Safe to Remove Downloads App? - G2 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

So I'm a neat freak on my smartphone and don't like having unnecessary apps that I never use, are bloatware, or that just take up space.
My phone is rooted and I could easily uninstall it but want to see if its a good idea before I even do.
The reason why I want to remove it is because I have es file explorer and delete files I do not need from the actual downloads folder. Therefore have no need for the downloads app. The downloads app also does not catch all my downloads anyway such as apk's downloaded from sites and files moved from my computer to the downloads folder.
Its pretty much useless but I have to go in there every once an a while (because I'm OCD) and clear out the list of files it displays (as most of them have actually been deleted by me from the downloads folder but are the pointers to the nonexistent file)
Long explanation, simple question lol
Thanks!
Sent from my VS980 4G using XDA Free mobile app

just hide it.
if you're rooted freeze it with titanium backup. if **** breaks, unfreeze.
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Related

Remove/Disable unwanted applications/running services

I installed JM6 (the 'old' way) and my phone is Rooted via SuperOneClick.
How can I remove standard installed applications (eg. Ereader, Calculator etc) and how can I see which applications/services are running and how can I remove unwanted services running in the background?
Get Root explorer from the market. Can delete apps with it but be careful you dont delete anything you shouldnt.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App
risq said:
Get Root explorer from the market. Can delete apps with it but be careful you dont delete anything you shouldnt.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you tell me how Root Explorer works? (how to delete apps/services, how to see which are running)
You delete apps from Data/apps or system/apps. Most apps are named so youll recognise them. Delete the .odex and .apk
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App
risq said:
You delete apps from Data/apps or system/apps. Most apps are named so youll recognise them. Delete the .odex and .apk
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And where do I find which services/application are running (after booting) and where do I disable/enable them?
DO NOT DELETE ! (move to internal or external SD card, just in case you need to restore)
More tips here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=856136
I'm a recent convert to Titanium Backup. In the pro version you can "freeze" processes. I'm not exactly sure, but what I think it does is close the process and copy the app to a cache folder.it's no longer running and it doesn't show up in the launcher. All you have to do is unfreeze it to bring it back.
How has Titanium Backup performed for you? Have you noticed any adverse affects from its use? I am looking to lock down the Galaxay tablet for use in one of our departments. Titanium Backup seems to be the way to go. I assume you need to root the device in order to use it?
daniel.weck said:
DO NOT DELETE ! (move to internal or external SD card, just in case you need to restore)
More tips here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=856136
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Second that. Leave them where they are and just rename the apk to apkx.
When you reboot they will be gone, but can be easliy restored by removing the 'x'
Be warned though, if you remove the wrong app's you can get stuck in all sorts of 'force close hell'
Not then end of the world though and is a safer method of playing with your android devices.
Root explorer and ADB are your friends
I've found Titanium Backup does the trick using the freeze option. Very handy should you want to get an app back again. As said, be very careful deleting something, or at least make a copy on your sdcard just in case .
Oh and make sure USB Development is ticked just in case the only way back in is via an adb shell!

Where does the market save the .apk files?

Where does the market save the .apk files I download?In which folder?
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
On HTC desire, I find market apk's in /sdcard/download/. Usually after a failed install, so I am guessing those files get deleted after install. Should be the same on HD2.
They used to be there in /sdcard/downloads, none of the latests builds I've used leave the APKs there tho, I used to be able to search this folder and install any apps stuck at 100% download or failed, but they dont go there anymore.
So dunno where they gioing now.
I cannot find em anywhere...I use the mdjs desire hd version 4.4 and i cannot find those files...
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
nkos719 said:
Where does the market save the .apk files I download?In which folder?
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
id love to know where they are!!!
i hate redownloading them each time i start a new build from scratch. UGH!! i have to find all those downloads again and updates.
use root explorer. open it up and you should be at the first dir, their is a folder called "data", tap it, now tap on a folder called "app". this should be all your market apps. tap and hold whatever app you want, choose copy and navagate back to first page and scrole down to your "sdcard", tap it and paste your app where-ever you want to copy it to. this is where i found my apps. hope that helps yall.
Let me see...
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Cannot find the .apk installation file.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
The apps mite be in a different location on your Android build, but on my build BlueTopia HD Beta 2 by cmylxgo, this is where they are, and they are the install program. Copy one to where-ever you want it then tap on it while still in root explorer, it should ask if you want to install, view or cancel. I've found that there is one thing bad about doing this, Market don't see them as being installed and won't tell you if there is an update for that program if there is one.
Hmmmm....I use the jdms 1.6.2 and the mdeejays revolution hd 1.2 but still cannot locate them anywhere...
Sent from my HTC bravo using XDA App
They are saved in /data/system/app or /data/app
Use root explorer, it should be under /data/app. If you use ES file explorer, you will see an empty /data directory.
I'Ve installed JDMS 1.6.2 and found them in the same place as i said, they have the little green Android guy next to them. Those are the whole app. Tap on one and youll see, it'll ask if you want to install view or cancle. You have to use root explorer!
Another option is to use Titanium Backup from Market. It is free. You can back up your installation to your SD card and install again later or for a different Android build.
data/app/
data/app-private/
system/app/
if you have apps 2 sd, i dont recall the name of the folder.
what file browser are you useing? some wont show protected files.
All "apk" user installed end up in /data/app. system/app is just all the Android installed apk's for that build. data/app-private is normally empty. If you are just looking to save all the apps you have downloaded and installed, then you need to backup the "app" folder in the data folder. But remember this will not be visible unless you have root access.
Good work guys...thank you so much.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Copy my paid aps to my wife
Now I can copy my apps that I paid for and copy them to my wifes phone and now she has them too. Great way to make apps cheaper.
montecarlo5 said:
use root explorer. open it up and you should be at the first dir, their is a folder called "data", tap it, now tap on a folder called "app". this should be all your market apps. tap and hold whatever app you want, choose copy and navagate back to first page and scrole down to your "sdcard", tap it and paste your app where-ever you want to copy it to. this is where i found my apps. hope that helps yall.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
a good app you might want to look at then would be appmonster or appmonster pro. the free version will backup apps to SD card, restore apps from SD card, quick uninstall where as the pro version does multiple version backups, gives access to extended options like APP2SD, cache, permissions, scan SD card for install-files, batch install (i believe) & even shares app-links via Facebook, Twitter, eMail. i have created a little stock pile of about 1200 or so apk's in the past year or 2.
I know there are a ton of applications that do the same but i personally like this program & suggest it to a lot of ppl who own a android phone.
nkos719 said:
Cannot find the .apk installation file.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd advise you to download "appmonster".
This makes a backup of all ur apps as .apk files! (folder:appmonster)
Works great!

Gallery Problems

The picture folders take forever to load when I open gallery, does anyone else get this? seems slow creating previews of the pictures
i have the same issue
I went back to di18 and that problem was no more
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
only remedy I found was back out of the gallery, and re-enter it. It loads normal speed then
I had success a while back deleting all of my thumbnails, early on, in fixing this problem. (Thumbnails are regenerated upon launching after this). Id also check that u have the latest version of the galley that we're using. Check out the development section, and most of the roms there have that version that I haven't had probs with. I don't know what you're running (dk28.. cw3 ext4..?) If so, I'm usng the version in the Truly Epic rom, and also have used Quantum rom's.
Btw, I have a TON of image files on my sd. If you have certain directories that u don't want to appear in the gallery, u can manage them with a .nomedia file. Ask if u have questions about it.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Exactly delete your android folder on the root of your sd card. It still re generate on the next boot and your gallery will be fixed.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
I use a alternative picture app, "QuickPic", it's so much faster then the stock gallery app.
Thanks for the tip guys, that fixed my problem
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
decalex said:
I had success a while back deleting all of my thumbnails, early on, in fixing this problem. (Thumbnails are regenerated upon launching after this). Id also check that u have the latest version of the galley that we're using. Check out the development section, and most of the roms there have that version that I haven't had probs with. I don't know what you're running (dk28.. cw3 ext4..?) If so, I'm usng the version in the Truly Epic rom, and also have used Quantum rom's.
Btw, I have a TON of image files on my sd. If you have certain directories that u don't want to appear in the gallery, u can manage them with a .nomedia file. Ask if u have questions about it.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just rename the folder to x.nomedia?
I just put a bunch of stuff on my phone in different folders, but photosafe and videosafe need licenses to hide things so this would be a good thing to hide them from my less-tech savvy gf and allow me to actually take the security lock off lol
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A_Flying_Fox said:
Just rename the folder to x.nomedia?
I just put a bunch of stuff on my phone in different folders, but photosafe and videosafe need licenses to hide things so this would be a good thing to hide them from my less-tech savvy gf and allow me to actually take the security lock off lol
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hehe - in response to the first part:
no - don't rename the folder to that. basically, the .nomedia is a file the GOES into a directory that you don't want the media scanner to scan.
The .nomedia file basically says, "move along! nothin to see here!".
So, a .nomedia file would have to be in EACH of the directories you don't want to show up. Keep in mind.. this won't hide them, and in regards to ur gf... a .nomedia file won't have any affect on the history that a media player might keep... so keep that in mind
To create the nomedia file, you can either find one on your sd somewhere, and copy it (pasting into desired folders)
or
open Notepad on ur computer, save the blank file as "nomedia.txt"
Copy it to your SD, in Astro, rename it to .nomedia (with no extension). and you're set.

Apk Files

I was just clearing out my SD card when I noticed in a folder called "download" on the root of the card there was a lot of apk files called "downloadfile-1.apk" with different numbers in place of the 1. Does anyone know where these come from and if I'm ok to delete them? Thanks.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
These are Android packages for the apps you have downloaded probably through some application.
These are safe to delete as your actual apps installed will live elsewhere. It is safe to say if your not noticing anything not installed and you don't know what they are, these can be deleted. If you need them again and you have paid for them, the market should have these information stored with your google account and can be downloaded again if needed.
If you really want to, you can transfer them to your home pc for backup. You can find out what they are using the android software development kit if you so wish, using a program called aapt.
Thanks for the advice. Very helpful.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

[MOD] Remove unnecessary built-in APKS

Hello friends this is my first contribution to this forum, this file removes unnecessary built-in apks present in, /system/app & /system/priv-app.
I will miss the applications removed?
No, because a current copy of them is running on /data/app
Goal
Remove unused applications by the system
Free up space in the device memory
Compatibility
Nexus 5 android 6.0.1 must have root and twrp
How to use
Installed the android 6.0.1, get in playstore and update all applications, now just flash the zip via TWRP.
Removal list click to see
delete_recursive("/system/app/Chrome");
delete_recursive("/system/app/Books");
delete_recursive("/system/app/CloudPrint2");
delete_recursive("/system/app/Drive");
delete_recursive("/system/app/EditorsDocsStub");
delete_recursive("/system/app/EditorsSheetsStub");
delete_recursive("/system/app/EditorsSlidesStub");
delete_recursive("/system/app/FitnessPrebuilt");
delete_recursive("/system/priv-app/GCS");
delete_recursive("/system/app/PrebuiltNewsWeather");
delete_recursive("/system/app/NewsstandStub");
delete_recursive("/system/app/Maps");
delete_recursive("/system/app/PrebuiltBugleStub");
delete_recursive("/system/app/Photos");
delete_recursive("/system/app/PlusOne");
delete_recursive("/system/priv-app/GoogleContacts");
delete_recursive("/system/app/PrebuiltDeskClockGoogle");
delete_recursive("/system/priv-app/GoogleDialer");
delete_recursive("/system/app/PrebuiltGmail");
delete_recursive("/system/app/GoogleCamera");
delete_recursive("/system/priv-app/Velvet");
delete_recursive("/system/app/PrebuiltKeepStub");
delete_recursive("/system/app/talkback");
delete_recursive("/system/app/Music2");
delete_recursive("/system/app/PlayGames");
delete_recursive("/system/app/Hangouts");
delete_recursive("/system/app/GoogleTTS");
delete_recursive("/system/app/Videos");
delete_recursive("/system/app/WebViewGoogle");
This is a system partition
The deletion is useless because you can't use this space and you won't appreciate any differences
Read here, it is very very important
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=64208563&postcount=3393
Personally I prefer to disable unnecessary apps
Pay attention
I do not like duplicate files, disabling an app the same will continue in the system, the idea is to not disable an app.
If I have the upgraded chrome in data\app I will not want an unusable copy of it on \system\app. My list does so with 30 Apps, if they are all updated on DATA I see no utility in maintaining obsolete unusable in the SYSTEM, and we still have the possibility to uninstall those we dislike.
ivn888 said:
This is a system partition
The deletion is useless because you can't use this space and you won't appreciate any differences
Read here, it is very very important
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=64208563&postcount=3393
Personally I prefer to disable unnecessary apps
Pay attention
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you read that post he clearly says that to modify system you need to delete things from it to be safe. He is pointing out that it is an unknown. He said even to make small changes you would need more space. I see no reason to leave unneeded files in system. Maybe you want to run an app as system app and these unneeded files are getting in the way. Nothing wrong with getting rid of them.
We can use some root enabled file app managers (like es explorer, solid explorer) to uninstall the system apps.
I just want to know if is it safe or not?
And is it different than using flashable script?
parag60288 said:
We can use some root enabled file app managers (like es explorer, solid explorer) to uninstall the system apps.
I just want to know if is it safe or not?
And is it different than using flashable script?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
File explorers with root function can enable manual removal of system apps, but it is laborious and tedious remove as many apps, It is safe if you know what you are removing, because the system is running if you give problem can fall into a bootloop... my flash file is safe removal of 30 apps, all with updated copies of the same in DATA folder so I ask you to enter the play store and update it before you use it, nothing is lost only copies obsolete and useless are removed.
The advantage here is not to miss anything, remove enough waste Rom, and return the power to uninstall what you do not want. I do not use play books, play movies, keep, Drive, Hangouts... so without losing any, then after the flash zip i have the freedom to uninstall what I want.

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