[Q] i changed some normal app in system app - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

i changed some app in system app,
1)will their setting(app data) be resistent to a factor reset?
2)if not, there is way to make their setting(app data) be immune to a factor reset?
3)in which folder are located system app'settings?

FASTWEBAR said:
i changed some app in system app,
1)will their setting(app data) be resistent to a factor reset?
2)if not, there is way to make their setting(app data) be immune to a factor reset?
3)in which folder are located system app'settings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A factory reset will clear it's data, the app will remain however, titanium backup can do that and lastly assuming you're asking for the root location of system apps, /system/apps/

Critical Detox said:
A factory reset will clear it's data, the app will remain however, titanium backup can do that and lastly assuming you're asking for the root location of system apps, /system/apps/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no,i cannot use any backups.
i need the app's setting to be immune to factory reset.
there are not just apk and odex files in system/app? i wanted to know where the system apps save their settings.

FASTWEBAR said:
no,i cannot use any backups.
i need the app's setting to be immune to factory reset.
there are not just apk and odex files in system/app? i wanted to know where the system apps save their settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From the main Root directory, /data/data/(select the app in question)/shared_prefs/ that should contain what you're looking for. Hopefully lol

There isn't a way to keep the settings of the app through a reset, even if it's a system app since the settings of the app itself will be in the /data/data folder.

es0tericcha0s said:
There isn't a way to keep the settings of the app through a reset, even if it's a system app since the settings of the app itself will be in the /data/data folder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so also the /data/data folder will be reseted in a factory reset?
i knew some antitheft apps could still work after rest.does not that mean their app and setting survived?How could they do it?
the antitheft app is just an example.

FASTWEBAR said:
so also the /data/data folder will be reseted in a factory reset?
i knew some antitheft apps could still work after rest.does not that mean their app and setting survived?How could they do it?
the antitheft app is just an example.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most factory resets will wipe everything except the /data/media folder in the /data directory. The antitheft apps are coded to grab the settings stored on the SD card or internal storage after reset, however, they also have to reboot again after it is reset for this to take effect. I suppose it might be possible to make a zip to flash in a custom recovery to wipe everything but leave a specific folder by customizing an update script. Another alternative might be to make an init.d script for persistent app and data. I'm not sure how to exactly do that, or if they would work, but I don't believe there would be another way due to how wipes are done.

do you mean this?
from a antitief 's faq:
I have a rooted device. Can I get additional features?
Yes! If you have rooted your device you can integrate Cerberus into your ROM and get two additional features: complete uninstall protection (Cerberus will even survive a wipe /factory reset) and GPS auto-enabling even on Android 2.3.3 and later. To have these features uninstall Cerberus, then download cerberus.zip, put it on the sd card and install it from recovery. Cerberus is also available on ROM Manager.
If that method doesn't work, you can manually install Cerberus in /system/app this way:
- Uninstall Cerberus from your device
- Download [email protected] apk and put the file on your sd card
- Open a terminal emulator and execute:
su
mount -o remount,rw /system
cp /sdcard/Cerberus.apk /system/app/
chmod 644 /system/app/Cerberus.apk
On Android 4.4 and later versions, the app must be installed in /system/priv-app, so the last two commands would be:
cp /sdcard/Cerberus.apk /system/priv-app/
chmod 644 /system/priv-app/Cerberus.apk
- Now Cerberus should be installed as a system application. Try to open the app, log in and see if it works.
I don't want to root my device, but it has an unlocked bootloader. Can I have the root features anyway?
Yes! You have to install a custom recovery first (google "your device model custom recovery " for more info). Then download cerberus.zip, rename it to update.zip and put it on the sd card. Reboot into recovery and install it.
I wonder if a app that is not coded in specific way can do this too?

FASTWEBAR said:
I wonder if a app that is not coded in specific way can do this too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. The app will not be able to set itself up and grab settings on it's own without coding it to do so.

Related

I'm confused on System/App vs Data/App

To me, I should be able to Factory Reset my phone any time and get what was "Delivery" By Sprint/HTC/CustomROMChef
But I should be able to update (from market) any Market App.
So I see a lot of folks put a bunch of stuff normally in System/App in Data/App
So that users can uninstall it. That's fine.
But if users want it and factory reset (or clear data) it's completely gone and the only way to get it back is to flash.
If a Market App is in System/App and it be still updated from the Market.
If it can be updated from Market why can't it be uninstaled?
It seems there should be a script that runs when you clear data that repopulates Data to the same state it was delivered. But that would waste from ROM space.
What am I missing.
I hope folks follow my thinking and can straighten me out.
Thanks
Googling around I did find this one critical tidbit
Market updates with /system apps that aren't "supposed" to be in /system is a pain. The market will install an app into the /data/app directory by default, so if you have something like LauncherPro that is a non-system app by Google's definitions, but it's in your /system/app directory because it came pre-packaged with your ROM, then if you update from the market you end up with two copies of it -- a deprecated version in /system and the current version in /data.
You also lose any theming when you update from the market, but that's nothing new and iirc that's true for any themed app regardless of whether it's in /data or /system
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the world of s-off you don't factory reset anymore you wipe and reflash.
If you factory reset any apps or data in the /data will disappear.
The system directory is typically write protected unless you can get root permissions, any updates are stored in data. Devs will typically put the updated apps in the system dir saves some space, once an update comes out the space you saved is then lost.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
Chuki82 said:
In the world of s-off you don't factory reset anymore you wipe and reflash.
If you factory reset any apps or data in the /data will disappear.
The system directory is typically write protected unless you can get root permissions, any updates are stored in data. Devs will typically put the updated apps in the system dir saves some space, once an update comes out the space you saved is then lost.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand what you are saying. But I'd like the option/concept of being able to clear Data without Reflashing.
So are you saying if a Market App (e.g. Google Maps) is in System and you update it from Market, it will always put the updated version in Data and leave the System one dormant (it will never replace or remove the one in system regardless of root status)?
How does Sprints Stock ROM do it? They allow removing some bloatware and I assume if I factory Reset, nothing would be missing, even if I uninstalled it.
All I can think they do is they bury a backup of Data in the ROM that is restored on Factory Reset.
Yes on the updated apps thing. Updates are saved to data the original is left dormant in system.
The apps in the stock rom are in system, certain ones can be removed or so you think. They are more like disabled, something allows to go dormant as you called it and the only way I know to get it back is a reset.
If certain rom devs move apps to data to be actually removed and you do a reset you lose those apps. If you don't want that to happen, I suggest backing up any and all apps you want sprint, HTC, other. Then reset and restore.
I have backups of all the stock Apps I like to use and if the rom includes it, and great! If not I have a good copy on hand.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
Y factory reset when you could wipe dalvik and cache???,,, also learn how to move apps you want manually,,makes life easier for you sometimes
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
ktrotter11 said:
Y factory reset when you could wipe dalvik and cache???,,, also learn how to move apps you want manually,,makes life easier for you sometimes
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because if you having problems, due to what ever reason, clearing cache is not always the solution.

System and user apps accidentally frozen

READ AT THE END OF THIS POST FOR THE SOLUTION
I accidentally used Titanium Backup's widget to frost all system and user apps, leaving mi phone in a infinite boot animation loop. I dont have aNandroid Backup and I would really love to solve this issue without flashing.
I found at Titanium Backup's troubleshooting webpage that I could use this command with adb to solve my issue:
Code:
Type the following command (replace with /dbdata/system/packages.xml if you have a Samsung phone):
busybox sed -n 's/<package name="\([^"]\+\)".*enabled="false".*/\1/p' /data/system/packages.xml | while read PKG; do pm enable "$PKG"; done
but it just says: No such file or directory (yes, I changed /data to /dbdata as stated in the webpage)
Any idea on how to solve this issue?
Thank you!
**EDIT:
This is the way I managed to get my phone working again without having to flash or wipe:
1. Boot in recovery mode and used adb pull command to extract "packages.xml" and "packages-more-backup.xml" from /data/system/
2. Open both files with Wordpad and replaced all protection="2" or "3" lines to protection="1".
3. Also, and very important, replaced all enabled="false" lines to enabled="true"
4. Boot in recovery again and used adb to delete old "packages.xml" and "packages-more-backup.xml" files and push the new ones.
5. Reboot and Voila!
6. Boot once again in recovery mode and fix permissions to avoid any problem.
Hope that this could be usefull to someone else having this horrible problem.
Thank you all!
Checked for that file on my phone, it doesn't exist in /dbdata/system/, but it does in /data/system/
It's probably fixable from the command line with Linux but that is over my head, one option would be to Odin or heimdel back to stock, and start from scratch. You might need a jig to get into dlmode.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
nitox.n2o said:
Checked for that file on my phone, it doesn't exist in /dbdata/system/, but it does in /data/system/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried with /data too but same result.
shadow65781 said:
It's probably fixable from the command line with Linux but that is over my head, one option would be to Odin or heimdel back to stock, and start from scratch. You might need a jig to get into dlmode.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know I could do that but I would really like to restore my system as it was
Help please
I wonder what would happen if you removed the app (its apk) via adb from /data/app. Would it retain the freeze settings? Something to consider trying.
This happened to me. I reflashed the ROM without wiping and all was back to normal
Sent from my FrankenTAB using Tapatalk
Simba501 said:
I wonder what would happen if you removed the app (its apk) via adb from /data/app. Would it retain the freeze settings? Something to consider trying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty sure that's not gonna work because the frozen apps settings are at packages.xml file, but I can't access it I don't know why
jhermit said:
This happened to me. I reflashed the ROM without wiping and all was back to normal
Sent from my FrankenTAB using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried doing that right now but it didn't worked
I got a little too punchy with titanium on my 3 year old original Galaxy tab 7 and froze a samsung system app. Got irreversibly stuck is soft brickland - Tried various methods before giving up and hitting the wipe and reset to factory restore in the system recovery mode. Everything was backed up except recent photos, so it was more annoying than the end of the world.
Odd thing was when it reset to factory, it appeared to do just that, yet when I plugged it into PC and mounted it - the memory was full and all my files and app data files were there - untouched. The apps themselves have gone except one - Superuser is still there, Does Superuser somehow override being reset? and act as a guardian of your data in the event of reset?
Odd. I was expecting to run some file recovery software to a salvage what i could, but viola - it was all there.
shokuchi said:
I got a little too punchy with titanium on my 3 year old original Galaxy tab 7 and froze a samsung system app. Got irreversibly stuck is soft brickland - Tried various methods before giving up and hitting the wipe and reset to factory restore in the system recovery mode. Everything was backed up except recent photos, so it was more annoying than the end of the world.
Odd thing was when it reset to factory, it appeared to do just that, yet when I plugged it into PC and mounted it - the memory was full and all my files and app data files were there - untouched. The apps themselves have gone except one - Superuser is still there, Does Superuser somehow override being reset? and act as a guardian of your data in the event of reset?
Odd. I was expecting to run some file recovery software to a salvage what i could, but viola - it was all there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wrong forum dude
Sent from my Zanpakuto using Getsuga Tensho!
<deleted>
ZIP for unfreezing apps
For those, who accidentally frozen important system app: here quick solution without factory reset, reflashing and ADB
It automatically edits files as described in first post.
You should have unlocked bootloader. If no, ZIP useless because unlocking wipes all data.
Download both ZIP's and just flash them via custom recovery (TWRP / CWM)
If first throws error try second and vice versa. 2nd with mark "New" contains newer updater-binary that must be compatible with recent TWRP.
Then all apps will be unfrozen, so phone will boot.
Fix compatible with all Android versions.
Note: also you can somehow (ADB or filemanager in TWRP) delete file /data/system/0/package-restrictions.xml
More correct to edit that file which ZIP actually do, but deleting not harmful too.
tags: unfroze apps, auto-unfroze, defrost apps, unfreeze apps, 5596
Bonoboo said:
For those, who accidentally frozen system app there is quicker solution without factory reset and ADB.
It automatically edits files as described in first post.
Just flash this ZIP through recovery and all apps will be unfrozen.
Compatible with all Android versions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANKS MAN!! i just signed up to say thanks! you just saved my life :highfive:
Bonoboo said:
For those, who accidentally frozen system app here quicker solution without factory reset and ADB
It automatically edits files as described in first post.
Just flash this ZIP through recovery and all apps will be unfrozen, so phone will boot.
Compatible with all Android versions.
tags: unfroze apps, auto-unfroze
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much for the zip. It worked great
Same Problem
Does anyone have an updated version of that zip? I also froze an app linked to the device and it won't boot, even after factory resetting it. Tried running the zip on my t-mobile GS4 (probably newer than that zip) from the SD card in recovery mode, however it didn't unfreeze it.
Any help greatly appreciated!
pianoplayer55 said:
Does anyone have an updated version of that zip?
I also froze an app linked to the device and it won't boot, even after factory resetting it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. To flash that ZIP you need have custom recovery (CWM or TWRP), not stock.
No update needed, it still works in this case.
2. That strange. Maybe you not really performed reset?
Double check all and try again.
Bonoboo said:
1. To flash that ZIP you need have custom recovery (CWM or TWRP), not stock.
No update needed, it still works in this case.
2. That strange. Maybe you not really performed reset?
Double check all and try again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, unfortunately I did select wipe data on the recovery screen. I am also stuck in an infinite boot up loop and cannot access the phone to install any apps. How can I use a custom recovery to run the zip file if i cannot access the phone? Instructions much appreciated. Thanks again.
pianoplayer55 said:
How can I use a custom recovery to run the zip file if i cannot access the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ZIP – it's not app.
Again, you need to install custom recovery.
Here link to TWRP and how install it via Odin on PC.
You need place that ZIP on sdcard.
Enter in recovery (don't know how on your model), select Install > find ZIP > confirm > reboot,
Bonoboo said:
ZIP – it's not app.
Again, you need to install custom recovery.
You need place that ZIP on sdcard.
Enter in recovery (don't know how on your model), select Install > find ZIP > confirm > reboot,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Downloaded TWRP with Odin and ran custom recovery without a change after the zip (this must have been a deeper-rooted problem in the OS itself), however in the meantime I formatted the system partition, removing the operating system. Installed Kies and ran the update. It reinstalled the OS and I'm good now. Most stuff was backed up anyways. Thanks guys for your time :good::good:
Which apk is the culprit?
Man, I wish I'd found this thread before restoring my phones internal ROM. Had it rooted and set up in every way I like except removing bloatware.
Using TB, I froze a system apk that shut down my System UI and sent the phone bootlooping. What I'm trying to determine is WHICH apk(s) I froze that caused this. I thought I had researched each one that didn't seem obvious, but I musta missed one or one of the 'obvious' ones wasn't so obvious.

Super User

Sorry new to Android and am learning so please be gentle....I rooted my Razr Maxx and once I finished I installed some apps and made sure I had root access. I read that it was a good idea that I due a factory reset so I did....after the reset was complete. I noticed the icon SuperUser was now missing. Do I need that Icon? Was there any additional settings I could access via it. If so, how do I get it back?? thanks.
When you make a factory reset, all the user apps (that means all the aplications installed in the /data partition, the apps that the user has installed and wheren't there when you bought the phone) and all the personal configurations of the system are erased. A factory reset leaves your phone just as the way it was when you first turned on. So, if your SuperUser.apk was installed in the data partition it sure will be gone. That app is needed to administrate which aplications get elevated acces to some system resources, so if it's not there it is like you have no root access. Some scripts used to root the phone push the superuser.apk to the System/app folder instead of data/app, so it's not deleted by a factory reset, but this is not your case as it seems... You could donwload the superuser app from google play, but I dont recommend it as I tried it once and it didn't work. I think you should try repeating the whole root proccess, and not making a factory reset after it, it was never necessary for me. Good luck!
danygarss said:
When you make a factory reset, all the user apps (that means all the aplications installed in the /data partition, the apps that the user has installed and wheren't there when you bought the phone) and all the personal configurations of the system are erased. A factory reset leaves your phone just as the way it was when you first turned on. So, if your SuperUser.apk was installed in the data partition it sure will be gone. That app is needed to administrate which aplications get elevated acces to some system resources, so if it's not there it is like you have no root access. Some scripts used to root the phone push the superuser.apk to the System/app folder instead of data/app, so it's not deleted by a factory reset, but this is not your case as it seems... You could donwload the superuser app from google play, but I dont recommend it as I tried it once and it didn't work. I think you should try repeating the whole root proccess, and not making a factory reset after it, it was never necessary for me. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Should I do a factory reset or can I just to the entire root process again now?
slawcop` said:
Should I do a factory reset or can I just to the entire root process again now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just do the entire rooting process again. If you do factory reset you will loose again your superuser.apk
You should be able to download the superuser app as the phone is still rooted. Try superSU, that's the SU app that installed when I rooted (eternity project easy root)
I did the same thing by mistake once & just downloaded the app & it worked like a charm.
Sent from my DROID SPYDER using xda premium

How to install inverted apps?

I swear I've tried every combination to get the inverted Gmail app on our phone, but the one way that works. If you've successfully managed to get inverted Gmail on the EVO 4G LTE, how did you do it?
http://www.rujelus22.com/evo/ <-- The one I'm trying to install. Maybe there's a different one for our phone?
Since some of those apps are system apps, you'll need to download the apks and using something like Root Explorer, move them into system/app then set the correct permissions and reboot.
You can't simply click the apk and install it normally.
Sent from my EVO using xda app-developers app
mexlos said:
Since some of those apps are system apps, you'll need to download the apks and using something like Root Explorer, move them into system/app then set the correct permissions and reboot.
You can't simply click the apk and install it normally.
Sent from my EVO using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That worked for you? It didn't work for me.
Place it in adb folder and type adb remount and then adb push "app name.apk" /system/app and restart phone
Long way around but that should work
om4 said:
Place it in adb folder and type adb remount and then adb push "app name.apk" /system/app and restart phone
Long way around but that should work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried that method before creating the thread.
Maybe it's just not meant to be for me.
Back up your non-inverted app data/ account settings. TB
Use rootexplorer to search for all occurrences of non-inverted app.
Delete /replace them with inverted app.
Reboot.
Restore Data/account settings.
Seems to me it can't help but work. The non-inverted apps are gone.
You could wipe cache and dalvik cache to force reload.
willy900wonka said:
Back up your non-inverted app data/ account settings. TB
Use rootexplorer to search for all occurrences of non-inverted app.
Delete /replace them with inverted app.
Reboot.
Restore Data/account settings.
Seems to me it can't help but work. The non-inverted apps are gone.
You could wipe cache and dalvik cache to force reload.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+2 Here, that is what we did as well expect for backing them up. Just deleted in titanium and rebooted. Then installed the inverted APK and reset our settings. Works perfect every time.
It turned out to be a problem with the apk file itself. That's why the tips suggested above and all the methods I tried beforehand weren't working. Go figure.

[Q] Remove apps from rom itself

I have an xperia p rooted bootloader unlocked . And now on stock rom . Every time i reset my phone some sony apps kinda come up which i dont want to . I have uninstalled them using titanuim backup life gone forever thing but still when i reset my phone they come up
ANYWAY TO NOT LET THEM SHOW UP WHEN MY PHONE IS RESET >?
AND HOW CAN I INTEGRATE AN APP TO ROM ( IF I RESET MY PHONE THAT INTEGRATED APP MUST BE INSTALLED AUTOMATICALLY
Kaushik124 said:
I have an xperia p rooted bootloader unlocked . And now on stock rom . Every time i reset my phone some sony apps kinda come up which i dont want to . I have uninstalled them using titanuim backup life gone forever thing but still when i reset my phone they come up
ANYWAY TO NOT LET THEM SHOW UP WHEN MY PHONE IS RESET >?
AND HOW CAN I INTEGRATE AN APP TO ROM ( IF I RESET MY PHONE THAT INTEGRATED APP MUST BE INSTALLED AUTOMATICALLY
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look at /system/etc/customisation and /system/etc/product.for bloatware.
You can simply delete the apps you don't want from /system/app but be carful not to delete one that is needed by system.
Any app you want to survive reset copy to /system/app with permissions 644
ChikeD said:
Look at /system/etc/customisation and /system/etc/product.for bloatware.
You can simply delete the apps you don't want from /system/app but be carful not to delete one that is needed by system.
Any app you want to survive reset copy to /system/app with permissions 644
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With permission 644 ? I dint get you . By the way deleting apps from that location says operation failed - ESFILEMANAGER
Kaushik124 said:
With permission 644 ? I dint get you . By the way deleting apps from that location says operation failed - ESFILEMANAGER
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you mount /system RW? (open the sidebar where you enabled root access with the menu button, scroll down to "root explorer" and click it instead of its on/off button, select the remount option, change / and /system to RW)
Ryccardo said:
Did you mount /system RW? (open the sidebar where you enabled root access with the menu button, scroll down to "root explorer" and click it instead of its on/off button, select the remount option, change / and /system to RW)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah thank you .. Easier with root explorer . Moving an app to system/app will get that app installed right away when reset ?
Kaushik124 said:
Ah thank you .. Easier with root explorer . Moving an app to system/app will get that app installed right away when reset ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it just won't be removed
But it will also break the app if it uses external libraries, use Link2SD "convert to system app" that will do the hard job itself if needed
Ryccardo said:
Well, it just won't be removed
But it will also break the app if it uses external libraries, use Link2SD "convert to system app" that will do the hard job itself if needed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Titanium backup has some sort of same option right convert to system app. And if I remove all from/system/app it won't be installed next time I reset? I hope so and how do I make some apps install themselves when phone is reset
Kaushik124 said:
With permission 644 ? I dint get you . By the way deleting apps from that location says operation failed - ESFILEMANAGER
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Files has permissions, like files on windows do, 644 = owner can read and weite, group can read, other can read.
To delete/copy file from/to /system you need RootExplorer o FX explorer with root add-on.
If you "remove everything from /system/app" as you said you'll end up with an unusable OS
Factory reset doesn't touch /system anyway, if you're looking for an easy way to have your apps back when you switch ROMs the closest thing is keeping the apks on your computer and installing them with adb...

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