topic Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299? in Z Series

Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Maxreall — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 17:33:34 GMT

My phone is xperia Z1. When my storage is full, I found that there are two big files in Card, \DCIM\.thumbnails: .thumbdata3-1763508120 (3.95G) .thumbdata3--1967290299(4.02G).
And when I delete it, the storage will not change, it didn't release any space, I still only have 600mb space. And after 1day or 2days, the two files:.thumbdata3-1763508120 and .thumbdata3--1967290299 appeared in \DCIM\.thumbnails again, even became bigger than before.

So I search lots of methods for these two files online. most of them did not work.
I bulit two empty files which have the same name with .thumbdata3-1763508120 and .thumbdata3--1967290299, and then delete the original big files in the .thumbnails folder, and repalced these two empty files with the same names into it. But after that the space also didn't change, what so funny is, after two days, the two empty files became to the original 2 big files(each one has nearly 4G) .:smileyshocked:
And don't know Why when I delete these two files, though I can't found them anymore, the space they take isn't free out. I believe that after I delete them, the two big files are sent to some system folder for backup use and protected by the system, then it will recover them again even I have replaced them with the same name 0kb files!

and one more thing is that I didn't found the folder named LOST.DIR in my card.

Is it a bug? could anyone help me with this problem??? They take me nearly 7 GB space, oh, my god, I can't even update the walkman due to low space now !!!!:smileyshocked:

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Thommo — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 17:45:35 GMT

Even if you delete the data it will just re add the thumnail data - They are the images you see is the album

You must have lots of images either in your phone or on the SD card or you have an app that likes to store images in a hidden folder

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Maxreall — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 17:58:00 GMT

i have already move out all my photos and images from my sd card.

what i think is wired is after i delete them, the space will not change. As I said before, they must sitll in my sd card but are moved into another system folder that I can not found them for backup, otherwise, how can they come back again with the original size to the folder.

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Thommo — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 18:36:55 GMT

Using your file manager check to see if hidden files and folders are visible and look for the large storage space or install a cache cleaner - I use 1Tap Cleaner but as a free app most use Clean master

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Maxreall — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 01:30:03 GMT

Where I can donwload this app? what's the name of it?

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Maxreall — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 01:42:15 GMT

And I really hope that android 5.0 could fix this bug !!!!

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Thommo — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 01:51:18 GMT

Which app?

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Maxreall — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 04:03:16 GMT

cache cleaner

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Thommo — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 10:52:43 GMT

See here

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Rickard — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 15:31:31 GMT

What app are you using to check the size of these files? It sounds strange that your thumbnail data would take up so much space and that nothing happens when you delete it.

What if you check with an app like Storage Analyser?

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Maxreall — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 18:37:44 GMT

I use the win7 connect the phone, and found the 2 big files in my DCIM/.thumbnails folder. and also I have checked the storage in my setting, it is also shows

that I don't have any more space! Also when I use the explorer apps in my phone, it shows the same results.

Once I delete them, the storage will not have any change, which means it didn't be truely deleted and release the space. And after few hours, the two big files are rebuilt in this folder again.

I have try many method like replace two empty files with the same name of them. It doesn't work, and it will back again. It feels like a bug or like a virus, You can not delete them, and you can found where they are after you delete them, just like a ghost ! Do any engineering fix this bug for my z1?

my system is sony android 4.4.4; 14.4.A.0.157

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Thommo — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 19:08:57 GMT

Try performing a system repair using PC Companion as this will often fix issues - This will factory reset your phone and erase all data so best to backup before you begin

Switch off your phone and unplug from Pc (Hold volume up and power for around 10 seconds)
Start PC Companion and select Support zone then Update my phone/tablet then in Blue Repair my phone/tablet and follow the on screen instructions - When prompted connect your phone still switched off holding volume down or back button - This should start the repair or reformat process

If you are using Windows 8/8.1 or a 64bit operating system then adjust the settings for PC Companion and run in compatibility mode and chose Windows 7 or XP

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Maxreall — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 22:32:54 GMT

alright, I reset my phone. there will not be a such big file there, but the problem is, after I use gallery and camera, these .thumbdata file recreated again. I just put some photos and pictures in it, they begin to increse their size.

only a few hour, their sizes have increased to hundreds MB. And the same thing, It will become bigger and bigger that I can't erase them because they will rebuild again. also I've tried the method that replaced them with empty file, it didn't work.

Is it a bug for my Z1, can you found some permenant way to fix this issue, because always reset my phone is not a good choice~~

or your engineerer could found and make a update to fix it?

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Thommo — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 22:51:54 GMT

This is the thumnail data and will always be there and the file size depends on how many images you have on your device

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Maxreall — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 04:55:31 GMT

So, that means that I have to reset my phone once the storage become full?

any way, thank you for replying me

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Rickard — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 07:44:27 GMT

As Thommo says, you will always have thumbnail data, that's not a bug but how it's supposed to work. The phone will create thumbnails for all pictures so that it can display an overview of pictures faster. What's strange is that your thumbnail data took up so much space before you reset the phone.

In case this should happen again, are you perhaps synchronizing pictures with any online service?

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Mohsenfayzi1990 — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 22:01:09 GMT

I have that problem too.i can't delete them.Why sony doesn't answer our question?why they don't fix the problem???

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

XAR — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 14:45:18 GMT

Totally agree.

I mean, I have only 12GB available on my internal card, and 2 of them are taken up by .thumbdata3-XXX! And it is impossible to free up this space, because even if you delete it, even if you create empty file/directory in its place, even if you create empty file in place of the whole thumbnails filder - nothing happens! The space is not freed at all! You can restart phone as many times as you want - the space will still be taken!

And if only to laugh at users, when you delete thumbnails and/or .thumbdata folder/file - "new" .thumbdata file is INSTANTLY created in its place showing 2GB again in its size (I mean, nothing can index photos and create 2GB worth of thumbnails THAT fast)!!!

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Maxreall — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 21:42:37 GMT

Yes, rightnow, I have my Z5 which also have this problems. and it is android 6.0 now!

I've checked with my friend's DCIM thumbnail folder of her LG phone, the two thumbdata files are very small, however, she did take a lot of photos and still stored them in the phone. I checked the solutions online, even in youtube, many replies said they solved this problem by these solutions, but few people reported their phone are sony xperia phone, in a vedio, the storage room would be relased once he delete these thumbdata files, but this will not happen to my sony z5 & z1. That's the reasons I think the bug is only for xperia designed android system, other android phone can fix this problem by solutions online, but you will never fix this problem by them for you sony xperia phone unless you get root or restore your phone.

is any one know how can I report this bug to sony? hope they will fix it in next system update.

Re: Can anyone totally delete .thumbdata3--1967290299?

Maxreall — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 21:49:24 GMT

it's has been one year that sony does not fix this problem. I changed my phone to Z5, also have this problem. can you report this bug to sony technicians to fix this problem in next system update. I can't bear that I should reset my phone half a year! please, please, please! do not let us down!