I am not rooted.
I have researched and every time someone talks about this topic they start refering to doing things in root. I am a Linux user specifically a Linux Mint 13 KDE. However! I don't work with the terminal and have not since my DOS days, nor do I want to. IMO I'm too old to bother with it.
Now I use ES File Explorer as my file browser and I see there seems to be a duplication of almost everything on my device yet there is not enough room on the Nexus 4 16GB to hold 2 of everything I have loaded onto it.
So I assume the extra stuff I see are sym-links (I don't realy understand what they are just that they are not real). Am I correct?
Why when an app looks for duplicates does it show the stuff in /storage/emulated/legacy etc. and in /storage/emulated/0 etc. and report them as the same size?
Why am I allowed to create a folder in /storage/emulated/0 or /storage/emulated/legacy if they just contain sym-links? IMO I should not have access to those folders without being rooted.
Why when I add a folder in /storage/emulated/0 or /storage/emulated/legacy does it show up in /sdcard?
donec said:
I use ES File Explorer as my file browser and I see there seems to be a duplication of almost everything on my device yet there is not enough room on the Nexus 4 16GB to hold 2 of everything I have loaded onto it.
So I assume the extra stuff I see are sym-links (I don't realy understand what they are just that they are not real). Am I correct?
Why when an app looks for duplicates does it show the stuff in /storage/emulated/legacy etc. and in /storage/emulated/0 etc. and report them as the same size?
Why am I allowed to create a folder in /storage/emulated/0 or /storage/emulated/legacy if they just contain sym-links? IMO I should not have access to those folders without being rooted.
Why when I add a folder in /storage/emulated/0 or /storage/emulated/legacy does it show up in /sdcard?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was going to post a simpler version of this question: Why do I have [Android 4.2.2 on a Nexus 7] /storage/emulated/0/, /storage/emulated/legacy/, and /storage/sdcard0/ when they seem to have exactly the same contents? When, if I create something in /storage/emulated/0/ it's duplicated in the other two locations?
But I noticed this thread and decided to check it out. I am shocked that it'' gotten no response in five months.
Eric Weir said:
I was going to post a simpler version of this question: Why do I have [Android 4.2.2 on a Nexus 7] /storage/emulated/0/, /storage/emulated/legacy/, and /storage/sdcard0/ when they seem to have exactly the same contents? When, if I create something in /storage/emulated/0/ it's duplicated in the other two locations?
But I noticed this thread and decided to check it out. I am shocked that it'' gotten no response in five months.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are basically the same thing. 2 mount points pointing to the same storage device and partition.
If you create something in one folder, it will show up in the other. Same applies for deleting stuff.
They do not take away more storage space, as it is only available once but shown twice.
You also don't need to worry about it in any way because file browsers normally set their default directory to one of these locations.
As far as i know, Google changed the mount points in Android 4.2 to /storage/emulated/0/ due to them switching to MTP and EXT4(?) for the sdcard. The other mount points are still there for compatibility.
Don't quote me on that, though.
They changed it for multi-user feature
Sent from my Nexus 4
Can I delete "legacy"
Nuu~ said:
They are basically the same thing. 2 mount points pointing to the same storage device and partition.
If you create something in one folder, it will show up in the other. Same applies for deleting stuff.
They do not take away more storage space, as it is only available once but shown twice.
You also don't need to worry about it in any way because file browsers normally set their default directory to one of these locations.
As far as i know, Google changed the mount points in Android 4.2 to /storage/emulated/0/ due to them switching to MTP and EXT4(?) for the sdcard. The other mount points are still there for compatibility.
Don't quote me on that, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can I delete the legacy folder without harming anything?
DEFI4NT said:
Can I delete the legacy folder without harming anything?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you read the post that you quoted ?
"If you create something in one folder, it will show up in the other. Same applies for deleting stuff."
DEFI4NT said:
Can I delete the legacy folder without harming anything?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would you even want to delete it in the first place? You wouldn't be gaining anything is just another mount point.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
....
/storage, /sdcard are sym linked folders,that means when you open one of those, it redirects to the original(/data/media/0), as for the 0 is just a multi user feature implemented in android 4.2, but only enabled on tablet androids.
Why do this Sym-Link?: simple so it dosent break apps(not only file explorer type of app, but all apps).
Still dont get, why it would break?.Simple. android api have lots of ways to write/read files from folders, u can do manually,u can get the data path, u can get the sdcard path, etc,etc. so to not break that they just does these sym links, thats why in one app the storage contentents are listed on /sdcard but on others, is /storage, etc,etc. one example of an app that broke because of these changes to android is titanium backup, u need to change the internal storage on it, so it work.
Are they really symlinks?
I want to make sure that they are sym linked files/ folders and not additional copies as it will directly impact the storage.
Emulated storage is the only reason i have not upgraded yet to Android 4.4 yet, despite ROMs being available ages ago..
1. Please let me know for confirmation, if there is no impact on storage space.
2. Can Link2SD be used in 4.4 with emulated storage?
3. If there is a file and its sym link/ copy; are the rights equally assigned to both files/ folders?
I mean to ask if there is a provision to have root previlege on the original file and read only rights on the sym link ? Is it possible??
the main reason for this question is that, if by mistake i do something on the sym lilnk, it should not affect the original file.
and whatever change i wish to operate on, i can do it on the original file itself.
Regards
Dwipen
opssemnik said:
/storage, /sdcard are sym linked folders,that means when you open one of those, it redirects to the original(/data/media/0), as for the 0 is just a multi user feature implemented in android 4.2, but only enabled on tablet androids.
Why do this Sym-Link?: simple so it dosent break apps(not only file explorer type of app, but all apps).
Still dont get, why it would break?.Simple. android api have lots of ways to write/read files from folders, u can do manually,u can get the data path, u can get the sdcard path, etc,etc. so to not break that they just does these sym links, thats why in one app the storage contentents are listed on /sdcard but on others, is /storage, etc,etc. one example of an app that broke because of these changes to android is titanium backup, u need to change the internal storage on it, so it work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dwipen said:
I want to make sure that they are sym linked files/ folders and not additional copies as it will directly impact the storage.
Emulated storage is the only reason i have not upgraded yet to Android 4.4 yet, despite ROMs being available ages ago..
1. Please let me know for confirmation, if there is no impact on storage space.
2. Can Link2SD be used in 4.4 with emulated storage?
3. If there is a file and its sym link/ copy; are the rights equally assigned to both files/ folders?
I mean to ask if there is a provision to have root previlege on the original file and read only rights on the sym link ? Is it possible??
the main reason for this question is that, if by mistake i do something on the sym lilnk, it should not affect the original file.
and whatever change i wish to operate on, i can do it on the original file itself.
Regards
Dwipen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1- impact? no they are like .ink files in windows
2- yes link2sd works
3- the permissions are the same
maybe someone here can explain whats going on
So my phone seems to have two systems (or probably more) running and it IS using up my memory. See attached photos. I own a 32gb Optimus G pro. Rooted and custom recovery. Beeen trying out a few ROMs. Well somehow I noticed that there is some kind of ghost app/system using up my memory. I only use 7.36 of my sd card (internal). Yet I only have 6gb of memory left. And I just noticed my calendar has double the entries.
Is there a fix??? Or do I have to reflash stock kitkat???
What happened? The only irregular thing that happened is when I was restoring a nandroid backup I fell asleep and woke up 3 hours later and noticed that somehow the phone was making another backup. Could that be the cause. Restoring doesn't fix this. What can I do?
I can't rfactory reset since I have a custom recovery. Doing it in the custom recovery has no effect.
Oh and I did flash freegee's cwm over hoangnova's cwm. Someone told me to update cwm through freegee because I couldn't flash any custom roms.
I have similar problem.
liovag said:
Hello,
I have order Meizu m1 note 32 gb version blue color from fastcardtech.com and i have received a couple of days ago. Today i notice that in storage menu, the file system holds 17.13GB
The phone is unrooted.
How is this possible, I am very disappointed, and frustrated.
This is a big thing. I have pay for 32GB version and i suspect that they fraud me.
Also i have connect the phone via usb to my pc and i saw that the total size is only 11,9GB and not 32.
Also i have install to the phone the ES File Explorer to check the storage capacity and i saw that the phone have 11.94 GB Total capacity and not 32 i suspect that you have change something to the phone software. to look 32gb but actually is only 16GB version. This is fraud.
I have make factory reset with erasing data and upgrade the system but remains the same. :/
Please give me your advice.
View attachment 3407558
View attachment 3407559
View attachment 3407560
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Imagine a HOUSE. The house = the storage location. Everything in it is your data... furniture etc. These are your files.
storage location \legacy = the back door.
storage location \0 = the front door.
If you delete a file = take your chair and throw it in the yard. Its gone from the house no matter if you entered the front door or back door.
yes, it consumes double storage!
I also have the same observation. Whatever the explaination from previous replies, it consumes my storage double! And it hurts if you only have 8 GB internal storage in my Moto G.
X-plore app can show the storage mapping in my root folder.
What we need now is a solution how to avoid this double storage consumption.
So, we have two identical houses, instead of one house with two doors!
Why2 said:
I also have the same observation. Whatever the explaination from previous replies, it consumes my storage double! And it hurts if you only have 8 GB internal storage in my Moto G.
X-plore app can show the storage mapping in my root folder.
What we need now is a solution how to avoid this double storage consumption.
So, we have two identical houses, instead of one house with two doors!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely understood the analogy about the house and furniture but it does not answer the above question.
Why does it reflect as double the amount of storage being used if it is technically one spot. Its not like its one spot with different files, its one spot with duplicate paths of ONE file that are somehow reflecting as double files, using double the amount of space.
Sorry I'm trying my best to explain and work logic into this lol
II've been trying to change the destination file for utorrent on my android from storage/emulated/legacy to storage/external_SD, for some reason when I do this utorrent says "file not found", and will only download to storage/emulated/legacy, can anyone help with this? It would be greatly appreciated
Related
Can anyone please let me know, how to access the phone memory in Galaxy 3. There is My files folder in Applications which constitutes Memory Card. Do I need to root the phone to access phone memory?
vijay.gupta said:
Can anyone please let me know, how to access the phone memory in Galaxy 3. There is My files folder in Applications which constitutes Memory Card. Do I need to root the phone to access phone memory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeps...!! basically that's d definition of rooting..!! ha ha...
Thanks Fido for the reply. Why is the phone memory inaccessible in android phones for normal users? Is there any specific reason for this?
It doesn't happens in other platforms such as Symbian, Blackberry etc.
they do d ryt thing.. Coz, if u r a newbie.. U may mess wid ur system... So it s a way to protect system files frm newbies..
Sent from my GT-I5800 using Tapatalk
Just curious that if you have access to phone memory, what mess you can create?
You have access to phone memory freely in all the other platforms without rooting. Do you mean to say that the creators of those platforms are not doing right thing?
Android doesn't use the phone memory to save things, only for system stuff and installed apps. You cannot put music on your phone memory for example.
How to access your phone memory? You don't have to be rooted to view, only to change... You can just use bluetooth file manager or astro file manager to view (and copy). But you have to use another program to change things...
vijay.gupta said:
Just curious that if you have access to phone memory, what mess you can create?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can access it, any application you install and run can access it without any limitation. This is good, if you know what you are doing, but it can be very harmful if you are not careful.
Humpie said:
You can just use bluetooth file manager or astro file manager to view (and copy). But you have to use another program to change things...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no way you can access the phone memory without rooting. Rooting is "the program" that changes things.
Thanks all,
I have mtorrent insalled on my phone. when i go to the option to add torrent, it shows me the directories that are not visible when I go to My Files folder. I have not rooted my phone. Are these directories the phone memory directories?
How can I determine if they are directories for accessing phone memory?
Shall I give out the name for the few?
One thing more: I am not getting e-mail notifications only for this thread even though I am subscribed to this thread whereas I am getting for all others. What may be the problem for this?
vijay.gupta said:
I have mtorrent insalled on my phone. when i go to the option to add torrent, it shows me the directories that are not visible when I go to My Files folder. I have not rooted my phone. Are these directories the phone memory directories?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which directories are those? On the memory card there are hidden files and folders whose name starts with a dot (.). The My Files app won't list these by default, but in the Settings menu you can enable it, and it is possible that in mtorrent this is the default setting.
The name of the directories are:
.info
cache
config
data
dev
efs
etc
lib
proc
res
sbin
sdcard - This is my SD Card folder that shows the contents of my memory card
sqlite_stmt_journals
sys
system
tmp
d
default.prop
fota.rc
init
init.apollo.rc
init.apollo.sh
init.rc
recovery.rc
system.prop
This is the root directory. Can you copy or create files here?
what do you mean by root directory? are you referring to this phone memory by this term...no, i can only access them...dont create or copy any file here..
vijay.gupta said:
what do you mean by root directory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the root of the entire file system, without rooting you can't modify its contents (except the /mnt/sdcard folder and subfolders ofcourse).
So just confirming that without rooting the phone, one can access the phone memory but cannot modify its contents. Am i correct?
yes, that's correct
so, why i am able to access this directory (phone memory) only from some apps and not from all the apps?
Also, is there any other way that I can access (not modify anything) phone memory if my phone is not rooted?
Also, if anyone has rooted his phone, what may be the purpose that is solved? As far as I know, such users can install some apps that need root access for the phone?
I mean to say, what may be the reason for which the user may want modify permission to phone memory apart from installing apps that require root access?
Use astro , u can access ur phone memory even if unrooted (atleast see those foldres )
Thanks only4omkar. I am able to do that already using ttorrent app. But my query is different...can anyone please respond to that?
vijay.gupta said:
Can anyone please let me know, how to access the phone memory in Galaxy 3. There is My files folder in Applications which constitutes Memory Card. Do I need to root the phone to access phone memory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wen u install applicATIONS, it gets installed in teh internal memory by default
[TIP/TRICK] Stop Stock Gallery From Creating .thumbnails Folder! Save SD Card Space!
First off, I'll start by saying: "I am not responsible if you brick your phone! Always make a nandroid backup before using my steps/messing with Autostarts! (It's a very powerful application!)"
If you use a 3rd party gallery app (Like QuickPic, my personal favorite...) - You are probably tired of wasting over 100mb of space on your SD card... (And waiting a long time for booting up as well...) I had no need for the /sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails folder taking up space on my SD card, so this is how to disable the stock Gallery app from doing so!
I researched a little on how to accomplish this and came up with little information, so I thought I'd share:
What you'll need:
1.) Autostarts app (I used: Version 1.7.0)
---
Steps/Directions:
1.) Run Autostarts
2.) Look for these entries: Media ejecting/mounted
3.) Choose either entry (ONLY CHOOSE ONE, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHICH! Choosing one entry will disable both entries in Media ejecting AND Media mounted!)
4.) Click on BootReceiver
5.) Choose Disable (A popup will show saying "This is a system app, are you sure? etc.)
6.) Done! Reboot. On boot, go to /sdcard/DCIM/ and look inside for the usual .thumbnails folder, it should be contained with a few (SMALL) files now!
Note: (Make sure you disable the entry BootReceiver ONCE, it should "strikeout" (as in: draw a line through) the entry BootReceiver, to show it has been disabled on boot.) - zmag
Hmm, seems I just looked in my folder and I saw the darn .thumbnails file again... If anyone knows how to disable the stock Gallery app from wasting boot time & sd space; PLEASE TELL ME!!! - zmag
Well, it looks like this is not a big issue for anyone out there - but it still annoys me.
I have since "frozen" the stock Camera and Gallery apps with Titanium Backup Pro, and still; no luck.
Now, granted when I reboot my phone and look in my DCIM folder it doesn't seem to be creating the .thumbnails folder 100% of the time. But the folder is still being created somehow, and my only guess is from a third-party app (and I can't seem to pinpoint which one) but I'm gonna test to find out which and post my results...
I wish someone out there could give me some input, I've been talking to myself here for too long. - zmag
This isn't the same, but you can create a filetype named '.nomedia' and place it at the root of the folder where you want and it will stop displaying the thumbnails in the gallery app.
http://smartadopter.wordpress.com/2...mbnails-showing-in-the-android-photo-gallery/
OK I believe I may have found the possible solution to this problem.
I was searching around on how to fix this problem as well, and tried a few things myself and believe I have found a solution, so I had to sign up for xda to share with everyone else. So please be gentle as this is my first post, although im a long time lurker.
I also got rid of the stock gallery (uninstalled with Titanium Backup) and now use Quick Pic. although I have removed the stock gallery it still builds that 60mb+ thumbnails directory on my SDcard. I was using SD Maid to delete it but it gets annoying that it kept reappearing even after the uninstall of stock gallery.
Now to start fixing,
I realized it was actually a large single file itself named ".thumbdata3-1967290299" in "sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails/" that was taking up the 60mb+ , the smaller individual thumbnails Quick Pic created only added up to a 1mb or so.
So what I did was I just grabbed a random useless file from my SD card I didn't need anymore (an alarm clock plus backup .bak file, but I would assume the *new file" option in root explorer would do the same) and I renamed the unneeded file the same name as the file in /.thumbdata/ (the the .thumbdata3-19672902099).
Now I had a .thumbdata file that was only 1.75kb and just simply moved it to the sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails/ folder and replaced the 60mb .thumbdata file with the smaller one.
After a few restarts of my phone, opening and browsing Quick Pic, checking my thumbnail size a few times with both SD Maid and Root Explore - I now have a much smaller 1.75kb file instead of the old 60mb file.
Hopefully this well help some of you out and solve your problem as well, as far as I can tell it is no longer making that thumbnail file expand so large on my phone.
Phone: HTC Hero CDMA
ROM: Cyanogenmod 7.1
Carrier: i-wireless/sprint
hewillmakehell said:
OK I believe I may have found the possible solution to this problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i've tried both your copied file trick and making a new file with root explorer, both to no avail. ".thumbdata3--1967290299" always reverts to its old size if any app associated with the gallery is opened.
has yours really stopped reappearing?
i can't figure out where the large thumbnail data is stored, but it must be in the system somewhere...
problem solved
hey i figured out how to fixed this on my atrix. should be the same for all android phones.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=28447099#post28447099
There's no "external.db" inside my "com.android.providers.media" folder.
However, I didn't even understood what I was supposed to do with this file. What he meant with "trim the thumbnails table with an sql editor"?
I quoted the post you linked below:
i found the place where the thumbnail data is stored, which was making the huge thumbnail file and crashing Entertainment Center.
it isn't storing the entire ".thumbdata3--1967290299" file (which can be hundreds of mb for some people), rather a large (tens of mb) .db database file that is being used to recreate it on demand.
/data/data/com.android.providers.media/databases
external.db
with Root Explorer i could view the file, and Speed Software also sells an sql editor which you can use to trim the thumbnails table.
*be careful: deleting entries from this file also seems to delete it from the device! i deleted all records from the thumbnails and images tables..
learn from my mistake. i thought it would regenerate, but it deleted all images from /sd card. good thing i backed up all my photos first, but better to use the filter option and trim out only the records for files that are no longer on the device.
".thumbdata3--1967290299" now reappears, but a whole lot smaller.
Gallery opens so much faster now, and Entertainment Center works again!
hope it helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i bet it is hiding somewhere. maybe it's slightly different on other phones.
the issue was that i had an ever-expanding sdcard/dcim/.thumbnails/.thumbdata3--1967290299 file being recreated every time i accessed the gallery viewer, even after that thumbnails folder was erased.
my device was keeping track of ALL the media files that were ever on it, not just the ones presently on it. so the more files that passed through my device, the bigger the thumbdata file kept getting. the external.db file contains a table that lists all media files along with a bunch of attributes for each. apparently this db file is used to generate the thumbdata file. all the info for deleted files just leads to more padding inside the thumbdata file, so it keeps getting bigger.
by trimming the table i meant to delete the records in the external.db that correspond to thumbnails for media no longer on the device. that file is an SQLite file, so to open it you need a special viewer/editor. i first used the SQLite Viewer that comes with Root Explorer. with that, i could see the all the redundant thumbnail entries. to edit it, i got the SQLite Editor, though i'm sure there are other ways. then it's a matter of recognizing which files it lists that are no longer on your device, and getting rid of those rows from the table. in my case the external.db file went down from 8mb to 500kb after i did that.
screenshot 1 showing tables inside external.db, using SQLite Editor
screenshot 2 showing 'thumbnails' table
TBN FILE 2gb
hi
i have a huge thumbnail file in he sd card its almots 2GB
i have already came to opeing the list for thumbnails in the editor
but i dont know how to filter it that i can delete only the files which are not in the sd card (i.e already deleted ) plss guide me throught ,,, this and u will be a star:good:
whitebreadstyle said:
i bet it is hiding somewhere. maybe it's slightly different on other phones.
the issue was that i had an ever-expanding sdcard/dcim/.thumbnails/.thumbdata3--1967290299 file being recreated every time i accessed the gallery viewer, even after that thumbnails folder was erased.
my device was keeping track of ALL the media files that were ever on it, not just the ones presently on it. so the more files that passed through my device, the bigger the thumbdata file kept getting. the external.db file contains a table that lists all media files along with a bunch of attributes for each. apparently this db file is used to generate the thumbdata file. all the info for deleted files just leads to more padding inside the thumbdata file, so it keeps getting bigger.
by trimming the table i meant to delete the records in the external.db that correspond to thumbnails for media no longer on the device. that file is an SQLite file, so to open it you need a special viewer/editor. i first used the SQLite Viewer that comes with Root Explorer. with that, i could see the all the redundant thumbnail entries. to edit it, i got the SQLite Editor, though i'm sure there are other ways. then it's a matter of recognizing which files it lists that are no longer on your device, and getting rid of those rows from the table. in my case the external.db file went down from 8mb to 500kb after i did that.
screenshot 1 showing tables inside external.db, using SQLite Editor
screenshot 2 showing 'thumbnails' table
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the sam issue, but unfortunately your solution didn't help me. I have only a couple of pictures on my phone, but a lot of GBs of music on SDCard and I think this is he reason why .thumbdata3 file is so large on my phone.
I also tried using SDRescan as proposed here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=28516079&postcount=6, but that didn't help either.
I've done some more research and found a solution here: http://www.mobilephonetalk.com/show...in-memory-card&p=311954&viewfull=1#post311954. After I deleted the .thumbdata3 file, created a blank one with Root Explorer and removed write permission to it, the file stays at 0 bytes and Camera and Gallery apps still work fine.
mihir880 said:
hi
i have a huge thumbnail file in he sd card its almots 2GB
i have already came to opeing the list for thumbnails in the editor
but i dont know how to filter it that i can delete only the files which are not in the sd card (i.e already deleted ) plss guide me throught ,,, this and u will be a star:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it sure would be nice if android did that automatically
i don't know how though, sorry.. maybe there is a way, but it is surely safer to backup the media files to another drive, trim the db, then move them back if necessary.
---------- Post added at 09:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:42 PM ----------
strom87 said:
I've done some more research and found a solution here: http://www.mobilephonetalk.com/show...in-memory-card&p=311954&viewfull=1#post311954. After I deleted the .thumbdata3 file, created a blank one with Root Explorer and removed write permission to it, the file stays at 0 bytes and Camera and Gallery apps still work fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess that's one way of doing it. it just means all the thumbnails have to be recreated every time you open the gallery or file browser.
strom87 said:
I had the sam issue, but unfortunately your solution didn't help me. I have only a couple of pictures on my phone, but a lot of GBs of music on SDCard and I think this is he reason why .thumbdata3 file is so large on my phone.
I also tried using SDRescan as proposed here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=28516079&postcount=6, but that didn't help either.
I've done some more research and found a solution here: http://www.mobilephonetalk.com/show...in-memory-card&p=311954&viewfull=1#post311954. After I deleted the .thumbdata3 file, created a blank one with Root Explorer and removed write permission to it, the file stays at 0 bytes and Camera and Gallery apps still work fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you removed write permission from the thumbdata3 file with RootExplorer. If I try this, then I get a message, that that is not possible on the SD-Card and nothing happens!! The permissions stay !!!
Sunnymen1975 said:
How did you removed write permission from the thumbdata3 file with RootExplorer. If I try this, then I get a message, that that is not possible on the SD-Card and nothing happens!! The permissions stay !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try creating a folder instead of a file(no need to set permissions). So far, it's working
lbrfabio said:
You can try creating a folder instead of a file(no need to set permissions). So far, it's working
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another quick way that seems to work:
Code:
rm -rf /mnt/sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails && touch /mnt/sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails
rm -rf /mnt/sdcard/external_sd/DCIM/.thumbnails && touch /mnt/sdcard/external_sd/DCIM/.thumbnails
Hello, I also have this problem. Now I put another file with that name and that seems to work.
However, I came on this because my device went suddenly very slow.
Is it possible that the application that writes these .thumbnail files is still searching through the complete device, even when it cannot update the file?
And, how can I inspect what app is causing this file or slow down?
Fixed!... deleted .thumbnails folder and then created a file called .thumbnails using root explorer....thats worked for me in my THL w1..saved 1.2 gb of space!
Is there anyway to stop the stock camera from posting pics in the DCIM folder? I am somewhat ocd and would like them to be posted in a folder of my choosing.
estranged1977 said:
Fixed!... deleted .thumbnails folder and then created a file called .thumbnails using root explorer....thats worked for me in my THL w1..saved 1.2 gb of space!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Created a file or a folder?
petrsiri said:
Created a file or a folder?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try create folder (I do this and see no more thumbdata3-files yet two months)
can someone please explain to me why, since updating to 4.2, I have what looks like a duplicate of my SD card contents in a sub folder called storage/emulated/0/?
all my gallery apps, Gallery, DroidIris etc. see duplicates of all my pictures now?
And If I save a pic from a browser It points to the folders in storage/emulated/0/, not the SD card ones?
deleting any file in one folder effects the other, so it is probably not a true duplicate thats taking up space is it?
I assume this has to do with the multi user addition to 4.2, but I have not set up a second user at all.
Does this just occur to people upgrading, or to people who installed a fresh version as well?
Cheers.
CarsnGadgets said:
can someone please explain to me why, since updating to 4.2, I have what looks like a duplicate of my SD card contents in a sub folder called storage/emulated/0/?
all my gallery apps, Gallery, DroidIris etc. see duplicates of all my pictures now?
And If I save a pic from a browser It points to the folders in storage/emulated/0/, not the SD card ones?
deleting any file in one folder effects the other, so it is probably not a true duplicate thats taking up space is it?
I assume this has to do with the multi user addition to 4.2, but I have not set up a second user at all.
Does this just occur to people upgrading, or to people who installed a fresh version as well?
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think this has been added as part of the multi-user feature and is where the data/content is stored for other users. It has been mentioned on the forum somewhere else, cant remember where I seen it though.
I also wondered this but then thought logically.
Two users using the same SD card wouldn't be a good idea.
So they sort of virtualise the SD card, and then when a new user is created a sort of partition is created for the user.
I was wondering what that was in ASTRO I thought it was something I did wrong and yes if you delete one file it will end up deleting both of them so be careful luckily I deleted some old downloads I didn't need anymore GOD BLESS YOU GUYS
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
thats all fine, thanks guys,
but now, if I download a new pic from dolphin browser to the /emulated/0/pictures folder, the gallery sees my SD/pictures as well as the /emulated/0/pictures folder, the original has 99 files in, and the new one 1 file in, both are called "pictures".
the "save picture as" action opens up its own file explorer, and it wont let me go back far enough in the file tree to access the SD/pictures folder so I can only save in the new /emulated/0 folder and its sub folders?
cheers.
I can't find the folder on my pc. I am trying to run a backup app and it stores it there. I try to replace the backup location to downloads for example and it won't work. It's driving me mad.
The linked directories are linked to look like separate directories but they link to what is called a mount point that the actual physical storage and the actual file. What you do in any of folders will be done in all the folders.
I'm still wrapping my mind and this and my Linux knowledge it's weak. So I'm not going to try to suggest how to deal with these folders. As much as possible I'm letting the app handle the files.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
CarsnGadgets said:
can someone please explain to me why, since updating to 4.2, I have what looks like a duplicate of my SD card contents in a sub folder called storage/emulated/0/?
all my gallery apps, Gallery, DroidIris etc. see duplicates of all my pictures now?
And If I save a pic from a browser It points to the folders in storage/emulated/0/, not the SD card ones?
deleting any file in one folder effects the other, so it is probably not a true duplicate thats taking up space is it?
I assume this has to do with the multi user addition to 4.2, but I have not set up a second user at all.
Does this just occur to people upgrading, or to people who installed a fresh version as well?
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same for me. Music player, gallery and other apps now show two copies of files. Any solution to fix this yet?
algus said:
Same for me. Music player, gallery and other apps now show two copies of files. Any solution to fix this yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you are confusing a symlink'd directory with a second copy.
No one - so far - has reported a real problem related to duplicate file - so don't be expecting a fix.
Spend the time reading up on Linux directory structures instead.
rmm200 said:
No one - so far - has reported a real problem related to duplicate file - so don't be expecting a fix.
Spend the time reading up on Linux directory structures instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This.
It's not broken do don't expect a fix. It only 'looks' like you have duplicate files. A change you make in any single place will show up in all locations. Delete a file in one place it will be gone everywhere. The whole file system is an optical illusion. Layers on layers of naming parts of the file system.
For instance /sdcard is actually /data/media/0 if you created another user on your tab they would get /data/media/1 but they would find their files under /sdcard in a file manager.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
I understand that it is a link. As I said problem is that applications show two copies of all files put in /sdcard folder. Because applications treat each link as a separate file. This is exactly what the original poster and I wrote in our posts.
So far I fixed this problem for myself by deleting all files from /sdcard (they disappeared from other linked locations as well) and saving them back straight to /storage/emulation/0 (they appeared in other linked locations, including /sdcard, but this time the gallery and other apps show single copy of each file in their collections).
This is not confortable for a typical user to learn about all these linked folders and I consider it as a drawback of Jelly Bean.
algus said:
I understand that it is a link. As I said problem is that applications show two copies of all files put in /sdcard folder. Because applications treat each link as a separate file. This is exactly what the original poster and I wrote in our posts.
So far I fixed this problem for myself by deleting all files from /sdcard (they disappeared from other linked locations as well) and saving them back straight to /storage/emulation/0 (they appeared in other linked locations, including /sdcard, but this time the gallery and other apps show single copy of each file in their collections).
This is not confortable for a typical user to learn about all these linked folders and I consider it as a drawback of Jelly Bean.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am trying to understand what you are seeing.
On my device, the gallery app only shows pictures in my user: emulated/0. This is from selecting a picture and then asking for info on it.
What apps are showing duplicates, other than a file explorer that you would expect to show symlinks?
I should add - are you copying pictures directly to /sdcard from somewhere else?
Well I had a problem...because of all the multiuser crap I was unable to restore a titanium backup cause of all the emulated directories that another user makes...I had to delete every /0 directory that it made cause if you install another Rom it makes a new /0 directory inside the other /0 directory so after flashing CM10, MIUI and slim bean I finished with a directory like this: sdcard0/0/0/0.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
restoring backups seems to be a problem too in cwm. Hmm how to fix it
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
I ran into this problem with Titanium Backup and my Nexus 7. I was trying to copy the titanium backup folder on the Nexus 7 to my windows PC (also tried mac too) as it was taking up a lot of space on the Nexus but Windows and Mac wouldn't have any of it. It just copied the folder and not the contents. Android file Transfer manager on mac just keeped crashing. I did not try adb pull folder with WugFresh toolkit, so that may work. I ended up copying from the nexus 7 to a USB drive using an OTG cable.
I been looking into this too, this is what I find so far I did a fresh install after I installed my Rom I wipe storage on my N7 so I have a clean storage nothing on it about 27.80gb after I installed one game that is 2gb and its show on both storage emulated and 0 n after my available space is 23.72gb. So I think its does create a duplicate that take space. But Im not sure.I going to run some more tests. If this is true this kinda suck cus then my 32gb n7 is only 16gb then.
Ps. Also if u reboot ur n7 and u go to storage there is another folder under emulated with 0 with the same files you can deleted this folder is save you won't loose anything but if you reboot and go back to storage the file reappear and you can delete but once u reebot again it will reappear again and over again.
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
No way are there 2 copies of files (unless you are auto backing up, which I do). My free space was 3.9gb before and after 4.2. Have all the extra meaningless folders.
You could think of the emulated storage locations like a shortcut. You could place multiple shortcuts to your 'My Documents' folder on your desktop without creating multiple copies of 'My Documents'.
Same problem with Galaxy Nexus
I have the same problem with my Galaxy Nexus and Android 4.2.1
In my Windows Explorer i dont see the same files like in my Phone with Total Commander on my Storage.
This is not funny.
So, I noticed that apparently I was running low on space on my 16GB model and was wondering what the reason for that might be since I haven't put that many files on my phone.
Found out that my Nexus writes every file i put on it twice, one in /storage/emulated/0 and one in /storage/emulated/legacy.
After a little google searchI found out that this seems to be caused by the multiple user feature of 4.2 and apparently the old clockworkmod recovery that I was running.
Question is: how do I get it back to write in only one directory (I suppose /0 is supposed to be the main one?)
Running latest TWRP now, btw...
Apfelschale said:
So, I noticed that apparently I was running low on space on my 16GB model and was wondering what the reason for that might be since I haven't put that many files on my phone.
Found out that my Nexus writes every file i put on it twice, one in /storage/emulated/0 and one in /storage/emulated/legacy.
After a little google searchI found out that this seems to be caused by the multiple user feature of 4.2 and apparently the old clockworkmod recovery that I was running.
Question is: how do I get it back to write in only one directory (I suppose /0 is supposed to be the main one?)
Running latest TWRP now, btw...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe those 2 paths that you mentioned point to a single physical location. I don't remember which one but one of them is just a virtual path. So your files are not written twice.
To find out what's using up your space, use an app like DiskUsage. More often than not, it's files in your Download folder, your Nandroid backups, and/or other recovery flashable zips.
Ah, I see. You're right, the clockwork backups took all the space. Thanks
Hey guys.
I'm a bit intrigued. There's an unknown folder in the root of my phone's internal memory. I delete it every few weeks when I check the storage and sweep all the junk I might find in there.
Here's the folder structure.
GT-I9505\Internal storage\.sp\.94\.743\.cache\LazyList.
Inside that last folder (LazyList), there's a 23 KB file named 663014360. It has no extension. Opening it with Notepad / WordPad reveals a lot of unreadable characters (of course...).
I am having a hard time tracing it back to any app (if it's an app that's creating it, or the ROM itsellf ).
Does anyone here know what this .sp sh*t is all about...?
For what it's worth, I am running the latest SlimKat ROM.
Formhault said:
Hey guys.
I'm a bit intrigued. There's an unknown folder in the root of my phone's internal memory. I delete it every few weeks when I check the storage and sweep all the junk I might find in there.
Here's the folder structure.
GT-I9505\Internal storage\.sp\.94\.743\.cache\LazyList.
Inside that last folder (LazyList), there's a 23 KB file named 663014360. It has no extension. Opening it with Notepad / WordPad reveals a lot of unreadable characters (of course...).
I am having a hard time tracing it back to any app (if it's an app that's creating it, or the ROM itsellf ).
Does anyone here know what this .sp sh*t is all about...?
For what it's worth, I am running the latest SlimKat ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try this app - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kokanes.fileextensiondirectory
Sent from my GT-I9500
Formhault said:
Hey guys.
I'm a bit intrigued. There's an unknown folder in the root of my phone's internal memory. I delete it every few weeks when I check the storage and sweep all the junk I might find in there.
Here's the folder structure.
GT-I9505\Internal storage\.sp\.94\.743\.cache\LazyList.
Inside that last folder (LazyList), there's a 23 KB file named 663014360. It has no extension. Opening it with Notepad / WordPad reveals a lot of unreadable characters (of course...).
I am having a hard time tracing it back to any app (if it's an app that's creating it, or the ROM itsellf ).
Does anyone here know what this .sp sh*t is all about...?
For what it's worth, I am running the latest SlimKat ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is very good that although you are deleting the launcher's (or some other app) cache, it restores it.
I can understand that you're mad about it and you would like that your launcher (or app) shall not create any cache and consequently would work slower.
As well I appreciate your huge work with tracing it (5th link in google search provides the answer what is it).
If you really care what is, your work would be pretty simple. Factory reset your phone, start each built in ROM app and check the folder after. Then, install your apps one by one, starting each of it and each time after closure checking the folder. Easy.
anu.cool said:
try this app - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kokanes.fileextensiondirectory
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, but that app is of no use to me since the file in question has no extension.
spamtrash said:
It is very good that although you are deleting the launcher's (or some other app) cache, it restores it.
I can understand that you're mad about it and you would like that your launcher (or app) shall not create any cache and consequently would work slower.
As well I appreciate your huge work with tracing it (5th link in google search provides the answer what is it).
If you really care what is, your work would be pretty simple. Factory reset your phone, start each built in ROM app and check the folder after. Then, install your apps one by one, starting each of it and each time after closure checking the folder. Easy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly did you use as a search term on Google?
I know most apps create folders that are legible (com.android.thisgameproducer). Buth with this given specific folder's structure, I don't know what it could be.
For what it's worth, I have been trying to find an answer to this for some months. But only now I made a topic about it. I did my research, which turned out nothing... :/
Formhault said:
. I did my research, which turned out nothing... :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you:
wiped your phone, and then used titanium backup for freezing each app, restoring it, and verifying which one creates it? did you repeated the same for each installed by you app? Well, if this folder/file is NOT created by one application (or installed, or embedded into the ROM), then only one explanation is that your phone is used by E.T at night while he "phone home" and this is his encrypted message.:cyclops:
about extension/filetype:does the file have header?
spamtrash said:
Have you:
wiped your phone, and then used titanium backup for freezing each app, restoring it, and verifying which one creates it? did you repeated the same for each installed by you app? Well, if this folder/file is NOT created by one application (or installed, or embedded into the ROM), then only one explanation is that your phone is used by E.T at night while he "phone home" and this is his encrypted message.:cyclops:
about extension/filetype:does the file have header?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know where that .sp folder comes from? Perhaps you were able to find something on Google that I didn't all this time...
I don't know what that header is / should be...
I know I could wipe all and start over again and check each app... But that's too time consuming... Hence I am asking here.
Formhault said:
You know where that .sp folder comes from? Perhaps you were able to find something on Google that I didn't all this time...
I don't know what that header is / should be...
I know I could wipe all and start over again and check each app... But that's too time consuming... Hence I am asking here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. No idea which particular app makes the cache file, but it is clear that it is cach for one app you have installed, or one you have embedded in ROM.
2. Header is the two first bytes of file in the notepad viewer: for example, PK is characteristic for zip files and by changing the extension you could see what's inside.
3. No one who does not have your ROM AND your specific set of apps installed would be able to provide the answer, therefore without doing your homework, it is unlikely that you'd have information you want.
spamtrash said:
1. No idea which particular app makes the cache file, but it is clear that it is cach for one app you have installed, or one you have embedded in ROM.
2. Header is the two first bytes of file in the notepad viewer: for example, PK is characteristic for zip files and by changing the extension you could see what's inside.
3. No one who does not have your ROM AND your specific set of apps installed would be able to provide the answer, therefore without doing your homework, it is unlikely that you'd have information you want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I don't really know what homework I should do here, as the folder structure is weird (come on, just numbers? ) and the file has no obvious meaning whatsoever. I'm usually a tech guy, but when all I see is numbers, I'm really not that wise... :silly:
Since I know for a fact that I don't have any rogue apps installed, guess I should leave it be and carry on.
But anyway, just for the heck of it, I opened the file in Notepad. Here's the first line (as seen in Notepad, lol).
Code:
ÿØÿà JFIF ÿÛ „
(1#%(:3=<[email protected]\[email protected]_bghg>Mqypdx
I'm sorry, but this is way out of my league. :/
Mod Edit
Thread closed at the request of the [OP]
malybru
Forum Moderator