Help Nexus 7 slow start up.. how do I delete the cache & what else could i do?

mm43 · Apr 25, 2013

My nexus 7 has suddenly started freezing opening the homescreen on starting up.
Once it starts sometimes its ok'. Other times takes ages to open a page.
Have disabled currents "enable background sync".
But no change.
I don't know how to delete the phone cache, (if it is that).
I can delete the browser history though.
My nexus 4 phone is just as fast as when I bought it
Any help would be great. But got to be simple :eek:

Trimbaud · Apr 25, 2013

I use an app called easy cache cleaner on my n7. It's fast, and gives a weekly reminder. It's amazing how quickly the cache builds up on a tablet.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bazinga.cacheclean

Rxpert83 · Apr 25, 2013

Easiest way is rebooting to recovery.

Hold power+volume up and down

It'll take you to bootloader. From there yiu can select recovery and wipe cache

mm43 · Apr 26, 2013

Trimbaud said:
I use an app called easy cache cleaner on my n7. It's fast, and gives a weekly reminder. It's amazing how quickly the cache builds up on a tablet.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bazinga.cacheclean

Thank you. Could that be my problem?
Does it work on nexus 4 phone too?

mm43 · Apr 26, 2013

Rxpert83 said:
Easiest way is rebooting to recovery.

Hold power+volume up and down

It'll take you to bootloader. From there yiu can select recovery and wipe cache

Is this easy to do? I don't want to click on anything else accidentally and wipe my nexus 7.
Will this work on my nexus 4 phone too if that slows up?

Demache · Apr 26, 2013

mm43 said:
Is this easy to do? I don't want to click on anything else accidentally and wipe my nexus 7.
Will this work on my nexus 4 phone too if that slows up?

Its fairly simple. No touchscreen since you aren't booted into the OS, but volume buttons work as up/down and power is enter. You press wipe cache, and it wipes the cache. No big deal. Then you just select reboot/restart (I can't remember). Just DON'T press anything that says factory reset (it will ask to confirm if you accidentally do).

Nexus 4 probably uses a different recovery/bootloader, but the steps should be similar, just looks different.

jhawkkw · Apr 26, 2013

The interface for the bootloader and recovery is essentially the same across all Nexus devices, but the button combo to access the bootloader is different depending on the device. On the Nexus 7 it's both volume buttons +power, while the Nexus 4 it's just volume down +power. I've personally found getting the Nexus 4 to boot into the bootloader to be annoying compared to others.

If the cache clear doesn't help, then a factory reset might be necessary to clean up whatever is bogging down your device. It will leave your media intact, but will erase all your apps.

mm43 · Apr 26, 2013

Demache said:
Its fairly simple. No touchscreen since you aren't booted into the OS, but volume buttons work as up/down and power is enter. You press wipe cache, and it wipes the cache. No big deal. Then you just select reboot/restart (I can't remember). Just DON'T press anything that says factory reset (it will ask to confirm if you accidentally do).

Nexus 4 probably uses a different recovery/bootloader, but the steps should be similar, just looks different.

Thanks. Tried as suggested. But as soon as I pressed both buttons the screen froze.
Left it for e few hours no change
Decided to plug it in to see if any good. No change.
But an hour later it started up thank goodness
Won't be doing that again in a hurry! :mad:

So do I have to download a program to wipe the cache? Is there nothing built in the nexus?

mm43 · Apr 26, 2013

jhawkkw said:
If the cache clear doesn't help, then a factory reset might be necessary to clean up whatever is bogging down your device. It will leave your media intact, but will erase all your apps.

Thank you.
Would that make it freeze too?
What files would still be there?

jhawkkw · Apr 26, 2013

mm43 said:
Thanks. Tried as suggested. But as soon as I pressed both buttons the screen froze.
Left it for e few hours no change
Decided to plug it in to see if any good. No change.
But an hour later it started up thank goodness
Won't be doing that again in a hurry!
So do I have to download a program to wipe the cache? Is there nothing built in the nexus?

Cache can be wiped manually by booting up into recovery. To do this, turn off the device. Once it is off, hold both volume rockers and hold power until you feel it vibrate. This should boot it into the bootloader. Use the volume down key to navigate the top menu option from "Start" to "Recovery Mode" and then press the power button to confirm. The device should then appear to boot normally by showing the Google logo, except instead of the Jellybean boot up, you should get an android that looks dead with a red exclamation mark above it. Hit Volume up + power at the same time to bring up the recovery menu. The third or 4th option should be to wipe cache. Navigate to it using the volume rockers and press power to confirm. It might ask you to confirm again, which you do so in the same manor. This should take about a second or two to complete. After this navigate to reboot and press power to confirm.

mm43 said:
Thank you.
Would that make it freeze too?
What files would still be there?

Some times apps don't play well, or they are junk apps that do nothing but slow down the device. If you factory reset, all of your videos, music, pictures, and internet downloaded files will remain intact, the only thing that will be wiped is apps and your settings. To do this, do everything I mentioned above for the cache clear, except choose factory reset/wipe data while in recovery.

tcat007 · Apr 26, 2013

I just did this, but after I selected wipe cache and hit the power button, it immediately rebooted itself. Not sure if cache was cleared or not. My cached maps are still there (which is a good thing).

mm43 · Apr 27, 2013

jhawkkw said:
Cache can be wiped manually by booting up into recovery. To do this, turn off the device. Once it is off, hold both volume rockers and hold power until you feel it vibrate. This should boot it into the bootloader. Use the volume down key to navigate the top menu option from "Start" to "Recovery Mode" and then press the power button to confirm. The device should then appear to boot normally by showing the Google logo, except instead of the Jellybean boot up, you should get an android that looks dead with a red exclamation mark above it. Hit Volume up + power at the same time to bring up the recovery menu. The third or 4th option should be to wipe cache. Navigate to it using the volume rockers and press power to confirm. It might ask you to confirm again, which you do so in the same manor. This should take about a second or two to complete. After this navigate to reboot and press power to confirm.

Some times apps don't play well, or they are junk apps that do nothing but slow down the device. If you factory reset, all of your videos, music, pictures, and internet downloaded files will remain intact, the only thing that will be wiped is apps and your settings. To do this, do everything I mentioned above for the cache clear, except choose factory reset/wipe data while in recovery.

It was when I got to recovery mode that it froze for hours

jhawkkw · Apr 27, 2013

Did you ever make it into the menu, or were you stuck with the dead android looking thing?

mm43 · Apr 28, 2013

jhawkkw said:
Did you ever make it into the menu, or were you stuck with the dead android looking thing?

Stuck with the dead android thing! NOT doing that again!

jhawkkw · Apr 28, 2013

mm43 said:
Stuck with the dead android thing! NOT doing that again!

One you reach the dead android, you need to enter a button combo to access the menu. I believe it's volume up + power.

GeoUSA · May 1, 2013

There's an easy way to clear cached data from within the Jelly Bean interface:

Settings > Storage > Cached data. You will be prompted: "Clear cached data?". Click OK. After a couple of Android Jelly Bean point releases my tablet had become very slow on startup. Others reported solving this with a Factory Data Reset. I didn't want to go that route so I lived with it for a few months. Was pleasantly surprised that the Settings > Storage > Cached data method solved my Nexus 7's lag issue.

mm43 · May 3, 2013

jhawkkw said:
One you reach the dead android, you need to enter a button combo to access the menu. I believe it's volume up + power.

Thanks Pressed all buttons but it was still frozen for hours Not trying again lol

mm43 · May 3, 2013

GeoUSA said:
There's an easy way to clear cached data from within the Jelly Bean interface:

Settings > Storage > Cached data. You will be prompted: "Clear cached data?". Click OK. After a couple of Android Jelly Bean point releases my tablet had become very slow on startup. Others reported solving this with a Factory Data Reset. I didn't want to go that route so I lived with it for a few months. Was pleasantly surprised that the Settings > Storage > Cached data method solved my Nexus 7's lag issue.

Thanks very much That's the simple answer and it worked! I like simple lol :eek:

Help Nexus 7 slow start up.. how do I delete the cache & what else could i do?

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