So why is Android so fragile?

[Chris3D]

So a few days ago, I got the bright idea to replace the Fascinate's browser with the browser from another Galaxy S phone (the Vibrant) to get around the fact that the one on the Fascinate is hard-coded to use Bing. It's essentially the same hardware, same OS, same browser, so why shouldn't it work, right?

I downloaded a Vibrant system dump, copied the browser apk and odex files to my SD card. Used Root Explorer to rename my existing browser files and then just moved the Vibrant files over.

Well, upon rebooting, I was greeted with ADW in a force-close loop. In between OK'ing all the FCs, I managed to grant superuser access to my connection over adb. I navigated to the app directory, removed the Vibrant browser files, renamed the stock browser files and rebooted the phone thinking all should be well. Well, all was certainly not well because the ADW force-close loop was still going. I managed to remove ADW and revert back to TouchWiz, but that resulted in multiple force-close loops.

After a few hour trial by fire, I was very comfortable using odin and ClockworkMod. In other words, I got everything straightened back out, so all is good. But the whole experience begs the question, why is Android so fragile? What was it about the other browser files that caused so much trouble? I hadn't even RUN the browser after restarting the phone - just them being there caused the FC loop of death. And once removed, why did it continue? In any other OS I've ever used, from Windows to Linux, once problem files are removed or replaced, any issue they were causing ends.

Just curious what it is about Android that it can get so screwed up by such a seemingly simply thing, and that even when the "simple thing" is undone, the OS still can't recover. I'm not being critical, more just curious.

 

[ragnarokx]

Seems like this is over both our heads. Apparently the change you made had more complexity than it appeared. Since this involves root access and modifying system level files, I'm moving the thread over to the ROMs/Hacks sub-forum.

 

[FloorMatt]

If you think that was fun try running microsoft windows after removing all traces of internet explorer. Hehe pretty much the same results. You know just in case you thought this problem was exclusive to android.

 

[aecky01]

Although the phones may be from the same family they are all coded slightly differently. I would say a third of the problems on this forum, and over at XDA are caused by people loading an apk or rom from another phone. I've heard very few if any reports of using a rom or apk from another phone without a trip to ODIN central.

There are some great developers on both sites that are helping port over roms and such from the other galaxy s phones, I'd wait to try these first. Also Dolphin Browser HD is your ticket to de-binged browser nirvana. I'd be using it even if the whole bing thing never happened.

 

[Adiliyo]

the hardware is similar, but different, the mesmerize is the only sgs phone that is basically identical to ours, and that's why the apks from it work where others don't.

 

[voghan]

I think the key issue is that there was an odex file. If there is no odex file it's easy to post over the application. That odex file has phone specific information in it that causes the app to blow up when it's on a different phone. The browser.apk on the Mesmerize doesn't have an odex file so you can use that on the Fascinate.

 

[fwdixon]

I think the mesmerize is going to bet the ticket for a stock de-binged rom.

 

[Adiliyo]

I think the mesmerize is going to bet the ticket for a stock de-binged rom.

they already exist.

 

[fwdixon]

they already exist.

linky please?

 

[Adiliyo]

JT's rom in rom manager has no bing and some of the mesmerize apps built into it (browser, contacts...)