Trying fix Android 2.3.5/recover lost apps

[Dairugger XV]

First my apps stopped responding, then after I restarted it, it was stuck in an infinite loop of rebooting. Then as a last resort, I pulled out the battery, put it back in and pressed Volume Down + Power, selected "Recovery", then "Erase/Factory Reset." After it reset, the apps I downloaded (including the ones I moved to the microSD card) weren't showing up on the phone, and Google Play rolled back to Android Market. Not sure what else to do. Any advice?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! A factory reset wipes the phone, so any app you had installed before won't show up until you reinstall it.

Android Market should update itself to Google Play Store automatically, but it might take a day or two for it to do so. In the meantime, you could try manually installing the Google Play Store apk: [Update: APK Download] Google Play Store v5.8 Rolling Out With Hamburger-Arrow Morphing Animation

 

[Dairugger XV]

Is there a chance that, once installed, it might not respond?

 

[Dairugger XV]

Welcome to Android Central! A factory reset wipes the phone, so any app you had installed before won't show up until you reinstall it.

Android Market should update itself to Google Play Store automatically, but it might take a day or two for it to do so. In the meantime, you could try manually installing the Google Play Store apk: [/url]

You're gonna have to walk me through it. I downloaded/installed it, and all I got was "Application not installed." Do I download it to my microSD card, or what?

 

[B. Diddy]

Go to Settings>Security first, and make sure Unknown Sources is turned on. Then find that apk file in your Download folder and tap it again to initiate the installation. But it's possible that relatively current versions of the Google Play Store aren't compatible with a phone that old. You might want to search Android Police for older versions of the Play Store.