[Q] Nexus System Partition Size - Nexus 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi, I'm not sure if this is specifically a Nexus question or a general Android question but I have both a Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 and have observed the same behaviour on both
I have posted in the General section with nor response so now I'm posting on specific forums
Basically what's happening is when I delete stuff from the SDcard the free space seems to be allocated to the system partition WTF?!
Take a look at the screenshots I'm going to try a couple of things - one of the suggested things was clearing the data in the Google Services Framework data >> Settings - Apps - All - Google Services Framework - Clear Data - which freed up some of it but not all, the next thing from here for me would be to flash the factory images again and see what I start out with
Both devices are on CM10.1 if that helps, is anyone else is having the same issue??
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The discussion on Google+ http://goo.gl/lNyLW
Ok so this is my partition sizes now after flashing the factory images back onto my nexus 7. No where near 5GB anyone have any idea what's causing this?

I am guessing you have a couple of CWM back up? Maybe 3-4 of them? Maybe you tried to delete some of them?
Buggy CWM Recovery. Especially if you still hang on to the older versions. Mostly because the way CWM save the backup files.

KyraOfFire said:
I am guessing you have a couple of CWM back up? Maybe 3-4 of them? Maybe you tried to delete some of them?
Buggy CWM Recovery. Especially if you still hang on to the older versions. Mostly because the way CWM save the backup files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just use TiBU and DataSync now, stopped doing nandroids a while back now
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

It's not "system data" for sure. It's some apps with root permission saving its file to locations it shouldn't be doing.
Some how l still think it is CWM, even as you stopped using it in a distance past (which is like 1-2 months ago). I recommend flashing newest CWM and see if there're still old back up files.
If you still can't find anything, try this
bassmadrigal said:
If you are rooted and have adb set up on your computer, you can find out what folders are using the most space by using the commands below, then change into that directory and run the command again.
Code:
adb
su
cd /
du -hd 1
--find the largest folder and change directory (cd) into it - if you find you no longer want to continue in the folder you are in, you can cd .. to get to the previous folder or cd / to get back to the root of the filesystem--
Code:
cd large_folder
du -hd 1
rinse
repeat
????
profit
This will allow you to find what folders are using the most space and can eventually lead you to any large files and can then let you find out if you can delete them or if you need to keep them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

isnt this what they were saying was the reason for no SD card and use of MTP ?; basically if i recall correctly the nexus devices do not truly assign partitions instead there is a storage 'pool' that anything can use dynamically.
We got tired of seeing OEMs include many GB of internal storage for music, while users were still running out of space for apps and data. This approach lets us merge everything on one volume, which is way better.
-- Dan Morrill, Android engineer at Google
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so i guess there is no partitions its just all 1 volume.
source: http://www.androidcentral.com/why-nexus-devices-have-no-sd-card

noobdeagle said:
isnt this what they were saying was the reason for no SD card and use of MTP ?; basically if i recall correctly the nexus devices do not truly assign partitions instead there is a storage 'pool' that anything can use dynamically.
so i guess there is no partitions its just all 1 volume.
source: http://www.androidcentral.com/why-nexus-devices-have-no-sd-card
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wish that was the case but it not, the space goes to the system partition and I cant access it on the sdcard

Related

Play Store - Couldn't install on USB storage or SD card.

After downloading Gameloft Modern Combat 4 for the for last hour the installation failed like this:
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What should I do to make sure it doesn't happen again?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
You cannot save apps or anything from Google Play to your external storage.
aryehzev said:
After downloading Gameloft Modern Combat 4 for the for last hour the installation failed like this:
View attachment 1924700
What should I do to make sure it doesn't happen again?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Asus_USA said:
You cannot save apps or anything from Google Play to your external storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just installed it normally to the internal sdcard and i still got that error
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Did you find a fix? Mine is sporadically giving this error also from normal Google Play updates.
Martin27S said:
Did you find a fix? Mine is sporadically giving this error also from normal Google Play updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Restart the tablet and it should work normally again.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
Work around...
Asus_USA said:
You cannot save apps or anything from Google Play to your external storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unmounting the SD card allows updates and installs. A PIA workaround and not a solution but it works, thanks. Kids have 2 identical Note 2's, 1 has the problem, 1 doesn't.
Apologies for reviving a semi-old thread, but I recently had this problem and a permanent solution came up on this site:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/0...on-usb-storage-or-sd-card-problem-on-android/
In essence, there's a temporary file called smdl2tmp1.asec. The file is used during installations and removed afterwards. Sometimes, the file doesn't get removed and this prevents most of the apps from installing normally. Deleting any instances of it you could find should fix the problem, but you must be rooted to do so.
I think my issue first arose when I was updating an app, but the phone crashed and left the update mid-stride. The delete command probably wasn't issued on time, making this temporary file a more permanent one.
Other fix
Just encountered the same problem guys. Searched all over and only solutions I've found were (time-consuming) unmounting the SD Card or deleting the smdl2tmp1.asec file.
Since I can't be bothered to UNMOUNT the SD Card everytime I install the app and the mentioned file can not be found in my system (Note 3) I found 3rd solution which solved my problem.
It works only on phones which have external SD Card.
Here's what you need to do (instructions for dummies )
1. Connect your phone or SD Card to your PC
2. Copy (most important folders and files to your hard drive - photos, music, videos, apk's etc. (basically do a backup of those files)
3. Disconnect the phone from your PC
4. Go to settings in your phone (Settings>Storage>SD Card)
5. Format your SD Card.
6. Copy back the folders and files you backed up on your PC.
It worked for me, so I thought I'd share it with those who don't find "unmounting" and deleting smdl2tmp1.asec file helpful.
Hope this helps.
Good luck!!

Loosing storage capacity..anyone have an explanation?

Can anyone figure where the missing 2GB or so is gone? Tried pushing files from PC but it failed and the files don't show up but the missing 2GB is about the size of the pushed files that are nowhere to be found...
P.S. tried to push the same files to my Nexus 7 2013 and have the same problem there...anyone know how I could find and delete these files without resetting my device (I've already tried the search function on ES File Explorer and the same storage discrepancy can also be observed from the storage tab in android settings).
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BrutalGreen said:
Can anyone figure where the missing 2GB or so is gone? Tried pushing files from PC but it failed and the files don't show up but the missing 2GB is about the size of the pushed files that are nowhere to be found...
P.S. tried to push the same files to my Nexus 7 2013 and have the same problem there...anyone know how I could find and delete these files without resetting my device (I've already tried the search function on ES File Explorer and the same storage discrepancy can also be observed from the storage tab in android settings).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easiest way is just to flash the factory images and reset the partition
Sent from my Nexus 4 TMO @1.836 GHz on PSX v4.1 4.3
12.92gb total, thats what its supposed to be. you dont get a full 15gb to use, some goes to the system. if thats what youre talking about.
or, you are talking about the 2.43gb in the android folder?
simms22 said:
12.92gb total, thats what its supposed to be. you dont get a full 15gb to use, some goes to the system. if thats what youre talking about.
or, you are talking about the 2.43gb in the android folder?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's not the point, the point is there isn't 4.97GB of data there. It should be 3GB at most...and pretty sure it used to be before I tried to unsuccessful push file to the devices.
BTW I was using wugfresh's toolkit when I tried to push the files if that is of importance
BrutalGreen said:
that's not the point, the point is there isn't 4.97GB of data there. It should be 3GB at most...and pretty sure it used to be before I tried to unsuccessful push file to the devices.
BTW I was using wugfresh's toolkit when I tried to push the files if that is of importance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did you ever make a nandroid backup in your recovery?
and yea, dont use toolkits. you think they make things easier, but they dont. plus they can cause their own issues too.

[Q] Storage issues

Nexus 4, rooted, CM, gravity box.
I want to update to CM11 M6 but I can't get my phone to make a nandroid (using ClockworkMod) because I keep getting an error basically saying I have insufficient storage. These are the steps I take:
Backup using titanium
Go into recovery
Backup using ClockworkMod
It's at this point where it lists backing up the system, but then it gets hung up backing up the data card. I have tried to go back in and delete everything I could possibly think of (w/out wiping the whole thing) but to no avail. I have cleared my cashe and even deleted the titanium backup which was around 1gb and still no dice.
Attached are some screenshots that may be helpful. There has to be something hidden but I just don't know where to look for it. I tried to install DiskUsage but I can't since I don't have enough room. How do I clear up this phone?! Any help would be much appreciated!!
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brahmaboba said:
Nexus 4, rooted, CM, gravity box.
I want to update to CM11 M6 but I can't get my phone to make a nandroid (using ClockworkMod) because I keep getting an error basically saying I have insufficient storage. These are the steps I take:
Backup using titanium
Go into recovery
Backup using ClockworkMod
It's at this point where it lists backing up the system, but then it gets hung up backing up the data card. I have tried to go back in and delete everything I could possibly think of (w/out wiping the whole thing) but to no avail. I have cleared my cashe and even deleted the titanium backup which was around 1gb and still no dice.
Attached are some screenshots that may be helpful. There has to be something hidden but I just don't know where to look for it. I tried to install DiskUsage but I can't since I don't have enough room. How do I clear up this phone?! Any help would be much appreciated!!
View attachment 2743357
View attachment 2743358
View attachment 2743359
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need at least 3GB of free space to make CWM able to create backup... but you won't find that backup in /sdcard/cloclworkmod folder it's in /storage/emulated/blablabla or something like that and you won't be able to get access there from your computer
parkourz said:
You need at least 3GB of free space to make CWM able to create backup... but you won't find that backup in /sdcard/cloclworkmod folder it's in /storage/emulated/blablabla or something like that and you won't be able to get access there from your computer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I'm not sure I understand. I'm in the emulated folder and went into the clockworkmod folder and keep descending and come to just 1 file that is just 7.63mb called "recovery-clockwork-....img". This can't be the solution, can it?
try in /storage/emulated/legacy/clockworkmod... or flash TWRP instead of CWM... if both won't help then you can try to make a backup with toolkit for PC, for example Wug's toolkit
Twrp is showing the backup size and a poseibility to compress it. You probably have much apps or there is some .something fokder what is using much or much cache just like on an desktop. Many things can cause it.
You may want to checkout what is using so much by deleting old folders from old apps or old things yiu dint use anymore.
Verstuurd vanaf mijn Nexus 4 met Tapatalk

[Q] Creating parent failed, error No space left on device while updating to Lollipop

I'm trying to side load the OTA for Lollipop using adb and the files available from Google. My device is unlocked and rooted.
I run the commands to sideload the zip file and everything seems to be working fine until I get this:
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I've cleared the cache partition but to no avail.
Does anyone have any insight or am I going to have to wipe everything?
Well I went ahead and did a Flash Stock + Unroot and now it's worse. No error messages. Just the android with the red triangle exclamation mark.
I'm getting fed up with this crap. Every time there is an OTA I have to jump through hoops to get it running again.
Anyone have clues about what to do now?
Skullpuck said:
Well I went ahead and did a Flash Stock + Unroot and now it's worse. No error messages. Just the android with the red triangle exclamation mark.
I'm getting fed up with this crap. Every time there is an OTA I have to jump through hoops to get it running again.
Anyone have clues about what to do now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you already flashed stock and lost you user data plus can still get into the bootloader, then I suggest using a factory image to upgrade to Lollipop. I've ignored OTA's and have been applying the factory image for a while.
Not in this case but for next time, with the aid of root, a custom recovery to make a nandroid backup, Titanium backups for apps and user data. Prior to applying a factory image save a copy of the Titanium Backup directory, the nandroid backup plus any sundry files that were not backed up to a OTG SDCard (an OTG cable plus USB SDCared reader), getting back to your specific set up is not all that complicated. Plus you get to "spring clean" any old cruft that has built up wasting internal storage.
See: How to install Android Lollipop factory image on Nexus 5, 7 and 10 (and keep your data)
I have the same problem
I had system partition full after L update. I did it with factory image. I had to remove some apps from system to get adaway, busybox and so on working.
How to get more system space??
veepee78 said:
I had system partition full after L update. I did it with factory image. I had to remove some apps from system to get adaway, busybox and so on working.
How to get more system space??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Deleting apps from /system is the only option that I've heard of. You cannot change the /system partition size even if you have spare internal storage. If you're rooted then this sounds worse than it is because there is plenty of apps you likely do not use (e.g. some of the google apps like news). You're also unlikely to use some of the foreign language apps. Even some of the main Google aps get updated out side of /system making the the /system apks redundant.
Without even trying hard I removed 86MBs worth then installed all I wanted (e.g. busybox, Viper4Android ... etc) and still have 54Mg free. So I could have left a lot of apps installed but I'd never use them anyway.
You can delete /system apks if your rooted with a number of different apps:
- Titanium Backup
- A Root enabled file manager like ES File Explorer
- My personal favourite System app remover (ROOT)
Lots of options.
Skullpuck, did you find a solution?
Did you guys try ADB version 1.0.32 or newer? Something has changed in the sideload command (could be only when using TWRP, not sure)

Nexus 6P showing 24.1gb of usable storage when it shipped bigger

My device used to show 128gb of internal storage - with 111gb usable. But after I flashed to Android N Preview 4 with a modified boot.IMG for a decrypted storage so I could have TWRP working. It showed I only had 24.1gb usable. I already tried a factory reset, and flashing back to 6.0.1 (mtc19v), PureNexus, and other ROMs. I'm wondering how I can fix this?
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Edit/////////
My issue has been fixed by formatting userdata via fast boot and I'm now decrypted on Android N beta preview 4 rooted with working twrp!
Special thanks to
@SlimSnoopOS
@Sass86oh
For helping me fix it :angel:
TnT_ said:
My device used to show 128gb of internal storage - with 111gb usable. But after I flashed to Android N Preview 4 with a modified boot.IMG for a decrypted storage so I could have TWRP working. It showed I only had 24.1gb usable. I already tried a factory reset, and flashing back to 6.0.1 (mtc19v), PureNexus, and other ROMs. I'm wondering how I can fix this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like you flashed the userdata.img. Type this in fastboot: fastboot format userdata
This will wipe everything from your phone. It will resize back to 128 GB.
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Trying this right now, will edit this with results.
// edit 1
Windows update blocked me, hopefully its not windows 10
You most likely flashed the "Userdata.img" thats included in stock Android firmaware archives. Unless you have a 32GB device, the userdata IMG does not account for storage over 32GB and if you flash it on the 64 or 128GB version, it will partiton the internal storage and only allow for you to access 32GB. I made that same mistake myself when I first got my phone. The userdata img is meant to zap the internal storage and delete all userdata on the device. Instead, just use the command "fastboot format userdata"... It will perform the same function without any loss to your overall storage space. From now on, when you flash the stock firmware make sure you steer clear of that file and instead use the command. MAKE SURE YOU BACK UP ALL OF YOUR PERSONAL FILES FIRST!! That command wipes every partition on the device!! So make sure you've saved whatever you cant afford to lose before using it. Formatting the user data is not always required when flashing roms on your device. Actually its hardly ever a requirement. Usually its used when you want to bring your phone back to the factory settings. The built in SD partition on most Android devices is isolated space. This allows you keep all of your importatnt files safe in the event that your system partition becomes corrourpt forcing you to reflash your old rom or a new one. If you need any help at all please feel free to send me a message. Hope this helps!
TnT_ said:
Trying this right now, will edit this with results.
// edit 1
Windows update blocked me, hopefully its not windows 10
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You do know that will wipe the phone but will work I've had that lol
jaythenut said:
You do know that will wipe the phone but will work I've had that lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I was and am aware.
TnT_ said:
Yes, I was and am aware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Were you able to restore your storage?
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
SlimSnoopOS said:
Were you able to restore your storage?
Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I backed up all my files to my PC before I did the process in the first place - 36.8gb. Using BitTorrent sync. I was able to restore using that, therefore there was no loss.

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