I am running android 4.0.3 on a Samsung galaxy s2 from vodafone and will like to have a light firmware. What processes or apps can I remove without affecting the way the phone functions (i.e. google partner setup). Is it possible to create a program to remove all unwanted processes without flashing a new ROM.
I'll also like to increase the connectivity speed to HSPA+.
Addition of new information.
I came across this article on XDA's main page and thought I share it. It is self explanatory and I think it should work on any version. Please any question should be directed to the forum OP. Enjoy
Broadway's thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2058944
Article on XDA: http://www.xda-developers.com/androi...-via-recovery/
red.hat said:
I am running android 4.0.3 on a Samsung galaxy s2 from vodafone and will like to have a light firmware. What processes or apps can I remove without affecting the way the phone functions (i.e. google partner setup). Is it possible to create a program to remove all unwanted processes without flashing a new ROM.
I'll also like to increase the connectivity speed to HSPA+.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have found a way. Fyi, flash Sale's, neat rom lite
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
My favorite app is called titanium backup, it lets you remove everything you want and if you make a mistake you can restore what you deleted. The freeze option on the paid version is really good.
Titanium Backup is easily the most useful app for any rooted phone. The paid version is not much better than the free version, other than giving the developer some support and appreciation. It lets you freeze apps so they no longer appear in your app drawer, and even uninstall bloatware that you specifically select. It's a must have and it will definitely save you more than once! Hope this helps
Ryan_28 said:
Titanium Backup is easily the most useful app for any rooted phone. The paid version is not much better than the free version, other than giving the developer some support and appreciation. It lets you freeze apps so they no longer appear in your app drawer, and even uninstall bloatware that you specifically select. It's a must have and it will definitely save you more than once! Hope this helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
Related
like widgets? such as "apmobiles", seems to be a newspaper sort of thing i will never read. i also can't uninstall social/music/gaming/book hubs? i'm in the setting/applications/manage applications bit.
i want to basically delete a LOT of apps then only install what I need? i'm new to smartphones, moved from a nokia keypad phone. so the galaxy s2 was a massive jump for me.
Have a search for titanium backup and root. You'll need to root your phone 1st before you can 'freeze' but not remove apps.
The phone is brand new and it will take a while before custom roms that let you remove apps are available.
If I were you I'd wait before rooting as it is still a bit complicated and simpler methods will come along soon, I'm sure. I'd use the time to read the guides and get familiar with the phone.
Bear in mind that rooting/custom roms will lose you your warranty. Also, I'm not too worried about app removal as the phone has plenty of memory for my needs. Just remove the apps you don't want from the home screen and put on the ones that you do.
Edit: just wanted to clarify that I was referring to removing pre - installed apps.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Thanks for that, it's that I also noticed that there are services running in the background from applications that I'm not using, like I have the apmobile service running and also a social hub service running even neither is open. And I at least want to remove app shortcuts from the menu.
You'll need to root and freeze to remove the shortcut from the app drawer. I really wouldn't do that until you've read up and are confident though.
There are other threads about the social hub, have a search. I think you'll need to reset the phone and then not add any accounts if you want to stop it from being active.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
To add-up about removing the widgets (probably you've found it already though), you only need to hold down the widget and slide it down to an area says remove
this phone comes with a built in task manager and a widget that shows you active tasks, i use the widget on my phone's desktop to close apps as needed ( i know the phone can handle it but its just my own thing lol ) and from there, there's a tab that lets you uninstall apps as well.
ofcourse you wont be able to uninstall those that came with the phone just yet.
I rooted mine which was dead easy and was my first time so you'll be fine. Download AntTek app manager from the market its free and lets you freeze, delete and backup any apps and widgets you want. You will no longer have any of those crap apps working in the background draining your battery. Hope this helps.
Edit: Oh yeah the built in task manager doesn't show system apps working in the background or at least not all so well worth freezing or removing them.
I have noticed these chinese apps some how self installing on my S2.
Any idea how to get to the source of these unauthorized installs? (Lookout & AVG & NetQin don't detect them as malicious or find any reason for how they are getting on there).
Currently using KH3 + CFRoot.
Why do people give so little information when they post?
What Chinese apps? (Please provide a screen shot if the app name is in Chinese) .
This sounds really really bad.
Has this happened to any one else?
It should not be possible for this to happen.
Does your phone have any connection with China or have you installed any Chinese software?
If this is happening then you must have done something yourself to start the process. Nothing can install itself without your consent, unless there's malicious software that's bypassing the system and installing for you, but you would have had to install that first.
So, as above, a lot more information is needed. Personally, I'd just do a complete wipe and hard reset and never install anything from untrusted sources again, including warez, 3rd party app stores and the Chinese Market, which is known to have had dodgy software before now.
My friend got an S2 from China and it was preloaded with all those Chinese apps. Examples include QQ Security Suite and some other apps. I used Titanium Backup to uninstall but after each restart, the app re-appears!
I was surprised that Titanium couldn't uninstall. It says it uninstalled successfully but it just re-appears. The only thing I could do is to do a re-flash to a Hong Kong firmware without all those pre-loaded Chinese apps.
But before you wipe everything, please help us try and find out how it happened?
Again has this happened to any one else? Because I want to know if this could happen to my phone!
Mine also did this on stock rom i would uninstall samsung apps reboot and it would reappear on my menu. Is it possible the rom comes with an auto install script for the preloaded apps?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
otester said:
I have noticed these chinese apps some how self installing on my S2.
Any idea how to get to the source of these unauthorized installs? (Lookout & AVG & NetQin don't detect them as malicious or find any reason for how they are getting on there).
Currently using KH3 + CFRoot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have CF-Root, you have super user installed. Review your permissions. You can also install LBE privacy guard and set permissions for all apps as well, including many system apps (you'll need to 'untrust' them first).
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Sorry for the little information guys, was 5am and very tired
I deleted the second incarnation of the app as soon as I saw it (worried about personal details being taken etc.) however it if it reappears again then I will screenshot it.
Virus scanners don't detect them as malicious, when the program opened (after stealth install) I went through it, albeit in Chinese it looked like a legit program and the menu worked etc.
I have market 3.1.3 installed (got the apk off the internet) and a few apps that got removed from the market place (torrent clients and certain games I couldn't find etc.) so it could well have been put in them.
I'm thinking about a hard reset, not using titan backup to avoid it coming back and a re-flash.
Also my phone has no connection with China (purchased in the UK), this has only happened recently.
Is there any more info needed before reset etc.?
Looks like the suspect apps removed from the market may have been the cause.
Does anybody know if running as root alows all download apps to run with root permissions?
LouisJB said:
Looks like the suspect apps removed from the market may have been the cause.
Does anybody know if running as root alows all download apps to run with root permissions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Issue is the damage seems to have been done, looks like I have no choice but to reflash etc. Need a virus scanner that has root so it can do a deeper scan.
Superuser is a lot like UAC on Windows Vista/7, it will popup and ask you to allow/deny.
Also is there any way to wipe the device while re flashing to ensure this gets removed?
I found a folder on my Internal Storage "QinqiQuan" (Google Image search pinpoints this as one of the apps) which translates in Chinese to English as "Infringement", however the app itself appears to be a legitimate Chinese social app so I'm not sure of my original concern regarding "Infringement" being copyright related etc.
Another few suspicious folders were "the9GameCenter" & "waze".
In future I'll be sticking the Market and official sites, even if that means doing without certain apps that aren't available on my handset/region
Isnt waze a community based sat nav app?
poults said:
Isnt waze a community based sat nav app?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The apps themselves appear legitimate, but I didn't authorize the installs which is what worries me.
I wiped internal storage, wiped data and then re-flashed + CFRooted.
Hopefully what ever it was, won't come back
And how about the security in your computer? As we know, you can install an app in your phone via your market account using your computer. Perhaps someone is playing around with your market account. If this is the case, changing your password would be a good idea.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
angelomaldito said:
And how about the security in your computer? As we know, you can install an app in your phone via your market account using your computer. Perhaps someone is playing around with your market account. If this is the case, changing your password would be a good idea.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I have changed my password and turned on all the Google security settings, albeit a bit of pain, does give peace of mind
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
Has anyone compiled a list of the safe-to-remove apps for the AT&T GSII along with corresponding .apk filenames, yet? I've already removed a number of them via Root Explorer, using the list of removed apps from Cognition's rom, but there's a couple that still remain and I'm wondering if they're ok to remove or not. A full list would be best, though I'm mainly wondering about:
Kies Air
Featured Apps
Social Hub
AT&T Hot Spots (doesn't show in app list, but still shows as a running app for me)
Don't know...I saw that AT&T Hot Spots wasn't actually in the drawer but it shows up as a running app too. I don't plan on removing Kies Air or the Social Hub (for the moment) but I'd like to remove "Featured Apps" but when I go into Titanium Backup it'll ask me if I'm sure I want to do this since it's part of the framework so I've backed off of it for now...I'd like to know about these 4 apps and if they're safe to remove as well.
I used root explorer and did it manually. I lost count how many I ripped out.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
joeybear23 said:
I would like to keep a running list of AT&T-delivered apps from the stock ROM that are safe to freeze/uninstall without causing any loss of essential functionality.
Amazon Kindle
AP Mobile
AT&T Code Scanner
AT&T Family Map
AT&T Hotspots (if you do not use it)
AT&T Navigator
Buddies Now
City ID
Digital Clock
Dual Clock
Featured Apps
Live TV
Media Hub (not AT&T Bloatware, rather Samsung-delivered)
Mini Diary
Mini Paper
QIK Lite (if you do not use stock video chat)
Yahoo Finance
YP
If you have any apps that you have removed and run problem free for at least 48 hours, please let me know and I will update the list.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From this thread.
Honestly I'd recommend installing Titanium Backup and doing a backup before you remove ANY apps. You simply never know if you might need them down the road for something. Sure 99% of the AT&T crap is crap, but there's no reason not to back them up first.
Also, if you're worried about it, buy the PRO version (of TB) and simply freeze ones you don't want to use. This isn't deleting them, it simply disables them.
Kadin said:
Honestly I'd recommend installing Titanium Backup and doing a backup before you remove ANY apps. You simply never know if you might need them down the road for something. Sure 99% of the AT&T crap is crap, but there's no reason not to back them up first.
Also, if you're worried about it, buy the PRO version (of TB) and simply freeze ones you don't want to use. This isn't deleting them, it simply disables them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the PRO version. I know about freezing but I was being lazy and I know there are much more adventurous people than me who've gone ahead and ripped things out. I didn't want to do the freeze app, okay seems safe to remove, repeat per next app deal. Like I said, I'm lazy...
Some of these At&t apps i cant find under root explorer, for example featured apps. what would be the file name for featured apps?
re: bloat/system apps
Smoghog said:
Has anyone compiled a list of the safe-to-remove apps for the AT&T GSII along with corresponding .apk filenames, yet? I've already removed a number of them via Root Explorer, using the list of removed apps from Cognition's rom, but there's a couple that still remain and I'm wondering if they're ok to remove or not. A full list would be best, though I'm mainly wondering about:
Kies Air
Featured Apps
Social Hub
AT&T Hot Spots (doesn't show in app list, but still shows as a running app for me)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to uninstall even more bloatware you need to get the app called
"SystemAppRemover" from the market. (everything will show up with this).
It makes it very easy to uninstall most any system apps.
The app has other functions too.
It's also best to flash a Nandroid backup of your rom before uninstalling
bloatware/system apps.
(use CWM Manager or CWM Recovery and NOT rom manager for backing up).
Good luck!
After searching for weeks, the only 'blacklisting apps' I can find are designed to blacklist certain numbers.
Is there currently an app where you can search your currently running processes, and add a selected process to a list that will not automatically start running unless manually overridden?
There are WAY too many apps that I rarely use but want to keep, or cannot remove, that keep popping up and slowing down my performance, and i want a way to manually clean up, and keep things tidy.
Thanks in advance for any input!
Anybody? I find it hard to believe that there is no way to do this with all of the experienced people on this platform... Im aware that you can FREEZE procceses and apps with Titanium Backup, but I'd rather not pay for that if i dont have to...
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.rs.autorun&hl=en
I've never used it, but I think that's what you want.
I use Bloat Freezer Free and find it excellent.
Should be easy enough to find on android market.
Autostarts
Accidentally sent from my Google Nexus S using XDA Premium
Hi guys!
Anyone can tell me why pls? I dont know exactly what i can do after that.
Subzeromot said:
Hi guys!
Anyone can tell me why pls? I dont know exactly what i can do after that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would recommend reading the official XDA introduction guide to rooting that will answer all your questions and more on root found here. Let me know if you have any additional questions I'll be happy to answer them for you.
Subzeromot said:
Hi guys!
Anyone can tell me why pls? I dont know exactly what i can do after that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are many articles on the internet that explain this. I'll give you the gist of them though:
Debloating. "Bloat" is unwanted/unneeded apps. They take up space, they slow things down, and they bug you for updates. You can't always delete what you don't want because these apps are installed by the manufacturer or carrier as "system" apps, rather than "user" apps. With root access you can uninstall system apps. Be careful in what you delete though, and always do a back-up first.
Back-ups. With apps like Titanium, ROM Tool Box, and Helium, you can do full back-ups of your apps. It's a good idea to do a back-up before updating some apps, as you might prefer the older version vs the new one. Or, you can back-up a game that doesn't save to a server/cloud and you don't lose your progress. And you can back up system apps before deleting them so you can always restore them if things go awry.
Ad blocking. With apps like AdAway you can block ads within apps/games and also ads within your web browsers. Besides making things cleaner and less annoying, this improves load times and reduces data usage because the ads don't have to load.
Customization. Root access can let you use certain apps to customize the appearance and function of your OS. Most notable is the Xposed framework, an extremely powerful tool that utilizes individual modules to not only change how your phone looks, but how it can fundamentally operate.
Performance. Even without a custom kernel, you can still use a kernel controller app to tweak your phone for better performance or better battery life. Exactly what can be done and by how much depends on the phone.
Free wifi tethering. There are apps that bypass your carrier and phone's built-in tether provisioning.
Tasker. Tasker is an app that can automate your phone to do whatever you want whenever you want it to happen. It's nearly limitless.