• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Help N7'12 very slow, almost unusable. Help me diagnose

X

xrae

Well-Known Member
I have the 2012 N7. In the past few weeks the performance has deteriorated to where I can hardly use it at times. It's very slow to open apps, the keyboard can be slow to respond, and at times when updating apps, the estimated time is over an hour to download rather than just a few seconds. In addition, it's started taking a long time to recharge. I mentioned that on one of the other threads.

I keep the cache cleared using 1 Tap Cleaner, but last night I cleared the cache partition after seeing recommendations here. I was also right at just 3gb free, so I deleted some video and music files and now have mover 5gb free.

Performance improves some if I work from Airplane Mode, but that is only a workaround if I'm playing a game. Otherwise I need to be connected.

It's taking between 5-10 minutes to reboot and regain control of the device. Anytime it tries to download updates, sync mail etc., it's almost unresponsive until those processes are completed.

So ... what's my next step in figuring out this device? It's run really well until the past few weeks. I don't know if it's related to the most recent Android update, but the tablet started getting really bad about that time.
 
If it started acting up around the time of an update then it possibly was the update that corrupted something.

One thing is certain, you seriously need to make sure your important data is backed up and off the device while it is still running at all. Best be safe than sorry, if your device does finally die there are no guarantees you will recover your data.

Use a program like Helium Backup to save your app data and move the data files off the device or use Helium's web browser interface to save the data to a computer.

Connect the device to a computer and transfer your pictures,movies,and what not. You can also use a file manager like ES file explorer and windows - http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39...en-android-and-windows-with-es-file-explorer/

If rooted you can use an OTG cable, a USB thumb drive, and app called stickmount to transfer data directly to the thumb drive connected to the device.
Once your data is backed up you will want to perform a factory reset, it will reinstall the os and start over.

Once reset if it is doing ok then reinstall your data backups and carry on. If it is not much better then there are advanced steps you can perform to reflash the device using some tools that make it very easy and almost fool proof.
 
I agree with WoohooGuy. Backup everything you can then do a factory reset. However I would check things out before adding my data back on just to make sure its working as it should. If it is not please come back and we can help you with some more advanced steps to hopefully get you back on track.
 
Thank you for the tips. After 2-3 reboots, the tablet has seemed to settle down some. It still charges v.e.r.y.s.l.o.w.l.y. If it acts up again, I'll do a factor reset after backing up.
 
If you power off the tablet how fast does it charge?

If it still charges slowly when powered off that suggests a hardware problem. If it charges normally when powered off that suggests a software problem, in which case I would do a factory reset.
 
I'm not sure what your "most recent Android update" was, but if it's 4.3.x or newer, your Nexus now has TRIM support, which is intended to solve software-caused slowdowns. HOWEVER... it only runs if specifc criteria is met:
  1. No more than once per day
  2. Only when device is inactive for at least 1 hour, powered up with screen off. and 80% batter life (min.) remaining,
    or
    when inactive for at least 1 hour, powered up with screen off. and on-charger with at least 30% batter life remaining
 
I put the Nexus on charger yesterday at 6:30 pm when it was at 3%, and today mid-afternoon it was at 98%. Before that, I deleted a couple newer apps, and haven't touched it all day except to check the battery once. So maybe it does have the Trim feature and that will run. I'm not sure the battery has been up over 80% for any amount of time since I've started having the issues.
 
I always use Fast Reboot to free up the memory when I feel that the N7 is sluggish, after freeing up 300 or 400mb of data the speed increases significantly.
 
WoohooGuy: Do you know if your OTG instructions will work on a non-rooted N7? I have the 2012 version, running KitKat. I have an OTG cable, but I've never used it, and of course I have a thumb drive. I also have some instructions from El Presidente (on the other forum) that look promising. Doing all this was on my agenda for Friday, but it crashed today. Wouldn't boot, wouldn't charge; scared the beejeebies out of me! Finally a few minutes ago it decided to try to charge. Have to wait and see if it takes. So now, I have to take care of this issue tomorrow. Are any of you pros online during the day --EST? Just wondering. I know very little and understand even less. :-( Eager to learn though!
 
Natep said:
WoohooGuy: Do you know if your OTG instructions will work on a non-rooted N7? I have the 2012 version, running KitKat. I have an OTG cable, but I've never used it, and of course I have a thumb drive. I also have some instructions from El Presidente (on the other forum) that look promising. Doing all this was on my agenda for Friday, but it crashed today. Wouldn't boot, wouldn't charge; scared the beejeebies out of me! Finally a few minutes ago it decided to try to charge. Have to wait and see if it takes. So now, I have to take care of this issue tomorrow. Are any of you pros online during the day --EST? Just wondering. I know very little and understand even less. :-( Eager to learn though!
Click to expand...

OTG USB storage does require root to "mount" the storage device.

Using devices like keyboards and mice that are not "mounted" do not require root.

Rooting the 2012 Nexus 7 wifi, aka "grouper" is really easy, you should be pleasantly surprised at how easy but it still would require unlocking the device and that will trigger a complete memory wipe that will delete EVERYTHING on the tablet.

I will look up your other thread in the meantime to get up to speed and see if I can offer any additional assistance.
 
WoohooGuy said:
OTG USB storage does require root to "mount" the storage device.
Click to expand...

Not strictly true. It depends on the app you're using. I use an OTG MicroSD Adaptor, and used to use an OTG cable with a USB stick without root on my N7 2012, and can read from and write to the cards/drives with the Nexus Media Importer app.

When the app first came out it didn't have write access without root, but it was updated a while back to allow files to be written to the OTG-connected device without the N7 being rooted.

You do have to pay for the app; I can't remember how much it was, but I doubt it was that much.

Hope that helps.

Rhyan
 
I've used Nexus Media Importer as long as it has existed but my N7 is rooted anyway so I hadn't noticed it now supported r/w even on unrooted devices.

I had tried Stickmount and had stability and reliability issues with it; Nexus Media Importer is rock solid (but a little slower) and has the disadvantage that it only works stand-alone (ie can't use OTG directly with other apps) but it works very well indeed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom