Stop Stuffing your device full!

Codegerm · Dec 22, 2013

This is not a new thing, as I have been dealing with this issue for people long before there was Android. The issue here, is people that constantly feel the need to stuff their device with more and more apps, and then complain about being low on memory and/or poor performance of the device. I will get asked to fix this issue time and time again, and the answer is ALWAYS the same, don't stuff it full.

Think of your device as a truck. The more you are carrying in it, the less capacity you have left and the slower your performance will get. This rule applies to all operating systems (Android, iOS, Windows, etc)

The S2 is a great device and does come with a generous amount of memory, but it is not unlimited. If you do not use the app on a daily or weekly basis, then consider not keeping it on your device. Get yourself a backup app (ie Titanium Backup etc) and back the app up to external storge (sd card, your PC etc), or just download the app from the play store when needed (Google Play remembers apps you have paid for so you don't have to buy them again). Get yourself an external SD card, they are rather cheap to get for an 8 or 16gig, and store your pictures and music on that instead of the phones storage.

Rukbat · Dec 22, 2013

Codegerm said:
Think of your device as a truck. The more you are carrying in it, the less capacity you have left and the slower your performance will get. This rule applies to all operating systems (Android, iOS, Windows, etc)

The analogy doesn't apply. Put one box into a 55 foot trailer and it affects gas mileage. Maybe not much, but it does. Second box affects it a little more. Same with top speed.

In a computer, as long as there's enough free storage, there's no effect. A computer with an empty hard drive and one with a drive 3/4 full will run at the same speed (not accounting for longer seeks if it's a magnetic drive), as long as the operating system and the programs running don't need to write too more space that that 1/4 drive.

You can stuff your phone as full as you want - AS LONG AS you leave enough room for the operating system and apps to write what they need to write, there's no effect. Once you get past that point things crash. It's a step function. The truck is a smooth function.

Determining the point is a very tedious process if you want to use every byte possible, but ripping out everything not actually needed as a first step is a lot more than is needed to fix the problem. When the phone starts stalling and/or crashing, uninstall the last app installed (after emptying its data and cache). Reboot. That's about how much free space the phone needs - what it now has. (If it's still not running right, uninstall the next last app installed. It was having problems back then, but the person asking for help didn't ask for help back then.)

Codegerm · Dec 22, 2013

Rukbat said:
The analogy doesn't apply. Put one box into a 55 foot trailer and it affects gas mileage. Maybe not much, but it does. Second box affects it a little more. Same with top speed.

In a computer, as long as there's enough free storage, there's no effect. A computer with an empty hard drive and one with a drive 3/4 full will run at the same speed (not accounting for longer seeks if it's a magnetic drive), as long as the operating system and the programs running don't need to write too more space that that 1/4 drive.

You can stuff your phone as full as you want - AS LONG AS you leave enough room for the operating system and apps to write what they need to write, there's no effect. Once you get past that point things crash. It's a step function. The truck is a smooth function.

Determining the point is a very tedious process if you want to use every byte possible, but ripping out everything not actually needed as a first step is a lot more than is needed to fix the problem. When the phone starts stalling and/or crashing, uninstall the last app installed (after emptying its data and cache). Reboot. That's about how much free space the phone needs - what it now has. (If it's still not running right, uninstall the next last app installed. It was having problems back then, but the person asking for help didn't ask for help back then.)

That is not quite correct there is still fragmentation that occurs with multiple read and write, even in solid state storage. and yes a full device does slow down even in android. The point being is that you should not get to that point if you are not over stuffing your device. Also, add to that the list of apps that self start even if you are not actively using them.

SelfElevated2 · Dec 22, 2013

solution = greenify

jmcook79 · Dec 22, 2013

I dealt with this a lot back when I used to repair computers on the side, especially with windows 98. No one had external drives and they just had they computers STUFFED. A friend recently asked me about why her tablet was so slow and she had over 100 apps that she never even uses anymore! I've only been using Android for a few months so I'm still a newbie but come on lol. No need to keep junk you don't use.

The first thing I did when I bought my phone with a meager 2.75GB of storage available to the user is buy a SD card for all my music and photos. I only have a few dozen apps at any given time because If I don't use it in a few weeks, It means I don't really need it so I just ditch it.

I think the problem is that many people don't want to learn anything, they just want to use the device and then have someone else fix it for them. I can understand somewhat because this is the way I am with cars...I can change the oil, tires, starter and a few other things but other than that I'm all thumbs. Uninstalling apps/programs really isn't that hard though if people would just take the time to learn.

Codegerm · Dec 22, 2013

SelfElevated2 said:
solution = greenify

That does help, though do be careful about what apps you greenify or you may have things like not getting a message alert etc.

rockdoctor1 · Jan 1, 2014

Once every two months I back up my text messages and do a wipe of my phone. Then i set it back up with the aps that i am actually using at that time. I also do my computers every summer... Best way to keep everything running "lean and mean"...

Doesn't even take a half hour.

Stop Stuffing your device full!

Codegerm

Android Expert

Rukbat

Extreme Android User

Codegerm

Android Expert

SelfElevated2

Android Expert

jmcook79

Android Enthusiast

Codegerm

Android Expert

rockdoctor1

Well-Known Member

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