Android file structure??

[MuleShack]

I use the stock email program that comes with the galaxy S2.

I should also note, that I like the stock email program (for the most part)

My questions (or issue) is that when you delete an email, it goes into the deleted folder. but I cant find any setting that purges that folder when the phone is shut down etc.

So if I dont check it every so often, it gets huge. I checked it today and i have 14,900 emails in the deleted folder. The phone gets so bogged down that i was literally working on this all day to get them removed and I still have 11,000 emails to delete yet. Even consolidating the week so you only have to check 1 box for say 500 emails, it still takes its sweet time.

I tried to hook it up to the computer and delete the emails manually, but cant find any files in the SD card or the phone memory that resembles what I'm looking for.

Anybody have any ideas why the email program data would be hidden or where it might be?

[Sandmannd]

Not sure of a program that does it for you. On my Evo LTE I just choose the deleted folder from my list of folders, hit menu and there's an option there to empty the folder.

[ASMOLEY]

You won't find those files unless you have rooted your device. They are system files that won't be stored on the device.

You could find the email app under, setting>applications>all>email and clear the data/cache. Are you sure it's the email that is source of the slowdown?

Could just remove the account and re-add that should remove all the data as well.

What type of email account is it? POP/IMAP or exchange?

[ASMOLEY]

I just looked on a GSII with an exchange account. The settings only allow syncing a set time frame of email for all folders. 1 week, 2 weeks, ect... Maybe you have it set to sync back to forever? Or, you get too many emails

Also, in the trash folder there is a select all box in the upper left.

Didn't check POP or IMAP but would assume the settings are similar.

[MuleShack]

Not sure of a program that does it for you. On my Evo LTE I just choose the deleted folder from my list of folders, hit menu and there's an option there to empty the folder.

I dont see that option using the galaxy. I can only select all and then hit delete.

[MuleShack]

You won't find those files unless you have rooted your device. They are system files that won't be stored on the device.

You could find the email app under, setting>applications>all>email and clear the data/cache. Are you sure it's the email that is source of the slowdown?

Could just remove the account and re-add that should remove all the data as well.

What type of email account is it? POP/IMAP or exchange?

It would seem they have to be stored on the device, but just are not visible?

It is pop email tied to my web site email account.

[MuleShack]

I just looked on a GSII with an exchange account. The settings only allow syncing a set time frame of email for all folders. 1 week, 2 weeks, ect... Maybe you have it set to sync back to forever? Or, you get too many emails

Also, in the trash folder there is a select all box in the upper left.

Didn't check POP or IMAP but would assume the settings are similar.

The synch only shows the emails on the phone, but guessing they would still be stored.

The phone itself is not slow, just the deleting part is.

From the time I posted this topic, until now...roughly 2 hours or so, it has erased 4000 emails.

Now about 50% of these are HSO emails from the forums, 25% Facebook post notifications and the rest who knows what. But it has been a few months since I dumped the deleted items last.

I dont buy the fact that the files are not stores on the phone, other wise every time you log on to email, it would have to download every email again.

So how do you make these files visible?

[ASMOLEY]

Sorry I typed that wrong... They are stored on the device memory in the system files since it's a stock app. A stock Android device will not allow you to view any of these files unless you have rooted your device.

I would try clearing the email app data. Locate the email app under, setting>applications>all>email and clear the data and cache.

Or just remove the account and re-add it. I'll check out the GSII pop email tomorrow at work and see if I find anything different.

Window device were notorious for the deleted items issue you're having. Except, they kept a deleted folder for text too!

[MuleShack]

I will look into the App>settings next time to see if it will flush it that way.

Other wise I would take 10 minutes to delete account and then re-add it again from scratch...compared to a whole day to dump 14K worth of emails.

[CAMAN]

Sorry I typed that wrong... They are stored on the device memory in the system files since it's a stock app. A stock Android device will not allow you to view any of these files unless you have rooted your device.

I would try clearing the email app data. Locate the email app under, setting>applications>all>email and clear the data and cache.

If you don't want to have to re-setup your email on your device DO NOT DO THIS. It will clear(as in DELETE) EVERY email account you have set up on your device. Believe me I just did it! Now I need to re-setup 4 emails. Uhgggg...

Mule - Are you able to setup your email as "Exchange"? The account I was having the same issue with I now have setup as exchange and am able to automatically clear/sync the trash with my desktop computer. The trash no longer sits in my phone.

[MuleShack]

Mule - Are you able to setup your email as "Exchange"? The account I was having the same issue with I now have setup as exchange and am able to automatically clear/sync the trash with my desktop computer. The trash no longer sits in my phone.

I thought about it, but I believe that network solutions (hosting service) charges extra for the exchange service.

It would be more convenient to have things in sync, but then again I like to keep my phone inbox clean also.

I guess I will have to try to stay on top of things a little better. Once It got down to 5000 emails in the deleted items, it started to remove them pretty quick. But when there was almost 15K in there, it was painfully slow and locked up the phone many times. So If that happens again, it definately would be quicker to wipe the email and just reinstall the accounts.

[upnorth]

You should be able to limit how many days the data stays on your phone. That doesn't necessarily delete the email from the server, just how much will be stored on the phone. My older samsung doesn't allow for me to set that retention by folder, but the newer versions may.

[MuleShack]

You should be able to limit how many days the data stays on your phone. That doesn't necessarily delete the email from the server, just how much will be stored on the phone. My older samsung doesn't allow for me to set that retention by folder, but the newer versions may.

I had a setting for the inbox to only show so many days. The emails still arrive and then get deleted so not sure it would remove them from the deleted items folder.

I also believe that the emails are still there and it just filters what is shown. No fact to this, just my idea of how it might work.

[upnorth]

No real need for the system to retain them, so I would think they would be deleted.

[CAMAN]

If you search the Android forums this is an issue for everybody. For some reason Google broke the stock email app and emptying the trash is almost impossible unless you want to delete one by one or reset your email each time.

Here are a couple issue reports that were started way back in 2010, there are probably many more...

Google Code

Google Code 2

[upnorth]

Hmm I have the older one and only 2 days of deleted emails shows up.

[CAMAN]

Upnorth - Older what? What version are you running? Rooted?

I have no idea what is going on at Google. Every time I find something I love about this phone, there are two or three minor things that might take a day or two for an advanced programmer to fix, that cause a huge headache to find a work around.

[upnorth]

Samsung Droid 2.2. I am due for a new phone so I will have to look a bit deeper.

If you have an exchange account using synch you may be better off cleaning out the deleted items. You may even be able to set a rule to clean the stuff out after a short time.