SOOOOOO GDR2 didnt fix storage?

SwimSwim

New member
Feb 1, 2013
1,173
0
0
Visit site
It is fixed, but sadly, it doesn't just instantly wipe the Other Storage. Rather, the phone just deletes it as needed, meaning you have to fill up your phone's storage before it will bother to delete the Other Storage.

Of course, it also seems somewhat random in nature. The Other Storage on my Lumia 1020 seems to hover around 3GB, but it sometimes drops as low as 2.5GB or rises to 3.3GB. It's weird, but I'm constantly installing and uninstalling apps (free app deal. Even if I don't think I'll ever use 'em, I 'nab them up just in case). So based on horror stories I've heard, it's a miracle my Other Storage isn't significantly higher, which leads me to believe it is indeed fixed.

There is an app (forgive me, but I've forgotten the name) that tries to help with the Other Storage issue. If you tell it to do so, it will fill up your phone's storage (with just random, useless bits of data). As it approaches full, Windows Phone should detect this and (hopefully) empty out some of the Other Storage. After you're done, you just tell the app to free up the storage space it claimed, at which point it becomes useable by the rest of the OS. You can also reserve some storage space to keep Other Storage from consuming it, and release it from the app on a need-be basis (I.E: installing a large app). Results are varied, with some seeing significant reduction in their Other Storage, yet others seeing no difference whatsoever.

So in essence, GDR2 was kind of a "half-fix" for it. It's still better than before, but could do with some improvement (people on 8GB and 16GB devices really bite the bullet). Microsoft claims it's a necessary cache of files to help things run better, faster and smoother. How useful it is in terms of a cost/benefit ratio is up for debate.
 

paulxxwall

New member
Jan 7, 2013
882
0
0
Visit site
It is fixed, but sadly, it doesn't just instantly wipe the Other Storage. Rather, the phone just deletes it as needed, meaning you have to fill up your phone's storage before it will bother to delete the Other Storage.

Of course, it also seems somewhat random in nature. The Other Storage on my Lumia 1020 seems to hover around 3GB, but it sometimes drops as low as 2.5GB or rises to 3.3GB. It's weird, but I'm constantly installing and uninstalling apps (free app deal. Even if I don't think I'll ever use 'em, I 'nab them up just in case). So based on horror stories I've heard, it's a miracle my Other Storage isn't significantly higher, which leads me to believe it is indeed fixed.

There is an app (forgive me, but I've forgotten the name) that tries to help with the Other Storage issue. If you tell it to do so, it will fill up your phone's storage (with just random, useless bits of data). As it approaches full, Windows Phone should detect this and (hopefully) empty out some of the Other Storage. After you're done, you just tell the app to free up the storage space it claimed, at which point it becomes useable by the rest of the OS. You can also reserve some storage space to keep Other Storage from consuming it, and release it from the app on a need-be basis (I.E: installing a large app). Results are varied, with some seeing significant reduction in their Other Storage, yet others seeing no difference whatsoever.

So in essence, GDR2 was kind of a "half-fix" for it. It's still better than before, but could do with some improvement (people on 8GB and 16GB devices really bite the bullet). Microsoft claims it's a necessary cache of files to help things run better, faster and smoother. How useful it is in terms of a cost/benefit ratio is up for debate.
so why do I need 10gb of other storage and others don't? Why not have an option to just clear data? Its my phone! I'll stand corrected this weekend going to bush gardens and gonna take a bunch of pics if reach my memory limit and other storage is not releasing any space then wp8 is not my kind if os.so in theory my l920 is more like only 5gb if storage after apps ,memory for the system ,oh and don't forget about 10gb or so of other storage. I understand IOS and android had this issue but that wa like 3 years ago
 

zacharyaller

New member
Nov 9, 2012
11
0
0
Visit site
Mine has been 1.07GB for the past 6 months, I have never had a problem with other storage like others. Lumia 920 w/ skydrive upload activated.
 

SwimSwim

New member
Feb 1, 2013
1,173
0
0
Visit site
so why do I need 10gb of other storage and others don't? Why not have an option to just clear data? Its my phone! I'll stand corrected this weekend going to bush gardens and gonna take a bunch of pics if reach my memory limit and other storage is not releasing any space then wp8 is not my kind if os.so in theory my l920 is more like only 5gb if storage after apps ,memory for the system ,oh and don't forget about 10gb or so of other storage. I understand IOS and android had this issue but that wa like 3 years ago

Beats me, I'd personally like an option to force Windows Phone to clear what it deems unnecessary. It supposedly does this already when you're nearing full, so it'd be nice if customers had to option to force it to do this check and clear up some space.

Again, it seems to be worse for some users than others. Losing 3GB of space a little disappointing, but honestly, on a 32GB Lumia 1020, it's not the worst thing the world. My biggest concern is for people on 8GB devices, even if it stays at 2GB, 2GB of Other Storage coupled with the 2GB for the system is already 4GB, or half of the available space, lost.

Hopefully Microsoft will further improve upon the Other Storage issue with GDR3, and make things more consistent in how the OS decides what and when to clear.
 

desitunez

New member
Jun 30, 2012
143
0
0
Visit site
It will clean when you running out of space, GDR2 update -" didnt remove other storage , it manages the purging of other storage when required / handles it better" ,

all your email data, etc will remain and utilize other storage.
 

falconrap

New member
Nov 14, 2012
358
0
0
Visit site
My 822 had 8GB of other storage before GDR2, preventing me from loading games and causing other issues. Once GDR2 was loaded onto my phone, I ran "Lumia storage check" and waited for it to classify all of my storage. Once it was done, swipe right-to-left to go to the "details" page and notice that most of that storage is now shown as "Temporary files" where you can now hit the "clear" button and free up a ton of storage. My other showed as 1.2GB and my temporary files was over 6GB (these files combined are what the system settings state as "other"). My other storage hasn't gone past 2GB since, and I occasionally free up a couple hundred megs of files.

So, yes, it is fixed. But to clear up what was already used, you have to clear out all of those temp files first.
 

SwimSwim

New member
Feb 1, 2013
1,173
0
0
Visit site
My 822 had 8GB of other storage before GDR2, preventing me from loading games and causing other issues. Once GDR2 was loaded onto my phone, I ran "Lumia storage check" and waited for it to classify all of my storage. Once it was done, swipe right-to-left to go to the "details" page and notice that most of that storage is now shown as "Temporary files" where you can now hit the "clear" button and free up a ton of storage. My other showed as 1.2GB and my temporary files was over 6GB (these files combined are what the system settings state as "other"). My other storage hasn't gone past 2GB since, and I occasionally free up a couple hundred megs of files.

So, yes, it is fixed. But to clear up what was already used, you have to clear out all of those temp files first.

Glad to hear it worked so well for you, must be nice to have some breathing room again. :)
 

AngryNil

New member
Mar 3, 2012
1,383
0
0
Visit site
The fix in GRD2 would allow this process to kick off when you start to run low on space. It will only delete files that are no longer in use.
The idea that it would indefinitely store things such XAP files is preposterous. Hackers tore apart WP7 and created a marketplace and installation platform for homebrew apps, yet even they knew to delete XAP files after installation. Even more preposterous is that this supposed fix consists of the occupied storage continuing to be marked as used when a user checks the available storage on the phone, and is cleared out in a completely opaque manner only when the storage becomes dangerously full.

It may be worth noting that unless you have your own insider information, you don't truly have the full story here. Many have had other storage grow disproportionately larger than the actual files and applications on the device. I had over 10GB of other storage against less than 2GB of apps, I've seen shots of over 20GB of other on 32GB Lumias. That's something seriously wrong, not just forgetting to delete cached email attachments and XAPs.

Furthermore, the update to the WPCentral article on this states that GDR2 was supposed to clear out the "bad" files upon updating. There are already a few people on this thread alone to which this did not occur. Interesting anecdote from falconrap above, where the "bad" files were only changed to be flagged as temporary. They could then be cleared out with Nokia's manual fix, which is less than ideal. (GDR2 is cancelled for my phone so I'll see what happens myself within the next month or two with GDR3, which will be interesting considering I have no Storage Check.)

Update: For those suffering from a bloated Other Storage on their GDR1 device, if and when you can finally update to GDR2, the installation will fix and remove those 'bad' files, thereby fixing your situation. You should see a noticeable decline in your Other Storage upon finishing.

I'm unconvinced that it's actually fixed, to be honest. A few users reporting "no issues here" is no indication of significant improvement, other storage didn't noticeably affect everyone pre-GDR2 either. Most people who have seen improvements from the update are saying that their other storage just doesn't climb high anymore, which is not what Microsoft and you are claiming will happen – that it will fill until it needs the storage back.
 

Huime

New member
Oct 30, 2012
1,019
0
0
Visit site
is 3Gb even a problem? I have seen many WP8 phones and they range from 1-3. Its just depends how you use it. Those that complaint why some have less ask yourself, do you use your phone EXACTLY like the others?

And the one with 10G. Have you ever experience a car break down? Yes many of the same model are running fine on the road but just happened that your car broke down at this moment. Is not like it cant be fixed. If you are asking for an invincible product, then sorry, you paid $750, which is far less than what an engineer will ask for that level of service.
 

DJCBS

New member
Nov 19, 2012
719
0
0
Visit site
Not only they didn't fixed the problem (would it be so hard to give us tools to manage what we keep or not in the Other storage?) in my case GDR2 made me pass from barely 3GB on the Other storage to almost 6GB.

And no, reset the phone isn't an option for now because Xbox Live games don't save to the cloud and I have too many games that will go back to zero if I have to reset. The worst is...I highly doubt they'll further improve the managing of the Other Storage in GDR3.
 

AngryNil

New member
Mar 3, 2012
1,383
0
0
Visit site
And the one with 10G. Have you ever experience a car break down? Yes many of the same model are running fine on the road but just happened that your car broke down at this moment.
Please do not make such a comparison. If a car model had breakdowns as similar and widespread as other storage, it would get recalled. But here, all we have is to rant on forums :/
 

Dave Blake

Mod and Ambassador Team Emeritus
Jan 11, 2008
5,657
6
0
Visit site
hows this good? The more I use this phone the more other storage fill up! These are old school issues Ms yes apple had this issue but that was a long time ago why not just a manual clear for the other storage ?

I didn't say it was good news just that it would be a good idea to read it so you understand what's is going on and why.
 

ajj3085

New member
Aug 29, 2013
276
0
0
Visit site
ive had about 800mb of other storage, and going to storage check to clear has done nothing. after gdr2, it still didn't, but I turned off the phone started it and went to clear again. now its down to 80mb.
 

DenniSundaY

New member
Aug 25, 2011
265
0
0
Visit site
It was already addressed in gdr2 on my HTC 8x. It was still 2,5gb, but apparently that is normal for a 16gb wp8 device. It stayed at that number and didn't grow till almost 7gb so I was happy. Now in gdr3 you can't see how many space it takes up, but at OS it says 3gb instead of the 2,4gb in gdr2. Maybe it includes other. And I also noticed I had a lot more space available. I can't delete the temporary files as is supposed to though...
 

paulxxwall

New member
Jan 7, 2013
882
0
0
Visit site
It was already addressed in gdr2 on my HTC 8x. It was still 2,5gb, but apparently that is normal for a 16gb wp8 device. It stayed at that number and didn't grow till almost 7gb so I was happy. Now in gdr3 you can't see how many space it takes up, but at OS it says 3gb instead of the 2,4gb in gdr2. Maybe it includes other. And I also noticed I had a lot more space available. I can't delete the temporary files as is supposed to though...
it was not im on 10gb of other still so I was wondering if it was " actually " fixed in gdr3 just because it " doesn't actually say other storage doesn't mean its not taking up memory
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
323,183
Messages
2,243,406
Members
428,037
Latest member
Brilliantick99