Storage Stats for iPad wrong

Patrick J · Mar 10, 2012

"1.6 GB Available, 12.3 GB Used"

How is this possible?

The App storage shown below only adds up to 4.6 GB, a world apart from the 12 GB it claims I am using.

haulis · Mar 10, 2012

You have used 12.3 GB and have 1.6 GB left to use...

Patrick J · Mar 10, 2012

haulis said:
You have used 12.3 GB and have 1.6 GB left to use...

This doesn't make sense if you look at the storage usage.

JUiCEJamie · Mar 10, 2012

It's not wrong. And yes, it only adds up to 13.9Gb or whatever...
I thought the same thing with my first iOS Device..
My apps sonetimes don't add up too.

Try reading this: http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2419

Patrick J · Mar 10, 2012

JUiCEJamie said:
It's not wrong. And yes, it only adds up to 13.9Gb or whatever...
I thought the same thing with my first iOS Device..
My apps sonetimes don't add up too.

Try reading this: http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2419

Well obviously it's wrong if the list shows only 4.6 GB in use.

Intell · Mar 10, 2012

There's a lot of other stuff that iOS stores besides apps. Stuff in the camera roll, non-App Store app caches, text messages, emails, calendars, Safari data, system caches, software updates, the list goes on.

Small White Car · Mar 10, 2012

Intell said:
There's a lot of other stuff that iOS stores besides apps. Stuff in the camera roll, non-App Store app caches, text messages, emails, calendars, Safari data, system caches, software updates, the list goes on.

Yeah, and not to mention the apps themselves! That screenshot up there is showing the size of the personal data in the apps, not the actual software. So that's even more space taken up. Apps can add up to several GB on their own.

Look at iTunes, it says 'no data.' Clearly that means there are no songs on the device and doesn't mean that iTunes is magical software that takes up no space.

OP - Look at the overview screen for the device in iTunes. That will give a better picture.

Patrick J · Mar 10, 2012

Intell said:
There's a lot of other stuff that iOS stores besides apps. Stuff in the camera roll, non-App Store app caches, text messages, emails, calendars, Safari data, system caches, software updates, the list goes on.

I find it hard to believe that a 2 month old 16 GB iPad only has 6.2 GB of useable memory.

What can I do to recover the missing ~8 GB?

----------

Small White Car said:
OP - Look at the overview screen for the device in iTunes. That will give a better picture.

I would like to do this, and to sync some music, but the device was set up on its own, and with I plug into iTunes I get a screen asking me to either set up as a new iPad or restore from my iPhone backups (?).

I have 2 movies I purchased on the device and I don't want to lose these.

Can I set up as a new device without losing the movies?

Intell · Mar 10, 2012

Small White Car said:
Yeah, and not to mention the apps themselves! That screenshot up there is showing the size of the personal data in the apps, not the actual software. So that's even more space taken up. Apps can add up to several GB on their own.

Look at iTunes, it says 'no data.' Clearly that means there are no songs on the device and doesn't mean that iTunes is magical software that takes up no space.

OP - Look at the overview screen for the device in iTunes. That will give a better picture.

That screenshot is including size of the app itself. If the OP was to tap on the iBooks one, he'd see a screen stating "App Size: 52.4MB" and "Documents & Data 20MB".

Patrick J said:
I find it hard to believe that a 2 month old 16 GB iPad only has 6.2 GB of useable memory.

What can I do to recover the missing ~8 GB?

Restore it in iTunes. But it'll fill up again shortly.

Small White Car · Mar 10, 2012

Patrick J said:
I would like to do this, and to sync some music, but the device was set up on its own, and with I plug into iTunes I get a screen asking me to either set up as a new iPad or restore from my iPhone backups (?).

I have 2 movies I purchased on the device and I don't want to lose these.

Can I set up as a new device without losing the movies?

I'm not sure about this, but try this:

1) Make sure your iTunes store on the computer and the iPad are logged into the same account.

2) Plug it in and cancel that request you get. Does the iPad show up in iTunes anyway? You can't sync it, but does it just show up?

3) Try right-clicking the iPad in the iTunes sidebar and 'transferring purchases.'

4) If that works, does right-clicking and making a backup work?

5) You may have to re-format it, but see if these steps get the movie off first.

...I find my guesses unsatisfactory, though. Try them but I'm not really sure about them. Surely there's a real answer here and hopefully someone else knows it.

Patrick J · Mar 10, 2012

Small White Car said:
I'm not sure about this, but try this:

1) Make sure your iTunes store on the computer and the iPad are logged into the same account.

2) Plug it in and cancel that request you get. Does the iPad show up in iTunes anyway? You can't sync it, but does it just show up?

3) Try right-clicking the iPad in the iTunes sidebar and 'transferring purchases.'

4) If that works, does right-clicking and making a backup work?

5) You may have to re-format it, but see if these steps get the movie off first.

...I find my guesses unsatisfactory, though. Try them but I'm not really sure about them. Surely there's a real answer here and hopefully someone else knows it.

Thanks for your reply, but this didn't work.

Upon right click I can only Eject or restore from Backup.

The iPad screen reads:

"Set up your iPad
This computer has previously been synced with an iPad or another iOS device.
-Setup as new iPad
-Restore from backup of: ______"

I am wary of the Setup as new iPad button as I don't want to lose the movies I have purchased on the device.

Intell · Mar 10, 2012

If you've purchased the movies through iTunes, you can use the same Apple ID to redownload them for free.

Small White Car · Mar 10, 2012

Oh!

Just thought of this... On the computer, go to the iTunes menu "Store" and 'Check for Available Downloads.'

I think there's some way for you to download stuff you bought in multiple places. See if that does it.

EDIT: What he said

...same for apps, you can go and 'buy' them in the computer and it won't charge you. Do that before you restore so that the same apps are on the computer first.

Patrick J · Mar 10, 2012

Intell said:
If you've purchased the movies through iTunes, you can use the same Apple ID to redownload them for free.

Small White Car said:
Oh!

Just thought of this... On the computer, go to the iTunes menu "Store" and 'Check for Available Downloads.'

I think there's some way for you to download stuff you bought in multiple places. See if that does it.

This is what I thought would work:

I deleted a movie on the iPad and checked the iTunes Store on the device: it wouldn't give me the option to redownload it! I can only but it again. Under the "Purchased" tab I can only redownload Music or TV Shows. No Movies.

This seems like a silly oversight by Apple. Not being able to re-download HD movies is bad.

Intell · Mar 10, 2012

Are you using the same Apple ID on both devices? On iTunes on the computer, look for a Purchased section. It should list your movies.

Small White Car · Mar 10, 2012

You should probably call Apple.

I say this not only because they can probably give you a real answer, but ALSO because they've been known to fix problems if a mistake was made.

So either they'll tell you how to re-download it for free, or if there IS no way, they may take pitty on you and give you a credit to re-buy it on your computer.

Not promising...but it's possible.

aristobrat · Mar 10, 2012

Patrick J said:
Under the "Purchased" tab I can only redownload Music or TV Shows. No Movies.

This seems like a silly oversight by Apple. Not being able to re-download HD movies is bad.

FWIW, this may be part of the problem:

iTunes in the Cloud now supports movies, but HBO deal keeps some studios out

Patrick J · Mar 10, 2012

Intell said:
Are you using the same Apple ID on both devices? On iTunes on the computer, look for a Purchased section. It should list your movies.

The iPad was set up using a different Apple ID than the one I have on iTunes.

However, I logged out of this one and into the new one.

Under Purchased (both on iTunes on Mac and iTunes on iOS) I get Apps, Books, TV Shows and Music, but no Movies!

penguy · Mar 10, 2012

Patrick J said:
This is what I thought would work:

I deleted a movie on the iPad and checked the iTunes Store on the device: it wouldn't give me the option to redownload it! I can only but it again. Under the "Purchased" tab I can only redownload Music or TV Shows. No Movies.

This seems like a silly oversight by Apple. Not being able to re-download HD movies is bad.

That shouldn't be the case, provided you are talking about the same apple ID. Either way though, you can send a note to the iTunes help and they will fix it...I've never had a situation they haven't been able to help me with.

Patrick J · Mar 10, 2012

I have tracked down the answer to my original question.

I had rented 2 movies which were still on the device, although when I tried to open them they gave an error (obviously, I watched then over a month ago).

However, they hadn't deleted themselves so they were taking up the missing space.

Small White Car · Mar 10, 2012

Patrick J said:
I have tracked down the answer to my original question.

I had rented 2 movies which were still on the device, although when I tried to open them they gave an error (obviously, I watched then over a month ago).

However, they hadn't deleted themselves so they were taking up the missing space.

Ah, yes. Rentals vs. purchases would make a difference.

Patrick J · Mar 10, 2012

Small White Car said:
Ah, yes. Rentals vs. purchases would make a difference.

I know. I also have various purchased films that I can't get off the device.

I will phone Apple.

Pineapplexpress · Jan 3, 2013

I have this same problem!! PLEASE HELP!!

Intell · Jan 3, 2013

Restore it in iTunes.

phr0ze · Jan 3, 2013

This is very weird. Unless your ipad is corrupted somehow, itunes should let you explore the device, transfer purchases, etc without having to do a restore.

Storage Stats for iPad wrong

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