[Guide] How to remove Bloatware from the Thunderbolt

[66dude]

If it isn't in this post, then do not remove it. vCast is okay to move.

I'll answer your Kindle question in a bit. I know where it is (to remove), but I have to look.

Just a note to let you know that I accidentally moved Peep and Tunewiki to the bloatware folder of my SD card. The move caused no ill effects to the TB at all. If you move Tunewiki, be aware that there may be a FC and the Sense UI may appear to reboot, but go back to the app drawer, and Tunewiki will be gone.

Despite moving them to the bloatware folder of the SD card, Rhapsody, Blockbuster, and VZ Apps remained in the app drawer until I went to Settings --> Applications --> All, selected each offending app, and clicked on "uninstall update". It will say that the uninstallation fails. Simply reboot the phone and look in the app drawer again, and the three programs are gone!

 

[jgang06]

Just a note to let you know that I accidentally moved Peep and Tunewiki to the bloatware folder of my SD card. The move caused no ill effects to the TB at all. If you move Tunewiki, be aware that there may be a FC and the Sense UI may appear to reboot, but go back to the app drawer, and Tunewiki will be gone.

Despite moving them to the bloatware folder of the SD card, Rhapsody, Blockbuster, and VZ Apps remained in the app drawer until I went to Settings --> Applications --> All, selected each offending app, and clicked on "uninstall update". It will say that the uninstallation fails. Simply reboot the phone and look in the app drawer again, and the three programs are gone!

This worked for me. Good job!

Does ANYONE know the filename for vcast media? I got rid of a bunch of the other vcast crap but for some reason I cant find vcast media on the phone. Its still in the app drawr tho.

 

[66dude]

This worked for me. Good job!

Does ANYONE know the filename for vcast media? I got rid of a bunch of the other vcast crap but for some reason I cant find vcast media on the phone. Its still in the app drawr tho.

NewBayVault_4.2.96.VZMarket.apk.

 

[jgang06]

NewBayVault_4.2.96.VZMarket.apk.

Youre the man.

 

[66dude]

Youre the man.

No problem!

 

[tuathalcj]

Added post #2 for a free alternative to Root Explorer.

Corey, as a new person to Android I've looked at multiple sites and your guides caused me to join Android Central all by themselves. the friendly users were a bonus!
On your free alternative, could we modify the guide just a tad?
After users go into the Apps folder and select the apps they want to move, they have to click the scissors icon to cut them before moving to their SDCard, etc...
Once done they can choose to "Paste" them using the "Clipboard" and it will move them over and everything works great.
I too now prefer Root explorer, but I initially removed Bloat using SuperFolder and found this step missing when I read through the guide...

Thanks in advance!
tuathal

 

[Cory Streater]

Corey, as a new person to Android I've looked at multiple sites and your guides caused me to join Android Central all by themselves. the friendly users were a bonus!
On your free alternative, could we modify the guide just a tad?
After users go into the Apps folder and select the apps they want to move, they have to click the scissors icon to cut them before moving to their SDCard, etc...
Once done they can choose to "Paste" them using the "Clipboard" and it will move them over and everything works great.
I too now prefer Root explorer, but I initially removed Bloat using SuperFolder and found this step missing when I read through the guide...

Thanks in advance!
tuathal

Thank you! Yes, that is a pretty important step that I left out!

 

[tuathalcj]

Yay - I helped See... Even a N00b to Android can provide some value lol!

 

[launchpad]

First time rooter, if I use Root explorer to debloat, when i'm done doing that does the phone unroot by itself so I can continue to get important HTC updates?

 

[launchpad]

Question - I am using Root Explorer and when I navigate to /system/app and click on Mount RW, it doesn't change. It stays at RO. Root Explorer has been granted Super User permissions. I can mount the system as RW using the following command in adb:

mount -o remount,rw -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk0p25 /system

Any ideas why Root Explorer can't mount it as RW?

Thanks in advance for any help.

This is happening to me too, except I never saw the superuser screen. And I DL'ed the Superuser app, but it says it needs to unzip a file then flash back into recovery mode. I have no idea how to do that.

 

[SamOliver]

I need to exchange my phone, but I lost all these bloatware apps, as well as a few others, when my sd card wouldn't mount and I had to reformat it. Does anyone know somewhere I can find all the stock apps to put them back on my phone? Or am I doomed?

EDIT: I'm gonna wait for my new phone to arrive and get all the stock apps from it to put on the one I'm returning. If anyone else has my same problem, I can give you all the stock apps.

 

[Cory Streater]

I need to exchange my phone, but I lost all these bloatware apps, as well as a few others, when my sd card wouldn't mount and I had to reformat it. Does anyone know somewhere I can find all the stock apps to put them back on my phone? Or am I doomed?

EDIT: I'm gonna wait for my new phone to arrive and get all the stock apps from it to put on the one I'm returning. If anyone else has my same problem, I can give you all the stock apps.

You can go through the rooting process and get them back that way.

 

[Cory Streater]

This is happening to me too, except I never saw the superuser screen. And I DL'ed the Superuser app, but it says it needs to unzip a file then flash back into recovery mode. I have no idea how to do that.

What process did you use to root?

It doesn't sound like you actually are. There's a free app - in the market - called Android Terminal Emulator. Download, install, and run. At the prompt, type:

su

If it returns a permissions denied message, you aren't rooted.

 

[Carbon Stig]

I'm still on the fence about keeping the TB. If I want to unroot and undo moving the bloatware, do I just reverse these instructions to return the phone back to stock?

 

[DroidXcon]

I'm still on the fence about keeping the TB. If I want to unroot and undo moving the bloatware, do I just reverse these instructions to return the phone back to stock?

post #3

http://forum.androidcentral.com/thu...ocedure-how-root-thunderbolt-adb-windows.html

 

[Carbon Stig]

post #3

http://forum.androidcentral.com/thu...ocedure-how-root-thunderbolt-adb-windows.html

I read that, so if I follow that procedure it'll return the phone to factory stock w all the bloatware back? Meaning I don't need to move files from the SD card?

 

[Forgetful]

I read that, so if I follow that procedure it'll return the phone to factory stock w all the bloatware back? Meaning I don't need to move files from the SD card?

Yup.
I believe the point of moving the bloatware while rooted is so you can move it back to get a OTA update.

 

[notmebug]

Just a note to let you know that I accidentally moved Peep and Tunewiki to the bloatware folder of my SD card. The move caused no ill effects to the TB at all. If you move Tunewiki, be aware that there may be a FC and the Sense UI may appear to reboot, but go back to the app drawer, and Tunewiki will be gone.

Despite moving them to the bloatware folder of the SD card, Rhapsody, Blockbuster, and VZ Apps remained in the app drawer until I went to Settings --> Applications --> All, selected each offending app, and clicked on "uninstall update". It will say that the uninstallation fails. Simply reboot the phone and look in the app drawer again, and the three programs are gone!

I had com.kindle left in the app drawer. By disabling "fast boot" and using RESTART rather than Power off/Power On it disappeared.

 

[launchpad]

What process did you use to root?

It doesn't sound like you actually are. There's a free app - in the market - called Android Terminal Emulator. Download, install, and run. At the prompt, type:

su

If it returns a permissions denied message, you aren't rooted.

I was never able to root. I am trying to use Root Explorer and can't get it to root, so I DL'ed Superuser and I need to unzip a file from that to start working, how do I unzip it? It tells me to go to flash in recovery mode and unzip it there, but how do I get to that point? I'm new at this so thanks for being patient.

 

[DroidXcon]

I was never able to root. I am trying to use Root Explorer and can't get it to root, so I DL'ed Superuser and I need to unzip a file from that to start working, how do I unzip it? It tells me to go to flash in recovery mode and unzip it there, but how do I get to that point? I'm new at this so thanks for being patient.

you cant use superuser app or root explorer without rooting

use either of these two threads depending on what applys to you

http://forum.androidcentral.com/thu...ocedure-how-root-thunderbolt-adb-windows.html

or

http://forum.androidcentral.com/thu...9-mac-procedure-how-root-htc-thunderbolt.html