Dell Venue 8 Pro memory question

[llamattude]

Hi;
I have a Dell Venue 8 Pro, and I didn't notice when I got it how much memory was actually left on the crazy thing. It is 32GB of memory, the 64GB didn't come out until like two days after I got this one. I added my apps to it (just the reader apps at which I got it for. Amazon, Nook, etc.), all documents, no photos or videos were saved to my skydrive not on the hard drive, after I got those three or four added I got a message that my memory was full. I haven't put hardly anything on it. Well fast forward a few months and the thing started going crazy one day. I sent it in under warranty to get fixed. I got it back yesterday and looked on it. My apps had been deleted from the system so I looked to see what the memory was on the system starting fresh. I have less than half of my 32GB of memory, only like 10GB with all the updates and everything I assume since the only thing on the system is what came with the system nothing added.

So, this poses my question, is there any way I can save apps and stuff to a microSD card? I tried saving like my book files for my apps on there before it went in the shop so that I could free space and I don't know what I done wrong, but the apps would not recognize the files on the card. I would like to use my office programs also on this system which was a perk for me getting the Venue, but feel to get the space I have to either not use it for what all I want to use it for (which is reading and writing (again I save to skydrive)) I have to choose one or the other.

Any suggestions? I can't at this time afford another system or I would just junk this one and get something else however I do like it other than the memory isn't there.

Thanks so much for your help.

 

[rtv]

I don't own one of these devices, but I'm seriously considering it for the future. My understanding is that these things are just small windows machines. If that's the case, I'd expect a microsd card to just show up as another drive to windows that you could use like any other Windows drive on a desktop.

It should be pretty easy to test. Just put a microsd card in and see if it shows up as a windows drive, and give it a shot. Do you have one laying around that you could use ? It wouldn't have to be very big to test out the concept.

I'm hopeful that someone more knowledgeable than me will post a definitive answer.

Regards.

 

[Dwig]

I don't own one of these devices, but I'm seriously considering it for the future. My understanding is that these things are just small windows machines. If that's the case, I'd expect a microsd card to just show up as another drive to windows that you could use like any other Windows drive on a desktop. ...

Quite true, but...

... the MicroSD card mounts as a removable drive, not a fixed drive. Still, most applications can be installed to the card and most will run fine. Windows "Modern UI" (nee "Metro") apps can only be installed to their fixed default location on the main drive. I've installed Opera, FireFox, Adobe Lightroom, OpenOffice, along with several other applications on a 32gig MicroSD card and have no problems.

You simply need to opt to do a custom installation and select a folder on your card. Adobe Reader doesn't give an option so it must be installed to the main drive (I've chosen to use a different PDF application that can be installed to the card).

I've found it convenient to create shortcuts in the standard Documents, Downloads, Videos, ... folders that point to their replacement folders on the card to aid in situations where apps want to deal only with the default locations.

Also, I found that Lightroom will not work well when its library is on a removable drive. I've cured the issue with the common Windows "trick" of mounting the card as a folder on C. Start my formating the card NTFS and then create an empty, and otherwise unused, folder anywhere on C:. Next, use Disk Management to map the card's partition to that folder. Find the card and right-click to reveal the context menu. Select "Change Drive Letter and Paths..." and when the dialog appears click the "+" and navigate to the new folder you created on C:. The card will now appear as this folder in addition to appearing as "D:". This allowed me to put my Lightroom library on the card by pointing LR to it via the folder on C:.

BTW, the free user storage space on a "virgin" Dell Venue 8 Pro is approximately 20gig less than the spec'd memory size. On a 32gig model, the OS, recovery partition, pre-installed MS Office, and initial apps leave about 10-12 gig free initially.

 

[strollin]

I had a Venue 8 Pro until recently and can verify what Dwig said above, I had a 64GB model with a 128GB microSD card and regularly installed programs to the card.

One reason why there isn't much space available is due to the recovery partition which uses about 5GB of your 32GB. Some people backed up the recovery partition to a USB drive then deleted the recovery partition and expanded the C: partition to add that space. Here's a link to how to backup the recovery partition: Create a USB recovery drive - Windows Help

 

[rtv]

Dwig,

Quite true, but...

... the MicroSD card mounts as a removable drive, not a fixed drive. Still, most applications can be installed to the card and most will run fine. Windows "Modern UI" (nee "Metro") apps can only be installed to their fixed default location on the main drive. I've installed Opera, FireFox, Adobe Lightroom, OpenOffice, along with several other applications on a 32gig MicroSD card and have no problems.

Thanks for the info about Modern UI apps. I did not know that. The requirement to install on the main drive seems limiting, but it's important info to know when deciding which system to buy. Seems like 64 GB provides a lot more useable space. Relocating and removing the recovery partition as Strollin described also seems like a good strategy, especially for users with 32 GB like the original poster. Thanks Strollin as well.

If push came to shove, would it be possible to relocate Office to the micro sd ? Or does it need to go on the main drive as well ?

Regards

 

[Dwig]

...
If push came to shove, would it be possible to relocate Office to the micro sd ? Or does it need to go on the main drive as well ?
Regards

As I understand it, yes.

You can't actually move the existing installation successfully. You need to download the installer from MS, uninstall the existing installation, and reinstall to the new location using the downloaded installer.

This is on my to-do list, but as yet I haven't needed to do it. I don't use many Modern UI apps so I don't need much space for them. All of my Desktop applications are installed on the card with, at present, the exception of Office.

 

[strollin]

In my experience, modern apps aren't all that disk space hungry so I don't think you need to worry about moving them, just make sure all your data is saved to the microsd card.