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Root cache folder

Michael323

Member
Hi folks. I've been (mostly) happily running Harmonia 2.03-2.05 the last couple of years, and decided to flash Harmonia 2.09.

I have about 88 apps, many moved to or linked to the SD card (using link2sd).

The system App settings shows I have about 100 MB free space.

The trouble I'm having is I am unable to download larger apps from the play store - it throws insufficient space errors (error 498) if the app is larger that 3- MB or so.

Using Root Explorer I'm looking at the /cache folder and it says 106.79 MB used, 3.34 MB free. That free space number is around the limit where I get the play store errors.

cache/dalvik-cache is filled with data@, mnt@, and system@ files...do all of these need to be in that folder? Will moving some of these & freeing up space in cache/dalvik-cache help solve the insufficient space errors, without causing other problems? If so, what to move and where?

Clearing dalvik-cache using the recovery menu or link2sd hasn't helped any.

Thanks for any suggestions :-)
Michael323
 
Could you explain what you wiped and formatted just prior to flashing the CM7 Harmonia?
Could you explain how you setup Link2SD prior to installing apps?
What format and size is the partition on the SD card and what size is the SD card?
 
Could you explain what you wiped and formatted just prior to flashing the CM7 Harmonia?

Wipe data, wipe cache partition; format data, cache, system and boot.

Could you explain how you setup Link2SD prior to installing apps?
What format and size is the partition on the SD card and what size is the SD card?

Total sd card size is 32 GB. Partition on sd card is 5.69 GB and is FAT32.

After flash, I downloaded link2sd, set it up, rebooted, and downloaded apps from the play store a few at a time and configured them in link2sd.
 
Ok. Try downsizing the partition to just 2.0GB and format to .ext 4.
You really don't need more than a 1.5GB partition for Link2SD.
If you have a Linux OS use Gparted to create a new partition table first. Then create the partition with the ZenGarden recovery.
If Windows use Mini Tool Partition Wizard to straighten out the SD card, then create the partition with the ZenGarden recovery.
It always seems like the best way to create the partition on large volume SD cards is to use the recovery on the phone.
 
OK I have a smaller partition now and it is working, but here is the problem. Right off the bat with a clean system, the dalvik-cache is loaded with about 60 MB of system@ files that cannot be removed, whether through link2sd or recovery. Root Explorer reports there is 60 MB used in the cache folder, and 50 MB free, implying a cache limit of 110 MB. So starting with a clean system, dalvik-cache is hogging over 50% of its parent cache folder limit, so when downloading from play store there is little room for caching downloads, causing the 498 and "package file invalid" errors after downloading a couple of apps.

Does anyone know of a way of increasing the cache size, or moving the system@ files elsewhere? Cache cleaners don't help, neither do any of the usual methods for freeing space (clearing app/data downloads cache, etc.)

Thanks.
 
You should not be having this problem with Link2SD setup properly.
Try the MiRaGe ROM. I have over 90 apps and 100 MB of internal storage free. I have never, ever, gotten the error you are getting.
What recovery are you using? Xionia? Try the ZenGarden and select all options once in the wipe section before installing the ROM and Gapps (use the 20110828 Gapps).
 
Thanks Andy. The Mirage ROM and ZenGarden recovery are great. Right now I have 96 apps and 102 MB free.

I still don't know why cache/download gets so full, causing play store download problems. But the CachceDownload2SD app is taking care of that problem for now (uses sd card for download cache).
 
Do you clear the caches of your apps and browser? Do you have the Facebook app?
I use SD Maid and One Click Clear (I also have LBE privacy guard which allows me to control what permissions an app is allowed).

How is your RAM? Is it over 50%?
To gain more RAM:
Delete pre-installed apps you don't need using Link2SD. I have my own browser and Launcher so I delete the stock ones, plus the live wallpaper apps, etc.
Don't delete system apps.

Download "Fast Reboot". It safely closes all apps, then opens only those needed.
My RAM usually stays above 60%. As long as I keep the caches clean and use Fast Reboot.
 
Link2SD tells me the following:

  • Internal /data -50% free
  • System /system 42% free
  • Cache /cache/download 3% free Total 110MB; 106 MB used.

The cache is the one that bothers me - the cleaning tools don't seem to do much for that. CacheDownload2SD which I mentioned previously doesn't seem to help much after all.

The tools you mentioned (SD Maid and One Click) seem to have helped somewhat as I was able get a couple of more apps installed.

What does seem to help mostly is uninstalling a few large apps to create download cache space, downloading the desired apps, then restoring the uninstalled apps from Titanium Backup.

I do have the Facebook app. Does it cause problems, other than being large? Recent updates to it have made it easier to install FB on the SD card, which is where I have it.

What is the total cache space on your V, and how much is used?
 
The problem is probably the facebook app.
What other large apps do you have?
Is the facebook app on the sd card partition, and all files linked?
I would just download Dolphin Browser and set up your facebook home page on one of the speed dials, then delete the facebook app.
Setup Dolphin Browser to delete history and cache on exit.
I have 48% free.
 
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