Phone memory disappears - what to do? Android: where did the system memory go? Where does the memory go in a smartphone?

Every day we use tablets for study, work, communication and other purposes, and therefore there is an extreme interest in the working condition of the device. There can be many reasons for frustration for the owner of a compact computer, and every problematic task must necessarily find an answer. What to do if the tablet does not see the internal memory? There is a certain sequence of actions in this regard. But first, it’s worth learning about the common obligations under which the situation in question arises.

How to proceed?

Some users complain about crashes that occur when deleting files from the internal memory of the tablet computer. The tablet may fail for other reasons, displaying a similar malfunction.

Important: all the steps described below will lead to the deletion of information contained in the built-in memory of the tablet computer!

The problem can most often be resolved in the following way:

1. First, turn off Tablet PC
2. Next, hold down the volume down button on the device body, turn on the tablet (you need to press two buttons at the same time)
3. Wait a few seconds, after which the “Recovery” menu will appear
4. Scroll down to “Wipe media partition” using the volume down button mentioned above on the tablet body
5. To select this item you will need to press the power button. Make one short press
6. Scroll down to “I agree” and then select it using the device’s power key
7. Now you need to select the first menu item called “Reboot device”
8. Next, the tablet computer will reboot into normal mode, after which the main memory of the device will be restored with a 90% probability

If for any reason you cannot troubleshoot the device yourself, it is recommended that you contact a competent friend or service center, where you will be provided with high-quality repairs and elimination of malfunctions of this nature. Independent steps taken by an incompetent user can lead to additional problems! If following the instructions outlined above does not bring the expected result and the memory is again invisible to the tablet, you will need to contact a service center.

Android users often encounter the fact that after some time after starting use, the “system” memory disappears somewhere. This applies to both users of budget versions of smartphones and mid-range smartphones; rarely concerns only flagship users, although it would not hurt them to read this note. Moreover, the majority still have budget devices on hand.

When you buy an Android smartphone for the first time, it is not clear whether the memory specified in the specification will be enough for real tasks. My first android smartphone was Samsung Galaxy Gio GT-S5660, with 178 megabytes of “built-in memory”. Thoughts when purchasing: “So, the main applications are already installed. I’m buying another memory card for multimedia, files and other programs. And those who cannot install themselves on the map are 178 meters away.”
And after a while, understanding and disappointment comes. But let's talk about everything in order. Let's try to understand the basic concepts in file system and how to “treat” the problem at a minimal level. I’m greatly simplifying the material, so don’t look for “inaccuracies” from a Computer Science point of view.

The android operating system is based on Linux. If we look at it from the root, we will see something like the following picture:

About the same as in any Linux. I will not describe all the folders - if you need it, read the relevant literature. Now we are interested in “built-in memory” and “system memory”. Where is it and what?

Herself operating system android is installed in system memory. These are all the files and folders you see in the screenshot, except for a couple. Manufacturers never write about this memory anywhere (at least, I haven’t seen it, if you have seen it, show me). You will not see “XXX MB System Memory” in any press release or specifications. Everyone is here system files, which are of little interest to the average user. Using special utilities, you can still view it. In Galaxy Gio, the system memory is 206 megabytes, but in this case we are interested in one folder /system/app.

It is in this folder that all “pre-installed” applications are located. Here are also those programs without which the smartphone cannot function normally, for example, a “dialer”, all sorts of “synchronizers” and those that were installed by the vendor (phone manufacturer) by default: Youtube, some office or “operator” software.

But where is that “built-in memory” or “user memory” located? Speaking in simple language, it is in the directory /data. It would be more correct to say: “a section of internal non-volatile memory accessible to the user is mounted in the file system as a directory /data“, but I will simplify everything.
What's in this directory? A novice user thinks that he has been provided with All The internal memory space (in my case 178 MB) is at your disposal.

No matter how it is! This directory is already full of directories with files after the first start. Again, I will not dwell on all catalogs, but will only talk about the main “eaters” of space.
First directory – dalvik-cache. Android part – Dalvik Virtual Machine– Google’s own implementation of virtual java-the machine on which all applications run. Dalvik cache - intermediate buffer with quick access. Simply put, Android puts pre-compiled program code here in order to speed up their launch. Moreover, this does not depend on the type of program: be it system, be it in the user’s memory, or be on a memory card; dalvik-cache in one place - in /data. For example, on Galaxy Gio this folder after the first start takes up about 100-110 megabytes. Well, 178 megabytes of memory suddenly turns into 60-70 for the user. Sadness. You can't do without this cache at all. There are a number of instructions on the Internet that allow you to transfer it to external card memory. Of course, this slightly affects performance, and there are glitches. I will not describe this technique. (If you have your own description of this method, knock on the door and we’ll exchange links)

Let's look further. Folder /data/app. All user programs that cannot be transferred to a memory card for some reason are installed into it. There are usually two reasons. The first is a widget: such programs cannot be transferred to the card due to OS restrictions. Secondly, the developer did not think about users of budget smartphones.

Now the main surprise, which is why I started writing this post. When a system program, such as Youtube, is updated, it apk also fits in /data/app. And we get the following: in /system/app lies there, not going anywhere, old version programs, and in /data/app– new. Of course, “parts” of the program are also in dalvik-cache, and in other caches and places, but this is as usual, but we don’t need such “doubling” at all. It turns out that even if you haven’t installed any programs yourself, after a while the user’s memory (/data/app) will be used to update system programs (if you update, of course). Android will not move this apk itself to /system/app never.

What to do?
First, you need to get , otherwise the system will not allow you to write anything to /system/app.
How to get root for your specific device I suggest you search the Internet yourself or look through this topic on 4PDA.

Root rights are not scary. Often, users of competing systems present this as some kind of terrible crime that allows them to do unknown things. For example, “pirate” – as with JailBreak on iOS. For “piracy” on Android, all this is not needed :) A smartphone with root rights enabled only allows some programs, the list of which is controlled, to always or temporarily obtain the right to write to system directories. That's all. How sudo on linux or in run as administrator" on windows. Scary? No. Now on some firmware the root is turned on simply by a switch in the settings.

The second point we need is the SystemCleanup program

Donat program. That is, every time you start it asks to buy for about 3 dollars Inteks Donation Key, which is suitable for several of the author’s programs, but this does not take away functionality. In general, the program allows you to do a lot of things: “index” applications (perhaps I’ll talk about this later) on the device itself, clear the cache, delete system applications, backups and much more.
Let's consider only restoration of universal justice transfer of updated system programs to their place.

Launch the program and switch to the tab Apps.

Here we see a list installed applications with additional information. We are looking for programs under which it says in red system+data. These are our “penalties”. When you click on a line, additional information about the space occupied by this application in different “memory locations” will be shown. Do a long tap and select “ Update system app” (the screenshot is old, now the inscription is like this) and agree with the action in the additional dialog box. Usually, after all movements, the device needs to be rebooted, which the program will prompt you to do.

In this simple way you can free up several tens of megabytes of valuable user memory occupied by clones.

In general, I repeat, the program can do quite a lot of useful things. For example, you can remove pre-installed system apps that you don't need. Moreover, under most applications there is a hint: is it safe to delete it. You can transfer the application from the main memory to the card with full functionality preserved (only if it is not a widget). And you can make some applications “system”. For example, you freed up several megabytes in the system memory, occupied by unnecessary operator software, and at the same time installed a third-party dialer. It is not advisable to transfer it to a memory card due to speed or fault tolerance, and it takes up space in the “built-in memory”. Long tap and select Move app to /system/app, and your program has moved to the folder /system/app, that is, it has become systemic (from the android point of view).

That's all for today. Once again: the program has many useful functions, study them yourself or maybe I will describe them someday. Eat more radical methods of “expanding” user memory related to remounting the Dalvik cache or a folder in general /data to a memory card, but they are associated with certain risks and other inconveniences.

An integral part of the lives of many modern people Recently, all sorts of gadgets have become available. Most owners of smartphones and tablets with the Android operating system sooner or later face the problem of lack of memory. In budget models, its volume is, as a rule, no more than four gigabytes, but it should be taken into account that at least a quarter is occupied by the operating system itself.

All modern games, as well as high-quality photographs, music and films, require increasing amounts of available memory. So, at some point the user simply will not be able to install the necessary application or download the necessary data. The lack of free space also negatively affects the speed of the device itself. So, how to free up internal memory on Android? You can move files to external storage and optimize the operation of your smartphone.

What fills the empty space?

When figuring out how to free up the internal memory of an Android phone, you should pay attention to several points. Certain methods may be effective in some cases, but completely inappropriate in others.

Before you free up internal memory on Android, you need to understand where the data filling the device comes from. Here are some of the most common options:

• saving photos, music and videos;
• data used in social media sharing;
• audio from a voice recorder;
• data downloaded via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi;
• applications from the Play Store located in the device memory.

How to prevent files from being saved to the device memory?

To prevent the problem from recurring from time to time in the future, you need to redirect the download of files from the device memory to other media. For example, to a memory card (SD card). To do this, you should change the save path settings in the settings of some applications:

• camera options;
• voice recorder options;
• Browser download space;
• location of cached files from applications;
• regulation of messengers;
• regulation of bootloader programs;
• regulation of GPS navigation maps.

In all of the above settings, the path to a specific folder (or several folders: separately for music, videos, pictures and files) must be specified, which is located on the memory card.

How to move data?

It is better to move files from the device memory to a memory card in similar folders. If there are none, you can create them using any file manager, which is downloaded from the Play Store, or by connecting the device to the computer via a cable. Moving to places with similar standard names will avoid unnecessary confusion. Folders usually have the following names:

• Bluetooth;
• DCIM;
• download;
• media;
• movies;
• music;
• video;
• sounds.

Transferring files, as well as creating new folders, can be done in two ways: directly by the functions of the device itself or using a computer. You should not transfer data whose purpose is in doubt. Moving program files may cause device malfunctions, you should be aware of this before freeing up space on the internal memory of Android.

How to transfer files directly to the device?

To transfer pictures, music and videos directly to the device, it is better to use a file manager. The ES conductor is simple and reliable to use. The main function of the manager is precisely to work with folders and files. This file manager is very lightweight, does not take up the already small amount of memory, and is convenient.

To transfer the necessary data, you need to select it with one long press. When choosing the “move” action, click on “SD-card”. The advantage of this file manager is that the menu allows you to immediately create new folders for transferring files.

How to transfer files using a computer?

In order to clear the internal memory of Android using a computer, you need to connect the device to it using a USB cable. To be able to manage data on a smartphone or tablet, the PC must have specialized programs and drivers. As a rule, such software is installed automatically, but you need to wait a little while the computer determines the type of device and finds the appropriate drivers on the network.

Problems that arise when transferring files using a PC are easily resolved free service AirDroid, which provides the ability to work with the device at a distance by connecting to Wi-Fi networks. Firstly, this is good because you don’t need to install any additional programs or drivers to recognize your smartphone or tablet. Secondly, this service Provides communication between devices over a distance longer than a cable.

And yet, how to free up system memory on Android via a computer using this method? Everything is very simple here - data management is possible through any browser.

How to move apps to SD card?

How to free up internal memory on Android to unload devices? Let us note right away: this is not an easy task. The reason is that in order to carry out this operation for applications, as a rule, you need to have special rights, namely administrator rights, which will allow you to fully manage all files.

You can obtain administrator status by installing an additional software or changing smartphone settings. In the latter case, everything is much simpler. Devices whose settings can be set to “developer mode” allow you to perform many actions that are not available ordinary users, for example, install a fake localization.

If administrator access is already enabled, you should next install the Link2Sd application. It allows you to transfer both installed additional and standard applications from the device memory to the memory card. But here you need to remember that such actions can lead to malfunctions of the device.

Without administrator rights, you can only move some applications. This action can be performed in the device settings. But the standard method is not very convenient, and if you don’t want to change the settings, it’s better to download Android app Assistant.

Android Assistant consists of eighteen tools for versatile work with Android. Directly transferring applications is carried out as follows: open the program, go to the “Toolkit” section and select “App2Sd”. A list of applications that can be transferred will open.

Also using this application you can perform a comprehensive removal, which will help optimize and increase the speed of the device.

How to clean your device from unnecessary debris?

By following the above steps, you can make significant progress in the process of clearing your memory. Once you have set the correct settings, you most likely will not have to do all the steps again from time to time. But you will have to use information on how to free up internal memory on Android by removing garbage often. So, by installing a special application (for example, Clean Master), you can make the cleaning process quick and easy.

The so-called garbage in the device, which occurs through the accumulation of cached data from the Internet, browser history, and applications, is a very common phenomenon. Periodic cleaning allows you to increase the free space on your device and speed up all actions.

If we look at cleaning a device from debris using the example of the most optimal and convenient program Clean Master, then there will be no difficulties in using it. You just need to select the “garbage” option and click “clean”. The application, conducting an in-depth analysis, makes sure to specify which files should not be deleted.

How to store files on the Internet?

To free up internal memory on Android 4.2, you can use so-called cloud storage. They allow you not only to store files, but also to open them using various devices. Having installed an application of this type on a smartphone, to gain access to the data you will only need to register (when you turn it on for the first time), and subsequently enter your username and password.

Constant access to the Internet is also important when working with cloud storage, because the data is stored in “virtual memory”. Among the most successful cloud storages are: Google Drive, Mega storage, Yandex.Disk or Dropbox.

How to completely clean the device?

To radically clear the device memory, you need to do complete removal all data. The action is performed using the “Format” option. As a rule, this item is located in the device settings in the “Backup and data reset” tab. After confirming the user’s intentions and deleting the data, the device will reboot and take on its original appearance, that is, the smartphone will be missing everything that was installed and downloaded after purchase.

In general, the instruction “How to free up memory on Android” includes several steps, some of which are interchangeable. Consistent execution of various types of actions will lead to an increase in free space, which certainly entails optimization of the device.

Articles and Lifehacks

Surely many users have encountered a similar situation. What to do if your phone memory disappears? Let's try to understand this failure using the example of such platforms as Windows Phone and Android.

Why this might happen on Windows Phone

• Let's start with the fact that programs do not always correctly display the actual amount of free memory in a mobile phone. Windows device Phone. In addition, do not forget about the cache and temporary files.

  Most likely, the memory is occupied by them, since the memory card can only contain photos and media files.

• Even after deleting some programs, some of them remain in the device’s memory. Now that we are surfing the Internet, its size continues to decrease. What to do in this case?
• First you need to reset your mobile device, as this will return it to its original state and also help in removing personal content.
• It is recommended that you take care in advance of archiving all your data (including photos, music, game achievements, messages and applications) in account Microsoft.
• Let's start the reset. Go to the settings and go to the “Device Information” menu, where we select the “Reset settings” item.
  Get rid of unnecessary applications in the phone memory on Windows Phone you can also use Shrink Storage.

  The program completely fills the internal storage, after which we reboot our device.

Why might this happen in Android

• operating room Android system initially installed in system memory. In other words, the memory of our device is occupied by a variety of system files and folders.
• All pre-installed programs are located in the /system/app folder. Without most of them, our device will not be able to work normally, although there are also those that we could easily do without (they are simply installed by default by the manufacturer itself).
• When we purchase a smartphone Android control, then we mistakenly believe that we have all the free space at our disposal.
• However, in fact, after the first launch it is easy to see that our memory is completely filled with a variety of directories.
• Currently, there is a lot of special software for Android that will help you monitor the status of your internal storage.
• If we have root rights, we can install the SystemCleanup application. For a reasonable fee, it allows you to transfer updated system programs, remove unnecessary things, implement backup and clear the cache.

No matter how much memory is in your tablet or Android smartphone, you will still definitely encounter the problem of lack of free space on the device’s storage devices. Modern 3D games, megapixel photos, high-quality music and movies manage to bite off gigabytes so quickly that very soon after purchasing Android, it begins to bombard you with warnings about lack of space and errors when installing programs. Therefore, it is necessary to take urgent measures for general cleaning. In this article you will find a detailed action plan that will help you get your gigabytes back.

1. Memory Usage Estimation

Before taking the first steps, you should conduct a reconnaissance of the area and assess the degree of fullness of the disk. Once you know how much space is occupied by various data, it will be easier for you to decide whether certain actions are necessary. One of best utilities for this purpose is DiskUsage, which allows you to see the full picture of your data placement in a simple and visual form. One glance at the resulting diagram will be enough to identify the most malicious space eaters on the map. By the way, you can start cleaning already at this stage, since you can delete some files you don’t need directly from the application.

Another utility of this kind is “ Disks, Storage and SD cards" This interactive application helps you visualize your device's memory and storage. It will help you free up space on your memory card, quickly find and delete large and already unnecessary files in internal storage.

2. Transferring programs to an external memory card

Almost everything Android devices allow you to use an additional SD card, the capacity of which significantly exceeds the capacity of the internal memory. Therefore, you should definitely try to transfer your installed programs to an external card. This can be done either using the tools built into the system or using special utilities, which is much more convenient. For example, AppMgr III(formerly App 2 SD) can not only move applications to internal or external storage to free up additional space, but can also hide built-in system programs, and also has the ability to batch remove unnecessary programs.

3. Removing pre-installed programs

Many manufacturers try to stuff their devices with the maximum number of applications, without caring whether you need them or not. Moreover, delete them in the usual way, as a rule, is impossible, so you have to put up with this garbage, which wastes space and device resources.

However, if you have a device, then the situation is quite fixable. Using the program Root App Delete you can completely uproot unnecessary programs, and just turn them off. This will come in handy when you are not very sure about the safety of deleting a system application. Just freeze it for a while, and then, if everything works as it should, you can permanently remove it.

4. Cleaning up trash

During its operation, the operating system and individual applications create a lot of temporary and auxiliary files, which, accumulating over time, begin to occupy quite significant volumes. Therefore, it is recommended to periodically clear the application cache, remnants remote programs, empty folders and other garbage. The program copes with this task perfectly. Clean Master, about which we wrote in. Just note that recently the authors of this application have managed to stuff it with a whole set of additional functions, so do not forget to disable all auxiliary modules in the settings so that the program does not bother you too much with its tutelage.

5. Save data to an external card

There are many programs that receive data from the network and store their data on the device. This could be podcasts, online music players, readers and so on. As a rule, they all allow you to choose a directory to store your files. If you saw that inner memory The gadget is filled with downloaded music, videos and documents, then take the time to delve into the settings of the relevant programs and indicate the appropriate directories on the external card.

6. Use cloud services

Let's not forget that the Internet is a two-way street, thanks to which you can not only download data to your device, but also upload it to the network. Thanks to existence cloud services and the increasing spread of broadband connections, there is no longer a need to store data for all occasions on a mobile or tablet; it is enough to have only what you need at this moment.

For example, the service allows you to save an extensive music collection (20,000 tracks) on a remote server, and load into your smartphone only what you want to listen to when you are not connected to the network. You can no less effectively deal with deposits of photographs and filmed videos. It is enough to install Dropbox or, for example, a social network client