It is mildly irritating that people try to explain the 'other' folder in terms of maps, texts, emails, app data etc, when it is clearly a fault in the OS. An example is if one uploads photos or videos to the Sky Drive, 'Other' will grow until all memory is used and the phone will become unuseable. It will not even be able to make calls. Several people have reported this, in other forums.
So, anyone claiming that this memory will be "restored", "recycled", or the phone will somehow manage to re-allocate the memory elsewhere, may be describing what was intended (I don't know), but it does not work. 'Other' will grow over time until the phone needs a factory reset; or an OS update is installed, which also resets 'other' to something like a normal level.
In anticipation of people suggesting we delete all emails, some maps, texts, don't upload to SkyDrive, reduce calendar entries, maybe get rid of contacts we don't phone often, don't browse (or at least clear caches and passwords etc), clear searches, clear pretty much everything else that makes life convenient, I would suggest that if that is what is required, to avoid a factory reset every few months, then the WP8 system is pretty much useless. I have read some people with 920s are already seeing nearly 10GB in 'Other'; so there is little hope for 820 users trying to 'survive'; and those poor people with 4GB WP8 phones are in for a nasty shock.
When I got a Lumia 820, I had researched it thoroughly. It suited me better than the 920; primarily because of the ability to install a 64GB card; as I carry videos and music of about 30GB, for when I'm away. I have about 2GB of maps permanently; as I did with my old N95, which I need. I guessed that would leave, with the apps I use, not much short of 3GB (allowing for the 1.9GB operating system); which I assumed would be a permanent 'safety net', for caches, emails, texts etc. 3GB is a hell of a lot of texts, emails, caches, calendar entries and the like. I have over 10 years of emails, contacts, calendar entries and tasks in Outlook (and in archives), on my computers, and they total less than 3GB! To be honest, I also held a secret hope (albeit remote) that there might come an option to install map data to the card, one day; but could still live without it, as I didn't need the phone's memory much, with about 30GB free on my card.
However, the reality is that I have had to limit my map data to 1.2GB, and cannot use autouploads to the SkyDrive (or even back up to the SkyDrive if I wish to clear the camera roll of stuff) or download Deezer albums, because all these bring me nearer to a factory reset. Even then, and clearing caches almost daily, I still see 'Other' continue to grow; and it becomes an obsession I could do without. Deleting caches also deletes various passwords; which I expect the phone to remember, for goodness sake! Moreover, since the OS is relatively new, it is only now that some dedicated individuals are starting to experiment with various settings, trying to discover what has the most detrimental effect on the 'other' folder. My thanks go to them for their efforts, and the 'Factory reset' trauma they have to endure; the main irritation being re-configuring the front screen, together with the time required. That said it does beg the question, "how on earth did this problem not manifest itself to all those that must have been testing this system?". Surely, in testing, one would be uploading vast amounts to SkyDrives and downloading from them? If everyone reporting this issue is, presumably, only using the phones 'normally', and this has become an issue within weeks, the fact this was passed as 'fit for purpose' beggars belief, in my opinion.
So, advice on how someone should have researched better, or how they could conserve memory, is not really the point. Whether they realise it or not, people have a sense of how much memory they require, vaguely; certainly if they are long time computer users. It may be very rough, and not exactly accurate or scientific; but it should be close enough.
No; the truth is that there is something wrong with this operating system, and it needs correcting quickly. In the meantime, and assuming this problem is not easily resolved, a "Clean 'Other'" button would be useful, in "Phone Storage". If new OS updates refresh and reset the 'other' count, then it seems to me that one could arrange that fuction without an actual 'new' update. A "reinstall last update" would even suffice, for now, to achieve the same thing, without the need for a full factory reset.
As a final thought, can anyone here, who is advising on preserving memory as if it is a user problem, please put around 1GB of photos on your phone and upload them all to the SkyDrive, please? Ideally, repeat that until the phone runs out of memory; then get back to me. I would be interested to read the results you experienced; with stats for how your 'other' responded. Does it recover that memory and reallocate it? I would be fascinated to know; because my Lumia 820 doesn't
So, anyone claiming that this memory will be "restored", "recycled", or the phone will somehow manage to re-allocate the memory elsewhere, may be describing what was intended (I don't know), but it does not work. 'Other' will grow over time until the phone needs a factory reset; or an OS update is installed, which also resets 'other' to something like a normal level.
In anticipation of people suggesting we delete all emails, some maps, texts, don't upload to SkyDrive, reduce calendar entries, maybe get rid of contacts we don't phone often, don't browse (or at least clear caches and passwords etc), clear searches, clear pretty much everything else that makes life convenient, I would suggest that if that is what is required, to avoid a factory reset every few months, then the WP8 system is pretty much useless. I have read some people with 920s are already seeing nearly 10GB in 'Other'; so there is little hope for 820 users trying to 'survive'; and those poor people with 4GB WP8 phones are in for a nasty shock.
When I got a Lumia 820, I had researched it thoroughly. It suited me better than the 920; primarily because of the ability to install a 64GB card; as I carry videos and music of about 30GB, for when I'm away. I have about 2GB of maps permanently; as I did with my old N95, which I need. I guessed that would leave, with the apps I use, not much short of 3GB (allowing for the 1.9GB operating system); which I assumed would be a permanent 'safety net', for caches, emails, texts etc. 3GB is a hell of a lot of texts, emails, caches, calendar entries and the like. I have over 10 years of emails, contacts, calendar entries and tasks in Outlook (and in archives), on my computers, and they total less than 3GB! To be honest, I also held a secret hope (albeit remote) that there might come an option to install map data to the card, one day; but could still live without it, as I didn't need the phone's memory much, with about 30GB free on my card.
However, the reality is that I have had to limit my map data to 1.2GB, and cannot use autouploads to the SkyDrive (or even back up to the SkyDrive if I wish to clear the camera roll of stuff) or download Deezer albums, because all these bring me nearer to a factory reset. Even then, and clearing caches almost daily, I still see 'Other' continue to grow; and it becomes an obsession I could do without. Deleting caches also deletes various passwords; which I expect the phone to remember, for goodness sake! Moreover, since the OS is relatively new, it is only now that some dedicated individuals are starting to experiment with various settings, trying to discover what has the most detrimental effect on the 'other' folder. My thanks go to them for their efforts, and the 'Factory reset' trauma they have to endure; the main irritation being re-configuring the front screen, together with the time required. That said it does beg the question, "how on earth did this problem not manifest itself to all those that must have been testing this system?". Surely, in testing, one would be uploading vast amounts to SkyDrives and downloading from them? If everyone reporting this issue is, presumably, only using the phones 'normally', and this has become an issue within weeks, the fact this was passed as 'fit for purpose' beggars belief, in my opinion.
So, advice on how someone should have researched better, or how they could conserve memory, is not really the point. Whether they realise it or not, people have a sense of how much memory they require, vaguely; certainly if they are long time computer users. It may be very rough, and not exactly accurate or scientific; but it should be close enough.
No; the truth is that there is something wrong with this operating system, and it needs correcting quickly. In the meantime, and assuming this problem is not easily resolved, a "Clean 'Other'" button would be useful, in "Phone Storage". If new OS updates refresh and reset the 'other' count, then it seems to me that one could arrange that fuction without an actual 'new' update. A "reinstall last update" would even suffice, for now, to achieve the same thing, without the need for a full factory reset.
As a final thought, can anyone here, who is advising on preserving memory as if it is a user problem, please put around 1GB of photos on your phone and upload them all to the SkyDrive, please? Ideally, repeat that until the phone runs out of memory; then get back to me. I would be interested to read the results you experienced; with stats for how your 'other' responded. Does it recover that memory and reallocate it? I would be fascinated to know; because my Lumia 820 doesn't
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