So I posted this question and I did not get a helpful reply so I am trying again because the problem is even worse.
Basically, I rooted with unrEVOked over a year ago and I have flashed several ROMs, always doing a factory reset andwiping the dalvik cache with Clockworkmod.
I tried Leedroid, AuTrax, Ginervillain, Cyanogen then Oxygen. Perhaps another. When using Cyanogen I noticed I had very little internal memory (about 19Mb) even though all apps were on the SD card. I switched to Oxygen and nothing changed.
NOW I have done a factory reset, wiped dalvik, and reflashed Oxygen and I only have about 800Kb of internal memory.
I thought a factory reset would make my phone go back to pristine condition (albeit rooted) and I could start over from the beginning if I'd totally mucked something up and bricked or crippled it--but wipingand relashing has just made the problem worse!
Is there any solution here?
Youre doing the factory reset via recovery?
If thats not working, try formatting /data via recovery
S-off then change your hboot?!
Are you 100% sure apps2sd is working properly?
use a custom mtd or use one of the hboots at alpharev.nl
Yeah if you want more space you can always S-OFF and then flash a different SPL (hboot).
Also before you flash a new ROM remember to go to mounts and storage and format boot, data, system, cache.
rootSU said:
Youre doing the factory reset via recovery?
If thats not working, try formatting /data via recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I'm doing "wipe data/factory reset" from the green ClockworkMod menu. And "Wipe Dalvik Cache" from the "Advanced" menu beneath that.
Can you tell me in fairly simple terms what formatting /data is likely to accomplish? I'm up for it if there's a logical reason, certainly. But since every wipe&reflash chews up the little remaining memory I don't want to just be trying every option in the menu until SOMETHING works because at the rate it is losing internal memory I only have 1-2 more wipe-reflashes until it's a brick.
bortak said:
Yeah if you want more space you can always S-OFF and then flash a different SPL (hboot).
Also before you flash a new ROM remember to go to mounts and storage and format boot, data, system, cache.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, I'll try this (formatting boot, data, system, cache) but is there a simple explanation for why this is necessary and will fix the problem? I was pretty sure every rooting-flashing guide I'd read said only data wipe/factory reset (and sometimes dalvik cache) was necessary.
An explanation suitable for a noob like me, but a little more detailed than "it's a deeper, better wipe"
Thanks!!!
if you don't do it, sometimes it's possible that some of the data and crap from the past ROM gets left over and just uses space.
k.p. said:
NOW I have done a factory reset, wiped dalvik, and reflashed Oxygen and I only have about 800Kb of internal memory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U get only 800 kb after reflash only the rom or even after restoring ur apps?
(maybe a stupid question, but i always prefer to make clarify everything)
andQlimax said:
U get only 800 kb after reflash only the rom or even after restoring ur apps?
(maybe a stupid question, but i always prefer to make clarify everything)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. I did a factory reset, wiped the dalvik cache, flashed Oxygen and had 800kb of internal memory before doing anything else (and a barely functioning phone that couldn't even receive a text message but would sendone).
bortak said:
if you don't do it, sometimes it's possible that some of the data and crap from the past ROM gets left over and just uses space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, that's what I figured it would do (and what I figured the problem was, since memory decreased with succesive flashes). So format data, boot, system, and cache but NOT sd-ext (I don't think there's a format /boot option).
In any particular order? And before or after "wipe data/factory reset"?
doesn't matter in what ordered. you only format sd-ext if you have an EXXT3/4 on your sd-card
k.p. said:
Can you tell me in fairly simple terms what formatting /data is likely to accomplish? I'm up for it if there's a logical reason, certainly. But since every wipe&reflash chews up the little remaining memory I don't want to just be trying every option in the menu until SOMETHING works because at the rate it is losing internal memory I only have 1-2 more wipe-reflashes until it's a brick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a really simple explanation, which means that it will not be technically accurate, but will give you an idea.
When you delete a file, its not really deleted. It is there until something else overwrites it.
What actually happens is the reference to that file is removed from the File system (be that EXT, FAT, NTFS etc etc). The File system is basically table, or even an address book. The operating system uses this table to locate files that are there (when you request the file is opened etc). But also to locate spaces where new files can be written to.
When the next file is written, it will find a place via the file system that is empty and write to the location. This is usually when a past file is overwritten, although not neccessarily by the next new file.
Even when you do a factory reset, this is still the case. The files are still there, but the file system's "table" is cleared, making it appear empty, therefore able to accept new files.
It could be there is a corruption or failure of the file system where these entries are not properly being removed.
A format also will not delete these files. This is how anyone with a little bit of knowledge can recover some or all of your data after you format your Hard drive, SD card etc etc. What it will do though, is format the drive with a new file system, which will be clean and hopefully free of corruption.
Of course, the cause may be something else but it always a good idea to rule it out.
Thank you very much bortak and rootSU. I surmised generally that the problem was repeated flashing leaving debris and knew there had to be some solution to clean it up instead of going beyond simple root-and-flash. I very much wanted to fix it in one go instead of having another failed attempt and even less memory to work with for a fix. And thank you very much for taking the time for that explanation--I am now a little wiser and it let me know this wasn't an ill-informed "hail mary pass".
For anyone who finds this searching in the future, I formatted boot, system, data and cache and then did a factory reset. Rebooting got me stuck on the bootloader screen. I went back into recovery and flashed Oxygen. Now I have a working Desire with Oxygen and 109MB free on the internal memory.
There might already be an answer for my question, but unfortunately i could not find anything...
i made a biiiig mistake some minutes ago. i wanted to install a new rom on my phone, so i did a factory reset and wanted to format /system. unfortunately i chose to format /sdcard instead! i recognized it, when cwm wrote "formatting /sdcard", not a second before, when i had to confirm my choice. ((
i did not make a backup of internal storeage before, so all my data (including the photos from my kids!!!) got lost. i immediately pulled out the battery, to maybe have a chance to get my data back. if needed, i could still boot into android, because i did not wipe /system like i wanted to...
is there a way to get my data back (at least the photos)??? PLEASE HELP!!!
PStephan88 said:
There might already be an answer for my question, but unfortunately i could not find anything...
i made a biiiig mistake some minutes ago. i wanted to install a new rom on my phone, so i did a factory reset and wanted to format /system. unfortunately i chose to format /sdcard instead! i recognized it, when cwm wrote "formatting /sdcard", not a second before, when i had to confirm my choice. ((
i did not make a backup of internal storeage before, so all my data (including the photos from my kids!!!) got lost. i immediately pulled out the battery, to maybe have a chance to get my data back. if needed, i could still boot into android, because i did not wipe /system like i wanted to...
is there a way to get my data back (at least the photos)??? PLEASE HELP!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have root, try this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fahrbot.apps.undelete&hl=en
Edit: cancel that. Only FAT is supported.
PStephan88 said:
There might already be an answer for my question, but unfortunately i could not find anything...
i made a biiiig mistake some minutes ago. i wanted to install a new rom on my phone, so i did a factory reset and wanted to format /system. unfortunately i chose to format /sdcard instead! i recognized it, when cwm wrote "formatting /sdcard", not a second before, when i had to confirm my choice. ((
i did not make a backup of internal storeage before, so all my data (including the photos from my kids!!!) got lost. i immediately pulled out the battery, to maybe have a chance to get my data back. if needed, i could still boot into android, because i did not wipe /system like i wanted to...
is there a way to get my data back (at least the photos)??? PLEASE HELP!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no there is not.
all data recovery options require the partition to be mounted. since there is no sdcard, you cannot mount it.
EDIT: Nevermind. I didn't realize you had to wipe internal storage when going to AOSP based ROMs, I've got it sorted out now.
Okay, I don't know where I went wrong. Flashed TWRP 3.0.3-6-unofficial (US unlocked 2.41.617.3).
Wiped data, cache, dalvik, system in TWRP after decrypting with my key.
Flashed LineageOS and Gapps. First boot, prompted for key, won't take it. Reboot to TWRP, won't take the key either.
I know I just lost everything on the phone but my question is -- how did I manage to bork it? Luckily I backed up my Titanium Backup and SMS Backup and Restore to my SD card so having to RUU isn't the end of the world, I'm just curious what I did so I don't do it again. I didn't wipe internal storage when I installed Lineage, just everything else so I'm totally lost as to what I did wrong but I'm grabbing the RUU right now. Luckily I didn't really have anything on there that I absolutely couldn't stand to lose since I smartly moved my TiBu and SMS folders to the SD card.
How do I fix this i decrypted it and now this what do I have to do?
Solution
[/IHi! So are you saying it is mandatory to "unencrypt" (hence format int. storage) in order to be able to install this ROM?
not to flash ROM. You can flash it while encrypted. But it will ask you for a password on first boot. And after that you are ****** because you will lose access to the internal storage, rendering the recovery useless at this moment... however you will still have access to the phone via bootloader. After that, the only way to decrypt will be via fastboot command "fastboot format userdata" (in which you lose all your data).
From my understanding, because of this command you may experience issues with your partition. At least I had a problem: my internal storage was "cut" in half on windows when I connected phone and checked and after booting first time finally thinking everything was solved disk info also reported that I had some 30gb used, with about high 20's gbs free. I was like wtf.
However, luckily, after formatting internal storage via fastboot command you gain access back to your storage, as the encryption (which was blocking you) is gone. This way you can format (yes, again) your storage through recovery (format, not wipe). It corrects the partition and your phone is read as having 64gb of storage again.
Bottomline, as I understand, had I been decrypted from the start ( which means, before flashing the DU ROM) I wouldn't have had any problems at all with booting ROM first time after installing it and gapps, because it wouldn't ask me for a password. So I wouldn't have to fastboot command to format storage, and wouldn't have problems with partition requiring a new format (this time through recovery).
tip: don't forget to check my comments in the previous page. And I advise you to unencrypt before flashing this ROM. There are tutorials on youtube and xda developers forum certainly. Maybe even here. Good luck every one. And I sincerely only recommend rooting your phone and flashing custom roms if you get the basics of a few commands at least on fastboot and know how to backup your stuff before in case something goes very wrong and your recovery goes to ****
edit: you can decrypt and not lose your data if you backup, move backup to pc, and then, after decrypting, move everything back to your phone.
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Why i cant wipe system (or edit build prop in OS) on this device? There is not twrp that is capable wipe system... (system partition not even showing in wipe menu)
Why is that? I would like to be able to wipe system partition cause otherwise im be able to switch roms without wiping internal memory... (Without formating data) at least i think... feel free to correct me
In new phones, system is part of dynamic partition called super. Without proper twrp, you can't see super's content. And even if you could, wiping system would probably brick the device because of new partitioning systems, which are not yet implemented in twrp (twrp barely got android 10 support, and we're few months away from 12. As far as deleting system partition, that's not how it's done anymore since android 8 (or 9)... Every rom out there overwrites whole system partition, so there's no need to mess with it. About internal storage, there's more to it than your data there, and dirty flashing is indeed possible, but without proper encryption/decryption support from twrp, you'll just lose access to your data when switching roms, because data encryption is done on the first boot. New rom doesn't care about old encrypted data in internal storage, and just re-encrypts it, leaving you with unusable data. So it's all about making proper twrp (or any other recovery for that matter), but until that's done, you're stuck with this. And don't get me wrong, it's the same for almost every phone out there in the past year or two...