos are stored on internal storage or SD card

Got it. Aside from B. Diddy's suggestion of Safe Mode, is this an issue with all photos (screenshots, downloads, pc transfers, etc.), or just ones that you've taken with the OEM camera app?

 

[Rincewindwiz]

Thanks
Only noticed ti with teh OEM camera app.
Whatapp pictures seem to be fine.
One video camera app video showed the same symtoms
Screenshots seem to be OK

Hope to test Safe mode later today

 

[Mooncatt]

Thanks
Only noticed ti with teh OEM camera app.
Whatapp pictures seem to be fine.
One video camera app video showed the same symtoms
Screenshots seem to be OK

Hope to test Safe mode later today

If the other images are fine, this sounds like a glitch with the camera app. Two other things to try now.

Clear the camera's app data in the app manager. If you also have the option to disable it, do so and re-enable it. My version of the V20 doesn't let me disable it, but you may get lucky. Disabling and enabling it again would effectively be like a re-install. This will not delete any photos or personal info.

Try other camera apps. If this keeps happening with other camera apps, then it could be something at the OS level requiring a factory reset, or a hardware problem.

Unfortunately, I'm thinking the existing botched photos may not be recoverable.

 

[Rincewindwiz]

OK Did all that
Taken 3 pics OK. Will need a few days nd a few random photo opportunities to determine if problem has gone away.
Botched photos clearly u/s - bummer