Apps that are safe to remove once rooted

I didn't see it posted in this thread so i thought i'd add... Don't remove Google Talk! I removed it and thought everything was working fine, but then i could never download anything from the market. I came to learn that the market and Talk application are linked somehow. As soon as i put Google Talk back, i was able to download from the market again.
 
The full version of Titanium Backup allows you to "freeze" an app. The app is still there but it cannot run and can't be seen from the OS.

In Titanium Backup just tap Backup/Restore and tap the apps you want to freeze and tap Freeze.

This has a couple of advantages. You don't need to remember that the 2.99 per month city & state info app is called CityID_1.0.27_vzw.sch.i500_12118-release.apk. Just Freeze City ID.

If you ever change your mind, just unfreeze it. No file names to remember or find. The apps you froze are highlighted in blue so they are easy to see.
used Titanium Backup (TB) full version to freeze and noted app icon is still in the app list, but pressing it brings up a msg "application is not installed on your phone", so it works.

i also tried the renaming .apk file method using Root Explorer and that will remove the icon from the app drawer.

using TB full is a much easier method for removing and re-applying for sure but is less aesthetically pleasing since the icon is still there.

any other differences between methods to be aware of? or advantages/disadvantages in terms of how it affects performance and ability to unroot/root back when installing a VZW OTA update?

[EDIT: forget what I said about VZW OTA updates above! I plan on flashing a custom ROM soon so never mind. OTA is for pure stock or rooting to just de-bing. and that aint me.]

or is it just personal preference?

I personally like seeing the bloatware gone from my app drawer but the TB full method is waay easier and more sophisticated.

Thoughts anyone?
 
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used Titanium Backup (TB) full version to freeze and noted app icon is still in the app list, but pressing it brings up a msg "application is not installed on your phone", so it works.

i also tried the renaming .apk file method using Root Explorer and that will remove the icon from the app drawer.

using TB full is a much easier method for removing and re-applying for sure but is less aesthetically pleasing since the icon is still there.

any other differences between methods to be aware of? or advantages/disadvantages in terms of how it affects performance and ability to unroot/root back when installing a VZW OTA update? or is it just personal preference?

I personally like seeing the bloatware gone from my app drawer but the TB full method is waay easier and more sophisticated.

Thoughts anyone?

Well if you use Launcher Pro you can "hide" icons from your application drawer. But also if you use a Rom like JT's Super Clean that's already deodexed and debloated you don't really have to do anything, he did it for you. ;)

Also there is another way to do it using Root Explorer, you can "move" the bloatware that Cory listed in his post. What i did before i found out about the Rom way, is i made a new folder on my SD card called "bloatware" and just moved all of the files and there corresponding .odex from where they were to that folder. That way when and if i unroot for any reason i can just move them back. And there's no renaming or deleting involved.
 
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ROM Flashing - FTW

Well if you use Launcher Pro you can "hide" icons from your application drawer. But also if you use a Rom like JT's Super Clean that's already deodexed and debloated you don't really have to do anything, he did it for you. ;)

Also there is another way to do it using Root Explorer, you can "move" the bloatware that Cory listed in his post. What i did before i found out about the Rom way, is i made a new folder on my SD card called "bloatware" and just moved all of the files and there corresponding .odex from where they were to that folder. That way when and if i unroot for any reason i can just move them back. And there's no renaming or deleting involved.

Thanks Fappy. I forgot about the move method. I think originally I didn't want to do that because I thought renaming would be "safer". :p Now that I've read more and I'm rooted (thanks Dirrk, etc!), I'm more comfortable. Definitely don't like doing stuff to this awesome phone unless I've got a decent understanding as to what I'm doing and especially what I need to do if it doesn't work!

That said, I'm still in research/learning mode, sifting through the AC forums to learn what the heck I'm getting into before I take the next leap - ROM flashing! :)

But I agree with you; based on what I've read, the best way to remove bloatware is to "FLASH it Away!"TM. If I get some quiet time away from the family this weekend (good luck), I think I'll be ready to give it a go. Prolly JT's Super Clean. I'm still pouring over the posts on CWM recovery, Odin, Nandroid (it's part of CWM recovery, right?); it's a bit confusing.

By the way, another thanks to you Fappy (and others) for all the posts you've put on here. There is no community or learning without it; I definitely appreciate it.
 
I hope this is helpful!

This thread has been so helpful that I figured I'd add my findings.

I removed MobileAP.apk, MobileAP.odex, VisualVoiceMail.apk, and VisualVoiceMail.odex without a problem. Visual voicemail button on the dialer just errors out now, which is fine.

Then I went to remove the VSuiteApp.apk and all of the TouchWiz related apks. I think it messed up because I stupidly left VSuite running in the background while I was trying remove it. However after a battery pull and boot up I was fine.

After booting up I noticed that my Jorte Widget was not showing up and that when I went to the Jorte application it said it couldn't access my calendar. I looked at the list of TouchWiz related apks that I had just moved to my sd card and found TouchWizCalendarProvider.apk and thought hmm, maybe that's the problem. I moved it back over the system/app folder, rebooted and voila; Jorte was working again.

All that to say be a little careful with the TouchWiz apks and VSuite.apk if you're moving them.

Only one other thing i noticed its that now my screen will dim and right before it turns off it will brighten for a half second, but I don't really remember if it was already doing that.

Cheers!
 
Trying to remove Bing and other crap. Rooted and renamed and moved files to new folder system/app/app.disable. Bing, Blockbuster and VZW apps are still there. I have rebooted and they will not go away. Phone is Verizon Fascinate. What am I doing wrong?
 
Trying to remove Bing and other crap. Rooted and renamed and moved files to new folder system/app/app.disable. Bing, Blockbuster and VZW apps are still there. I have rebooted and they will not go away. Phone is Verizon Fascinate. What am I doing wrong?

Is there a reason that you did it that way? If you move the files to a folder on your SD card via Root Explorer it should work for you. Another benefit of doing this way is you can simply move them back when a system update eventually comes.
 
I started renaming the files then found you can move them to a different folder do I did that.

Update: found out how to remove those apps that refuse to go away even after you have moved/renamed their files. Go into Settings/Applications/Manage Applications. Find the stubborn app and tap on it to bring up the details. Tap the uninstall button. Then restart your phone and the apps finally go away. Bing was one of my trouble apps. It had downloaded updates and I assume a copy of the file resided someplace else. Once I moved the file from apps and did uninstall it finally went away. Same with VZ Tones and Blockbuster.
 
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hmmm...i think i accidentally deleted cityid and the browser apks.....are they posted anywhere?

***never mind...think i found them here if anyone else needs them
 
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accidently deleted some files

I deleted files from my fascinate after being rooted that came with the phone which are considered bloatware. How can i recover or put these back on my pnone in order to be able to ota the next froyo or gingerbread when it comes out?
 
accidently deleted some files

I deleted files from my fascinate after being rooted that came with the phone which are considered bloatware. How can i recover or put these back on my pnone in order to be able to ota the next froyo or gingerbread when it comes out?
 
hey kamileon, you quote freakin rocks!!!!!! sorry i know it has nothing to fo with this thread, just couldnt help myself.
 
For starters thanks. Had the Fascinate since October and after alot of research rooted it yesterday. It was a snap. Removed everything from the first post that I wanted to except Bing Kindle and VZTones. Used the rename and move strategy to a folder i created on the sd card. I did not remove the stock browser because I am just getting it figured out and maybe thats the Bing problem? Never used any of the apps I cant seem to make go away. If there is no fix for this I am just happy my apps pages are no much shorter. Thanks again to everyone here making it happen.
 
Why rename?

Am I missing something?

I keep reading from people who are renaming and moving. Then, they are going to have to rename and move back to update.

Isn't the way to go just to move, then move back later, and forget all the renaming? :o

(Better still to flash a custom ROM!)
 
well domar arigato mr robato, i cant belive i didnt think to ask that!!!!! thats a great idea. would you maybe have to compress the folder you put them in or something to keep them from trying to run?
 
I don't think people are renaming AND moving... One or the other works just fine. If you add .old to the end of the .apk, it won't run. If you move the .apk as-is to a different location, it won't run.
 
really??? not even a snicker about my little joke?? how disapointing :-(

im geussing then that it is not nessicary to zip the folder they get moved to? i may have to do that.
 
how do u get to where u can change the names of the apps and stuff phone is successfully rooted but dont know where to go or how to do anything else
 

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