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Hitch08

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 21, 2008
361
20
What can cause a large "Other" file(s)?

On my iPad (first generation), I now have a 12.8 GB "Other" file. I did not notice if it was that large before upgrading to 5.0. It could have been there before, but I don't think it was.

Is there some sort of back-up being saved on my iPad?

Thanks!
 

mrleee3

macrumors newbie
Jul 27, 2008
18
0
Yellow 'Other' space too large?

Upgraded ipad 2 to iOS 5 relatively pain free but apps weren't restored and I noticed that 'other' was 1.46gb. Seemed a bit large and I think it's probably the apps that weren't restored. Similar on iPhone 4 - 'other' is taking up 20gb, approx same as apps before they were lost post upgrade.

Backed up ipad to iCloud, performed 'erase all content and settings' and restored from iCloud. 'Other' space now 346mb. Is this about right for a new ipad?

Trying to do same for iPhone but unable to back up to iCloud currently...
 

Acronym

macrumors 68000
Apr 26, 2008
1,521
3
Upgraded ipad 2 to iOS 5 relatively pain free but apps weren't restored and I noticed that 'other' was 1.46gb. Seemed a bit large and I think it's probably the apps that weren't restored. Similar on iPhone 4 - 'other' is taking up 20gb, approx same as apps before they were lost post upgrade.

Backed up ipad to iCloud, performed 'erase all content and settings' and restored from iCloud. 'Other' space now 346mb. Is this about right for a new ipad?

Trying to do same for iPhone but unable to back up to iCloud currently...

at one point my "other" was at 4.6gb o_O but it is now back to .58 not sure what was going on there.
 

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
This happened to me on my iOS 5 upgrade (3GS) too -- on first sync it said that I was something like 1.5 gigs over capacity (whereas I had something like 1.6 gigs of free space before upgrading). I canceled the sync and plugged it in again and tried again, and it sorted itself out. :confused:
 

mrleee3

macrumors newbie
Jul 27, 2008
18
0
I guess anything under 1gb is acceptable... I assume some of it is taken up by the iOS. I can't remember what it was when I first got the ipad/iphone...
 

Hitch08

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 21, 2008
361
20
Thanks Ohio. I ran a sync, but it's still there. Any suggestions?

Anyone else have this issue?
 

greytmom

macrumors 68040
Jun 23, 2010
3,566
1,002
I had this problem with my daughter's phone. I canceled the sync, unplugged, plugged back in and problem solved.
 

Steve109

macrumors newbie
Oct 13, 2011
9
0
Leicester UK
I had the same problem, I noted after upgrade that my `other` useage has risen from 0.2gb to 5.7gb.

Very strange, however I noticed that when I removed a music album the `audio` use reduced and this was mirrored in the `other` section.

I eventually removed all my music to virtualy zero in audio and got my `other` down to 0.53gb and cannot seem to get it lower. I have reinstalled/synced my music and the `other` useage remains at 0.53gb. It must have been a mirror or backup of my audio, but how and why it happended I don`t have a clue.

I`m still trying everything to reduce the `other` back down to what it was before upgrade.
 

mrleee3

macrumors newbie
Jul 27, 2008
18
0
Managed to backup iPhone to iCloud, erased, reinstalled and restored from iCloud and now 'other' space has gone from 20gb to 350mg. Hope this helps.
 

mick007

macrumors newbie
Jan 22, 2012
1
0
iCloud

Ok, So had a similar problem and this is how i fixed it.
In iTunes summary under backup, "Backup to iCloud" was ticked
I changed this to "Backup to this computer"
Then hit sync.
Hope this helps :)
 

Shakman

macrumors newbie
Mar 15, 2012
2
0
Down from 14GB to 12GB

I tried every single thing to solve the "other" memory problem on my jailbroken iphone 4s... It consumed 14GB out of my 32
Just delete the syslog file using ifile or SSH... Tried to figure out the Purpose of the syslog file, im not really sure of its function but from wut i figured it shouldnt have an important function, i deleted it and my phone is functioning perfectly
Just go to
Var/mobile/library/logs
U will find the file there, just hold ur breath and delete, this file by itself took out 12GB out of my memory
Wit u should do after is disable the syslog toggle on SBSettings
Cheers
 

TechGuy77

macrumors newbie
Jul 14, 2012
1
0
Delete Text Messages with Attachments

At one point my wife had 9.5 GB of other space on a 16 GB iPhone. After rooting her phone and looking around with DiskAid I was able to figure out that every time she sent a text message with a video (our son is 8 months) the phone would make a copy of that video and store it as an attachment to the text message.

Ultimately she was able to go from 9.5 GB to 0.4 GB "Other" space by deleting her old text messages.

Hope this helps someone.
 

tonyr6

macrumors 68000
Oct 13, 2011
1,736
732
Brooklyn NY
My other on my 64GB 4g iPod touch was 1.46GB for about 7 months then I synced it the other day and it dropped to 1.06GB. Can't explain it except I synced it on a new USB hub.
 

Shhh99

macrumors newbie
Aug 27, 2012
1
0
Thanks!

At one point my wife had 9.5 GB of other space on a 16 GB iPhone. After rooting her phone and looking around with DiskAid I was able to figure out that every time she sent a text message with a video (our son is 8 months) the phone would make a copy of that video and store it as an attachment to the text message.

Ultimately she was able to go from 9.5 GB to 0.4 GB "Other" space by deleting her old text messages.

Hope this helps someone.

Thank you so much for this advice!!!! I've been struggling with this for MONTHS! My little boy is 11 months so I'm constantly taking pics and videos and I had all this "OTHER" clogging up my phone! I simply cleared the text conversations with my parents, who I send a ton of pics and videos of their first grandbaby, and that yellow other space dropped off drastically immediately! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
 
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