Help Insufficient Storage Space Available

Lars Cook · Mar 10, 2015

A few days ago, my YouTube app was updating for hours. it and several others apps needed updating and it started coming up as "insufficient storage space". I used clean master to clean out my caches. I've tried uninstalling apps. I have cleaned out the cache and data for google play. I uninstalled one of the apps and tried to reinstall, but I got the same error. I have been able to install other apps, but some apps won't install. It seems if it is an app run by google or Sony I definitely can't update or install it. I have 10 gigabytes on my internal storage and an SD card with another 40 gigs. Also I have 1.3 gigs free in my RAM. My tablet is a Sony Xperia Z2 and is running Android version 4.4.4. IT's starting to be real inconvenient, and now my google play services can't update. Can anybody help me?

apple2005 · Mar 10, 2015

I don't know about your tablet but sometimes they allocate a small space for the applications. Sometimes deleting cache and dalvik cache can solve the problem in recovery mode. You can move some heavy applications to SD card to help increase the space. Go into settings and applications and see if you have the option to move to SD card?

Lars Cook · Mar 10, 2015

Thanks for the help. I just deleted the dalvik cache and I've already deleted the cache, but I still get the same error. Also almost all of my apps have been moved to my external sd card.

apple2005 · Mar 10, 2015

Do you have phone function in your tablet? If so then dial *#9900# and delete logcat files.
In file manager, go to DCIM folder and look for .thumnails folder(dot thumbnails) or .thumbsdata folder. It is hidden folder, so please make sure that you tick ✅ to show hidden folder in settings of file manager. Best file manager are Fx file manager or ES file manager. Now delete the . Thumbnail folder and create a new file with exact the same name and place it there without write permission if you are rooted.
Navigate to lost+found or lost.dir directory and see if it contains huge files and delete.
Of you need any further help regarding above, please don't hesitate to ask.

Lars Cook · Mar 11, 2015

Thank you again for responding. My tablet doesn't have phone functions.
My tablet isn't rooted so would this work the same without it, or do I need to root my tablet to try this?
Also I could find no lost+found or lost.dir directory. Is there a special way to view it?
I deleted the .thumbnails folder and created an identical folder then restarted my tablet, but it still gives me the same error of "insufficient storage space". Do you have any more advice? Thank you much for your help. It's very appreciated.

apple2005 · Mar 11, 2015

How much space your thumbnail folder occupied before delete?

apple2005 · Mar 11, 2015

Instead of creating a thumbnail folder, just make a text file with the same name but remove the write option from the file for which you need root. But just try as such. Try to know the thumbnail folder size before delete.

EarlyMon · Mar 11, 2015

http://androidforums.com/threads/qu...e-is-your-storage-truth-read-me-first.906249/

Apps install to /data/app.

Even moving to the sd card doesn't mean that the whole app goes there.

A significant portion is always in /data.

The Play Store uses the cache and Dalvik areas as temporary storage and won't clean up after itself sometimes.

If you can't clear those out from a custom recovery, meaning, you're not rooted, then you'll want to backup your stuff, do a factory data reset, and restore.
If you don't have a good backup, try Helium, in the Play Store.

If you have an inexpensive Chinese device, that may make it worse because many are known to have bad factory data reset implementations.

How much ram has nothing to do with it.

If you're using Clean Master to automatically clean things, stop and uninstall it.

Lars Cook · Mar 11, 2015

Thanks for linking that thread, but I had already read it. I tried to download that app that you had listed, but I got the error so I couldn't download it. I was going to try a factory rest as the last resort since I use my tablet almost constantly for school, and it would really hinder me to factory reset it.

Apple2005, I didn't notice how much was in the thumbnail folder, but it looked like a lot. Sorry, I know that's not very helpful.

Lars Cook · Mar 11, 2015

I'll also try rooting my tablet to fully run some of these fixes.

apple2005 · Mar 11, 2015

As a last resort: as I told you to make a thumbnail file instead of folder. And delete the the already existing folder.
Otherwise do a reset. Sorry we couldn't help further.

Lars Cook · Mar 11, 2015

apple2005 said:
As a last resort: as I told you to make a thumbnail file instead of folder. And delete the the already existing folder.
Otherwise do a reset. Sorry we couldn't help further.

It's ok. I'm just grateful for the help. Thank you again

Help Insufficient Storage Space Available

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