[Q] I have some simple questions about the storage/emulated folder that need answers

[HOrobOD]

The longer I have my Shield Tablet, the internal storage space seems to slowly vanish more and more. I have been constantly clearing cache, as well as uninstalling more and more apps. The entire internal storage folder (labeled storage/sdcard0), takes up a total of only 3.77 GB according to ES File Explorer, yet I have less than 2 GB free. I have noticed there is a folder labeled: storage/emulated. Within this folder are "0" and "legacy"... Both of these folders appear to be complete clones of the sdcard0 folder (each are exactly 3.77 GB as well). All three of these folders add up to equal the total storage used on the internal storage. So can I really only use a third of the internal storage since everything is duplicated 3 times? Is it safe to delete the contents of either of the 2 folders within storage/emulated? What is the purpose of these folders?

 

[ailima]

They are all the same directory - they're legacy ways of accessing the storage and are kept for backwards compatibility. Erasing any one of them will erase them all.

If you are on lollipop, the reason for shrinking space is usually the linking of apps to sdcard1 either using android, link2sd, Folder Mount, or the like. The lollipop system apparently reads the storage incorrectly, counting the linked files as still being on the sdcard.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using Tapatalk

 

[CaleTheKing]

They are all the same directory - they're legacy ways of accessing the storage and are kept for backwards compatibility. Erasing any one of them will erase them all.

If you are on lollipop, the reason for shrinking space is usually the linking of apps to sdcard1 either using android, link2sd, Folder Mount, or the like. The lollipop system apparently reads the storage incorrectly, counting the linked files as still being on the sdcard.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using Tapatalk

This is exactly right. I am using FolderMount for all of my big games, and my "storage" tab in settings shows that I am using 18GB (when we all know you only get about 12 usable), yet when I look in TitaniumBackup, SDMaid, or the like, it shows that I still have over 9GB free.

I'd use a different method of checking how much storage you're using, because (like the battery stats) the storage stats are totally broken in Lollipop.

 

[HOrobOD]

They are all the same directory - they're legacy ways of accessing the storage and are kept for backwards compatibility. Erasing any one of them will erase them all.

If you are on lollipop, the reason for shrinking space is usually the linking of apps to sdcard1 either using android, link2sd, Folder Mount, or the like. The lollipop system apparently reads the storage incorrectly, counting the linked files as still being on the sdcard.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using Tapatalk

My tablet is no longer rooted since I've been on Lollipop so I no longer use Folder Mount. I have moved as many apps as I can to the SD card through the stock app manager. I did use Folder Mount on KitKat, and noticed the weird storage usage, but I did a factory reset after updating to Lollipop. I have installed LOTS of apps, but I reached a point where I wasn't installing any new apps and my storage is slowly disappearing, and now I'm starting to have to uninstall apps... I've had this same issue on every android device I've owned, I eventually have to back up my data and do a factory reset, then reinstall all my apps again, then I suddenly have more free space then before with all the same apps installed...

 

[An Droid]

Is it possible one of the apps you have installed is the culprit? (I.e. filling up your storage?)

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet using XDA Free mobile app

 

[ailima]

Can you run Disk Usage and Storage Analyzer from the play store?

 

[primetechv2]

Apps like Google Plus tend to use a lot of cache and data. Have you checked up on them using something like a disk usage analyzer or 1Tap cleaner?


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[WarRaven]

I noticed disk usage app even shows some game data that is not moved but just copied to SD.
Also this helps save me up to half a GB.
Its a hidden folder, in DCIM named thumbnails, it keeps a db on all your pictures an can get big quickly if you have a fair amount of pictures an wallpapers.
I found trick here on XDA, sorry can't remember who to credit but, delete that thumbnail folder an contents an make a new file not folder in the DCIM folder named,
.thumbnails an that is gone for good.

WR

 

[HOrobOD]

Can you run Disk Usage and Storage Analyzer from the play store?

Yes, I used the app DiskUsage and a large chunk of used data is "System data"... It seems to fluctuate is size very much, but overall, it keeps increasing in size...

 

[espamcaca]

This is exactly right. I am using FolderMount for all of my big games, and my "storage" tab in settings shows that I am using 18GB (when we all know you only get about 12 usable), yet when I look in TitaniumBackup, SDMaid, or the like, it shows that I still have over 9GB free.

I'd use a different method of checking how much storage you're using, because (like the battery stats) the storage stats are totally broken in Lollipop.

Hi guys, I'd loveto know that differentmethod of checking used storage

Also, if i keep installing games and moving to sd, won't it give me a "Not enough disk space" due to those wrong stats?

Thanks!