Database Users

[Q] Deleting phone, camera, etc apps?

I just purchased a NC yesterday and I've had a great time playing around with it. I am running the Nook 1.4.1 OS internally and using my SD card to boot MIUI 1.11.4.
I've searched all over the web and I've not been able to find any straight answers one way or another -- is there a way to delete the apps that are obviously meant for a phone? The camera, phone, dialer, messaging, etc apps are pointless on the NC and I'd like to get rid of them. Especially since I can't just delete them off of the desktop in MIUI.
Has anyone been able to do this before?
Thanks a ton!
Erica

AFAIK, there is no way to do this without titanium backup. TiB is available in the market for root users

If you are rooted and have superuser installed, you can use root explorer or es file explorer (with allow root explorer and mount file system as writable Checked in settings) to delete system apps in system/apps. Removing system apps may render apps incompatible with device. Use TitaniumBackup for insurance.

Yeah, I tried all of that but I couldn't get system rw permissions on anything.
Finally found a few tutorials on editing custom roms, and I did that to delete the pointless apps. Getting ready to flash it back onto the NC, so we'll see if it works.
Luckily, I haven't put anything on the nook at all that I would need to save/back up. All I've done the past 48 hours since getting the NC is try out different custom roms to see which one I want to stick with. LOL. And I'm doing it all on the SD card so I can keep the native nook functionality.
Thanks for the replies though. <3

Let us know which ROM you choose. Just curious...
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk

hwong96 said:
Removing system apps may render apps incompatible with device. Use TitaniumBackup for insurance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seconded! I deleted Gtalk one time (it was constantly FCing even when it was running in the background) and the android market stopped working until I put it back on.

There is no real good reason for doing this and a lot of bad ones. They do not use up much if any resources and some apps may make calls to them even though they are not technically used. I would leave well enough alone....

I agree with leaving most stuff alone, but the problesm I'm running into is that the new market fc's. I can uninstall the updates to market and it works fine, but market updater updates it again shortly thereafter. I need to freeze or uninstall market updater, but anything I've tried to use can't mount /system. Any ideas?

GrStead123 said:
I agree with leaving most stuff alone, but the problesm I'm running into is that the new market fc's. I can uninstall the updates to market and it works fine, but market updater updates it again shortly thereafter. I need to freeze or uninstall market updater, but anything I've tried to use can't mount /system. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can uninstall the market updater with Titanium Backup.

mounting /system is quite easy with root explorer. I've experimented a lot with removing system apps. I move them into a new sub folder within /system, so I can put them back if something becomes unstable, but for the most part I run a really light /system folder that boots even quicker than without.
root explorer needs to have the "browse as root" option checked in its settings, and then, when you are in the system folder, you need to press "mount r/w" at the top of the screen.
If you just want to optimize battery, removing phone.apk and telephonyprovider.apk get the best net benefit. After that, I recommend creating a shortcut to Settings/Accounts & Sync so that you can turn off background data and Automatic Syncing when you are not actively using them. They draw a lot of power over the course of a day. I find that with them off during screen off and wifi off, the battery will not diminish for many days.

Want to save more battry and Ram..

Its Very Easy....
1) Use Greenify (We All know About it)
Second Method Is Below.
>Go To
A)Settings
B)Apps
C)Click Any Apps And Select Any Pre Installed App
(Ex.. Google Play Games or Any other app which you Use Rarely)
Now click Disable To Disable It...
Tadaaa its Done.. Now Disable what u want And Save More Battry And Ram.
You Can Also Enable It. :beer:

dont want to be an ass
but.......
being root you can delete those system apps like google music, movies, books, etc, all that crap bloatware
i believe if you restart the phone they will be active again, so it is better to delete them, also titanium backup can freeze those apps

Using App Quarantine myself to disable unwanted apps.
If you are rooted you can even freeze apps that usually can not be frozen.
After a restart the apps remain frozen.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ramdroid.appquarantine

maurocds said:
dont want to be an ass
but.......
being root you can delete those system apps like google music, movies, books, etc, all that crap bloatware
i believe if you restart the phone they will be active again, so it is better to delete them, also titanium backup can freeze those apps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Itz For NoN Rooted User (Noob)
Sent from my XT1033

maurocds said:
i believe if you restart the phone they will be active again, so it is better to delete them, also titanium backup can freeze those apps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, they will stay disabled even after OTA. Only factory reset brings them back.
Very good way for those without root.

bookworth said:
No, they will stay disabled even after OTA. Only factory reset brings them back.
Very good way for those without root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so even if critical apps are disabled on stock , locked , unrooted xt1032, OTA will still be successful?
wont fail due to missing critical system apps?

iluvatrix said:
so even if critical apps are disabled on stock , locked , unrooted xt1032, OTA will still be successful?
wont fail due to missing critical system apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can not disable critical system apps. Just try and you will see.

You can disable apps same way from Android too, it is feature.
Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

what about disabling Google Services Framework?
is this a critical system app?
i am able to disable it.

iluvatrix said:
what about disabling Google Services Framework?
is this a critical system app?
i am able to disable it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then you kill play and bunch of other features, not a good idea.
Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

was just using GSF as a quick example
but back to my original question is it better to enable ALL apps before taking OTA to avoid possible failure?
or will disabled apps still be "seen" during OTA updating?
i have disabled most Motorola apps that can be disabled are they considered critical when updating thru Motorola OTA?

iluvatrix said:
so even if critical apps are disabled on stock , locked , unrooted xt1032, OTA will still be successful?
wont fail due to missing critical system apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't delete anything. You just tell the system not to start or use those apps. And as a worst case scenario, if you screw up something so bad that you can't even use the phone (but by default you cannot disable really critical apps without root and 3rd party software), a factory reset will solve it.

maurocds said:
dont want to be an ass
but.......
being root you can delete those system apps like google music, movies, books, etc, all that crap bloatware
i believe if you restart the phone they will be active again, so it is better to delete them, also titanium backup can freeze those apps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Terrible and dumb advise.
Remove system apps and every ota on any android device from any manufacturor will crash and fail. Are you going to help clean flash stock Android back to functional for Ota's with people who followed this advise? At least advise to put system apps back before applying OTA. (One can remove system apps and install as more battery and recources friendly user-app. But before OTA uninstall those apps and copy back apk's of those system apps).
But like said disable apps (also non-root) or freeze (only root) them solution. With Greenify Pro and Xposed Framework (root) one can Greenify (do not all but only for system non important) system apps. Without root Greenify can (when Greenify enabled in accesibilty options) force close all in Greenify by user defined unwanted still in background running user apps all at once with a shortcut. Not fake like every task killer in Play Store is.

Becareful with system applications!
I agree with the previous post...don't remove system applications unless you know it's not going to be linked to anything of use to you, and even then I would do a backup just in-case...having a broken installation of android simply due to having deleted some system app in an attempt to save a few MB of RAM would be...unfortunate.

juliatan said:
Terrible and dumb advise.
Remove system apps and every ota on any android device from any manufacturor will crash and fail. Are you going to help clean flash stock Android back to functional for Ota's with people who followed this advise? At least advise to put system apps back before applying OTA. (One can remove system apps and install as more battery and recources friendly user-app. But before OTA uninstall those apps and copy back apk's of those system apps).
But like said disable apps (also non-root) or freeze (only root) them solution. With Greenify Pro and Xposed Framework (root) one can Greenify (do not all but only for system non important) system apps. Without root Greenify can (when Greenify enabled in accesibilty options) force close all in Greenify by user defined unwanted still in background running user apps all at once with a shortcut. Not fake like every task killer in Play Store is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol really? you better use an iphone
i remove system apps of all my cell phone, and guess what, they work perfect, never had issues
and if i did someday i don't care, why? because you are root, you can recover roms, flash, upgrade, etc
and yes, i give advice to people who bricked their phones and give guides and methods of doing it, because bricking phones and recovering them it part of learning

[LP][5.X][XPERIA] Debloating script for xperia phones running LP

***LOOKING FOR A ALL-IN-ONE SOLUTION? THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR Z3C USERS ONLY, IF INTERESTED GO HERE***
I guys, I share with you my debloating script for those interested in a higly DEBLOATED LP installation, very slimmed down, battery friendly, faster, with less RAM comsuption etc
Heavily debloated actually means almost 1 gb of system stuff moved to a backup folder (that you can even delete or move to sdcards to get 1gb extra free space in /system) so applying my script you agree to debloat A LOT as I did but take care that you will have a much lighter system and still you will be able to restore very easily anything you want anytime moving stuff back from the backup folder to /system (detailed instructions for that below in this thread).
NOTES
1. as all the stuff object of my debloating script is going to be placed in /system when flashing the pre-rooted FW, it is strongly suggested to apply my script immediately after flashing the pre-rooted LP FW and before rebooting, this way all that stuff will be moved away, and it is like it was never installed (at first boot no optimizations for those apps, means faster first boot etc)
2. as said above, all the bloat is not really deleted but moved to a Backup folder in system (/system/__Backup) so you can restore anything you want very easily. that's the reason you can see /system partition still almost full in spite of my high debloat, but stuff moved to the backup folder is "silent", so for sure it is not affecting the system at all and it is like it is not installed: I use this approach for people who needs to restore something, this way restoring is very very easy and fast. By the way, deleting the whole Backup folder (or moving it to your sdcard) you will then see something like 1.1 gb extra free space in /system!!
3. using different FW as base you may have some more bloat/apks, not present in my FW, that will remain installed. In this case, if you think there is some bloat left that could be removed, please send me a list of all your system apps remained after debloating, so i can check them (you can easily do that via terminal with 'ls /system/app > /sdcard/sysapps.txt' and 'ls /system/priv-app > /sdcard/privapps.txt' and send me the resultant text files)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Procedure for all xperia phones running LP: (like all Z series)
Requirements:
- working recovery
- be on LP already, 5.0.2 or 5.1.1, doesn't matter
Installation:
1. full nandroid backup to eventually go back to previous any time
2. wipe data, cache and dalvik ***
3. flash my debloating script
4. that's all! reboot/enjoy
*** NOTES
You can skip wiping data, so you'll keep all your personal data! But please mind that not wiping data during the installation procedure the debloat will not be 100% effective: in fact, if you don't wipe data, all the sony apps installed in /data/app won't be removed by the script! (to remove them, you'll have to uninstall them manually from settings > apps > downloaded)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
RESULT
As said at the top, you'll get a very slimmed down LP FW, battery friendly, very fast, with less RAM comsuption etc
Of course, everything is working great here, I mean all the features I need/use!
In particular, with latest version of my script you are going to delete more than 160 packages in total with all relevant libs/stuff plus all applications automatically installed by Sony :good:
DISCLAIMER
If you apply my script again please take care I did a pretty massive debloat as I don't use a lot of stuff (social apps, small apps, many of the sony "addons"/special settings etc!!) and this is a working config for me, but for others some functionalities will be probably missing, so mind what you do before apply them! (but again you can restore anything anytime, if interested just continue the reading)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
###########################################################################################################
REMOVED STUFF
As said at the beginning, with my script, stuff is not going to be deleted anymore, but moved in /system/__Backup folder. This way you can restore things without the need to download them from my GDrive.
HOW TO RESTORE SOMETHING
PS. of course I also removed from my FW all the stuff that can be easily downloaded from the Play Store (Gmail, etc)
In the hidden field below you will find the restoring instructions you need to follow to restore any package you may want back:
According to what you want to restore, you have to follow two different procedures:
- all the APKs that are inside /system/__Backup/various/etc_custom_apps and /system/__Backup/various/etc_prod_apps are regular APKs that are going to be installed in /data, so you can just run them and then select "install" like a normal APK, easy. You will then see them in Settings > applications > downloaded
- instead, all the things in /system/__Backup/system_app and /system/__Backup/system_priv-app folders can't be normally installed, but must be restored in the correct /system folders with correct permissions. To do this, see the step-by-step instructions below (in the following example, I am going to restore Chrome app in /system/app and Velvet (Google Search) in /system/priv-app, but of course you can restore how many things as you want at the same time)
Code:
- with a root file manager like ES, go to /system/__Backup/system_app and MOVE the whole "Chrome" folder to /system/app
- with a root file manager like ES, go to /system/__Backup/system_priv-app and MOVE the whole "Velvet" folder to /system/priv-app
- reboot
- done
PS. don't copy but MOVE things back, or permissions will get messed up and you are likely to end up in a bootloop!
Many THANKS @ondrejvaroscak and @Puffin617 for some very good advices, @mj084 for some packages descriptions :good:

Would one arrive at the same stable setup as you if the debloating-part in your guide was omitted?
(I prefer to use Debloater by @gatesjunior to block the apps)

Norup58 said:
Would one arrive at the same stable setup as you if the debloating-part in your guide was omitted?
(I prefer to use Debloater by @gatesjunior to block the apps)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't think so. in fact, several people who flashed and installed xposed directly on stock FW, had bootloops. others have problems with play store in deodexed, so I think, at least here and IMHO, best combo is odexed but debloated.
of course you can remove less stuff, that will be also much safer. if and when I post a text list of what I removed, I can maybe highlight dangerous apps that people should be careful with, or add notes for some apps that maybe is not so easy to understand what they are for
EDIT: I always prefer manual things, so I always manually move apps to a temporary location and then delete them

oh man, thanks for this, but i have a lot of problems to visualize what have you did. dropbox isn't working for me on my work's network. Can you make a list of apps? pastebin, tinypaste, hastebin, chop... there are options!

espaciosalter20 said:
oh man, thanks for this, but i have a lot of problems to visualize what have you did. dropbox isn't working for me on my work's network. Can you make a list of apps? pastebin, tinypaste, hastebin, chop... there are options!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
will make a list soon!
EDIT: done! see OP!!

moly82 said:
will make a list soon!
EDIT: done! see OP!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! it's a shame that i already have achieved my 8-post limit for today.

Which app is refer screenshot: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6smtqx57f3mjy68/Screenshot_2015-04-08-15-10-03.png?dl=0
Thank
Hispa

espaciosalter20 said:
Thank you! it's a shame that i already have achieved my 8-post limit for today.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't worry mate!
ps. added notes/colours to some pretty dangerous apps to remove.. all others should be pretty self explanatory/safe to delete if you don't use them
hispanico957 said:
Which app is refer screenshot: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6smtqx57f3mjy68/Screenshot_2015-04-08-15-10-03.png?dl=0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gravity box > lockscreen mods > customizable lockscreen shortcuts!

enabled navbar edits and lost recent buttons... but in homescreen (and only there) I still have it
(the secret is... a modded wallpaper lol )
of course in other apps it is gone ;(

moly82 said:
enabled navbar edits and lost recent buttons... but in homescreen (and only there) I still have it
(the secret is... a modded wallpaper lol )
of course in other apps it is gone ;(
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes also for me no recent in apps... but also at home !?
Hispa

Perfect Bro @moly82 will work on it to launch a FW Debloated stable.

So do we know which app it is that you removed that fixed the xposed issue? I don't buy the "just delete a bunch of stuff and xposed will work", there must be one or a combination of apps that are causing the bootloops.

Avengeme said:
So do we know which app it is that you removed that fixed the xposed issue? I don't buy the "just delete a bunch of stuff and xposed will work", there must be one or a combination of apps that are causing the bootloops.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, you are free to investigate [emoji14]
always when i flash a stock fw i immediately remove a lot of useless (for me) stuff.. this time I had already deleted something like 120 useless apps before flashing xposed and seeing it was working fine.. so that's not so easy for me at this time to understand exactly what is causing bootloops for some people and actually, even if it wouldn't be impossible to find that out, that's not interesting for me so don't see a point in losing extra time in that research sorry (I'm already wasting too much time in debloat operations [emoji14] )

hispanico957 said:
Yes also for me no recent in apps... but also at home !?
Hispa
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah no recents button here as well.. as i said the recent button i have in my homescreen is a trick... a wallpaper with a fake button drawing in background [emoji14]

@moly82: you are the greatest ... finally I got xposed framework without bootloop!! Thank you so much!!

no problem mate glad it was helpful for someone else!
yesterday I added a few more xposed modules, and still no bootloops at all (right now I'm using GB, apm+, youtube adway, youtube background playback, xperia/AOSP NavBar Buttons :good: )
btw did you delete all (or most of the) the apps in my list? and before debloating you had bootloops?
because I immediately debloated and only then I installed xposed, so was wondering if maybe also installing xposed without debloating could be working actually as never tried here this way
in any case, just testing right now some more debloat... would like to increase the debloat list... will update OP if I find it safe and will have no problems after new deletions

gallery app is not working! i tried restoring all the Photo* app ,but still not working

Try to clear Cache and Data from Album App, helped me last time it wont work

you mean sony album? works perfectly here

removed updates and now is working fine

Need some help of a rare sort... deleted folders arent deleting!

Ive purchased the full version of No Bloat, trying to get things more manageable on my device.
There are things that are not removing, despite me telling them to.
in system/app/flipboarddebriefing/arm/<somefilename>.odex
this is a reminant of an app i have already removed...so i wanted to fully delete it... but it wont delete!! Root browser says it deleted, for a quick second... but the damn thing stays there.
i *am* rooted, i *have* removed system apps with other apps (at first uninstall master, but since ive discovered that wont recover properly on my device, im using nobloat now).
Why if i have root, and am using a root based browser, are things NOT removing as though i am not rooted??!? I downloaded root checker today, and yes i am in fact rooted successfully.... so what gives? i DONT understand this, not one bit.
Im on rooted but stock samsung galaxy s5 neo, with twrp recovery installed, and a full nandroid backup made. successfully.
I dont understand why some root features are going smooth while others are almost like in high school when deep freeze was installed on the library computers, where no matter what you did, next reset (or in my case, not even a reboot required!) things were exactly as they were *before* you messed wth them, things unchanged.
why is this happening to me?? i never did enable knox so it cant possibly be that... can it??
ETA i have tried going in through the file explorer in twrp... but even in there i cant access the system folder at all, let alone delete things. A few days ago, some things in another folder werent deleting, so i went into twrp and ultimately deleted them, and those did stay deleted.
I just plain dont understand. s2 = root = do whatever the heck you want. s5=root=well remove some apps for you but its remains will stay on your system, for-evvvv-errr.
is there some sort of build in deep freeze type app that i can go in and get rid of (some how, if it will let me, frig).

Can anyone help me with this? Still not working properly...
Sent from my SM-G903W using XDA-Developers mobile app

Pawprints1986 said:
Ive purchased the full version of No Bloat, trying to get things more manageable on my device.
There are things that are not removing, despite me telling them to.
in system/app/flipboarddebriefing/arm/<somefilename>.odex
this is a reminant of an app i have already removed...so i wanted to fully delete it... but it wont delete!! Root browser says it deleted, for a quick second... but the damn thing stays there.
i *am* rooted, i *have* removed system apps with other apps (at first uninstall master, but since ive discovered that wont recover properly on my device, im using nobloat now).
Why if i have root, and am using a root based browser, are things NOT removing as though i am not rooted??!? I downloaded root checker today, and yes i am in fact rooted successfully.... so what gives? i DONT understand this, not one bit.
Im on rooted but stock samsung galaxy s5 neo, with twrp recovery installed, and a full nandroid backup made. successfully.
I dont understand why some root features are going smooth while others are almost like in high school when deep freeze was installed on the library computers, where no matter what you did, next reset (or in my case, not even a reboot required!) things were exactly as they were *before* you messed wth them, things unchanged.
why is this happening to me?? i never did enable knox so it cant possibly be that... can it??
ETA i have tried going in through the file explorer in twrp... but even in there i cant access the system folder at all, let alone delete things. A few days ago, some things in another folder werent deleting, so i went into twrp and ultimately deleted them, and those did stay deleted.
I just plain dont understand. s2 = root = do whatever the heck you want. s5=root=well remove some apps for you but its remains will stay on your system, for-evvvv-errr.
is there some sort of build in deep freeze type app that i can go in and get rid of (some how, if it will let me, frig).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason why it keeps coming back is becoz some of the apps are PRELOADED by default and to get rid of them for good you need to go to the root of those apps.
Use any root explorer app
1. Check /preload/ folder..make sure you delete the apps there as well
2. Check /System/CSC/ and look for any /System/app/ and /System/priv-app/ and do the same as above.

Hmm... I'll give it a look, but I even had problems with deleting data from a user app in the same manner...
Eta, I have nothing in my preload folder at all.. At least not that root browser is seeing.
Tried Flipboard deleting the odex file again, still not working.
Any other suggestions?
Sent from my SM-G903W using XDA-Developers mobile app

Pawprints1986 said:
Hmm... I'll give it a look, but I even had problems with deleting data from a user app in the same manner...
Eta, I have nothing in my preload folder at all.. At least not that root browser is seeing.
Tried Flipboard deleting the odex file again, still not working.
Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which root/file explorer are you using?
EDIT: Ok I see you said Root browser.
Try another file explorer like ES file explorer

Q: Bloatware on boost mobile E4. I need help removing them.

I have tried uninstalling them through multiple apps in the playstore and it always says failed. I am rooted and I want to use the stock rom for now until the data issues are patched. I have disabled the apps I just don't want the on my phone. The facebook apps you can't disable the update. I don't trust facebook and I don't want anything to do with it on my phone so if anyone know's how to remove them please let me know. Thank you.

bluemoonlight said:
I have tried uninstalling them through multiple apps in the playstore and it always says failed. I am rooted and I want to use the stock rom for now until the data issues are patched. I have disabled the apps I just don't want the one my phone. The facebook apps you can't disable the update. I don't trust facebook and I don't want anything to do with it on my phone so if anyone know's how to remove them please let me know. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BEFORE READING, MAKE A BACKUP PRIOR TO THIS ANSWER:
I'm sorry to say, but it would need to be done using the file manager via TWRP. It is a lil tricky because it lacks concise deletion. So it is best to use a rooted file explorer (es file explorer is beneficial for this) and look around these locations:
/system/app
/system/priv-app
/oem/app
/oem/priv-app
Each folder holding the apk must be deleted individually in TWRP's file manager, or you WILL face a possible soft-brick.
Good luck.
(The reason why is, because the oem section is more secure to avoid a break of the phone itself, so it will freeze everytime while the actual OS is in use. Doing it via TWRP ensures deletion and avoiding a freeze bc the recovery OS is different from stock OS)