[HOW TO] Clean up system/app

Sqoerk · Nov 30, 2010

On the german "android-hilfe"-forum the users managed to delete the default apps from the system/app folder. I'm going to translate it to english and post it here. Original thread: android-hilfe.de

All changes are done at own risk. I'm not responsible for a bricked phone. If you don't know what you do, stop reading here.

First of all you need to root your mobile: [HOW TO] Root Motorola Defy.

If you rooted with z4root: you need the androidSDK to go on with the next steps. So have a look at the link above and get the tools and information need to go ahead.

After that you need to:

1. type in the command line on your PC

Code:

adb shell

2. now you need to get super user rights:

Code:

su

3. you need to remount the system partition

Code:

mount -o rw,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system

4. change to the /system/app directory and you can now rename/delete all files in there

I hope you make a copy of this folder, so you can always revert back to factory default. A hardreset doesn't restaure the deletet apps, so be carefull. Also you need to check on your own IF you can really delete a app or not. I don't know what features you use.

Successfull deletet apps:

- amazon
- adservice
- arcphotoworkshop
- arcvideoeditorlite
- bluremail
- blursnmessagingengine
- blurupdater
- cardock
- contactsunconnected
- es musica
- fota
- friendfeed
- hilfe center
- hiphop official
- kpt (kodak perfect touch)
- homesyncwizard
- livewallpapers
- livewallpaperspicker
- magicsmokewallpaper
- messageswidget
- newswidget
- protips (tips für den startbildschirm)
- quickcontactwidget
- quickoffice
- revolvertv
- socialmessaging
- sprachwahl
- statuswidget
- stk (sim-tool-kit)
- toggle widgets
- truecountry
- ttsservice
- visualizationwallpapers
- universalinbox
- weatherwidget
- workcontacts
Taken from android-hilfe.de

Stand by for more information

charlito · Nov 30, 2010

It will be great!

Febernacke · Nov 30, 2010

is it posible to replace any of the "blured" apps?

Code:

BlurAlarmClock - AlarmClock (whats special with blured AlarmClock?)
BlurCalendar - Calendar
BlurContacts - Contacts (I only want google contacts and groups)
BlurEmail - Email (what's the difference between default?)
BlurHome - I Assume this is MotoBlur launcher (Wild Guess; it's really bad idea to remove this)
BlurPhone - Dialer?

is it posible to stop services from starting?

I have this services started, I have removed ALL widgets on ALL motoblur-homescreens and rebooted my phone and using ZeamLauncher. Still I have a few services started that I don't like to have started.

FeedReciverService - Social networking (com.motorola.blur.friendfeed)
WeatherService - Weather (com.motorola.blur.home.other)

Considering the name of the services I don't use them. I have no Social Networking stuff on my phone and no weather widget.

When and where do services start? if apps can start services when needed (I assume they can) is it posible to track down which services an app starts?

Step666 · Dec 1, 2010

Ok, a couple of noob-ish questions here...

Sqoerk said:
First of all you need to root your mobile: [HOW TO] Root Motorola Defy

I've done this, though not through the method listed in the thread that's linked-to.
I used z4root, which was significantly simpler but I'm wondering if it's left me poorer equipped to do what comes next.

Sqoerk said:
1. type in the command line

Code:

adb shell

2. now you need to get super user rights:

Code:

su

3. you need to remount the system partition

Code:

mount -o rw,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system

4. change to the /system/app directory and you can now rename/delete all files in there

I hope you make a copy of this folder, so you can always revert back to factory default. A hardreset doesn't restaure the deletet apps, so be carefull. Also you need to check on your own IF you can really delete a app or not. I don't know what features you use.

Ok, so now we seem to have jumped forward a bit.

I assume by command line we're doing this on a PC, right?
If so, is there a particular mode I should select when connecting the handset?

And one last one - you list 'adservice' as something that's safe to remove, does what I suspect and kill off adverts on the handset?

Sqoerk · Dec 2, 2010

Step666 said:
Ok, so now we seem to have jumped forward a bit.

I assume by command line we're doing this on a PC, right?
If so, is there a particular mode I should select when connecting the handset?

And one last one - you list 'adservice' as something that's safe to remove, does what I suspect and kill off adverts on the handset?

If you used the rooting method I've linked to, there wouldn't be a jump

Anyway you are right, its the command line from the PC. But you need the androiSDK for this commands. The adb.exe can be found in the tools subfolder. Go to the rooting method I've linked to and just get the infos missing here.

I don'T think that adservice will kill ALL your ad's on your phone. Those are included IN the games or apps. Have a look at adfree on the marked. This will work on your rooted phone.

Thanks for your respond...I've changed the first post a little bit.

crazyVII · Dec 17, 2010

deleted most of the stuff above...

CMP_AmazonFR_InternalFM_1.0.179.apk

what is exactly are?...

- bluremail
- blursnmessagingengine
- blurupdater

not sure.. i'd like to have blur email ... afterwards.. .so.. is it the app..?

Sorensiim · Dec 17, 2010

crazyVII said:
deleted most of the stuff above...

CMP_AmazonFR_InternalFM_1.0.179.apk

That's the (awesome!) music player app

nickzee · Dec 18, 2010

Deleting Blur

If you delete all the blur stuff, believe me I want to, how do you setup and get emails?

Sqoerk · Dec 20, 2010

nickzee said:
If you delete all the blur stuff, believe me I want to, how do you setup and get emails?

I havn't deblured my phone, but I've added the 2.1 Mail.apk ...
The motorola mail app just synced my exchange once each time I've configured it. If you're interested in the apk....pm me or quicksearch at google

Homesicktexan · Dec 21, 2010

4. change to the /system/app directory and you can now rename/delete all files in there

So when I try to access the /system/app directory I get a "permission denied" message. I am rooted. Any advice?

Dalamak · Dec 21, 2010

blur... now you see it now you don't. ... goodbye

Sqoerk · Dec 21, 2010

Homesicktexan said:
So when I try to access the /system/app directory I get a "permission denied" message. I am rooted. Any advice?

U did the remount? If not, follow all steps again. If you tried to access /system/app directly from you phone with a filemanager: it won't work until you use rootexplorer (payware).

sarge78 · Dec 21, 2010

You can use Titanium backup too (free)

Amazing how responsive the phone becomes after removing some of the bloat.

Intru · Dec 21, 2010

Interesting Topic, is this about deblurring or are there any more Motoblur Tasks running in the Background after the process?

I really want to get rid of Motoblur, (in my opinion it is just useless Crap running in the Background and collecting data) but I would still like to have my Android Updates. Is there any way to do this?

Xhit · Dec 21, 2010

For you guys who have been de-bluring your phones which apps have you removed? It would be interesting to know which apps that are safe to remove and which that are not or have dependencies to other blur-apps. Thanks in advance!

Sqoerk · Dec 21, 2010

Probably there's only a try and error you can do. I'e posted a list of apk's which are save to remove without going into bootloops. But there's no garuntee that this meets ALL your whishes of services to remove or to stay.

I think that you can give jboogie a try. Also you can try to make a nandroid backup befor starting to remove things. A titanium backup won't help, as it won't backup your system APKs. Don't rely on this.

If you miss a APK (cause you deleted it to fast) feel free to ask, I copied mine all to my SD Card.

sarge78 · Dec 21, 2010

Titanium backup will back up the data (edit: not apps) to your SD card and won't restore them to the system/app folder. (so be warned)

Personally I went for:

ESMusica (Didn't notice any difference)
HipHopOfficial (Didn't notice any difference)
TrueCountry (Didn't nitice any difference)

Social Networking 2.1 update 1 (big speed boost)
Social Status 2.1 update 1 (big speed boost)
Social Messaging service update 1 (big speed boost)
Social Messaging update 1 (big speed boost)

AmazonMP3 (nice speed boost)
News 2.1 update 1 (nice speed boost)
Weather 2.1 update 1 (nice speed boost)
CarDock 1.0 (Didn't notice any difference)
Sticky note 2.1 update 1 (Didn't notice much difference)
Browser Message 2.0.2 (Didn't notice much difference)

Connected Music player (nice speed boost) - Spotify + powerAMP user

At this stage the phone was running lag free, so I don't bother with anything else. (esp with custom ROMS on the horizon back then

)

Intru · Dec 21, 2010

Sounds very interesting.
Would be really great if someone could put together a real Noob Tutorial.
I am not familiar with ADB

Homesicktexan · Dec 21, 2010

Here's what I renamed. I just changed the .apk file extension to .fix (just something easy to remember if I want to do a search and change them back)

AdService
ArcPhotoworkshop
ArcVideoEditorLite
blur-services
BlurDemo
BlurEmail
BlurEmailEngine
BlurSNMessagingEngine
ClockWidget
FriendFeed
NewsWidget
SocialMessaging
SocialShare
StatusWidget
VisualVoicemail
WeatherWidget

I have not experienced any problems yet. If I do I'll post what I find.

Jt612 · Dec 22, 2010

can i get some help here? how exactly do you change to /system/app? is it as simple as typing "/system/app"? and then what happens does ADB list all the files in there or is there another command you ahve to use?

[HOW TO] Clean up system/app

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