Develop Bugs

Necessary files/folders on SD card

I saw that I've got only about 1 gigabyte free on my SD card. I don't have that much music or other media files on it, but there are a lot of folders that are taking up space like .android_secure and Android. My question is what folders/files can I delete that won't affect my root?
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

the first thing i do is delete unused crap..u can always recreate it

If you're using rom manager, there is ALOT of caching within that app that is stored on your sd card. Delete some of the sub folders and you'll find some space. I freed up 3 gigs the other day. I was amazed!
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA Premium App

Nothing on the sdcard has an effect on your root, there is a backup file you'll want to keep though (should know about it from reading the instructions on rooting). All the other folders are created by either you or the apps you have. Delete them if you want but the next time the app runs it will just recreate the folder. Mostly they're used for caching info but some have wallpapers, ringtones, pictures, and so on. Hell, 3D Gallery creates a massive amount of cache images - every picture you ever view on your phone actually.

Thumbdata

Does anyone know how to stop this file, located in dcim/thumbnails, from existing? Just keeps getting bigger and eating up my SD card!!!
LT15i ICS with root

Those are the thumbnails from the gallery, and for every picture or video you take or add to your phone, a thumbnail will be generated.
I don't think there's a way to disable them, if you could you wouldn't see any thumbnails in your gallery. Doesn't seem handy to me
Edit:
Sorry, misunderstood you..
I guess the thumbdata is still a part of the gallery, seems like a database to me, so the gallery knows where it can find its thumbnails

Thing is, I transfer my photos off regularly and then delete them off phone yet when I delete thumb data, it comes back at me! Currently stands at around 500mb....
LT15i ICS with root

500 mb is alot
I have two thumbdata files, both 55 mb and i have alot of photos on the device.
Do you have pictures elsewhere on your sd card, like album pictures, or pictures from a game, that might be the culprit?

Will check it out....
LT15i ICS with root

Have the same problem. It just doesn't make sense, the .thumbdata file sizes are lot bigger than the media themselves.
I've tried to disable write permissions with root browser (I've read that trick herehttp://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1318827), it does stop the two thumbdata files for getting bigger. Their sizes actually never changed. But unfortunately, it messed up my gallery preview.
Sent from my WT19i using xda app-developers app

it's a common issue with ICS, i have S2 and my thumbdata is over 1GB

yes, we know
boyob32 said:
Does anyone know how to stop this file, located in DCIM/thumbnails/, from existing? Just keeps getting bigger and eating up my SD card!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just copy that file's name, delete that file (thumbdata--), then create folder named the same as deleted file. Reboot device. No annoying thumbdata3 anymore! And look in folders named LOST.DIR (you can find it in the root directory of your internal memory and your SDcard) - huge temporary files may be left in these folders, so delete these files.
Tested on Toshiba Thrive Tablet (ICS).

[Q] CloudAgent Not Really Cloud?

Was looking through my file manager to see what is taking up internal space. Noticed that:
/media/cloudagent/cache/root/
contains my Drop Box images at full resolution.
So now that's not really a "cloud" is it? WTF? Currently occupies 2 gigs of space. I was hoping to store images on DropBox to save space. Not mirror it as a backup.
Or am I doing it wrong somehow?
Thanks.

ThaiM said:
Was looking through my file manager to see what is taking up internal space. Noticed that:
/media/cloudagent/cache/root/
contains my Drop Box images at full resolution.
So now that's not really a "cloud" is it? WTF? Currently occupies 2 gigs of space. I was hoping to store images on DropBox to save space. Not mirror it as a backup.
Or am I doing it wrong somehow?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have had the same problem.
Do you have Dropbox installed with CAMERA UPLOAD Turn on (in Dropbox settings) and also Pictures and Video Sync enable in Settings->Cloud->Pictures and ->Videos in the phone?
To solve this I have disable Settings->Cloud->Pictures and ->Videos in the phone, this avoid you to have a copy of the pictures you have in Dropbox under the folder "Camera Uploads" in local in your phone in storage/sdcard0/cloudagent/cache/root/Camera Uploads.
I have also left the Dropbox CAMERA UPLOAD Turn on, in this way each time I do a picture it is storage in the external card of the phone (in my case) and it is uploaded to Dropbox but it don't left another copy in storage/sdcard0/cloudagent/cache/root/Camera Uploads
Hope this help you.
If my english is not good enough, I can try to explain it in other manner.

Pics in "Download" folder magically disappear?

Only happens on my wife's phone and not mine. She can download the pics from an email or text and after about 24 hours "poof" She just sees a black template for each one. Can't bring them up on PC and or QuikPic- You can see the templates in the Download Folder but no where else nor can you do anything with them other than delete. She is stock and its done this out of the box-
Thanks in advance for any help!

Anyone... thanks = )

Do the file sizes change?

Murasaki no Kaze said:
Do the file sizes change?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jut looked at her phone to verify and now the thumbnails are gone... I saved some more photos and will verify for you-
Also path is the typical... /storage/sdcard0/Download/NAME OF FILE.JPG
Thanks!

If she's plugging it into a mac (or any computer) it's probably set to auto copy then remove from phone.
Also check any apps that "sync" or auto-upload pics.

Just verified, she does not hook it up to any PC even the one at work... only charges off the wall.
Thanks

See if she's using any apps with her pics. Other than that just check to see if the file size is changing. It mostly sounds like something is moving/deleting the pics.

She was completely stock before last night putting the Quikpic on there to see if that program could still see them. Other than stock gallery and stock settings- I haven't found any setting within Gmail or Messaging or within Gallery or Settings that does anything weird to pictures unless I have missed something.
Thanks again for all of your help so far...

It won't be the gallery, you'd look to that for thumbnail problems.
Check if she uploads to facebook/instagram/etc.
If she does, HOW is she uploading? Web? App?

No uploading... she just keeps them in her Download Folder and eventually they turn into a black thumbnail template.
Whats funny is the ones that she moves to a folder (With a Category Name) no issue and they never dissapear... Only that folder...
I have removed everything and cleared up the directory and let the stock android file structure- re-create everything. its very weird...

Saving to a sdcard or internal?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

Is the by chance a file in the directory called .nomedia I believe is what it's called? I get weird issues with pictures downloaded from time to time .I had the nomedia file deleted that and haven't had any issues with images since
Making the iPhone jealous one user at a time.

blaker13 said:
Saving to a sdcard or internal?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
internal. Default download directory.
mkfryan said:
Is the by chance a file in the directory called .nomedia I believe is what it's called? I get weird issues with pictures downloaded from time to time .I had the nomedia file deleted that and haven't had any issues with images since
Making the iPhone jealous one user at a time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.nomedia doesn't directly affect files. It's used to tell galleries/music players/etc not to bother reading the current folder. It will make stuff not appear in apps, but it doesn't touch files. There's no reason for that to be in a stock download folder, but never hurts to check.
Love the signature btw

Is she going into her "downloads" app in her app drawer and clearing that list out? I know I accidentally do that from time to time.
Try using File Manager to move them to external storage. Does she maybe have a cleaning app that clears out her downloads?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

Alright so a little more info-
When she downloaded Quikpic to try and view the thumbnails the program actually removed them. So thats why the templates were deleted this time.
However, one thing is certain- The download is set to internal storage and the category folders are on the Micro SD.
So if she moves them to a category on the Micro SD they are fine and never turn into a black template/thumbnail. If she keeps them in the Download Folder however, they eventually turn to a black thumbnail ans stay there until maually deleted... its like the picture disapears and the thumbnail looses contact with the original file.
-Thanks again for everyones help so far... :good:

Will check this tonight... .nomedia thing-

Be sure to ask what thenewguy1 asked.
If all else fails, she can just install a download manager and have it intercept and save the pictures to a different folder.
Also, does this ONLY happen to pics? No other file types are affected?

Alright so some wild updates... may be onto something (She doesn't clear downloads and she doesn't have the no image file)
However... it happened again yesterday- Here is the scenario on how it occurs.
She has an email with a image in Gmail-
Saves the picture-
File is saved in Download Folder and visible within Gallery Download Folder-
She then takes the email within Gmail and moves it to a folder-
Several minutes later this happens to the image-
Blacked out thumbnail and the size and data or there but no image-
Unable to see it at all or explore for it-
It gets better, if she moves it back to the Inbox or where it was saved orig the image will reappear-
So in theory its like it saves the shortcut to the image and when the image is moved the shortcut defaults to blank template.
What causes this??? LOL Thanks = )

So she's saving from the gmail app? Or from gmail web?
She clicks on pic -> menu -> save ?
Is that how she's saving them?
In trying to simulate your problem, somehow my thumbnail cache got screwed lol, cleared through quickpic and it seems to be working fine, haven't seen it black out yet... for me it doesn't give me the save option, it shows me the picture, and if I check the folder or gallery, it's already been saved to disk.
Now gmails tripping lol
Try clearing data and see if this problem persists.

senfinger said:
Alright so some wild updates... may be onto something (She doesn't clear downloads and she doesn't have the no image file)
However... it happened again yesterday- Here is the scenario on how it occurs.
She has an email with a image in Gmail-
Saves the picture-
File is saved in Download Folder and visible within Gallery Download Folder-
She then takes the email within Gmail and moves it to a folder-
Several minutes later this happens to the image-
Blacked out thumbnail and the size and data or there but no image-
Unable to see it at all or explore for it-
It gets better, if she moves it back to the Inbox or where it was saved orig the image will reappear-
So in theory its like it saves the shortcut to the image and when the image is moved the shortcut defaults to blank template.
What causes this??? LOL Thanks = )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is she saving it? I am also trying to replicate the issue. I am opening the attachment, hitting menu and save. I have moved the email but the image is still working fine. If she uses file manager to move them to another folder does it also corrupt the file? Is she somehow saving a link or shortcut? I am about lost
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app

[Q] SD Card shares the same disk with os

Hello everyone..
So I while managing pictures on my SD card, I noticed something that is making dumping/importing pictures to my PC, a nightmare.
I think I have a solution, but the app (MoveToSdcard), is giving the following message: "SD Card shares the same disk with os"
Looking at some of the file/folder structure, I think I know what's happening, but I don't know how to fix without breaking stuff.
What I'm trying to do is move all apps that will every have pictures associated with them, to the SDCard. This will allow me to export (and worry) only pictures from the SDCard and delete them like I normally would with my iPhone.
Anyone know of a way to resolve this or have a suggestion on how to achieve what I'm trying to do?
Why do I want to dump my pictures? I put them on a NAS, back them up to various cloud services. I also place my none mobile photo work on this NAS an upload them as well.

droidmyworld said:
Hello everyone..
So I while managing pictures on my SD card, I noticed something that is making dumping/importing pictures to my PC, a nightmare.
I think I have a solution, but the app (MoveToSdcard), is giving the following message: "SD Card shares the same disk with os"
Looking at some of the file/folder structure, I think I know what's happening, but I don't know how to fix without breaking stuff.
What I'm trying to do is move all apps that will every have pictures associated with them, to the SDCard. This will allow me to export (and worry) only pictures from the SDCard and delete them like I normally would with my iPhone.
Anyone know of a way to resolve this or have a suggestion on how to achieve what I'm trying to do?
Why do I want to dump my pictures? I put them on a NAS, back them up to various cloud services. I also place my none mobile photo work on this NAS an upload them as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having a hard time understanding specifically what you are trying to do. But if the end goal is back up pictures to your NAS then I suggest downloading "Sweet Home! Alfa". It will allow you to select which albums to backup and automatically do it for you based on preference (for example, I have mine setup to do it when I'm connected to my home network and plug my phone in to charge".
You can set it to automatically delete photos off you device once backed up too if you want. Managing albums can be done through the stock gallery app or through a file explorer.
Hope this helps.
BTW, /sdcard actually refers to internal storage. So if you are trying to move apps to /sdcard, that it why you are getting the error. You are telling it to move an app from internal storage to internal storage which doesn't make sense to the app

Hi Artimis! Yea. I'm sorry about how I laid out the thread. Not clear at all. Basically, there are pictures everywhere
I use several apps - Instagram, Photoshop, SquareDroid, Afterfocus, Lapse It, Viva Video, etc. Each one of these apps either place the completed edits/export in their own folder, located in the app's directory, respectively.
When I pull out the SDCard and put it into my machine to dump/export them, not all the pictures are there, because some of the pictures are in their respective app exported folders and those are on the Internal SD.
This now forces me to hunt around and hope I've located all the possible directories and pictures.
If Instead relocate the apps to the SD card, the export folders would also be there, making it one less and easy step to ensure that all possible pictures/directories are accounted for.
Make any sense? Sorry about that.
Now the app you recommended takes it to a whole other level! This is awesome! and it detects new photo directories, created anywhere on the phone or SD card! This more or less solves my whole problem! WOW! Thank you!
As for the whole SD thing, I'm confused. Not a big deal though since all pictures and videos (all big in size) taken using XCam end up on the true SDCard. All the other pictures scattered about are not large in size and I'm not concerned about it. It's just a pain to hunt them down and dump/export them.
This app you suggested though is perfect and solves my problem, and then some!
Thanks Artimis!

wouldn't it be easier to just use Dropbox's import feature or even their auto saving of pictures? Of course letting G+ save them is also a more practical solution, I use both, and would be less time consuming

Yes, I use them as well. They work well. The goal is not to move away from any of them either. The goal is to save them locally to my NAS and at the same time, recover the space back on the device/SDCard.
The program that Artimis recommended takes care of all these issues.
I'm good! Thanks!

Same/Similar Problem
Whenever I try to install apps on to my SD card it says "SDcard share the same disk with os" and won't let me transfer apps.

Tyfighter98 said:
Whenever I try to install apps on to my SD card it says "SDcard share the same disk with os" and won't let me transfer apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does your phone actually have an sdcard in it (it would show up as something like /external_SD through the file system). As I mentioned before, /sdcard actually refers to the phones internal storage. It is a symlinked directory that emulates an sdcard but is mapped to /data/media.
So you will get this error with an app trying to move something from /data/app to /sdcard because it is actually trying to move it to /data/media/.. which doesn't do any good.
If you do have an actual external sdcard (/external_SD) then the problem could be due to the write protection changes implemented in kit kat. There are threads on how to fix this if you are rooted.

I do I have an SD card in my tablet and I supposedly already did an SD card fix for Kit Kat but I will look into it thanks.

i have micromax canvas juice 2 .... i inserted 16gb sd card but iam not able to move apps to my sd card ..... please help me

So how to make it understand I have to sent it to ad card and read data from there..