Everything You Need To Know To Un-"Cripple" Your Captivate

maerlim

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Here's a consolidation of posts I made over at androidforums.com... This guide will re-enable sideloading apps on your phone, and remove some of the AT&T "Bloatware" y'all hate so much. :)

***I HOLD NO RESPONSIBILITY OF WHAT YOU DO TO YOUR DEVICE, WHILE THERE IS LITTLE RISK OF BRICK, I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE OTHERWISE***

- USB Driver for Windows (source)
-Download Samsung Galaxy S USB Driver for Windows x64 Driver for Windows XP X64 / Windows Vista64 / Windows 7 x64 - Softpedia
-Download Samsung Galaxy S USB Driver for Windows x86 Driver for Windows XP / Windows Vista / Windows 7 - Softpedia

** Rooting your Captivate **
(This guide provided by user chaoscentral over at androidforums.com)
Download this zip file and rename it to update.zip

Step 1. Connect your phone to your computer and copy the renamed update.zip to the root of your internal memory (/sdcard on the phone)

Step 2. Turn the phone off after file transfer is complete

Step 3. Hold both Volume Up and Volume Down while powering on the device to enter the recovery menu

Step 4. Select Reinstall Packages from the recovery menu using Volume Up and Down to navigate, and Power to select

Step 5. Phone will automatically reboot, and you will have root privileges, and the Superuser program installed.

*** Enable Sideloading of Apps ***
You'll need the Android SDK (guide to download and install is here)
You'll need the USB drivers (Above)
You'll need root access (Above)
You'll need Busybox (available on the market after you root the phone)

Connect USB to phone with USB Debugging ON
Command prompt
cd to SDK install directory
cd tools
adb shell
su
cp /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db /sdcard/settings.db
cp /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db /sdcard/settings.db.backup
exit
exit
(This should bring you back to your windows command prompt.)
adb pull /sdcard/settings.db %userprofile%\desktop
(This should copy the settings.db to your desktop in Windows. Keep your cmd window open, you'll need it again.)

Install SQLite Manager Plugin for Firefox
Open SQLite Manager Plugin within Firefox (Tools->SQLite Manager)
Click Database
Click Connect Database
Find settings.db
Expand Tables
Click secure
Scroll down to ID 6, "install_non_market_apps". Double-click.
Change value ( TEXT ) from 0 to 1
Close SQLite Manager

(Back to that cmd window)
adb push %userprofile%\desktop\settings.db /sdcard

adb shell
su
cp /sdcard/settings.db /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings
chmod 777 /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db
reboot

Disconnect USB from phone. Your phone should be rebooting. When it comes back up, you will be able to install apps from any source (Note the GUI option to enable sideloading will still be missing from the menu).

*** How to delete some of AT&T's Bloatware ***
*** READ THIS PARAGRAPH BEFORE PROCEEDING ***
I purposefully do NOT include the commands to DELETE the AT&T apps. I am simply renaming the applications to something Android ignores. The reason for this is that this deletion is PERMANENT. It will persist through a factory reset. By renaming and not deleting, we can UNDO this if necessary.

Here's how you can remove some (I stress SOME) of that AT&T bloatware from your app list.

You'll need the Android SDK (guide to download and install is here)
You'll need the USB drivers (Above)
You'll need root access (Above)
You'll need Busybox (available on the market after you root the phone)

Turn on USB debugging on your phone.
Plug in your USB
Open command prompt on your computer, cd to your SDK install directory.
cd to tools within the SDK directory
type this:
adb shell
su
mv /system/app/ATTNav-Samsung-Vega-1488.apk /system/app/ATTNav-Samsung-Vega-1488.tmp
mv /system/app/ATT_Radio_2.1.07.apk /system/app/ATT_Radio_2.1.07.tmp
mv /system/app/MobiTV_800x480_320_20100610_1.0.0.15-118829.apk /system/app/MobiTV_800x480_320_20100610_1.0.0.15-118829.tmp
mv /system/app/MobileBanking.apk /system/app/MobileBanking.tmp
mv /system/app/attmaps20-1094.apk /system/app/attmaps20-1094.tmp
exit
exit

Done!
This will Delete ATT Navigation, ATT Radio, MobiTV, Mobile Banking, and AT&T Maps, respectively.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

krypt0

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These instructions are perfect! Thanks.

Now, I "mv Email" from /system/app folder, symlinked Gmail, and it disappeared completely.

I deleted the symlinks, and put the Email.* back, and that Icon is still missing.

Where would these be and how can I change them?

Thanks,
KrYPt0
--

Nevermind, I had to restore to factory for another reason and the icon came back (The device is still rooted after this too).
 
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anthonok

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I can get the root, but i cant get the adb pull /sdcard..... part to work. no idea what im doing wrong.


edit: Nevermind... I'm a moron.

now that thats done... anyone got any ideas for apps worth side loading?
 
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maerlim

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These instructions are perfect! Thanks.

Now, I "mv Email" from /system/app folder, symlinked Gmail, and it disappeared completely.

I deleted the symlinks, and put the Email.* back, and that Icon is still missing.

Where would these be and how can I change them?

Thanks,
KrYPt0

Yeah I don't think symlinks work with .apk's. There are separate email and gmail apps, and you can customize your app tray at the bottom of your home screens to list gmail instead of email.

What you might need to do is install that email.apk. Copy it to your /sdcard, then use Astro (or whatever file manager) to select it and install it. This assumes of course you've enabled sideloading. Otherwise use adb to install it.
 

tomhorn

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No problems getting root and then to here:

Connect USB to phone with USB Debugging ON
Command prompt
cd to SDK install directory
cd tools
adb shell
su

but when I run this:

cp /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db /sdcard/settings.db

I receive a cp: not found error

Help?
 

maerlim

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No problems getting root and then to here:

Connect USB to phone with USB Debugging ON
Command prompt
cd to SDK install directory
cd tools
adb shell
su

but when I run this:

cp /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db /sdcard/settings.db

I receive a cp: not found error

Help?

You need to download and install busybox from the market.
 

ads

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taking a guess since I don't have an android phone yet. did you install busybox? Reading through what busybox is/does, it may be that's how you get the copy (cp) command; apparently many common unix commands aren't included in a default (or this phone's) Android distribution, maybe cp is one of them.
ADS
 

ads

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Is there a way to put the phone back to its original state, or a way to save the base install off somewhere before you root it? Directly after? I know the process varies by device. I'm a big believer in being able to back off any OS changes I make to any OS.
ADS
 

tomhorn

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You need to download and install busybox from the market.
I did that before trying, as the directions indicated it was necessary.

Any other ideas?

UPDATE ... Appears busybox wasn't running on the phone after install. I did start up busybox, but now I am getting 'permission denied' errors. When I type su at the $ prompt, I am getting a return of su, so I think I have rooted the device ok. It is showing busybox under superuser permissions running as root.
 
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kid320

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After I am done following these instructions, am I supposed to leave USB debugging on, or should it be turned off again?

Will it hurt anything if left on?
 

maerlim

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After I am done following these instructions, am I supposed to leave USB debugging on, or should it be turned off again?

Will it hurt anything if left on?

If you leave it on, it will likely interfere with your ability to copy files to/from your device over USB. Generally, it's best to turn it off unless you're using it.
 

kid320

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If you leave it on, it will likely interfere with your ability to copy files to/from your device over USB. Generally, it's best to turn it off unless you're using it.

Thanks a lot - I kinda figured that out on my own, but I appreciate it. Followed the instructions and it took care of everything. I was able to find the .apk files of some other bloatware apps ATT had installed on there too - so, now my phone is nice and clean. Would have never figured this out without this post.
 

genti

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I noticed that you used chmod 777 and in general i try to avoid it.
The file settings.db was owned by system:system before with 660 permissions.

I tried changing the permissions but it does not recognize the group system.
Therefore I just did:
chown system settings.db
chmod 664 settings.db

I will see what happens.
 

R32_Rocky

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Perhpas I am doing something wrong? Because I keep getting update aborted error messages. I copied it into the hidden "SD" directory, and just in case the root of the drive that appears on my desktop. I don't seen any folder called "/sdcard" anywhere.

All I wanted to do, is install the new full version of Launcher Pro (which I paid for). I tried what was suggested on their forum, to rename it to "launcherpro.apk", and used Astro to install, but that keep failing with the blocked error. UGH!!!!!!
 

slmhofy

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maerlim,

I think I'm having a problem at this step.

adb pull /sdcard/settings.db %userprofile%\desktop

I don't see it pulling anything to my desktop...

I can do pretty much everything else you've listed, just can't get this part to work right. Any ideas?

thanks

UPDATE:: I was able to mount the phone and pull the settings.db file from the phone, edit it with SQlite and then replace it back on the phone, run the last chmod 777 command and reboot. Hopefully this works.
 
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lgorbena

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are there really only two of us?

Admittedly, I am not the best with DOS or coding for that matter... If something doesn't have a nice GUI, I tend to be a little lost. I was able to follow all directions well enough for rooting, but I can't get the sideloading or "removal" of bloatware done. I get this access denied message. I even downloaded the Rom Manager app and changed access rights.... So... what is next?
 

kid320

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Admittedly, I am not the best with DOS or coding for that matter... If something doesn't have a nice GUI, I tend to be a little lost. I was able to follow all directions well enough for rooting, but I can't get the sideloading or "removal" of bloatware done. I get this access denied message. I even downloaded the Rom Manager app and changed access rights.... So... what is next?

The first time I typed adb shell and then entered the cp command, I had to open the superuser permissions app on my phone and allow the permission. After that, the other instructions worked fine.
 

BoBoCaptivate

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CP Not Found ... Any help?

I did that before trying, as the directions indicated it was necessary.

Any other ideas?

UPDATE ... Appears busybox wasn't running on the phone after install. I did start up busybox, but now I am getting 'permission denied' errors. When I type su at the $ prompt, I am getting a return of su, so I think I have rooted the device ok. It is showing busybox under superuser permissions running as root.

tomhorn -- Any more details on how you got it to work? I am having the exact same problem: cp not found. I have installed busybox many times ... each time I go into the installer it says "waiting" ... then I can click install and it says "done". Also, even while it says waiting ... it says "phone rooted ... busybox installed at ..."

I am going to keep trying but I have not figured it out yet ... [I went to applications -- running apps ... and did not see busybox ... so is that the problem? It is in the SuperUser app as allowed ...
 

BoBoCaptivate

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Sideloading ... Hmmm

Well ... I still can't get it to work ... but am now confused why I might want to ... if it is not from the market ... then I should have the apk on my computer.

All you have to do is put the apk in the tools folder and do the adb install command ... DONE!

I still haven't figured this thing out ... can't get busybox to work I don't think ... but I don't know if I care as much anymore.
 

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