Help storage problem

[jake_kess]

Hi so today I cleared out my storage on my moto g for a app which required 2.10 gb I freed up 2.11 gb so then I tried to install the app after about 2mins when it was supposed to finish it said error insufficient storage space so then I check my storage and there is only 400mb left even though nothing has installed and if you were to add everything up it would equal 3. Something gb please can someone help me resolve my storage problem. (My phone has a storage of 5gb)

 

[girolez]

Hi

I suggest you read this (its a sticky post at the top of the questions forums) http://androidforums.com/threads/qu...e-is-your-storage-truth-read-me-first.906249/ and run "storage truth" and post back the result. (hopefully you have room to install it)

Its probable that an app that is 2.1gb file size actually expands to much more when you install it (.apk files are really .zip files) and thats why you did not have enough space.

Roger

 

[scary alien]

Just a quick follow-up...

Roger is indeed correct about apps needing more space post-install.

For example, one of my app's .apk files is 917k (938,412 bytes)--i.e., the pre-install size.

After installing (on my Android 5.1 Nexus 5), here are the various files and the sizes (in kilobytes) of all of their various installation components:

1132    /data/data/sa.root.toolkit
928    /data/app/sa.root.toolkit-1
704    /data/dalvik-cache/arm/data@app@sa.root.toolkit-1@base.apk@classes.dex
----
2764

The Settings app reports that takes up 2.71 Mb--which is in-line with the sizes of the files above and obviously quite a bit larger than the original .apk file size (917k) [which also matches what the Play Store reports].

You should also notice that your /data partition (which the Storage Truth app Roger mentioned highlights) is the target for where these installation files live, so there needs to be, in this case, at least 2.71 Mb available there.

By extension, other apps will also obviously need some multiple of the .apk file's space for final installation, but that size will, of course, vary by the app and it's functionality.

Hope that helps!