How-To : Removing sprint bloatware (with root)

[coxcj77]

If you go back to my tutorial and click the link for the old method ... as long as you have root (yes, even unrEVOked simple root) and some general knowledge of ADB, that method will work for you.

I have no ADB knowledge

 

[KSmithInNY]

I have no ADB knowledge

Then my best suggestion for you is to grab the RUU for post OTA. Run that. Then run SimpleRoot OTA.

There are threads already discussing those topics so if you have any questions or issues take it to those guys as I'm not as familiar with that process.

Good luck. We'll see you back here when you're done with that (expect to dedicate 30 min to that process)

 

[John Kotches]

I ran into an issue removing the Talk and Talk Widget apps (com.google.process.gapps was crashing). After restoring them from backup and reinstalling the errors went away. This is on 6/29 OTA for what it's worth.

Also on the four "untouchable" apps (News, Weather, Stocks, FriendStream) I'm curious... There are HTC versions, and there are Google referenced versions (under com.google...). Do both of those have to stay, only the HTC versions, only the google version?

And lastly, there are a couple of apps (Clock/Desk Clock/Search People are the ones that come to mind) that I can't seem to map back to .apk / .odex files. Is there a Rosetta Stone for the apks? Most of it is straightforward, but I can't figure these out.

Cheers,

 

[coxcj77]

Then my best suggestion for you is to grab the RUU for post OTA. Run that. Then run SimpleRoot OTA.

There are threads already discussing those topics so if you have any questions or issues take it to those guys as I'm not as familiar with that process.

Good luck. We'll see you back here when you're done with that (expect to dedicate 30 min to that process)

I have learned a very valuable lesson. This is not for the faint of heart. Before I got my phone I knew nothing about android or any of the background. After some searching, I was able to find this site and with your help, KSmithInNY, I can now say that I have a fully rooted Evo with all the bloatware removed.

Thanks for pointing me in the direction of the the RUU for the latest software version and the OTA root.

 

[KSmithInNY]

Awesome, glad you got it sorted out.

 

[12MaNy]

Root Explorer won't delete any system apps for me. I keep getting "Cannot delete. System app is read only".

I always have to go this route:

adb remount
adb shell
cd /system/app
rm "app name".apk

 

[KSmithInNY]

Root Explorer won't delete any system apps for me. I keep getting "Cannot delete. System app is read only".

I always have to go this route:

adb remount
adb shell
cd /system/app
rm "app name".apk

Do you have rootexplorer in r/w mode while in system/app? Go to system/app directory and hit the "r/w" button in the upper right hand corner. If you are already in r/w mode (the button will have r/o) then my next question would be, do you have NAND fully unlocked?

Unrevoked will not work with rootexplorer as it is not a true root. If you used Unrevoked the ADB method is how you should remove apps.

Hope this helps.

 

[PM-Performance]

Do you have rootexplorer in r/w mode while in system/app? Go to system/app directory and hit the "r/w" button in the upper right hand corner. If you are already in r/w mode (the button will have r/o) then my next question would be, do you have NAND fully unlocked?

Unrevoked will not work with rootexplorer as it is not a true root. If you used Unrevoked the ADB method is how you should remove apps.

Hope this helps.

I had the same problem on two Unrevoked phones. I thought Unrevoked3 is a true full root now? Just the nand doesnt stay completely unlocked or something?

 

[KSmithInNY]

I had the same problem on two Unrevoked phones. I thought Unrevoked3 is a true full root now? Just the nand doesnt stay completely unlocked or something?

I don't follow their work so I can't speak from experience but this is a direct quote from netarchy (the guy that writes the EVO kernels for XDA) - "Unrevoked is not full root"

Again unless I felt like unrooting, just so I could re-root with Unrevoked, I wouldn't have a way of knowing. Plenty of folks running Unrevoked 3 around here so they can chime in.

 

[12MaNy]

Do you have rootexplorer in r/w mode while in system/app? Go to system/app directory and hit the "r/w" button in the upper right hand corner. If you are already in r/w mode (the button will have r/o) then my next question would be, do you have NAND fully unlocked?

Unrevoked will not work with rootexplorer as it is not a true root. If you used Unrevoked the ADB method is how you should remove apps.

Hope this helps.

Well.....yeah. I'm obviously fully rooted if I can adb shell into the system (read my sig).

Ahhhhh....r/w mode. God, I feel like an idiot now. Lol

 

[jcole01272]

3) Avoid removing stock, weather, news, and friendstream. The first 3 will cause your accounts and sync screen to FC.

OK I got delete-happy and removed stock (I swear it was on a site I searched (maybe XDA?) as safe to remove.) Now I am stuck in FC for accounts and sync. After searching it seems I need to put back stock. I did backup all the apps I removed, and I have stock.apk and stock.odex on my sd card, but I can't seem to get them over to the /system/app folder...tried copying, moving with root explorer (as r/w), and that didn't work. Tried using push and install commands from adb while in recovery and no luck there either. I even tried to install from the sd card, and that also didn't work. I am a n00b, so I am probably messing with things way beyond my comprehension, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated!!

BTW I rooted through unrevoked 3, and used the sdk method to remove the bloatware. I did follow instructions and make a (nand?) backup before I removed anything, and from reading the posts I guess I could flash (huh?) the backup and start over, but as it is only stock I need to put back and I have the files for it, I was hoping there is something simple I am not doing that someone could clue me in to.

Many thanks to all the wise members of this forum, you all have given me enough knowledge to be very dangerous!!

 

[KSmithInNY]

Want the 3 minute version?

1) restore NAND and then don't touch stock, news, weather, or friendstream. You can remove the widgets but leave the apps

10 minute version that gets rid of stock for good?
1) Put the ROM on your PC
2) open it with 7zip
3) Remove stock from system/app
4) put ROM on SD
5) wipe, flash

That should do it

 

[jcole01272]

Want the 3 minute version?

1) restore NAND and then don't touch stock, news, weather, or friendstream. You can remove the widgets but leave the apps

10 minute version that gets rid of stock for good?
1) Put the ROM on your PC
2) open it with 7zip
3) Remove stock from system/app
4) put ROM on SD
5) wipe, flash

That should do it

Much thanks! I understood about 10% of the 10 minute version, so I guess I will just restore NAND!

 

[jcole01272]

Although I am curious and feeling experimental...maybe I will re-visit that idea if/when 2.2 hits and they have found a way to root and remove bloatware from that.

 

[KSmithInNY]

Removing bloatware is the same on 2.2. If you have full root (NAND unlocked) wait for the rooted stock 2.2 ROM to hit the streets and flash that.

DO NOT USE THE OTA OR RUU!! This is a guaranteed way to break root. Be patient, will take about a day or less after release.

 

[jcole01272]

OK, now I am a little bit confused...I restored NAND, re-started. All my apps I deleted were back, including stock. I booted in to recovery, removed my bloatware and didn't touch stock, news, weather, or friendstream. Cleared the cache and restarted. Stock, news, weather, and friendstream are all there, but I am still getting FC on accounts and sync. Not sure what I did wrong. What is interesting is I can go to friendstream and get to accounts and sync from there, but not from the settings page. Here is a list of what I removed:

Amazon MP3
Peep
Sprint Nascar
Sprint Hotspot
Sprint Promotion
Sprint Voicemail
Calculator
FriendStreamWidget
NewsReaderWidget
StockWidget
TwitterWidget
Footprints
VoiceDialer
VoiceSearch

Appreciate any help...

 

[KSmithInNY]

Sorry, been crazy busy lately. You fixed now or still need assistance?

 

[jcole01272]

Sorry, been crazy busy lately. You fixed now or still need assistance?

No problem, I appreciate all the help. Been busy myself, and I still am having the issue with acounts and sync force closing. Not really sure what to try next...

 

[KSmithInNY]

Ok this is what I'd suggest,

1. Wipe and flash your ROM (dont kill the messenger, I'm trying to help)
2. Delete everything you listed above except peep. Peep is HTC's Twitter which is a syncable account.

I really think you should download 7zip, download the ROM to your PC, and get rid of what you listed above and stock and peep too. All the BS can be found in system/app. See, if those apps aren't in the ROM when you flash it, you'll be fine. You still need to leave friendstream if you want to use any form of social networking sync and you need to leave weather or you'll break the HTC clock widgets (they use weather to determine location).

 

[phaseIII]

Its odd.. i extracted the ROM zip file, deleted all sprint crapware, rezipped, then flashed to rom and the crap was STILL THERE... wtf it wont DIE