Apps that are safe to remove once rooted

[sephjo]

I just deleted my gallery app with photo widgets on home screen on my facinate. Anyway I can re-install it? I tried through Titanium backup, but no dice. DI01 baseband. removed app with SystemAp Remover.

 

[digmys]

I just deleted my gallery app with photo widgets on home screen on my facinate. Anyway I can re-install it? I tried through Titanium backup, but no dice. DI01 baseband. removed app with SystemAp Remover.

You will need to find the apks somewhere, download them, put them back in /system/app and then reset the UNIX permissions correctly.

 

[sephjo]

no luck finding anything so far. should I just flash a new rom instead?

 

[digmys]

no luck finding anything so far. should I just flash a new rom instead?

That is an option. If you want to stay stock you could just flash a rooted version of the latest stock ROM.

 

[robertobx]

I just updated to the new DL09 and I can not rename the bloatware apk to old. When trying to rename a file it says that it is a read-only file. What do I do?

 

[Chris Kerrigan]

I just updated to the new DL09 and I can not rename the bloatware apk to old. When trying to rename a file it says that it is a read-only file. What do I do?

Are you using root explorer? Make sure you tap that "Mount R/O" or "Mount R/W" button on the top right of the application.

 

[red1blue2yellow3]

Yes that should work, in the future I would suggest you freeze them with my own app, Bloat Freezer, or Titanium Backup Premium. Freezing keeps them from running and makes them invisible to your phone, then with one click you can defrost them and they are right back where they were, same concept, just easier than doing it manually.

Note that when you put them back they need to go in /system/app of course and the UNIX permissions need to be reset on each apk correctly.

I got my phone reset to factory and rerooted. This time I got your app and it worked great. It did everything I was looking to do. Thanks.

 

[DroidXcon]

UNIX permissions correctly.

how do you do this exactly

 

[digmys]

how do you do this exactly

in the shell:

su
mount -o rw,remount -t (filesystem type here) (mount path here) /system
cd /system/app

and then
chmod 644 filename.apk
for each apk that you added back

 

[DroidXcon]

su
mount -o rw,remount -t (mount path here) /system
cd /system/app

and then
chmod 644 filename.apk
in the shell for each apk that you added back

outstanding, thank you

 

[cosmo36]

"Freezing" google latitude with Titanium backup

I've been searching, and I can't find if this is on anyone's list of "safe" apps to remove (or freeze). I'm very sorry if this is easily found somewhere (I have tried the search tab). Just got the phone a week ago, so I'm new. Thanks!

 

[Les3631]

Once rooted, you might want to get rid of some of the Verizon Bloatware that came pre-installed on the phone.

1) Before you start making changes, I would strongly recommend backing up your device with a program like Titanium Backup (also in the market).
2) Instead of deleting files, I would recommend renaming them from <filename.apk> to <filename.apk.old> For example, there's a file called Blockbuster_Stub_v0_2_build_12-unsigned-signed.apk in the system/app folder. If you long press on this file, in root explorer, you have the option of renaming it. Select this and add .old to the end. Once you do this, it will no longer show up in your app drawer and there will be no trace of it starting up with the OS.
3) Alternatively, you could move these files to your SD card if you don't want them eating up space in your system folder. But do not delete these files. Over in the X forum, we learned that an OTA update would fail, because files we considered bloatware didn't exist. The system folder had to be exactly the way it was when the phone shipped.
4) Before you rename or move an app in the /system/app folder, check the list below. If it is not listed, or you are unsure if it is safe to modify, please ask first. Another lesson we learned with the Droid X is that there are several files in the system/app folder, that we thought fell in the bloatware category. They were actually essential apps in order for the phone to run. For example, renaming the Verizon Backup APK bricked the phone.
5) All that said, here are is a list of things I've successfully renamed without problems:

• Blockbuster: Blockbuster_Stub_v0_2_build_12-unsigned-signed.apk
• Stock web browser: Browser.apk
• Subscription based (2.99 per month) app that displays city & state information for incoming calls: CityID_1.0.27_vzw.sch.i500_12118-release.apk
• Bing Search App: I500_BingSearchAndroid_07152010.apk
• My Verizon account information app: I500_MyVerizon_05202010.apk
• Samsung File Explorer: MyFiles.apk
• Need for Speed Limited demo version: NFSSInstallerSamsungEmbed_1.1.64.apk
• Amazon Kindle: redding-7648-signed-zipped.apk
• Skype: Skype_mobile.1.0.0.19.live.apk
• App that links to download and install Tetris: TetrisInstallerSamsungEMBED.apk
• VCast ringtones app: i500_VCASTTones_QA_060310_1436.apk
• VCast video app: VCastVideo.apk
• VCast music app: VCastMusic.apk
• VZNavigator: vnav_4.7.0.258_i500_rel_PROD_signed.apk
• Write & Go: WriteandGo.apk
• Verizon Instant Messaging Client: Final_Schi500_3.0.3.3_07262010.apk
• ThinkFree Office: ThinkDroid.apk
• All Samsung Widgets

I have also removed and/or renamed the following wallpaper and Samsung widget specific APK's without any consequences:

• LiveWallpapers.apk
• LiveWallpapers.odex
• LiveWallpapersPicker.apk
• LiveWallpapersPicker.odex
• MagicSmokeWallpapers.apk
• MagicSmokeWallpapers.odex
• All TATLiveWallpapers & ODEX files.

DO NOT REMOVE VsuiteApp.apk - your Fascinate will immediately start force closing.

There will be others, I'm sure, but I won't be the first to try. Definitely nothing that is TouchWiz related.

If there are additional apps that you have successfully renamed or moved, please post them in this thread.

Suggested alternatives:

• Instead of the built in browser use Dolphin HD.
• Use Google Maps with Navigation instead of VZ Navigator.
• Buy apps through the Amazon MP3 store instead of the VCast music app.
• Convert movies using DVD Catalyst 3, then transfer to your SD card instead of using the VCast video app.
• Use Google Search or Vlingo (really cool search app) instead of Bing.
• For local file browsing try Astro Explorer instead of My Files. If rooted use Root Explorer.
• Search AppBrain for a free caller ID - instead of the subscription based CityID app.
• Instead of ThinkFree use Documents To Go.
• Instead of the Verizon IM client (which only works over Verizon's 3G network) search AppBrain for an IM client app and/or stick to the built in Gtalk application.

My apologies if this was answered previously but when renaming a .apk can I also rename its corresponding .odex (ex .odex.old), then move both to my SD Card?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Chris Kerrigan]

Yep! You should be fine renaming both.

 

[Les3631]

Yep! You should be fine renaming both.

Awesome! Thanks!

 

[Les3631]

Is it safe to remove AllShare (Dlna.apk/.odex) and the stock Calculator (TouchWizCalculator.apk/.odex). And VVMService.apk/.odex?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Chris Kerrigan]

It's safe to remove AllShare and the Visual Voicemail. Keep in mind though that removing the Visual Voicemail apk will break the Voicemail button in the dialer.

I'm not sure on the Calculator. I've never tried to remove it. My gut says it should be fine to remove, but there have been a few apps that I thought should be okay to remove that end up sending you into a Force Close Loop of Hell.

 

[Les3631]

Ok, thank you. When I removed the VisualVoiceMail.apx/.odex the dialer did F/C when i hit the voice mail button. It dialed fine as long as i didn't hit that. Is this normal or should it not F/C (it froze first too, but only for a few seconds) Also, with the above apx... should (or could) i also remove the VMService.apk/.odex? Or is that important?

 

[Chris Kerrigan]

Yep, that's normal. That button directs the dialer to Verizon's Visual VM app, so when it's not there, it Force Closes.

I wouldn't touch VMService. I've had troubles when renaming/removing it in the past.

 

[Les3631]

Sweet, thanks for all the help!

 

[vluc]

Found this at another forum DL30 Cleanup thread (Fascinate Forums)

DL30 Cleanup thread

Hey everyone, I just thought it might be useful to create a thread that details what can be cleaned from DL30, as all we have for now is a fully stock, bloated ROM.

Everything I'm listing are things I've removed (note - deleted entirely, not "frozen" or anything like that) that have had no adverse reaction on the device. Everything is still perfectly functional, and I will add to this list over time. Please feel free to add other things if I haven't tried them, as I'm insanely tired right now and I'm not going to try out anything else before I go to sleep.

Mess with this stuff at your own risk. Make backups. Digging around in /system is always dangerous.

Note: before logging this stuff, I deleted two things that I can't remember. Sorry.
I'm listing these as the actual filenames, so just pretend they all have .apk at the end.

BackupAssistant
BuddiesNow
CarCradle
DeskCradle
Dlna
Email
MediaHubV109_Fascinate
Memo
MyFiles
Protips
Swype
thinkdroid
WriteandGo
VoiceRecorder
TouchWizCalculator
Mms !!You CAN remove this and remain functional, you will lose all SMS!!

!!All Samsung Widgets Including!!
SamsungWidget_AnalogClock1
SamsungWidget_AnalogClock2
SamsungWidget_AnalogClock3
SamsungWidget_AnalogClock4
SamsungWidget_CalendarClock
SamsungWidget_DigitalClock1
SamsungWidget_DigitalClock2
SamsungWidget_FeedAndUpdate
SamsungWidget_ProgramMonitor
SamsungWidget_WeatherClock

!!All Samsung Live Wallpapers Including!!
TATLiveWallpapersAurora
TATLiveWallpapersBlueSea
TATLiveWallpapersConnection
TATLiveWallpapersDandelion
TATLiveWallpapersFlow
TATLiveWallpapersForest
TATLiveWallpapersLayersOfLight
TATLiveWallpapersLuminescence
TATLiveWallpapersOceanWave
TATLiveWallpapersSpark

There's more but I'm way too tired to keep at it. Hope this can be informative or useful for some folks.