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I know there are some people like myself who actually like Sense and doing a 'full' root can be daunting, especailly if all you want to do is remove the crud that Vodafone or your Telco install on your branded Legend. But there is no reason this can't be used to remove apps that are in a custom ROM - as far as I am aware! If someone with a custom ROM could confirm this, that would be great!
Righto, as per usual here is the disclaimer - doing this is risky and you do so at your own peril! Don't come crying to me or Paul @ MoDaCo if it bricks your phone (it shouldn't but this is just a warning)
Enough of that you get the idea Now for the fun bit!
First if you are not you'll need VISIONary+ from MoDaCo, at the time of this writing r13 is the latest and is available on page 7.
Please read and check the original post as there may be an updated version. If you are rooted skip to the next step.
This is Paul's guide he done quickly on his G2, it's more of a pictorial guide (same rules apply to the Legend as G2 in this case).
Once installed use the Temproot option, this can take 15 seconds or so to complete, use a Terminal Emulator and type su then return/enter and your $ should change to a # - this means you have temproot.
Go to the market and install SuperUser, Titanium Backup, BusyBox.
Open Titanium Backup allowing it root access when prompted, go to Backup/Restore and scroll to find one of the preinstalled bloatware apps, I chose the Vodafone Music app and the Vodafone Web app.
Long hold on the app you want to remove and scroll down a bit and choose the option "Force remove app (by recovery exploit)"
This will reboot your phone TWICE, you will get the recovery screen up - LET IT RUN IT's COURSE! DO NOT INTERRUPT THIS.
Once it boots back into your normal check that the app is no longer in your App drawer
Repeat for all the Apps that came preinstalled that you don't want, just be careful you don't remove anything that may still be needed!
A huge thanks to Paul at MoDaCo for this ingenious hack and the Titanium Backup, BusyBox and SuperUser developers for their hard work in writing their apps which also allow us to easy do this
Oh and you can use the Temproot on boot to have a sortof but not fully permaroot
Great work. I'll try on CM 6.1 RC1. One thing though...If I'm rooted I presume I need only the Titanium backup not VISIONary or other tools, right?
Yes you need the other apps, but you can remove them afterwards if you want. You'll need SuperUser to be able to grant Titanium Backup access, and Titanium Backup requires BusyBox to be installed - Titanium Backup gives you the option to install BusyBox if you press the 'Problems?' button under the Overview tab.
PS: you can use the free version of Titanium Backup for this exercise.
Yes, thank you. I knew about busybox and the option to install it from Titanium. SuperUser I have it already since I'm using CyanogenMod RC1 and it is included in the ROM (I think it is OK like this). So only Titanium (+busybox) needs to be installed.
I'll give it a try and let you know the results. I'll try to remove a rather large application (for ex Google Maps) and I'll install it afterward on the sdcard (since it is system appl, it cannot be moved directly to sdcard)
Later edit: IT WORKS! So I've tried to (and succeeded) remove 2 "system" applications: Google Maps and Calculator. Both were removed and the free space is now available (before 80 Mb free, after 91.2 Mb free).
There was only one issue with Maps, the icon still showed up in the application drawer and it was working (even after going through all above). After several checks I found the reason. The Maps were installed twice...the version included in the CM ROM (that was deleted by this procedure) AND the updated Maps (it once asked for upgrading the application from the market and I did that). After removing the "system installed" version of Google Maps, the "updates" remained. I went to Settings-Applications-Manage Applications and I found Maps there. I've uninstalled the updates then rebooted the phone. After that the icon was gone completely.
To conclude, for CM ROMS (or for all phones that are already rooted and have already the SU application), the steps to be performed for removing a system appl are:
1. Install Titanium Backup
2. Press (as instructed) "Problems" button. This will install a working version of busybox.
3. Check if the application you want to remove, has also updates (from Market or some other places) installed. If YES, go to Settings-Applications-Manage Applications and uninstall all the updates.
4. Start Titanium Backup and perform the steps indicated in the first post by TheLegendaryJay.
So it is working on custom ROM's as well and you don't need VISIONary or other application/tools.
All credits go to Paul, CM team and this whole community, the ones which made such things possible for our phones. TheLegendaryJay, thank you also for sharing this with us. Perhaps for rooted phones it is easier to remove applications with adb commands, but some are maybe not so technical to install the SDK or know how to use it (I can be counted as one of them), or they just might want to remove an application when they don't have a pc with SDK nearby.
yap, can confirm this. works great on cm 6.1 rc1. thanks for the hint
For you guys who are rooted - why not just flash the overlay filesystem patch, enable it, and then use any file explorer and go to /system/app/ and delete the apps you dont want? just a tip, it's much easier.. (and takes less time)
Because one of the reasons for which I wanted to rip out an application from the ROM is to gain some more space... By using overlay system, as I understood, you're practically duplicate the whole system to make it accessible for writing so I don't know if you gain some more space. Eventually you'll have less. Or, if that space is on the sdcard, that does not suit me also cause as I know, is working slower from there. Anyhow, I don't want to detail this here cause we'll be off-topic.
Rapier said:
Because one of the reasons for which I wanted to rip out an application from the ROM is to gain some more space... By using overlay system, as I understood, you're practically duplicate the whole system to make it accessible for writing so I don't know if you gain some more space. Eventually you'll have less. Or, if that space is on the sdcard, that does not suit me also cause as I know, is working slower from there. Anyhow, I don't want to detail this here cause we'll be off-topic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I understand it, the system folder is only linked so the phone believes it's on the SD-card. This should mean, no extra space is taken (except for the few kB that makes this possible). i could be wrong, but I use system overlay and I see no whatsoever decrease in performance. Not in benchmarks nor in usage.
If you are rooted - and dont want system overlay, I still think there is a better wway - ADB! just mount system, cd to system/app, ls it and rm whatever apps ypu dont want.. no need for multiple reboots - quick and effective
adb way might be quicker but it might prove to be ineffective (at least for me it was). In order to remove an application, you must check its filename (with ls command). I've tried to remove Facebook and Twitter applications using adb remove and guess what...they're still there. I admit I might have done something wrong, what I'm saying is that through this new method described above, someone is able to remove an appl by chosing it from a list. For the ones that don't feel so confortable using adb, this is an alternative
Sent from my Legend using XDA App
Rapier said:
adb way might be quicker but it might prove to be ineffective (at least for me it was). In order to remove an application, you must check its filename (with ls command). I've tried to remove Facebook and Twitter applications using adb remove and guess what...they're still there. I admit I might have done something wrong, what I'm saying is that through this new method described above, someone is able to remove an appl by chosing it from a list. For the ones that don't feel so confortable using adb, this is an alternative
Sent from my Legend using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When it comes to ADB, you must write the filename exactly as it is, if you want to remove Facebook.apk you must rm Facebook.apk, not facebook.apk or just rm Facebook*
What I do, I ls all files, copy the filenames I want to remove into into a txt file. ex. "rm facebook.apk Torch.apk voiceDialer.apk AndroidTerm.apk" and so on. When I flash a new rom, i just copy that file string and remove em all with that one command ofc. I ls it after and check if there is anything new I want to remove, but I get rid of most of it in a few seconds. (good tip!)
I understood that. Now I've checked again and I know what happened...the same thing I said above. The appl was removed also with adb command but the updates of that appl were not. I've removed the updates from Settings and after that the whole appl was gone (Facebook in this case). So both metods work, everyone can choose what he likes more
Anyway this was much more to test if it's working on custom ROMs as was asked by TheLegendaryJay and less as of providing an alternate way for rooted owners.
Sent from my Legend using XDA App
You both are wrong. Overlay is just an overlay... it uses several file systems or parts of file systems (directories, files), merge them and show them to us as one new merged file system. The principle is such that if U have one read-only and one read-write file system merged together, all writes are then performed to that read-write one. If you'd like to delete one file from read-only portion, that action is noted on read-write portion and your system doesn't t see that file again through merged file system whereas it is in fact still there...
BlaY0 said:
You both are wrong. Overlay is just an overlay... it uses several file systems or parts of file systems (directories, files), merge them and show them to us as one new merged file system. The principle is such that if U have one read-only and one read-write file system merged together, all writes are then performed to that read-write one. If you'd like to delete one file from read-only portion, that action is noted on read-write portion and your system doesn't t see that file again through merged file system whereas it is in fact still there...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for this, great info. Now I'm glad I use adb and not file overlay for removing files
Why's that? Overlay is really handy thing for testing... U can make the system think that the file is not there but in fact is. If something goes wrong (boot loop) because of that, U just disable overlay and U R back on with origial state. After U are satisfied with changes, U can merge those changes into read-only file system via recovery mode.
Sent from my HTC Legend
BlaY0, you're totally right. Overlay is a great thing for testing (and by the way many thanks you for what you did). But if you're not a tester, just an enthusiast who look for new stuff for his phone, overlay could be much more than he needs.
I'm looking for example to have as much free space in memory as possible. REAL free space. If I'm using overlay, that will not be gained right? The read only files will still be there, only the overlay will show them "deleted". So...what I'm doing instead is that I'm flashing one of the existing ROMs (as per my preferences - CM 6.1 RC1 for ex.) that will not "brick" my phone, I customize it with widgets and applications as I like, than I start deleting what I don't need. For sure I can use overlay for that, but I can do it also without it. This topic presented an alternative for doing that, to the known adb commands. Also from what I've understood, the method in this topic is more aimed to the ones that are not (or don't want to be) rooted. And for those, the adb method doesn't work
You sure are totally right, but then again if you deleted some apk from /system/app that is needed for some other apk and U didn't know about that, you could end up with a so called boot loop. And if this is done by some noob, the simplest way for him to restore would be to wipe and reflash the original ROM. Overay can prevent such accidents. Actually even with overlay you can save space especially where is needed the most, that's on data partition - there's no need for dex in dalvik-cache any more etc. and surely you get more free ram as that app isn't loading any more. For the system partition it actually doesn't matter if it is full in fact why it shouldn't be full. When we get our S-OFF the first thing I will do is to rearange mtd partitions shrinking system and extending data coz now I have like nearly 50 MB free on system partition that I can not use wisely.
Sent from my HTC Legend
Thanks, VF music and web app not banished from my Legend
Okay, I must be doing something wrong, but I have no idea what. I have the same ROM as Rapier on my Desire, I have Titanium Backup and I did everything he said above. The pre-installed apps are uninstalled with TB (Car app, News and Weather, Facebook, Twitter, Google Voice, Maps, Quickoffice 2.0 which I have no idea what really is), I clear the Dalvik cache and many mega are freed. Then if I reboot, they're back. Like nothing happened.
Do you have any idea or should I give more details? Thanks for the help, guys.
Have you checked also if those applications you're removing do not have some updates installed? Because if they do, you'll get them back on the phone. First remove the updates from each application (from normal "Application" management), then remove the application residing in system with TB.
PS. QuickOffice is a suite program similar with MS Office, that allows you to read (and in the paid version also to write) office documents (.doc, .xls, .ppt...etc)
Thank you for your quick reply.
Yes, I have checked and uninstalled all updates. They are all with the basic version.
About Quickoffice, I know what it is It's just that the one that came with CM 6.1.0 RC1 cannot be accessed, it can only be used to open supported file formats (I just found out after posting here ). I'd prefer the normal Quickoffice with which I can access my dropbox and Google docs too, that's why I wanted to uninstall this in the first place.
Prior to rooting, I reformatted my phone and afterwards I backed up all system apps and bloatware with Titanium Backup Pro. I then uninstalled all bloatware that I knew was safe to uninstall. No problems whatsoever.
However, just to be on the safe side, I decided that I'm going to restore all uninstalled apps, unroot, reset, reroot, and use Pete's script bloatware remover/renamer.
All bloatware has been reinstalled successfully except for DLNA. Whenever I try to restore DLNA or DLNA System Service 1.0, Titanium Backup simply stays on "Restoring App+Data" forever, unless I reboot the phone. I have tried reinstalling DLNA first then I tried reinstalling DLNA System Service first. To no avail. It just gets stuck on "Restoring App+Data."
Any ideas?
Hmm, strange...same thing is now happening with Flickr Authenticator. Perhaps TI is bugging out now. I just don't get it. Really hope to hear some input soon.
i restore all removed apps with this: www.psouza4.com/Droid3
once U download unzip n place in a subfolder named restore
I had a similar thing happen to me when using Titanium, but with different apps. I'm not sure what causes the bug, nor am I certain about how to fix it. It's part of why people have been recommending that we freeze apps as opposed to backing them up (with Titanium) and then deleting them.
However, you can get the apps back by going into the system dump and copying the necessary files back into /system/app. You can find the system dump here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1164736
Just take the DLNA and DlnaSystemService apks and odex files, place them on your SD card, and then copy them over to /system/app using whichever method you prefer (Root Explorer, ADB, etc). Hope this helps
mrcastillo said:
i restore all removed apps with this: www.psouza4.com/Droid3
once U download unzip n place in a subfolder named restore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think Psouza's Script can restore apps that are uninstalled. Only if they are renamed or frozen by TI. Please someone chime in and correct me if I'm mistaken.
RandomEncounter said:
I had a similar thing happen to me when using Titanium, but with different apps. I'm not sure what causes the bug, nor am I certain about how to fix it. It's part of why people have been recommending that we freeze apps as opposed to backing them up (with Titanium) and then deleting them.
However, you can get the apps back by going into the system dump and copying the necessary files back into /system/app. You can find the system dump here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1164736
Just take the DLNA and DlnaSystemService apks and odex files, place them on your SD card, and then copy them over to /system/app using whichever method you prefer (Root Explorer, ADB, etc). Hope this helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's fantastic, thank you my friend.
You are wrong.
When I was updating from 5.5.959 to 5.6.890, one of my apps was gone. Deleted. Idk how, but I searched my system for 10 minutes, it was called Fota.apk
I used psouza4s tools (he helped me) and restored the missing app, and then I got to update to 5.6.890
Sent from my DROID3 using xda premium
kshen1 said:
You are wrong.
When I was updating from 5.5.959 to 5.6.890, one of my apps was gone. Deleted. Idk how, but I searched my system for 10 minutes, it was called Fota.apk
I used psouza4s tools (he helped me) and restored the missing app, and then I got to update to 5.6.890
Sent from my DROID3 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wonderful, I'll give that a shot right now then. Thanks man.
After rooting, I backed up all apps and bloatware with Titanium Backup Pro, and then uninstalled the bloatware. I want to revert back to my stock state by reinstalling all bloatware, unrooting, reformatting, and rerooting and then using Psouza4's script method instead.
Obviously, I was unaware that I wasn't going to be able to reinstall several of these apps even though they are backed up.
I've been on this for HOURS. I obtained ALL the .apks of the bloatware from the Droid 3 System Dump that was posted here a while back. I moved all the .apks and .odexs of the corresponding apps into system/apps by using Root Explorer.
1.) When I use Root Explorer to try an install an app (DLNA or Flickr Authenticator, for example), it simply says "Application not Installed." It can install other apps such as Kindle and Books, but it cannot install the same ones that Titanium Backup has a problem installing as well So I tried Droid Explorer.
2.) Droid Explorer: Same thing. It can install most apps but not DLNA, Flickr Authenticator, and a handful of others. Crashes whenever I try to. "Droid Explorer has stopped working." So I learned how to use ADB.
3.) ADB: Whenever I try to install the app by "adb install DLNA.apk", it shows the progress and then gives me the error of [INSTALL_FAILED_DEXOPT].
Like the others ADB can install anything else except for the "problem child" list. Here's the list of the ones I cannot find a way to install without an error or a crash --
DLNA 0709.69
DLNASystemService 1.0
GoToMeeting 1.0
Guided Tours 2.3.4
Help Center 2.3.4
IM 3.0.4.6
IM Presence 2.3.4
News 2.3.4
Picasa Authenticator 2.3.4
Social Messaging 2.3.4
Social Messaging Service 2.3.4
Social Networking 2.3.4
Social Sharing 2.3.4
Social Status 2.3.4
Twitter Authenticator 2.3.4
Please help...and thank you in advance.
Forgot to mention; I've tried the method where you long-press the .apk and .odex using Root Explorer and then changing the permissions and then rebooting, but even after a reboot the app does not appear in my drawer.
Solved. Took me forever to figure it out. Thinking I should write a guide on how to do this for all the unfortunate souls who uninstalled apps instead of freezing or using Psouza4's script.
Lyxdeslic said:
Solved. Took me forever to figure it out. Thinking I should write a guide on how to do this for all the unfortunate souls who uninstalled apps instead of freezing or using Psouza4's script.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would you mind sharing your solution? I have the same issue and am leary of trying Psouza's app because my carrier is Bell not Verizon (he's warned be this could cause a boot loop!). So I only tried replacing system apps that I deleted with no success.
Use psouza4 safe bloat remover in the Dev section, it will also recover your missing apps, make backups, symlink them correctly and more.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1238472
-smc
somemadcaaant said:
Use psouza4 safe bloat remover in the Dev section, it will also recover your missing apps, make backups, symlink them correctly and more.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1238472
-smc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just realized his ONE-CLICK method is what allows system/app to be restored if you have the System Dump available. People kept telling me "yea use his script, it'll put everything back to normal." No, it won't. His script can rename all apps on the list from .apk to .bak, but the script itself will NOT restore anything. His ONE-CLICK method, however, will, assuming you have all the system files available.
UnhappyDroid3User said:
Would you mind sharing your solution? I have the same issue and am leary of trying Psouza's app because my carrier is Bell not Verizon (he's warned be this could cause a boot loop!). So I only tried replacing system apps that I deleted with no success.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.) Download Root Explorer
2.) You need to get the .apk's and their corresponding .odex's into system/app. If they are on your computer, connect your phone via USB and drag them into a folder on your SD card (I made one called System Dump).
3.) Use Root Explorer to browse to the folder you put all the .apk's and .odex's in, and press the menu button and click "Multi-Select", and select all the apk's and odex's you want to install, then click "Move" or "Copy"
4.) Browse back into the system/app folder and click "Paste." (If it doesn't let you, make sure you have "r/w" clicked at the top right or you won't have permission to make alterations to that folder)
5.) Now find the .apk you want to install that you just pasted. For example, DLNA.apk. Click the file, and press "Install." It should give you a list of the permissions that the app needs. Hit ok/install, and it should say "App was not installed" or "Installation unsuccessful."
6.) Now, press and hold the .apk file you just tried to install. A menu will pop up. Click on "Permissions." Make sure ONLY the following boxes are checked - Owner: Read and Write, Group: Read, Others: Read. Everything else is to remain unchecked. Press "OK"
7.) Now, press and hold the .apk file again, but this time scroll down to "Change Owner." Change both Owner and Group to "0 - root" (it's the top-most option). Click "OK."
8.) Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the apk's corresponding .odex file.
9.) Change back to "r/o" at the top right of Root Explorer and exit.
10.) Reboot your phone.
11.) Once booted, your system file should be installed properly.
Lyxdeslic said:
I just realized his ONE-CLICK method is what allows system/app to be restored if you have the System Dump available. People kept telling me "yea use his script, it'll put everything back to normal." No, it won't. His script can rename all apps on the list from .apk to .bak, but the script itself will NOT restore anything. His ONE-CLICK method, however, will, assuming you have all the system files available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He provides links to Verizon's system files in one of the posts.... so if you're with Verizon you're golden.... not so lucky if you're with Bell Canada like I am.
UnhappyDroid3User said:
He provides links to Verizon's system files in one of the posts.... so if you're with Verizon you're golden.... not so lucky if you're with Bell Canada like I am.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Additionally, the program has several menu items and links in the text that you can use to download these files. But again, only for Verizon users because we have different apps.
UnhappyDroid3User said:
He provides links to Verizon's system files in one of the posts.... so if you're with Verizon you're golden.... not so lucky if you're with Bell Canada like I am.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unhappy, did you try out the steps I wrote out for you? They work like a charm. A bit time consuming, but it gets the job done regardless. Let me know if you need help or if you can't figure it out.
I have been trying to get "gsam root companion" to work on my htc one. I've rooted my device just so i could check out the features such as wake lock, etc.
The thing is, it keep saying "The Root Companion application is not installed correctly in /system/priv-app."
I tried manually installing it by copying the "com.gsamlabs.bbm.rootcomanion-1.apk" (whether or not if its the correct file) into the system/priv-app location. That restarted my device, and the file just disappeared from the priv-app location as well, and so the problem persist.
Am i doing everything wrong manually. Wish I could find a tutorial vid =/.
Thank you in advance
elfking7 said:
I have been trying to get "gsam root companion" to work on my htc one. I've rooted my device just so i could check out the features such as wake lock, etc.
The thing is, it keep saying "The Root Companion application is not installed correctly in /system/priv-app."
I tried manually installing it by copying the "com.gsamlabs.bbm.rootcomanion-1.apk" (whether or not if its the correct file) into the system/priv-app location. That restarted my device, and the file just disappeared from the priv-app location as well, and so the problem persist.
Am i doing everything wrong manually. Wish I could find a tutorial vid =/.
Thank you in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
in order to write/modify/delete file in /system, you need an unsecured kernel (/system writeable), otherwise all changes made to /system will be reverted at reboot. I'm not using and never used gsam, maybe there is another option but the only one I know is to flash a custom kernel.
Kernel for the htc one (M7) are listed here
make sure to chose one that is compatible with your rom (sense/gpe based or AOSP based)
elfking7 said:
I have been trying to get "gsam root companion" to work on my htc one. I've rooted my device just so i could check out the features such as wake lock, etc.
The thing is, it keep saying "The Root Companion application is not installed correctly in /system/priv-app."
I tried manually installing it by copying the "com.gsamlabs.bbm.rootcomanion-1.apk" (whether or not if its the correct file) into the system/priv-app location. That restarted my device, and the file just disappeared from the priv-app location as well, and so the problem persist.
Am i doing everything wrong manually. Wish I could find a tutorial vid =/.
Thank you in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just fiddled with this the other day, but didn't use the Root Companion app. It's not the Root Companion apk that's moved to /system/priv-app. It's the actual GSam Battery Monitor apk, com.gsamlabs.bbm.apk. The Root Companion app just does the move for you. If you have a file manager with root r/w permission, you should be able to do it yourself. Just move com.gsamlabs.bbm.apk from /data/app to /system/priv-app. Then restart your phone. I actually used an app called Link2SD to convert GSam Battery Monitor from a user app to system app and it accomplished the same thing.
alray said:
in order to write/modify/delete file in /system, you need an unsecured kernel (/system writeable), otherwise all changes made to /system will be reverted at reboot. I'm not using and never used gsam, maybe there is another option but the only one I know is to flash a custom kernel.
Kernel for the htc one (M7) are listed here
make sure to chose one that is compatible with your rom (sense/gpe based or AOSP based)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm running the stock AT&T 4.4.2 ROM rooted with the stock kernel and haven't had any issues with changes reverting back after a reboot. I use ES File Explorer & set it to have R/W permissions in that app's settings, but I assume that only applies to that app. Yet I've converted a few apps from user apps to system apps (3rd party launcher GSam Battery Monitor & SuperSU are the ones I remember off the top of my head) and never noticed them switching back to user apps. That is until I update them; then they become user apps. I don't know if this is because the apps I'm using to switch them have SU permissions or what, but none have changed back by simply rebooting. And as far as I know, I haven't done anything to modify the stock kernel from the OTA. Is it even possible to unsecure a stock kernel using apps?
alray said:
in order to write/modify/delete file in /system, you need an unsecured kernel (/system writeable), otherwise all changes made to /system will be reverted at reboot. I'm not using and never used gsam, maybe there is another option but the only one I know is to flash a custom kernel.
Kernel for the htc one (M7) are listed here
make sure to chose one that is compatible with your rom (sense/gpe based or AOSP based)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much. I had this problem for days. Why isn't my unlocked phone writeable in the first place...
sharksfan7 said:
I just fiddled with this the other day, but didn't use the Root Companion app. It's not the Root Companion apk that's moved to /system/priv-app. It's the actual GSam Battery Monitor apk, com.gsamlabs.bbm.apk. The Root Companion app just does the move for you. If you have a file manager with root r/w permission, you should be able to do it yourself. Just move com.gsamlabs.bbm.apk from /data/app to /system/priv-app. Then restart your phone. I actually used an app called Link2SD to convert GSam Battery Monitor from a user app to system app and it accomplished the same thing.
I'm running the stock AT&T 4.4.2 ROM rooted with the stock kernel and haven't had any issues with changes reverting back after a reboot. I use ES File Explorer & set it to have R/W permissions in that app's settings, but I assume that only applies to that app. Yet I've converted a few apps from user apps to system apps (3rd party launcher GSam Battery Monitor & SuperSU are the ones I remember off the top of my head) and never noticed them switching back to user apps. That is until I update them; then they become user apps. I don't know if this is because the apps I'm using to switch them have SU permissions or what, but none have changed back by simply rebooting. And as far as I know, I haven't done anything to modify the stock kernel from the OTA. Is it even possible to unsecure a stock kernel using apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just used your stock kernal 0.0
Why isn't mine like that. D=
elfking7 said:
You just used your stock kernal 0.0
Why isn't mine like that. D=
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no idea. I didn't even know about needing an unsecure kernel to be able to write to /system. Nor do I know how the stock kernel became unsecure in the first place. All I've done is root the ROM as I normally would by flashing SuperSU. Then grant root permission to the apps that request it. If something in that process makes the stock kernel unsecured, then I don't know what it was.
You said in your OP that you tried manually moving the com.gsamlabs.bbm.rootcomanion-1.apk to /system/priv-app. First of all, that's the wrong apk. See my original reply for the apk you need to move. Do you even have GSam Battery Monitor installed? Battery Monitor & Root Companion are two separate apps. Battery Monitor needs to be installed before Root Companion will do its thing. At least I assume that's the case, b/c like I said before, I didn't use Root Companion to move Battery Monitor. But the description in Root Companion says all it does is move the Battery Monitor apk to /system/priv-app. Secondly, how did you move the apk? What app did you use?
Like I explained previously I originally used an app called Link2SD. That gives an option to convert user apps to system apps & vice versa. Just now I used it to convert GSam back to a user app. I wanted to test if moving the apk manually made a difference. After I converted it to a user app, I used ES File Explorer to cut & paste the GSam apk from /data/app to /system/priv-app. I then restarted my phone. The apk did not disappear and the app continues to work.
sharksfan7 said:
I have no idea. I didn't even know about needing an unsecure kernel to be able to write to /system. Nor do I know how the stock kernel became unsecure in the first place. All I've done is root the ROM as I normally would by flashing SuperSU. Then grant root permission to the apps that request it. If something in that process makes the stock kernel unsecured, then I don't know what it was.
You said in your OP that you tried manually moving the com.gsamlabs.bbm.rootcomanion-1.apk to /system/priv-app. First of all, that's the wrong apk. See my original reply for the apk you need to move. Do you even have GSam Battery Monitor installed? Battery Monitor & Root Companion are two separate apps. Battery Monitor needs to be installed before Root Companion will do its thing. At least I assume that's the case, b/c like I said before, I didn't use Root Companion to move Battery Monitor. But the description in Root Companion says all it does is move the Battery Monitor apk to /system/priv-app. Secondly, how did you move the apk? What app did you use?
Like I explained previously I originally used an app called Link2SD. That gives an option to convert user apps to system apps & vice versa. Just now I used it to convert GSam back to a user app. I wanted to test if moving the apk manually made a difference. After I converted it to a user app, I used ES File Explorer to cut & paste the GSam apk from /data/app to /system/priv-app. I then restarted my phone. The apk did not disappear and the app continues to work.
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Click to collapse
I followed alray's advice. I installed the elementalx kernel which made my system writeable, since my stock kernel wasn't originally. I then retry using the root companion (I installed gsam battery monitor since last week) which finally worked by using the automatic option that the root companion provided. I didn't notice much difference with the app, after giving the battery monitor privileged access to the system=/.
Hey all!
I am absolutely new to the rooting world (last time I used a rooted phone was circa 2009/2010) so please bare with me, I am have a world of trouble with getting the bloatware apps uninstalled from my phone. HTC u11, I installed twrp, I installed magisk, I tried to uninstall the apps, no dice, I then grabbed one of the apps out there for removing system apps, I gave it root, it failed.
I'm hoping to get to the linux subsystem to see if I can get a jdk running on this. I'm trying to make a dev box I can use while hiking (all with a microphone and finger tracking keyboard). But the first pebble becomes a stumbling block. How to actually get root and act as an elevated user in android.
Anyways I think I'm missing something and maybe I missed a piece in the documentation since I did kinda fly through it.
There are a few ways to remove bloatware.
You can delete them in TWRP.
You can delete them with a root capable file explorer.
You can delete them with Titanium Backup.
You can delete them with an app that's been made for the purpose.
If one of the above doesn't work, try another.
You can also pseudo-debloat by using a Magisk module that simply systemlessly "removes" them. They'll still be there, taking up space, but you won't be able to access them in any way (until the module is uninstalled). I don't think this is what you want...
Doing it in TWRP should always work.
With MagiskSU, I've personally tested it with both a root file explorer (FX) and TiBu. But, YMMV...
Purpose made apps might or might not work. It depends if they're properly updated or not.