Hi,
I'm wondering if we could make a list of unsafe bloatwares to remove. For example, I came across this:
APPS YOU SHOULD NOT REMOVE:
-Don't remove weather, news, or FriendStream. The widgets should be fine but not the actual apps. They are too deeply integrated into the system and will break things. Some people have not experienced problems while others (including myself) have seen some major issues from removing these. It's best just to avoid.
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Click to collapse
I am new to Android (been only 3 days!), so I don't know enough to know if the above comment is true. And, I think there will be other people in the same shoe as myself. So, it may be helpful to create a list that we can just glance at to know which bloatwares are safe to remove and which are not.
GT
most of the htc apps are ok to remove. when i was running a sense rom, i removed pretty much all of the htc apps. the only one i had an issue with after removing it was the friendstream.
you can always make a nandroid backup of your current working rom, then start deleting things and seeing if it has an effect. if anything breaks your phone, jot it down, restore the nandroid, and keep going.
its fun!
cant find the list of the apps ok to remove, can someone help?
Related
Okay, so here is a small application I designed out of fun. Just install it on your desktop and run it, and it will give you the option to remove some bloatware from your phone. This is not 100% full proof. There are bound to be some errors with version numbers and all. Also, this will only work with the new gingerbread 4.22 base, because of the change in names of the stock apps.
Remember, your phone will need to be rooted, and connected via adb for this to work.
This is the first time I'm developing something so don't attack me if it doesn't work lol.
As with anything, I'm not responsible to anything that happens to your phone. ( Though the worst that probably can happen is that the application doesn't get removed.
Attached is the application in a zip folder.
Windows Only
sorry Linux users, maybe next time.
If you have any problems installing, go and download Microsoft Netframework.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=e5ad0459-cbcc-4b4f-97b6-fb17111cf544
Cool ill try this out and report back. Nice work
Okay cool, thanks
hopefully it's at least %100 fool proof.
Can you define what you call "bloatware" as well? I consider all Sense ROMs to be bloatware, will this app remove it and flash an AOSP ROM? -- point being is everyone defines bloatware differently. Maybe in future versions you can have checkboxes on what the app removes allowing the user to have choice.
Thanks.
Lol, yeah hopefully.
I was defining bloatware as applications that are loaded onto the phone by the carrier. So basically, almost anything Sprint related.
maybe give the users options on what they want to remove?
yeah I have included a few apps for the user's choice to remove, but I understand what you're saying. I'll definitely expand on that.
Good luck with this. I'm sure there is a need for this software, so I hope you keep it up and mature it into something useful to the XDA hordes.
Phone Status: rooted, S-OFF, stock, BusyBox 1.17.1, CWM 5.0.2.7
File Manager: ES File Explorer
I believe I've found a bug or at least rather unusual behavior for Bloater, specifically when using it to uninstall Friendstream or Peep. When Bloater is used on either of these apps, it has the undesired side-effect of disabling the HTC Setting Widgets, in that the multiple widgets displayed under this option no longer show--a black screen appears when one selects the "Settings ..." widget option. Checking via ES File Explorer, htcsettingwidgets.apk and htcsettingwidgets.odex are present under /system/app, as is the folder com.htc.htcsettingwidgets under /data/data (although the lib subfolder is empty, but I think that's the way it's supposed to be). Any reinstallation attempt using the .apk fails.
If I uninstall any of the above apps manually, the HTC Setting Widgets are unaffected, so Bloater must be executing some other commands that obviously don't keep this particular widget set happy.
Tested using a Nandroid backup made just after I updated from the MoDaCo CWM to the official CWM 5.0.2.7, restoring after using Bloater on each of the above listed apps.
Has anyone else using Bloater observed the same behavior? Not earth-shattering, I know, but something is definitely happening under the hood with the app to cause what I've documented here. Curious to find out if it can be reproduced on other MT4GS phones.
PS: Bloater tends to leave quite a few files behind after uninstalling a given app (SD Maid checking for "corpses" afterward).
TIA for any replies or feedback; mostly curious as it's not mission critical, given that manual uninstall works as expected --
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King Cheetah
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1478341
linking these two threads together - don't have the opportunity to answer them right now - if someone else wants to fill in the blanks go ahead.
Not sure, but noted, will get back to this soon?
Sorry for the less then satisfying reply, posting puts it on my radar.
What exactly does bloater do? I use titanium to remove or freeze system apps, what's the difference?
Bloater is a bloatware removal app specifically for rooted/s-off MT4GS phones developed by Romanbb and Blue6IX. Here's the thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1258834
Titanium is one method of dealing with bloat, Bloater is another. The app caught my interest since it was specifically for the MT4GS, and I'd like to help polish it with my meager skills.
@Blue - no worries, dude, I know you're herding a bunch of cats right now. Just shining some light on possible bugs so they can be properly squashed.
Big Purr from the Pacific NW --
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King Cheetah
Thanks man - get to it as soon as I can. Meantime any theory or discussion cuts down on the time to resolution when I do get to this.
Thanks!
KingCheetah, I also noticed this bug with Bloater. Very similar situation (S-OFF, stock, BusyBox 1.19.3, CWM 5.0.2.7)
One way I have found to get the settings widget to function correctly again is to clear the HTC Sense data. From doing some searching, I found a thread in the Incredible forum with a similar problem (Apparently, too noob to post link?).
Pertinent takeaway:
- manage applications
- HTC Sense (click it)
- Click on "clear data"
- reboot your phone
This unfortunately means you'll have to reconfigure your homescreens but all other info (accounts, settings, applications, etc) are saved so nbd to drag a few icons around.
Anyway, I know this isn't an amazing fix for something that isn't an earth-shattering problem but it is my first post on XDA! Now to figure out how I managed to mess up the calender widget and if that was also Bloater related...
This may be related to another missing widget situation as noted in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1478341. Linked by Blue in #2.
While an interesting workaround, it's a little scorched earth for me, nuking the homescreen set-up like that. Manual uninstall of the targeted bloat seems to be a more elegant solution, though more reading/learning intensive.
Welcome to the forums and the process of denoobifying
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King Cheetah
Evening folks, as phones such as my trusty HTC Sensation come to the end of their useful lives, to be replaced by other newer phones, I was wondering if there was such a thing as a 'non phone' ROM I could flash which would remove the calling, texting etc functions and allow it to be used as a 'ipod touch' (for want of a better description). I would be quite happy putting a dummy SIM card into the phone and simply not allowing it to touch the network but I would be happier with the calling etc functions removed from the phone, especially as I'm hoping to give it to my kids to play with.
Any advice? Does such a thing exist? I had a quick google and couldnt really see anything too relevant. Happy to be corrected on that though!
Haven't seen a ROM like that here..
I'm not sure why you want those features removed, but if you want that your kids don't use them, you can set up a password lock on those apps.
I don't think there's any such ROM. But why you insisting on no network feature. Just don't insert the SIM and it will work.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e
Oh, I know I could stop it like that but just was wondering if there was a 'lighter' ROM without the phone aspects.
bowser4 said:
Oh, I know I could stop it like that but just was wondering if there was a 'lighter' ROM without the phone aspects.
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Click to collapse
Or then maybe Link2SD can freeze the apps, so they won't be shown in appdrawer.
bowser4 said:
Oh, I know I could stop it like that but just was wondering if there was a 'lighter' ROM without the phone aspects.
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You can remove those by using certain apps that can do it. I think titanium backup has this functionality. However, as these apps are not heavy, simply hiding them will do the work.
Edit: Just remembered, on most ROMs. the phone and messaging apps have other apps that depend on them, so removing them completely might cause issues. Hiding them from the drawer (possible on many AOSP based launchers and some Sense ROMs built-in) would be the simplest way to "remove" the apps.
astar26 said:
You can remove those by using certain apps that can do it. I think titanium backup has this functionality. However, as these apps are not heavy, simply hiding them will do the work.
Edit: Just remembered, on most ROMs. the phone and messaging apps have other apps that depend on them, so removing them completely might cause issues. Hiding them from the drawer (possible on many AOSP based launchers and some Sense ROMs built-in) would be the simplest way to "remove" the apps.
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Thanks for that, I'll go ahead and hide them. Appreciate the info folks, many thanks.
I have just bought a xperia z3 and I noticed that when I started the phone for the first time, the battery lasted for a good long time without having to recharge it.
But in a few days, it lasted noticeably less and I found out that it's because of the massive amount of Sony & Google bloatware working in the background although I never use them and I have no interest in or need of using them.
So,
May someone list all the Z3's Bloatware, their functions (description) and usefulness and which are RESTRICTED to be stopped or deleted?
http://bit.ly/1GpfzIY
Thanks
gregbradley said:
http://bit.ly/1GpfzIY
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Thanks, but I don't get it.
it opened a google search page with a search statement, that's it
I have already done that before, but everyone lists the app list without the description.
I don't want to delete an app without knowing what it's for,
So, what I am really looking for is the description of Z3's Bloatware, not just listing them.
louai rabia said:
Thanks, but I don't get it.
it opened a google search page with a search statement, that's it
I have already done that before, but everyone lists the app list without the description.
I don't want to delete an app without knowing what it's for,
So, what I am really looking for is the description of Z3's Bloatware, not just listing them.
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Click to collapse
OK, most of the package names are self explanatory. But you can have a look inside them for further details.
Also, if you use Titanium you can freeze the apps (Instead of uninstalling) and then if you have issues with things not working you can unfreeze them without having to do a full restore via recovery. However, it is advisable to have a recent backup in recovery in case you end up in bootloops after freezing something important
Thanks
gregbradley said:
OK, most of the package names are self explanatory. But you can have a look inside them for further details.
Also, if you use Titanium you can freeze the apps (Instead of uninstalling) and then if you have issues with things not working you can unfreeze them without having to do a full restore via recovery. However, it is advisable to have a recent backup in recovery in case you end up in bootloops after freezing something important
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Click to collapse
well, not a bad advice but still not the one I am looking for.
Trial and Error method is too risky, plus, some app I may disable I will still not know what they were doing.
most of package names don't explain nothing to me, may be to someone else but not me.
I thought that I would ask this question and then see what everyone has to offer.
I recently rooted my LG Volt phone and all is well. My next step is to take off some of the 'Bloatware' that came installed on the phone from VM.
My Question is HOW? and WHAT?
I know I would like to remove CHROME browser but not sure how. I know there are a lot of other apps that could come off that I'm not aware of that just slow down the phone and take up space. Has anyone ever developed a definitive list of the 'possible' bloatware that is installed on phones.
I'm afraid to remove some things incase it is required to operate the phone. So something that is critical to the phone operation should not be included on the list.
Once a list is developed than I could check against it to see what it is possible to remove.
Second part is how. Since my phone is rooted it should be fairly easy but not sure exactly how and to make sure I got all of a piece of software removed or am I leaving something behind that is more wasted space.
This, I would think, would be very useful to amateurs like myself.
JimReid said:
I thought that I would ask this question and then see what everyone has to offer.
I recently rooted my LG Volt phone and all is well. My next step is to take off some of the 'Bloatware' that came installed on the phone from VM.
My Question is HOW? and WHAT?
I know I would like to remove CHROME browser but not sure how. I know there are a lot of other apps that could come off that I'm not aware of that just slow down the phone and take up space. Has anyone ever developed a definitive list of the 'possible' bloatware that is installed on phones.
I'm afraid to remove some things incase it is required to operate the phone. So something that is critical to the phone operation should not be included on the list.
Once a list is developed than I could check against it to see what it is possible to remove.
Second part is how. Since my phone is rooted it should be fairly easy but not sure exactly how and to make sure I got all of a piece of software removed or am I leaving something behind that is more wasted space.
This, I would think, would be very useful to amateurs like myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
install app called (system app remover) ....about WHAT : you need to un-install the apps that you don't need but doesn't harm the phone ....like if you are on Samsung phone or sony....you need to un-install chrome and Samsung store ....play groups...
simply my man you can un-install all the apps that shows in your app drawer ...else than that don't remove any thing
good luck :good: