How-To : Removing sprint bloatware (with root)

[KSmithInNY]

With all the new EVO owners, this one is bound to come up a million times so here we go.

First:
Read THIS thoroughly. If you do not complete all steps, this won't work. Period.

This updated how-to teaches you how to remove the Sprint bloatware directly from your phone without using ADB. If you prefer the ADB method, those instructions can be found HERE.

WARNING: As with doing any hack or mod there comes risk. These instructions are not telling you to do this, rather are giving you the information if you decide to do this

What you'll need:
- Rooted android device. To see if your device is rooted, download a free app from the market called "Android Terminal Emulator". Open the app and type
su [press enter]
If it comes back with "#" then you're rooted.
- Android device with nand unlocked. Until you unlock nand, you do not have r/w permission to the system directory. To see if you have nand unlocked, go to your hboot or bootloader screen. Look at the top. If it says "S-off" You are ready to proceed.

1) Go to the android market and purchase the app Root Explorer. This is a great file explorer that, because its written for rooted devices, will allow you to remove files from system/.

2) Before you touch anything, put your phone in recovery and make a nand backup. I cannot tell you how many times I've borked something and thanks to my backups, I don't need to start from scratch!!!

3) After your successfully made your nand backup, reboot the phone and wait for Android to load. Once its finished loading, open your brand new app, Root Explorer. Super user will ask you to assign the app permissions, select always allow. The app may close its'self the first time you assign it permissions. Just re-open it and from now on your good to go.

4) Inside root explorer, from the root directory, drive to system/app. Once in system/app, click "mount r/w" in the upper right hand corner of root explorer.

5) You are now free to delete the apk's and odex files for the apps you wish to remove.
- Important note: If you are running a custom ROM it has likely been deodexed so you will only see apk files, not odex and apk. You would then only need to delete just an apk.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BE CAREFUL. If you don't know what it is don't remove it!

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.

If you delete an app and want it back:
GO HERE THANKS REGAW!

Special Thanks:
keith newman
gbhil
rufflez
Saepak

 

[anthonylokrn]

Nice guide! Thanks!

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

EDIT: the original SDK method doesn't work, follow KSmithInNY's method

 

[edbtzy]

Is there any consequences for rooting your phone?

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

well... technically, you void warantee. If there is an RUU out, you can always go back. Personally, after rooting my Hero, I have a lot of trust in the Devs to come out with something truly amazing.

 

[KSmithInNY]

Hey rufflez have you tried removing them with the SDK and does it work????

Using my method, when I restart my phone all the APK's are back?!?!?!?!?! Sprint figured us out?

Oh ... and you upgraded to the EVO or are just spreading your knowledge around?

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

I don't have an Evo... yet Try this and see if it works. Let me know if you need help setting up the SDK to try it out.

 

[KSmithInNY]

I don't have an Evo... yet Try this and see if it works. Let me know if you need help setting up the SDK to try it out.

I have the SDK but my girl is bitching about me helping around the house. Will sneak back and try it when the coast is clear LOL!!!!

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

HAHA, ok. Let me know if you need help.

 

[gabbott]

You can do this for free, but you need the SDK properly installed on a computer.
With an SDK setup, phone plugged in, USB debugging on, fire up terminal or command prompt

Wouldn't it be better to do this in recovery mode? I don't think android takes well to removing an apk that is in use. In recovery mode you don't run the risk of trying to remove something in use.

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

nah, its fine. I do it everytime I flash a new ROM to my HERO. I never use the apps that I remove. Alternatively, you can make a flashable zip that removes all the apps you want. You need a text editing software for computer, and another program to sign zips and the knowhow.

 

[Somatic]

Hello,
Came upon this thread through google and have run into a problem while trying to remove sprint apps via the SDK.

rm /system/app/Sprint_Nascar.apk
rm failed for /system/app/Sprint_Nascar.apk, No such file or directory

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

its Sprint_Nscar.apk
Thats the only one thats named differently. if you do it right, there is no message, just continues to the next #

for a complete list of apps in the /system/app directory, fire up the shell and type:
ls /system/app/

you can then verify the spelling of everything you want to remove as everything is case sensitive

 

[gabbott]

Would be great to get a full list together of things to delete. For example, I only use gmail so would be nice to remove the HTC mail app if it is possible.

 

[Cory Streater]

Would be great to get a full list together of things to delete. For example, I only use gmail so would be nice to remove the HTC mail app if it is possible.

HTC mail is so tightly integrated with Sense, that I wouldn't do that if I were you.

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

same with the messages app. That can't be removed because Handcent and Chomp require it to work properly.

 

[gabbott]

HTC mail is so tightly integrated with Sense, that I wouldn't do that if I were you.

Yeah I did think of that, but another example is the voicemail app. It is always running in the background when you look at running services. For me, I use GV for voicemail, and I know on the moment that could be removed and free up a bit of resources. Yeah, might not be chewing up a ton now, but for us OCD folk

Example, here is a list of apps from the samsung moment:

http://wiki.sdx-developers.com/index.php/Safe_Apps_to_Remove

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

The voicemail app is named something funky... Sorry, I forgot the name, since I use it, I never removed it. I would say since its a funky name, its commonly left out of ROMs by accident on the Hero.

 

[KSmithInNY]

It's like VVM or SprintVVM i think ... (VVM= visual voicemail)

 

[Spork1673]

strange every time i remove them i reboot and they are back