Database Users

Getting control of my Desire HD

Hi folks,
I want to be able to uninstall all the bloatware that my DHD came with so I guess I need to root it. However in this regard I don't need a perm root? As I don't need to change the UI etc, just remove a bunch of unecessary apps.
I've tried using the rooting guide here but as an anroid newb the instuctions are too vague for me to follow and my attempts to infer what the authors mean have resulted in failure (no brick tho! ).
So, I have visionary and supersuer both installed and I tried the temp root and perm root function in visionary (which is granted supersuer permissions from the superuser app in the process) but when I go back to "manage applications" the uninstall button for all the bloatware apps is still greyed out.
Any ideas?
EDIT: Typing "su" in terminal emulator results in "#" so that appears to be working correctly. But still no go on uninstalling the apps. I don't care about not getting updates over the air as I value having greater control over my device more. Besides, I can always flash it manually.

dccxviii said:
Hi folks,
I want to be able to uninstall all the bloatware that my DHD came with so I guess I need to root it. However in this regard I don't need a perm root? As I don't need to change the UI etc, just remove a bunch of unecessary apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello 718 ,
I've read something about uninstall unwanted applications
in the adb description "Using ADB.pdf" and "How to install adb.pdf".
Hope it helps you, I'm in the searching and reading phase of owning
the HTC DHD (some weeks ago - and android newbee) -
it's a jungle of information here on xda-developers
WBR peschi

Use titanium backup or root explorer.
sent from my dhd

Thanks for the replies.
So far i've started using titanium backup as it seems easier to use then having to install adb shell. Although I installed that as well and start learning some basic commands.
For now, titanium seems to be the answer to my issue as it allowing me to uninstall a whole heap of useless apps. But I think in the next few days of tinkering i'm gonna come to the conclusion that I want even greater control. Which seems to indicate falshing an entirely defferent rom to HTC sense. Although the keyboard on the sense UI is second to none IMO but smoething tells me that there's a .apk file out there with that in it

So, I've rooted my Desire HD with VISIONary+ and mounted /system as r/w using that "Mount system r/w" app from market, to move some of the stock apps from the Desire HD (and to hopefully solve that Facebook for Android problem I described in another thread). I used Root Explorer to move the apps to a folder on the SD card, turned the phone off and back on, and the apps were back?
Is this because I haven't done that "S-Off" thing, does the quick boot option need to be disabled (even though I turned the phone off entirely) or something else, in order to keep the apps that I moved, from respawning in /system/app?
Thanks in advance (and sorry for borrowing your thread, OP).

I don't think i've got s-off (whatever that means lol) and I was able to uninstall the crapware using titanium backup. My process was somewhat convoluted but I guess it boiled down to 2 things. Visionary and Superuser apps.
Now I don't think my phone is completely rooted because when I go to the default "manage applications" list in the stock UI the uninstall button for the crapware system apps is still greyed out. But for when I run titanium backup, it gets granted superuser acces from the superuser app and is then able to uninstall all the bloatware.
I would like to know of a sure fire way whether my phone is completely rooted or not though. Namely because I think I want to start using completely different roms.

I temprooted using visionary+ then opened titanium back up to uninstall unwanted apps. But which are safe to remove? I want to get rid of Facebook, Friendstream and a few others but Titanium warns me they are system components and my phone may not work after uninstalling them....
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

I got rid of all of that (twitter, myspace etc rubbish). Even some native htc ones that I know are ancilliary. You just have to use a bit of logic as to what might require what. Crap like friend stream or whatever wuold most likey rely on such apps. But since I uninstalled that too... you get the idea
I was gonna get rid of sound hound as well but it's actually kinda useful. One of the few apps I left on it from the factory.
EDIT: I've also been using titanium to backup more usefull HTC system apps so that when I do eventually move to a new rom, i can just install them later. Things like the HTC clock, office apps, calender, messaging etc are superior to stock android equivalents.

WTF...
I had to remove my sim card for something and when I reinserted it and turned on the phone all the apps I 'removed' were back as if nothing ever happened!
Did I miss something because I don't remember reading anywhere that that would happen if you rebooted your phone!
Agrrrr...I need some help >.<

If your DHD does not have S-OFF after every reboot it will restore everything you removed.

Ahh, thnaks for that. I've used the S-off radio tool to disable the security now. Hopefully those rubbish apps will stay away (tested with reboot and it seems so). However, now that i've rooted my phone and switched to S-off I am still curious as to why system apps are still unable to be uninstalled through the in-built android app manager.
Also, I attempted to use the clockworkrecovery mod to install new ROMS and so wanted to backup my current ROM install before trying new ones but the phone just goes to a black screen with a pic of a mobile phone with a red exclamation point in a triangle.
...unless of course after all this it STILL isn't rooted. In which case I think I might start looking seriously at the Nexus. *sigh*

The built-in app manager will not let you remove system apps regardless of being rooted. Install Titanium Backup from the market. This will remove it.
Download ROM Manager from the market, and "Flash Recovery" again, some users have issues with it working first time.

That did the trick! Thanks very much
One last question then, if I flash a new ROM e.g. cyanogenMOD, will that completely replace HTC sense and thus allow me to use the built in app manager to remove apps because...there won't be anymore 'system' apps?

andyharney said:
If your DHD does not have S-OFF after every reboot it will restore everything you removed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have root + Radio S-Off but every restart the phone causes my default Smart Keyboard deactive. Do you have any idea about that, is it spesific for an app or a general problem?
I am asking because I did not do ENG S-Off I have done only Radio S-Off.

With S-ON every reboot will result in ANY change to the system being restored, You make system changes permanent you need S-OFF.
As for your keyboard being disabled, not sure about that. Installing & using an additional keyboard shouldn't make any system changes.

dccxviii said:
That did the trick! Thanks very much
One last question then, if I flash a new ROM e.g. cyanogenMOD, will that completely replace HTC sense and thus allow me to use the built in app manager to remove apps because...there won't be anymore 'system' apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even on CM system apps cannot be uninstalled through the Android App Manager. It's the way its designed, why would the system allow you to remove the "Android System" or "Dialer". Imagine the chaos if you uninstalled something you actually needed and Android let you do it.
You need to use 3rd Party apps (Titanium Backup) to do this, or ADB

still scared
so after rooting my HD what ARE the apps which are safe to remove?

Mat Buenaluz said:
so after rooting my HD what ARE the apps which are safe to remove?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you ever want to make use of ota updates (eg to improve camera performance) then none of the 'bloatware' apps are safe to remove as removing them will prevent the ota update installing.
Sent from my HTC HD so may contain typos, bugs and, if the battery lasts, pearls of....(battery 0%)

As the tittle says getting control over your DHD, so this might be the right thread, allthough might be off topic to op's post...
Anyway my last device was a N900 and that was fully rooted with no permission limits. I've learned that the rooted DHD has some limits and i've run into one. On the N900 i used the terminal for allmost anything, flashing, copying, installing, removing etc. and would like to do so here on the DHD. My problem is that i'm trying to flash the kernel/zImage through terminal emulater but get this error - failed with error: -1. -
Any help would be great
Sorry to go off topic...

You cannot flash a kernel using terminal emulator. If you want to flash manually, get android sdk and use fastboot.exe in platform-tools to flash.
1. Reboot your device while holding vol-, it will go to bootloader
2. Select fastboot in bootloader
3. In your PC, type: "fastboot.exe flash zimage c:\any_folder\zImage"
4. Type: "fastboot.exe reboot"
After that you have to remount your DHD's system to rw state: "mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/mmcblk0p25 /system", and manually push wifi module to /system/lib/modules/ using adb. If you do not do that, your wifi does not work. You need ENG S-OFF.

Need some help with deleting stock apps from CM 6.1 using root explorer/terminal emul

Tried to use root explorer, but after reboot the file appeared again in system apps..
Tried to use terminal emulator that comes with CM 6.1, but got error message "cannot remove , because the folder is not empty" - something like that...
The apps I want to remove are: Maps, Navigation,E-mail,Voice Search,Talk and some others....
By the way, what I shouldn't delete? I mean the apps that can make problems with the system....
Appreciate any suggestions.

Most of those are Google apps so I wouldn't remove them in case you start getting non stop force close errors. If you wanted to remove the files, you would need to have AUFS. Search for it.
Sent from my S-OFF Bell Canada HTC Legend.

hey man,
listen maybe you know what can be a problem with bluetooth in cm 6.1.
can't to connect to pc to send and receive files....
Also can't send files via bt to other phones....
Using windows 7 32 bit.
?
Maybe there is some radio update I should flash?

I'm not really sure but are you using a bluetooth file transfer app?
I only use bluetooth on rare occasions to transfer apps to my Archos...

marclh1992 said:
I'm not really sure but are you using a bluetooth file transfer app?
I only use bluetooth on rare occasions to transfer apps to my Archos...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no, no applacation used, just find pc with the device and try to send file to it or receive file from it.....
Right now, I think that when pairing the devices it said that it gonna find and downlaod drivers for this bluetooth device(htc legend), but it didn't - i thing that it's a problem....
But I ca't also send files to other phones....it's strange...

unzi200888 said:
Tried to use root explorer, but after reboot the file appeared again in system apps..
Tried to use terminal emulator that comes with CM 6.1, but got error message "cannot remove , because the folder is not empty" - something like that...
The apps I want to remove are: Maps, Navigation,E-mail,Voice Search,Talk and some others....
By the way, what I shouldn't delete? I mean the apps that can make problems with the system....
Appreciate any suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If U can't remove the apps from /system/app then you probably do not have S-OFF - what does recovery screen say? ..
I have the same issue here on my Legend since it is running hboot 1.01.. darn!
But anyway, you can use android kitchen to mod a ROM .. works nice Link http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=633246

Why don't you use an easier method of getting rid of unwanted applications? You can use Titanium Backup, it has a nice exploit discovered by Paul O'Brien from Modaco (more details about it HERE, but if you have CM 6.1 already you are rooted and need only Titanium Back that is already included in CM 6.1 ROM as far as I remember). You just have to go to the apps list, long press on it and from the popup select last option to remove the application.
For BT transfers, look in the Market after an application called Bluetooth File Transfer.

Rapier said:
Why don't you use an easier method of getting rid of unwanted applications? You can use Titanium Backup, it has a nice exploit discovered by Paul O'Brien from Modaco (more details about it HERE, but if you have CM 6.1 already you are rooted and need only Titanium Back that is already included in CM 6.1 ROM as far as I remember). You just have to go to the apps list, long press on it and from the popup select last option to remove the application.
For BT transfers, look in the Market after an application called Bluetooth File Transfer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow,
thanks a lot man...
About bt - bt transfer didn't help...
In stock 2.2 it worked fine without any program....

[Q] what are the advantages and disadvantages of rooting and are there any risks?

Could somebody please tell me what the advantages and disadvantages of rooting the flipside are, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, are there any risks??
Will I be able to take of all of these ATT apps?
Will I be able to move my apps from the phones memory to the SD card?
Can the phone be unrooted?
Will all of my apps still work?
What is the best route to root? I have the z4root.
I am much indebted to anyone who will answer these questions. Thanks.

z4root will work fine, it's nice an easy to use. Rooting won't give you an easy way to move apps to the sd card, but you can remove the AT&T (and other system) apps. You can either do it by hand, or with any number of apps on the market. I prefer titanium backup, personally. All of your existing apps will work, there's no change there.
The only real disadvantage is that you'll have the power to screw up your phone. You can potentially screw up bad enough that you'll need to reflash the stock .sbf file. Generally, this takes some real screwing around, but just thought I'd point it out.

Thank u for your thourough answer. What do you mean by screw it up. How could I do that and how do i avoid it. Are you saying by virtue of the fact that i'm rooting that i'll screw it up, or it's something that i may do afterwards that may do it? Thanks.
also, are there any other advantages to rooting other than taking off the apps?

The act of rooting itself shouldn't screw anything up, but having root means you could possibly do something later that would. Generally, you'd have to be messing with stuff you have no business messing with. With root, you can remount the system directory as read/write, and then end up deleting or modifying a file that won't let the phone boot, which means you'd need to reflash. Stay away from the command line if you don't know what you're doing, and don't grant root access to apps you don't trust, and you're reasonably safe.
Other than removing system apps, like the AT&T garbage, you can also backup and restore apps and their data, which is great for if you need to reflash, if you switch phones, etc. There's not a TON of stuff that requires root, but honestly, removing the AT&T junk is definitely a good reason to root, the phone feels much faster after scrapping a lot of the blur and AT&T stuff.

I'm assuming then that any android/att/Motorola updates will not be problem either? BTW, do you if and when Motorola will bupdating the flipside to 2.2? Thanks.

There shouldn't be any problem updating with an official update if/when we get one, but you'll need to re-root and remove the AT&T stuff again. There's no word on when we'll get 2.2, but I'd assume we'll get it at some point.

Ok. I just rooted! Yeah, it worked! But i cannot figue out how to delete the att bloatware. I go into the apps manager and click on one of the att apps, and there is still no option to uninstall; only to clear the cache. Also, I downloaded the titanium and I cannot figure out how to do it from there either. Plus, I still had to sideload the titanium which i tbought that i would not have to do once i rooted.

mordechai said:
Plus, I still had to sideload the titanium which i tbought that i would not have to do once i rooted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to enable Unknown Sources before you can install non-Market apps
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=867637
This is also an example of how you can mess up your phone by having root access.

That is part of the problem that i do not have that option in two.one. that is why i had to sideload all of those programs. are you saying that i screwed up my phone. i tried clicking on the link but this googlw ad comes up and i cant get past it.

Ok, i got through to the link. But the guy seems pretty shaky as to whether you should follow his instructions. Is this legit or what?

Maybe one of you guys can help. I'm new to alot of this but my last droid x was rooted and it was great I used z4root worked perfectly. But now I have a new X and a z4root apk. On my laptop, now what? Last rooted X, I was fortunate enough to catch z4root on the market, like a day before they updated. HELP!!!!!
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App

There are instructions in another post in this forum on how to enable Non-Market Apps, also known as Unknown Sources. With Titanium Backup, make sure that you grant it root permissions when it asks, and that it says something like this on the overview:
Root access: OK (BusyBox 1.17.2 from system)
HyperShell (FAST!): YES
Fast/Auto app install: Yes (using HyperShell)
SQLite: YES (SQLite 3.7.2 included)
Then just click on Backup/Restore at the top, and you'll get a list of all your apps. If you don't have backup/restore at the top, your sd card isn't mounted on the phone, unplug your usb cable and hit Menu > More > Reload application.
From Backup/Restore, you get a huge list of all the apps on your phone. Just scroll down to the AT&T stuff, tap them, and click uninstall in the top-right corner. If you're not sure if you want to uninstall something, because it might belong to something important, click Freeze instead. Freezing will stop the app from running, and stop it from showing up in your tray, but you can easily unfreeze it to restore it if it turns out it was important.
Here's the list of stuff I have frozen/uninstalled:
AdService 1.0
all of the "AT&T" apps
all of the "com.motorola" apps
Data Manager and Data Manager Service
Help Center
Home (I use ADWLauncher, don't remove this if you don't already have an alternative launcher installed)
MediaSync
Mobile Video
all of the "MotoBlur" apps
My Uploads
Phone Portal
Quick Contact
Social Messaging, Social Messaging Service, Social Networking, and Social Status
Sticky Note
Video Editor Lite
Vlingo Voice
Weather 2.1
WHERE
Work Contacts
Mobile Banking
Magic Smoke Wallpapers
Kodak Perfect Touch
AT&T Address Book
Quickoffice
YPmobile
As for enabling unknown sources, it's a bit of a pain, you'll need to be comfortable with a command line to do replace the files, and comfortable with a hex editor if you want to edit your own instead of reusing someone else's files. I managed to screw up my phone in the process and had to completely reflash and start over, it wasn't fun.
His instructions do work, but his .sh file doesn't work, you'll need to paste the commands one by one into your command prompt. I preferred to edit my own files, so I wouldn't have the same market ID, and that's just slightly more complex. I can help you through it either way though, just make a post over in that thread if you're having problems.
bubba90744 said:
Maybe one of you guys can help. I'm new to alot of this but my last droid x was rooted and it was great I used z4root worked perfectly. But now I have a new X and a z4root apk. On my laptop, now what? Last rooted X, I was fortunate enough to catch z4root on the market, like a day before they updated. HELP!!!!!
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just need to get z4root installed on your phone, it should be pretty straightforward. The Droid X shouldn't be blocking non-market apps, so just download it from your phone and run the .apk to install.

So do I hook my phone up to my laptop, and put the apk. on my sd?
Or download the apk. directly to my phone from the site?
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App

I found the link, but the directions are too complicated for my novice understanding of technology. It looks like I am stuck. I don't want to try what he's saying and take any chances. Are there any other alternatives? Or do you have any other suggestions as to how to make the most of the space that I do have with the att bloatware, because I am constantly running out of room. It is a strange phenomenon that I don't understand, that when I turn on the phone it will have around 40mb to play with, and after a few hours it is down to 16 and then 10, and then before I know it, the phone is telling me that my memory is full. So then I reset and it's back to ~40 again. Do you have an explanation? Thanks.

Can't access Market and phone is not rooted .. must i root? and should i?

hi,
i brought a HTC DHD from london (Virgin, unlocked) a couple of weeks ago, and im in sudan...and as you've probably guessed, the Android Market is blocked here. The app opens and says "loading" then it closes (goes back to the 'All Apps' menu).
i want to download from the market, and everywhere i go, people tell me to 'root', obviously im new to this concept.
i've read some threads here on this website, but it looks like its a long process, and the "IF ANYTHING HAPPENS ITS NOT OUR FAULT" warning scares me badly.
i want a way to access the market without rooting.
and if there isnt, and rooting is the only way, then what exactly is rooting?
will the way everything works change?
will all my installed apps get deleted?
is the interface different? ( no HTC SENSE?)
and when 2.3 comes out, what do i have to do to upgrade?
NOTE:::
android version -> 2.2.1
baseband version -> 12.2xx...
software number 1.7xxxx
can anyone help?

1. your friends ask you to root is to enable you to use 2 important apps, a. Market enabler, and b. Market enabler codes. Both apps are available in Android market but requires you to root.
2. Rooting, its a process hacking your phone to gain the superuser access where it is not available on stock ROM ( ROM in a sense is the operating software for DHD).
3. Rooting does not remove installed apps. It only 'unlocks' the phone.
4. Rooting enables you to switch ROMs (exp, Android Revolution HD, Cynogen, LeeDroid..). Each ROM offers difference experience in user interface and performance (processing speed aonpd battery life). Users usually find which suits them best and difference regions have different performance albeit similar ROM+kernal+radio (to devs, correct me if I'm wrong here). Some ROM state 'no sense' included which means no HTC Sense is included.

check your email address/ account is correct it stopped my other halfs accessing the market until i changed it.

So now I've rooted my phone successfully and I downloaded market access and market enabler.
But still, I can't open the market.
Is it because my sim card is in the phone?
The main reason for me rooting was to open the market, but I still can't

Alright. From the copy any sim codes of your choosing from market enabler codes, then past.the codes into the market enabler app. Hit apply. Then access the market. You should be alright.

Just download Applanet and use that. Its got tons of free and paid apps and no regional restrictions.

borneanheadhunter said:
Alright. From the copy any sim codes of your choosing from market enabler codes, then past.the codes into the market enabler app. Hit apply. Then access the market. You should be alright.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea, ive done that, and still not working. should i access from my carriers internet connection, or must it be WIFI?, because im guessing WIFI is better.
ozaghloul said:
Just download Applanet and use that. Its got tons of free and paid apps and no regional restrictions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im using that too, but i always get the "parse" error,..., its really annoying me!!!, do you have a solution for it?

CodeNameUnknown1 said:
yea, ive done that, and still not working. should i access from my carriers internet connection, or must it be WIFI?, because im guessing WIFI is better.
im using that too, but i always get the "parse" error,..., its really annoying me!!!, do you have a solution for it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uninstall it and reinstall the new apk from the site (it will not just update version from the phone)

Oppps, I double posted.

k, i'll try, and tell you what happens

NewsOn apk working on Fire KS 5.2.1.1

Hi I have NewsOn apk working on my AFTS but I can't get the application to work on a coworkers AFTS. Can I copy and paste files from my device to another so that NewsOn will work the same as on my device?
The problem is NewsOn requires Google services, which I somehow was able to install on my device but can't get it to install and run on my buddy's.
Thanks for any advice in advance.

In the tech world - dependancies are nothing that you just shrug off.
If the app needs the Google Services Framework, it needs the google services framework. And it will always ask for it - ad nausium, and probably quit if it doesnt find it.
On Android in general - an easy way to copy apps and its settings ("save data") from one device to another one is Titanium Backup.
You need root to use it - btw. That are other "cloud backup solutions" that don't require root per se, all of those arent very good. Without root you run into severe limitations with restoring app data. Because of the android security framework (one app isn't allowed to write data into another apps data folder).
But that doesn't help you one bit - if the app requires a Google framework thats on your device, but not on your "buddies".
Theres no magic that will solve that.

harlekinwashere said:
In the tech world - dependancies are nothing that you just shrug off.
If the app needs the Google Services Framework, it needs the google services framework. And it will always ask for it - ad nausium, and probably quit if it doesnt find it.
On Android in general - an easy way to copy apps and its settings ("save data") from one device to another one is Titanium Backup.
You need root to use it - btw. That are other "cloud backup solutions" that don't require root per se, all of those arent very good. Without root you run into severe limitations with restoring app data. Because of the android security framework (one app isn't allowed to write data into another apps data folder).
But that doesn't help you one bit - if the app requires a Google framework thats on your device, but not on your "buddies".
Theres no magic that will solve that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your input.
It seems like there's always a catch or a road block to work around in the "Android World".
This problem I'm faced with, doesn't it seem like there has to be an achievable fix?
Im just not on that level to know exactly why or pin point what I did that gave me the ability
to use an app that from what I kind of understood isn't possible to install on a non rooted fire stick.
Isn't there a method I've must have unknowingly performed that enabled me to use NewsOn?
Or could it just be a glitch or fluke?
I haven't heard or found anything on the web indicating someone has installed an app on a non rooted fire stick that requires Google services in order to function.
What's your or anyone elses opinion on this?
Thank you for sharing.

I was able able to install and get working NewsOn on a Firestick Gen 2 without root. Installed NewsOn (Apps2fire) then dumped my Google Play and Play Services from my phone (apk manager +) and used apps2fire to install them on the Firestick too. BINGO! Unfortunately I can NOT get it working on Fire TV Box using the same method..