formatting internal storage - Galaxy S II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

my internal storage is down to 1gb and i was thinking of cleaning my internal usb storage and starting out fresh. Which folders should i backup on my pc and copy back after formatting internal usb storage? Are there any folders located on internal usb storage that would affect my phone from running properly aside from app datas? Is the efs folder stored in the internal usb storage? Thanks for any comments.

dbanzon said:
my internal storage is down to 1gb and i was thinking of cleaning my internal usb storage and starting out fresh. Which folders should i backup on my pc and copy back after formatting internal usb storage? Are there any folders located on internal usb storage that would affect my phone from running properly aside from app datas? Is the efs folder stored in the internal usb storage? Thanks for any comments.
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Click to collapse
If you format it using the phone, it won't erase the efs folder, but I suggest that, if you haven't, you back it up before you do literally anything else, because you never know when something could happen to damage it, but normally, formatting the internal storage itself won't. The internal storage is an SD storage partition built into the phone itself. The efs folder and other important OS stuff is separate from it under normal circumstances.
Use the EFS Pro backup tool you'll find here on the forum. It's fast and easy. I wouldn't try to do it manually unless you know what you are doing, because it probably won't work, and actually could screw up the efs. The tool is safe and it works great. I've used it to both backup and restore my efs folder in an emergency, and it has worked perfectly.

One advise, copy all your internal sd data to pc, and browse forbwhat you need and what you can delete
Main data are:
Your camera photos
Files you download
Data files for apps and games
The last one can be redownloaded at worst, the first can be lost if not saved
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

So u mean backing up using terminal emulator doesnt work ha?? I never used the EFS backup PRO.... I backed up using that three methods ....

thanks for the replies. Ive managed to format my internal storage and now ive got 10gb free.

dbanzon said:
thanks for the replies. Ive managed to format my internal storage and now ive got 10gb free.
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Click to collapse
could u please share how did u manage to format it?
appreciated
got alot of "garbage" in my internal memory due to alot of flashing roms.
thanks

kakiboyer said:
could u please share how did u manage to format it?
appreciated
got alot of "garbage" in my internal memory due to alot of flashing roms.
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes please!

Anyone?

dbanzon said:
thanks for the replies. Ive managed to format my internal storage and now ive got 10gb free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How dude...?
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MomsDear said:
How dude...?
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your on custom kernel like siyah/dorimanx etc u can format internal storage and if your on stock firmware theere's an option to format storage/factory reset right?.. like it's a secret

Manage to format my internal memory from setting>storage>select format usb storage
Unmount external storage 1st for precaution measures & backup all files in internal storage in your pc.
Flashed stock firmware to get fresh OS through odin.

Related

[Q] Internal /sdcard

can the internal sdcard be formatted from a PC just like an external sdcard ?
I dont care about anything data I have on it, I just need to know if i wipe it I am not effing anything up that needs to run.
Thanks!
The "Internal SD" is not really an SD card in the sense of a removable or separate device. It is part of the internal memory, but from the stand point of the system is treated as a separate drive. Kind of like the way you can take a hard drive a partition it into two "logical" drives that can be separately addressed.
In any case the formatting of the internal SD is a function of the Android system and not the PC. I'm not sure what happens if you try to format while the device is plugged in via USB. I know there are several hidden directories that Android needs on the SD card and if you try to format from the PC they are likely to be destroyed.
If you look at "Settings-Storage" you should find the formatting tool.
mbamberg said:
The "Internal SD" is not really an SD card in the sense of a removable or separate device. It is part of the internal memory, but from the stand point of the system is treated as a separate drive. Kind of like the way you can take a hard drive a partition it into two "logical" drives that can be separately addressed.
In any case the formatting of the internal SD is a function of the Android system and not the PC. I'm not sure what happens if you try to format while the device is plugged in via USB. I know there are several hidden directories that Android needs on the SD card and if you try to format from the PC they are likely to be destroyed.
If you look at "Settings-Storage" you should find the formatting tool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But, back to the original question: how do you format (wipe) the internal SD card?
This whole issue of the pictures and mp3s that can't be removed is really bugging me.
kevincwelch said:
But, back to the original question: how do you format (wipe) the internal SD card?
This whole issue of the pictures and mp3s that can't be removed is really bugging me.
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Click to collapse
did you try going into root explorer and mounting r/w and then try to delete the files? Just asking because there has been a few bricks on here from people formatting their internal.
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kevincwelch said:
But, back to the original question: how do you format (wipe) the internal SD card?
This whole issue of the pictures and mp3s that can't be removed is really bugging me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you remove those files, you may not be able to use the OTA updates....the updates don't seem to like changed or removed files.
Bob
monkey10120 said:
did you try going into root explorer and mounting r/w and then try to delete the files? Just asking because there has been a few bricks on here from people formatting their internal.
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Click to collapse
Good thought: I did use Root Explorer to mount R/W. It did NOT let me delete those files.
(I really have no serious intentions of formatting my internal "SD" card; I'm just fuming that I have no control over the files, which show up in my Google music.)
I also can't seem to put a .nomedia file in the directory either.
---------- Post added at 12:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:26 AM ----------
robertg9 said:
If you remove those files, you may not be able to use the OTA updates....the updates don't seem to like changed or removed files.
Bob
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not necessarily worried about that. I've found a ROM and kernel that work pretty well, and since this isn't my phone, I don't need it to be running 24-7.
There's nothing in System Settings-Storage?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA

[Q] Phone doesnt fully wipe

why is it when i do a factory reset or try to wipe my phone, install a fresh ICS, there is still files and folders left over from previouse app installations e.g Zedge folders are still on my phone with wallpapers i have downloaded, or whats app folders when i have not used that for aaagres, ive wiped the phone throught the ICS menu and via recovery?
thanks in advance
elemen7al said:
why is it when i do a factory reset or try to wipe my phone, install a fresh ICS, there is still files and folders left over from previouse app installations e.g Zedge folders are still on my phone with wallpapers i have downloaded, or whats app folders when i have not used that for aaagres, ive wiped the phone throught the ICS menu and via recovery?
thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The files are stored on internal storage. You don't need wipe this storage.
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Thanks for the reply, what if i want to lol? my phone is full of old files and random folders from old apps i dont use, how can i get rid of all this?
Thank you
elemen7al said:
Thanks for the reply, what if i want to lol? my phone is full of old files and random folders from old apps i dont use, how can i get rid of all this?
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can wipe sdcard storage external from rom or recovery. Usb storage is your internal sdcard.
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thanks for the help, got confused with sd card, internal storage and usb storage i didnt know which was the inserted card, that i dont want to wipe, suppose i could of just removed it
elemen7al said:
thanks for the help, got confused with sd card, internal storage and usb storage i didnt know which was the inserted card, that i dont want to wipe, suppose i could of just removed it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just go to settings/storage and check. Usb storage is your internal memory, I think.
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elemen7al said:
thanks for the help, got confused with sd card, internal storage and usb storage i didnt know which was the inserted card, that i dont want to wipe, suppose i could of just removed it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just checked.. Usb storage is your internal sdcard!
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[Q] How to recover deleted files in internal memory

I'm having a Samsung Galaxy S3 phone, I want to recover deleted files in the internal memory, is it possible?
clar83 said:
I'm having a Samsung Galaxy S3 phone, I want to recover deleted files in the internal memory, is it possible?
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Click to collapse
As per other identical posts
Recuva may recover deleted files but it will not recover if INT SD card has been formatted .
jje
I have tried this app before. However, when I plug in my phone the app never detect my phone. I try install an app on my phone to enable usb mass storage, it keep giving me error saying unable to mount the sd card as some app is accessing it. What should I do so the recuva can detect my phone internal memory?
AFAIK you can't. That's one of the many reasons I miss the USB Mass Storage mode, under which both internal memory and sd card can be managed as ordinary USB drives.
Thanks for everyone feedback. I think the files are unable to recover back since I wipe it when reboot in recovery mode, it is equal as formatting the sd card.
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clar83 said:
Thanks for everyone feedback. I think the files are unable to recover back since I wipe it when reboot in recovery mode, it is equal as formatting the sd card.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can still give it a go by removing and inserting your SD card to a card reader and plug it to your PC/Laptop. Recuva isn't designed to detect and recover files from your smart phone. Instead, it can still recover files from various types of USB or flash devices.
Good Luck otherwise.
oliverpowell said:
You can still give it a go by removing and inserting your SD card to a card reader and plug it to your PC/Laptop. Recuva isn't designed to detect and recover files from your smart phone. Instead, it can still recover files from various types of USB or flash devices.
Good Luck otherwise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read the OP its not a card you cannot remove the internal memory .
Plus why hijack a two month old thread ???
jje
JJEgan said:
Read the OP its not a card you cannot remove the internal memory .
Plus why hijack a two month old thread ???
jje
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same issue. I am trying to recover deleted files from the internal storage (sdcard0) I tried recurva as well and it Windows can't detect the storage when in USB Mass Storage. It shows up as a drive but when you click it in Windows it says "Please insert disk".
If I can get the files to show up in Windows while in USB Mass Storage I can then use Recurva.. any help?
You can try Undelete from the market .
Otherwise as posted answers .
jje
tiffany9123 said:
From internally memory? you sure that the deleted files can be recovered?
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Click to collapse
99% no.
My 2 cents...
You cannot mount as mass storage so no PC software will work.
There are things on the market but you have to pay and many probably wont work.
Think of any lost data as gone forever.
Proactively, get foldersync from play and have it schedule sdcard syncs to the cloud or even better, a home computer wirelessly
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
You may check out this android internal memory data recovery tutorial which claims that it can recover deleted files from android phone and tablet internal storage.
Just backup in cWM

[Q] Mounting internal sdcard folder as usb mass storage

Is there any way I can mount a folder from the internal sdcard as USB mass storage?
( I am aware that I can mount an external sd but I don't happen to have one.)
jhonwds said:
Is there any way I can mount a folder from the internal sdcard as USB mass storage?
( I am aware that I can mount an external sd but I don't happen to have one.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once I connect my phone it shows internal and external as two drives. You just can't mount e.g. the system folders if I am right.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
No.
jhonwds said:
Is there any way I can mount a folder from the internal sdcard as USB mass storage?
( I am aware that I can mount an external sd but I don't happen to have one.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.
And here is why:
On the newer phones there is no seperate phone memory and internal SD, its just one big memory. The good thing about ir is, that you can install a lot more apps, because the whole memory is usable for the phone. The bad side is, that you can only access it through MTP.
In order to make it available as USB mass storage it needs to be unmounted, but this is not possible, because it is used by the phone. If you do it, the phone will crash. Its just like pulling a memory chip out of a running PC.
A filesystem can be mounted on different locations. If more than one location has write access, it will cause irreparable damage though.
The main problem here is that that the device uses the ext4 filesystem which Windows cannot process.
As a fix (sort of) you can
- swap internal and external storage.
- use a Smb over Wifi app and mount the share in Windows
- use a pseudo-filesysem such as sshfs from your computer
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Jumbodriver said:
No.
And here is why:
On the newer phones there is no seperate phone memory and internal SD, its just one big memory. The good thing about ir is, that you can install a lot more apps, because the whole memory is usable for the phone. The bad side is, that you can only access it through MTP.
In order to make it available as USB mass storage it needs to be unmounted, but this is not possible, because it is used by the phone. If you do it, the phone will crash. Its just like pulling a memory chip out of a running PC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont think so and disagree with you... galaxy s i9000 and galaxy s2 i9100 also same. But they can mount internal and external as UMS or MTP.
Maybe the different in filesystem is the main cause.
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On the S3, the whole internal memory is one big chunk (called /data). How would you go about mounting that as UMP when android is running? Android is using /data, therefore you can't unmount it and remount is as UMS.
If I'm wrong (which I may very well be), then post valid proof.
Theshawty said:
On the S3, the whole internal memory is one big chunk (called /data). How would you go about mounting that as UMP when android is running? Android is using /data, therefore you can't unmount it and remount is as UMS.
If I'm wrong (which I may very well be), then post valid proof.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Understood.. thanks for the info.. just found it out...
So internal sdcard is a mount point of folder /data/media
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hopeful curious
syamsoul said:
Understood.. thanks for the info.. just found it out...
So internal sdcard is a mount point of folder /data/media
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
HI there, by chance are you able to recover from the "internal memory" after a factory reset, on a galaxy s3.
I am not sure what the consensus was-
-i recently thought google had all my photos backed up and did a factory reset, and lost everything.
Am hoping if I keep the phone that I can find a way to recover the photos.
Thank you.
resetrebel said:
HI there, by chance are you able to recover from the "internal memory" after a factory reset, on a galaxy s3.
I am not sure what the consensus was-
-i recently thought google had all my photos backed up and did a factory reset, and lost everything.
Am hoping if I keep the phone that I can find a way to recover the photos.
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i myself never try but you can try this
XDA post
techiesstuff
Both same way
syamsoul said:
i myself never try but you can try this
XDA post
techiesstuff
Both same way
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just wanted to say thanks for posting that second link. I've been looking everywhere for a way to export the raw mount to recover files from internal /sdcard.
Oh and in response to the first thread, I believe the reason they were getting that error (the thread is locked unfortunately) is because they used -1 (the number one) rather than -l (the letter L). I made this mistake too.
Edit: Probably should have used the 'thanks' button, sorry. Can't delete post.
If you have a custom recovery installed boot into that and mount ums from there, as recovery doesn't depend on the data partition it can unmount and remount it

[Q] Installing rom after rom - running out of HD space

Just wondering if any Android users can advise of the best way to retain internal storage space after installing rom after rom.
I've tried to install quite a few roms over the past couple of weeks, and have noticed that the available HDD space on the phone's internal memory is becoming less and less each time. I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to the types of files the device (and current rom) need to run, so was wondering if there are any easy ways of telling which folders/files are needed and which ones aren't? Or, if there are particular folder(s) where old rom's data is kept that I could delete?
I'm using a Galaxy Note 2, which came with the Navigon app pre-installed by Samsung. The new custom rom I've installed doesn't have this app (and I don't want it) but I noticed there is still a folder on the phone called "Navigon", which I don't need. Deleting this folder freed up 0.25GB!... I'm wondering if there are any other easy (general) folders like this that I could delete?
My phone is down to less than a quarter of its space free and Jellybean doesn't seem to want to let us save apps to the SD... any advice would be appreciated! thanks in advance!
Do you still have all the files you used the flash each new ROM on there ? Those could potentially be taking up a LOT of space. Did you delete/format internal data between different ROMs ?
Hey, thanks for the quick reply!
I always do the wipe data, factory reset, wipe cache/dvlk cache thing every time. And I only keep one back up (on the phone). All my roms are on the external SD.
Is it strange that I still have the stock Navigon folder, etc. even though the rom I'm running now doesn't have this app?
Try "format usb storage" by connecting the mobile to pc.
This will erase all your internal storage files.
shashivydyula said:
Try "format usb storage" by connecting the mobile to pc.
This will erase all your internal storage files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but won't this erase the current rom and all its operational files too?
whokilledsanta said:
Thanks but won't this erase the current rom and all its operational files too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do a full wipe before flash, That means formatting data, system and internal storage. You will have to reset everything up again as it will wipe all settings and app data.
whokilledsanta said:
Thanks but won't this erase the current rom and all its operational files too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. After connecting the mobile to the pc open the settings in your mobile and access storage and select FORMAT USB STORAGE.
shashivydyula said:
No. After connecting the mobile to the pc open the settings in your mobile and access storage and select FORMAT USB STORAGE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That will just delete his SD card files what good will that do? That's right nothing
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2
Formating sd card is different from formating usb storage. Formating usb will erase internal memory.
shashivydyula said:
Formating sd card is different from formating usb storage. Formating usb will erase internal memory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't it be easier just to go into storage and do that from phone? Or just do a factory reset its the sane thing
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bbrad said:
Wouldn't it be easier just to go into storage and do that from phone? Or just do a factory reset its the sane thing
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Factory reset is quite easier but it will make the device fresh. You will loose all the data, downloaded apps, apps on sd, and many more.
shashivydyula said:
Factory reset is quite easier but it will make the device fresh. You will loose all the data, downloaded apps, apps on sd, and many more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But even by formatting USB storage, he will end up loosing all his app data and other stuffs stored in the phone memory. In my opinion the user can take a backup of his user data and apps using titanium backup and then do a facotory reset. Restore the backup after this. If you have lost some space because of the residual files, then you can see the difference. If there is no change in the free space even after this, then its time for you to check the space that you app data using.

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