Database Develop

[Q] Cannot Delete Apps or Google User Account even after flashing ROM

Hey everyone,
My friend gave me his tab p1000... but I cannot seem to remove apps or even google user account even after i have:
- Reset the phone
- Flashed stock rom v5 ROM with ODIN (with repartition and also flashed dbdata).
- I also tried NAND Erase All, which soft bricked the tab but i was able to get it back.
Even with all this, all the apps are still there.. when the tab loads up.
The Apps keep crashing every minute though.. so they are not stable.
--- Things Note:
1.
After flashing stock rom, when it enters recovery i get the following errors:
part(1): Checksum error
MMC verification failed
and
cannot find: /preload/app folder
2.
There are some weird files under the internal memory root folder that cannot be deleted.
Well you can delete them but they come right back up when you remount the internal drive(16gb).
Also the application folders cannot be deleted.. they reappear once you remount the internal drive.
the files are:
- Copy of Shortcut to (1/2/3/4).lnk
- glweax.exe
- glweax.scr
- x.exe
- xxx.dll
- zjroic.exe
- zjroic.scr
-xjdqob.exe
3.
There is an app called - Perfect Applock - that might have something to do with this.. Not sure.
I have read in forums, to put the phone in flight mode and restart it, then try to go to app manager within 30sec to uninstall the app.
i tried that but it still doesnt work. the App still exists..
btw, i have also tried removing the apps via app manager, that doesnt work. although it says sucessfully uninstalled.
when you reboot the tab, all the apps are present.
4.
I installed root app using superoneclick so that i can install a root explorer app - but it kept crashing.
---
My guess, is that there is a virus, or something that is recreating the apps. or not granting access to where the apps are stored (guessing in /preload/app).
i have read forums and some people said it might be a faulty internal storage.. i did the checks(some commands using adb) to verify but it was negative.
so i dont think the internal storage is bad.
Right now i am stuck... the tab has stock rom v5 installed right now.. not rooted and with 3e recovery.
any help will be greatly appreciated.. thank you in advance.

Wipe the rom...
Sent from my GT-P1000 using xda app-developers app

G0G0L said:
Wipe the rom...
Sent from my GT-P1000 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
correct me if i am wrong.. but isnt wiping a rom the same as flashing a rom??
i have flashed the stock rom.. and the apps werent deleted.
if its not the same, then how do i wipe a rom??
---
Just to add, i have noticed that i cannot format the internal storage.
- tried formating by phone (settings > sd card and device storage > format usb storage). it completes but nothing gets deleted.
- tried formating from computer, - it doesnt complete.
- tried formating with partition wizard.. it completes succesfully but nothing gets deleted.
Hence i think the issue is - something is preventing access to internal storage..
is there any app/adb command that i can force format the phones internal storage??

Stubborn data/apps is a sign of internal storage going bad.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using xda app-developers app

Formatting from computer formats your sd card..and no, flashing a rom via recovery does not necessarily mean a data wipe...try following ChrisCTX's guide...search for it
Sent from my GT-P1000 using xda app-developers app

thaaaanks
G0G0L said:
Formatting from computer formats your sd card..and no, flashing a rom via recovery does not necessarily mean a data wipe...try following ChrisCTX's guide...search for it
Sent from my GT-P1000 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey Gogol,
thaaanks a lot. The guide worked after several tries.
Main problem was flashing cm9 pics rom. It wouldn't complete. But I kept trying and it worked.
I now hv cyanogen mod 9 with ics. Using the tab to reply right now.
One issue tho is that the camera cannot store in internal storage. It needs an sdcard.
Is there a work around on this.
I looked under settings-storage and the internal storage is recognized.
And also under camera settings internal storage is chosen as storage location but it cannot save there.
Any Ideas? Guess I Have to find a way to make internal storage and sdcard storage the same.
Thanks

ianmatari said:
Hey Gogol,
thaaanks a lot. The guide worked after several tries.
Main problem was flashing cm9 pics rom. It wouldn't complete. But I kept trying and it worked.
I now hv cyanogen mod 9 with ics. Using the tab to reply right now.
One issue tho is that the camera cannot store in internal storage. It needs an sdcard.
Is there a work around on this.
I looked under settings-storage and the internal storage is recognized.
And also under camera settings internal storage is chosen as storage location but it cannot save there.
Any Ideas? Guess I Have to find a way to make internal storage and sdcard storage the same.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i hv same prob too .. any idea ?

Love-Rat® said:
i hv same prob too .. any idea ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i forgot but it looked for a guide to switch or exchange internal and sd-card.
so the tablet will think its using the internal storage but its actually using the sd-card.
its somthing like this:
If you take a root file browser and edit /system/etc/volb.fstab, there are two sections you need to edit. "dev_mount emmc /mnt/emmc" changes to "dev_mount emmc /mnt/Edvard" and "dev_mount sdcard /mnt/sdcard" changes to "dev_mount SD card /mnt/emmc".
i cant confirm this is what i did.. but i am sure i edited the volb.fstab... i had to google around for a while till i found one that works for me.
make sure you backup your volb.fstab before you make changes.
Note: i found cyanogen mode to be slow running from sd-card.. so i changed to a regular gingerbread rom. and i was able to edit the volb.fstab with sucess.. and the camera was able to save pics.. the tablet just always had the - NO SD-CARD icon at the top all the time. coz it thought the sd-card is the internal storage.. and the internal storage which i removed was the sd-card - which i destroyed.
hope this helps.

Unable to install app. Delete some items and try again. Out of space

Hey guys,
I recently rooted my s3 mini to JB 4.1.2 by faria and i was wondering why i cant install any more apps as my ram is used up by all my apps. is there a way to clear/wipe all this data and start from scratch installations or any way i can move this huge game files in android/obb to another location in my sdcard to save space for app installations on my phone memory.
also, i have tried directory bind,app2sd, lind2sd and gl to sd(root) none of them seems to be installing or working for me as i still face the prob with installation of the same app.
kindly help.

SinisterGrey said:
Hey guys,
I recently rooted my s3 mini to JB 4.1.2 by faria and i was wondering why i cant install any more apps as my ram is used up by all my apps. is there a way to clear/wipe all this data and start from scratch installations or any way i can move this huge game files in android/obb to another location in my sdcard to save space for app installations on my phone memory.
also, i have tried directory bind,app2sd, lind2sd and gl to sd(root) none of them seems to be installing or working for me as i still face the prob with installation of the same app.
kindly help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Had this issue before. Try to reflash and reboot the phone.
Sent from my GT-I8190 using xda app-developers app

bOkz said:
Had this issue before. Try to reflash and reboot the phone.
Sent from my GT-I8190 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried that, didnt work thanks for your quick reply tho. its been happening even before the 4.1.2 update. even when i had the 4.1.1 XXJL by avicohh rooted. any other suggestions?

Go into recovery maybe, and wipe cache from there, either that or factory reset your phone
Sent from my GT-I8190 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2

Drop this script into /data, chmod it to 777, and run it through SManager (thank everybody in this thread, not me).
Sent from Spaceball One.

blackknightavalon said:
Drop this script into /data, chmod it to 777, and run it through SManager (thank everybody in this thread, not me).
Sent from Spaceball One.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Everything from ur last post was tried except for the downloading of the busy box. it wont even allow me to download it. it says insufficient storage. i cant proceed from there. i got the rest of it. i ran a chmod to 777 and instlled smanager . any help ?

Had the same error.
Simply wipe dalvik-cache and everything will work fine.
Cheers.

I used titanium backup and wiped dalvik cache. Still no use. Same error. Is there any way I can install busy box in linux.
Sent from my GT-I8190 using xda app-developers app

Remove a LOT of your apps. That should fix the storage problem until you get the script into /data.

you could
SinisterGrey said:
I used titanium backup and wiped dalvik cache. Still no use. Same error. Is there any way I can install busy box in linux.
Sent from my GT-I8190 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try changing default install location. possible with normal device options, dont remember where. or else use app2sd to change it.
although i have the same error, when trying to install anything on extsdcard (with enough room on it), with faria rom v5.1.
with leatherface v2 i didnt have the problem if i remember correct.
update:
i still have the problem too.
wiped dalvik, factory reset multiple times, cleaned odin files, although faria rom is also using odex?
phone works fine, but i only have 4,5gb max internal (fused internal and sdcard).
and i cant install anything to external. i selected the options *install to: autoselect by android, internal, or external.
i tried it with more then one app, like rom toolbox pro.
i also noticed that chaning it it one app, correctly alters it in another.
i asked this in q&a, and i read what i can searching the whole forum. still i wuold really like to know:
-is 4,5 gb max combined/fused is normal for s3 mini +faria rom)?
-is it normal to have .obb partition completely empty, even having installed multipple apps?
its 402mb, totally free.
And i have other partitions also 402 mb, totally free.
-/cache partitions remains at 14mb, whatever happends, even after changing usage of cache heavier and lighter.
-cant install anything on extsdcard.
-/mnt/sdcard shows in that directory, with root explorer, as linked to sdcard0.
same in root:/sdcard (not sdcard0!) linked to -> sdcard0
but it has no apps in it. and only some folders.
?i dont know if i am correct in assuming that "->" symbol in root explorer means: linked to.

pushquares said:
try changing default install location. possible with normal device options, dont remember where. or else use app2sd to change it.
although i have the same error, when trying to install anything on extsdcard (with enough room on it), with faria rom v5.1.
with leatherface v2 i didnt have the problem if i remember correct.
update:
i still have the problem too.
wiped dalvik, factory reset multiple times, cleaned odin files, although faria rom is also using odex?
phone works fine, but i only have 4,5gb max internal (fused internal and sdcard).
and i cant install anything to external. i selected the options *install to: autoselect by android, internal, or external.
i tried it with more then one app, like rom toolbox pro.
i also noticed that chaning it it one app, correctly alters it in another.
i asked this in q&a, and i read what i can searching the whole forum. still i wuold really like to know:
-is 4,5 gb max combined/fused is normal for s3 mini +faria rom)?
-is it normal to have .obb partition completely empty, even having installed multipple apps?
its 402mb, totally free.
And i have other partitions also 402 mb, totally free.
-/cache partitions remains at 14mb, whatever happends, even after changing usage of cache heavier and lighter.
-cant install anything on extsdcard.
-/mnt/sdcard shows in that directory, with root explorer, as linked to sdcard0.
same in root:/sdcard (not sdcard0!) linked to -> sdcard0
but it has no apps in it. and only some folders.
?i dont know if i am correct in assuming that "->" symbol in root explorer means: linked to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did u used linked to sd?if yes you have to select default instal location to automatic...that solved my problem...the setting in link 2 sd....before this i select install to ext sd card and every time theres error insufficient memory...

thx for yuor reply
nazri5363 said:
did u used linked to sd?if yes you have to select default instal location to automatic...that solved my problem...the setting in link 2 sd....before this i select install to ext sd card and every time theres error insufficient memory...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thx for yuor reply.
no that is not what i mean exactly.
i do use link2sd now, to use my extsd 2nd partition. but it gives an error: installl_failed_insufficent storage.
even when i put it on auto.
when pressing create link, i get: i/o error.
what do you have selected to auto move to 2nd partition?
my primary question, has to do with the fused internal+sdcard phone memory (so not extsdcard), of faria firmware.
Phone sees the fused internal as,... internal memory.
and the phone sees my extsdcard as external sdcard.
i presumed the reason for this is to be able to install apps on ext sd too, by default. (so without link2sd or others).
because the problem as i see it is:
now i have less phone storage.
i still cannot install to external sd card.
i would really like to know
- what should be the benefits of this fused memory? why did faria do this?
- beacause now i have less or same memory, and no benefits.
-what i have to change in system mount, or fuse, to get back original non-fused.
- And/Or, how i can enable extsdcard to install to it too.
thanks

Have you tried with an ext4 partition on your external sd, for link2sd? I've read somewhere that it worked.
Otherwise Directorybind do work. I've binded the whole Android folder without any problems at all :good:

hey
SinisterGrey said:
Hey guys,
I recently rooted my s3 mini to JB 4.1.2 by faria and i was wondering why i cant install any more apps as my ram is used up by all my apps. is there a way to clear/wipe all this data and start from scratch installations or any way i can move this huge game files in android/obb to another location in my sdcard to save space for app installations on my phone memory.
also, i have tried directory bind,app2sd, lind2sd and gl to sd(root) none of them seems to be installing or working for me as i still face the prob with installation of the same app.
kindly help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi,
actually i do also had a the same problem with my cell phone as of yours... so i just wanna know if we had comeout with those problem.... please suggest me a solution too if you had solved those problem.
please do help...

found a solution (maybe?)
I personally had the same problem right after flashing a new rom on my i9100. I read through the script amd it was quite literally just unmounting and mounting the sd card again. I wasn't sure how it could possibly be a simple matter of mounting the sd card but it worked so I'm okay with that.
If you're on 4.1.2 then you can probably manually unmount and mount the sd card by going into system settings, storage and scroll down to sd card for unmount. It'll take a short while to unmount and another to mount again and check for errors. Not sure if you have to do this will ever boot but it beats not ever installing anything, right?

SinisterGrey said:
Hey guys,
I recently rooted my s3 mini to JB 4.1.2 by faria and i was wondering why i cant install any more apps as my ram is used up by all my apps. is there a way to clear/wipe all this data and start from scratch installations or any way i can move this huge game files in android/obb to another location in my sdcard to save space for app installations on my phone memory.
also, i have tried directory bind,app2sd, lind2sd and gl to sd(root) none of them seems to be installing or working for me as i still face the prob with installation of the same app.
kindly help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if u used lucky patcher remove previous patches and stuff like that

[Q] HTC One's internal storage question

Excuse me if the question is dumb. My last droid was the Evo. Trying to pick everything up again.
I know when you lock/unlock the bootloader, the phone will be wiped, but will it wipe when you flash a 3rd party rom?
Does it always get wiped? I know bootloader and RUU will clean it, but what about flashing roms?
Can the internal storage be treated as an SD card so my contents dont get wiped?
also, is this what i read about the virtual SD that started in honeycomb? is that located in /media?

It's /data/media or /data/media/0 on 4.2.2 and the recoveries understand it, so it doesn't have to be wiped.
Always take a backup though.

BenPope said:
It's /data/media or /data/media/0 on 4.2.2 and the recoveries understand it, so it doesn't have to be wiped.
Always take a backup though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So anything prior to 4.2.2 will still wipe the phone?

leeh41 said:
So anything prior to 4.2.2 will still wipe the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, flashing ROMs doesn't wipe your internal storage, and neither your apps.
(on any base 4.1.2 / 4.2.2)

MacHackz said:
Hi, flashing ROMs doesn't wipe your internal storage, and neither your apps.
(on any base 4.1.2 / 4.2.2)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks.
should i be seeing an /sdcard in my file structure?
I've seen it mentioned in other posts, but it doesnt appear when i'm browsing the phone.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=42740368&postcount=597

leeh41 said:
thanks.
should i be seeing an /sdcard in my file structure?
I've seen it mentioned in other posts, but it doesnt appear when i'm browsing the phone.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=42740368&postcount=597
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, your sdcard is /data/media/

sdcard "01" folder in internal storage

Today, I have experienced a very "odd" problem. I have just found out that there is a folder called "storage" visible in my Internal Storage.
When I thought that, since it was visible, it did not contain much useful files (Only 2 xml files I found which would be in both internal and external storage) so I deleted that folder and everything in my SD Card and Internal Storage vanished.
I found out that the "storage" folder had a link to both storage devices but the weird thing is, why was that there and why is it visible? I could of sworn that I have never seen that before on my Xperia Z...
Can anyone else see their "storage" folder in the internal storage or is it just me?

ZeroInfinity said:
Today, I have experienced a very "odd" problem. I have just found out that there is a folder called "storage" visible in my Internal Storage.
When I thought that, since it was visible, it did not contain much useful files (Only 2 xml files I found which would be in both internal and external storage) so I deleted that folder and everything in my SD Card and Internal Storage vanished.
I found out that the "storage" folder had a link to both storage devices but the weird thing is, why was that there and why is it visible? I could of sworn that I have never seen that before on my Xperia Z...
Can anyone else see their "storage" folder in the internal storage or is it just me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi.
At root, i have sdcard and sdcard1 and storage. Inside storage folder i have sdcard0 and sdcard1. I have seen this before for long time ago.

CiscoX said:
Hi.
At root, i have sdcard and sdcard1 and storage. Inside storage folder i have sdcard0 and sdcard1. I have seen this before for long time ago.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but this is totally different from what I have experienced.
From Windows, Internal Storage would have a folder called "storage" with another folder called "01" inside the storage folder. So "Internal Storage/storage/01/" if it was read on a Windows PC. inside the storage folder, there is just 1 folder called "01", nothing else. inside "01" folder, there are ONLY 2 .xml files which are the same as the 2 .xml files you would have by default in the root of your Internal and External Storage.
In short- Internel Storage has a folder called storage, inside storage has a folder called 01, inside 01 there are only 2 .xml files. The strange thing is, if it were linked to Internal/External Storage, why only 2 .xml files are visible in the 01 folder?
EDIT: When I tried to delete the storage folder (At the time I did not know that it was linked) Windows loading bar for deleting files did not move so I had to cancel it. Once cancelled, everything in my external/internal storage was wiped off. Thankfully, I recovered most of my lost pictures with Recuva

Not sure but I think this folder came somehow from the recovery maybe a bug.
I hope you didn't lost important things.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using xda premium

ZeroInfinity said:
but this is totally different from what I have experienced.
From Windows, Internal Storage would have a folder called "storage" with another folder called "01" inside the storage folder. So "Internal Storage/storage/01/" if it was read on a Windows PC. inside the storage folder, there is just 1 folder called "01", nothing else. inside "01" folder, there are ONLY 2 .xml files which are the same as the 2 .xml files you would have by default in the root of your Internal and External Storage.
In short- Internel Storage has a folder called storage, inside storage has a folder called 01, inside 01 there are only 2 .xml files. The strange thing is, if it were linked to Internal/External Storage, why only 2 .xml files are visible in the 01 folder?
EDIT: When I tried to delete the storage folder (At the time I did not know that it was linked) Windows loading bar for deleting files did not move so I had to cancel it. Once cancelled, everything in my external/internal storage was wiped off. Thankfully, I recovered most of my lost pictures with Recuva
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this is very strange. I remember when i did see this after i bought my phone i was thinking this must be an bug. Another thing, in root i also have a folder named: ext_card and it is the same as sdcard1 here. Sdcard1 is my microSD card i have, but why so many folder linked to the same folders.
At root i go to storage, inside i have folders: emulated, removable, sdcard0, sdcard1 usbdisk.
Inside emulated i have 0 and legacy. etc etc
All of them are linked and goes to the same internal card and external card,

gm007 said:
Not sure but I think this folder came somehow from the recovery maybe a bug.
I hope you didn't lost important things.
Sent from my GT-I9500 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it really is a bug, we need to know what did actually cause this to happen.
And yeah, Recuva was really useful for me
CiscoX said:
Yes, this is very strange. I remember when i did see this after i bought my phone i was thinking this must be an bug. Another thing, in root i also have a folder named: ext_card and it is the same as sdcard1 here. Sdcard1 is my microSD card i have, but why so many folder linked to the same folders.
At root i go to storage, inside i have folders: emulated, removable, sdcard0, sdcard1 usbdisk.
Inside emulated i have 0 and legacy. etc etc
All of them are linked and goes to the same internal card and external card,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Too many linked folders make it confusing, why would there be a linked folder visible in the Internal Storage though? this is what is really confusing me right now.
Need more reports if any one else has found this mysterious "storage" folder in their Internal Storage...

im not sure but if everyone with this folder are running 4.2.2 it is for the multiuser or multitasking feature of jellybean 4.2.2

skinsfanbdh said:
im not sure but if everyone with this folder are running 4.2.2 it is for the multiuser or multitasking feature of jellybean 4.2.2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange, this is the first time I have ever seen this. I only saw this folder today and I have been on custom roms based on stock xperia firmware android 4.2.2 for ages now... Why would it appear just today? I don't think multitasking will cause this to happen since it doesn't create any folders/files related to it (afaik).

I've had something like this happen where in emulated/0 (my main internal SD storage) there was another 0 folder that freaked out recoveries and such. I had the similar "can't delete from windows" thing, but using a in-recovery file manager I just deleted it, problem solved. tl;dr if you want to delete it and its causing problems delete it from recovery.
Sent from rooted carbon note 2, with the xda app.

shbaldw said:
I've had something like this happen where in emulated/0 (my main internal SD storage) there was another 0 folder that freaked out recoveries and such. I had the similar "can't delete from windows" thing, but using a in-recovery file manager I just deleted it, problem solved. tl;dr if you want to delete it and its causing problems delete it from recovery.
Sent from rooted carbon note 2, with the xda app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exactly what im talking about. lots of threads in the htc one forum about it and being this device was released with 4.1.2(like the htc one) and has recently been updated to 4.2.2(like the htc one) maybe its the same thing, not saying it is because i dont know. just sounds like the same thing

shbaldw said:
I've had something like this happen where in emulated/0 (my main internal SD storage) there was another 0 folder that freaked out recoveries and such. I had the similar "can't delete from windows" thing, but using a in-recovery file manager I just deleted it, problem solved. tl;dr if you want to delete it and its causing problems delete it from recovery.
Sent from rooted carbon note 2, with the xda app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows did not make any progress in deleting it, it was stuck on the Preparing to delete... window. Once I cancelled it because it took too long, everything from sd card/ internal storage was gone. All because of that storage folder inside my Internal Storage...
I know about the emulated/0 issue (From previous HTC One X Android 4.2.2 AOSP roms) but this seems to be completely different from it.

skinsfanbdh;44594029...and being this device was released with 4.1.2(like the htc one) and has recently been updated to 4.2.2(like the htc one)...[/QUOTE said:
hmm, I updated my phone from 4.1.2 to 4.2.2 prior to seeing this. This might be the cause. Anyone else have this happen?
Sent from rooted carbon note 2, with the xda app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

shbaldw said:
hmm, I updated my phone from 4.1.2 to 4.2.2 prior to seeing this. This might be the cause. Anyone else have this happen?
Sent from rooted carbon note 2, with the xda app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think it has anything to do with an upgraded android version. Like I said before, I have been on Android 4.2.2 a long time now (Upgraded when the firmware first came out) and I have never seen this folder before. I have just seen it yesterday. Another strange thing is that after I attempted to delete the storage folder, Everything was gone INCLUDING that storage folder. I haven't seen the storage folder after that happened. I'm going to go flash another rom and full wipe to see if the storage folder pops up again.
EDIT: Right, no there is no more storage folder in Internal Storage after a full wipe and formatted everything! Very strange indeed...

Wierd storage folder symlink inside internal storage!
ZeroInfinity said:
I don't think it has anything to do with an upgraded android version. Like I said before, I have been on Android 4.2.2 a long time now (Upgraded when the firmware first came out) and I have never seen this folder before. I have just seen it yesterday. Another strange thing is that after I attempted to delete the storage folder, Everything was gone INCLUDING that storage folder. I haven't seen the storage folder after that happened. I'm going to go flash another rom and full wipe to see if the storage folder pops up again.
EDIT: Right, no there is no more storage folder in Internal Storage after a full wipe and formatted everything! Very strange indeed...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know this is a very old thread but I face the same issue in Android 5.1.1 now and I too deleted the folder named storage only to see that all the data from the sd card has vanished because of that. Any idea what caused this buggy symlink to be created?
All my data is now gone because I just deleted one folder inside my sdcard, and I didn't even think to backup anything since I didn't even dream that deleting a single folder will delete the parent folder! Again recuva was my friend but still I am not able to recover everything in internal storage, any suggestions on what to use to scan the internal storage?

anantharam said:
I know this is a very old thread but I face the same issue in Android 5.1.1 now and I too deleted the folder named storage only to see that all the data from the sd card has vanished because of that. Any idea what caused this buggy symlink to be created?
All my data is now gone because I just deleted one folder inside my sdcard, and I didn't even think to backup anything since I didn't even dream that deleting a single folder will delete the parent folder! Again recuva was my friend but still I am not able to recover everything in internal storage, any suggestions on what to use to scan the internal storage?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you upgrade to newer firmware using a zip? That's a common bug when upgrading via zip.
The only proper way is to backup ur entire internal storage and flash a full ftf. Then you will not have the annoying symlink.

langeveld024 said:
Did you upgrade to newer firmware using a zip? That's a common bug when upgrading via zip.
The only proper way is to backup ur entire internal storage and flash a full ftf. Then you will not have the annoying symlink.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did do a factory reset before flashing a new firmware. Not sure what else I should do..
And as for the internal storage recovery, I followed these different guides but raw file using vhdtool and recuva did not give me any single file that was last present in my internal memory and even extundelete didn't return any single file that was in the internal storage, some of these tools return hundreds of text files and images that I had no idea was in my internal storage but none of them return me any of the hundreds of images and videos that I was sure were in my internal storage.

anantharam said:
I did do a factory reset before flashing a new firmware. Not sure what else I should do..
And as for the internal storage recovery, I followed these different guides but raw file using vhdtool and recuva did not give me any single file that was last present in my internal memory and even extundelete didn't return any single file that was in the internal storage, some of these tools return hundreds of text files and images that I had no idea was in my internal storage but none of them return me any of the hundreds of images and videos that I was sure were in my internal storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but if you factory reset on 4.4.2 (for example) and then flash 5.0.2 fw via zip in recovery, you will get the annoying folder symlink.
The only way to upgrade to lollipop is by flashing a full ftf (which will wipe internal sd) after that you won't have the annoying symlink.
But you flashed zip instead of ftf and discovered the folder symlink which seemed not harmful to delete so you deleted it. Right?
Then there's no chance in getting the data (photos etc) back.
I was the same situation as you, twice, I tried every possibility to recover my photos but it ended up with nothing. Everything was gone.
On a mechanical harddrive, when you wiped data, the data will only be gone when the wiped sectors are overwritten (e.g. format harddrive, which overwrite with empty buffer).
As long as the wiped data in those sectors are not overwritten, you'll be able to recover almost all - if not all - data you deleted.
On flash memory instead, (such as ssd drives and internal storage of our phone) deleted data is immediately deleted.
(that's also one of the reasons on Android, you never have to defragment the internal sd, same story for an ssd)
I'm sorry for u to say but I'm afraid you're unfortunately lost the photos and there's no way to get it back.
But my advice to you is:
Never upgrade between android versions (e.g. 4.4 > 5.0) using a zip installable.
Only use full factory images (ftf), they will wipe internal sd in order to get correct mappings so backup everything before flashing.
Once u on a firmware, an update to the same firmware is allowed (e.g. from one 5.0.2 rom to another 5.0.2 rom).
I hope it helps u in the future.
Regards

langeveld024 said:
Yes but if you factory reset on 4.4.2 (for example) and then flash 5.0.2 fw via zip in recovery, you will get the annoying folder symlink.
The only way to upgrade to lollipop is by flashing a full ftf (which will wipe internal sd) after that you won't have the annoying symlink.
But you flashed zip instead of ftf and discovered the folder symlink which seemed not harmful to delete so you deleted it. Right?
Then there's no chance in getting the data (photos etc) back.
I was the same situation as you, twice, I tried every possibility to recover my photos but it ended up with nothing. Everything was gone.
On a mechanical harddrive, when you wiped data, the data will only be gone when the wiped sectors are overwritten (e.g. format harddrive, which overwrite with empty buffer).
As long as the wiped data in those sectors are not overwritten, you'll be able to recover almost all - if not all - data you deleted.
On flash memory instead, (such as ssd drives and internal storage of our phone) deleted data is immediately deleted.
(that's also one of the reasons on Android, you never have to defragment the internal sd, same story for an ssd)
I'm sorry for u to say but I'm afraid you're unfortunately lost the photos and there's no way to get it back.
But my advice to you is:
Never upgrade between android versions (e.g. 4.4 > 5.0) using a zip installable.
Only use full factory images (ftf), they will wipe internal sd in order to get correct mappings so backup everything before flashing.
Once u on a firmware, an update to the same firmware is allowed (e.g. from one 5.0.2 rom to another 5.0.2 rom).
I hope it helps u in the future.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for the detailed explanation, after wasting two whole days trying everything described anywhere in the internet for recovering data from internal storage, I have also learnt it the hard way that it won't be possible to recover my data. Anyways the good news is google photos had backed up most of my photos, so it would actually be the call recordings, whatsapp history and other documents that I would have to loose permanently.
langeveld024 said:
Never upgrade between android versions (e.g. 4.4 > 5.0) using a zip installable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As for the upgrade issue, is this only for lollipop or any android version? I have never seen anything similar when I upgraded from 4.0 to 4.1 or 4.2 to 4.4 e.t.c. If I shouldn't use zip installable to upgrade android versions how else do I upgrade to kitkat or lollipop? I don't think there are any factory images published for lollipop for my phone since support for it ended long time ago.

ZeroInfinity said:
Today, I have experienced a very "odd" problem. I have just found out that there is a folder called "storage" visible in my Internal Storage.
When I thought that, since it was visible, it did not contain much useful files (Only 2 xml files I found which would be in both internal and external storage) so I deleted that folder and everything in my SD Card and Internal Storage vanished.
I found out that the "storage" folder had a link to both storage devices but the weird thing is, why was that there and why is it visible? I could of sworn that I have never seen that before on my Xperia Z...
Can anyone else see their "storage" folder in the internal storage or is it just me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Am again reviving this old thread as today I deleted a folder named sdcard inside my oneplus 3's internal storage and lost everyrhing. Though I had never upgraded my phone using any zip file and always went with the OTA update
I also made a thread https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3/help/strange-t3537998

[Q] Undeletable files and invincible CWM backups

Hello friends of XDA,
First, Merry Christmas to all of you!
I have problems with my internal sd card and with cwm after updating from Insertcoin 4.4.2 Sense to 5.0.1 GPE from Santod. Files which I've used for the update can not be deleted. I can delete them with a file manager or with my laptop but they keep coming back. Files not bigger than 0 kb.
Also, i can't find backups made with cwm. They are however stored, as I can see that after backupping my sd card is smaller at free space. I can make them, and I can restore them, but I can't find them. I looked everywhere.
Any clues?
Thanks in advance
L

LarsAussems said:
Hello friends of XDA,
First, Merry Christmas to all of you!
I have problems with my internal sd card and with cwm after updating from Insertcoin 4.4.2 Sense to 5.0.1 GPE from Santod. Files which I've used for the update can not be deleted. I can delete them with a file manager or with my laptop but they keep coming back. Files not bigger than 0 kb.
Also, i can't find backups made with cwm. They are however stored, as I can see that after backupping my sd card is smaller at free space. I can make them, and I can restore them, but I can't find them. I looked everywhere.
Any clues?
Thanks in advance
L
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Known issue
FAQ
Google Play Edition 5.0.1
SdCard
Q.)
The sdcard not being visible via PC is annoying.
Is there any fix for this yet?
A.)
Yes, here is a work-around
Install Terminal Emulator then type:
Code:
su
restorecon -FR /data/media/0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I already tried that. Unfortunately it does not do the trick. No visible backups, only in CWM itself. Also still the same files that can't be deleted.

LarsAussems said:
I already tried that. Unfortunately it does not do the trick. No visible backups, only in CWM itself. Also still the same files that can't be deleted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had similar issue twice first time I had to flash RUU, and second time only factory reset from bootloader fixed it.