I was just thinking about system apps like flash or browser or something else preistalled in our devices that can't be removed...
they can be updated...
I was just wondering if we can push superuser masquerading it as a system app update...
(by the way I don't know anything of possible update protections like certificates and so on)
maybe this is an impossible method suggested by a visionary, but....
But you can remove system apps if you root your phone
noob rooting
Well, theoretically it can be done.
Most apps are updated from the market, so you would have to make a "fake market", possibly you could use a computer on a local network to act as a market server, and then you put an "application update" on it so it tricks the phone into thinking that there is an update. Although this sounds easy, google probably made it tricky for obvious reasons
Related
Forgive my ignorance, but ive never used android before and expecting my phone delivered tomorrow (htc hero! )
As i understand it, the android app store signs the apps similar to iphones itunes store to prevent piracy and malware.
Is this correct?
Ive read about how one can "root" the device by loading a image file thru the bootloader over usb, but i wonder, is there a sudo command or similar to temporarily enable root access and later return to default state?
I suppose i could flash it with the root image, install the app and then flash back the default os image, but that feels pretty awkward procedure and would probably raise a bunch of new problems as how the default os would launch the app installed under another os.
I was hoping to start tinkering with programming, but im unsure if i can "throw in the app" and expect it to work..?
After using mac´s for over 20 years ive become too used to stuff just working right out of the box, so i dont feel like experimenting on my own...
There is an option in the settings that lets you install unsigned apps, so no rooting required.
xarvox said:
As i understand it, the android app store signs the apps similar to iphones itunes store to prevent piracy and malware.
Is this correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not exactly! Many paid apps are copy protected, but most of the free ones are not. Unlike the iPhone, where you can only install "unauthorized" apps if you jail break the device, Android allows you to install and run applications from a variety of sources on a stock device.
In essence, you do not need to root the device to develop for it, but there are certain things that applications can only be done on a rooted device (for example, receiving a file via Bluetooth, WiFi tethering etc).
I was hoping to start tinkering with programming, but im unsure if i can "throw in the app" and expect it to work..?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, programming errors aside ( ), and as long as you don't need to do anything that requires root privileges, yes you can. You should bear in mind that the *vast* majority of Android devices will not have been rooted, and therefore the vast majority of available applications do not require rooted phones.
Personally, I expect that later Android builds will remove many of the restrictions that require applications to have root access, so that they can function without requiring a device to be rooted.
Regards,
Dave
Ive found a app that would tether my laptop (mac) over wifi, but requires me to root the device.
Is there a way to temporarily do this, install the app and make the neccisary changes and then switch back to default state?
I don't believe so.
As far as I'm aware, the application requires the elevated privileges when it runs as opposed to just configuration changes. I don't think that even a setuid would help, since I believe the app expects to find and use su/sudo.
Regards,
Dave
Hi,
I am new to the Atrix, but have a background in software development and was a sys admin on unix for a number of years.
I would like to know if, after a phone is rooted, do all apps run as root? or does routing simple install a setuid "su", and root apps call that when they need root access?
The webtop2sd post looks very complete and also something I will try soon. Do I need to unlock the bootloader to run a modified webtop from my sd card?
I would like to keep my phone as stock as possible, but enable a hacked webtop on the sd card.
Also there are 1000's of root threads, what is the safest canonical method (that can easily be undone)?
Many thanks and sorry for asking for your time. I have not found these answers around, but then again, there is a great amount of mis-information out there.
thx,
Scott.
Hi Scott.
I can only partially help you out; someone with more experience will answer at some point I'm sure. I'm running stock Gingerbread & rooted.
Regarding rooting: I followed the instructions on this site (which are duplicated across multiple sites, I'm sure). It worked just fine with no errors or other reasons to cause concern. That said, I'm not sure how to undo the rooting process other than by accepting an over-the-air update to ICS. Which is totally going to happen. ... <crickets>
I might be able to answer your root-app question: whenever an app requests root access, a dialog box pops up prompting me to allow or deny it. While I'm sure it's possible for a rogue rootkit to get in there if installing shady programs is your thing, I haven't yet had a problem. (A sidenote: there's an app on the market called LBE Privacy that gives you full control over app permissions: access to phone state, contacts, SMS, etc.)
Can't really help you on the webtop2sd thing, though I did install this modification to run the webtop over my HDMI cable, no lapdock required.
Is there any site or source on the web that provides downloads of old versions of Android Market apps? This would be for apps that are now updated or no longer available on the Market? I am looking for a site similar to "OldVersion.com" which has some old/classic PC software (but this would be something for android apps instead)?
Thanks if anyone knows of a source or sites.
CustomShortcut gone?
The app that I am looking for in the above post was a free one called CustomShortcut APK. I now have it on one of my two phones (the other phone had it but was lost and replaced). I have tried looking for a developer page for this app but no luck as everything seems to point back to android market as the source link for download.
Does anyone know of a way or source for me to get this APK back on my other phone? Is there a way to copy it from one phone to the other? I am assuming that it was removed from the market because it may not be compatible with ICS but I am not running ICS. The application was made by appli.club.
Are you rooted? If so use root explorer to look for the .apk in the /system/app folder and copy or email it to the other phone and install it.
85gallon said:
Are you rooted? If so use root explorer to look for the .apk in the /system/app folder and copy or email it to the other phone and install it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No sadly I am not rooted. Is that how this could be done? I have an HTC phone (Sensation) and I like my "sense" gui. Don't want to wipe it out by rooting (that is what would happen, right?) If access to the apk is possible with rooting, then I guess my question would be, does anyone else here have CustomCut on their rooted phone? (Or possibly know of any website that would have those apk's available for download). I would be willing to pay if someone would take the time to send me a replacement copy.
just google for any app you want like this:
"title" "versionnumber" "apk" "download"
for example:
android market 2.9 apk download
mojosingle said:
No sadly I am not rooted. Is that how this could be done? I have an HTC phone (Sensation) and I like my "sense" gui. Don't want to wipe it out by rooting (that is what would happen, right?) If access to the apk is possible with rooting, then I guess my question would be, does anyone else here have CustomCut on their rooted phone? (Or possibly know of any website that would have those apk's available for download). I would be willing to pay if someone would take the time to send me a replacement copy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting will not wipe out your phone or change it other than giving you super user privileges. That way you will have access to get to the system apps folder.
I notice apktop keeps old versions around. But part of the reason I like Titanium backup is because I have a fail safe if a new update to an app is bad, as I can just restore from the last backup the older version.
85gallon said:
Rooting will not wipe out your phone or change it other than giving you super user privileges. That way you will have access to get to the system apps folder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I am not really too concerned about it wiping out my phone, but I thought I had read many posts here talking about once you root your phone the native skin from the manufacturer is eliminated (for HTC that would be the "Sense" user interface). Can you please confirm? Is this not true? HTC Sense will remain exactly the same after rooting my phone?
The other thing that has made me cautious is that my phone runs perfectly now and I see so many threads on the xda boards here and over at various android forums that start off with "My ____ app is not working right since I rooted...." Just a little daunting for a newbie like myself.
spunker88 said:
I notice apktop keeps old versions around. But part of the reason I like Titanium backup is because I have a fail safe if a new update to an app is bad, as I can just restore from the last backup the older version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much for the site suggestion. I have been trying to search for the CustomShortcut APK over there but no luck ...so far (the site search is not that easy to use). I have even tried to seach the site externally using google but, unfortunately, still no luck.
Wait for someone else to confirm on the htc, but nothing changed on my droidx. I just had superuser privs. All of the "this app quit working" is when people flash custom roms. You don't do that when you just root. But you have to be rooted in order to do things like that. Lol.
Rooting gives you the power to do that if you want to.
When I rooted my droidx, I did it just so I could have the power to do other things if I wanted. I am still on factory rom. But I am able to get to parts of the phone that are off limits if I wasnt rooted. I made it where I could tether, later I got rid of bloatware, etc.
85gallon said:
Wait for someone else to confirm on the htc, but nothing changed on my droidx. I just had superuser privs. All of the "this app quit working" is when people flash custom roms. You don't do that when you just root. But you have to be rooted in order to do things like that. Lol.
Rooting gives you the power to do that if you want to.
When I rooted my droidx, I did it just so I could have the power to do other things if I wanted. I am still on factory rom. But I am able to get to parts of the phone that are off limits if I wasnt rooted. I made it where I could tether, later I got rid of bloatware, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks once again for the reply. Now that you mention it, I remember reading the terminology "flashed" rom and thought they were similar or the same thing as rooting. One other question, once a phone is in a rooted state, if I was to go in and copy the APK for my replacement phone and put it on there could I then "unroot" lol ...sorry if this is not a word... so that my phone was no longer open? I had read somewhere (perhaps I heard it on a TWIT or Android podcast) that when your phone is in root state that anyone (ie: potentially bad software) has easier access to your phone's vunerable areas.
mojosingle said:
Thanks once again for the reply. Now that you mention it, I remember reading the terminology "flashed" rom and thought they were similar or the same thing as rooting. One other question, once a phone is in a rooted state, if I was to go in and copy the APK for my replacement phone and put it on there could I then "unroot" lol ...sorry if this is not a word... so that my phone was no longer open? I had read somewhere (perhaps I heard it on a TWIT or Android podcast) that when your phone is in root state that anyone (ie: potentially bad software) has easier access to your phone's vunerable areas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes you can unroot. As for easy access after you are rooted to vulnerable areas, they can only get access if you let them. If an app wants super user privileges, you will get a pop up from su(the super user apk) telling you that some app is wanting privileges. You can grant or deny access. The only things on my phone that have ever given me a pop up are things that i downloaded and know need su access. Wifi tether, root explorer, adfree, etc.
I have found a site that keeps older version of an android app. It's called Android Drawer.
Hope it helps
Fact: 99% of mobile viruses are for Android.
In general it is never wise in a *nix environment to be root.
See this: http://www.howtogeek.com/132115/the-case-against-root-why-android-devices-dont-come-rooted/
So if I have an older Android device (the Defy+ in particular) I have the option of either root it and try the later CyanogenMod or not to root and stay with Gingerbread forever?
Is there a way that after I installed Cyanogenmod I somehow de-root or un-root the device for safety? I am not that technical; I guess it's not possible; so it remains more like a philosophical question. Not only about the Defy+ in particular but in general.
Un-rooting can depend on the device and the method used to root it.
Of course, you could always just delete your superuser app, or use an app encrypter to require a password to use it. I wouldn't bother though. The benefits of root are too good to pass up if you've already taken that leap. Back-ups, ad blocking, Xposed tweaks, etc.
Doing stupid stuff with a rooted phone can certainly ruin it. The solution is not to do stupid stuff. The best way to keep your device safe is to just use your head. If you want to clean up bloatware, use Clean Master or a similar app that lets you know whether uninstalling something will affect your phone. Only side-load apps from sources you (and other people) trust. Do you research before doing anything that cause a problem. If you don't know, ask here.
That "Fact" you have is absolutely pulled straight out of someone's @$$. Viruses - no. Malware - yes. Don't install shady apps from unknown developers and "99%" of the problems won't even be an issue. And you can run a custom rom without root, such as Cyanogenmod. All root is is enabling admin access of your phone. You can even enable and disable as needed. When you have a superuser app, it controls the root permissions of the phone and you have the option of denying root, allowing root once, to request in a certain time frame, or to run it always.
I hope I'm posting this in the right place, I looked around a bit but I didn't get anything except more confused. So here's my issue, I'm a noob at all this rooting/programming business so before I messed with my nice phone I've been practicing on a LG L15G Sunrise TracFone running android 4.4.2. I gained root access with Kingroot, started to remove some bloatware that seemed safe to uninstall but I was wrong. Something I removed is now causing my settings app to crash. As soon as you try to open it, it just crashes. I don't have a recovery and can't find a rom anywhere for this particular phone. SO, since it's a $10 phone that I only use as a mp3 player anyway I'm not too concerned so I just want to fix it to see if I can and maybe learn something. I have an idea to restore the phone and my main question is can you request admin rights for an app on the phone if i hook it up to my PC with adb shell? If so what are the commands, or scripts, whatever you call it. And my second question is again about using adb console. I want to install an apk file onto the phone, but since my settings don't work, I can't get to the security tab to allow apps from unknown sources. Is there a way to turn this on with adb? Or somehow install the apk manually without permission.
Yeah you should be able to install a program and authorize root access, I don't know about kingroot I haven't heard great things but otherwise what's the point of root. Try installing flashfire and see if you have root access (careful with flashfire it's powerful).. If not I might recommend trying to replace kingroot with supersu like in the following post
https://forum.xda-developers.com/an...g/replace-kingoroot-supersu-manually-t3573361
JakersAK said:
I hope I'm posting this in the right place, I looked around a bit but I didn't get anything except more confused. So here's my issue, I'm a noob at all this rooting/programming business so before I messed with my nice phone I've been practicing on a LG L15G Sunrise TracFone running android 4.4.2. I gained root access with Kingroot, started to remove some bloatware that seemed safe to uninstall but I was wrong. Something I removed is now causing my settings app to crash. As soon as you try to open it, it just crashes. I don't have a recovery and can't find a rom anywhere for this particular phone. SO, since it's a $10 phone that I only use as a mp3 player anyway I'm not too concerned so I just want to fix it to see if I can and maybe learn something. I have an idea to restore the phone and my main question is can you request admin rights for an app on the phone if i hook it up to my PC with adb shell? If so what are the commands, or scripts, whatever you call it. And my second question is again about using adb console. I want to install an apk file onto the phone, but since my settings don't work, I can't get to the security tab to allow apps from unknown sources. Is there a way to turn this on with adb? Or somehow install the apk manually without permission.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Search for XDA-University forum, there's a thread on basic adb commands over there
In terminal
su
With adb
adb shell
su
Sent from my KYOCERA-C6745 using Tapatalk
Thank you all for your help. I did find the info on another thread and I now have unknown sources enabled. I was planning on replacing kingroot with supersu, there's plenty of tutorials on that floating around. Just wanted to regain access to my settings first before I made things worse. So now I have an idea, tell me if it's stupid. one of the apps i removed screwed the phone up, don't know which one, however, I was able to find apk files of the apps i uninstalled deep in the root browser. If I took these and reinstalled them back in their rightful spots as system apps would everything fall back into place like it never happened? Cuz that would be cool. I've never spent enough hours on this $10 phone I could have bought 10 of em by now if i was working lol. Just glad I was smart enough to take the time to learn this crap on a cheap phone instead of bricking my Moto X on the first go round. thanks for the help guys.
JakersAK said:
Thank you all for your help. I did find the info on another thread and I now have unknown sources enabled. I was planning on replacing kingroot with supersu, there's plenty of tutorials on that floating around. Just wanted to regain access to my settings first before I made things worse. So now I have an idea, tell me if it's stupid. one of the apps i removed screwed the phone up, don't know which one, however, I was able to find apk files of the apps i uninstalled deep in the root browser. If I took these and reinstalled them back in their rightful spots as system apps would everything fall back into place like it never happened? Cuz that would be cool. I've never spent enough hours on this $10 phone I could have bought 10 of em by now if i was working lol. Just glad I was smart enough to take the time to learn this crap on a cheap phone instead of bricking my Moto X on the first go round. thanks for the help guys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should. As long as you have a copy of the app. I haven't been using the new root browser, but idk if it has a recycle bin.
Sent from my KYOCERA-C6745 using Tapatalk