Hello all.
All of my mobile devices are Samsung devices (2 Phones and 2 Tablets) all but one device is rooted, and all are on stock Lollipop ROM. I have went through my phone (Note 3) and removed all the bloatware and have it pretty trim and fit. I want to do the same also for my tablet (Galaxy Tab S). I poured over a bunch of safe to remove type lists and compiled a list of what I could remove and tested things out on my phone. All went well until I got to KNOX and I guess I got a little aggressive (searched for everything with 'knox' in it and deleted what I could), and when I rebooted it got stuck on the boot sequence. No idea why. So I wiped and started over and then used Uninstall ROOT from the Playstore and just deleted the Knox entries that showed up there and that worked better.
Once I was happy that all was working as it should I installed all the normal apps that I use and things have been working perfectly. So I turned my attention to the tablet. I used the list of bloatware from my phone and found, as would be expected, there was much the same with respect to the bloatware just different names.
On my phone, in order to remove the .apk file and the odex files I just deleted the folder since they were in the same place. The odex files were in a sub-folder named 'arm'. I thought with the tablet it would just be easier to use some kind of script run from recovery to delete all the folders and be done with it in a matter of a minute or two if that long instead of doing it manually. To my surprise I found one already made that even used the Aroma installer so you could just select what you wanted to remove, which seemed perfect, except it didn't work. It was removing nothing despite the fact when the script ran it looked like it was doing all it should. Looking at the script that ran, some of the file names were wrong and it wasn't pointing to the 'arm' folder to remove the odex files. So I modified the script to test and set it to remove just one folder as a trial run. The script ran, but did nothing. It seems redundant to me to remove the .apk file and the odex file separately when you can just delete the folder and do in one action. However, I am at a loss as to how to accomplish that from the script.
One of the scripts is Bloatware Removal Script 1.
I can't seem to find the location that I got the one with the Aroma installer, but I have the file on my computer.
So, all this said (I wanted you all to know the process I went through in hopes it would help) to ask, how would one delete a folder from recovery using a script. The CoolBoy script uses:
Code:
delete("/system/app/Chrome.apk");
But not only does it not delete the apk, if I drop the file extension to delete the folder, it does not do that either. The Aroma installer option seems perfect, I just am not familiar with the command that would needed to be used in order to delete the folder. Thanks for reading my long winded post and for any help.
Related
Everything appears to be set up correctly, but I'm still seeing ads in apps. Is anyone else having this issue as well?
[Edit]
Nevermind, it just took more than one reboot to get it working. =)
AdFree FTW
I just keep a hosts file saved on my sd card, then after root, swap out the /system/etc/hosts
Don't forget to change the permissions to match the other files in /etc
Should be: 1st column-all 3 checked, 2nd column-top box checked, 3rd column-no boxes checked.
I've attached the file if anyone wants it. I couldnt attach it without a file extension, so after you put it on your phone it will be named "hosts.7z" , delete the ".7z" so it will just be "hosts"
It has worked on every phone i have had, the D1,D2,DX,Fascinate and of course the TB.
knatcal said:
I just keep a hosts file saved on my sd card, then after root, swap out the /system/etc/hosts
Don't forget to change the permissions to match the other files in /etc
Should be: 1st column-all 3 checked, 2nd column-top box checked, 3rd column-no boxes checked.
I've attached the file if anyone wants it. I couldnt attach it without a file extension, so after you put it on your phone it will be named "hosts.7z" , delete the ".7z" so it will just be "hosts"
It has worked on every phone i have had, the D1,D2,DX,Fascinate and of course the TB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've been using the SAME file for all those phones? Dont hosts files need updated to keep up with ad changes?
Issue closed.
Hello all,
I have written a script to push as file to my TB and it works kind of...I just want to know why it is not functioning as it should.
Here is what I am attempting to do.
Since my HTC weather does not have my city listed and my weather is always way off, I hacked the HTC weather database to add my city. And it works great.
So I wanted to create a weather_update.zip to install using CWM to do all of this for me if I changed roms and to allow others to use it as well.
the file goes into the /data/data/com.htc.provider.weather/files directory.
My script mounts data, pushes the file, changes the appropriate permissions, then unmounts.
It works as intended because I can see the file using adb prior to reboot.
However, after a reboot, the file is overwritten by the original. I can even delete the file completely, reboot and it is rebuilt. So my modified file does not stick.
BUT, if I use root explorer and copy the file to the correct directory and change permissions, my modified file works even after a reboot.
I don't understand why it works one way but not another.
Is there a step I am missing in the updater-script?
Any help would be appreciated....
Thanks,
Scott
UPEngineer said:
Hello all,
I have written a script to push as file to my TB and it works kind of...I just want to know why it is not functioning as it should.
Here is what I am attempting to do.
Since my HTC weather does not have my city listed and my weather is always way off, I hacked the HTC weather database to add my city. And it works great.
So I wanted to create a weather_update.zip to install using CWM to do all of this for me if I changed roms and to allow others to use it as well.
the file goes into the /data/data/com.htc.provider.weather/files directory.
My script mounts data, pushes the file, changes the appropriate permissions, then unmounts.
It works as intended because I can see the file using adb prior to reboot.
However, after a reboot, the file is overwritten by the original. I can even delete the file completely, reboot and it is rebuilt. So my modified file does not stick.
BUT, if I use root explorer and copy the file to the correct directory and change permissions, my modified file works even after a reboot.
I don't understand why it works one way but not another.
Is there a step I am missing in the updater-script?
Any help would be appreciated....
Thanks,
Scott
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could be way off base here but wouldn't you have to recursively delete the original to keep it from rebuilding?
dbu said:
I could be way off base here but wouldn't you have to recursively delete the original to keep it from rebuilding?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, what I was thinking too, but it doesn't seem to work, unless I am doing it wrong.
If I replace the file and reboot, the original rebuilds.
If I delete the file completely and reboot, the original rebuilds.
If I replace the file using root explorer after phone has booted and then reboot, my modified file sticks.
That is what I can't figure out. Why it sticks after OS has loaded but rebuilds if the same file is placed before reboot.
And I can't figure out where the file is being rebuilt from.
Uggggg.
So I'm new to android and the tb but managed to root mine and have some fun, but how do I go about finding all files associated with a particular program? Specifically I uninstalled what I thought was Visual voice mail, but to my surprise it remains. Any help?
Thanks
Dave
You can try different file managers, astro pro or root explorer.
Use root explorer or astro, as stated above. Apps that came pre-installed on your phone are located in the /system/app folder, while apps that you installed yourself are in /data/app. If you are trying to uninstall something from the /system/app folder, I would recommend just renaming the apk from "appname.apk" to "appname.apk.bak" (This essentially uninstalls the app, while backing it up).
Some apps in the system folder can cause problems if they are renamed. If you do have any problems from a renamed app you can just use adb from recovery to remove the ".bak" extension and you are back to square one! If you are worried about space, you can go ahead and delete the file completely as long as you have successfully rebooted with no issues after renaming the file(s). Hope this helps!
Thanks a lot, I'm as far from a programmer/developer as you can get but I'm excited to learn now that I finally have a phone worth voiding the warranty on!
ok.... I have Samsung Fascinate.
PWGB2.0 beta3 ROM
I found the zip containing on here(XDA) somewhere containing the BuddiesNow app for my phone and installed it. I then found the BuddiesNow for Vibrant tweaked for the Fascinate. I went to /system/app and located my BuddiesNow I had placed in there 1st and renamed it .bak
I then placed the Vibrant BuddiesNow app in the /system/app folder.
It worked great. I discovered I liked the Vibrant BuddiesNow app much better.
*************
ok... now my issue. I picked my phone up ealier this week and went to use my Vibrant BuddiesNow app and it was gone. I then long pressed the blank screen and pressed Widgets from the list that popped up. I scroll thru the list and BuddiesNow does not show up in the list.
I then open my file manager and navigate to /system/app folder and BuddiesNow is not in there. Not even the .bak file version.
I then go to my SDcard and find the copy of the Vibrant BuddiesNow app I had originally stored in a folder there and tried to copy it to the /system/app folder. The error message pops up saying that the file already exist and cant paste the file here.
I then booted into recovery, tried wiping partition cache and dalvik cache.
That did not help any. Got same result when I tried to move the file to /system/app folder again.
I then thought I would be cleaver and rename the Vibrant BuddiesNow in my SDcard folder to [BuddiesNow.apk.grid] and then move it to the /system/app folder. AND THEN AFTER PLACING IN THE /system/app FOLDER, RENAME IT TO .APK
That did not work either! It also diappeared.... now I have BuddiesNow.apk,
BuddiesNow.apk.bak, BuddiesNow.apk.grid, all in the /system/app folder and all invisible.
I had the file manager settings to SHOW HIDDEN FILES from the beginning.
I also have tried the SEARCH function in the file manager but it shows no results. I have tried installing many file manager apps and attempting to see if a different file manager would show the files but none did.....
I tried to write this episode as short as possible.. this is the best I could do to cover al the bases...
what could be a fix????????? PLEASE ADVISE! I LOVE MY BUDDIESNOW!
Come one...anyone? I love my buddiesnow app. Please help me out here
hard to belive
hard to believe someone has not seen this before and has an idea how to fix it...
I love this forum anyways
File exists, How about overwrite the file?
Accidentally sent from my Google Nexus S using XDA Premium
melvinchng said:
File exists, How about overwrite the file?
Accidentally sent from my Google Nexus S using XDA Premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OVERWRITE FILE is not an option to choose... in this particular problem with this
particular apk disappearance, the option to overwrite is not there.
I have had the overwrite option at other times but not now with this issue fo who know what reason.
I am going to factory reset I guess and start over.
hasn't anyone else had the same issue?
Not sure if this would be helpful but when I had a similar issue I just used titanium backup and found the file that "already existed" and removed it. Also, you can use any file manager that allows you to sort by date modified and look for any buddynow files that may be in a folder that you didn't think about looking in
did you maybe moved the app to your sdcard ? sometimes app's widgets wont show if you move them to sdcard.If you did so move it back to the phone's memory
YoungSinema said:
Not sure if this would be helpful but when I had a similar issue I just used titanium backup and found the file that "already existed" and removed it. Also, you can use any file manager that allows you to sort by date modified and look for any buddynow files that may be in a folder that you didn't think about looking in
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used the search function in the various file managers I have tried & even searched the entire phone (and also the /system/app )for he disappeared files and got no results...when I get some time next week I am going to sit down and factory reset my phone and start all over.
if it works I will not try the vibrant version of buddiesnow on my phone again,
I will just use the fascinate version of buddiesnow. (the vibrant version sure was nicer tho)....
Heya,
A while ago, my phone, which is a samsung A3 from 2015, got an update to marshmallow.
That's cool ofcourse and it runs awesome! but I like when my phone has a nice, clean and organized system and Samsung does not do that for all apps.
What I mean is that
- Some apps are odexed, and some apps are not AND some apps are odexed, but the apk file still contains a classes.dex file.
- Some apps have a folder with libs inside the app directory, and some have this folder inside the apk file AND some have this folder inside both
So ideally, i would like all apps to follow the same structure ofcourse, which would be no classes and lib files inside the apk, and then separate oat and lib folders containing the odexes and libs.
In lollipop this was easily done by copying these files out of the apk and putting them in separate folders, then removing them from the apk itself. My phone accepted this, the apps would run as though nothing had happened and it made me feel happy
However now that i'm on marshmallow, everything i do to an apk to change it results in getting a parsing error with that apk, after which it either becomes very fragile or completely broken.
One way I have found to get around this so far is to resign the apk, but for a lot of apps resigning it makes android ignore the app completely.
So the question is...
Is there something I can change somewhere to make marshmallow act like lollipop in these cases and not care that i removed files from apk's in an attempt to odex or delib them?
Any help would be much appreciated
Further info
- I have also noticed this on an S5 / SM-G900F running marshmallow
- I have not tested this on aosp or lineage because there are no suitable roms for my phone to test this with, and I would not want to use them over stock anyway.
- I have not run into this before marshmallow, it was always fine with me editing apk's like this in older versions of android.
- I am not ready to get over my ocd and accept this :crying:
No one? I suppose it is a really tough question.
So I got around the duplication of lib files by putting the actual libs in the appname\lib\arm folder and then placing zero length lib***.so placeholder files inside the apk.
this somehow keeps the apk intact and does not cause a parse error and makes the app work as it should, even across data wipes, reboots, backups and restores.
putting zero length classes.dex files inside the apk however doesn't work. Although this also doesn't cause a parsing error, the app actually tries to transform the empty classes into dalvik cache and then it breaks.
I'm still open to better suggestions