Phone: Koodo Moto G with Motorola Android 4.3
I've seen a post or two about not being able to install Android APK files on the Moto G, and I've seen some solutions. As far as I'm aware, on this particular release of Android this is to prevent malicious apps from installing from SD memory, which makes a lot of sense given the amount of malware, etc. targeting Android. Anyway, conjecture aside, here is my preferred route to installing apk files (like f-droid), since I don't like ES File Manager, and I don't like random hacks which in all probability are just going to introduce another security hole anyway.
First, be sure you have enabled the proper settings under Settings --> Security --> Unknown sources.
Get root. This is mandatory, and why do you want to muck about away from the relative safety of the Play Store if you aren't getting root anyway?
Install a file manager built for accessing protected partitions. My fave is Root Explorer (purchased).
Open your "Download" folder on the SD memory (where your web browser will have saved the apk) and select your apk for copying or moving. Now open the root folder, and here you have a choice. You will need to create a folder in the phone's protected storage. (Delete/Move random files anywhere in here at your own peril!) For simplicity and security, I used
Code:
/data
. I then created a folder named APKs (/data/APKs) and moved my apk files to that location. Now your files are somewhere the operating system considers "safe".
Click, install, enjoy!
Hello guys Im really sorry for bothering you but I have a Problem . I copied that
Pool Live Pro 8 Ball 9 Ball_v2.6.5_apkpure.com.apk apk from a trusted website for apks- Apkpure to the internal storage of my nougat 7.1.1 Sony Xpreria XZ Premium. It shows as normal apk file when my phone is connected to the pc and i can delete the apk file with no problems from my computer but when i restart my phone and that apk file is still there. I cant replace it with file with the same name - it shows the device is not connected , but i can copy any other files than that apk. The apk shows 47 mb when connected to pc, but when i see it in ES Explorer, SD Maid or the built in file explorer it shows 0b size. I can delete it with SD MAID and ES Explorer and some third party apps but it reappears with the next restart or even not a restart - only when clearing the data of sd maid and enter sd maid again for example and its still there . with the built in xperia file explorer i dont even have the option to delete it -only to share and thats only for that file. I copied the apk from the pc to another place of the internal storage [second copy] but in a folder and when i try to delete that folder the system recreates that folder with some random number in the original name of the folder, when i try to delete it again it creates even more numbers in the name. The apk can be seen in certain file explorers - it cant be seen in File Commander which i use most often
Im Not rooted and i tried to -
1 move it in a folder and then delete the folder[unsuccesfull - does not allows me to move] or replace, rename it with other file with the same name[unsuccesfull], delete it even with third party file cleaners and with some it shows deleted succesfully and next time i enter its still there [system recreates it]
2 tried Applcation checker apps but they show data only for installed apps
3 cleaned system cache partition, scaned with avg in safe mode [no problems found]
4 deleting it with ADB rm command --[ it shows me theres no such directory] - the full path of the ghost apk is /storage/emulated/0/Pool Live Pro 8 Ball 9 Ball_v2.6.5_apkpure.com.apk
Thats the adress of the apk - just type in google Pool Live Pro 8 Apkpure and its the first result
PLEASE guys help me Im confused a lot how can i delete that apk and is it a virus or something - I dont want to factory reset because i have too much data .
Hello
So far from my tinkering i have came to realize that after an android app gets installed the following directory under the root file system gets changed
/data/app : here the apk is stored
/data/app-lib : here the app's native binaries are extracted
/data/dalvik-cache : here the app's dex binary is extracted
/data/data : here the app's db & other files are created under a folder named by the app's package
i rooted my nexus 5
i then installed a simple app
checked the directories mentioned above and saw new contents
then i copied the particular app's contents from the mentioned directories and kept them in a separate folder inside the sdcard directory
i then uninstalled the app & checked the above directories. The files corresponding to the app were gone as per my guess
Then i have copied back the contents from my sdcard to the above directories to restore the app without a new installation
But Now the Android OS is not showing the APP along with the others , but WHY ? Does the OS creates a tree somewhere in the filesystem during the installation ? or If there is some thing else which i am missing which i can change so that the app reappears automatically without any new installation .
Thanks in advance
i have solved the problem .. after reset the app was automatically got by the OS , because the installd daemon starts with boot
Update (February 7, 2023)
Get the latest version of MixPlorer for Android 13 which was released a few days ago. Allow it to access data and obb folders. It's the only File Manager app that can access them right now.
Method 1-
• Download and install Files by Google
• Tap and hold on it, go to app info, allow the app to modify system settings
• Open the app, copy your game/app obb or data file to the Android folder inside your device storage. Then move it to obb or data folder on Android.
Method 2-
• Download and install Mixplorer by Hootan Parsha.
• Tap and hold on it, go to app info, allow the app to modify system settings
• Open the app, copy your game/app obb or data file to the Android/data or Android/obb folder inside your device storage. The app will ask you to choose the folder you want to modify. Simply open and select Android folder.
• Now you can copy/move without any hassle
Method 3 (requires root) -
• Download and install Root Explorer.
• Tap and hold on it, go to app info, allow the app to modify system settings
• Open the app, copy your game/app obb or data file to the Android/data or Android/obb folder inside your device storage. It will ask write permission on the app, press okay.
• Then it will ask root permission. Grant it and you're good to go.
Method 4 (requires a custom recovery) -
• Reboot to TWRP, PitchBlack, OrangeFox
• Go to settings - mount and tick system
• Now go to recovery file manager, navigate to your file, tap or it or press and hold to get the options, then copy/paste it to Android/data or Android/obb
• Reboot
I know it's a really basic tutorial for a lot but the more people know the better.
Good day, update!
Method 1, ist kaput.
Does not work. Recognizes Android folder ONLY AND if you copy to it, it rejects your copy or move.
Method 2, failed as well
Don t know how to implement 3 n 4
On Samsung devices and others with android 12 and newest, simply doesn't work any method without root, even when u have app that is asking for permission to have access to copy or do something with android folder, because even with that kind of app your every next move is handled by samsung app, so needless to say, u need to do a root...
OneAboveAll132 said:
On Samsung devices and others with android 12 and newest, simply doesn't work any method without root, even when u have app that is asking for permission to have access to copy or do something with android folder, because even with that kind of app your every next move is handled by samsung app, so needless to say, u need to do a root...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get the latest version of MixPlorer for Android 13 which was released a few days ago. Allow it to access data and obb folders. It's the only File Manager app that can access them right now.
RyanCr7 said:
Get the latest version of MixPlorer for Android 13 which was released a few days ago. Allow it to access data and obb folders. It's the only File Manager app that can access them right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have that, its not working, its switching back to standart Samsung file manager because of protect, how i told
RyanCr7 said:
Update (February 7, 2023)
Get the latest version of MixPlorer for Android 13 which was released a few days ago. Allow it to access data and obb folders. It's the only File Manager app that can access them right now.
Method 1-
• Download and install Files by Google
• Tap and hold on it, go to app info, allow the app to modify system settings
• Open the app, copy your game/app obb or data file to the Android folder inside your device storage. Then move it to obb or data folder on Android.
Method 2-
• Download and install Mixplorer by Hootan Parsha.
• Tap and hold on it, go to app info, allow the app to modify system settings
• Open the app, copy your game/app obb or data file to the Android/data or Android/obb folder inside your device storage. The app will ask you to choose the folder you want to modify. Simply open and select Android folder.
• Now you can copy/move without any hassle
Method 3 (requires root) -
• Download and install Root Explorer.
• Tap and hold on it, go to app info, allow the app to modify system settings
• Open the app, copy your game/app obb or data file to the Android/data or Android/obb folder inside your device storage. It will ask write permission on the app, press okay.
• Then it will ask root permission. Grant it and you're good to go.
Method 4 (requires a custom recovery) -
• Reboot to TWRP, PitchBlack, OrangeFox
• Go to settings - mount and tick system
• Now go to recovery file manager, navigate to your file, tap or it or press and hold to get the options, then copy/paste it to Android/data or Android/obb
• Reboot
I know it's a really basic tutorial for a lot but the more people know the better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only method 4 worked.
I was playing with some files of some app and then after moding the files when I checked the data/data folder to replace them in my miui 13 then it was empty and I can't find any app data their..
So now where is the all data of app are saved in Android root folder??
I have redmi pad with stock rom
You need root to access /data/data folder.
xXx yYy said:
You need root to access /data/data folder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have root, actually I needed to switch file manager app..
Just tried same with mxfile manager and all data was shown..