Database Develop

[Q] No option to Decrypt

Hi all, I recently installed MobileIron on my Xperia Z to get work emails etc. I am running Android 4.2.2 When i had done testing, i decided to remove Mobileiron and deactivated it and uninatslled it, this was ll fine. As part on the setup of MobileIron, my phone had to be Encrypted and this went through fine also. The issue now is that if i go into Security and look under Owner Info>Encryption, it says Encrypt phone (Encrypted) and i have no option to decrypt. If i tap on "Encrypt phone (Encrypted)" nothing happens. anyone any ideas on this? Thank you!

The reason why you had to encrypt in the first place was because your corporate policy required it ... i.e., your IT department configured your MobileIron server to require encryption on your device, so once registered with MobileIron, you had to adopt the corporate policy.
I don't know of any Android devices that allow for decryption. That said, there's no good reason to decrypt. You are getting a security advantage with no real negatives. In theory there could be a micro-penalty in the battery consumption or i/o speed but in reality it's not going to be noticeable.
If you really can't stand the idea of encryption, you need to do a full factory reset. You'll lose all your data during that process so you'll want to backup first and restore once complete.

jsirota said:
The reason why you had to encrypt in the first place was because your corporate policy required it ... i.e., your IT department configured your MobileIron server to require encryption on your device, so once registered with MobileIron, you had to adopt the corporate policy.
I don't know of any Android devices that allow for decryption. That said, there's no good reason to decrypt. You are getting a security advantage with no real negatives. In theory there could be a micro-penalty in the battery consumption or i/o speed but in reality it's not going to be noticeable.
If you really can't stand the idea of encryption, you need to do a full factory reset. You'll lose all your data during that process so you'll want to backup first and restore once complete.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your response
The reason i was looking to do this is that i also have a Samsung Galaxy S4 and with an identical setup, there is the option to Decrypt so i was wondering if i missed something.

osheaj said:
Thank you for your response
The reason i was looking to do this is that i also have a Samsung Galaxy S4 and with an identical setup, there is the option to Decrypt so i was wondering if i missed something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agree. i used samsung galaxy note before with mobilelron. the same setting for my new xperia z but i cannot find the decrytion command

Brand new Ace detected in windows but won't boot into download no ADB detect?

Hey everyone,
NB: If you don't want to read all the fluff skip to the part highlighted in red
I am a n00b in this section of the forums, although I am a long time Samsung user of quite a few different models. Off the top of my head I have owned Galaxy S I900 (been modding these since their first release), Galaxy SII I9100, Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE P7320T, Galaxy S3 LTE GTi9305.
I've developed ROMs for I900, I kick started a team that's now 22 developers in size that support most devices across the forums, and I myself support devs for various devices....so I am fairly seasoned with regards to Samsung devices. They are my weapon of choice because I understand them and *usually* know their weaknesses, exploits etc and most importantly understand how to port from various other Samsung models to less feature rich devices (ones that would lack support from Samsung). I enjoy bringing new features to devices. Its fun.
So for Christmas I got my mum her first Android device.
She has resisted and stuck with her nokias for so long now and I can hardly blame her, but she has seen what my devices are capable of and how simple they are to use so I decided to go with the Galaxy Ace for a number of reasons, price point being the major factor.
I was shocked that I could get a device of almost on par standards to my S1 for just $68 brand new! Yes that is correct OfficeWorks here in Australia had these babies on sale for only $68 however locked to Optus, although my particular one is unlocked.
They had made a stuff up and we were promised the last one available at the store and we were prepaired to drive an hour to Brisbane in search of a store that still had stock if I had to (as you can imagine they sold like hotcakes at such a steal of a price) I would have grabbed more had I known that the sale was on.
Anyway long story short, they admitted that they had sold out of locked devices long ago and a staff member had let slip that they had been selling the unlocked ones for the same price because people were swarming for them every single day and they only had 1 more device left. So lucky me got the last one they had. Awesome!
Heres the bad part now, the phone WILL boot into recovery fine red coloured 3e. The device is detected absolutely fine in Windows, no driver faults, nothing flagged in device manager in Windows 7 64bit. I cannot get it to boot into download mode via the 3 button method. It just blatantly refuses as though there isn't even a download mode? Inside of Windows even though it IS detected fine, ADB does not see the device what so ever. I get the generic list of devices attached message. I have removed and reloaded drivers. I have done the 3 button trick with the battery out and dropping the battery back in whilst already holding the 3 buttons in and still no download mode?
The device is running Android 2.3.6 and is a bit of a slug. I wanted to get a decent ICS ROM on there for her with some nice features for one, and secondly because OMFG gingerbread looks so darn horrid. I forget just how crap this software was. Man it's gotta go!
Next issue, I have a solid WiFi connection and this thing refuses to create a Google Account? WTF? I don't have the sim for it (she is using it and my sim in my current phone is a micro sim and won't work. I have made a dodgy jigsaw puzzle like carrier out of an old simcard that works well to hold micro sims in place but usually only in the flip down tray style of simcard trays...I am not game to stick my sim in this slot style. So thats a no go?
I don't really have the Option to return it unless it is physically not working, I guess the Google Account not registering is enough, but the thing is that they won't have a device to give me as a replacement. Usually almost always when there are specials like this with 3rd party suppliers (OfficeWorks are not an everyday reseller for Optus nor Samsung and they aren't a telco either) so I know they will probably turn me away and say send it off the Samsung if I have any issues (which I kind of expected).
So what are my options from here?
Should I attempt to flash the latest stock firmware from Optus in a hope that it has a kernel that will allow me into download mode? How would I go about doing this? Does anyone know of any signed firmware packages that I can flash via the 3e recovery? This was a solution when I had the same problem with Gingerbread. Basically Samsung has been known for blocking download mode in their kernels so as to stop users flashing their own firmware, but still allowing them to do a factory reset from recovery. Shifty lil buggers aren't they My Galaxy S1 that had much the same issues? Because I couldn't get download mode on my S1, I flashed stock recovery 2e over 3e and then from there I was able to flash a stock gingerbread kernel (insecure kernel) and from there the world was my oyster as they say
Would this be similar approach for me? I can't get into download mode so I can't use Odin, so could I flash a different recovery (like stock 2e) flash a stock "insecure kernel" (do they still call it that these days?) then I should be able to make a backup recovery, or flash root from 2e and then just a terminal back up dd to my SDcard or ext SDcard right? Would any devs have these resources on hand?
Can anyone tell me what type of update script is used on these devices? Is it edify or amend? Also what binary? Would the binary from my S1 developments work for the Ace?
The biggest hitch is being no download mode. I know a lot of you guys in here from your recommendations to several users have been that you are screwed when you have no download mode? I believe that not to be so.....well coming from my SGS1 days that was quite common to have a device that would not allow download mode, I am just not so sure with the Ace? Maybe you guys are right and know better than me and maybe I am screwed?
I am all ears? Shoot with suggestions and I am willing to give them a try before driving all the way to Brisbane to search for a store that might still have stock to possibly get a device that might still have the same issue?
First person that can help me out of this situation I will share with them my work (that I still have) from the first port of proper TouchWiz ICS to SGS1 device (all but working with exception of the FM radio) I would really love to kick start that again and get another ROM going with some ICS but something other than AOSP (nothing wrong with AOSP btw, just there is less dramas with integrating TW apps into genuine TW firmware thats all ....anyway....
Ok I'm done. I have about half a week to spare before my mum is back from holidays to have this done for her, otherwise it's ****ful gingerbread for her
Cheers and merry Christmas if I don't hear back from anyone till then

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
I tried to flash new recovery without download mode from existing 3e using this --> [UNOFFICIAL][RECOVERY] ClockworkMod v3.2.0.1 I was at least hoping to make a backup in recovery before "flashing anything dangerous" but unlucky me has gone and f*#ked things right up good and proper.
Has Australian model got a different partition layout or something? I was on Gingerbread as per the directions in the thread. What gives?
Now I can't boot, I can't factory reset error failed to mount system. No way of pushing to the sdcard from recovery cause ADB never worked to begin with. Now I am screwed.
Whats my options?

Wow, you're seriously have a problem...
What is your device? Ace S5830?
Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

[Q] Heartbleed - Disable Heartbeats in OpenSSL on Android 4.1.1 Rooted

Apparently the ONLY version of Android that is vulnerable to Heartbleed is 4.1.1. I ran a check on my phone, and sure enough I'm running that version, and heartbeats are definitely enabled. I used the Lookout security app to verify this. Is there a way I can patch my system myself and somehow disable the heartbeats feature without having to wait another 3 years for Motorola to come out with a fix? My phone is rooted, but something tells me that OpenSSL probably needs to be essentially recompiled with a flag set to disable heartbeats?
I was hoping there would be a quick config file for OpenSSL that can be modified, but I'm not usually lucky. Based on everything I've seen thus far, a recompile with a flag set is the only way to fix this. Figured i'd give it a shot and ask on here.

I've been thinking about the same thing.
If memory was encrypted that could solve all or part of the problem.
If the Chrome https browser cache were turned off, which I think requires an APK edit there would not be any clear text data in the browser cache.
What do you think?
dosmac said:
Apparently the ONLY version of Android that is vulnerable to Heartbleed is 4.1.1. I ran a check on my phone, and sure enough I'm running that version, and heartbeats are definitely enabled. I used the Lookout security app to verify this. Is there a way I can patch my system myself and somehow disable the heartbeats feature without having to wait another 3 years for Motorola to come out with a fix? My phone is rooted, but something tells me that OpenSSL probably needs to be essentially recompiled with a flag set to disable heartbeats?
I was hoping there would be a quick config file for OpenSSL that can be modified, but I'm not usually lucky. Based on everything I've seen thus far, a recompile with a flag set is the only way to fix this. Figured i'd give it a shot and ask on here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Yep, 4.1.1 is vulnerable to this. 4.1.2 has the no heartbeat fix added in and 4.1.1 took the update that was bugged. That said, we DO have TWO 4.1.2 Stock roms, Mexican Retail and Bell are both 4.1.2 and should have that fix -- needs confirmation. Our Stock ICS roms are all from before this bug was added in and are safe. In reality, only stock, locked AT&T Atrix HD's are vulnerable to this since all the other roms* have this fix.
Normally I'd say something around the lines of give me a few days and I'll look into this more, but I've been busy lately, and when I'm not busy I'm either tired or sore; did some heavy lifting a few weeks ago and my back is still sore from that day.
*Our 4.1.2 roms are untested, but 4.1.2 AOSP has the fix so our 4.1.2 stocks should too

I was just thinking that ther eis no such thing as security. Security is achieved by being harder to exploit than the other computers. Even 3-DES can be cracked with enough computing power.
So encrypting memory and stopping https caching would close two big holes. I'm now wondering what holes would remain to be exploited by the heartbeat exploit on a 4.1.1 device if this were done?

stevep2007 said:
I was just thinking that ther eis no such thing as security. Security is achieved by being harder to exploit than the other computers. Even 3-DES can be cracked with enough computing power.
So encrypting memory and stopping https caching would close two big holes. I'm now wondering what holes would remain to be exploited by the heartbeat exploit on a 4.1.1 device if this were done?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I was on a stock phone running 4.1.1 and I was that worried about heartbleed, I'd unlock the bootloader and install Bell or Mex Retail because both are 4.1.2. I might even be possible to just swap the exploited binaries with the ones in our 4.1.2 roms, that's something someone else worried about this can do. Hell, it might even be possible to run the 4.1.2 roms with safestrap and the AT&T kernel...again, that's a someone else thing...I have no intention of dicking with SSR.
Think about Wifi being hacked....when it first came out a crappy password like 12345678 was good enough because computing power wasn't that good for consumers yet; nowadays, a basic gaming laptop can check 500,000 wpa2 passwords a second, a decent desktop with multiple GPU's can do over a million a second. All wpa2 hacking is sniffing out the verification md5*, then the tools generate passwords and their md5 and compare it against the sniffed out one, eventually you'll find one that matches, especially so if the password sucks. If you know how certain telecoms set up their wifi passwords, you can shorten the amount of time taken by limiting to the characters they use -- for example, AT&T U-Verse** uses 10 digit numeric passwords, so all you'd have to do is limit the tools to use numbers and start with 10 digits....hint: there are only 1 million codes if you use 10 numbers only....10 to the power of 10 and all....
That isn't a wifi hacking tutorial, just an example of how overtime good security unchanged becomes very bad security and how eventually an exploit will be found and security compromised, like how wpa2 for a split second sends out a the verification md5 unencrypted.
*not sure if WPA2 uses md5, but most of us know what md5's are
**last time I read about that service that's what I saw...and I read that a few months ago

On my Note 9 being hacked & the validity of 'Ethical hackers'...

I was running a U1 XAA build of Android 10 2.0 with the
June 1 Security patch that I'd downloaded and flashed
from Sammobile.
Awhile ago I downloaded and flashed the U1 XAA 2.1 update from the same place and noticed that there
are a number of apps I can no longer deny Wifi Control
access to under the Apps Special access area:
DeviceTest
DeviceKeystring
FACM
Gear VR Service
Voice wake-up
being 5 out of the 12 I cant deny access to.
Also I am no longer able to disable Google Play Services
whereas before in 2.0 I could. I'm not even allowed to forcestop Play Services now! Its not just these two changes, there are other things I used to be able to disable but now can't. And I have *two* 'SmartThings'
apps, one is version 10.0.37.0 and the other is version
1.7.50-21 (the-21 is just how its listed.)
I know this all sounds somewhat tame and trivial but I would like to know if this is all normal and can be confirmed by anyone else.
Anyone
-----------------
**Update**
Okay, just wanted to post some info on some sort of resolution to the above, mostly for those who make honest and earnest pleas for help and ask really pertinent questions but are ignored by the knowledgable (or criminal)
peruser.
In short, I was hacked. It doesn't come as a surprise (has happened *many* times with my N9. It *does* make me wonder about that supposed military-grade Knox security)
How do you know if you're hacked?? I just used the Running Services lister under Development Tools. Look
for services that shouldn't be running as often as they do
(Last hack they had Samsung Push which is for delivering notifications related to Samsung apps?? running something as a Service (not sure what it was but as soon as I stopped it, it popped right back up) or things you never use or have deactivated showing up in the cache (ESPECIALLY Aircommand!! Disable this as a Trusted Agent immediately! And keep an eye on it, and always keep the Air Remote feature OFF).
Also, the Google Play Store app. When I flashed the July 2020 Security update I noticed the Play Store was still at the May 2020 version update. I didn't think much of it at the time, but after having to Factory Reset I noticed it now read July 1 2020. So I guess the 'worms' have the May version hacked. Sucks that villany loves working for free breaking stuff, but in order to build something up and protect it, it takes toil and coercion.
Finally (Not sure if this is actually a sign of malware or hacking, but the only reference I could find relating to it
was from a guy who was truly beleaguered by hackers)
theres a User Certificate under Biometrics & Security / Other
Security settings / User Certificates that reads as
'FindMyMobile' and purports to being necessary for VPN security and other applications. Well, I had Find My Mobile
deactivated and uninstalled via ADB and it still showed back up after being deleted numerous times and my VPN seems to work without it. It might be for the Note 9's
built-in Knox android VPN strengthening parameters, but I couldn't find nfo online about it anywhere except in the case I mentioned which seems very odd. Qualifying proof of its malicious intent for me?: After factory resetting it hasn't shown back up.
I dont think my N9 is cleaned or I should say I'll never trust a smart phone fully again, not until the outdated and hacked 40 year old SS7 protocol that runs all cellular communications is updated, not until something more reliably secure than 'somewhat' obsfucatingly complex baseband processors are present in phones and maybe something akin to a hardware firewall in the soc that can interpret and filter non-carrier invalid commands (prob only need to update that damn SS7 protocol!) I'd also love it if Google/Alphabet would dump Android and start over with a new updated mobile OS with security at the forefront (Think, updates delivered via 'Middleware', roms bought initially directly from the manufacturer that can be crytographically flashed up to three times with signed updates with each update burned and locked into the rom via fuses. Each factory reset brings you back to your last update. The roms are only updatable if a hardware dip switch is tripped which moves actual physical leads in the soc which powers the ability to flash this chip. And maybe screw AOSP, I wonder if all this open sourceness has actually given the malware creators more knowledge to
finess the software and the hardware. The so-called white-hat 'Ethical Hackers' (LOL! HOW can breaking into someone's personal space without permission outside of national defense be considered ethical?!? All hackers are criminals. If you want to be considered a 'good' hacker (*snort*) bring to light the measly exploits and software, the slime who make and distribute the same and tell how to protect against them and detect them and disable them. Criminals giving webinars and seminars about how to circumvent protections for devices that billions of people rely on for living should be outlawed FULL-STOP-PERIOD I'd rather have one slime who knows how to get into a system than having that slime be allowed to freely distribute the software and knowledge so that millions of other definately less conscionable scum can make use of his knowledge.)
hackers only care about making their fame and fortune by
beinging to light obscure and unknown exploits that no one has ever used or are likely to use than going after to exoloits that *are* in use and *do* affect those in the here and now. It must give some sense of ease not to be in contention with real criminality and the fear of any reprisals from the 'less-ethically saturated' in the tech community.
Just wanted to get that out somewhere. I know its pointless and no-one will listen. Look at what Edward Snowden sacrificed for people who were/are unworthy of *any* sacrifice by betraying everything bit by bit, battle by battle until it must one day be reclaimed (if it can be) via costly confrontation, disruption and perhaps irrevocable critical loss.
Okay, END RANT. Yeah, a slow day, corona cloud and all.
But seriuosly the Feds need to check all this electronic criminality, its gotten waaay out of hand. TO FEDS: Less hunting terrorists, MORE hunting electronic predators and anarchists!

Hi, @tamdwin,
Even though you believe your phone may have been hacked, DeviceKeystring, DeviceTest, EmergencyManagerService, FACM, IMS Service, IOTHiddenMenu, Samsung MirrorLink 1.1, Settings, Setup Wizard, Wi-Fi Direct & WlanTest are enabled on my Note9 with One UI 2.1, Security patch: 1 July 2020 (w/out Google Play Services/Google Play Store, Bixby, GearVR, DeX...only have Google Services Framework installed).
After downloading the 1 July 2020 Security update, I noticed that these services could no longer be turned off for wi-fi control.
Wish I never downloaded the update for the fancy camera features, lol.
Snowden? Have you read any of his articles on smartphone security? (you may want to throw your phone in a blender after reading...)
Some of the settings, such as disabling "Find My Mobile" from running in the background, reset/enable after you restart the phone.

Snowden? Have you read any of his articles on smartphone security? (you may want to throw your phone in a blender after reading...)
But will it blend!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN9mktgYZJ8

I am worried about these things, so I am looking at developing my own custom ROM.
Sorry for my English I Am brazillian

@P00r ROFL! The Samsung S4 Active shake looks delicious! Thank you for sharing the vid!
silvaBR said:
I am worried about these things, so I am looking at developing my own custom ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds like an excellent plan!

Factory reset A7 ( SM T-505)

I have an Tablet A7 ( SM T-505)- With Android 10 UI 2.5.
But after sn failed update from Google Maps ( from 10 something to 11.75.0302)- wich disabled me from charging my tablet propably.
( as I would say ruin my tablet).
Because however what's strange is that I can recharge when I have empty battery( or atleast <5%). Will I charge earlier it just recharge my unit.
And if I cancel before it will be fully recharged I must use up what I have charged.
I myself already tryed to: Put my unit into Safe Mode,and also into dev mode, and also inactivated the app.
Since this app is an rooted app- wich is an part of Googles standard apps ( wich isn't possibel to delete).
So it seems that this update has affected the " register files" in Android.
But since I in the past had experienced trouble to complete the process in the past, mostly due to new updated regulations from both Samsung and Google.
But mostly from Samsung,since they nowdays requires 2 step aut to a nr wich I don't have acess to.
So is there any possibility for me to reset it in an other way?
Since I myself also have heard of Odin- forum.
But it seems that this forum is down- since I don't recive any confirmation mail.

Welcome to XDA
If a reset reset doesn't resolve the issue, flash to the last known working version.
If you're unsure how to flash it, a Samsung Experience center at Best Buys can do, or Samsung Repair. A good repair shop can as well. If all above fail you're looking at a mobo failure; flashing to the last known working version may bypass the hardware damage if that's the cause.
Firmware upgrades and updates can and do break Samsung's. Anytime you flash firmware you take a risk, I trust OTA updates the least. Personally I avoid doing it on Samsung's if the device is running well.

[Edit]:
Well it seems that every time an new update is released from Google causes some sort of conflict( creates bug reports), and that every new update also requires an system update ( OS).
But what's more stange is that Google them selves ignore this,and their standard reply to everyting is Factory Reset.
And in the end that Google don't mention anyting about this.
Since all units wich are sold ( doesn't matter if it's an Tablet or phone ) they always will come with an rooted OS.
Since this type of licence is some special OEM- Software, it's also disabled from doing any changes to the software( non refundable)
So this mean if you already activated it once,it's per default also impossibel to recover( reinstall).
Unleash you create a new account.
Because however I myself had ruined my previous device due to an system update.
Since Samsung call their OS UI.
What many people also is not aware of is the difference between an update and reinstall.
Update= Only adds something new,but don't fix the original problem.
So the conclution is that Google force users to buy the latest equipment.
Wich also mean that I strongly dissuade users to repeat my misstake.
Just find your settings and disable from reciving autoupdates.
But what's more strange is that the new update activates some sort of Safe Mode= an absolut min of charging ( close to values of discarging)
Aprox 0.5A or less.
So this mean that the unit is charging,but very slowly( wich are similar/ close to discharging).
I myself would see an feature of an option where I can manualy Delete( or choose not download) this app.
Because however this is some sort of Momentum 22.
Since what Samsung says about this is that they don't take any responsiblity of 3:rd party apps ( wich are Samsungs policy).
At the other hand what Google do is that they forces me to create an Google accunt- wich is essential.
But the best would if the licens from Samsung would be an traditional OEM- software, wich I could use and reset as many times I find is nessesarly.
Because that's not the case today.
Since when Google has 100% control,they also decide like an push of a button when they should shut down my acess to their software.

Thomasz25 said:
[Edit]:
Well it seems that every time an new update is released from Google causes some sort of conflict( creates bug reports), and that every new update also requires an system update ( OS).
But what's more stange is that Google them selves ignore this,and their standard reply to everyting is Factory Reset.
And in the end that Google don't mention anyting about this.
Since all units wich are sold ( doesn't matter if it's an Tablet or phone ) they always will come with an rooted OS.
Since this type of licence is some special OEM- Software, it's also disabled from doing any changes to the software( non refundable)
So this mean if you already activated it once,it's per default also impossibel to recover( reinstall).
Unleash you create a new account.
Because however I myself had ruined my previous device due to an system update.
Since Samsung call their OS UI.
What many people also is not aware of is the difference between an update and reinstall.
Update= Only adds something new,but don't fix the original problem.
So the conclution is that Google force users to buy the latest equipment.
Wich also mean that I strongly dissuade users to repeat my misstake.
Just find your settings and disable from reciving autoupdates.
But what's more strange is that the new update activates some sort of Safe Mode= an absolut min of charging ( close to values of discarging)
Aprox 0.5A or less.
So this mean that the unit is charging,but very slowly( wich are similar/ close to discharging).
I myself would see an feature of an option where I can manualy Delete( or choose not download) this app.
Because however this is some sort of Momentum 22.
Since what Samsung says about this is that they don't take any responsiblity of 3:rd party apps ( wich are Samsungs policy).
At the other hand what Google do is that they forces me to create an Google accunt- wich is essential.
But the best would if the licens from Samsung would be an traditional OEM- software, wich I could use and reset as many times I find is nessesarly.
Because that's not the case today.
Since when Google has 100% control,they also decide like an push of a button when they should shut down my acess to their software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gookill... had my fill of them. Invariably they either keep screwing with a good product until they dumb it down or discontinue it. Either way you're boned. Typical MS ideology, woke cloud our way or the highway; you'll own nothing and be happy... not.
This N10+ last firmware update was 11/2019, still running on Pie. The current load will be 3 yo this June, still fast, stable with minimal maintenance. Security is not an issue. All OTA updates are disables as is Playstore. Google play Services is temporarily disabled unless needed. Samsung updates are disabled as much as possible; Galaxy store and Good Lock apps requires them. Wearables does not and the newer versions suck. Firmware upgrades for the Buds+ should be blocked if they sound good; use a firewall to lock it down.
These are some of the reasons why this Note runs so well and is so stable.
Rule #1 - if a OS is fulfilling its mission let it be!
Use ApkExport to save time, trouble and to avoid using Playstore for reloads and new setups. For paid Playstore apps, once activated firewall block them and disabled Playstore. Playstore runs a lot in the background and isn't needed.
Most apps should not be updated if nothing else is. This can break them and is a potential security risk.

That's a realistic ( and a bit funny) way of express yourself.
Because however as I remembered old computer programs( the type of license); is that when you bought it once you had it for more of less your lifetime( or untill a new OS was released).
But since the new app based technology; in wich you sign up for a period of time( wich means that you don't own your own copy), so this mean that a company in click of a button decides when and who sholud have acess to their products.
So even if Samsung ( or other brands) put " quality" hardware ( for an example high battery,great screen resolution,a good camera etc),but since a hardware is depending on a stable software- it will be a pile of junk either way.
So it's the same of putting an Volvo BM Tractor engine into a Volvo 740 series.
But now matter of my comical expressions- since I myself is an complete novice in the world of Android( has more experience of Win 98).
As I would say: " Everything above Win 98 is just superfluous"
But however I myself had experienced that there are loads of junk apps in Play store.
Some are released from officaly ( well known/ established) sources, but there are exeptions( mostly from cusom search from Google)- wich are junk( harmfull).
Now matter, what is the attached APK- File? What can I use?
Since I myself found a great site wich has APK- Files ( Google maps).
But this maybe be superfluous, since my main issue is that I need to perform a factory reset ( clean install).
Since I myself had experienced it badly in the past,I don't want to repeat the same again.

Thomasz25 said:
That's a realistic ( and a bit funny) way of express yourself.
Because however as I remembered old computer programs( the type of license); is that when you bought it once you had it for more of less your lifetime( or untill a new OS was released).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, still running W7 and may run XPx64 again as well. No real time limit as long as you use it within it's parameters.
Thomasz25 said:
But since the new app based technology; in wich you sign up for a period of time( wich means that you don't own your own copy), so this mean that a company in click of a button decides when and who sholud have acess to their products.
So even if Samsung ( or other brands) put " quality" hardware ( for an example high battery,great screen resolution,a good camera etc),but since a hardware is depending on a stable software- it will be a pile of junk either way.
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All Samsung's need to be optimized and need a package disabler or adb edits. A stock Samsung as such can run very good. This N10+ is still running on Pie, current liad will be 3yo this June.
Almost no issues with minimal maintenance.
Thomasz25 said:
So it's the same of putting an Volvo BM Tractor engine into a Volvo 740 series.
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Those tractor engines ran a lot better with plenty of off the line torque and acceleration. I owned 2 80's 240's before the brand went to hell. You could get half a mil miles out of them. 20 mpg even if stomp down on the accelerator from a stand still in city driving most of the time. You beat the turbos off the line everytime. The air aspirated International diesel on the 90's Ford F-250, E-250's etc were they same way, and fun to drive. Today's junk is well, junk.
Thomasz25 said:
But now matter of my comical expressions- since I myself is an complete novice in the world of Android( has more experience of Win 98).
As I would say: " Everything above Win 98 is just superfluous"
But however I myself had experienced that there are loads of junk apps in Play store.
Some are released from officaly ( well known/ established) sources, but there are exeptions( mostly from cusom search from Google)- wich are junk( harmfull).
Now matter, what is the attached APK- File? What can I use?
Since I myself found a great site wich has APK- Files ( Google maps).
But this maybe be superfluous, since my main issue is that I need to perform a factory reset ( clean install).
Since I myself had experienced it badly in the past,I don't want to repeat the same again.
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Welcome to XDA.
Try using ApkExport to make installable copies of your Android apps...