Delete Bloatware (Backup Assistance), Don't WIPE device

[mrailing]

Delete Bloatware (Backup Assistance), Don't WIPE device, Possibly Restore

Ok, I jumped on the bandwagon early on, and I about FC'd myself out of the phone. Here are a few tricks I used to help myself when getting force closures doing initial setup.

I rooted the device, removed a few apps, including the Yahoo apps, which breaks contacts. I figured it was something I loaded so I did a data wipe and upon reboot of the device, I was getting force closes during the setup app, with no way to process to the launcher, as the Setup app was calling another APK after asking me which GPS style I wanted. Figured I hosed my device, but I was persistent. Here is something that might help.

During the setup procedure is prompts to setup your Google account, and when doing so, it asks if you want to restore your information and programs. I usually skip this, as I don't sync my contacts from Gmail since I don't want them on the phone, I just sync my mail. After being stuck a couple of full wipes, I thought to myself, if I do a restore, it should restore ADW, which will give me a launcher to open, and I can choose it instead of the setup program.

So, I setup Google, and told it to do a restore, I was then presented with a huge list of programs being downloaded from the task bar, I could click on one, which would in turn open the Market app, which I couldn't launch previously. From there I did a search for ADW, chose to install it and waited. After install, from the market app, since it was still open, I opened ADW, which then prompted me which app I wanted to use as my home default, ADW or Setup. I selected ADW and made it the default.

This let me get in to the phone through a launcher, although I was still missing everything I deleted before. I could now launch Market, install Root Explorer, use a ROM dump of the System/App folder, and restore all the files I removed, and the file permissions (RW-R--R--) and Root/Root on the Change Owner. (instructions for this in post #2).

This restored me to my default device with everything removed, but still had my rooted access.

I am going to assume that the Setup program is calling one of the APKs I deleted, most likely the Backup Assistance Client, as I know it's called during Setup.

So as a warning, do NOT delete the APKs, specifically Backup Assistance, if you wipe the device, you won't be able to use the device. I was lucky enough to be able to launch the Market app during the restore process from Google, which let me load a different default launcher.

Might help someone else that is stuck and can't get in their device.

 

[mrailing]

Here is what I did after I got back in the system.

1. Pulled the dump of the System/App folder. I got it from this post:

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-3-hacks/167677-removing-bloatware-2.html#post1705285

2. I loaded Root Explorer (yes it costs money, but well worth it).

3. Compared the files in that zip (on your PC) to the ones from the Root Explorer -> System -> App

4. Saved all of the missing files to a folder (on the PC), then moved to my SD card (Move the whole folder, it's easier to select all)

5. Make sure the SD card is mounted in the Android OS, then in Root Explorer navigate to System/App and mount as R/W.

6. Navigate back up to root of Root Explorer, then navigate to SDcard-Ext and then the folder you saved the files.

7. From that folder click options hardward button (four squares) then click "Multi-select", choose "Select All", then click Copy. Use the "..." folder at the top to go up two directories to the root, then go to "System" then "App" and choose paste (you did mark it as "Mount R/W" already, if not, you can do it at the top now).

8. After the files have been pasted, you need to change the permissions and ownership of those files.

9. I used the folder as a guide and went to the first file. Click and hold the file, choose "permissions", change to 'Owner = Read, Write' & 'Group = Read' & 'Others = Read'. Nothing else selected, then click OK.

10. Click and hold that same file again, scroll down to "Change Owner". Change both the Owner and Group to '0 - root', at the top of each list, then click OK.

11. Do this for every file you deleted.

12. Reboot the Droid 3. All of the files will be restored.

13. Don't delete them again.

 

[mrailing]

Ok, it's the "Guided Tours" that is unsafe to delete. I just did another reset, and it's the items that comes up after the GPS setup screen.

So "Guided Tours" is unsafe to remove.

 

[blackwolf]

Ok, it's the "Guided Tours" that is unsafe to delete. I just did another reset, and it's the items that comes up after the GPS setup screen.

So "Guided Tours" is unsafe to remove.

Actually... I have removed it and I have no issues. It must be something else that is the problem.

There is a script over on XDA that automatically removes up to 55 apps... Guided Tours is one of them.
[Script] Safe bloat removal script (55 total apps) - xda-developers

 

[mrailing]

Have you wiped the device?

 

[blackwolf]

Have you wiped the device?

Wiped what specifically?

 

[militant]

I've got guided tours frozen since the night of root with 0 issues thus far.

 

[mrailing]

Wiped what specifically?

The device. Done a hard reset, used recovery to wipe completely or used the system app to wipe? This is where I ran in to the problem, as noted above.

I've got guided tours frozen since the night of root with 0 issues thus far.

I didn't have an issue until the phone was wiped back to factory defaults, at which time I got a forced close during the account setup which failed to launch the launcher and was caught in a setup loop.

 

[blackwolf]

Now I understand, and no I have not done this. Your previous post made it sound more like simply removing the Guided Tours app was the reason for your issues.

The device. Done a hard reset, used recovery to wipe completely or used the system app to wipe? This is where I ran in to the problem, as noted above.

 

[argenzjc]

Did the wipe, changed permissions and such. WHEW! I thought I was stuck,

HOWEVER...when I click on a contact it still force closes. My contacts are shot. Anyone figure this out?

 

[mrailing]

Did the wipe, changed permissions and such. WHEW! I thought I was stuck,

HOWEVER...when I click on a contact it still force closes. My contacts are shot. Anyone figure this out?

Replace the Yahoo files. Personally I would tell you to replace EVERYTHING, make it 100% stock in terms of items you removed. Compare the list in the ZIP file to your list and replace anything that's not there. Then when done freeze the apps based upon the lists that are out there, or do them one at a time.

 

[argenzjc]

I can't even get past the first screen. Everything is force closing. Did a factory reset, same thing. Only thing available now is wi-fi. I think i'm screwed....

 

[Cdjones187]

I can't even get past the first screen. Everything is force closing. Did a factory reset, same thing. Only thing available now is wi-fi. I think i'm screwed....

Sounds like you tinkered a little to much. If you can't remember or don't know how to replace files that got deleted/move/modified etc.. you should just look into flashing the fastboot file over at XDA to recover, then install CWM and backup before doing anything else.



D3 fastboot and RSD Lite

D3 One-Click Root Guide

D3 Clockwork Mod Recovery

PS: Educate your self on the above links before attempting them. If your not sure what to do just ask, or take the chance of not being able to recover your phone.

 

[murawski1315]

Same problem, and I fixed it

I also had the same problem. I ran a script (sorry, cant remember who to give credit to) that froze all of the bloat on my phone. I also stopped ads from coming to my phone, which broke google music. I couldnt take this, as my phone is essentally my ipod, so i factory reset, and then I couldnt get past the setup.

So what I had to do. Download the sbf update that is floating around, put the phone into fast boot, and use RSD lite 5.4 I believe. Took some time, but I got the sbf on the phone, ran the setup, and had everything back to normal in about 3 hours.

 

[Endoroid]

While I'm no expert, many of the threads I've read say to never factory reset when you've goofed your phone. It doesn't actually restore apps or files but just wipes the changes you as an end user have made, so any changes made while rooting won't be undone. And it also apparently kills the USB debugging mode, making life that much harder

Sent from my rooted xt860