[Q] System cleaning tool? - Windows Phone 8 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hey guys, for android are a lot of system and registry cleaning tools like system maid.
My question is if there is also something for windows phone?
Thanks

Finalforce1111 said:
Hey guys, for android are a lot of system and registry cleaning tools like system maid.
My question is if there is also something for windows phone?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, because of restrictions. Also, WP doesn't really need one.

Applications in general do not have sufficient permissions to do such system-y stuff.
Windows Phone does not need it, its been polished pretty well. the most you can do is clear temporary files and close open apps, but even those are not crucial for smooth operation, just for clearing some storage space and closing apps, although WP manages itself well.

Related

Uninstall of Apps does not remove all related files!

I apologize if this has been answered earlier.
I use a stock N1 with ADW.Launcher and a bunch of other apps. I recently noticed that even when I uninstall an app from my phone, there are some directories / files that remain on the phone.
Is there any reason why these do not get deleted when the app is unistalled.
May be the same answer as installers written for windows. If the developer didn't do a good job with cleanup, you get trash leftover you need to manually clean.
i agree with both above. i found devs dont do good with uninstalling and leaving folders left behind, i wonder if there is an app that clears them?
The best way is to realize what should and shouldn't be there and manually take care of it. To write an application to clean up after 50,000+ other applications that are messy. Would be a programming nightmare and I would not want to support such an application.
or someone could make some sort of app similar to those on pc, montors what and where files are being installed to so if uninstall doesnt take em out alteast you know where to look exactly.
Edit: better yet, the app itself can uninstall everything on the users request! now that would be an app i wouldnt mind paying a good buck for.
I agree, apps itself should uninstall everything with user consent.
Also I don't think a lot of us mind taking the manual route as long as we know what to delete ..
Any way to find out what files belong to what apps?.... or is it the same as on any unix/linux platform.
thats what i was trying to say. windows has a simple app that makes a txt file of all files being installed including registery. launch the app to monitor first, install like normal. in this case, the app itself will make a database of the app then the user can use that app to delete everything catched that was installed. that would be very nice. i find myself doing google search to see where files came from and when i see i uninstalled that i have to delete it myself. this would save me lots of time. i dont really worry about it though i have a list of apps i must install and with all the froyo i keep wiping the os to try new roms. until everything is stable ill worry then but for now im good.
garryvirdi said:
I apologize if this has been answered earlier.
I use a stock N1 with ADW.Launcher and a bunch of other apps. I recently noticed that even when I uninstall an app from my phone, there are some directories / files that remain on the phone.
Is there any reason why these do not get deleted when the app is unistalled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you mean the directories on the sd card?
Yes directories and files on the SD card.
-------------------------------------
Sent from my Nexus One
garryvirdi said:
Yes directories and files on the SD card.
-------------------------------------
Sent from my Nexus One
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could have data that could be reused if you decide to use the app again. Settings, preferences, keys, notes, photos etc..
I do hope that the default folder for apps defaults to something like /sdcard/appdata/ instead of the root folder /sdcard/ (unless explicitly set)

[q] sd-ext s2e

Hello all. I have problem with my sd-ext. What i mean. It happend with 2 different ROMs. Yesterday with CM9 and today with Apocalypse. All works ok till i use S2E. I checked in S2E option Mount as ext4, reboot, checked move apps to sd-ext and all gone. No have them and system looks like after reinstal - fresh. Inn app manager apps are but only as browser.dolphin.firefox.opera... or com.sygic.aura. But they are invisible in drawer. What i am doing wrong. How to move safetly to sd-ext without that problems. Help!
try darktremors app2sd
But i want to know what heppend... It is S2E fault or sd-ext sth wrong?
Wojtys said:
But i want to know what heppend... It is S2E fault or sd-ext sth wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried S2E today, and it did not work. Looks like undocumented rubbish to me.
I tried moving only the Dalvik cache, but after I activated that function and rebooted, all the settings but the last were greyed out, so I could not even undo what the piece of garbage had done.
Another point is that it has a setting allowing you to choose between ext3 and ext4. This is stupid, because the normal user cannot possibly know what to choose there. He cannot know whether his ext partition is ext3 or ext4, because the most common recovery, Clockworkmod, has no such choice in its SD card partitioning function. If the program itself cannot find out, how can the user? It is not even clear what the setting actually does.
So we keep wading through the idiot swamp, until somebody writes a usable program and documents it properly, if a really good program needs documentation at all.
My general advice is, look carefully at a program. Check its settings. Check its documentation for quality and completeness. As soon as you spot the first sign of madhouse style, drop it like a hot potato and look for something better. There are too many garbage programs around these days to waste our time with.
If you cannot find any that fulfills the minimal requirements for decent software, give up on the apps-to-ext idea. Buy a phone with more internal memory, if you have money to spare, or delete the programs you can do without.
The minimal requirement for an apps-to-sd program would be that it can cleanly move installed programs to the ext partition and back. Since you may have installed too many programs to move them all back, I would think that the program should help you to uninstall enough programs to make the rest fit, if you have to move them back.
hgmichna said:
I tried S2E today, and it did not work. Looks like undocumented rubbish to me.
I tried moving only the Dalvik cache, but after I activated that function and rebooted, all the settings but the last were greyed out, so I could not even undo what the piece of garbage had done.
Another point is that it has a setting allowing you to choose between ext3 and ext4. This is stupid, because the normal user cannot possibly know what to choose there. He cannot know whether his ext partition is ext3 or ext4, because the most common recovery, Clockworkmod, has no such choice in its SD card partitioning function. If the program itself cannot find out, how can the user? It is not even clear what the setting actually does.
So we keep wading through the idiot swamp, until somebody writes a usable program and documents it properly, if a really good program needs documentation at all.
My general advice is, look carefully at a program. Check its settings. Check its documentation for quality and completeness. As soon as you spot the first sign of madhouse style, drop it like a hot potato and look for something better. There are too many garbage programs around these days to waste our time with.
If you cannot find any that fulfills the minimal requirements for decent software, give up on the apps-to-ext idea. Buy a phone with more internal memory, if you have money to spare, or delete the programs you can do without.
The minimal requirement for an apps-to-sd program would be that it can cleanly move installed programs to the ext partition and back. Since you may have installed too many programs to move them all back, I would think that the program should help you to uninstall enough programs to make the rest fit, if you have to move them back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Undocumented rubbish? What? The app or ur brain? You cant just call an app like that just because you cant make it work. Alot of users have been using it without problems.
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda premium
Shadow xD said:
Undocumented rubbish? What? The app or ur brain? You cant just call an app like that just because you cant make it work. Alot of users have been using it without problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly do you mean by, "make it work"?
S2e moves all non System apps to SD-ext. So, it will move itself to SD-ext aftwr reboot. This means the SD-ext won't be mounted at boot, and non System apps won't be accessible after boot (even if their shorcuts are there).
Simple solution for this problem; make s2e a system app before running it, and use some common sense before flaming a great app.
How to make it a System app? Move s2e to System/app and give rw, r, r permissions.

Help Choosing Between Multiple Apps Doing the Same Thing

I've come across a couple recommended apps that seem to do the same thing. I'm hoping you guys can help me pick which one does the job the best and if there really is no difference which one would be the most lightweight. Thanks!
For ad blocking:
AdAway
AdBlock Plus for Android
For my friend who has 1GB internal and 16GB mSD who wants to move as much as possible to her mSD:
FolderMount
Link2SD Plus (The Paid Version)
Root Uninstalling Apps Without Leaving Behind Gunk
Clean Master (With Root Access)
Root Toolbox Pro (Paid Version)
Root App Delete
Root Uninstaller Pro (Paid Version)
SD Maid Pro (Paid Version)
Titanium Backup Pro (Paid Version)
Junk Cleaning
Clean Master
CCleaner
SD Maid
EDIT:
Best Note Taking App for School:
S Note
Papyrus
Lecture Notes
Best OCR app that exports to pdf, txt, or anything I can copy/paste from? Apps I am considering:
CamScanner
OCR Instantly
Samsung Optical Reader
I use adfree. It doesn't mess up CNN or BBC app.
The ext SD card fix goes a long way:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2903733
Titanium backup pro
Cachemate
Android_Monsters said:
I use adfree. It doesn't mess up CNN or BBC app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android_Monsters said:
Cachemate
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to use AdFree since my G1 but I switched to AdAway when the hosts stopped updating. Cachemate I used to use since my G1 also but found Clean Master to be vastly superior.
The hosts still update. They didn't for a while.
Same with adaway.
Google can't openly support ad blocking software:
I wouldn't use clean master. If you like it. Then you answered your own question:
Android_Monsters said:
The hosts still update. They didn't for a while.
Same with adaway.
Google can't openly support ad blocking software:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if AdFree still updates its hosts I'd seriously consider switching back
Android_Monsters said:
I wouldn't use clean master. If you like it. Then you answered your own question:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just felt cachemate hasn't been effective enough since the jump to Donut. What's your opinion on CCleaner and SD Maid? I have shared the same sentiments as that screenshot tbh
Just updated adfree:
Force closes with ccleaner.
Sd maid works and does more than cachemate.
That's a good find:
ThR1LL said:
I've come across a couple recommended apps that seem to do the same thing. I'm hoping you guys can help me pick which one does the job the best and if there really is no difference which one would be the most lightweight. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They might look like apps doing the same thing but actually they are all very different.
Root Uninstalling Apps Without Leaving Behind Gunk
Clean Master (With Root Access)
Does remove apps including left overs, but is far from leightweight. There are also some concerns about the app as a whole ( google a bit, build your own opinion). I consider it "scareware".
Root Toolbox Pro (Paid Version)
I'm not sure if this actually supports root uninstall? I'm pretty sure though it doesn't clean up after uninstalls.
Root App Delete
Does support root uninstalls, but does not clean up after them AFAIK.
Root Uninstaller Pro (Paid Version)
Has quite extensive options in terms of app management, but also does not clean up after uninstall AFAIK.
SD Maid Pro (Paid Version)
Does support root uninstalls and also cleans up after uninstalls. You also don't need the paid verison for this. (Full disclosure: This is my app).
Titanium Backup Pro (Paid Version)
Supports root uninstalls, but not clean up of leftovers, though that's not it's job (it's a backup app).
Junk Cleaning
Clean Master
CCleaner
SD Maid
While you should remember that SD Maid is my app (bias?), i would still whole heartedly recommended it over Clean Master and CCleaner.
If you really don't want SD Maid for some reason, go with CCleaner.
For Adblocking, "AdAway" does seems to work better. Sadly the dev has not a lot of spare time to keep it updated, but it's opensource and there is a nice community around it keeping working. Neither one is really bad though.
FolderMount and Link2SD are two different concepts (links vs mounts). Read up on both. I think Link2SD does not work in all scenarios.
If you are looking to get some good tools out of yours listed, get TitaniumBackup, SD Maid and AdAway. You won't regret it.
Android_Monsters said:
Force closes with ccleaner.
Sd maid works and does more than cachemate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it this CacheMate you're talking about? It's the one I'm referring too. Just wanting to make sure because you've convinced me lol
Dark3n;58350534SD Maid Pro (Paid Version)
Does support root uninstalls and also cleans up after uninstalls. You also don't need the paid verison for this. (Full disclosure: [URL="http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1013063" said:
This is my app[/URL]).
While you should remember that SD Maid is my app (bias?), i would still whole heartedly recommended it over Clean Master and CCleaner.
If you really don't want SD Maid for some reason, go with CCleaner
If you are looking to get some good tools out of yours listed, get TitaniumBackup, SD Maid and AdAway. You won't regret it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well sir I applaud you on an absolutely thorough and well coded app! I have had it installed on my Android devices for the past 3 years and I must say I never knew it was this powerful! The GUI is really awesome now too so definitely hats off for that. I'm pretty much convinced what to go with!
As far as FolderMount and Link2SD I've read things regarding those apps with my friend's phone specifically and apparently Link2SD has broken a mSD here and there so I'll play with FolderMount on her phone. Thanks!
Updated with more questions Didn't see a reason to start a new topic :good:
Dark3n said:
While you should remember that SD Maid is my app (bias?), i would still whole heartedly recommended it over Clean Master and CCleaner.
If you really don't want SD Maid for some reason, go with CCleaner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I installed SD Maid on my friend's phone (Cherry Mobile Omege HD 2.0) and she says SwiftKey and HoverChat are noticeable slower since I uninstalled Clean Master and put SD Maid (free) on there. Would you happen to know why it effects those 2 apps specifically? She also doesn't use SwiftKey predictions (since she texts a lot in the native dialect) if that helps with the troubleshooting.
ThR1LL said:
Updated with more questions Didn't see a reason to start a new topic :good:
I installed SD Maid on my friend's phone (Cherry Mobile Omege HD 2.0) and she says SwiftKey and HoverChat are noticeable slower since I uninstalled Clean Master and put SD Maid (free) on there. Would you happen to know why it effects those 2 apps specifically? She also doesn't use SwiftKey predictions (since she texts a lot in the native dialect) if that helps with the troubleshooting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't really say, there is too much influencing everything, including peoples own psychology. Troubleshooting would start with making it reproduceable, then see what tool specifically causes and then check logcats.
ThR1LL said:
Updated with more questions Didn't see a reason to start a new topic :good:
I installed SD Maid on my friend's phone (Cherry Mobile Omege HD 2.0) and she says SwiftKey and HoverChat are noticeable slower since I uninstalled Clean Master and put SD Maid (free) on there. Would you happen to know why it effects those 2 apps specifically? She also doesn't use SwiftKey predictions (since she texts a lot in the native dialect) if that helps with the troubleshooting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those apps really use a lot of cached data to respond to your actions (get the word you're trying to swipe correct) and most cleaning utilities clean out the app caches as well as the system cache. So after cleaning, some apps and possibly even the system itself will seem to respond a little slower which is only because it's rebuilding it's cache. Unless the slowdown seemed to last for an excessively long time, that's just normal and not "bad" behavior.
I'm of the opinion that cleaning caches / other junk that accumulates on your system is a good practice, to be done pretty frequently. In exchange for that period of slowdown, while caches are rebuilding, the entire phone, including those apps will get a speed-boost, but I'd think a person is more likely to think that their phone is "acting normally again" than to really notice that boost.
SD Maid Pro and Clean Master are actually my two favorite maintenance utilities. Clean Master in particular has stepped up its game huge time as of late, packing a plethora of super useful functions into it. Among the best is it's auto-start manager (only works for root users). Starting on my N4, I actually switched from Avast to CM Antivirus. Even when I had Avast running, CM was the only app to ever give me popup warnings that a sideloaded app was potentially malicious. Usually a false positive, but still.
Anyway, back to your question, when your friend complained of the slowdown, was it generally very soon after running a cleaner? I'd recommend that she reinstall at least CM, then after running it, just leave her phone sitting for about 10-15 mins. I would think that after that, any noticeable change in the performance of the app would be pretty significantly reduced.
jazzmachine said:
Those apps really use a lot of cached data to respond to your actions (get the word you're trying to swipe correct) and most cleaning utilities clean out the app caches as well as the system cache. So after cleaning, some apps and possibly even the system itself will seem to respond a little slower which is only because it's rebuilding it's cache. Unless the slowdown seemed to last for an excessively long time, that's just normal and not "bad" behavior.
I'm of the opinion that cleaning caches / other junk that accumulates on your system is a good practice, to be done pretty frequently. In exchange for that period of slowdown, while caches are rebuilding, the entire phone, including those apps will get a speed-boost, but I'd think a person is more likely to think that their phone is "acting normally again" than to really notice that boost.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was thinking the same thing regarding the rebuilding of cache. Also I've noticed SD Maid finds things Clean Master doesn't but also vice versa.
Out of the topic of cleaners anyone wanna share their $0.02 on my edited OP of best organized note taking app for school and best OCR app that exports to a copy/paste-able file like pdf or txt?
jazzmachine said:
Starting on my N4, I actually switched from Avast to CM Antivirus. Even when I had Avast running, CM was the only app to ever give me popup warnings that a sideloaded app was potentially malicious. Usually a false positive, but still.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure Avast also checks sideloaded apps. Why would you rather have false positive results than just being notified when there is actually something?
I'd also like to point out over new year CM considered SD Maids Unlocker to be "malicious" and a "virus" that can "slow down the device" or "cause freezes". While the "false positive" may have been an overzealous database match, the information about it "slowing down the device" or "freezing it" is just pure bull**** that only serves the purpose of making it sound worse, and subsequently giving you the user the feeling of everything running smoother. Don't be manipulated by psychological cues.
CM may produce good results or not, but no matter what results their behavior undermines any good will you could have towards their apps. It's the textbook definition of scareware.
jazzmachine said:
after running it, just leave her phone sitting for about 10-15 mins. I would think that after that, any noticeable change in the performance of the app would be pretty significantly reduced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apps regenerate their cache only on demand, as not all apps are running all the time, most apps will not regenerate caches just by waiting. In some cases the app has to be actually opened, in other cases apps that act on intents, may start and generate caches seemingly random.
ThR1LL said:
I was thinking the same thing regarding the rebuilding of cache.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can exclude specific caches if it's always causing issues, if you are rooted you can also restrict cache cleaning to files that are older than X days.
Evernote is a fairly popular and pretty extensive note taking solution. Not sure how far you can get for free though. Some features require a premium subscription.
Dark3n said:
CM may produce good results or not, but no matter what results their behavior undermines any good will you could have towards their apps. It's the textbook definition of scareware.
Evernote is a fairly popular and pretty extensive note taking solution. Not sure how far you can get for free though. Some features require a premium subscription.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recently reinstalled Clean Master to test something out and that is how I found out both apps clean things the other doesn't. For example I used the App Control tab on SD Maid to uninstall a couple apps. After running Clean Master it would pick up empty folders left behind from the uninstall that SD Maid didn't pick up in the System and Tombstones scan.
On a side note. Anyone recommend a sweet OCR app that exports to a searchable and copy/paste-able format?

[Q] Security question Folder Moment.me?????

I have noticed that I have folder when cleaning cache by clean master with name Moment.me. I did run a full system scan using CM Security and nothing was found.
To explain this matter more in detail. When I open my bank app somewhat is creating an folder in emulated storage by name imagecache. Then when I scan cache using clean master, clean master is telling me that that folder is from uninstalled app from moment.me which I never had anyway. And this is only when I access my bank app. It's like it some kind of logger or trying to be a logger, by either keylogging or image capture cache something like that. I searched all Google to see what comes when typing Moment.me. Can somebody tell me what this is. It doesn't feel good knowing this. Second isn't uninstalled app being deleted from Android all the way. How can there be a left over and if no app. Who creates image cache folder? Which app does that when accessing bank app. And that antivirus doesn't recognize this stuff but recognize which app did that which was never installed in first place. Tell me what you know. Tnx
P.s I'm using stock lg l90 never rooted. Its on KitKat 4.4.2 have no shady app installed on my phone except that I tried yesterday opera max, some onvo data limiter not sure about exactly onvo but something like that and some other data limiter software. I think its with first in search. Blue icon. Please help
Sir,
Please wait until mods will move this thread to the device specific forum for more relevant answers.
Stand by
Good luck

wp8.1 system partition filling up?

lately i've noticed that my "system" keeps growing in size as seen through storage sense. it's a slow, but steady, growth.. after a factory reset i believe it was around 2.60gb, and now it's grown to 3.04gb. i've heard elsewhere that anything above 3.0gb is "abnormal" -- what would cause this to grow like that? is this normal, and is there any way to clean it up? i have 8.1 GDR2 with full fs access.
It's normal for windows phone though... It does grow a bit as time being. You know, in Windows 10 Mobile my system partition grows up to 4gb, which eats up all my left space. After a clean up, I only have 1.4gb left internal storage. I guess only a reset will solve the problem.
Applications Data , Uncompleted Store and Phone Update Downloads and unknown files you have stored on your phone (like mkv , xap , appx , appxbundle , mpg and any other file types it's unknown for the system ) may increase system and Other storage size . you can use storage cleaner app by GoodDayToDie to clean up a bit but maybe not too much helpful .
cpshelley2 said:
lately i've noticed that my "system" keeps growing in size as seen through storage sense. it's a slow, but steady, growth.. after a factory reset i believe it was around 2.60gb, and now it's grown to 3.04gb. i've heard elsewhere that anything above 3.0gb is "abnormal" -- what would cause this to grow like that? is this normal, and is there any way to clean it up? i have 8.1 GDR2 with full fs access.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Real System partition can't grow. The only increasing thing on it is registry. So, those are system files on user partition. It can be even IE cache.
would you have a link? can't find it in the store..
cpshelley2 said:
would you have a link? can't find it in the store..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
storage cleaner by gooddaytodie is not a store app . search it here on Development and hacking forum in Windows Phone 8
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2655458

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