I did try the search, but the answers were not clear as to the following questions:
If I am using systemless root, and I uninstall system apps, would that effectively modify "/system" and OTA updates will fail to install?
Also, I read that Titanium Backup is unable to uninstall system apps with systemless root and I need to manually delete the "/system/app/<app name>" folder with something like Root Explorer (mount /system r/w), is that true?
Thanks in advance
poodleDoo said:
.... delete the "/system/app/<app name>" folder with something like Root Explorer (mount /system r/w)...
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Click to collapse
OTA will fail on rooted devices.
System apps can be disabled in Settings. When deleted wit a rootexplorer the system partition is modified.
NLBeev said:
OTA will fail on rooted devices.
System apps can be disabled in Settings. When deleted wit a rootexplorer the system partition is modified.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I should've been more clear.
I just installed FlashFire, and I am running systemless root.
If I delete a system app, would it prevent FlashFire to apply a OTA update; or is this a moot point?
And, I've read that with systemless, TiB does not actually remove system apps, is that true?
As for why I want to delete instead of just disable; why not?
Thanks
poodleDoo said:
If I delete a system app, would it prevent FlashFire to apply a OTA update....
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Click to collapse
The OTA checks modifications of system partition.
And, I've read that with systemless, TiB does not actually remove system apps, is that true?
As for why I want to delete instead of just disable; why not?
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Click to collapse
There is a lot written about 'systemless'.
The idea is that system files/folders are bind/linked to a 'su' folder. Apps are thinking that system is not modified.
Not all apps can be removed. Recently also Gmail can't be deleted. Disabling is the only option.
If you physically delete or change anything OTA will not work. Systemless SuperSU works by creating a Skylink with the user data partition and a modification withing the boot.img (the kernel). Any modification of any partition causes OTA to fail. So to successfully take an OTA you need to flash back the stock boot.img at the very least. Also the system.img if you made any modifications, and recovery if you are on twrp . . And modem.img and bootloader.img if they are not the ones that match the build you are on.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Related
I am wondering if OTA updates will still work if I install apps as system apps. For example, Avast (anti-theft app, successor to theft aware) has an option to install as a system app on a rooted phone, thereby enabling the app to survive a factory wipe. The way I believe it does this is install in the root directory. My understanding was that OTA updates will check to see if the root directory is a recognized stock directory before installing, so this would imply at installing other apps to root will cause this check to fail. However, I believe superuser is installed to root directory as part of the rooting process, and I have been able to perform OTAs on phones with superuser installed.
Anyone have any experience with updating OTA with apps installed to the root directory?
I believe that it moves them from /data/app to /system/app, thus changing how the phone sees the app.
Rlin5741 said:
I am wondering if OTA updates will still work if I install apps as system apps. For example, Avast (anti-theft app, successor to theft aware) has an option to install as a system app on a rooted phone, thereby enabling the app to survive a factory wipe. The way I believe it does this is install in the root directory. My understanding was that OTA updates will check to see if the root directory is a recognized stock directory before installing, so this would imply at installing other apps to root will cause this check to fail. However, I believe superuser is installed to root directory as part of the rooting process, and I have been able to perform OTAs on phones with superuser installed.
Anyone have any experience with updating OTA with apps installed to the root directory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Usually the system apps are only updated individually with patch files. If there were extra files under /system, I don't think the patch would fail (or even care about it). I don't have any experience with it though, but that would be my logical guess.
Sent from my XT860 running ICS
AFAIK any changes to system changes cause OTA to fail. But I could be wrong. Never tried
Sent from my XT860 using xda premium
Hey all,
I have rooted my HTC One. SuperSU works, as well as Titanium Backup, etc.
Some issues...
BusyBox will not install, and AdAware properly alters the hosts file, but after a reboot, AdAware is disabled and the hosts file seems unmodified.
I've also noticed that trying to make some applications "system apps" (sys/app) via Titanium Backup, it seems to work, and applications detect as having system permissions, but after a reboot the apps and permissions are gone.
Any ideas?
Thanks!
The system partition is shadowed, writing to it is temporary. For AdAware the fix is to flash a ROM with a symlinked hosts file, perhaps busybox is similar.
BenPope said:
The system partition is shadowed, writing to it is temporary. For AdAware the fix is to flash a ROM with a symlinked hosts file, perhaps busybox is similar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm...
I also noticed this...
I am using a Notification widget called Power Toggles, and one of the buttons is a Shutdown/Restart button. When I click it, and select Shutdown, Restart, Recovery, etc. it fails "because it doesn't have root access." I have given the application root permissions.
What is going on?
Hello I would like to know if it is posible.
I want to use some apps like titanium on my unrooted android 6
I have installed TWRP
so I think flashing the aps from zip in TWRP, setting root permission to the apps and placed on system apps, they are going to work like root?
Please help me, thanks!
??
publi0147 said:
Hello I would like to know if it is posible.
I want to use some apps like titanium on my unrooted android 6
I have installed TWRP
so I think flashing the aps from zip in TWRP, setting root permission to the apps and placed on system apps, they are going to work like root?
Please help me, thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, that isn't how that works, sorry. There is no such thing as "setting root permission". Simply moving the apps to /system won't allow them to get root, because you aren't rooted.
npjohnson said:
No, that isn't how that works, sorry. There is no such thing as "setting root permission". Simply moving the apps to /system won't allow them to get root, because you aren't rooted.
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Click to collapse
and why other preinstalled apps can work as root?
publi0147 said:
and why other preinstalled apps can work as root?
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Click to collapse
They don't... Because root doesn't exist on stock devices.
They do run as the system user, but that isn't enough for any root apps to function alone, as root apps rely on writing to non-user writable directories, which the system user cannot do.
I'm having a problem getting to move any user app to the system partition on my Nexus 6. I'm using the Pure Nexus ROM, now rooted with Magisk, Android 7.1.2. The thing is, I have tried to do so when I was on Stock ROM, also tried it with SuperSU root instead of Magisk with no difference whatsoever. Link2SD doesn't work but neither worked system/app mover by j4velin.
What should I do to get that to work? Thanks in advance...
You're using Magisk... There are modules for that.
Two actually. And they can be installed from the Manager:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/module-terminal-app-systemizer-ui-t3585851
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3477512
Take your pick.
Didgeridoohan said:
You're using Magisk... There are modules for that.
Two actually. And they can be installed from the Manager:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/module-terminal-app-systemizer-ui-t3585851
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3477512
Take your pick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well right now for some reason Magisk isn't installing anything on my device, however I was wondering, if there is a method which installs the app as system and that the app continues to be there even if I unroot my device?
Dorlan2001 said:
Well right now for some reason Magisk isn't installing anything on my device, however I was wondering, if there is a method which installs the app as system and that the app continues to be there even if I unroot my device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The whole design concept of Magisk is to protect the system partition from being modified. It does that by sym-linking directories. Using Magisk, as designed, the apps will go into the Magisk.img, not system. When booted, it'll look like the apps are in system but if you unroot they'll be gone.
If you don't care about modifying the system partition, you can move an app manually. User apps are in /sdcard/data/app and system apps are in /system/app. Once moved, you'll have to edit the permissions for the folder to rwxr-xr-x (755) and the apk inside the folder to rw-r--r-- (644).
ktmom said:
The whole design concept of Magisk is to protect the system partition from being modified. It does that by sym-linking directories. Using Magisk, as designed, the apps will go into the Magisk.img, not system. When booted, it'll look like the apps are in system but if you unroot they'll be gone.
If you don't care about modifying the system partition, you can move an app manually. User apps are in /sdcard/data/app and system apps are in /system/app. Once moved, you'll have to edit the permissions for the folder to rwxr-xr-x (755) and the apk inside the folder to rw-r--r-- (644).
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the info mate! It was really helpful to me to get to understand how Magisk works, and to be able to make the changes I wanted to my system using Root Explorer. Is so weird though, that those apps who claim to automate things, don't work on my device...
Thanks again!!!! :good:
How can I overwrite the apk in the system?
tobos said:
How can I overwrite the apk in the system?
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Click to collapse
You will need root and unlocked bootloader.
kamalaggi said:
You will need root and unlocked bootloader.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply.
It is already rooted with bootloader unlock and magisk.
Can I do so afterwards?
tobos said:
Thanks for the reply.
It is already rooted with bootloader unlock and magisk.
Can I do so afterwards?
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Click to collapse
Yep. Either Uninstall using titanium backup or remove apk from wherever the system apk is. Then push (or copy) to destination and set permissions to 755
I can't overwrite it.
iArvee said:
Yep. Either Uninstall using titanium backup or remove apk from wherever the system apk is. Then push (or copy) to destination and set permissions to 755
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply.
The titanium backup allows me to disable the app, but not to delete it.
It also says Root Explorerde permissions change failed.
Is there any other way to do this?
tobos said:
Thanks for the reply.
The titanium backup allows me to disable the app, but not to delete it.
It also says Root Explorerde permissions change failed.
Is there any other way to do this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FWIW I'm having the same issue. Titanium Backup Pro says it can't find the APKs and Remove System Apps app thinks it does and then really does nothing. I even tried Lucky Patcher, which does the same thing.
Root File Browser shows everything in System/App and System/Priv-App as being 755, but if I try to change it to 777, it says it fails. If I try to delete anything, it looks like it does it, but then nothing changes.
If I try to change permissions through ADB, it tells me that the file system is Read-only, and if I tried to run ADB as root, it tells me it cannot run as root in production builds.
Edit:
Solution: Install any terminal emulator, and the Debloater module from Magisk to remove system apps systemlessly (see Debloater module official thread here)
Edit 2: There are three apps, Call of Duty, Tidal 3 month free trial, and Linked in, which are located in /oem/app and they cannot be removed by this method. I do not know how to remove them...