I’ve got a new Fairphone 5 today and at the first glance to the occupied storage it reported that the System is taking up 35 GB of storage. This is more than 10 % of the total internal storage!
In comparison on my Fairphone 4 the System just takes 1.1 GB, which is less than a half percent of the internal storage.
So the System storage between Fairphone 4 and 5 has increased by a factor of 30 or more. Why? Is this supposed to be this way? It seems way too much to me. Can anyone confirm?
So this 1.1GB is rather odd than, my FP4 with Android 13 shows 25GB while my FP5 has 37GB with Android 14, the set-up is more or less the same…
Interesting! I did nothing special to my FP4, it runs the latest OS FP4.TP21.C.0121.20240626. And i never questioned the system size, as something about 1 GB seemed reasonable to me.
That is the reason why I’m shocked about the FP5 system size. 35 GB is a lot, even a newly installed Windows does not take that much storage space.
When i unboxed the FP5 it had Android 13 installed, system size 35 GB. After the update to Android 14 (FP5.UT20.B.041.20240624) it now shows 30 GB system storage.
I did deactivate some of the preinstalled Google apps, which might explain why the system storage is now smaller than before.
I know of a FP5 that also only showed 1.2 GB and one that shows 70 or 80GB, so sometimes there are hiccups
In the first screenshot, there is a box with “my device”. Is it possible you have an SD card where a part of the system would be installed?
I do use an SD card in both phones, but AFAIK it has not impact on the system (partition) size.
To my knowledge the system itself and the system apps are always stored on internal memory. You can only install user apps on the SD card. System (apps) is never installed on the SD card, as you would break the system by just removing the SD card.
Strangely, I can confirm both the 1.1 GB and the 20+ GB for the FP4 (same build number as Maik).
I just tested this on the FP4 (even did a reboot afterwards to reproduce it and was able to) and the very first initial Storage listing is on the left, the one just seconds later (see the file names) on the right:
There is an SD card in this FP4 as well, clearly formatted as external (portable storage) as indicated by separate listing in Files.
That is indeed somewhat strange.
The latest versions of Android do restrict the file access for user apps to a point where it is impossible to gather information about the underlying filesystem. It would require rooting the phone to get some reliable information. Even file managers (like TotalCommander) or storage analyzers suffer from the strict isolation of the user apps from the file system. I will try to access my phone via ADB, but i think even then i will have no root access to the filesystem to check what is really going on.
You could not get root access as a nornal user after android 4.3! These restrictions are not really new…
As expected, even with adb i can’t get root access. However, some information can be acquired. Here are the mounted filesystems on the Fairphone 4:
FP4:/ $ df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/block/dm-6 1.2G 1.2G 0 100% /
tmpfs 3.6G 1.7M 3.6G 1% /dev
tmpfs 3.6G 0 3.6G 0% /mnt
/dev/block/dm-7 551M 549M 0 100% /system_ext
/dev/block/dm-8 2.2G 2.2G 0 100% /product
/dev/block/dm-9 876M 874M 0 100% /vendor
/dev/block/dm-10 1.0M 1.0M 0 100% /odm
tmpfs 3.6G 128K 3.6G 1% /apex
/dev/block/dm-41 222G 18G 204G 9% /data
/dev/block/loop5 7.0M 7.0M 0 100% /apex/com.google.mainline.primary.libs@341177000
/dev/block/dm-38 18M 18M 0 100% /apex/com.android.permission@341810000
/dev/block/dm-40 776K 748K 12K 99% /apex/com.android.ipsec@341611000
/dev/block/dm-39 1.6M 1.5M 0 100% /apex/com.google.mainline.primary.libs@341919000
/dev/block/dm-37 3.6M 3.6M 0 100% /apex/com.android.appsearch@341810000
/dev/block/loop12 36M 36M 0 100% /apex/com.android.i18n@1
/dev/block/loop11 39M 39M 0 100% /apex/com.android.vndk.v31@1
/dev/block/dm-36 21M 21M 0 100% /apex/com.android.adservices@350820220
/dev/block/dm-28 720K 692K 16K 98% /apex/com.android.sdkext@341710000
/dev/block/loop14 232K 96K 132K 43% /apex/com.android.apex.cts.shim@1
/dev/block/dm-22 8.0M 8.0M 0 100% /apex/com.android.adbd@341520010
/dev/block/dm-20 6.1M 6.0M 0 100% /apex/com.android.media@341917000
/dev/block/dm-23 26M 26M 0 100% /apex/com.android.media.swcodec@341711000
/dev/block/dm-19 3.6M 3.6M 0 100% /apex/com.android.os.statsd@341812000
/dev/block/loop19 51M 51M 0 100% /apex/com.android.vndk.v33@1
/dev/block/dm-34 16M 16M 0 100% /apex/com.android.cellbroadcast@341810000
/dev/block/dm-33 7.3M 7.3M 0 100% /apex/com.android.neuralnetworks@341510000
/dev/block/dm-17 3.9M 3.8M 0 100% /apex/com.android.resolv@341810000
/dev/block/dm-30 780K 752K 12K 99% /apex/com.android.tzdata@332714010
/dev/block/dm-31 5.7M 5.7M 0 100% /apex/com.android.conscrypt@341911000
/dev/block/loop26 108M 108M 0 100% /apex/com.android.vndk.v30@1
/dev/block/dm-32 232K 104K 124K 46% /apex/com.android.scheduling@341510000
/dev/block/loop27 7.7M 7.6M 0 100% /apex/com.android.runtime@1
/dev/block/dm-25 11M 11M 0 100% /apex/com.android.mediaprovider@341914020
/dev/block/dm-26 7.5M 7.4M 0 100% /apex/com.android.extservices@341911003
/dev/block/dm-16 13M 13M 0 100% /apex/com.android.ondevicepersonalization@350820220
/dev/block/loop31 40M 39M 0 100% /apex/com.android.vndk.v32@1
/dev/block/dm-15 21M 21M 0 100% /apex/com.android.tethering@341810050
/dev/block/dm-18 8.3M 8.3M 0 100% /apex/com.android.wifi@330400000
/dev/block/dm-27 2.8M 2.7M 0 100% /apex/com.android.uwb@330400000
/dev/block/dm-14 50M 50M 0 100% /apex/com.android.art@341913000
/dev/fuse 222G 18G 204G 9% /storage/emulated
/dev/fuse 59G 33G 26G 56% /storage/5C13-B02A
And the same for the Fairphone 5:
FP5:/ $ df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/block/dm-7 1.2G 1.2G 0 100% /
tmpfs 3.5G 1.8M 3.5G 1% /dev
tmpfs 3.5G 0 3.5G 0% /mnt
/dev/block/dm-8 688M 686M 0 100% /system_ext
/dev/block/dm-9 2.2G 2.2G 0 100% /product
/dev/block/dm-10 1.4G 1.4G 0 100% /vendor
/dev/block/dm-11 908K 904K 0 100% /odm
tmpfs 3.5G 72K 3.5G 1% /apex
/dev/block/dm-48 214G 11G 203G 6% /data
/dev/block/loop11 312K 280K 28K 91% /apex/com.android.virt@2
/dev/block/dm-42 11M 11M 0 100% /apex/com.android.healthfitness@340818110
/dev/block/dm-38 15M 15M 0 100% /apex/com.android.cellbroadcast@340818110
/dev/block/dm-35 8.8M 8.7M 0 100% /apex/com.android.extservices@340818110
/dev/block/dm-37 1.2M 1.2M 8.0K 100% /apex/com.android.ondevicepersonalization@340818110
/dev/block/loop6 108M 108M 0 100% /apex/com.android.vndk.v30@1
/dev/block/loop13 1.0M 1.0M 8.0K 100% /apex/com.android.rkpd@1
/dev/block/dm-19 3.9M 3.9M 0 100% /apex/com.android.resolv@340818110
/dev/block/dm-29 4.1M 4.1M 0 100% /apex/com.android.media@340818112
/dev/block/loop14 39M 39M 0 100% /apex/com.android.vndk.v31@1
/dev/block/loop9 45M 45M 0 100% /apex/com.android.vndk.v33@1
/dev/block/dm-15 8.3M 8.3M 0 100% /apex/com.android.wifi@340090000
/dev/block/dm-28 3.2M 3.1M 0 100% /apex/com.android.os.statsd@340818110
/dev/block/dm-21 4.2M 4.1M 0 100% /apex/com.android.adbd@340818112
/dev/block/dm-24 22M 22M 0 100% /apex/com.android.adservices@340818110
/dev/block/dm-36 47M 47M 0 100% /apex/com.android.art@340818172
/dev/block/dm-13 716K 688K 16K 98% /apex/com.android.sdkext@340818110
/dev/block/loop8 764K 736K 16K 98% /apex/com.android.tzdata@340818110
/dev/block/loop16 232K 96K 132K 43% /apex/com.android.apex.cts.shim@1
/dev/block/loop12 5.6M 5.6M 0 100% /apex/com.android.devicelock@1
/dev/block/dm-22 232K 196K 32K 86% /apex/com.android.configinfrastructure@340818110
/dev/block/dm-34 3.6M 3.6M 0 100% /apex/com.android.uwb@340090000
/dev/block/dm-31 1.8M 1.8M 0 100% /apex/com.android.conscrypt@340818112
/dev/block/loop7 4.9M 4.9M 0 100% /apex/com.google.mainline.primary.libs@340817060
/dev/block/dm-20 23M 23M 0 100% /apex/com.android.media.swcodec@340818112
/dev/block/dm-43 3.4M 3.4M 0 100% /apex/com.android.appsearch@340818110
/dev/block/loop5 10M 10M 0 100% /apex/com.android.runtime@1
/dev/block/loop10 41M 41M 0 100% /apex/com.android.vndk.v34@1
/dev/block/dm-16 768K 740K 16K 98% /apex/com.android.ipsec@340819020
/dev/block/dm-39 7.3M 7.3M 0 100% /apex/com.android.neuralnetworks@340818110
/dev/block/dm-41 232K 104K 124K 46% /apex/com.android.scheduling@340818110
/dev/block/dm-30 10M 10M 0 100% /apex/com.android.mediaprovider@340818110
/dev/block/dm-14 21M 21M 0 100% /apex/com.android.tethering@340819020
/dev/block/loop15 38M 38M 0 100% /apex/com.android.i18n@1
/dev/block/dm-33 18M 18M 0 100% /apex/com.android.permission@340818110
/dev/block/loop17 40M 39M 0 100% /apex/com.android.vndk.v32@1
/dev/fuse 214G 11G 203G 6% /storage/emulated
/dev/fuse 60G 23G 36G 39% /storage/7813-1DFF
I have just a hunch on how the settings app calculates the system space, but i don’t know for sure. This is a question for an Android developer. Here is what i think is going on:
/data partition/dev, /mnt, /product, /vendor, /)256GB - 214GB - 12GB = 30GB which i guess is shown in the settings. So all the storage that is not available to be used is just shown as System, to have numbers that add up to the phones total storage capacity.
When i compare the numbers of the FP4 to the FP5, they are not that different. Even so the /data partition on the FP5 is 8GB smaller than on the FP4.
I see no further way to get more detailed information. Maybe a Fairphone developer could shed more light on this.
your calculation is little wrong 
/dev and /mnt - on this is mounted tmpfs (= virtual filesystem, not on storage)
/product, /vendor, / - cannot be excluded out, because that is the part of system
df -h - show in power of 1024 so G is GiB and total storage is 238,4GiB, if you use “df -H” then show power of 1000 so G is GB and total storage is 256GB
(also in your output see microSD as 60G(iB) and sure is 64G(B), here is online convertor for info)
Previous lines is from my Linux knowledge, but as i have little Android internal knowledge (and not investigate what mounpoint is from storage, what is some next mount from already storage mountpoint, etc), simpliest calc way for me is i think “256GB (Total Storage) - 230GB (Size of /data) = 26GB” and because in Settings/Storage i see System 31GB, then maybe 5GB for System is also in /data 
If anyway you want calc from “df -H” then must also find what of partition is not mounted, and what partitons (from mounted or non mounted) is doubled becase A/B slots/partitions layout, which is used for seamless OTA uptades and is about many(all?) system partitions is in *_a and *_b variant, booted Android on FP5 used partiton from one (a or b) slot, when perform system update, then is all mirrored to unused slot, updated here and after reboot is previous slot switchen to other, if start ok, keep using this other slot with updated system, if any problem, then switched back to previous slot…
But i also not know if in Settings/Storage is really System usage info calculated for both a/b, or only for actual slot
For info, here is output with partitoin name info, where you can see which is in a/b variant:
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 ALIGN_TO_128K_1 -> /dev/block/sdd1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 ALIGN_TO_128K_2 -> /dev/block/sdf1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 abl_a -> /dev/block/sde8
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 abl_b -> /dev/block/sde33
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 aop_a -> /dev/block/sde1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 aop_b -> /dev/block/sde26
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 apdp -> /dev/block/sde52
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 bluetooth_a -> /dev/block/sde5
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 bluetooth_b -> /dev/block/sde30
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 boot_a -> /dev/block/sde11
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:06 boot_b -> /dev/block/sde36
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 catecontentfv -> /dev/block/sde64
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 catefv -> /dev/block/sde63
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 cdt -> /dev/block/sdd2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 connsec -> /dev/block/sde67
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 cpucp_a -> /dev/block/sde20
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 cpucp_b -> /dev/block/sde45
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 ddr -> /dev/block/sdd3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 devcfg_a -> /dev/block/sde12
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 devcfg_b -> /dev/block/sde37
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 devinfo -> /dev/block/sde50
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 dip -> /dev/block/sde51
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 dsp_a -> /dev/block/sde9
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 dsp_b -> /dev/block/sde34
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 dtbo_a -> /dev/block/sde15
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:06 dtbo_b -> /dev/block/sde40
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 featenabler_a -> /dev/block/sde21
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 featenabler_b -> /dev/block/sde46
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 fpconfig -> /dev/block/sda3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 fpconfig_persist -> /dev/block/sda2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 frp -> /dev/block/sda9
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 fsc -> /dev/block/sdf5
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 fsg -> /dev/block/sdf2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 hyp_a -> /dev/block/sde3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 hyp_b -> /dev/block/sde28
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 imagefv_a -> /dev/block/sde17
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 imagefv_b -> /dev/block/sde42
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 keymaster_a -> /dev/block/sde10
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 keymaster_b -> /dev/block/sde35
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 keystore -> /dev/block/sda8
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 limits -> /dev/block/sde54
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 limits-cdsp -> /dev/block/sde55
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 logdump -> /dev/block/sde59
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 logfs -> /dev/block/sde57
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 mdcompress -> /dev/block/sde66
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 mdtp_a -> /dev/block/sde7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 mdtp_b -> /dev/block/sde32
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 mdtpsecapp_a -> /dev/block/sde6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 mdtpsecapp_b -> /dev/block/sde31
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:06 metadata -> /dev/block/sda15
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 misc -> /dev/block/sda7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 modem_a -> /dev/block/sde4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 modem_b -> /dev/block/sde29
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 modemst1 -> /dev/block/sdf3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 modemst2 -> /dev/block/sdf4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 multiimgoem_a -> /dev/block/sde19
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 multiimgoem_b -> /dev/block/sde44
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 oembin -> /dev/block/sda4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 persist -> /dev/block/sda6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 qmcs -> /dev/block/sde23
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 quantumsdk -> /dev/block/sde58
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 qupfw_a -> /dev/block/sde13
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 qupfw_b -> /dev/block/sde38
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 qweslicstore_a -> /dev/block/sde24
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 qweslicstore_b -> /dev/block/sde48
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 rawdump -> /dev/block/sda16
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 rtice -> /dev/block/sde69
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 1970-06-20 19:07 sda -> /dev/block/sda
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 1970-06-20 19:07 sdb -> /dev/block/sdb
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 1970-06-20 19:07 sdc -> /dev/block/sdc
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 1970-06-20 19:07 sdd -> /dev/block/sdd
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 1970-06-20 19:07 sde -> /dev/block/sde
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 14 1970-06-20 19:07 sdf -> /dev/block/sdf
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 secdata -> /dev/block/sde62
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 shrm_a -> /dev/block/sde18
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 shrm_b -> /dev/block/sde43
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 splash -> /dev/block/sde53
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 ssd -> /dev/block/sda5
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 storsec -> /dev/block/sde60
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 study -> /dev/block/sda10
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 studybk_a -> /dev/block/sde25
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 studybk_b -> /dev/block/sde49
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:06 super -> /dev/block/sda12
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 swversion -> /dev/block/sda11
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 toolsfv -> /dev/block/sde56
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 traceability -> /dev/block/sda1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 tz_a -> /dev/block/sde2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 tz_b -> /dev/block/sde27
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 tzsc -> /dev/block/sde68
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 uefisecapp_a -> /dev/block/sde16
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 uefisecapp_b -> /dev/block/sde41
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 uefivarstore -> /dev/block/sde61
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 userdata -> /dev/block/sda17
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 vbmeta_a -> /dev/block/sde14
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:06 vbmeta_b -> /dev/block/sde39
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 vbmeta_system_a -> /dev/block/sda13
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:06 vbmeta_system_b -> /dev/block/sda14
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 vendor_boot_a -> /dev/block/sde22
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 vendor_boot_b -> /dev/block/sde47
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 1970-06-20 19:07 vm-data -> /dev/block/sde65
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 xbl_a -> /dev/block/sdb1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 xbl_b -> /dev/block/sdc1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 xbl_config_a -> /dev/block/sdb2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 1970-06-20 19:07 xbl_config_b -> /dev/block/sdc2
It has nothing to do with partitions. Android calculates the consumption exactly as it is displayed. Unfortunately, the system only says “System”. It should actually say “System plus everything I don’t know what that is” or “no picture, no video, no app, no document, no game…”
That’s why it sometimes takes a while after a restart for the real values to be displayed.
If nonsensical values are displayed, these are usually some dead files that Android doesn’t want to touch. There could also be a dead file that looks bigger than it actually is.
So If I download an iso of a linux distro it might be counted as system file? My phone nearly died today due to lack of space in internal storage. System storage is now 34 GB or 60.09 GB depending where I check it .
