What Is "Device Memory"?

[PeteCress]

Just ran out of "Device Memory" space on my v1 Note (N7000, Android 4.0.4) . Auto-update of some app or another failed with insufficient space in "Device Memory" - which shows up as having a total space of only 1.97 gigs.

I cleaned house by uninstalling every app that I could find that had not been used recently and now it's OK.... But that's only now....

System Settings | Storage does, indeed, show Device Memory - along with USB Storage and SD Card.

I'm guessing that "SD Card" is the 64-gig class 10 micro SD that I have in there and "USB Storage" (11.07 gigs) is some sort of hard-wired SD card analog.

But what is "Device Memory"?

More to the point.... Is there any way that I can force Android to install new apps on to the 64-gig micro SD... or even the "SD Card" instead of pigging up that very limited "Device Memory"?

Could "Device Memory" be just a partition of the same physical memory that is "USB Storage"? On my 10.1" Note (Jellybean...) I see that there is no distinction between "Device Memory" and "USB Storage".... so maybe all this is moot in the context of the soon-to-come (?) upgrade to Jellybean on the N7000.

??

 

[Frisco]

Device memory stores system stuff and your apps etc. USB memory is the mass storage for all your pictures and music, and for whatever else your apps might need space for proper operation.

Actually, they behave more like partitions (being Linux based).

There are apps in Play Store which are capable of moving some things from internal storage to the external removable sd card.

Helps to be rooted.. then your options open up a bit more.

 

[PeteCress]

Helps to be rooted.. then your options open up a bit more.

Closet anal-retentive that I am, rooting has been calling out to me.

But so far, I have been scared off by my own realization of how little I know.

So far, it seems like if I choose to root:

• I need to decide whose image I am going to use
• Once I have rooted with that image, automatic system updates become problematic
• Once I am rooted, I can get rid of the obvious marketing BS applications like Google Play Books, Google Play Movies & TV, and so-forth.
• Once I have rooted, I will be able to "Image" the system - analogous to taking an image of a Windows system drive - and restore that image if/when I want to.

Have I got it right so far?

 

[ifb-online]

Why not wait for the Jelly Bean update?

Anyway - all you need to do is install App2SD or similar and then find and move apps that can be migrated to 'SD' memory - which can be part if the existing 16GB of internal storage space, you don't need to install a MicroSD card. You will clear a lot of internal memory space in no time at all. I have over 100 apps installed and still have plenty of space.