Galaxy Tab A - Internal storage is FULL after a Factory Reset?

[NerdHouse87]

As the title states, the device internal storage is completely FULL after a fresh Factory Reset. 15 out of 16 GB are taken up by something, and we can't figure out what. Last Factory Reset did not give us this problem.

Only thing I can find via Google is something claiming it's the battery going out....which doesn't make sense. Please assist.

The tablet is for a 6 year old.

 

[me just saying]

why did you do a factory reset? maybe related. you can try deleting the system cache. https://www.t-mobile.com/support/de...-80/wipe-cache-partition-samsung-galaxy-tab-a

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Did the tablet automatically restore a previous backup after the reset? If so, then check the app cache/data for any messaging apps like Telegram or kik -- those can become gigantic. ShareIT is another common culprit.

 

[NerdHouse87]

why did you do a factory reset? maybe related. you can try deleting the system cache. https://www.t-mobile.com/support/de...-80/wipe-cache-partition-samsung-galaxy-tab-a

It was originally reset because of this issue.
The cache deletion didn't work :/

 

[NerdHouse87]

Welcome to Android Central! Did the tablet automatically restore a previous backup after the reset? If so, then check the app cache/data for any messaging apps like Telegram or kik -- those can become gigantic. ShareIT is another common culprit.

There was no backup.
The tablet is used by a 6 year old, she does not use apps like those. The only thing she really uses is Roblox, which is not installed right after a Factory Reset.

 

[B. Diddy]

Show us a screenshot of the Settings>Storage menu: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ge...ide-how-post-screenshots-android-central.html

DiskUsage can also help figure out what's taking up space.

 

[NerdHouse87]

Show us a screenshot of the Settings>Storage menu: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ge...ide-how-post-screenshots-android-central.html

DiskUsage can also help figure out what's taking up space.

Tried DiskUsage, no idea how to interpret the data it's showing me. Here's the Storage.

 

[B. Diddy]

Can you show us some screenshots of DiskUsage? Maybe we can help interpret it.

The Samsung storage menu often doesn't give enough detail.

 

[mustang7757]

Yeah definitely would like to see screen shot of disc usuage

 

[Casper-Young]

It's not like he has Root privilage to see what you want to see. Disc usage isn't available to see normally. If I had Rooted the device and used the CPU-Z App, maybe I could do that for you. As someone who is familiar with Android programing here's something that may help you understand this issue. Upon doing a factory reset along with the data wipe, the device reboots with 13.5 GB of 16 GB used. It's like all the previous operating systems stacked upon each other instead of erasing. Like a Nandroid or Davlik memory issue is going on. Funny I don't remember having this issue when I flashed in the Liniage 16 Custom ROM. But when I return to stock, I get this memory full issue. Always. And I have two Tab A6s. The 2019 version doesn't have this problem. You'd think it's bloatware, but it's not. I may just dig into the programing to see what's going on. I'll get back to you soon.

 

[mustang7757]

It's not like he has Root privilage to see what you want to see. Disc usage isn't available to see normally. If I had Rooted the device and used the CPU-Z App, maybe I could do that for you. As someone who is familiar with Android programing here's something that may help you understand this issue. Upon doing a factory reset along with the data wipe, the device reboots with 13.5 GB of 16 GB used. It's like all the previous operating systems stacked upon each other instead of erasing. Like a Nandroid or Davlik memory issue is going on. Funny I don't remember having this issue when I flashed in the Liniage 16 Custom ROM. But when I return to stock, I get this memory full issue. Always. And I have two Tab A6s. The 2019 version doesn't have this problem. You'd think it's bloatware, but it's not. I may just dig into the programing to see what's going on. I'll get back to you soon.

Welcome to AC!
Sometimes a visual helpful seeing whats going on since we dont have the device in hand

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Mark Jones20]

I have the same problem. The Samsung My Files app shows 15.17GB used of 16GB but if I look down the list of individual files I see less than 1GB used. Connected to a laptop running Windows 10 shows an internal disk size of 10.5GB with 9.73GB used yet if I look down the various files in Windows File Explorer there is less than 0.5GB used and Tree Size Free (see uploaded image) shows only 0.328GB used. Android version is 8.1.0. Any ideas? I'm happy to do a factory reset but based on comments from others this may not help. As an aside everything I could move I already have moved to a 128GB SD card....currently less than 1% full!



Later note....I seem to have found the answer to where the storage has gone. Partly it's obvious but partly a bit strange....

The My Files App and the Windows File Explorer don't seem to show data taken up by Apps....despite me setting 'show hidden files' (but I know that doesn't reveal everything...there's 'hidden' and 'really hidden'.) Anyway, if you go to 'Settings' then 'Apps' all the Apps and their sizes are listed....and there are several showing at over 0.5GB. So this is showing what's taking up the space....not all of it but a good 7 or 8GB. But this is where it gets weird...

The biggest App was Microsoft Powerpoint at 586MB. If you look at 'Storage' the App itself is 89MB but the Data is around 400MB and the Cache around 100MB......but the data - Powerpoint files - is stored on the SD card NOT the Internal Storage. So I removed the SD card. Data still at 400MB even after rebooting. If you try to access those files the App says they can't be found....so they really are not stored on the Internal Storage. So with the SD card still removed I deleted the Data and Cache after the usual warnings that 'all data will be erased'. The Powerpoint App size is now indicated as 89MB - 0 Data 0 Cache and the internal Storage increased by 500GB. When I put in the SD card all the Data files (Powerpoint presentations) are there and can be opened......but each time I open one, Internal Storage reduces by the file size and STAYS reduced even after closing the Powerpoint presentation. And if I just open and close the same presentation time and time again, Internal Storage reduces by that amount each time and is never recovered...even after a reboot. The only way to restore the Internal Storage free space is to delete the 'Data'.

So there seems to be a glitch with Internal Storage reporting when you open Powerpoint files from an SD card. The same seems to apply to Excel. Whether it applies to other Apps who knows....I've yet to check.

So now the tablet is useable.....but what a pain to use!

 

[Mark Jones20]

I seem to have found the answer.. but don't seem to be able to delete the post. The (sort of) answer I'll add to an earlier post in case someone's interestted

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! How many apps do you have installed? Keep in mind that on a 16 GB device, about 5-6 GB are taken up by the OS and Samsung bloatware (which is probably why Windows 10 is only showing a disk size of 10 GB). Apps these days can get pretty big (including the data they build up, so it wouldn't take too many apps to take up 9 GB of space.