Database Info

What apps are safe to remove from stock gingerbread O3D?

I have a stock gb O3D and want to remove as many un needed apps as I can (LG smart world, SNS etcetera) to free up memory and am hoping someone here will be able to advise me on some of the apps that are safe to remove (for example FlexProvider, I have read in some places that its needed and in some that it isn't so haven't deleted that).
It's frustrating that many apps such as facebook (which I do use but hate it restarting) will auto restart when closed within minutes even though all auto run settings for these apps are switched to never autorun....is there a way to stop these restarting as if you do so they always say "this app will restart immediately".
Thanks
Dave

About deletable apps read this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1322903
To avoid apps restarting without deleting them use a freezer (ROOT required, obviously):
-Anttek App Manager -> FREE
-System Tuner Pro
-ROM Toolbox Pro
-Gemini App Manager -> FREE, with Ads
-Titanium Backup Pro
-My Backup Pro
Good luck,

Thankyou, but doesn't freezing mean app can't be used? Is there no way to stop some apps restarting when closed but so can restart them manually?
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk

mistermentality said:
Thankyou, but doesn't freezing mean app can't be used? Is there no way to stop some apps restarting when closed but so can restart them manually?
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, some apps need to be running constantly to react on incoming external events (for example, how could Facebook warn you of an incoming message if you have closed it?). So if you close them, they will self restart.
You can try to disable these "receivers" permissions, though. For instance, Gemini App Manager and AutoRun Manager can do that too, but is far less complicated just freeze the app, IMO. You can defrost it whenever you want to use it again.

I removed Music.apk, but the control buttons are still there in the notification area, even though I had disabled them prior to the removal.

lol yeah i had the same question when I first got my O3D.
The music app needs to keep running to be able to tell the system to keep hiding the music controls...
so stupid lol

A way to *prevent* some apps from running at startup? (not killing nessiarily)

hi, I have been reviewing various bootup type apps (autorun manager, startup manager [no ICS support?], etc) to try to find one that just prevents an app from loading (until i need it and start it manually of course) as opposed to killing the app when it tries to load during boot (which, i seems to be what many of these autorun kinda apps do).
So i was wondering if there is an app that prevents selected apps from starting at bootup. Any ideas would be appreciated!
Cheers,
-Gaiko

Look up vault apk root. In google. It freezes apps fully. Its not in the play store. And doesn't work on ics
Sent from my GALAXY PLAYER 5.0 using XDA

Autostarts
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2

Check out System tuner in the play store. I have the paid pro version and it allows me to disable apps on startup, not sure if its in the free version. But if you can, buy it, it has tons of options and is a fantastic app.
Sent from my Kanged Shooter

I use autorun manager, romtoolbox by jrummy has it too as does Gemini app manager

Try to use ES File Manager. It's free and lots of functionality.

Agree with imppy, has worked a treat for me. Requires root.
Check out "Autostarts"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.elsdoerfer.android.autostarts
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

netwokz said:
Check out System tuner in the play store. I have the paid pro version and it allows me to disable apps on startup, not sure if its in the free version. But if you can, buy it, it has tons of options and is a fantastic app.
Sent from my Kanged Shooter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it IS in free version and it works fine for me.
Sent via XDA from Captivate GB I897.UCKK4 rooted

ROM Toolbox Lite
Auto Start Manager
Control apps that run on start-up by enabling or disabling them. Enable or disable any broadcast receiver for any app.
So, you can disable an app's startup at boot and then enable it whenever you want. Persistent across reboots.
Not like freezing, unfreezing, and then having to start the app. And then repeating before each reboot.

Autostarts looked good enough for me to buy it, question to those of you using it; How much can you disable? Has there been any crashes or issues that seem tied to this? If i disabled all of the autostarts would my phone still be fine or would it seriously mess with things
Sent from my DROID X2 using XDA

LordRalh3 said:
Autostarts looked good enough for me to buy it, question to those of you using it; How much can you disable? Has there been any crashes or issues that seem tied to this? If i disabled all of the autostarts would my phone still be fine or would it seriously mess with things
Sent from my DROID X2 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some apps are mantatory for system's good health, so be carefull what you are disabling.
In general, you can disable from autostart, every non system application...

Most apps I tried simply disable the "on boot completed" trigger, but that's not always enough.
Many apps bypass the boot trigger by autostarting on other events which happen when you boot your phone, like activating data or WiFi, mounting your SD card, etc. Some apps autorun "on time tick," which happens every minute.
Gemini App Manager has more autostart toggles than anything else I tried. ROM Toolbox Lite is a good runner-up.

What verizon apps are safe to delete!

Hey, guys, when I get my S3 on Wednesday, I'm going to root it ASAP.
I want to remove as much bloatware as I can without losing the cool and useful things Samsung has added to their UI. Like S-voice the eyeball watching thing, the gestures etc are all things I want to keep.
What I don't want is verizon nag screens and useless apps and adware that they put on.
Any suggestions or point me to a thread where this is already talked about?

Geez No response yet? I would like to know this as well....

Id like to know to. In the mean time, I just hid them. There was only 4 apps from VZ and the only one that I use is the mobile hotspot app.
VZ mobile, apps, and nav are hidden and never seem to show up in my running apps.

I've froze in titanium backup without issue so far...
Allshare (All 3 of them)
Amazon Kindle
Apps 3.05.78
ColorGoogle+
Guided Tours
Keis air (Both)
Media Hub
Music Hub
S Suggest
S Voice
Samsung Account
V Cast Tones
Voicemail
VPN Client
VZ Nav
Yahoo (both)

Do either of the Kies apps need to be enabled in order to receive OTA updates?

I would recommend using an app like Titanium Backup that has the capability to freeze applications rather than deleting them, so you can play around with it and disable what you don't use or don't like.
I also recommend using the standard ICS application disabling capabilities first, then using a solution like Titanium Backup for those apps that cannot normally be disabled.
For the record, on my Verizon S3 I have roughly 30 applications frozen/disabled.

I actually worked in the opposite direction. I flashed the stripped version onto my phone and then manually added back the apps that I wanted to keep via Root Explorer. The only apps that I added back were Divx, Video Player, and Music FX. The phone runs fast and battery life has been GODLIKE.
Stripped ROM thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1759642

Tronsmart TS7 (aka Glacier TS7) installs random apps without permission

I have a (4GB) Tronsmart TS7 (some times known as a Alps Glacier TS7). It's a Chinese MTK6589 based phone running Android 4.2 purchased from geekbuying.
For the most part the device is stock, there are next to no pre-installed apps apart from the usual, and the only additional apps I have installed are: Playstation, Steam, ColorNote, Shuttle+, Root Explorer DI Radio, Chrome & Gmail
The problem I have is that there are apps appearing on the device that I am not installing. So far it has been the same set of apps that appear:
Mobo Market
UC Browser
TrustGo Security
DU Battery Saver
337 Game Master
GameCenter
(there may be more)
These apps don't start appearing right after a factory reset, but start to arrive 1-2weeks later. They also seem to be packaged similarly; when I say packaged I mean opening them seems to prompt with the same menu & style (accept licence etc) before it gets to the main app. Also, after you open the app from the app drawer it then creates an icon on the desktop. Maybe opening it actually does the installing?
The apps themselves seem to be legit.
I have factory reset the device (twice), and changed my Google password but they are still appearing. They don't show up in my Play store history so they must be coming from elsewhere.
My main concern is that if it is downloading things without my permission, what might it be uploading ? Not to mention wasting my 3g data etc.
So I have a few questions:
Should I be (really) worried?
Is there a way to monitor this? eg connect to a wifi hotspot and packet capture the network traffic? or maybe use a process monitor (the ones I've tried so far haven't shown anything) to see if there is some sort of script in the background?
Can it be stopped?
Thanks in advance, I would be interested to know if anyone else has/had this problem?

I have the same problem.
I haven't tried flashing some other ROM yet, but I guess that is the only way to get it to stop installing those things.

Have you actually found any other roms to install?

For anybody's information:
You may have noticed how you always end up with a 'Tronsmart.mp4' video file appearing in your gallery app. This is damn annoying since it appears twice, once on the internal and once on the external SD card. There is an '\system\app\CopyTest.apk' file which creates both of these. Should be safe to delete it and thus prevent the file(s) appearing
I have actually decompiled this apk. It works as a service that runs when MEDIA_UNMOUNTED or MEDIA_MOUNTED is invoked, and does absolutely nothing else.

I have the same problem, those random apps installing and the video always in my gallery. I have managed to stop tge apps by using a firewall and allowing only my apps that i want to use the internet. I havent found a solution though to fix the problem. Probably tronsmart is spamming its customers...

mariosm1cy said:
I have managed to stop tge apps by using a firewall and allowing only my apps that i want to use the internet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What Firewall did you use? I might be able to use something like that to pinpoint the app that's causing this.

Sory for the late reply. I am usin "android firewall" free from google play store.

USB debugging disabled stopped it on mine
edit: not that easy, wasn't enough. made some cleanup by disabing/removing some system apps. seems to work so far although there are still some strange events like superuser crashing and right after that system downloader.apk reappearing. haven't seen any other junk coming back
these are the apk's i removed:
systemupdateassistant
systemdownloader
omacp
mtkbt
midtest
galaxy4
fusedlocation
engineermode
engineermodesim
cds_info
basicdreams.

security app

Are security apps really necessary?
I tried CM security and AIO, however, both of them make my phone lagging.

cm good app

OnLuxy said:
Are security apps really necessary?
I tried CM security and AIO, however, both of them make my phone lagging.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are downloading tons of apps and visiting shady websites, absolutely. If you only use a handful of apps that don't require tons of permissions, you'll be OK. I don't use anything on my rooted S3.
Also, find a good browser that allows you to disable flash. I use one called Privacy Browser and I got it off FDroid. Not Play Store. Its lightweight on your system and basic. 80% of the websites I visit don't require flash to operate. But one click turns it on if I need it. It only needs a data connection and able to create shortcuts for permissions.
If you need an antivirus/malware app, I always recommend ESET NOD32. I've been using it on my home PC's for years. The definitions are constantly being updated and has saved me a few times. Its lightweight on your system too.

KernelCorn said:
If you are downloading tons of apps and visiting shady websites, absolutely. If you only use a handful of apps that don't require tons of permissions, you'll be OK. I don't use anything on my rooted S3.
Also, find a good browser that allows you to disable flash. I use one called Privacy Browser and I got it off FDroid. Not Play Store. Its lightweight on your system and basic. 80% of the websites I visit don't require flash to operate. But one click turns it on if I need it. It only needs a data connection and able to create shortcuts for permissions.
If you need an antivirus/malware app, I always recommend ESET NOD32. I've been using it on my home PC's for years. The definitions are constantly being updated and has saved me a few times. Its lightweight on your system too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your suggestion. I suppose I can go with ESET, I like explore new apps with my Samsung

OnLuxy said:
Are security apps really necessary?
I tried CM security and AIO, however, both of them make my phone lagging.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No especially if you are careful. Do not install crappy apps, use Firefox (bêta) + advanced mode of uBlock Origin, a firewall (+ additional security/privacy apps if you are rooted).