hi folks,
i have an i9505 running stock rooted 4.4.2. i noticed that under device storage it is telling me that of the 9.95gb available internal memory, only about half is free. it says "applications" is using about 3gb. however all the files on the internal storage only add up to about 800mb. i have used es file explorer's sd card analyzer to look at all the files on the internal storage, and it confirms only 800mb or so is there. where is the 4gb or so other data?
w.
You're rooted. Do you have a custom recovery installed?
yes i have CWM installed. i just used it to wipe the cache partition and davlik cache. didn't make any difference.
You made nandroid backups however, right? Two things you need to know.
1. CWM by default protects the internal storage where nandroid backups are stored. You need to delete the backups and delete protected storage to get the space back.
2. CWM is no longer supported. Switch to TWRP as certain ROMs will not install with CWM. In addition, TWRP does not protect the storage like CWM, and it allows nandroid backups to be stored on the MicroSD.
yes i have several CWM full backups but they are on the ext SD card. no backups on the internal memory. what is the protected storage you're referring to? CWM is supported for a stock kit kat 4.4.2 rom isn't it?
In CWM the location where the nandroid backups are made is on the internal storage, and is protected from being modified by the user outside of the recovery. This is because of how CWM makes backups. The default backup format is to take incremental backups. The space is allocated so that the end user cannot randomly delete backups outside of the recovery, because in an incremental backup only the changes between the last backup and the current ROM state are backed up. Deleting a backup between the earliest and latest backups screws up all backups following the deleted date. It is possible to change the way CWM does backups, but most end users don't dig deeply enough into the recovery to find these things out.
CWM's protected storage space is on the internal storage, and it is the biggest reason your internal storage isn't reading the correct amount. You need to head into the backup menu and free all unused storage to get that storage back. Once you do that, you really want to install TWRP, because it avoids this problem altogether.
Related
Hi,
I've got Xoom 3.2 and I wanted to perform a backup. Clockwork 4.0.0.4 is what it says is the latest. I also have an Ext SD.
I did a backup as I usually do it from recovery, but it took too long... I reboot and I saw that I was running out of space, already 2.5GB.
My questions are:
- Is it trying to backup the entire Internal SD card?? That is about 30GB of data! I have a Nexus one and I am used to it just backing up that system to external SD? How can I do the backup on xoom without it backing up my Media and music and the big game data?
- Is there a way to make it back up to the External SD card instead of internal?
Will performing a WIPE wipe only system, or will it also wipe the Internal SD?
Thanks,
ssss25 said:
Hi,
I've got Xoom 3.2 and I wanted to perform a backup. Clockwork 4.0.0.4 is what it says is the latest. I also have an Ext SD.
I did a backup as I usually do it from recovery, but it took too long... I reboot and I saw that I was running out of space, already 2.5GB.
My questions are:
- Is it trying to backup the entire Internal SD card?? That is about 30GB of data! I have a Nexus one and I am used to it just backing up that system to external SD? How can I do the backup on xoom without it backing up my Media and music and the big game data?
- Is there a way to make it back up to the External SD card instead of internal?
Will performing a WIPE wipe only system, or will it also wipe the Internal SD?
Thanks,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that version only sees the internal "sdcard" and will try to make a nandroid of it. You really need to install/reinstall the solarnz R4c Version 3.2.0.0 which was made specifically for the Xoom or at least the Rogue recovery which is based on v 4 but is also customised for the Xoom. As it is, you will not be able to flash from your internal sdcard either.
See, newer isn't always better.
Thanks a lot for the info. I tried to get 3.2.0.0 but when I went to Rom Manager, and looked under the other versions, there was no 3.2.0.0. I guess I have to download from some website and install?
So, say I go and I install 3.2.0.0.
It will see the External, I don't see any setting to specify where backups should go, will 3.2.0.0 aautomatically backup to external sd?
How about what gets backed up from Internal? Id on't want it all backed up!
Thanks,
So, I used 3.2.0.0 and backup went a lot better. Thanks it backed up to my external. The size is 2.5gb out of an internal sd of about 20gb.
I just need to know what it backed up from my internal sd and what it didn't?
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
One more thing rom manager now only sees the backups on the internal.. so I have to restore from recovery since backs are stored on external.
Just a bit screwed up this whole thing
Both recovery and from manager should have options to let user specify where to back and restore.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
I actually stopped using ROM Manager for that reason.
CWM recovery backs up your system image. To further back up apps and their associated data, use Titanium Backup.
And doing a restore from the recovery menu is correct. You can use ROM Manager to get into recovery as long as you don't get tricked into "updating" to another version of cwm recovery.
You could also fool clockwork to thinking it its latest version flashed. This way you can still use rom manager if you choose and still have the latest modded custom recovery.
1. Open Superuser and "Forget" ROM Manager.
2. Open ROM Manager, and Flash ClockworkMod Recovery.
3. After it downloads, it'll ask for superuser. Uncheck "Remember," and Deny superuser access.
4. Go to /sdcard/clockworkmod/download/download.clockworkmod.com/recoveries/, and rename the file that just downloaded to [whateverItIs].img.real. (The next step will be easier if you copy the filename first.)
5. Copy the x. x. x. x to this location & rename it to whatever the new ROM Manager download was called.
6. Open ROM Manager, and Flash ClockworkMod Recovery again.
7. This time, Allow superuser.
Hello
I made a full backup with philz and transferred it to my pc. Tried to delete the backup folder from my internal sd card but can't. Get this message:
Cannot delete backup: the storage is write-protected. Remove the write-protection and try again.
BTW, I'm on stock kk 4.4.2
Thanks for your help
By default, CWM and Philz protect the nandroid data from being deleted since they utilize an incremental backup scheme rather than the older image file setup. For example, let's say you have three nandroid backups: A, B, and C. If the nandroid data wasn't write protected and you delete backup A, you would screw up ALL your nandroid backups. A is the master backup. When the recovery makes backup B, it only backs up the changes made between A and B. If you then made backup C, it would back up the changes between A AND B, and C. Since the possibility of screwing up all your backups by deleting the oldest is a major problem, CWM and Philz write protect the storage.
Go into Philz, then enter the backups menu. Delete the existing backups using its delete function, then select "free unused storage data" to recover the space. After doing that, switch to TWRP 2.8.6.0, as it doesn't make incremental backups and thus doesn't write protect the storage space. Also, unlike CWM and Philz, you can place the backups on your MicroSD card..
Done....thanks very much Strephon
hi, i have the same problem and it work, thanks!
Using GS4 I9505, and my internal storage is getting shorter shorter, day by day. almost like its vanished. i've check emulated 0 and legacy drives nothing there. but as i gethered it coz of CWM, now using twrp, uninstalled CWM but still storage isn't available for usage.
Your space is still lost because it's still allocated to CWM for nandroid backups, even though you no longer have CWM on the device. Therefore, you need to put CWM back on the device, go into its backups and storage menu, delete any existing backups it made, then free the allocated space.
When you put TWRP back on to the S4, your space should return.
He can delete the CMW folder from the storage. The backups are there and they are not hidden.
I provided an in-depth explanation of this in an earlier thread on the same topic, but in essence CWM protects the nandroid backups space so nothing else can write to that area. This is because CWM performs incremental backups by default, and deleting older restore points messes up all of them. The protection persists even after CWM is removed, so when switching recoveries, all backups need to be deleted in CWM, and all allocated space freed using the "free allocated space" option in the backup and restore menu.
EDIT: To point out the obvious, there would be no need for a "free allocated space" option in CWM if the space weren't protected.
Well, that's stupid. With TWRP I can simply go inside the folder and delete the backups (without the need of booting into recovery and deleting them from there).
Calling it stupid is a bit harsh, and besides, Koush probably will disagree with you.
By default CWM is set to do incremental backups and does this as a space-saving feature. For example purposes let's say a nandroid backup is 2GB. Using the standard .TAR method four nandroid backups would take up 8GB. Switch to .DUP and those same four backups may only take 3GB. This is because .DUP only backs up the files that have changed between the current system and the previous backups, rather than backing up the entire partition. Since CWM in .DUP doesn't back up the entire partition when making its backups, it's vitally important that the backups be protected. Otherwise, deleting an older backup makes it impossible to restore any later backups.
The example I used in my other discussion to illustrate this was four backups, labeled A through D. A is the master backup and B through D are the incremental backups. If the space wasn't protected, deleting backup C in a file manager would render backup D invalid because of missing files. Naturally, deleting backup A would render all subsequent backups invalid, as it is the master backup.
In CWM it is possible to switch from .DUP to .TAR and thus stop CWM from allocating space for backups. The OP didn't do that, which is why his space disappeared even after switching to TWRP. There may be a manual method of removing the allocation through a terminal, but it's simply easier to restore CWM, delete the backups, free the space, then switch back to TWRP.
i was on twrp 2.8.7.0 and installed http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4/i9505-orig-develop/rom-kushan-cm-marshmallow-rom-t3258489. then formatted my sd card as internal storage. today i wanted to update to the latest build of kushan rom, but in twrp my sd card was listed as 0 mb and i couldnt enter it. so i decided to flash latest cwm trough rom manager. after flashing cwm my internal sdcard was wiped(not by me-automaticly) and now marshmellow tells me that te sd card is not supportet...please format.....
i think that as the cwm wiped my sd card "the unique? encrpytion key?" got lost and therefor i cant axcess the sd card. im i right?
if yes i hope the encryption key is not unique and i can recover the files on the sd card
k2828 said:
i was on twrp 2.8.7.0 and installed http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4/i9505-orig-develop/rom-kushan-cm-marshmallow-rom-t3258489. then formatted my sd card as internal storage. today i wanted to update to the latest build of kushan rom, but in twrp my sd card was listed as 0 mb and i couldnt enter it. so i decided to flash latest cwm trough rom manager. after flashing cwm my internal sdcard was wiped(not by me-automaticly) and now marshmellow tells me that te sd card is not supportet...please format.....
i think that as the cwm wiped my sd card "the unique? encrpytion key?" got lost and therefor i cant axcess the sd card. im i right?
if yes i hope the encryption key is not unique and i can recover the files on the sd card
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As stated many many times. The only recovery you can use is TWRP. Your sdcard shows 0 mb because it became part of your internal storage. So reflash TWRP and try again.
after flashing cwm i did nothing but booting once the rom and notice that everything was wipped and then flash twrp.
the result is i cant axcess my sdcard as the rom sais that the sdcard needs to prepared.
so my question is, can i recover the data on the sd card?
Not if you're at the point where the card needs to be prepared. What you should have done if you wanted to decrypt the MicroSD, is pulled the data off both card and internal storage, then gone into Settings > Storage & USB and converted the card to portable storage.
One thing. With CWM running, did you have any nandroid backups? If you did, you likely will have to reinstall CWM to free up the internal storage reserved for the nandroid backups. CWM by default allocates space for its nandroid backups that cannot be touched by the system or TWRP. Once you do that, you can then reinstall TWRP.
OK THX. I just created a image of the SD card.maybe in the future there will be a toop to decrypt such SD cards. For the future:
Is the SD card lost everytime i update the Rom build?
Is the SD card lost Ehen i change the Rom to another Android 6 Rom?
What do i have to do when updating to a Newer build oft the same rom,vor change to another Android 6 rom? Pull everything from bouth cards? Really? Thats a pain in the ass even with a uhs 1 SD card.
Whats the best way for backing up the data, so i can cop them back without trouble? Maybe ADB?
Whats about changin the recovery? Thats a nogo i think and whats about updating twrp?
What is a absolut nogo? What i ahouldnt do to f*** up the card again?
So many questions, but I'm going to answer just the last two, as their answer covers every other question in your post.
What is an absolute no go? What shouldn't I do to f*** up the card again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The answer to this is so easy it's astounding. The answer is to not combine the card with the internal storage. Here's why. If you switch ROMs regularly in order to try them out, every single time you combine the storage the card has to be prepared for use, which means all data on it gets wiped. If you do a clean install of your current ROM and combine the storage, all data on the card is wiped. The reason the card gets wiped is because Android 6.x creates a virtual volume which spans both internal storage and the MicroSD. In order to ensure the data is secure Android encrypts the volume. This encryption is part of the reason Google throws up a warning to restore the card if you pull it out of the device.
By not combining the storage, you avoid the encryption problems, but you do have to deal with the issue of apps not seeing the MicroSD card. Unless an app with this issue is no longer being updated, this problem will resolve itself. Developers have to adapt to the new setup.
The encryption also impacts performance, though on my tests with it I didn't notice anything. The one thing it will do is impact the ability to perform backups. In my tests, the encryption prevented TWRP from doing anything useful, meaning no ability to install flashable zips or updated TWRP recovery images from the storage and no ability to do nandroid backups. TWRP could see the directory structure of the combined storage but could not see any files within the folders to install. Nandroid backups instantly failed with an "out of storage" error, even though I had some 15GB of space available on the MicroSD. TWRP's developers will need to adapt to this and custom ROM developers will have to recommend that users not combine storage.
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
So many questions, but I'm going to answer just the last two, as their answer covers every other question in your post.
The answer to this is so easy it's astounding. The answer is to not combine the card with the internal storage. Here's why. If you switch ROMs regularly in order to try them out, every single time you combine the storage the card has to be prepared for use, which means all data on it gets wiped. If you do a clean install of your current ROM and combine the storage, all data on the card is wiped. The reason the card gets wiped is because Android 6.x creates a virtual volume which spans both internal storage and the MicroSD. In order to ensure the data is secure Android encrypts the volume. This encryption is part of the reason Google throws up a warning to restore the card if you pull it out of the device.
By not combining the storage, you avoid the encryption problems, but you do have to deal with the issue of apps not seeing the MicroSD card. Unless an app with this issue is no longer being updated, this problem will resolve itself. Developers have to adapt to the new setup.
The encryption also impacts performance, though on my tests with it I didn't notice anything. The one thing it will do is impact the ability to perform backups. In my tests, the encryption prevented TWRP from doing anything useful, meaning no ability to install flashable zips or updated TWRP recovery images from the storage and no ability to do nandroid backups. TWRP could see the directory structure of the combined storage but could not see any files within the folders to install. Nandroid backups instantly failed with an "out of storage" error, even though I had some 15GB of space available on the MicroSD. TWRP's developers will need to adapt to this and custom ROM developers will have to recommend that users not combine storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thx for your very detailed answere. but whats about when i am using i.e. kushan rom build 07.12.2015 and i update to kushan rom build 11.12.2015. will the sd card have to be prepared to use also? and what about when i update twrp to a marshmellow support twrp. di i need prepare the sd card then again?
TWRP could see the directory structure of the combined storage but could not see any files within the folders to install. Nandroid backups instantly failed with an "out of storage" error, even though I had some 15GB of space available on the MicroSD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the point where my trouble began. as so as the sd card is prepared as internal you cant even see files of the real internal storage. flashing zips you can still do with adb sideload. another question could we backup the internal flash inlcuding prepared sd card with this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1818321
?
If yes, is there also a way to restore the backup made?
To make things crystal clear, once the card is set for portable storage you will not have to reconfigure the card again unless you choose to combine the storage. Upgrading a ROM to a newer version will generate a message in the notification bar that you have to prepare the card, but you simply select the portable storage option and the notification goes away. Upgrading TWRP doesn't require doing anything to storage.
Should you choose to combine storage, upgrading a ROM may cost you whatever is on both the internal storage and microSD. Upgrading TWRP with combined storage would require you to flash it using Odin, because you wouldn't be able to copy the TWRP image to the device storage.
Backing up the internal storage doesn't require anything more than a copy operation from the S4 to the PC, so no special tools should be required. That applies regardless of whether the storage is combined or separate. However, for best results with TWRP, the storage should not be combined.
Sorry for reviving this old thread, but I've the same issue.
I flashed a new rom without getting the decryption code or backing anything up(No NANDs, no sd backup). Is there still currently no way to retrieve the files that are encrypted on this SD?
I've done exactly the same, I'm hoping theres a way to decrypt it.
k2828 said:
i was on twrp 2.8.7.0 and installed http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4/i9505-orig-develop/rom-kushan-cm-marshmallow-rom-t3258489. then formatted my sd card as internal storage. today i wanted to update to the latest build of kushan rom, but in twrp my sd card was listed as 0 mb and i couldnt enter it. so i decided to flash latest cwm trough rom manager. after flashing cwm my internal sdcard was wiped(not by me-automaticly) and now marshmellow tells me that te sd card is not supportet...please format.....
i think that as the cwm wiped my sd card "the unique? encrpytion key?" got lost and therefor i cant axcess the sd card. im i right?
if yes i hope the encryption key is not unique and i can recover the files on the sd card
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you found solution to decrypt the Sdcard.
I was facing this problem for almost 1 year I need only sdcard not data in it but I am unable to format it due to encryption but any device able to read the data and copy from that.
Even I can play Music out that SD card
Unless you're immortal, you're not decrypting the MicroSD card via brute force. Currently, the amount of time required to find the decryption key is longer than the current age of the universe.
If looking to simply format an existing card, use SDFormatter from http://www.sdcard.org.
I got a low storage message on my S4. I deleted caches, I deleted the cache partition, I deleted several apps, I deleted all the media files I could, I moved whatever parts of apps I could to the external SD card. I regained enough space to make the message disappear. But lo and behold after some plain old web browing, I lost 250mb overnight, and since this afternoon, another 120mb. Why did the recovered space disappear? How do I get it back? I am so frustrated. The only two things I can think of are to do a factory reset and hope for the best or dump the S4 for something with more system and base storage.
Did you use Clockworkmod or Philz recovery at any point?
How many apps do you have on your device?
How many large games are on your device?
Here's why I asked about Clockworkmod. The last version would allocate space for nandroid backups and would not free it unless you told it to. It would do this because the nandroid backups were in fact incremental backups, and being able to delete one backup would screw up all subsequent backups made. TWRP thankfully doesn't do this, but nandroid backups are located on internal storage. Too many backups and your space goes *poof*.
Large apps and games will consume space as their data is stored in the internal storage, though I'm sure you know that. Thing is, a lot of small apps can have the same effect.
If you ran Clockworkmod at any point and didn't free up the space it reserved for nandroid backups, you'll have to reinstall it and free the space. Otherwise, check for excess numbers of nandroid backups. If there are too many backups and you're running Clockworkmod, delete them all, free up the space using Clockworkmod's commands for that, and switch to TWRP. If there are too many backups and you're running TWRP, delete all but the newest one. As for your apps, you really should go through them and uninstall the ones you haven't accessed in a while.
Browsers such as Chrome (and anything based on it I guess) tend to have large cache.
My Chromium based browser has a 240MB cache.
I have not rooted this phone. I have very few games, nothing large. I do not use Chrome, only Dolphin. I have moved as many apps (or part of them) as possible to the external SD card. Yet, space keeps disappearing.