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Pics deleted on reboot

T

tim091

Newbie
Moto G5. Owned for about two years and never had any issues with pictures.

I installed an app called Media Cell, which is an app that monitors your phone activity (so runs from startup) and sends reports to Ipsos/Mori the market research people. In exchange for this HUGE intrusion on your privacy you get £10 Amazon voucher every month.
  1. Took some pics on the phone, looked at them in Google Photo.
  2. Later that day Installed Media Cell.
  3. Turned off phone overnight.
  4. Booted up phone in the morning and looked at Google Photo and all pics from day before gone (only from day before, earlier ones were still there).
The only change made to the phone that day was the installation of Media Cell.
  1. As a test I took a picture, looked at it in Google Photos.
  2. Rebooted the phone and went to Google Photos - pic still there.
  3. However, as I am looking at it the pic disappears.
  4. Repeated the above with same result.
Now I uninstall Media Cell, reboot the phone and repeat the above test - STILL THE SAME PROBLEM.

So, either this is unrelated to the app install, or the app has left something behind in the install, or it is a total coincidence that this problem started.

Either way, anyone any ideas how to solve it?!
 
MrJavi said:
Heres a few links @tim091

https://support.google.com/photos/answer/6128858?co=GENIE.Platform=Android&hl=en

Check out "DigDeep Image Recovery"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.greatstuffapps.digdeep
Click to expand...


Thanks. Neither of those solved the problem :( The pics are not in the trash/bin and Deep Image Recovery found no images to restore.

I am not worried about getting those pics back I just want it to stop deleting on reboot! I don't use Google backup/cloud sync etc so I need to remember to copy off to my laptop any pics I want before I shut the phone down, which is a pain!
 
tim091 said:
Thanks. Neither of those solved the problem :( The pics are not in the trash/bin and Deep Image Recovery found no images to restore.

I am not worried about getting those pics back I just want it to stop deleting on reboot! I don't use Google backup/cloud sync etc so I need to remember to copy off to my laptop any pics I want before I shut the phone down, which is a pain!
Click to expand...


Did you delete cache and data before unistalling the Nedia Cell app?

Have to tried taking pics and rebooting to see if there still on your phone?
 
MrJavi said:
Did you delete cache and data before unistalling the Nedia Cell app?

Have to tried taking pics and rebooting to see if there still on your phone?
Click to expand...

Thanks. I didn't delete cache and data.

Yes, that is exactly the problem: if I take a pic it is there until shortly after I reboot the phone then I can watch it disappear from Google photos!
 
try putting the phone in safe mode, take some pics, and see what happens. safe mode prevents 3rd party apps from running. if it is still happening, then its not an app doing this. you can try a hard reset, but after that i have no clue what is happening.

you might want to get in touch with the google support team:
https://one.google.com/about/suppor...8yX90jajTOelO7r39n9KbeXQoDu445NcaAjkZEALw_wcB
just scroll down to the bottom where you can call, online chat, or email them your issue.
 
Davdi said:
Why not allow Google to automatically back up uour photos to its cloud storeage it's Unlimited for full size images (at the camera's max resolution)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea. But here is the thing: I have used an android phone for approx ten years and have never had this problem. I want to find out why this is happening and fix it.

Secondly, I don't want anything to do with Google or cloud storage etc. (I find it unacceptable that I can't own a phone without having to have a google email address, but I have to live with it). I like to keep everything local and keep as much control as I can. (I am old so forgive me!).
 
ocnbrze said:
try putting the phone in safe mode, take some pics, and see what happens. safe mode prevents 3rd party apps from running. if it is still happening, then its not an app doing this. you can try a hard reset, but after that i have no clue what is happening.

you might want to get in touch with the google support team:
https://one.google.com/about/suppor...8yX90jajTOelO7r39n9KbeXQoDu445NcaAjkZEALw_wcB
just scroll down to the bottom where you can call, online chat, or email them your issue.
Click to expand...

Excellent, thanks for the ideas. I will give safe mode a go.
 
tim091 said:
I like to keep everything local and keep as much control as I can. (I am old so forgive me!).
Click to expand...
No! There's nothing to apologize for! :D

I'm old, too, and like you I want control over my data. I store everything on my networked computers and their external drives, plus my Dropbox account.

When I bought a Chromebook--back when they didn't have a built-in method for doing so--I installed my normal Linux distro on it. I couldn't/wouldn't accept its idea of Linux, i.e., exclusively using their cloud-based programs and storing everything in their cloud. By installing Kubuntu on its hard drive I was then able to install all the programs I use on all my computers, and save everything locally, either on its hard drive or another computer.

So there, Google! :o

You've piqued my curiosity with your very odd 'disappearing photos' problem. Do you have another Android device you can use to test this? If the problem doesn't occur with another device, that would help narrow things down.
 
Hi @tim091, I've done a Google search for Media Cell and this looks to be the one you are referring to.

I have to say that having read the various problems/glitches other users have had I would be somewhat wary of getting involved with them.

It is going back a couple years, and they may have changed but some of the comments seem to put them in a similar light as a lot of people see Google.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5647514/ipods-icompass-mediacell-panel.

:thinking::rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
tim091 said:
Ahh, a kindred spirit :)
Click to expand...
Indeed! :D
No other device to test on but are you suggesting it is account related?
Click to expand...
No. I mean use another device but logged in with your same Google account, and see if the disappearing act happens. I'm guessing that it wouldn't. I think it's device-related, and this test would help prove/disprove that.

Your safe mode results will definitely help.
 
tommo47 said:
Hi @tim091, I've done a Google search for Media Cell and this looks to be the one you are referring to.

I have to say that having read the various problems/glitches other users have had I would be somewhat wary of getting involved with them.

It is going back a couple years, and they may have changed but some of the comments seem to put them in a similar light as a lot of people see Google.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5647514/ipods-icompass-mediacell-panel.

:thinking::rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Oh, I have no illusions as to what the app does (is supposed to do). In return for monthly payment you agree to them accessing everything on all your devices, including the microphone. I am prepared to accept that as I need the money so I gave it a go.

If it wasn't for the technical problem I am having (lots of people seem to be having lots of technical issues with it - but not the photo one I am having (if it is related to the app)) I would keep going with it..
 
Problem persists in safe mode.

Running out of ideas now. I would uninstall/reinstall Google Photos but you can't.
 
SOLVED IT!

I switched the picture save location to phone instead of SD card and pictures are now remaining.

So... the mediacell app messed up my SD card? Coincidence that my SD card became faulty the same day? I don't know,nor do I know what is wrong with it. I will pull it out and stick it back in again, or reformat it, or stick a new one in.

One of those actions really should solve the problem. If it doesn't then I will be scratching my head (and be back on here!).

Thanks for all your input guys.
 
That's good news, well done!! :).

It does seem a huge coincidence that the card failed when you first used the app. A strange one indeed. A format could sort it, certainly worth a try but if it does seem to clear, it might be best to use the card as extra storage but don't rely on it and keep a separate back up of important stuff.

:)
 
tim091 said:
Thanks for the idea. But here is the thing: I have used an android phone for approx ten years and have never had this problem. I want to find out why this is happening and fix it.

Secondly, I don't want anything to do with Google or cloud storage etc. (I find it unacceptable that I can't own a phone without having to have a google email address, but I have to live with it). I like to keep everything local and keep as much control as I can. (I am old so forgive me!).
Click to expand...


Yes, I perfect understand how you feel about Google. In fact, that was one of the reasons I began rooting my Android phones and installing custom roms.
tim091 said:
SD Card is unusable. Windows won't even format or repair it so it is in the bin and I have put another one, in freshly formatted it and all working well

Job done.
Click to expand...


That is good news :)
 
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