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Help AndroidOS used up all my data overnight!!!

MeSoAwe

Lurker
Dec 2, 2016
2
0
So, I have a Samsung Galaxy note 4, I recently updated it to it's latest firmware because it notified me to. not sure if this affects my problem.
Regardless, overnight my phone decided to do something and i was awoken in the morning with a text saying my data had been used up. i check to see what was the culprit and saw the following:
2016-12-02 07.26.09.jpg
I have no idea why it did that but now I gotta suffer for the rest of the month.
Anyway, I want to make sure it doesn't happen again, would appreciate any help.
 
Seems to have been quite few reports of this on AF in the last month. You'll probably find several threads discussing it here. In fact there was one last week, apparently consuming over a GB in a day.

Not aware of any reports of excessive Android OS data consumption in China though, so possibly it is something to do the a Google service they currently got problems with.
 
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That is a common problem after an OS update.

My solution to DATA plan protection is the same as it has been ever since the first cellphone was released to market.

Always keep DATA turned OFF. It is not needed for 95% of the things we do thru the day. And when I am home, it damn sure is not needed at all because the WiFi router is always ON.

The few rare moments, when I am driving in a metro area is that I need to find an address, or use Google Maps to give me 'Turn by Turn" instructions.... then I turn DATA ON so the Internet is accessible.

I also use a Macro to turn WiFi OFF when the screen is locked.
This saves battery power because it stops all apps from trying to "call home to mama" and download useless trivia junk that I never use anyway.... Sync behind the scenes is the most useless piece of crap on our phones. If I want to know something is updated, I will open up that specific app and go look to see what is new.....

Why should I waste battery power on the other 115+ apps loaded on my phone?
I only use the browser, email, news apps, FB, and my motorcycle forum app.

All of the other tools we have downloaded? For me, they are just that, Tools to be used "as needed"....
I do NOT need to know that the Weather Channel has an important alert for Tennessee when I live in Oklahoma... so why should I allow the Weather Channel to use up battery needlessly?

bottom line, keep the Internet turned OFF unless you need to use the phone.

2nd, go to the Play Store and My Apps, and turn OFF "Automatic Updates".
that is a useless piece of nonsense IMO, rarely have I ever needed to update an app... none of them have ever broken, and they have all performed just like they did when downloaded and I liked it, and kept it.

I don't need to have that same app updated because some 13 year old kid learning how to program decided to change just one line of code in the app, and now he thinks that I need to "Update" the app on my phone. Sorry snot nose brat, I don't.... the app works just fine the way it was the first time I got it, and kept it.

The apps that don't perform to my standards are deleted immediately.

Long long answer to your problem, but it makes a Point!
a useless OS update, which in turn Requires that all the apps on your phone get updated also, uses up your DATA plan minutes/megabytes.

None of that can happen if you practice what I preach.
Indeed, my wife's S5 is still on 4.4.4 and is unrooted and on Verizon. The worst of the lot of carriers to force their crapware onto us.

how did I keep VZW from forcing her phone to upgrade to Nougat?
Simple, I use a macro tool, MacroDroid, to always turn DATA and WiFi off every time the phone wakes up, and when it goes to sleep. Her phone has never seen the Internet. for her, it is a telephone, period.
 
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Like AZgl1500, I only switch mobile data on when I actually need it, the same goes for wifi and GPS, it's just a waste of battery power otherwise.

My HTC does have a data limit in Settings-More-Data usage, and I assume most devices have it and which if set at, for example, 75% of your allowance would at least avoid ending up with no data left, and allow further investigation.

Screenshot_20161202-172113.png Screenshot_20161202-170826.png

It could be adjusted upwards if the limit was reached through normal use.
 
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2nd, go to the Play Store and My Apps, and turn OFF "Automatic Updates".
that is a useless piece of nonsense IMO, rarely have I ever needed to update an app...
Or if someone does want apps updated, set it to WiFi Only so the updates don't use your data.

Some phones also let you choose to only download Android system updates over WiFi also.
 
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Or if someone does want apps updated, set it to WiFi Only so the updates don't use your data.

Some phones also let you choose to only download Android system updates over WiFi also.

That too, but that still leaves the little kiddies free to continue to monkey with a "good working app" until they foul it up royally for your particular phone and O.S. version..... most of the play programmers are just using apps to help them create another app. and they do NOT back test what they have done. they simply don't have the resources, nor the aptitude to think of protecting "everyone".

I have seen way too much of that kind of attitude watching the help in 4 hospitals now since August 19th..... and we still have 4 weeks to go before my wife's physical stamina is good enough to let me take her home.

I just don't trust new software period, especially when what is installed and is working perfectly is doing the job.
I simply don't believe with "Fixing it until it is Broke"..... I see WAY too much of that with the people on my motorcycle forum.... "I gotta fix this noise".... and "oops, my shifter is broke, what do i do now?"
 
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because it is a brand new OS and everything has to be redone.
all of the apps had to be "updated" which means they all had to downloaded again.

there is a lot of data going on during that transition....
what I like to do, is get the new OS up and running, then I power the phone completely OFF, and then I clear the Cache Partition to get rid of junk that is left over after the upgrade.
 
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I've always assumed, perhaps wrongly, that most, if not all, devices have the basic tools to control these things.

As well as the 'Mobile data limit' option I referred to earlier, my HTC has the following options :-

Screenshot_20161203-071256.png

My device will only update apps or system when I allow it to and only over wifi unless I choose otherwise.

Using the 'Mobile data limit' prevents the possibility of a rogue app/other data drain from using up my allowance without me knowing about it.
 
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I've always assumed, perhaps wrongly, that most, if not all, devices have the basic tools to control these things.

As well as the 'Mobile data limit' option I referred to earlier, my HTC has the following options :-

View attachment 112617

My device will only update apps or system when I allow it to and only over wifi unless I choose otherwise.

Using the 'Mobile data limit' prevents the possibility of a rogue app/other data drain from using up my allowance without me knowing about it.

Every device I've had, I'm sure has had it.

I have mine set to 50MB. If it goes over, gives a popup before it cuts off, do want to use another 50MB for the day. Ignore the popup or if the screen is off and not being used, it turns mobile data off. Can set the daily data limit as well, for any arbitrary amount.
IMG_20161203_161625.jpg



And FWIW my Android OS consumed about 5MB I think it was for month's 30 day cycle, and used 600MB total, for all apps. There's no system Google Mobile Services here, running stuff in background and syncing or whatever.
 
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All that keep the data off is usefull and common sense but it does not address the issue. Why would Android OS need to download 1.9 gb of data?

I appreciate all your insight into saving data and what not, however I've already enabled data saving setting and set-up on certain apps such as turning off background data.

As SomethingWeird mentioned, I need to get down to the root of why Android downloaded so much and what it used it for...
 
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