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I found that [email protected]'s ROM had a good idea of adding WaveSecure to the system partition (preventing listing in the My Downloads part of market, and preventing uninstallation through normal means), but his version is slightly out of date now (latest version is 3.0.0.43)
As a result, I set about finding a means to install WaveSecure to ROM myself. Here are my findings for anyone interested in doing the same.
Install the latest version from the market (3.0.0.43 at this time). Now use adb pull to get it off the device onto your pc
Code:
adb pull /data/app/com.wsandroid.apk D:\com.wsandroid.apk
Now open Market back up from the menu, go to My Downloads, and choose Wavesecure Mobile Security Beta and uninstall it for just now (to get it off the data/A2SD location that normal apps are stored in) - thanks, my-space!
Then push the saved apk to the system partition after a remount (to make it read/write)
Code:
adb remount
Code:
adb push D:\com.wsandroid.apk /system/app/com.wsandroid.apk
Then set it all up as usual (will appear in apps list immediately)
and remount system as read only again
Code:
adb remount
And that seems to be it so far. Remember to change the D:\com.wsandroid.apk path to whatever you actually used.
Let me know if anyone finds any problems with this, but I've done it and, fingers crossed, it's worked OK for me.
Obviously, this is only for root users, and there are no guarantees for this.
Couple of questions that might need looked into -
- Do settings carry across after a wipe (as Paul claims Modaco's version does. I've never tried it so can't confirm)
- Is there any disadvantage to using this method? (I guess this is all Modaco's update.zip does, but I don't know)
you forgot to metion to uninstall wavesecure before it is pushed back into system....
my_space said:
you forgot to metion to uninstall wavesecure before it is pushed back into system....
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Oops! Knew I'd forget something, as I always seem prone to do. Well spotted, and OP corrected.
Thanks
No worries I got a bit confused when i pushed it back onto the phone and was still in my downloads...
I've rooted my phone already but whenever i try to use the command adb remount I get "remount failed: operation not permitted". Suggestions?
I see more and more often, redundant threads.
What How-to will you post next time? How to change backlight settings?
You're pointlessly spamming the board.
I can't say i agree with the 'pointlessly spamming the board' comment, but i would have thought this would at least be better in the applications and themes subforum rather than in development.
Don't forget that an awful lot of android users (and more recently all HTC devices) are more and more 'newbs' and need stuff like this.
While this is good and provides info that people like that need (and myself cos i'm crap at adb and stuff like that so wouldn't have had a clue how to do this previously), maybe the development forum is not the best place for it....
I'm guessing one won't be notified via Market if there's an update available if you push an app to /system/app/, right?
usb0 said:
I'm guessing one won't be notified via Market if there's an update available if you push an app to /system/app/, right?
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Click to collapse
You won't be notified, correct
If anybody doesn't already know, WaveSecure have started hosting update.zip files. This means it's now easy to update your "baked-in" version of WaveSecure without much messing around.
https://www.wavesecure.com/installations/update.zip
Download the file, save it to your SD card, reboot into the recovery console and choose the option to apply an update.zip file.
Voila! Your version of WaveSecure will be updated to the very latest version
DJBenson said:
[...]
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That's really awesome! Thanks for the tip!
Just a question of curiosity: If I push an app to /system/app/ and then issue the rm-command to remove its apk, won't there be lying a bunch of files associated with the program and with absolutely no function, since the app itself is removed? How do I know the name of these files and where they are located for removal?
I'm a bit confused by that question. My understanding (which may be incorrect but from what I've seen of the "guts of a ROM" appears to be the case) is that the applications reside in the apk files, they are not extracted. If you list the content of any of the app folders (/system/app, /data/app or /data/app-private) then all you get is a bunch of apk files (and some odex files). So when you 'push' an apk to the phone, that application is then "installed", when you rm/remove an application, you do so by removing the apk.
if you remove the apk you have left something in /data/dalvik-cache. wiping the dalvik-cache every now and then helps reclaiming that space, though it is not much.
the app settings and data are stored in /data/data, you could delete the files manually by checking their names (no idea if/what convention the names follow), imho not worth the trouble as it is only a few kb.
odex files aren't created if you don't do in a PITA process manually. don't worry about them, don't touch them, then you're good. odex files are only for system apps.
I bought a used phone and it had WaveSecure already installed. I couldn't find it in the applications list to uninstall, so I did a factory reset on the phone. The application was still there and it still didn't show up in the applications list.
I have the Superuser Permissions application, so someone must have rooted it.
Is there any way to uninstall this?
motomeup said:
I bought a used phone and it had WaveSecure already installed. I couldn't find it in the applications list to uninstall, so I did a factory reset on the phone. The application was still there and it still didn't show up in the applications list.
I have the Superuser Permissions application, so someone must have rooted it.
Is there any way to uninstall this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
""Just (re)flash a ROM................""
I just noticed that WaveSecure now points to this post for instructions to install as system application, and I am not sure that the update.zip maintained with them is up-to-date.
However, you can now select to download the .apk directly to your PC thus eliminating the first Market step in this guide.
strife242 said:
I just noticed that WaveSecure now points to this post for instructions to install as system application, and I am not sure that the update.zip maintained with them is up-to-date.
However, you can now select to download the .apk directly to your PC thus eliminating the first Market step in this guide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe it is kept up to date, as VillainROM kitchen uses it as a source for the WaveSecure app (fetched each night to keep it up-to-date).
I've certainly never had any problems with it.
Excellent guide Pulser,... I should really reinstall Wavesecure now Im not using a MoDacO Custom ROM. Nice one bruv.
Found this to be helpful.
https://www.wavesecure.com/blog/how-to-make-wavesecure-hard-reset-proof.aspx
I just did a search in the Market fro 'wavesecure' and two things popped up WaveSecure and WaveSecure UninstallProtection Add-on which needs to be uninstalled before WaveSecure and if the add-on is uninstalled it is supposed to lock the phone. (all this is in the description I have yet to try)
i mean is there a benefit to doing it over the data part? only diff i'm aware of is that (in this case, street view) putting an app in the system bit means i can't update it and as i can't get adb working on my PC, then i have to :
backup all my apps, barr those in system, flash a new rom (but remove the apks from the zip file), then reinstall all apps again
i need google street view and since adb doesnt work, this is the only way that i know of how to do this.
They're put on /system/app as that's where they originally live...if it's an app from the Market it will update itself correctly
It's also a space thing as if they were all on /data/app then you'd eat up your space in no time (unless using A2SD)
umm, ok stupid queston, why is it then no matter whose rom i try (here or modaco), if an app is on /system it is never updated? i *always* get an error during installation
few weeks back, it was google maps, now it's the updated street view.
i've flashed a new rom now but removed street.apk from the zip and can now install just fine, and can update as needs be.
I dunno, I'm stock and just today had Flash and Maps update automatically
If your system apps won't update there's something wrong with your custom ROM.
it wouldn't just be me then though?
i'm using leedroids latest and that's not updating, same with opendesire earlier on, modaco ones etc etc
Are you wiping before you install the ROMs? I've never had a problem updating system apps via the market in my ROM.
of course. full wipe
tommo123 said:
of course. full wipe
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just uninstall the app and re-install it from market
You can't if its on the system partition. Updates go on the /data/ partition, though...
Other way is to get the APK in question and install it using a file manager, it'll do the same thing
uninstalling also isn't allowed, neither is updating. it seems that once it's there, it's there.
now, i've got adb working and can list what's in system etc but it gave a read only error when i was trying to 'rm Street.apk'
remount didn't appear to be a valid option. alls working now anyways. just need to remember to remove certain apks from a zip before flashing.
funky
You *can* update system apps with market updates, as has been said before. The app remains on the system partition and the phone uses the data version instead. If it's not working for you I don't know why, but it's absolutely fine for me.
So what we need is a mod that will give you the option of replacing the system/app with updated market version, but replaces it on system and not data.
j5m said:
So what we need is a mod that will give you the option of replacing the system/app with updated market version, but replaces it on system and not data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that's exactly what I do in mine. And I get those by updating the system app via the market.
teppic74 said:
Well that's exactly what I do in mine. And I get those by updating the system app via the market.
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Thats great for you, and i appreciate that you do that with your rom +mods, but it means relying on you. Would be good if android would have it as an inbuilt function.
But i guess with newer phones having increased internal storage + a2sd this won't be an issue for much longer.
It's never going to happen as part of standard Android, because the system partition is read only. Also the system has to be a set standard in order to allow upgrades to work.
I am trying to uninstall my system Youtube app which I have installed a modded version of and my phone will not let me. The reason I am doing this is because I want to install the new 5.0 update but the update always fails. Yes I have root permissions, Yes I have tried using root explorer in ES File Explorer, Yes I have granted SuperUser Permissions to all the apps I have tried to do it with, Yes I have tried removing the app using console emulator, Yes I have cleared the data for the Youtube app and Disabled it, Yes I have tried remounting the system partition to allow RW access but it always goes back to read only!! everything I have tried keeps giving me the error READ ONLY FILE SYSTEM! I have used Root apps before and they all worked, why when I try to do something so simple it doesnt work? I have searched around on google and havent seen anyone with the problem I'm having. If it is a problem with the modded apk then there HAS to be a way to remove, in fact as I write this I am conctacting the developer via E-Mail. Please help!
BTW this modded YouTube apk was created by theos0o and I downloaded it from this forum!
My device is rooted.
I've read a few other topics regarding this issue, but I'm still confused. As I understand it, using typical uninstall apps such as Titanium or Root Uninstaller do not remove the manufacturer apps from the phone still because of an S feature? I'm new to this process, so please forgive my naive rhetoric. I tried those programs, and as previously stated in other posts, the bloatware comes back.
I installed AROMA file manager to try and manually find the bloatware and delete the physical files, but I can't find the files that I'm looking to delete. I don't mind taking the time and manually deleting these unnecessary files, but, I need some guidance on where to look (or any other viable solutions.)
Thanks for your time!
Download this patch and edit update-binary file what application need remove then flash via recovery mode .
espmma said:
My device is rooted.
I've read a few other topics regarding this issue, but I'm still confused. As I understand it, using typical uninstall apps such as Titanium or Root Uninstaller do not remove the manufacturer apps from the phone still because of an S feature? I'm new to this process, so please forgive my naive rhetoric. I tried those programs, and as previously stated in other posts, the bloatware comes back.
I installed AROMA file manager to try and manually find the bloatware and delete the physical files, but I can't find the files that I'm looking to delete. I don't mind taking the time and manually deleting these unnecessary files, but, I need some guidance on where to look (or any other viable solutions.)
HTC devices are set "S on" from the manufacture. That means there are certain partitions in the nand storage that you can't access without S off ( boot partition, radio partition). The write permissions to the system partition are also not accessible unless you either obtain S off through the Sunshine app which costs $25 or a another option that is not true S off is a write permission mod called WP.MOD_ko that you flash to your phone and it installs a script and changes your phone's SElinux permissions and enables the system partition write permissions to be able to uninstall system apps or fully use certain root apps like Link2SD that also need the system write permissions at bootup.
1st option " fully" unlocks your phone and all partitions. 2nd option just installs scripts to kind of trick your system partition to allow apps to write to it and you to be able to uninstall system apps. It also changes your SElinux permissions from enforcing to permissive so be aware that's disabling the phone's security system. Not a problem unless you get malware but you should be aware of what any mod does to your phone. They have to do that because the mod can't get the phone to be true S off so this is a workaround for that one partition.
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Click to collapse
Okay cool, thank you for breaking that down for me. So, if I use what pham posted, then that would be a script change? But, even if it were a script change I could still fully uninstall the bloatware, with the risk of a potential virus. Is that correct?
espmma said:
Okay cool, thank you for breaking that down for me. So, if I use what pham posted, then that would be a script change? But, even if it were a script change I could still fully uninstall the bloatware, with the risk of a potential virus. Is that correct?
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You're welcome. I'm not familiar with what Pham linked you but I'm sure it's similar to the 2nd option I mentioned. The one I was referring to was written for lollipop versions by CaptainTitti I believe is his handle but if you search XDA for our phone WP_MOD.ko that forum should be for kit Kat and a few pages forward is the link to the lollipop version with instructions from CaptainTitti on how to install it. The malware risk is minimal i just wanted to mention it. You have that as well with just rooting and also full S off it's just those 2 leave your SElinux permissions set to enforcing not permissive. Just giving you the info so your informed because no one but us pays for our devices so we should have as much info as possible I believe but good info .
The only one of these I've actually tried is the full S off one with Sunshine so understand and read the whole forum for the other before flashing so you know all the feedback but it does work. Also be aware that the WP_MOD.ko would have to be fully removed and SElinux reenabled to be able to do stock updates and there's not just an " uninstall" box with them. You have to use a root file explorer and remove what was changed and replace with the stock files I believe. Good idea to do a stock Android backup using your custom recovery before flashing any of these, S off excepted as it doesn't mess with doing stock updates. Not knocking the others but these are the things you don't find out about till after you flash them. Now you know before.
Below is the link to the forum page for the kitkat mod and if you scroll down a bit CaptainTiiti had a link to the one for lollipop.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2707378&page=7
Can't you just use Root Browser, then go to system/app & system/priv-app to remove the bloat? That's what I do on my phone everytime I install a new ROM [emoji1]
Stachura5 said:
Can't you just use Root Browser, then go to system/app & system/priv-app to remove the bloat? That's what I do on my phone everytime I install a new ROM [emoji1]
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I don't know my friend I've never tried that. Maybe he can try it first and see if it works. To be honest I never tried to just remove system apps before i was S off I just read of all the people here on XDA saying they couldn't without S off so I did it. Turns out I switched to debloated CM roms soon after and never even debloated my stock rom, which definitely needed it ! I used Titanium backup to debloat my Samsung tablet after root to get rid of Knox and Samsung junk but it wasn't nand locked like the HTC's are. Can't hurt for him to try it because S off costs and the other mods have their down sides also.
i have completely deleted their bloatware folder, but bloatware will appear if the device boots without root and there is no app folder in user app or system folder but they can run and update normally, maybe it specially designed. Will the above patch zip help me clear the problem completely? i want to clean up the crap, and my device uses system as root so i need to flash modified binary in boot.img separately after signing.
I have my old Moto G5 ( Cedric ) XT1675
which was on Android 7 Nougat
To cut down on apps I didn't need I would use TWRP's file manager to remove/delete apps I didn't use ( but could be downloaded from the play store if needed ) from /system/app /system/priv-app
I fresh installed the 8.1 Oreo firmware but now for some reason any app I try to remove/delete from /system/app or /system/priv-app stays installed and still works perfectly, I have no idea why this is
Usually on any device I can uninstall any updates to a pre-installed app then remove the app from /system/app or /system/priv-app so i don't know if Motorola has changed something with the 8.1 firmware or if I am missing something.
Any help would be appreciated - Thanks Ryan
Livi-Tech said:
I have my old Moto G5 ( Cedric ) XT1675
which was on Android 7 Nougat
To cut down on apps I didn't need I would use TWRP's file manager to remove/delete apps I didn't use ( but could be downloaded from the play store if needed ) from /system/app /system/priv-app
I fresh installed the 8.1 Oreo firmware but now for some reason any app I try to remove/delete from /system/app or /system/priv-app stays installed and still works perfectly, I have no idea why this is
Usually on any device I can uninstall any updates to a pre-installed app then remove the app from /system/app or /system/priv-app so i don't know if Motorola has changed something with the 8.1 firmware or if I am missing something.
Any help would be appreciated - Thanks Ryan
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I experienced something similar when I was uninstalling all apps I don't need after rooting my phone.
Normal system apps worked fine uninstalling (used sdmaid)
But when I tried to uninstall things like motorola.bug2go or brapps (motorola.brapps), my account, my benefits, mybells etc it didn't work, neither with uninstaller nor deleting in system/apps folder. Most of them are disabled by standard but we'll.. why should I need an app I never heard from and which is even disabled in original ROM?
G5-User7080 said:
I experienced something similar when I was uninstalling all apps I don't need after rooting my phone.
Normal system apps worked fine uninstalling (used sdmaid)
But when I tried to uninstall things like motorola.bug2go or brapps (motorola.brapps), my account, my benefits, mybells etc it didn't work, neither with uninstaller nor deleting in system/apps folder. Most of them are disabled by standard but we'll.. why should I need an app I never heard from and which is even disabled in original ROM?
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Click to collapse
Even with system as read write and deleting for example Contacts ( or any app that won't update via play store ) the app is still somehow installed and working fine
did a TWRP backup to confirm apps weren't pretending to get erased and the apps i removed weren't there so the apps are being removed
Tried formatting data ( apps removed from system are still there )
It's odd I have never seen this happen before