I know there are some people like myself who actually like Sense and doing a 'full' root can be daunting, especailly if all you want to do is remove the crud that Vodafone or your Telco install on your branded Legend. But there is no reason this can't be used to remove apps that are in a custom ROM - as far as I am aware! If someone with a custom ROM could confirm this, that would be great!
Righto, as per usual here is the disclaimer - doing this is risky and you do so at your own peril! Don't come crying to me or Paul @ MoDaCo if it bricks your phone (it shouldn't but this is just a warning)
Enough of that you get the idea Now for the fun bit!
First if you are not you'll need VISIONary+ from MoDaCo, at the time of this writing r13 is the latest and is available on page 7.
Please read and check the original post as there may be an updated version. If you are rooted skip to the next step.
This is Paul's guide he done quickly on his G2, it's more of a pictorial guide (same rules apply to the Legend as G2 in this case).
Once installed use the Temproot option, this can take 15 seconds or so to complete, use a Terminal Emulator and type su then return/enter and your $ should change to a # - this means you have temproot.
Go to the market and install SuperUser, Titanium Backup, BusyBox.
Open Titanium Backup allowing it root access when prompted, go to Backup/Restore and scroll to find one of the preinstalled bloatware apps, I chose the Vodafone Music app and the Vodafone Web app.
Long hold on the app you want to remove and scroll down a bit and choose the option "Force remove app (by recovery exploit)"
This will reboot your phone TWICE, you will get the recovery screen up - LET IT RUN IT's COURSE! DO NOT INTERRUPT THIS.
Once it boots back into your normal check that the app is no longer in your App drawer
Repeat for all the Apps that came preinstalled that you don't want, just be careful you don't remove anything that may still be needed!
A huge thanks to Paul at MoDaCo for this ingenious hack and the Titanium Backup, BusyBox and SuperUser developers for their hard work in writing their apps which also allow us to easy do this
Oh and you can use the Temproot on boot to have a sortof but not fully permaroot
Great work. I'll try on CM 6.1 RC1. One thing though...If I'm rooted I presume I need only the Titanium backup not VISIONary or other tools, right?
Yes you need the other apps, but you can remove them afterwards if you want. You'll need SuperUser to be able to grant Titanium Backup access, and Titanium Backup requires BusyBox to be installed - Titanium Backup gives you the option to install BusyBox if you press the 'Problems?' button under the Overview tab.
PS: you can use the free version of Titanium Backup for this exercise.
Yes, thank you. I knew about busybox and the option to install it from Titanium. SuperUser I have it already since I'm using CyanogenMod RC1 and it is included in the ROM (I think it is OK like this). So only Titanium (+busybox) needs to be installed.
I'll give it a try and let you know the results. I'll try to remove a rather large application (for ex Google Maps) and I'll install it afterward on the sdcard (since it is system appl, it cannot be moved directly to sdcard)
Later edit: IT WORKS! So I've tried to (and succeeded) remove 2 "system" applications: Google Maps and Calculator. Both were removed and the free space is now available (before 80 Mb free, after 91.2 Mb free).
There was only one issue with Maps, the icon still showed up in the application drawer and it was working (even after going through all above). After several checks I found the reason. The Maps were installed twice...the version included in the CM ROM (that was deleted by this procedure) AND the updated Maps (it once asked for upgrading the application from the market and I did that). After removing the "system installed" version of Google Maps, the "updates" remained. I went to Settings-Applications-Manage Applications and I found Maps there. I've uninstalled the updates then rebooted the phone. After that the icon was gone completely.
To conclude, for CM ROMS (or for all phones that are already rooted and have already the SU application), the steps to be performed for removing a system appl are:
1. Install Titanium Backup
2. Press (as instructed) "Problems" button. This will install a working version of busybox.
3. Check if the application you want to remove, has also updates (from Market or some other places) installed. If YES, go to Settings-Applications-Manage Applications and uninstall all the updates.
4. Start Titanium Backup and perform the steps indicated in the first post by TheLegendaryJay.
So it is working on custom ROM's as well and you don't need VISIONary or other application/tools.
All credits go to Paul, CM team and this whole community, the ones which made such things possible for our phones. TheLegendaryJay, thank you also for sharing this with us. Perhaps for rooted phones it is easier to remove applications with adb commands, but some are maybe not so technical to install the SDK or know how to use it (I can be counted as one of them), or they just might want to remove an application when they don't have a pc with SDK nearby.
yap, can confirm this. works great on cm 6.1 rc1. thanks for the hint
For you guys who are rooted - why not just flash the overlay filesystem patch, enable it, and then use any file explorer and go to /system/app/ and delete the apps you dont want? just a tip, it's much easier.. (and takes less time)
Because one of the reasons for which I wanted to rip out an application from the ROM is to gain some more space... By using overlay system, as I understood, you're practically duplicate the whole system to make it accessible for writing so I don't know if you gain some more space. Eventually you'll have less. Or, if that space is on the sdcard, that does not suit me also cause as I know, is working slower from there. Anyhow, I don't want to detail this here cause we'll be off-topic.
Rapier said:
Because one of the reasons for which I wanted to rip out an application from the ROM is to gain some more space... By using overlay system, as I understood, you're practically duplicate the whole system to make it accessible for writing so I don't know if you gain some more space. Eventually you'll have less. Or, if that space is on the sdcard, that does not suit me also cause as I know, is working slower from there. Anyhow, I don't want to detail this here cause we'll be off-topic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I understand it, the system folder is only linked so the phone believes it's on the SD-card. This should mean, no extra space is taken (except for the few kB that makes this possible). i could be wrong, but I use system overlay and I see no whatsoever decrease in performance. Not in benchmarks nor in usage.
If you are rooted - and dont want system overlay, I still think there is a better wway - ADB! just mount system, cd to system/app, ls it and rm whatever apps ypu dont want.. no need for multiple reboots - quick and effective
adb way might be quicker but it might prove to be ineffective (at least for me it was). In order to remove an application, you must check its filename (with ls command). I've tried to remove Facebook and Twitter applications using adb remove and guess what...they're still there. I admit I might have done something wrong, what I'm saying is that through this new method described above, someone is able to remove an appl by chosing it from a list. For the ones that don't feel so confortable using adb, this is an alternative
Sent from my Legend using XDA App
Rapier said:
adb way might be quicker but it might prove to be ineffective (at least for me it was). In order to remove an application, you must check its filename (with ls command). I've tried to remove Facebook and Twitter applications using adb remove and guess what...they're still there. I admit I might have done something wrong, what I'm saying is that through this new method described above, someone is able to remove an appl by chosing it from a list. For the ones that don't feel so confortable using adb, this is an alternative
Sent from my Legend using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When it comes to ADB, you must write the filename exactly as it is, if you want to remove Facebook.apk you must rm Facebook.apk, not facebook.apk or just rm Facebook*
What I do, I ls all files, copy the filenames I want to remove into into a txt file. ex. "rm facebook.apk Torch.apk voiceDialer.apk AndroidTerm.apk" and so on. When I flash a new rom, i just copy that file string and remove em all with that one command ofc. I ls it after and check if there is anything new I want to remove, but I get rid of most of it in a few seconds. (good tip!)
I understood that. Now I've checked again and I know what happened...the same thing I said above. The appl was removed also with adb command but the updates of that appl were not. I've removed the updates from Settings and after that the whole appl was gone (Facebook in this case). So both metods work, everyone can choose what he likes more
Anyway this was much more to test if it's working on custom ROMs as was asked by TheLegendaryJay and less as of providing an alternate way for rooted owners.
Sent from my Legend using XDA App
You both are wrong. Overlay is just an overlay... it uses several file systems or parts of file systems (directories, files), merge them and show them to us as one new merged file system. The principle is such that if U have one read-only and one read-write file system merged together, all writes are then performed to that read-write one. If you'd like to delete one file from read-only portion, that action is noted on read-write portion and your system doesn't t see that file again through merged file system whereas it is in fact still there...
BlaY0 said:
You both are wrong. Overlay is just an overlay... it uses several file systems or parts of file systems (directories, files), merge them and show them to us as one new merged file system. The principle is such that if U have one read-only and one read-write file system merged together, all writes are then performed to that read-write one. If you'd like to delete one file from read-only portion, that action is noted on read-write portion and your system doesn't t see that file again through merged file system whereas it is in fact still there...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for this, great info. Now I'm glad I use adb and not file overlay for removing files
Why's that? Overlay is really handy thing for testing... U can make the system think that the file is not there but in fact is. If something goes wrong (boot loop) because of that, U just disable overlay and U R back on with origial state. After U are satisfied with changes, U can merge those changes into read-only file system via recovery mode.
Sent from my HTC Legend
BlaY0, you're totally right. Overlay is a great thing for testing (and by the way many thanks you for what you did). But if you're not a tester, just an enthusiast who look for new stuff for his phone, overlay could be much more than he needs.
I'm looking for example to have as much free space in memory as possible. REAL free space. If I'm using overlay, that will not be gained right? The read only files will still be there, only the overlay will show them "deleted". So...what I'm doing instead is that I'm flashing one of the existing ROMs (as per my preferences - CM 6.1 RC1 for ex.) that will not "brick" my phone, I customize it with widgets and applications as I like, than I start deleting what I don't need. For sure I can use overlay for that, but I can do it also without it. This topic presented an alternative for doing that, to the known adb commands. Also from what I've understood, the method in this topic is more aimed to the ones that are not (or don't want to be) rooted. And for those, the adb method doesn't work
You sure are totally right, but then again if you deleted some apk from /system/app that is needed for some other apk and U didn't know about that, you could end up with a so called boot loop. And if this is done by some noob, the simplest way for him to restore would be to wipe and reflash the original ROM. Overay can prevent such accidents. Actually even with overlay you can save space especially where is needed the most, that's on data partition - there's no need for dex in dalvik-cache any more etc. and surely you get more free ram as that app isn't loading any more. For the system partition it actually doesn't matter if it is full in fact why it shouldn't be full. When we get our S-OFF the first thing I will do is to rearange mtd partitions shrinking system and extending data coz now I have like nearly 50 MB free on system partition that I can not use wisely.
Sent from my HTC Legend
Thanks, VF music and web app not banished from my Legend
Okay, I must be doing something wrong, but I have no idea what. I have the same ROM as Rapier on my Desire, I have Titanium Backup and I did everything he said above. The pre-installed apps are uninstalled with TB (Car app, News and Weather, Facebook, Twitter, Google Voice, Maps, Quickoffice 2.0 which I have no idea what really is), I clear the Dalvik cache and many mega are freed. Then if I reboot, they're back. Like nothing happened.
Do you have any idea or should I give more details? Thanks for the help, guys.
Have you checked also if those applications you're removing do not have some updates installed? Because if they do, you'll get them back on the phone. First remove the updates from each application (from normal "Application" management), then remove the application residing in system with TB.
PS. QuickOffice is a suite program similar with MS Office, that allows you to read (and in the paid version also to write) office documents (.doc, .xls, .ppt...etc)
Thank you for your quick reply.
Yes, I have checked and uninstalled all updates. They are all with the basic version.
About Quickoffice, I know what it is It's just that the one that came with CM 6.1.0 RC1 cannot be accessed, it can only be used to open supported file formats (I just found out after posting here ). I'd prefer the normal Quickoffice with which I can access my dropbox and Google docs too, that's why I wanted to uninstall this in the first place.
Is there any way or any command which can save my installed set of applications to a Text file or PDF. My applications are growing and I cannot remember every one of them and I require all of them at one point or other. Can anyone give me some guidance?
You could use titanium backup, it does have an option to create an update.zip file for your backups which I haven't used but I assume it backs up your apps to the zip so you can reinstall apps from recovery, would need someone to clarify this though
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
I was using back up pro but it is no use. Suppose you flash a new rom, and if you restore most of them end up with Force Close errors. Since most of my applications are free, I don't mind spending some time installing them. But since many roms are changing so fast, I have to flash to keep up with the times, you know.
I don't know if there is such an option to save a list of installed apps, but it would be kinda useful.
I soon realized such a list would help and I am just manually creating my own in a text file, and all of the non-stock apps I have (thus far) added are in appbrain.com and I have ensured I have added each to "Apps on the phone" which then appears under "My Apps".
A list no but as all my apps are via AppBrain that's my list .
I use Root Explorer to copy all the APKS to a folder on the external card + a copy on PC . New firmware just open APK folder and install .
jje
For the time being, I am using Titanium free version and it backed up my applications and after I flashed the new rom I was able to restore all the applications via it's batch run commands. I do hope that I don't get force close errors. Upto now everything is working fine.
Thanks to all for your kind replies
After TRYING all kinds of suggestions, none of which work, I found one that says:
- copy all google talk service and google talk app to system/app folder
- Grant all possible privilages to them
- Restart the phone.
In what folder is google talk service and google talk app located?
How do you grant them "all privledges'?
Seems to me the last time I attempted to CUT AND PASTE a file to the system/app folder, it wouldn't let me.
This message has come up EVEN AFTER I have installed numerous ROMs.
I appreciate any help!
Did you flash stock in between flashes?. To move a file rlto system/app use adb or super manager
If I have helped press thanks.
Clean install of ROMs
Every time I flash, I go back to stock and do a Master Clear, so my flashes are clean. I use Titanium BU Pro to reinstall apps, BUT do NOT restore system data, just app data.
I'm thinking that the problem MIGHT be related to the syncing of my calendar with the google calendar I have online. Triied doing the data clear, etc....
Like I said, I've tried everything except what I posted in my first post. Problem is, I don't know where the files are located so that I can transfer them to the system folder. This seems like the only other "solution" I haven't tried at this point.
Hate to do it, but I'm thinking about going back to stock 2.2 and see if that makes a difference.
Dear community,
today as a first step I have successfully rooted my Phone (Froyo 2.2.1) with CF-Root Kernel and Odin, yay! Thanks to all the Developers, Guides and Refs on this page!!
In order to fix my ongoing battery issues,next thing I want to try is to flash a new ROM; I think for stability and for practice the latest Froyo Build JS8! I have downloaded Titanium Backup and have successfully backed up all my system and user apps and settings.
Now when I flash the new ROM, the phone will be wiped, or at least the Wipe-method is recommended (hard-reset AFTER the flashing?).
Can I restore at least some settings and apps with my Titanium Backup Files (I read restoring system apps/settings is not recommended)?
How would I do that (where does Titanium save the backup files?)
How do you guys usually perform the steps to a new ROM without losing all system settings, apps, app-settings etc...?
Thanks for all recommendations!
I would recomend you, restore user apps only. It will restore your apps and their settings. You could do it in batch mode.
Also is recomended to copy your TitaniumBackup folder to PC
Last but not least, do not forget copy your EFS folder too.
Sent from my GT-P1000N using Tapatalk
jellygoos said:
Can I restore at least some settings and apps with my Titanium Backup Files (I read restoring system apps/settings is not recommended)?
How would I do that (where does Titanium save the backup files?)
How do you guys usually perform the steps to a new ROM without losing all system settings, apps, app-settings etc...?
Thanks for all recommendations!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) Get titanium backup PRO.
2) Batch backup your whole system (while you're at it, create a schedule so your phone automatically gets backed up at least once/week). The files will go on your sd card in a TitaniumBackup folder (actually you can specify where they go).
3) Go and nuke your phone with whatever.
4) Re-install Titanium backup, then batch restore your USER apps & settings. Leave the system settings alone for now.
5) Okay for system settings, be a bit more selective:
6) Go to Backup/Restore tab, select menu, then filters, then apply a Filter by Type: System.
7) Anything in GREEN is system settings (red=system applications).
8) I typically restore the following: Contacts/Call-logs; SMS/MMS/APN; Bookmarks; SMS/MMS Preferences; Wifi Access Points; Calendar Storage (think that includes your alarm clock settings).
Note that you may need to reboot before you see the restore take effect - e.g. you can't see your restored sms till after reboot.
Also it's safest to grab a copy of your titanium backup folder and put it on your computer. Lookup how to get a copy of your /efs too.
Thanks for the swift answers and useful guides! Will buy the Titanium Pro for sure.
In the Pro Version it says it can convert System Apps into User Apps and vice versa. Couldn't I just convert all the System Apps into User Apps and then restore everything, once on new ROM?
About the freezing feature of the Pro Version: Does it freeze complete Apps, or can you tell them to freeze specific tasks? I noticed that for example some Google Maps or Latitude tasks run in the background (and start again by themselves if i close them manually) and I would like them to get out of the phone memory while I don't have the program running. Yet I want the apps to function properly once I need them.
P.S.: Before I proceed flashing a new ROM I will also look into backing up my /efs folder so thanks for pointing me at this!
Okay, I figured out how to backup the /efs folder via ADB shell.
Questions remain though concerning Titanium Backup Pro. Can someone that uss Titanium Pro help me with these questions?
In the Pro Version it says it can convert System Apps into User Apps and vice versa. Couldn't I just convert all the System Apps into User Apps and then restore everything, once on new ROM?
About the freezing feature of the Pro Version: Does it freeze complete Apps, or can you tell them to freeze specific tasks? I noticed that for example some Google Maps or Latitude tasks run in the background (and start again by themselves if i close them manually) and I would like them to get out of the phone memory while I don't have the program running. Yet I want the apps to function properly once I need them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jellygoos said:
In the Pro Version it says it can convert System Apps into User Apps and vice versa. Couldn't I just convert all the System Apps into User Apps and then restore everything, once on new ROM?
About the freezing feature of the Pro Version: Does it freeze complete Apps, or can you tell them to freeze specific tasks? I noticed that for example some Google Maps or Latitude tasks run in the background (and start again by themselves if i close them manually) and I would like them to get out of the phone memory while I don't have the program running. Yet I want the apps to function properly once I need them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could convert it technically. But generally it's not advised as it may mess up settings or so on a different ROM. I backed up my system stuff but I doubt I'll restore it on any ROM, the hassle isn't worth it if any issue shows up and you have to check everything out to fix it. Maybe some individual system thingies can be restored safely but keep in mind lots of system stuff changes on each ROM and could be incompatible.
Just like others did here, I also recommend the PRO version as you have to click every single restoration on a batch restoration otherwise (and it's probably slower anyway).
Freezing means just that, it freezes the app. It "deactivates it", so it's not there/usable but it's not uninstalled. Can't think of a scenario right now where this would be useful except for testing purposes, maybe if an app causes an issue and you want it to be gone temporarily or so.
If you don't want an app to continue running simply use the task manager to kill it which comes along with the SGS (Samsung app afaik, usually pre installed).
Btw Titanium has a nice wiki website which is really helpful but can't link it as a new user here. Google Titanium Backup wiki and the first link should be the correct one.
Correct me if I'm wrong but if you do a app+data restore the app doesnt show up in the market under installed which means that any updates to the app wont get rolled out.
What I did was install each of my apps from the market then did only a data restore. This worked for most of my apps BUT last night I noticed a few of my apps missing, in fact launching my angry birds from simi folder caused a FC. BUT I know that angry birds was working earlier in the day.
So I simply went back to the market and reinstalled and all seems well again.
So now I'm wondering what is the best method to restore, my method or maybe do a app+data restore then go to the market and install the app again.
Afaik, normally Titanium also backs up the links for the markets so the entries won't get lost and should be restored as well. There was an issue mentioned which can happen if that data gets corrupted. The Titanium wiki lists it.
Generally, installing the app from the market and then restoring it should work just fine.
Hello,
I came to the point 4.4 needs to be upgraded.
Is there any 5+ rom for G800F that doesn't have apps installed in separate folders?
Regards,
Alen
nobody?
background - why do i need it... titaniumbackup nandroid functionality does not work, preventing play store and play services update is impossible
OK... from lack of replies I suppose there isn't any rom with such properties newer than KK.
So, I would like to ask you how do you deal with selective restores from nandroid backup?
Also, how do you prevent Google Play and Google Play Services being updated automatically?
What's the problem with separated folders for apps, may I ask? It's how it works from Android 5.0 and above, all ROMs...
If you sign the app with test-key it won't update, but I've never used it with a Google app to see it there are side effects... There is a free app that can do it (replace the original key to a test one).
the main problem is, as i already mentioned, titanium backup, that detects only data in twrp nandroid backup. also, inability to prevent automatic updates by creating "fake" folders.
what do you have in mind for resigning? zipsigner? never thought of that, but might be a dirty workaround. probably the attempt to update will still happen and fail. also, when decided to update the procedure will be more complicated. hoping there are no side effect. will try and report.
Yes, the app I mentioned is ZipSigner, I've used it with ES File Explorer for keeping and old adware free version...
As for TiB, it's weird... Probably they need to update the app, since Android 5.0 that apss are stored in folders... Or you can use another backup utility, ES File Explorer for instance can save apps and their data (needs root of course).
resigning does not work... play store stops working by saying "authentication required. you need to sign into your google account."
you got me wrong about titanium backup. it otherwise works, it just does not detect apps in nandroid backups - it shows only data. important here is nandroid backup. i'm quite surprised they forgot about this aspect since 5 already.
and btw... deducing from the thread about preventing update with "fake" folder... it seems some stock 5+ roms still install apps in an old way - it depends on package installer.