Phantom space taken up by Photos and Camera

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Joe Siegler Author

Level 1

32 points

Phantom space taken up by Photos and Camera

Today I was clearing off space on my iPhone in prep for a large photo taking session. Here's what I deleted:

a) 100% of the photos on camera roll

b) 100% of the photos on my Photo Stream

c) 100% of the photos on shared photo streams.

So basically as of right now, my phone has zero photos on it. I took a few screen grabs to show that:

http://joe.siegler.net/images/iphone_photos1.jpg

http://joe.siegler.net/images/iphone_photos2.jpg

So I went and looked at my system usage, and it is telling me there is 740Mb of space being used up by "Photos & Camera".

http://joe.siegler.net/images/iphone_photos3.jpg

My first thought was perhaps old text messages, but I deleted 100% of my text messages/iMessages, and there's nothing there. Rebooted the iPhone just to make sure, and the 740Mb remains in system usage.

Where is this 740Mb coming from? Anyone have any idea what the deal with this is, given I have zero pics on the phone right now?

iPhone 5s, iOS 7.1.1, 16Gb

Posted on Jun 6, 2014 3:20 PM

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Answer 1

wavymitch

Level 2

405 points

Jun 6, 2014 7:06 PM in response to Joe Siegler

Could just be cache data hung up or something. I'd possibly try to sync with iTunes, I know that's helped me clear up deleted text messages showing up in spotlight in the past.

Maybe reset all settings on the device.

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Answer 2

Joe Siegler Author

Level 1

32 points

Jun 6, 2014 7:13 PM in response to wavymitch

I've done the sync thing already. Didn't make a difference. 😟

I don't think I've done "reset all settings". Will try.

I really do NOT want to reformat and start from scratch, as there's some app data I'd lose if I went that path, so that's not really an option for me.

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Answer 3

wavymitch

Level 2

405 points

Jun 6, 2014 7:12 PM in response to Joe Siegler

Right, understandable.

Reset all settings may work to clear that out. After everything is deleted and still using just shy a GB, kind of strange. If it doesn't, you might be looking at the option you're not wanting to go with to clear that out. Very strange indeed though.

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Answer 4

Joe Siegler Author

Level 1

32 points

Jun 6, 2014 7:37 PM in response to wavymitch

"Reset all Settings" didn't make a difference, sadly. 😟

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Answer 5

Joe Siegler Author

Level 1

32 points

Jun 6, 2014 8:32 PM in response to Joe Siegler

Tried doing a wipe and restore from a backup. Not surprisingly, that didn't work.

Unless someone else has an idea, I might have to start from scratch. Someting I really REALLY do not want to do.

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Answer 6

Jun 6, 2014 8:37 PM in response to Joe Siegler

Hi Joe,

Can you provide us with a pic of what you see when you click on Photos & Camera under Usage? That details where the data is.

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 7

Joe Siegler Author

Level 1

32 points

Jun 6, 2014 8:44 PM in response to gail from maine

Here, Gail. It basically says it is in camera roll, which makes no sense given the phone says it has zero photos on there.

http://joe.siegler.net/images/iphone_photos4.jpg

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Answer 8

Jun 6, 2014 8:46 PM in response to Joe Siegler

Try resetting your device (nothing will be lost....except, hopefully, the bogus "Camera Roll"....): Hold down the Home and Power buttons at the same time and continue to hold them down until the Apple appears (up to 30 seconds). Once the Home screen redisplays, check your Usage again.

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 9

Joe Siegler Author

Level 1

32 points

Jun 6, 2014 8:49 PM in response to gail from maine

I've done that already. That's detailed in the first post of the thread here (although I called it rebooting).

Have also done a reset all settings, and a restore from a backup. Nothing works, still there.

Only thing I haven't tried is a restore to factory and start from scratch. Don't want to do that as I'd lose too much app data.

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Answer 10

Jun 6, 2014 9:01 PM in response to Joe Siegler

Not sure where these are shown as stored, but they do take up space. Do you have any text messages with videos in them? If so, delete those.

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 11

Joe Siegler Author

Level 1

32 points

Jun 6, 2014 9:03 PM in response to gail from maine

Nope.

That too I covered in the first post. I deleted all this stuff before I posted here, as I anticipated some answers. I'm at a loss to find these.

Besides, it's my understanding that pics and videos in iMessages count towards the dreaded "other" space usage, not in the main camera roll count.

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Answer 12

Jun 6, 2014 9:08 PM in response to Joe Siegler

Sorry - my bad.

Yeah - the deleteing the text messagages was just a shot in the dark.

When you did the sync with iTunes, you unchecked the Photos box altogether? How about selecting one item and syncing that to see if it will clear what is there and will only sync that one item?

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 13

Joe Siegler Author

Level 1

32 points

Jun 6, 2014 9:10 PM in response to gail from maine

I don't sync any pictures from my computer at all. That's always unchecked.

I suppose I could try turning it on, and syncing a single picture. I'd have to wait a bit, my phone is still restoring its apps from the restore I tried a bit ago. 🙂

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