The Nexus One and it's limited internal memory

[Cudda]

This really is the only major complaint I have about the N1. I know it's old news and all, but I just feel the need to vent because I feel the pain of not having more internal memory on my phone every day.

Currently, with every app that CAN be stored on my SD card actually on my sd card, I have about 20MB free on my internal. This frustrates me to no end because that means picking and choosing any new apps that I might want.

Usually if I dip to around 16MB or so I get the low memory notification and soon the system stops being able to retrieve my texts. So this means I HAVE to stay at around 20MB. However, if I ever want a new app on my phone, it either has to be able to install on the SD, has to be EXTREMELY small, OR i have to get rid of an app already installed on my phone in order to get the new one.

Does anyone else absolutely DESPISE this? I need to know that there are more people out there with this problem, it might make me feel better about mine, lol.

 

[Drhyde]

I stopped shoving hundreds of apps onto my N1 and focused on only the ones that I will use. I also have my phone rooted with the ability to move any application to my SD card. With this I currently have 160 MB free with 52 apps installed. So I have very little issues with my app space. Before rooting however, I was down in the low thirties for space having to remove apps at times. Sucky for sure, but the N1 is likely on its way out so I'm waiting for the Nexus S now.

 

[Zephrem]

I don't know how many and what apps you have installed. I have currently some >100 apps installed (small ones as well as huges ones) and everything's fine.
I must confess, that I have CyanogenMod 6.1 (nightly) installed and that allows to move apps to SD that don't explicitly allow it. This way, I currently have some 80MB of free internal memory.

Every once in a while, I go through my apps and uninstall the ones I didn't really use. Usually frees up several megs as well...

What might help in your case is to have a look at (and clear) the browser-cache (Browser->Menu->More->Settings->Clear Cache). This can indeed free a lot of memory.

 

[Rusty]

Use ADB (or a terminal if you have root) to issue the command:

pm setInstallLocation 2

This will allow you to move all apps to the SD card (the same setting that is in CM), and new installs will go straight to SD. Just remember to keep widgets on the internal storage.

 

[Hook]

Use ADB (or a terminal if you have root) to issue the command:

pm setInstallLocation 2

This will allow you to move all apps to the SD card (the same setting that is in CM), and new installs will go straight to SD. Just remember to keep widgets on the internal storage.

Sorry for my ignorance-- what is ADB? And can I assume, from the above, that this works on non-rooted phones?

 

[lunatic59]

Got an unrooted N1 with 80+ apps and close to 40MB free. Although I agree it would be great if I didn't have to check in on it from time to time.

 

[razvan06]

The best thing would be that all apps should fully install on SD ,maybe 1-2mb's of data on phone storage ,and that's it ...google should fix this ..and developers.

 

[Rusty]

Sorry for my ignorance-- what is ADB? And can I assume, from the above, that this works on non-rooted phones?

Android Debug Bridge.

Part of the Android SDK, and yes, does not require root.

 

[Hook]

Android Debug Bridge.

Part of the Android SDK, and yes, does not require root.

Thanks. I figured it must be. So far, all I've done with SDK is screenshots. I'll look into this.

Wow! This really works. Not a complete solution. There are still some programs that won't let you move them but, with only hitting the big footprint programs I could move, I went from 34 Mb to 53 Mb.

One thing I don't quite understand is that the total size numbers change when they go to SD. At first I thought this meant only parts of the programs were being moved and I was getting the size still left on the phone because all number went down, but I don't think that's the case. However, everything works after being moved, so I'm not going to worry about it.

Great tip, Rusty!

 

[theartfullodger]

Stock, unrooted N1.

I have 67 apps, all apps that can be on SD card are, and 70.28Mb free on 'phone. I cleared out a load I never used...

Mind you just cleared pretty much all caches...

Settings => Applications => Manage Applications => tab "All" => Sort by Size => Clear Cache...(you have to check each one... AFAIK...)

Picking the tab "All" gets system apps also eg Market etc. etc..

Sorting by size is not necessary but it means you tend to get the greedy memory gobblers first... (eg Browser..)

I still love my Nexus One: My wife is still p***ed off with me using it so much.. I know Google/HTC will eventually cast us N1 owners adrift when they find some new attractive young 'phone in preference to N1 but, hey, it's still a great 'phone & I have no regrets that I bought it. Of course there will be bigger/better/faster/cheaper/smaller/slicker 'phones in the future: 'twas ever thus (Sigh! I started in the IT industry in 1973....)

Cheers!

Artful

 

[Rusty]

Root + cache cleaner, makes the job so much quicker.

 

[MartinS]

I often check and clear the browser cache. That can grow pretty quickly.

 

[Cudda]

Use ADB (or a terminal if you have root) to issue the command:

pm setInstallLocation 2

This will allow you to move all apps to the SD card (the same setting that is in CM), and new installs will go straight to SD. Just remember to keep widgets on the internal storage.

What exactly is ADB and how do I install it? What else does it do? At this point, if I get something on my phone that JUST allows me to copy all apps to the SD card I'd be happy.

 

[Hook]

What exactly is ADB and how do I install it? What else does it do? At this point, if I get something on my phone that JUST allows me to copy all apps to the SD card I'd be happy.

As Rusty said above, it is the Android Debug Bridge. I have no idea what else it can be used for, but it does this nicely. It is part of the Android Software Development Kit (SDK). I first installed the SDK in order to do screen shots, so here are the instructions I used.

How to take screenshots of your Android based phone from Windows – Simple Help

Assuming steps 1-8 are taken care of, do the following:

In the tools folder of the SDK kit, there is a program called ADB.exe. You need to open the Windows Command Prompt accessory. If you just launch ADB.exe in windows, it will open and close in a flash. Open the command prompt window and navigate to the Tools folder in the SDK folder tree.

Connect your Android device via USB (you must have USB Debugging checked under Settings. Again, required for screen shots, so I refer you to the directions above). You do not need to mount your SD card.

In the command Prompt window, in the Tools folder, issue the command:

ADB Shell

This will start the SDK command shell running.

Then enter the command:

pm setInstallLocation 2

That's it. Disconnect your device. You can now go to Settings --> Applications --> Manage Applications and move all the programs that let you to the SD card. Also, in the future, apps from the market will install to the SD card by default.

Apps that are explicitly set as private by the developer (as opposed to programs where the developer has just not bothered to add the move to SD feature) will still not be movable.

It's a lot of hoops the first time, but it's not that hard to set up and you will have the bonus of being able to make screen shots.

Hope this helps. Worked great for me. I ended up going from 35Mb free to 83Mb free.

By the way, I am just assuming all of steps 1-8 for the screen shots are needed for this too because I did the screen shot setup first, but someone may come along and correct me.

 

[Teknologic]

Seems about right, should be pretty helpful
But to be honest, I havn't touched ADB in a long long time either since I set it up and obtained root.
Between shootme for screenshots, move 2 sd enabler for this and a bunch of other root apps.. I really have no need for it anymore.

 

[BiGMERF]

thats why im hoping the next nexus has atleast 5 times as more internal memory. lol

 

[MartinS]

I reckon 2GB should do me for apps.

 

[Roze]

I reckon 2GB should do me for apps.

I can definitely go for a few GBs

 

[Fulvio Minichini]

Thanks guy you made my day. Still the shortage of internal memory on N1 is a ridiculous mistake.

 

[JDlawyer]

This is he only complaint I have about my N1. Not enough internal memory. This is the only reason that I would upgrade my phone at this particular time. My understanding is that the Nexus Prime will have double the internal memory. I find myself uninstalling apps and constantly clearing out cache's and cleaning out my browser to free up enough memory in order to avoid having that annoying warning pop up on my notification bar. I am going to be able to upgrade my phone on TMobile at the end of October. I will keep an eye out on the reviews for the Prime to see if its going to be a worthy successor to my N1.

 

[stalkythefish]

Got me up to 45MB from 24. It's funny that the main culprits are Google's own apps: Maps, Browser, and Plus. Plus especially has bloated up since the last version. Dont the compilers have "optimize" switches on them anymore to chop out all the uncalled library functions? I almost forgot I had the dev-tools installed on my other laptop from when I rooted/CM7'ed my wife's G1.

I still can't get rid of QuickOffice and Facebook though. Is there any working temp-root solution for 2.3.4? I only need to get in there long enough to delete these but full, permanent root is just too much of a pain in the ass for that.

 

[Ngo93]

Everyone having memory problems should try Darktremor's A2SD.

[Script][A2SD] Darktremor 2.7.5.3 Beta 04 [N1] (01/29/2011) - xda-developers

Freed up almost 100mb of internal storage for me

 

[CrownOfSounds]

Howdy,
New to the forum, and love my N1 but hate the limited memory. I tried everything in your post, got the Java kit, the SDK, and even figured out how to navigate to a folder in the command prompt window (so proud of myself!) but I can't seem to make it work. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I'd LOVE some help. You wrote:

"In the command Prompt window, in the Tools folder, issue the command:

ADB Shell

This will start the SDK command shell running."
I did this, but it flashed a bunch of text along the command prompt window for a second, then went back to waiting for a command. As I wasn't sure if the SDK command shell was running or not, I just moved forward.

"Then enter the command:

pm setInstallLocation 2

That's it. Disconnect your device. You can now go to Settings --> Applications --> Manage Applications and move all the programs that let you to the SD card."

But when I enter "pm setInstallLocation 2" I get the following message:
"'pm' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file." And when I disconnect and go to Settings--> Applications --> Manage Applications I still can't move the unmovable apps. "Move to SD" is greyed out and they can't be moved.
Any help is greatly appreciated, as I really don't want to have to get a new phone, but can't keep having my N1 lose its data connection for lack of internal memory.
Thanks!

 

[lunatic59]

Howdy,
New to the forum, and love my N1 but hate the limited memory. I tried everything in your post, got the Java kit, the SDK, and even figured out how to navigate to a folder in the command prompt window (so proud of myself!) but I can't seem to make it work. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I'd LOVE some help. You wrote:

"In the command Prompt window, in the Tools folder, issue the command:

ADB Shell

This will start the SDK command shell running."
I did this, but it flashed a bunch of text along the command prompt window for a second, then went back to waiting for a command. As I wasn't sure if the SDK command shell was running or not, I just moved forward.

"Then enter the command:

pm setInstallLocation 2

That's it. Disconnect your device. You can now go to Settings --> Applications --> Manage Applications and move all the programs that let you to the SD card."

But when I enter "pm setInstallLocation 2" I get the following message:
"'pm' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file." And when I disconnect and go to Settings--> Applications --> Manage Applications I still can't move the unmovable apps. "Move to SD" is greyed out and they can't be moved.
Any help is greatly appreciated, as I really don't want to have to get a new phone, but can't keep having my N1 lose its data connection for lack of internal memory.
Thanks!

Hello and welcome to android forums.

Try this. Open a command prompt on your PC (start>run type "cmd" press ENTER)

Change directory to the android-sdk-windows\tools folder (or wherever adb.exe was installed)

At the prompt type

adb devices

and you should see your phone listed as a serial number.

type

adb shell pm setInstallLocation 2

Done.

 

[CrownOfSounds]

Thanks so much for helping out!
Okay, so I saw some progress from following your reply, but I'm not out of the woods quite yet.
I connected the N1, set for debugging, opened a command prompt, directed to the folder where ADB was located and entered "adb devices" and it did indeed list my phone as a serial number! (YESsssss!)
I then entered "adb shell pm setInstallLocation 2" and it went right back to a command prompt. Assuming I had done it all correctly, I then disconnected my N1, went into manage applications, and to my surprise I still couldn't move Twitter, Facebook, etc. from the phone to the SD card. The "move to SD card" button is greyed out still.
I rebooted the phone (just in case) and tried again but still no luck.
Am I missing a step, or did I do one of them wrong?
Thanks again, so much, for walking a non-tech guy through this. I really want to keep my N1 (what do you think of your N4?) but am just so tired of it giving me the stupid "low on space" message.