Make more internal storage available

Question

I'm running a SlimKat ROM on Sony Xperia Z Ultra. Officially the device has 16GB storage installed, but only 11.79GB are available to the user. I know that all the rest is reserved for the OS needs. May be the official Sony ROM really needs 3.5GB of space to function properly, but since SlimKat is a very compact ROM, I'm sure it doesn't need so much storage (am I right?).

So is there any way to make more storage available for the user needs and less for the OS? May be there are some ways to repartition the device memory.

When I tried to google the question, I learned that there are some tricks to make the device treat the external SD card as internal storage, but that's not what I'm looking for now :)

Answer 1

Yes. It is possible to have more space allocated for personal use.

First, I would suggest that your download Terminal Emulator and run the command df in it to get the memory allocated for each partition (ie /system, /data etc).

The space allocated to /data partition is only space you can use. Rest is for system/firmware that you cant use. There are three ways to get out of this problem->

1) Repartition

We will reduce the amount of memory allocated to /system and give that memory to /data. Manufacturers often give /system partition a farily good amount of space for future os upgrades. But when you use custom roms, they are relatively lighter and use much less space, so we can shrink this partition. But unfortunately, there isn't any such method made yet for xperia z ultra as far as I know. So this is a rather difficult (almost impossible, considering working of sony phones, the TA partition etc).

2) Installing as "system app"

You know that /system partition has a lot of unused space. So how to use it? Install apps inside system partition! They will become system apps and you will need special app managers to uninstall them (you can use some app manager to install app and move it to /system partition. Not all apps will support doing this). Downside is that apps will still store their data in /data partition, so again, this isnt a very good option. (You can also just create a random folder inside /system partition and probably store a few things like songs inside that? Ok that might be a stupid idea, even though I do practice this on my Nexus 4, which has relatively even less memory).

3) App2SD

This leaves you with only one efficient option as this. Use some app like Link2Sd to move apps and their data to external sd card. Hence more space inside internal. Again, not all apps are supported, but most are.

Answer 2

Well u did not specify your Android OS so let's go by the default answer

1. Basically in Android Device the operating system(jelly bean, Kit Kat) occupies a lot of space for the phone to operate(drivers for Wi-Fi, HD display etc.) and remind you its pre determined and can also vary after an update.
2. Due to which the internal memory will decrease after the update takes place.
3. To increase the internal memory there's no way without downgrading the operating system of your phone as the storage space of the operating system is reduced.
4. Another way would be to move all your applications to the SD Card storage which will boost your speed as well as memory.

Answer 3

Look netimen , i particularly don't know much about Slimkat ROM but what works for other android devices is that if you have a spot for micro sd card then what you do is that you transfer every possibly movable app to your sd card. To do that go to SETTINGS>APP MANAGER. Now choose the apps you want to move and if there is an option for MOVE TO SD CARD click on it. The app had been moved. Now if you want other files also to go to sd card, head over to your FILE MANAGER and simply move the apps. This will make a lot of free space in the internal memory of your device. Hope it helped :D . Thanks is always appreciated.