Low memory

[old_codger]

I'm uncertain if this is a general android question or specific to my phone (Samsung Rugby 4.1.2) or specific to the pictures folder.

My phone shows 513MB available on internal storage. Unable to download apps - insufficient memory. In researching this, I've found Settings>Storage>Pictures/Video shows 1.64gb. I went to the my pictures app (Quikpic). I have 27 pictures on internal storage totaling 213mb. How do I find the other ~1.4gb of whatever-it-is that is showing up as pictures?

 

[John Bean]

From what you write you should be looking for videos rather than simple pictures.

If you don't have a file manager (and/or can't install one) use whatever video app you have and see if you can find the video files. Best option is a file manager though, it would allow you to browse the folders directly and find/delete the offenders.

I can strongly recommend ES File Explorer which is free, easy to use and well supported.

 

[old_codger]

Thanks for the reply. I view pictures/video with QuikPic. It shows only 2 videos (actually one video in two folders) - 86mb each.
My file manager is File expert - it shows the same video and nothing more. "insufficient space" for ES Explorer.

 

[John Bean]

There's more to this than meets the eye; your 500MB+ free is not what's preventing app download, it's a large amount of free space by Android standards and most apps are only a few MB. I have an old Motorola Milestone that doesn't have that much memory to start with...

I suspect that somehow you've run out of system space and you're seeing a knock-on effect. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with your device so I can't suggest where to look; hopefully a Samsung expert will chip in to help.

 

[EarlyMon]

To see what you really have, try to install Terminal Emulator and enter this command -

df

If you can't get it to install, try to turn on USB debugging in your settings and access it from your pc.

To do that, you need to install debugging tools -

http://androidforums.com/faqs/443072-adb-guide-updated-2013-05-21-a.html#post5389081

Get a command window where you unzipped it, plug in your phone, and enter -

adb shell

Once you have the $ prompt, then enter df

You can get out by entering: exit

Apps install to the /data partition, and generally all app data goes there as well.

Regardless of what free storage you have elsewhere, if you don't have room in /data/app you're not going to be able to install anything.

 

[old_codger]

Installed TE. Not sure what is important here but since you mentioned /data, here is what I have . . .

/data size 5.04g, used 4.52g, free 533m

 

[EarlyMon]

Installed TE. Not sure what is important here but since you mentioned /data, here is what I have . . .

/data size 5.04g, used 4.52g, free 533m

Thanks!

I take it from that that you have the Rugby Pro - http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Samsung-Galaxy-Rugby-Pro_id7516

On the face of it, you do have enough storage left to install most apps, and obviously, you installed TE.

Is there more to the problem that you can tell us about?

Can you give a screen shot of the full df output?

 

[old_codger]

how do I take and send a screen shot?
Only other relevant? thing - the phone is sloooooww. Takes literally (the literal 'literally') 15 seconds to open some apps (e.g., calendar). Saving a note can take 3-5 seconds. Sometimes pressing a key on the keyboard can take 2-4 seconds to show up on the screen - most often the 1st couple of keys.

 

[EarlyMon]

how do I take and send a screen shot?
Only other relevant? thing - the phone is sloooooww. Takes literally (the literal 'literally') 15 seconds to open some apps (e.g., calendar). Saving a note can take 3-5 seconds. Sometimes pressing a key on the keyboard can take 2-4 seconds to show up on the screen - most often the 1st couple of keys.

Then forget the screen shot, it's time for housecleaning.

You can save most important stuff with Helium Backup.

Do that, a factory data reset, and then restore your backup.

That will clear out the operating system caches and temporary files that may be at the heart of your problems.

You'll have to look through settings for the reset, don't erase your SD card while you're there.

I've got to leave for a bit, hopefully others can chime in with further advice until I get back.

 

[old_codger]

That sounds as appealing as having my fingernails pulled out. My 1st question is how do I know which "most" of my stuff is backed up, which I backup by individual app, and which can't be backed up? Is there a web site that will guide me through it.
Secondly, around Oct I qualify for a reduced price upgrade (ATT). Maybe it would be easier to suffer til then.

 

[EarlyMon]

That sounds as appealing as having my fingernails pulled out. My 1st question is how do I know which "most" of my stuff is backed up, which I backup by individual app, and which can't be backed up? Is there a web site that will guide me through it.
Secondly, around Oct I qualify for a reduced price upgrade (ATT). Maybe it would be easier to suffer til then.

It's actually not bad at all.

It won't back up all of your settings, it will back up your apps (not the built-in ones), and your app data, along with sms. Pretty sure that you're storing contacts and calendar to Google like the rest of us so you might not care about a separate backup for that.

And you want a good backup strategy anyway.

Come October, don't you want your stuff over on your new phone?

Ok then, this will help sort that out too.

Look up Helium Backup in the Play Store, visit the links to get the part for your pc and check it out.

Backup, reset, restore is something that a lot of us do over a coffee at the pc while catching up on mail and news.

First time is all uh oh uh oh uh oh (I've been there, I know how weird it seems) and then every time after, it's about as hard as making toast.

Plus - it has a very high success rate for solving weird problems and you can replace your phone anytime, any reason, and not worry about losing things.