Customizing my Android phone, I've learned some things along the way that I thought other newbies like myself would be interested to know. This information can be found all over the web, but I thought speaking about these key points would be helpful...
1. If you're interested in rooting your phone, I've found the Towelroot method to be easiest. You can download the apk file for free and it makes the rooting process easy.
2. I have a method of disabling apps to improve performance that has never resulted in me crashing my phone. If you are not rooted, this probably won't be helpful. First off, get Greenify Pro and the Xposed framework, along with the ROM Toolbox. For apps that you know can be frozen safely, use ROM toolbox to freeze them, along with killing startup receivers of apps that you can safely disable from stsrtup, but can't freeze because you want to use them. Then use Greenify to hibernate apps you choose not to disable, but don't want running. I've found this method most efficient.
3. Many root their phones to remove apps that are pre-installed from your service provider, like my AT&T apps for example. I've come to realize that removing apps will not give you back usable storage space, so unless you are sure it's garbage, freezing apps is safest. Also, if you remove an app, it would be wise to backup the apk file first, just in case you need it later.
4. Since I'm a newbie, I have stayed away from custom ROMS and the sort. I've come to realize that this process is for skilled users only and many bad things can occur if this process goes awry. Always make full backups before attempting this at minimum.
5. Certain launchers, such as TouchWiz cannot be removed from Android easily, so I'd suggest you add your launcher of choice and leave the factory installed Launcher alone....
I hope this was helpful to all you newbies, good luck!!!!
Related
In the developer forum for the Sensation I see a bazillion different threads for temporarily rooting the phone and getting rid of bloat, but none of it is permenant. I never had a problem simply deleting .apks through ADB to remove the lesser amount of bloat that was on my Nexus One and I'm assuming the process wouldn't be much different here, but I'm not sure what method to use.
Has anyone successfully DELETED the bloatware apps on their Sensation? I don't want to kill stuff like the launcher or the Sense UI, but I'd like to remove all the T-Mobile garbage (minus the Wifi calling), the games, the extra HTC stuff, and the social networking apps.
I tried searching throughout the Sensation forums and didn't really find any concise threads, but if this specific topic has been covered, feel free to point me in the right direction and close this thread.
If you actually read anything over there you would know that you can't delete anything with temp root. You can only disable the bloat (known as "freezing" with Titanium Backup). Use the adb commands to disable the packages you want or use the Viper tool to disable a ton of bloat easily.
the bloatware cant really be removed till full root is achieved
And now that perm root has been achieved...
...delete the apk files from the system/app directory to get rid of bloat.
doesnt work that way. you can royally screw your phone doing so. please do research before moving forward.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1167420
&
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1162116
RiverCity.45 said:
...delete the apk files from the system/app directory to get rid of bloat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If anything, I just rename files I don't want anymore. eg - system.apk = system.apk1
They don't run and don't show up in the apps anymore and if it messes something up, I can just rename them back.
Unlocked, Rooted, Factory Image. Until the custom ROM scene get's built up, can unused apps be removed from the phone? I don't use 98% of the Google stuff. Can I just delete the apk's from /system/app and reboot? Any other locations for apps? I've disabled what I could, but I just want remove stuff and slim it down. Thx!
titanium my friend
Have it, but have only used it for backups. Care to do a quick tutorial? I'll search in the mean time, thanks!
NM, found it. Thanks mate.
Yup, just freeze or uninstall... freeze if you purchased the key.
As you said in your first post, you can just use something like root explorer or solid explorer to manually delete the apps you don't want from /system/app
That's what I've done
If yours is unlocked after rooing, please do a backup if custom recovery has been installed first - extra steps for good measures, even when we can easily restore factory image, etc.
AntTek App is my favorite, download from Play Store - when in doubt, just freeze it first so it will no longer show or display as APP in the listing. Reboot & profit, and run with a leaner factory rom - probably good for extending battery life with a few tweaks on all those unneeded background apps (i.e. Cell Broadcast Alert ... that's a good one, especially for our xda-members overseas - NOT !!)
just rooted note pro 12.2. is there a list of apps safe to freeze/uninstall after rooting this tablet?
No running list no.
My advice is freeze and test as opposed to uninstalling; and don't go hog wild trying to disable things that are obviously system applications or else you risk running into trouble that you may not be able to fix other than doing factory resets and starting all over again. IMO I will not be trying to do system level changes until we have a custom recovery from which I can make nandroid backups that I can fall back onto.
Thus far other than the Knox apps I've only frozen the extra applications that i dont use like the Cisco app or the remote PC app etc.
There's not a lot of information out there for the Galaxy Core Prime on how we might debloat and save more space, so I decided to make a short tutorial that might help people with some easy steps in cleaning up their device. This guide is meant to be pretty basic and to just help point people in the right direction so that it speaks to a broader scope of Galaxy Core Prime Models, but is based specifically on the SM-G360T1. The SM-G360T is essentially the exact same phone though, so all of these steps should apply directly to that device too. Other Galaxy Core Prime models will be able to use this as well, but just be sure to read the special "NOTE" part of each step. Also, I'm sure it goes without saying, but inevitably I'll get the question, so obviously, root is required for this!
Anyhow, here we go:
1) Do a full backup in recovery before deleting system stuff. This is always a good idea just in case you delete something you're not supposed to and android stops working, then you can just go into recovery(TWRP, CWM, etc.) and restore your backup and your back to square one. It's good to do a new backup too a few days after when you're sure your deleted apps aren't causing any problems so you can restore to that slimmer version later if need be. Also, you should probably save your backup files to the external sd as you will likely have more free space there.
2) Install a debloated rom in recovery. SlimPickins is a great one for the SM-G360T1. It's basically the stock firmware for the MetroPCS Core Prime, but thanks to @Koognod we can now run Android without all the extra junk using his rom. It comes already debloated, deodexed and deknoxed, so you can just install it and not have to deal with finding all the junk to delete for yourself. It's already gone! It's also great for speeding up your bogged down phone or creating more space for your apps and media. Here is the link.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...rom-slimpickins-stock-rooted-bloated-t3250883
NOTE: YOU CAN NOT INSTALL THIS ROM IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE SM-G360T1. It should work fine on the SM-G360T too, but for anyone else just try googling or searching XDA for your "model #" and "debloat rom".
3) I recommend deleting the "PreloadInstaller" folder from "/system/app/" with a Play Store root browser. You should do this before deleting any system apps in my opinion, as this folder contains an apk that is programmed to put back a lot of the system stuff you delete(either immediately or after reboot). If you don't feel comfortable deleting this folder just yet though, then you can just move it to your external sd card for now with your browser to save space in case you ever want to move it back or just skip this step. Your choice!
NOTE: If you don't have the SM-G360T1 or SM-G360T, then your "PreloadInstaller" folder may be called something slightly different or you may not even have it at all. Just look for something similar in there. Be careful not to delete the package installer though as that's the program that allows you to install apps yourself.
4) You need an app that uninstalls system apps. I use "System App Remover(ROOT)" from the Play Store personally because all your deleted system apps actually go into a recycle bin first where they can be restored later if needed. It also tells you if the app in question is a "Key Module"(ie. proceed with serious caution).
5) Google search the internet for system stuff that's ok to delete for your device. It helps to search your model usually, but I don't think there's much info out there for the Galaxy Core Prime unfortunately, so just searching something like "Debloat Samsung Safe" can be a great resource as many Samsung phones have the same system junk.
6) Delete all the obvious stuff you don't want. This would be things like any of the MetroPCS stuff(or whatever carrier you have) or even the Galaxy app store if you don't want it. A lot of Google apps can be deleted too, though you want to be a little more careful with those as Android is pretty much based on the Google Services Framework and many Google apps are tied into the system. Generally, apps like Chrome, Docs, Drive, Hangouts, Maps(if you prefer another map application like Waze or whatever), etc. are good to go if you want. I wouldn't delete any of the core Google apps though that may handle major processes on your phone, like Calendar, possibly even Gmail or any of the ones that you don't know what they do. Deleting the stock camera, gallery, video or music player may sometimes give you problems down the line too, so I would probably keep those. You can also back all your apps up before deleting with Titanium Backup from the Play Store too in case you delete something that you need to put back later.
*NOTE: Some apps, like the Google ones for instance, may cause popup errors after you delete them. This is normal. Your phone's just looking for all those files that were just secretly running a few moments ago. All you have to do is reboot to get rid of those messages. If they still persist, then just reinstall the app.
7) Download an app to clean up that leftover mess. When you delete an app, especially with system stuff, it often leaves a bunch of folders and junk behind. Go to the Play Store and download an app that allows you to clean all that up. There's lots of good ones. I like to use one called "SD Maid" myself. It's good at cleaning up those leftover files and has a feature called "CorpseFinder" in fact that does just that. It also cleans up a lot of other things on your phone.
Anyhow, if you're a heavy power user like myself or you store a lot of music or other media on your phone in addition to 20 million apps or so and you need more space, then I hope this helps you out. Take care guys. Thanks!
Out of curiosity, how does this affect the "phone unlock" feature? In case I want to change providers?
2xMakina said:
Out of curiosity, how does this affect the "phone unlock" feature? In case I want to change providers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It won't affect it at all as long as you don't delete the "Device Unlock" app. More info on unlocking your device here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=63729887
Also, you can just install SlimPickins if you want an already debloated rom.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=63868639
[DISCUSSION] Root safety, phone migration solutions & alternatives to Titanium Backup
So, I've finally received a shiny and new S8 (Exynos).
And quickly enough, I searched XDA & Google to see if there's a stable root solution.
The main reasons I'd like root (& TWRP recovery) for are:
Topmost priority: to properly migrate my apps & data from my current phone (S6) using Titanium backup, so I can start using the new one as my main device.
Giving me the option to choose a custom ROM, when/if I'll find the right one for me.
You can never know when you'll need an app that requires root access.
Having the option to always have a full image backup of the entire device (TWRP).
Debloating the device by freezing/removing unwanted apps (freezing them with Titanium Backup)
I remember that I had to root my device in order to record phone calls (which is very important for me) - I'm not even sure what its like with the S8, but this could also be a reason to root.
After reading, and watching several videos, I understand that there are quite a few things to be worried about:
The chance of bricking your device, as the current rooting solution is immature (Is it? this one scares me the most)
Losing secure folders/Samsung Pay/Samsung Health, etc. (I'd hate to lose Secure Folders - but I'm sure that I can find alternative solutions, I'd prefer not to lose Samsung Pay & Samsung health, but I can live without them).
Losing warranty - not even sure if that's true, read here: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/...iphone-rooting-android-does-not-void-warranty (Although I can live without the warranty, always rooted my phones while knowing I'll lose warranty).
I also read this discussion: https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyS8/comments/6bgu7n/psa_do_not_attempt_to_root_your_s8s8/
Since I really want to migrate to the new phone, I've looked for options to safely copy the data without having root:
CloneIT: Didnt migrate the apps' data.
Helium: Apps were backuped, but couldnt restore them. many of my apps are not supported by Helium.
Smart Switch: Not even sure if it can migrate apps' data or not, but unfortunately - it didnt even run properly on my S6, once installed - there's a splash screen coming up, that vanishes after couple of seconds. I've read posts of other users complaining about this very same behavior. couldn't find a solution to make it run. it works find on the S8.
I googled, and found that there are a bunch of companies that sell complete migration tools (that require PC/Mac), did anyone check any of these, and can share a honest review?
None of them is free for use/download.
Here are some that I've found (there are more out there):
https://www.phonetransfer.org/
https://www.recovery-android.com/android-data-backup-restore.html
https://www.coolmuster.com/mobile-transfer.html
https://www.gihosoft.com/mobile-phone-transfer.html
https://www.android-data-recovery.org/phone-transfer
https://mobiletrans.wondershare.com/
I've always rooted my phones, so being root-less is a bit new to me. should I just take the chance and root it?
Both Android and TouchWiz are quite mature now, allowing us to enjoy a smooth and slick operation - when combined with the powerful hardware the S8 is equipped with, right out of the box.
What are your reasons for rooting?
How did all of your migrate your phones? started everything from scratch?
If not - how did you migrate from your previous phone?
Is the current rooting solution safe enough? And if its not - and we'll wait until a 'safe' rooting solution is out - how can we keep our apps & data continuously (in my case: S6--> Non rooted S8 --> Rooted S8)?
Does any of the paid solutions I listed above really work?
Would love to hear your thoughts and advises.
I rooted my phone because I would like to customize my own phone as it is mine. DriveDroid, FolderMount, Titanium Backup, smartdisk, and so on. It doesn't matter how good a phone is without root, for me, it is garbage if I cannot customize it. Get a unrootable phone just as powerful as the desktop PC, and I'll find it garbage regardless of smoothness.
Well put me down for wondering if any of these without root will restore app data....