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A while ago, I posted another question here when I had plenty of free internal storage but was getting the following warning:

Low on space: Phone storage space is getting low.

The problem was apparently a bug during the upgrade to Gingerbread, and following the steps in the accepted answer to get the hotfix resolved the issue for several months.

However, recently I've been getting that same message again. Even though it complains about low internal storage, clicking on the warning brings me to a screen that shows me:

Internal storage: 348MB used, 400MB free

I'm using a Verizon HTC Incredible running Gingerbread. I have followed the steps in the other question (clearing system cache) and rebooted the phone several times. I have moved many apps to the SD card which seems to resolve the issue for a few days, but then the warning comes back. It seems like 47% full should not be triggering a low space warning (which has other ramifications, like my email not refreshing).

Any ideas what's wrong this time?

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jrdioko
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    This error could be from your /cache, /data, or /datadata partitions being almost full. Even though you have 400MB free total, these locations do not have access to all that space. YOu can try moving some of the larger apps to the SDCard, but if it is /cache or /datadata the only solution would be to remove some of the apps or deleting their data. – Ryan Conrad Apr 02 '12 at 20:01
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    @RyanConrad: Is there any way to figure out the used/available space on each of those partitions without being rooted? – jrdioko Apr 02 '12 at 20:45
  • @jrdioko - To my knowledge you must be rooted to see storage on those partitions. On my dinc I've got chronically low space in my /datadata partition. I use DiskUsage and a terminal command to keep track of space (both require root to see /datadata). – Mr. Buster Apr 04 '12 at 20:42
  • @Mr.Buster: What exactly is stored on those three partitions? I believe I've already cleared /cache (using the steps given in the other question linked above), what about /data vs. /datadata? – jrdioko Apr 04 '12 at 20:52
  • @jrdioko - Found a fantastic guide to Android partitions and basics here via WIW's XDA post. /data is all your personal settings, messages, and information, while /data/data is specifically for your apps' private data. My guess is that wiping /cache as described above does not wipe /data or its child directories (otherwise you would've lost all your apps and settings). – Mr. Buster Apr 04 '12 at 21:32
  • @Mr.Buster: Interesting, thanks. So I wonder when you click on the low space warning and see used/free what exactly that is reporting (and what percentage triggers the warning). I just don't see why I'm getting the warning (despite having moved almost every app possible to the SD card). – jrdioko Apr 04 '12 at 21:47
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    @jrdioko - I don't believe I've ever run against that particular error - when mine has trouble I just get tons of force closes :-/. However, my app settings screen shows me what must be the /data usage (never close to full, numbers match /data size reported by DiskUsage) even though my apps are actually constrained by the much smaller /data/data (where I run out of room often). I think it's giving you an error because of /data/data but showing you details from /data instead. That's confusing as hell. – Mr. Buster Apr 04 '12 at 22:23
  • @Mr.Buster: Ah that probably is it. Do you have any idea how big /data/data would be on a HTC Incredible? That would at least help me figure out where the mystery limit is. – jrdioko Apr 04 '12 at 22:29
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    @jrdioko - My dinc's /data is 748 MB and my /data/data is 149 MB. Sounds like that should be the same for yours (and others'). – Mr. Buster Apr 04 '12 at 22:33
  • @Mr.Buster: Thanks! You should work all these comments into an answer :) – jrdioko Apr 04 '12 at 22:47
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    @jrdioko - FWIW I was just fighting again with this same issue and found that telling Dolphin (my browser of choice) to Cache to SD Card really helped free up some space. – Mr. Buster Apr 11 '12 at 00:37

3 Answers3

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To consolidate comments:

I've found a fantastic guide to Android partitions and basics here via WIW's XDA post. /data is all your personal settings, messages, and information, while /data/data is specifically for your apps' private data. My guess is that wiping /cache as described above does not wipe /data or its child directories (otherwise you would've lost all your apps and settings).

I don't believe I've ever run against the particular error you're seeing - when mine has trouble I just get tons of force closes :-/. However, my app settings screen shows me what must be the /data usage (never close to full, numbers match /data size reported by DiskUsage) even though my apps are actually constrained by the much smaller /data/data (where I run out of room often). I think it's giving you an error because of /data/data but showing you details from /data instead. That's confusing as hell.

My dinc's /data is 748 MB and my /data/data is 149 MB. Sounds like that should be the same for yours (and others'). Until you give in to the dark side and root your Incredible (and are then able to see specific usage) you'll want to keep things below 149 MB (ish). FWIW, my biggest disk-hogs are Facebook and Dolphin Browser.

Izzy
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Mr. Buster
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  • if you have rooted then what's the solution? – Muhammad Umer Jun 04 '14 at 03:37
  • I was never able to find a solution. That is, I never found a way to fix the small /data/data partition. Rooting gives you access to see the usage of that partition that is otherwise hidden, which is helpful in trying to manage things, but it doesn't solve any problems. When I wrote this back in 2012 I researched the idea of enlarging that partition but decided it wasn't worth the risk. – Mr. Buster Jun 04 '14 at 16:57
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Check this answer to a similar problem. Basically delete from /data/log. Before you do, if you have the chance (phone still operational) then check the files to see what the errors being logged are.

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Scotty.NET
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The total space shown in memory is not all being used for apps. Android might have allotted a part of your internal memory for installation of apps. When that allotted space is over you can't install new apps and get low memory warning. You can try following:

  1. Uninstall Apps
  2. Move apps to external storage or money card. You can do that by going to app settings. You may be able to move some apps by app settings option.
  3. If you're still getting low memory issue, then you use This app. This is only app I found on play store which can move those apps to SD card which android app settings couldn't. But to use this, you need to be rooted.
Pacman
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