Tips & tricks: Optimizing your N97 internal phone memory
Although not everyone likes their Nokia N97, I keep leaving my iPhone 3GS and going back to it because it does what I need better than what the iPhone 3GS does. As a power user, one of the major faults in the N97 that drives me nuts is the low amount/lack of proper management of the included phone memory. With caching and other local memory storage mismanagement by the OS I have ended up at times with less than 1 MB of available phone memory and pop-up errors appearing. This article will take a look at what I did to try to fine tune my N97 to run better, until another firmware update is rolled out since I think there are a couple of things that can be done with software fixes.
By default, the N97 homescreen widgets (approx. 4.5 MB) are loaded on the phone memory as well as a couple of other applications (approx. 1.25 MB). There are a few applications I loaded onto the phone memory (Python, WordMobi, Mail For Exchange, and Handy Taskman) while I have tried to place the rest onto the 32 GB flash drive. This left me with approximately 45 MB of available phone memory. I then had Nokia Email loaded and running that took up more phone memory since the software doesn’t let you store email or attachments on the mass memory. Then if you are a heavy web browser you will find that the cache builds up quickly and I regularly had 10+ MB that could be cleared up by regular browser caching. I experienced low memory warnings when running Qik and since I like to use Qik on the N97 I knew I had to figure out a way to allocate more phone memory for critical usage.
I found a couple sites with some information available to help you with your N97, including:
After reading these sites I made the decision to avoid reloading the Nokia Email application on the N97 even though I enjoy using it and to instead try out Profimail. The default Nokia Messaging client is way too lame for me to ever think of using it as my email client even though you can set to have attachments and email stored on your mass memory. I also decided to remove any homescreen widgets I did not plan on using, such as Amazon and Bloomberg so I could save some more phone memory.
Even though it probably wasn’t really necessary I decided to reformat my 32 GB E: (Mass memory) drive and start fresh there as well. To reformat your Mass memory you simply go to the integrated File Manager and then open up the E drive. Select Options>Format mass memory to clean it up. I did copy important files to my MacBook Pro first so I could copy them back on with ease.
I use Exchange to sync all of my Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and Email so I didn’t worry about backing up any of this data, which is an awesome aspect of Exchange. I then entered *#7370# to hard reset the N97 back to factory settings.
After this reset I had 46.7 MB available on my C drive (phone memory) and 29.8 GB available on my E drive (flash memory drive). I then deleted the Amazon and Bloomberg widgets and Psiloc World Traveler, which then showed I had 52.5 MB left on my C: drive. I couldn’t delete Qik, so I reinstalled it to the E drive and found there was no change in my available phone memory. My next step was to upgrade Nokia Maps to version 3.0. No choice was given on where to install Nokia Maps (I wonder how this selection toggle is controlled?) so I assume it ended up using the phone memory. This was confirmed when I saw my available C: drive memory drop down to 44.5 MB.
Mail For Exchange was then downloaded and installed (why did Nokia put an empty MFE folder on the N97?). Just like Nokia Maps there was no option to install onto the mass memory drive so after this installation I was down to 43 MB of available memory on the phone. Then I synced up to my server with 1 month of Calendar history and 1 week of email history, along with something like 250 contacts. My phone memory was then sitting at 40.6 MB.
The next step was to go through and reinstall my approximate 20 applications I like to use on the N97, including S60 Bible, Mobbler, Gravity, Gmail, Opera Mini, WordMobi, and more. To help you find apps you may need to reinstall I recommend checking out the Nokia Addict N97 & 5800XM site where you can find install files. Several of the apps do still require your registration information, but it is sure nice to have a site with all the install files in one place.
After installing all the apps I like to use, I then had to go through and customize my folder structure and get everything setup and ready to go. After all of this my phone memory was shown as 34.3 MB and my mass storage as 23.2 GB (I loaded up lots of music and videos in my mass memory).
After browsing a bit and using the device I have seen the phone memory go down just to around 20MB with lots of web browsing. I think one fairly easy fix Nokia could implement is the ability to set limits for browser caching or ways to schedule/setup regular browser cache clearing.
I am satisfied with this setup for now and will have to keep an eye on the browser cache. My other heartache on the N97 is with the low amount of RAM that keeps closing applications in the background when I run more than 5 or 6 apps at once that consume memory. Power users are the buyers of this device and more RAM should have been included. I am not sure if the RAM can be addressed with a software update, but we’ll see what happens in the future.
62 Comments to Tips & tricks: Optimizing your N97 internal phone memory
Even so, the lack of memory may not be able to be fixed with a software issue. They provided to little. With a phone such as this, what were they thinking in giving so little RAM? I mean even my old E71 had more free than the N97 did.
I have a 16GB 3G, with Cydia, and I think I will hang onto this for a bit, and sell the N97, and the E71, (though I do love the E71). I think had Nokia made a new OS instead of loading Symbian 5, on there with a few touch controls, I would DEFINITELY keep the N97. But the resistive touch, and too many clicks to get to even just type a message, is a little to much if you ask me. Not to include the fact there is no capacitive touch, and the OS is just not polished enough. The integrated music player is garbage as well 
. I was looking forward to this phone for a long time, and Nokia blew it I think.
I hope Nokia releases an N98 that isn’t made of thin plastic, has resistive touch, and has an OS refresh.
AxeJuly 13, 2009
Mm..the steps you took are something that I’ve made a habit of myself for quite some time now. Always keep an eye on the C memory with every new phones/fresh reformat. No need 2 compare with the E71, that’s a high-end device. Even my cheap 5320 has got a 100mb C drive n 80mb free RAM and the same goes for the latest 5630 n 5730 if I’m not mistaken. Heck, the 5630 even got a 600mhz cpu. What’s puzzling to me is that Nokia insists on all their own apps 2 be installed on the C drive, yet most of their phones, especially N series have miniscule amount of it. This is the main reason y I’m still contemplating on the N97. Its a beautiful device, and I know enough on how 2 overcome the shortcomings, just that I’m tired of having 2 do it with almost every devices. Looking forward 2 the E71, that 1 seems to solve most of these niggling probs.
AxeJuly 13, 2009
I meant the E72:-)..if the camera’s good, that’ll be the 1 for me.
TedJuly 14, 2009
Install a third part file manager like Y-Browser and delete the ‘Cache’ folder in C:/System. Follow that up by deleting the ‘dmgr’ folder in C:/System. That folder holds the files that are downloaded by the Browser, on most occasions it is automatically cleared but sometimes files get stuck.
Profimail is excellent, good call.
I don’t get why they used identical ram as the 5800 and then threw in more memory-hogging features. That makes no sense…
TedJuly 15, 2009
FYI do software update on your N97 4 new updates (OVI Contacts, Maps, Ngage) and a “C:” drive memory clean up utility.
TedJuly 15, 2009
Some folks in the UK are getting the following.
Maps 3.1
N97 C: Phone Memory Update
N-Gage Application 1.30
Nokia Messaging 10.0
Ovi Contacts 1.20
July 19, 2009
[...] Tips & tricks to optimize your Nokia N97 phone memory [...]
[...] Tips & tricks to optimize your Nokia N97 phone memory [...]
July 19, 2009
[...] Tips & tricks to optimize your Nokia N97 phone memory [...]
[...] Tips & tricks to optimize your Nokia N97 phone memory [...]
Sorry to say you missed a couple of other memory saves, which you need a 3rd Party file manager for (Active File and Y-Browser are free).
1) Search for *.sis and you should find the installer for MfE on the C: drive (the standard file manager classes C: as C:/DATA, whereas Active File and Y-Browser see C: as C:.
2) You should also find a Welcome Screen video file.
These two files add up to another c.3MB save when you transfer them to your E: drive.
[...] Tips & tricks to optimize your Nokia N97 phone memory [...]
July 20, 2009
[...] Tips & tricks to optimize your Nokia N97 phone memory [...]
July 20, 2009
[...] Tips & tricks to optimize your Nokia N97 phone memory [...]
Saintz79July 20, 2009
Hi there,
is there a way where we could set the default saving location to the internal memory and not the phone memory?
gJuly 27, 2009
my nokia n97 constantly seems to be saying c: memory full….can anyone help?? i have changed it to mass memory but it still keeps saying memory full and doesnt allow me to recieve text messages and my emails no longer come through becuase i have changed my memory to mass memory whereas before it was on phone memory c:! HELP!
rayJuly 29, 2009
hi, is there’s any way that i can get the same pictures slide show software which used in NOKIA N96 ?? my Mobile is N97 . but i love the slide show in N96. so i wish if there is any way that i can get it in N97.
bobAugust 3, 2009
g –
I changed the setting so it saved mail on the mass memory as well and then realised it wouldn’t then access any further mail. I got round this by going to settings> phone> application settings> messaging> other> and changed it back.
daft you can’t save them on the mass memory but then there’s a lot daft with the n97 (and a lot of good stuff as well)
JacqueAugust 6, 2009
I am so fed up with this phone. Have only had it for 3 weeks, and planning to sell/swop it soon.
It is an overpriced/overhyped failed Nokia experiement!
32GB – Yea right! Means nothing with all the software bugs and Nokia app trying to cram themselves into the little phone mem available. Can’t believe Nokia would release a buggy phone like this onto its loyal followers after al these years…
Believe the bad reviews guys – stay away. This was my last Nokia.
Pieter StrobosAugust 7, 2009
I also bought a Nokia N97 10 days ago and also have the irritating “Memory full ….” message for 1 out of 3 times I look up names in my contact list – and other device functions.
I still try to believe that Nokia would not leave his loyal customers in the dark about the solution for this problem. My Nokia 9300i was, after 6 years of use, more stable and more reliable (but ‘slower’) than the Nokia N97.
I really do not have the time (and knowledge?) for all the tricks how to recover some memory.
Can someone tell me: “Is there a solution for this problem by, for example, an updated version of the device’s software?
Thanks
Pieter Strobos
AlbertoAugust 16, 2009
In the same boat with Jacke !!!
I´ve been a anokia fan since my first N95, changed to a N95-8Gb and recently to a N97.
On every change “I did an effort to feel happy” with the “upgrade”, but invariably, at every new phone, Nokia dissapointed me again.
I think this was my last Nokia. Symbian is great OS. Having tried WM and Ming I though I had finally found THE PERFECT MOBILE PLATFORM, but Nokia let me down again.
It should be a shame for Nokia, that loyal N-Series customers for year, had to look at a side and feel some envy when someone pops an IPhone up from his/her pocket !!
EliasAugust 24, 2009
I have this phone for over a month now and I had none of the problems you guys are describing. True there was a moment when i saw my free memory go down to 10MB but i freed some with cleaning up the browsers Cache and i’m back to 19MB again. The only problem I have with this phone (which i did not have with my previous phones) is one that Nokia can’t be held responsible for. Crappy windows media player keeps trying to sync to it.
Hi Matthew Miller, how are you? Just to inform you that Nokia has released a new software version for N97 to resolve low memory issue a little bit.
You can see the improvements and update this post. Thanks for mentioning my post.
http://www.mobile-geeks.com/new-firmwaresoftwae-version-120024121024122024-released-for-n97/1878/
NickOctober 20, 2009
How can Nokia get away with this it? I upgrade to the new software but stil says memory full. This is my last Nokia ever and all I can say to anybody thinking about a new phone is newer get a Nokia N97.
ITHAKOctober 28, 2009
I dont really know whats happening to my phone…every time i look at the RAM it says only 3 or 4 mb is free….can some one help to free up more?? Some times it jus gets stuck and you hav to wait atleat half an hr before it starts working again! And its so slow…jus to open the messaging it takes a minute!!
Check out Opera mini 5 beta, it is amazing, fast and very stable, makes the N97 a joy to web browse with.
Nonsense!
All phones from all makers, shapes and colors have their fair share of shortcomings and faults.
Take the iPhone for example, no multitasking, no flash (camera and web)…
Windows Mobile (Now Windows Phone) unstable as hell, constant reboots needed, unreliable, battery hogs, flaky touch UI…
BlackBerries, lack of fun applications (this guy’s too serious or what?), lots of problems with track ball, lack of innovation (the Storm has been a total failure)…
Symbian OS, just too slow on most models (except E71 and now N97 V2), Operating System too old, Touch UI in it’s infancy, no multitouch…
MaemoOS, lack of applications, no portrait mode, no multitouch, God knows what else it will lack…
Android OS, not as smooth as iPhone OS, Inconsistent UI, etc…
Palm’s Web OS, no true application support (just web apps), no memory expansion, build quality (oreo cookie twist), poor battery life…
So, better calm down and be happy with whatever platform you choose to use…
Just make the best effort to learn, tweak and optimize your system according to your needs…
If that’s too much to ask or too difficult for your brains, then buy a Dumbphone, a rolodex and some post-it notes and move on!
SergioBNovember 5, 2009
Hi! I’m trying to reinstall MFE on N97.. but I can’t set the installation path on E: … The application always go on C: How can I do? thx
WakeUpNovember 21, 2009
@RayanMX – sure every phone has its shortcomings and few will live up to the very high expectations of a tech savvy world but if you honestly believe that the design flaws of the N97 are just like all the rest then you really don’t know smartphones at all my friend. The pathetic C: drive and measly RAM are just unforgivable given how easy it is to add more in the same physical space and if they didn’t hit all the “out of memory” errors everyone else globally are getting (less so since firmware v20 was released) while testing the phone internally then their testing is shameful. In an era when the iPhone is sweeping the market, other manufacturer’s need to be right on the ball and Nokia simply are not.
luisNovember 25, 2009
i dont care about this and that all i want is for everything back that i saved on my mass for n97 help email me siumakz@gmail.com! really important!
BenDecember 8, 2009
N97 Most user unfriendly nokia yet. E90 and N95 much better. Why not make it possible to have mass memory as default? Another area where nokia as to look into is phone security and privacy. They should take a leaf from sumsung where u are able to lock applications and leave some free dialing
SharkyjonesDecember 10, 2009
Wish I’d known this shortcoming I’d have bought the E72 like my wife this is VERY bloody annoying its constantly short of memory.
What is the point of 32gb inside the machine if C memory is tiny. Its like bill gates and his 640k ram then extended memory reconfiguration in Windows 3.1 (if you remember those days)
I am So bloody annoyed with what I thought as a good phone and the first high end phone I’ve bought since Nokia 9000 communicator in 1998, finally thought there’s a phone that would be good.
jiriesDecember 15, 2009
*i have the same problem to i have flashed my phone (n97)and restored it to the factory sittings 3 times and every time after some weeks the phone memory get so low (40 mb after flashing to 13 mb)without installing anything on the c: . every thing that installed is just phone needed softwares like ovi maps and others and. it makes the n97 really slow. # *another problem the n97 contain 128 mb of ram but the free ram avialable is somthing like 35 and max it gets to 50 but my last phone n95 8gb have the same ram and the avialable is somthing like 80-90 mb of free ram. nokia really have to do software update with more ram avialable and have a solution for the phone memory (C:).
بابک رضاییDecember 18, 2009
فکر کنم یکی از مزخرفترین مدلهای نوکیا همین N97باشه که با این حافظه داخلی احمقانه که همه چیز هم باید بهش ختم بشه با عرض معذرت شده چیز خر و کون گنجشک!!خیلی خیلی بابت این مثال عذر میخوام ولی مسؤلین این پروژه نوکیا با این نبوغشون! لیاقتشون در همین حده
December 20, 2009
[...] Tips & tricks to optimize your Nokia ộ ph… [...]
kobsDecember 29, 2009
i just got my n97 and i recently synced all my contacts from my old fone to my new fone.after i had done that i ralised there were duplicates fo each contact so i erased all the contacts and decicde to do it again,thinking my ocntacts were still on my old fone…bt it wasnt.!!!i hadnt backed the memory or done anything like that,so i then decide to use a recovery programme on my p.c to see if i could access the phone memory and recover the contacts….and thats waht am having a problem with….i was jus hoping if u could please HELP me out..thanx a lot
kobsDecember 29, 2009
i just got my n97 and i recently synced all my contacts from my old fone to my new fone.after i had done that i ralised there were duplicates fo each contact so i erased all the contacts and decicde to do it again,thinking my ocntacts were still on my old fone…bt it wasnt.!!!i hadnt backed the memory or done anything like that,so i then decide to use a recovery programme on my p.c to see if i could access the phone memory and recover the contacts….and thats what am having a problem with….i was jus hoping if u could please HELP me out..than
As it happens in Windows/UNIX and some major Linux releases it should be time to have an operating system optimizer/cleaner.
Imagine, almost every one in this forum is a geek. What can be expected for regular users.
Habibullah habibiJanuary 17, 2010
Hello dears, if your Phone Nokia N97 says MEMMORY FULL then restore it hard one *#7370# it will work perfectly and the code is 12345 if it’s work thanks me on my E-mail Address Hhabibi5@gmail.com
byee
F'd off Nokia ownerFebruary 9, 2010
@RayanMX Sounds like you’re the Nokia representative I had the misfortune to encounter, he had much the same attitude as you about all phones having equal share of issues, however it’s easy to skirt around the problem by avoiding the issue by making out that it’s not the fact that Nokia f**ked up BIG time with the memory management on the N97.
I can’t even open my browser to delete the temp cache, and most applications do not run, because f the acute lack of available memory. It’s all good and well to have a small and pointless alert popping up informing the user that there is no available memory left to perform the task, why not replace the alert with something that can resolve the damned issue.
Thank you for tips to optimize Nokia N97
JHFebruary 21, 2010
I backed up all the folders from the internal drive about 1800 files across 15 folders, then did a hard rest of my N97 mini but I cant find where my sms are stores amongst all these files in order to recover them. Can anyone offer any insight pls.
WilsonFebruary 24, 2010
I chose the N97 over the iphone 3G when i bought it 6 months back. Worse mistake I’ve ever made. Internal memory management totally **** big time. Only thing good out of this is that i get to diss my friend who is working in nokia.
IanFebruary 25, 2010
I just found this software which apparently moves widget and other data to the mass memory from C: – give it a go, I will try once my N97 comes back from repain
http://europe.nokia.com/support/product-support/n97/software
FabianMarch 16, 2010
Excelent article. Clear and helpful.
Goutam BiswasApril 2, 2010
I feel Nokia N97 has got 120 Mb Ram , out of that only 42 Mb available for the user. I feel it will a great mistake if a high end user choose N97. Nokia do not care about the solution. Earlier, I have N82 and I got 82 Mb RAM out of 100 Mb RAM. Nokia should look after this issue and change the software version.
Pablo CaraballoApril 26, 2010
I follow you & I got my merory back. Now, I am programming in python (installed on the mass staorage) & every time that I run my script (it has a lot of memory use, because I load the data as diccionary & list, to get it faster), I see (using X-plore) that the free space in C: drive is getting slower. Do you know if the python script create temporary files on C: & where are they? & if I can delete them? Thanks.
nu bijna 1 jaar in het bezit van de nokia N97 en sinds 6 maanden problemen met het geheugen in C: elke maand weer het geheugen leegmaken is echt vervelend en raad dan ook iedereen af om zo’n toestel te kopen! de info op deze pagina heeft mij in ieder geval de afgelopen 6 maanden goed geholpen en hoop dat nokia van deze problemen heeft geleerd! ik ben nokia fan maar dit was dan toch echt mijn laatste toestel, opzoek naar een ander merk heeft iemand suggesties? Groeten Dave
PILINMay 2, 2010
Hola, Como podria transferir archivos de la memoria del telf. a la memoria masiva para dejarle espacio disponible ? Gracias por eso.
sumit guptaMay 3, 2010
my phone was unable to open songs images and videos . I hard reset my phone even after that i am unable to format my mass memory. What to do . please help.
vebrytoJune 5, 2010
THANK’S!!!!
I did what you did, it makes my N97 boost up! but i think i will trade this phone into blackberry soon, i can hold no more this very slow phone dude…
Abu BakarJune 19, 2010
Nokia N97 is a bad phone. It has got lots of features but very limited RAM which fills up very quickly. The processor also seems to be very slow. The software from Nokia which is supposed to move stuff from drive C: to Mass Memory also does nothing; at least thats what has happened in my case. I dont know why Nokia will do something like that. Giving customers a SmartPhone which can do a lot of stuff but offer them very limited resources to do anything. I have at least decided to never buy any Nokia phone in fututre after having this bad experience with N97.
Tony EnglishJune 28, 2010
I have to agree with the other comments on here. The N97 was released as a flagship phone to rival the iPhone. It seems like it was more of a beta version for a later handset. My phone never seems to have any available memory although I have uninstalled plenty of applications and has already been back to my provider (3) for a repair due to a fault with the screen. I fail to understand how they can treat their customers in this way. I personally will not be buying another Nokia after this fiasco. And all for the sake of a few pennies per handset in terms of RAM and storage on c:
The phone itself has been available for almost a year now and the issues people were complaining about at its release are still causing problems. Obviously Nokia are only interested in supporting their latest handsets and us who paid a fairly big chunk of cash to get their hands on the N97 have been forgotten about. Well I won’t forget about this phone for a very long time!
TalimereJune 28, 2010
Hello everyone. I am actually pleased with the nokia N97, for now. Could just everyone try to remember the time when nokia 3310 and it’s siblings were hi-tech? Mobile phones are evolving constantly, if you are not pleased now, you’ll probably never be… So quit whining everyone. (and this reply is written with a nokia N97).
NairneJune 29, 2010
To be satisfied is to quit striving for excellence. So, whining my friends is perfectly acceptable in a progressive environment =)
Thank you for the n97 optimization.
JoseJuly 23, 2010
SInce I bought the handset, its just giving my grief. I have always been a Nokia user since 1996 and always enjoys with the features they threw and how robhurst their handsets were. With the experience of N97 and for the price that I paid immediately after the launch (used only for 3 days, its still in the box), I really regret it. If i go to sell the handset now I am not even getting 1/4 of it.I take my N97 purchase to be a farewell to Nokia. bye bye nokia.
aaronJuly 24, 2010
well im on a n97 now and loving being able to type on a keyboard over the touch screens the n97 mini has all of the goods that you all want get it
Ola AJuly 28, 2010
I just bought this phone 2 weeks ago and i had the same memory problems then i had probs installing a few apps (gmail, opera mini,…) this article helped with the memory problems, i decided to use yahoo mail via the browser so no need for mail app. Installed java runtime 2.1 from betalabs solved problem with gmail and other java apps. hard reset freed up space on c: (but contacts took up about 20mb). After all this i’m finally happy with my n97. The key is to never buy a new product as soon as it comes out the payoff for waiting is price-drop I pre-ordered my n82 for $480 (without 3g support on ATT) bought my n97 for $430 (qwerty + 3.5g on ATT) Been using Apple Mac since 1997 but i choose n97 over iphone 4 any day as a do-everything device! Also fewer software issues.
Thanks for the article nokiaexperts
mahmoudAugust 4, 2010
Hey guys,it seems nokia doesn’t give a dame about this issue,or no one reads your article on N97 c: memory. What can we do?
I have purchased Nokia E-71 on 10th of January’10, because I need email messaging instantly. I activated email messaging. On 27th of July’10 about 12.30pm it was a conversation with somebody. During the discussion it hears sound of beeping and cut the voice from both side.Next day on 28th I went to nokia care at TELECONNECT, 47 JANPATH, ASHOK NAGAR, BHUBANESWAR-751009. Wait for 1.30hrs and got the reply from centre that it will take 10days i.e on 6th of August’10 I will get the same. I went on the said date and got my set E-71. But due to closing hours the executives said you come next day for email message set up. Further I went on 10th of Aug’10; after waiting of two hours, some how the mechanic has installed own ovimail and then ask me for my mail id installing. I tried my rediff id but could not success. But other ids are successful installed. On 11th August morning some how I installed the rediff id, but no receive/outgoing mail thru this id. Because that is very important. Further certain applications were installed like ngpay and certain games which also not shown in the set.Please help me in this regard. with regards, M.PANCHANAN PATRO, MY JOBSHEET NO.635504886/100728/122 DATED 28/JUL/2010.
July 13, 2009