Memory utilization in Windows

[SteelSteve]

Been using Android now for 4 years, and am hoping to move over to a Windows phone sometime early next year. Hopefully this isn't a stupid question, but does Windows allow you to install apps to the full amount of memory (i.e. 8 or 16 GB) or does it partition it out, and only allow you to use certain space if the app is written for it. To me it always seems like Android phones brag about all this storage on the phone, but when you get it you find that most of it is partitioned for side loaded content such as music, and apps can only be installed into a small subset of that memory.

 

[jimski]

No idea. I do have 177 games/apps installed on my phone, with a bunch of music, photos and video, and still have 7GB available (16GB, net 13.8GB to start). My guess though would be, probably not.

Sent from my HTC Surround using Board Express

 

[enahs555]

It is all treated the same. So you can fill it up with apps, or movies and music, or any combination in between.

 

[SteelSteve]

Thanks, thats what I was hoping.

 

[Dave Blake]

Its not partitioned but some of the space is used by the OS so if you have a 16G device some if that space is used by the OS.

 

[canesfan625]

Its not partitioned but some of the space is used by the OS so if you have a 16G device some if that space is used by the OS.

The OS is on nand. The magically disappearing memory is reserved space you can adjust in zune/the locally stored data that apps generate

 

[SteelSteve]

The OS is on nand. The magically disappearing memory is reserved space you can adjust in zune/the locally stored data that apps generate

The reserved space is used for the OS and it's needs however correct? All installed apps, music, movies, etc are installed / stored in the remaining memory right?

 

[HeyCori]

The reserved space is used for the OS and it's needs however correct? All installed apps, music, movies, etc are installed / stored in the remaining memory right?

Correct.

 

[canesfan625]

The reserved space is used for the OS and it's needs however correct? All installed apps, music, movies, etc are installed / stored in the remaining memory right?

no its not for the OS. Nand is for the OS. Zune describes what the reserved space is for. iirc the reserved space is for things you do from your phone. Camera, apps, etc and open is for Zune sync

 

[enahs555]

The reserved space you set through the Zune software just prevents you from Syncing too much Music and Video from your computer to your phone, so you do not fill up the device. So you can say "I want to leave x gigs of space not touched by Zune for pictures and movies and music I download or take directly from my phone.". And then you can sync as much content as you desire without worrying of taking up all the space.

 

[Major]

Sounds better than the situation with Android, where you have X GB reserved for apps, and if you need more space you need to move apps to SD storage. To make matters worse, not all apps permit moving to SD.

 

[SteelSteve]

Sounds better than the situation with Android, where you have X GB reserved for apps, and if you need more space you need to move apps to SD storage. To make matters worse, not all apps permit moving to SD.

Exactly

 

[jeremyshaw]

Exactly

To be fair, Android SD is removeable. WP7 integrates it deeply into the system. Deep enough to normally require a full wipe and reset.

But having "move to SD" be partial and implemented at the control of devs is a bit overkill, IMO. So I don't like how Android (and by relation, my Moto Atrix) handles that.