Hey guys. I did a manual update the other day and now I am trying to install some APK files from my SD card. Well since Froyo I'm getting Forced Closed (FC) on any of my APK Installer apps.
I've already been to the market and downloaded a handful. Seems they all are doing the same thing?! Any one know of a good APK Installer or a working alternative method for installing APK files via app. I would rather not do it through the Dev Kit.
I've been using Linda File Manager and it's been fine.
try astro file manager.
Thanks. My other File Manager wouldn't handle APK files... so 2 birds with 1 stone. I downloaded both Linda and Astro. I'll test and figure which one i like the best.
[EDIT]
Nice Recommendation on Linda Explorer. Real nice.
+1 for linda. i'm liking it so far with kaosfroyo
I have a confusion regarding android. this is very general query.
In Computer, first we have to have exe file to install anything and then we click on it to install the app on windows computer generally. when the app is installed on computer, we have installed app files in program files and then a dump (that is exe file) which we keep to install this app on any other computer.
Now, please let me know if this is applicable in android phones also?
I know that in android, there is .apk file instead of .exe file in computer. I observed that after installation apk file disappears. Is this true?
Not sure if in understood well, did you mean if instal anything from SD card? If you are asking that the answer is yes, i install everything from SD card and the apk file stay there after installation.
What if u install any app from Market?
vijay.gupta said:
I have a confusion regarding android. this is very general query.
In Computer, first we have to have exe file to install anything and then we click on it to install the app on windows computer generally. when the app is installed on computer, we have installed app files in program files and then a dump (that is exe file) which we keep to install this app on any other computer.
Now, please let me know if this is applicable in android phones also?
I know that in android, there is .apk file instead of .exe file in computer. I observed that after installation apk file disappears. Is this true?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even in Android you can see the .apk files under /system/app. Also applications installed by you can be backed up & later restored using software available on market.
"Normally" these apks dissapear when you download from.market, but all of.your apks are stored in your phone, the thing is that you have to hav permission to do that, when you download an apk (the single file) and store it in sd card to install it, the apk is copied to the phone.
Sent from my GT-I5801 using XDA App
But if u back up ur apps as .apk and install them later using softwares (with exception of Titanium backup) u will loose connection between the app and android market (that means no updates)
the best option is to backup ur apps with titanium backup along with user data and restore it using the same
how do i access /system/app? Do I need to root the phone in order to see this directory?
vijay.gupta said:
how do i access /system/app? Do I need to root the phone in order to see this directory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download Terminal emulator from market & you are ready to go to /system/app !!!!
You can also download Root Explorer and so the same
Thank all. Can you please confirm what I am writing below:
Suppose I buy a android phone (with android 2.1 so you cannot install apps from SD card) in which I installed an application named XYZ from Market. Now, there is a apk file for XYZ which gets downloaded somewhere in the phone memory and then it gets installed automatically.
Now, I just want to know, where does this apk file go after XYZ is installed? Does it stay in phone memory with the installed files of XYZ.
If it goes to phone memory and not deleted from there, then phone memory
if u install .apk from market it will be stored and installed in /data/app in phone memory. i do not think it is stored twice in the phone.
Do u mean to say that only the installed file gets stored and. apk. File got deleted automatically after getting installed?
vijay.gupta said:
Do u mean to say that only the installed file gets stored and. apk. File got deleted automatically after getting installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remember that an .apk file its a variant of the .jar files when you install an .apk this file gets stored inside the phone along with its necesary dependencies when the app starts, the os reads this file line by line while the app is executed.
In short terms the .apk file its the application itself that need a proper interpreter to run, in that way when you install and app to the phone, it copies this file and links the dependencies, so the .apks downloaded from makret are stored directly inside the app folder, in that way you can extract them from this folder and use it in another android phone.
You are relying too much on the windows ways of things. You see an exe file installion in windows essentially unpacking everything (other things aside) where it is needed and you then often see a bunch of files and folders. This is not what happens in android, the apk file is conserved when installed and can be found in the root part of your phone. Its data/app/ if installed on your phone, mnt/asec. (or something like asec) if installed on your sd card. You can copy that file to your sd card or send it to another device and install it again. I did just that today (I sent an apk to a friend)
anyway i dont think its same if i delete .apk + odex files from /data/app as i uninstall it with titanium backup. i think TB will be delete also data stored by the app inside the database (its the place where the apps are saving data, settings, etc...)
In case you are installing from Android Market:
1. When you are at market, it doesn't ask you to download. You will only get option either to install or update the existing app.
2. If you are a normal user, after installing, you won't be able to see the apk file anywhere on your memory card. But if you are a root user or with the help of special file managers and specific apps like root explorer and terminal emulators, you can locate those spk files in the phone's hidden memory.
3. If you are a root user, or with the help above mentioned type of apps, you can locate the apk files in phone memory and copy it on your memory card and distribute it to your wish.
4. If you are worried for paid apps and losing your phone or apps because of resetting or any other reason then stop worrying. A record of your paid apps is stored in google servers. So, even if you reset your phone or lose your phone, once you log in to a your new android device with the same google account, it will automatically show your paid apps. You don't have to pay for it again. Just need to install it again. This is applicable only if you are paying for the app through android market and you are logging into your android device with the same google account you had before losing your apps.
In case of installing via your SD card:
1. apk files are just like java files (.jad or .jar). You can download it on your PC from various sources and transfer it to your SD card or any of your friends' via USB, bluetooth or any other way.
2. After transfering the apk file to your SD card, it doesn't get automatically installed. You have to click it or open it to install, just like how we double click the exe file in windows.
3. Whether installed or not installed, the apk file you transfer to your SD card will always remain there unless and untill you or someone else delete it or you format your memory card.
4. Once installed, a copy of the same apk file would also be there in your phone's hidden memory, which you can access using special apps.
If you worried about losing your apps, try searching for other apps which backups apk... you can do so at android market. Moreover, also search on the net about having root access on your android device.. it'll let you access files in your phone's memory.
I hope, this would solve down all your queries !!!
Thanks next2 devil. Very gud explanation. It cleared almost all confusions. I have some more confusions that i want to clear out.
1) just a general query that just like exe file got unpacked after double clicking on it and install its files in c: genrally, does the same happen with apk, jad and jar files?
2) just want to clear out that phone memory which is hidden for normal users contains the copy of only those apk files that are currently installed on the phone and not the ones that are uninstalled or not installed at all?
vijay.gupta said:
Thanks next2 devil. Very gud explanation. It cleared almost all confusions. I have some more confusions that i want to clear out.
1) just a general query that just like exe file got unpacked after double clicking on it and install its files in c: genrally, does the same happen with apk, jad and jar files?
2) just want to clear out that phone memory which is hidden for normal users contains the copy of only those apk files that are currently installed on the phone and not the ones that are uninstalled or not installed at all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I am not sure about JAD and JAR files, but yes, APK files unpack itself to get installed. You can come to know the exact size/space that would be taken by the app directly from the android market. Details would be given there.
2. Yes, the phone memory would be having copy of files only which is installed. There would be no copy of any apk file which in not installed.
Thanks next2devil. Your response give rise to one more query.
if i compare unpacking logic from windows, there is no need for original exe file to remain in existence after it has been installed and user can delete exe file after installing it. Deleting exe file has no negative impact on the working of installed app. Please let me know if this is also the case with apk files? If yes, then what is the need of apk file to remain in phone memory after it has been installed?
vijay.gupta said:
Thanks next2devil. Your response give rise to one more query.
if i compare unpacking logic from windows, there is no need for original exe file to remain in existence after it has been installed and user can delete exe file after installing it. Deleting exe file has no negative impact on the working of installed app. Please let me know if this is also the case with apk files? If yes, then what is the need of apk file to remain in phone memory after it has been installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Short and simple. Deleting the apk file from /data/app removes the app.
Sent from my Lestatious v1.4.5.5 Galaxy 3 FROYO
I have a question. You download an app from google play store to your device. And it fails to install due to device incompatibility or certificate error.
So where is the downloaded apk file stored in the device. Like in windows we have a temp folder, do we have a temp folder where the apk file is stored temporarily?
I don't think you can grasp the apk file after install failed as you can't even see the file after it installed correctly. (please correct me if that is wrong) I think this is about copyright protection issues.
Anyways as (almost) always there is an app for that: Try "appmonster". There is a free trial availbe in google play. It saves downloaded apk's to your sd card so you can install it again and again.
I hope that helped you ;-)
Manipur, try to look into /data/apps folder. You may require root permission to access this folder. There should be all user installed apk packages stored. But I'm not sure if there are also apks of applications that failed to install. Just look there and you'll see
boelze said:
I don't think you can grasp the apk file after install failed as you can't even see the file after it installed correctly. (please correct me if that is wrong) I think this is about copyright protection issues.
Anyways as (almost) always there is an app for that: Try "appmonster". There is a free trial availbe in google play. It saves downloaded apk's to your sd card so you can install it again and again.
I hope that helped you ;-)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. But applications that failed to install are not backed up.
t-fuse said:
Manipur, try to look into /data/apps folder. You may require root permission to access this folder. There should be all user installed apk packages stored. But I'm not sure if there are also apks of applications that failed to install. Just look there and you'll see
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apps that failed to install are not backed up though.
There is a program called "APK Downloader" (codekiem.com) which is able to download apk's from Google Play. It only works with free apps so it is "not illegal" but it is against the ToS of Google Play. Use at your own risk!
I have not tested it though...
I recently installed com.sonyericsson.album_5.4.A.0.22.apk, but like a noob I didn't read the description before hand and the apk file is actually only for Xperia Z2 System/Media/App ] Apks and Odex and Jar files for Z1
The apk installed as normal, however I can't find the application in my app drawer and using root explorer the album apk is not showing in system/app system/private app or any other location.
The problem is that I am not able to install the correct version as the wrong apk has to be removed somehow first, when I try to restore the version that used to work from titanium backup - it just hangs at restoring and never restores successfully. Trying to restore the apk directly from a file manager results in a "not installed" message - I think this is because the wrong apk is still hidden somewhere in my device.
Any suggestions guys? any suggestions will be highly appreciated :good:
Heres the thread from which I found the incorrect apk from:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2665174
I've also attached the apk file here.
krohme said:
I recently installed com.sonyericsson.album_5.4.A.0.22.apk, but like a noob I didn't read the description before hand and the apk file is actually only for Xperia Z2 System/Media/App ] Apks and Odex and Jar files for Z1
The apk installed as normal, however I can't find the application in my app drawer and using root explorer the album apk is not showing in system/app system/private app or any other location.
The problem is that I am not able to install the correct version as the wrong apk has to be removed somehow first, when I try to restore the version that used to work from titanium backup - it just hangs at restoring and never restores successfully.
Any suggestions guys? any suggestions will be highly appreciated :good:
Heres the thread from which I found the incorrect apk from:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2665174
I've also attached the apk file here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you installed it like a normal app (just opened the apk), then look into /data/app.
Someguyfromhell said:
If you installed it like a normal app (just opened the apk), then look into /data/app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestion, but its not there either - strange.
Then how do you know, that it isn't gone yet?
The system wont allow me to install it again or any other com.sonyericsson.album.apk file, I'll keep checking system directories one by one until I find it.
Flash philz recovery, then download aroma file explorer from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2236977 then, boot into recovery, begin to flash aroma file manager. Once the manager loads, navigate to the file you want to delete and do it that way
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
speedyjay said:
Flash philz recovery, then download aroma file explorer from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2236977 then, boot into recovery, begin to flash aroma file manager. Once the manager loads, navigate to the file you want to delete and do it that way
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll give this a try thanks bro :highfive:
I can see that with Android Oreo there is a new section to install from Unknown Sources; but do apps need to update to show up in the list? For example I use Solid Explorer as my file manager and so am used to installing apps from there. Now it won't let me and I have to do it from the Downloads app. Annoying!
If you go to settings, apps & notifications,advanced,special app access,install unknown apps you should be able to allow it for your file manager, if that's what you want.
If you want to install from your file manager, tap the apk while your in your file manager and Oreo should ask you if you want to allow it from your filemanager.
Edit: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=73623948&postcount=11 this guy had the same issue I guess.
I don't see it in that menu. That's where I was looking already. I only have some google app and facebook.
dunjamon said:
I don't see it in that menu. That's where I was looking already. I only have some google app and facebook.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just installed and opened the solid explorer, choosed a apk file, solid explorer starts with the menu: open with..., I choosed packet Installer and Oreo ask me if I want to allow to install unknown sources from solid explorer. I don't know what's the problem. You should uninstall and reinstall the solid explorer and start from the beginning, if that fails for you for whatever reason.