Bloatware apps safe to remove on the Droid 4

[orangechoochoo]

Do those apps get called even though they're frozen?

 

[me_droid]

Do those apps get called even though they're frozen?

No, that seems to prevent them from running. Just can't figure out why they were running without my starting them.

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[obogobo]

This may or may not be worth noting but if you want to use the HDMI out, Webtop and Webtop Connector must not be frozen.

 

[me_droid]

No, that seems to prevent them from running. Just can't figure out why they were running without my starting them.

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For example just now CarDock was running. I haven't done anything that I know of to cause that.

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[pintocat]

just a heads up, has anyone else noticed that they dont have "cellular data" listed in their smart action rules after freezing the bloat?

i ask because i noticed it yesterday when i was reading through the smart actions thread that i dont have an option to enable or disable cellular data, so i defrosted allllllll of the bloat that i had frozen and "cellular data" is now in my smart action rules.

does anyone know which app prevents cellular data from showing up in the smart action list?

I had this too.

Took a long time, but I tracked it down to the Analytics Viewer. If it's frozen, the Cell Data toggle for Smart Actions doesn't work.

 

[r314bd]

I had this too.

Took a long time, but I tracked it down to the Analytics Viewer. If it's frozen, the Cell Data toggle for Smart Actions doesn't work.

Thanks! I will add this to the OP.

 

[Sparkimus]

Sync Service is okay to freeze as well. It's only for Backup Assistant. I had it frozen in my D3 and now have it frozen on my D4 without issue.

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[svrnmnd]

The difference between freezing and removing is that when an update comes for the phone, if you removed anything, you will not get the update. Of course, there may be ways around that in due time but it could also be a while.

Freezing is always recommended in the early stages of a phones release. Freezing just hides the app but does not remove it so when an update comes, you just unfreeze and update.



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right but if you un install (I use system app remover) there is an option in that to backup the files before you uninstall them or simply disable them (I assume it cant be that much different from freeze) also if there is an update you can just factory reset and grab the update..right?

 

[r314bd]

right but if you un install (I use system app remover) there is an option in that to backup the files before you uninstall them or simply disable them (I assume it cant be that much different from freeze) also if there is an update you can just factory reset and grab the update..right?

No. If you uninstall a system app, a factory reset will not restore the app. Some system apps will not reinstall correctly once they are uninstalled, either.

I can't stress this enough - do not uninstall system apps! Just freeze them. Freezing will make the apps invisible in your launcher and they will no longer be using any memory so it's just as if they're uninstalled...except freezing is 100% reversible while uninstalling may not be.

 

[chefboyardee]

No. If you uninstall a system app, a factory reset will not restore the app. Some system apps will not reinstall correctly once they are uninstalled, either.

I can't stress this enough - do not uninstall system apps! Just freeze them. Freezing will make the apps invisible in your launcher and they will no longer be using any memory so it's just as if they're uninstalled...except freezing is 100% reversible while uninstalling may not be.

I second this, from personal experience.

The first thing I did after rooting was a full Titanium backup of all apps, just to be safe. I then went on a freezing spree, got distracted with my newborn, came back to freezing and accidentally uninstalled Home Tips 1.0 before realizing I was supposed to be freezing, not uninstalling.

Because I want all the system apps installed for the (eventual) ICS update, I tried to restore Home Tips with my Titanium backup of it (that I had just done 20 minutes before) and it absolutely refused to restore, even after a reboot. It just hung on the "restoring" screen.

Luckily a friend sent me the APK and I was able to restore it to the proper folder using Root Explorer. But if that one very basic system app wouldn't restore it makes me wonder what else at the system level won't restore. Personally, I'm freezing everything just to be safe.

 

[me_droid]

Agreed, there are some apps that tbu cannot restore. just went through this with a lenovo thinkpad tablet trying to do an ota. You will waste much time chasing down apks if you remove rather than freeze, and then it may still not work!

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[obogobo]

Anyone else able to crash their homescreen by pressing a single physical key while the app drawer is open? I get a force close on com.motorola.home :/

 

[chefboyardee]

Anyone else able to crash their homescreen by pressing a single physical key while the app drawer is open? I get a force close on com.motorola.home :/

on my phone when i open the drawer and press a key, it tries to search. perhaps you froze something that shouldn't be frozen? note: i'm using go launcher ex, not the stock home.

edit: installed home launcher, switched to the default home, opened my drawer, pressed a key, got force close. verified! i froze almost everything in the OP's list. the issue does not exist with go launcher ex though, so i'm probably not going to troubleshoot unless it starts happening there

 

[obogobo]

Hmm what is the default action for keypresses in the stock launcher? That might help me narrow it down. I regret to say however that I did uninstall a few apps before I learned about the wonder that is freezing

 

[r314bd]

Anyone else able to crash their homescreen by pressing a single physical key while the app drawer is open? I get a force close on com.motorola.home :/

I just replicated this issue. I'm using Go Launcher so I don't run into this problem normally but if anyone figures out what frozen app is causing this let me know and I'll remove it from the list.