HTC

[ladlee]

When I ordered my HTC Wildfire S in September 2011 I was sold it with an advertised 512MB of internal memory, which was quoted, on the website, as being for apps and other personal things.

In reality this phone has 150MB internal memory and the majority of this is pre-installed apps that I have no intention of ever using, e.g.. qype, Youtube etc & these can't be moved to the memory card.

As they take up so much of the 150MB, I am unable to install any updates for actual useful apps. I'm constantly getting the 'warning - low internal memory' message. Therefore not only is this phone not as advertised, it is not fit to use how it should be.

I have emailed vodafone and complained about this issue, but was fobbed off & told that as I never noticed this in the first 7 days of receiving the phone, nothing can be done. I'd understand if I was complaining because I disliked the phone color, but that's not the case, THIS PHONE IS NOT FIT TO USE NOR COMES AS ADVERTISED.

I phoned 191 and spoke to several people. I was told to reset the phone and magically my phone will transform to having 512MB of internal memory. WHAT A NUMPTY. A simple Google search tells you this model of phone has been produced with way too little internal memory.

I spoke to the online chat, a lovely guy called Terry told me I should have researched into the phone more and it doesn't matter what vodafone advertise as they don't manufacture phones, and are just a carrier, therefore nothing would happen. GOD's HONEST TRUTH. 

Therefore I am incredibly unhappy and feel that this forum is the only place I can attract some attention and receive some useful information (or just anything). I've searched the forums and found lots of other people have this same problem. As a result of such a poor quality phone, I am now not just unhappy with the HTC phone, but with Vodafone call centre staff, online help chat staff and the email people.

Comments; Vodafone and fellow unfortunate HTC Wildfire S owners?

[thesoupdragon]

Hi ladlee

You seem to be having lots of problems with your phone, perhaps we can find some workarounds for you! 

The Wildfire S has 512Mb of internal Storage with 418Mb that should be available to Users.

Specifications HERE

If you have a External Micro SDcard you can actually install Apps to that! Also Music and Pictures can then be added to the EX' SDcard. This will release the clogged internal System/User storage.

An App called App 2 SD HERE in conjunction with the Ex'SDcard could resolve your "Low internal Memory" problem. 

It's worth bearing in mind that some Apps download and install additional content after install. This may/may not be some of the problem...?

I am sorry you have been given little effective help, but now you have joined US, hopefully we can resolve your issues and get you to the point where you enjoy your Phone and Android...

Hope this helped, (if just a little)

[James]

Hi ladlee,

I’m sorry to see that you’ve not had the best experience so far however the information provided by thesoupdragon is spot on here.

Basically with any phone there is a standard memory size given by the manufacturer before the operating system and other applications are installed however, by using an SD card it will expand the memory of your phone.

If you would like any further assistance with your query please let me know.

James

[EddyOS]

It's the same with all of HTCs older handsets and is the biggest gripe users have with the unit. Vodafone haven't missold anything as they are just quoting HTCs specs - so blame HTC if anyone!!

[ladlee]

I have a memory card. The pre installed apps can not be moved.

The phone only has 150MB of internal storage. If it really does have 512 o 400+ as the soupdragon put, where is it?

& still, because of this low internal memory, I'm stuck with a phone that I can't use the potential it has (by installing basic updates because they take up too much memory.

I'm very unhappy... & what are Vodafone going to do about it... basically tell me to just out up with it.

[EddyOS]

The 512MB is total internal memory, the first bit is taken up by the ROM itself and the cache needed to run Android. What's left is what you have to additional apps

The original Desire had 512MB but only 110MB free - this is why all new phones have at least 1GB internal memory

[thesoupdragon]

Hi ladlee

I understand that you are very aggrieved at the moment, and if you like we can try and trouble shoot why your phone has such little available storage. 

Apps like YouTube are supplied by Google as part of the Android System and therefore unable to remove.

Probably the best course of action would be to start from a clean slate!

I would therefore suggest a Factory Data Reset.

Backup all your Stuff.

Menu > Settings > Privacy > Factory Data Reset

Once reset, check to see what storage is available to you.

Then start re-loading your Apps. Check after each App to see how much space is left.

Most Apps you install yourself can be moved to external SDcard.

I would suggest all Music, Pictures and Video is also stored on external SD.

After trying this let us know what the condition of your storage is?

Cheers TSD

[ladlee]

OK, Now I understand that bit. Shame I wasn't told this earlier, instead of the garbage I was told over the phone.

Regardless though, the insufficient memory left, which is less than 150MB, means I can not install updates to the pre-installed apps, such as Maps, Gmail & Marketplace.

Is there a way to get round this problem?

If not am I just stuck with a phone that can't function to its potential.

[thesoupdragon]

You may need to clear the Android Market Cache. (Google Play, as it is now!)

Goto...

Menu > Settings > Applications > All > Market / or Google Play Store

Tap on Clear Cache.

Tap on Clear Data.

Exit back to your Home Screen.

Now Tap on Android Market / Google Play.

You will have to accept the T's & C's again.

Now try to download an App.

[ladlee]

I'm still no further forward. What can be moved onto the SD card is moved onto it.  

Still, 150MB is NOT ENOUGH space for all the pre-installed apps as well as all of their updates and the data used by them.

Therefore this Wildfire S is simply not usable in the way it is meant to.

Where do I go next to complain about this?

I'm a very unhappy vodafone customer and am sick of just getting told to do things which are not working.

[EddyOS]

There is a degree of you not wanting to TRY to get things working. There are solutions but bar them you have no choice but to complain higher up the chain to get a response. For this, Google is your friend...

[ladlee]

Well what is there for me to do?

I've installed app 2 SD. All that did was tell me I'd already moved everything that could be moved, to the SD card, already.

I've deleted stuff...

Still, 150MB is not enough space for all the pre-installed apps, their updates and data storage.

I'm open to any solutions if anyone has one...

[thesoupdragon]

@ladlee

I am sorry you feel that way!

I am confident we could resolve your issue, however you seem set on a different path.

As EddyOS mentioned, a few minutes on Google will point you in the right direction.

Good luck with your chosen route.

Regards

TSD

[ladlee]

You're confident you can resolve my issue?

HOW!!??

I've downloaded things you said. I've removed things. Reset things after clearing cache. bottom line is 150MB is not enough internal storage capacity for this phone to operate.

I bet you don't own this phone and have not experienced this.

[thesoupdragon]

@ladlee

I appreciate your frustration, but remember I am trying to help!

The reason I asked you to Factory reset is to Wipe all excess from the Phone. Then we can see how much Storage is available from new.

From that point we can best determin where to allocate Apps, files, music, photo's etc.

You should have 418Mb of usable Storage from new. An average App is approx 10Mb, so you can easily install 40 Apps!

When an App updates it removes the original App and replaces it with a whole new version, so no extra space should be required.

You stated that you have an External SDcard (size not known) so we can also utilise that for Apps and other media.

[ladlee]

When I click on settings, apps, storage use... along the bottom of the screen it tells me how much internal memory is used and how much is free. These numbers add up to 150MB.

Not 418MB.

the phone is reset. I have not downloaded any apps.   The total internal storage is still 150MB. I have about 30MB free. Once I have download the updates that become available, browse a few web pages and use Facebook that 30MB will reduce. Once it hits 15MB I can't install anything and will get the 'warning - Low Internal Memory; message'

Then I will have to clear my browsing history & retype all my passwords, Reset facebook. Uninstall updates - Just so I can use this phone normally.

If you can change that number from 150MB to 418 I will be eternally grateful.

Oh,,, and these apps which are pre-installed can not be moved on to the SD card. It';s a 2 Gig one, but that doesn't matter.

[thesoupdragon]

Ok now I'm starting to see your confusion. 

Let me try to explain how the Android system is devided up.

Your Phones internal Storage is devided up into 7 partitions, they are;

• /boot
• /system....................Un-removeable Apps installed here
• /recovery
• /data........................Android Market Apps installed here
• /cache
• /misc

In addition, there are the SD card partitions.

• /sdcard..........Phones internal Storage - Your stuff goes Here

• /sd-ext...........Micro SDcard (Your Own)

The Storage you are looking at is the /data partition. Your phone has been allocated 150Mb for this single partition.

The other partitions in the first block...

/boot

/system

/recovery

/cache

/misc

Use up approx 94Mb of Space.

Your phone has 512Mb total.

512 - 94 = 418Mb - 150 = 268Mb of Storage available

The 268Mb remaining can be found on the /sdcard partition. This is the remaining memory built into your phone.

This is where "App 2 SDcard" would move your Apps to.

So where possible you could move all Apps you install from Android Market to /sdcard and only leave those Apps that cannot be moved in /data.

Also all other content such as Photo's, Music, Video etc. should be stored on the External Micro SDcard (/sd-ext).

Also don't store Contacts on your phone instead synchronise them with Google Contacts (email). That way you will never lose a contact again and also not take up valuable space.

So with careful file organisation you can actually do a lot more with your Phone!

I hope you have found this useful, and can now better understand how your content is allocated within your phones system.

[ladlee]

yay! we're finally on the same wavelength...

however... what I'm finding on my phone is not consistant with what you're saying.

"The Storage you are looking at is the /data partition. Your phone has been allocated 150Mb for this single partition." I agree with & understand...

• /system....................Un-removeable Apps installed here
• /data........................Android Market Apps installed here

this is not as it appears. The 'Un-removeable apps' are stored in the 150MB allocation AKA the /data partition.

as I have just reset my phone, downloaded & installed the updates (for the preinstalled un-removable apps), I am getting the 'low internal memory' warning message again.

An example of this is that the factory version of youtube is 576kb & once the update is ran it is 3.84MB & this is an appp which can't be moved to the SD card.

Same with Gmail, an app which can't be moved tot he SD card, but once updated, takes up more memory.

Found along the bottom of the scree.... menu > settigns > applications > Storage use.

And can I just say thankyou for your quick and consistant help. You're much more use that all the technicians I spoke to on the phone who just told me I had to update the software and my phone would have 512MB of storage for me to use. No jokes. as well as being told that I bought the phone so live with it.

[thesoupdragon]

Hi ladlee

This is great that we are actually starting to not nessesarily solve your problem but may infact help prove your case to Vodafone.

Using the technical information I have provided I feel that you do indeed have grounds to complain about the functionality of this device.

I thank you for your patience during this process, but together we have built factual evidence of the lack of usability of your phone.

This information will be much more useful than just saying it's no good!

If it were me, I would collate all the info that we have gathered together and produce a factual formal letter of complaint that clearly lays out all the processes that you have gone through together with the Android System evidence.

The Tech team may be able then to carry this forward for you! Failing that you will have a good case to put forward further up the line.

Hopefully armed with the informaton that you now have Vodafone will be able to offer you an acceptable resolution.

Once again thank you for following me down this trouble shooting path, and I hope you agree that the results will be useful to you.

Hope it works out for you!

[ladlee]

James, can you read the last few posts on this thread please. Especially the most recent post by thesoupdragon on 10-03-2012 11:31 AM. You'll see that I've done everything possible on this phone & it isn't usable.