Help Cannot install apps anymore

[SoWhy]

Hi there,

recently, my Desire started to refuse to install new applications or update old ones. They would download fine but then I'd get a message saying "Installation unsuccessful" but not give me any further information as to why that is. When using .apk files, I get "Application not installed" but no further information as well.

I have enough space on both the phone and the SD card and I am running a rooted 2.2 original ROM.

So I'm stuck and I need your help. Why does this happen and how can I find out?

TIA
SoWhy

 

[CarsnGadgets]

you say you have enough space, but just to check, you need more than 15mb free on the phone to install any new apps, even if they are smaller than that.

have you canged your googlemail address to gmail at all?

have you tried uninstalling an app from /settings/applications/manage applications, and then see if you can re-install the same app again from the market or from a backed up apk using astro or similar?

have you rebooted the phone?

Have you tried on wifi as well as 3G?

 

[SoWhy]

Yes, it's 53 MB at the moment.

No, I haven't (and that would only affect the market, would it?)

Yes, I did. Same problem.

Yes.

Yes, WiFi downloads never worked for me anyway.

 

[SoWhy]

Maybe this helps, it's a CatLog extract about the file I tried to install:

I/ActivityManager( 125): Starting activity: Intent { act=android.intent.action.DELETE dat=package:application.lmuapp cmp=com.android.packageinstaller/.UninstallerActivity }
I/PackageManager( 125): Removing non-system package:application.lmuapp
D/PackageManager( 125): Removing package application.lmuapp
I/ActivityManager( 125): Force stopping package application.lmuapp uid=10068
D/PackageManager( 125): Activities: application.lmuapp.peoplesearch.DepartmentMap application.lmuapp.Lmuapp application.lmuapp.timetable.Timetable application.lmuapp.timetable.Update application.lmuapp.timetable.LogIn application.lmuapp.timetable.Attention application.lmuapp.timetable.DataTable application.lmuapp.timetable.Details application.lmuapp.timetable.Options application.lmuapp.help.Help application.lmuapp.lecturesearch.Search application.lmuapp.peoplesearch.PeopleSearch application.lmuapp.events.Calendar application.lmuapp.events.EventsList application.lmuapp.events.EventDetails application.lmuapp.peoplesearch.PeopleList application.lmuapp.peoplesearch.PeopleDetails application.lmuapp.peoplesearch.PeopleOptions application.lmuapp.news.ChooseFaculty application.lmuapp.news.NewsList application.lmuapp.news.NewsDetails application.lmuapp.lecturesearch.LectureList application.lmuapp.lecturesearch.LectureDetails
I/ActivityManager( 125): Force stopping package application.lmuapp uid=10068
D/VoldCmdListener( 95): asec unmount application.lmuapp-1 force
I/installd( 102): unlink /data/dalvik-cache/mnt@asec@application.lmuapp-1@pkg.apk@classes.dex
I/PackageHelper( 125): Forcibly destroying container application.lmuapp-1
D/VoldCmdListener( 95): asec destroy application.lmuapp-1 force
W/vending ( 601): [244] LocalAssetDatabase.syncWithPackageManager(): PackageManager cannot find package: application.lmuapp
D/vending ( 601): [245] LocalAssetCache.updateOnePackage(): No local info for application.lmuapp
I/UninstallAppProgress( 2111): Finished uninstalling pkg: application.lmuapp
I/ActivityManager( 125): Starting activity: Intent { dat=file:///mnt/sdcard/download/Copy%20of%20LMU_APP_Android.apk typ=application/apk cmp=com.metago.astro/.PackageDetails }
I/PackageParser( 2094): application.lmuapp: compat added android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE
W/PackageManager( 2094): Failure retrieving text 0x7f060000 in package application.lmuapp
I/ActivityManager( 125): Starting activity: Intent { act=android.intent.action.VIEW dat=file:///mnt/sdcard/download/Copy of LMU_APP_Android.apk cmp=com.android.packageinstaller/.PackageInstallerActivity }
I/PackageParser( 2111): application.lmuapp: compat added android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE
I/ActivityManager( 125): Starting activity: Intent { dat=file:///mnt/sdcard/download/Copy of LMU_APP_Android.apk cmp=com.android.packageinstaller/.InstallAppProgress (has extras) }
I/InstallAppProgress( 2111): Finished installing application.lmuapp

 

[CarsnGadgets]

i asked the googlemail question as the app market is tied to your google account and some people have had issues once they have changed from googlemail to gmail.

The log makes no sence to me, but it mentions:
"WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE
W/PackageManager( 2094): Failure retrieving text 0x7f060000 in package application.lmuapp"

not sure what it means but 'external storage' is the sdcard, maybe try a different sdcard in the phone?

sorry, thats me all out of ideas...

 

[SUroot]

Have you added a2sd+ or done mod install location?

 

[SoWhy]

I considered that but it's the same when I plugged the phone to my PC and set it to disk drive (i.e. disabling the SD card for phone use). Strangely enough, it only happens when I had the app installed once, as far as I can see. Could it be related to having transferred all of them to the SD card?

 

[SoWhy]

Have you added a2sd+ or done mod install location?

Sorry, I didn't see that post. Yes, I did change the install location once, a few weeks ago via PC I think. I can't find the "mod install location" in the Android Market.

 

[jimeller]

Do you use a task killer and have one of the system apps be killed??

Just a suggestion

 

[SUroot]

Sorry, I didn't see that post. Yes, I did change the install location once, a few weeks ago via PC I think. I can't find the "mod install location" in the Android Market.

Yeah the mod install location you do via PC... Theres a thread about it here:

http://androidforums.com/htc-desire/174345-how-move-apps-sd-card-unrooted-device-noobs-guide.html

If you did this, your internal memory doesn't matter as its installing on SD card. There may be a problem with the card.

 

[SoWhy]

Yeah the mod install location you do via PC... Theres a thread about it here:

http://androidforums.com/htc-desire/174345-how-move-apps-sd-card-unrooted-device-noobs-guide.html

If you did this, your internal memory doesn't matter as its installing on SD card. There may be a problem with the card.

Unfortunately, there is no way to change this without using the same method, is there?

 

[SUroot]

Unfortunately, there is no way to change this without using the same method, is there?

You need to do it using that method to reverse too, yeah.

Have you a spare SD you can test?

 

[Fatwaz]

i had this problem.what i had to do was go into settings and all apps then for every google app on the phone(including market and download manager i think) i had to clear cache and data.this cured it

heres the post that cured it for me

Originally Posted by CuppaChoc
Well, I finally found a cure. After trying all the various workarounds on the web (including the clear cache and data on market), I went through the following:

Went into airplane mode (just to stop any sync issues)
Cleared all possible cache/data on the following:

Market
Market updater
Download manager
Google Mail + Google * (i.e. any other google apps)
HTC Checkin Service
Talk

Then I turned off phone. Turned back on. Then took out of airplane mode. Then market started working. Must be an issue with one of the other google apps which uses my creds.

BTW, I had previously just cleared cache/data for the market app (and force closed it) and market updater and download manager and chat. Those didn't work by themselves. When I cleared out anything which pulls on the google account it all started working again.

 

[SoWhy]

You need to do it using that method to reverse too, yeah.

Have you a spare SD you can test?

Yeah, at home but here at work I'd hoped I could fix it another way. I'll try reversing the effects and see if that fixes it. Thanks for your help so far

 

[SUroot]

Yeah, at home but here at work I'd hoped I could fix it another way. I'll try reversing the effects and see if that fixes it. Thanks for your help so far

Of course that means all apps will install on your precious internal memory.

 

[SoWhy]

Of course that means all apps will install on your precious internal memory.

Unfortunately. The only thing that annoys me about the Desire is that some brainiac thought that 512 MB internal memory is enough. xD

I currently assume that the problem is the default install location and not the SD card itself. If that's the case, I can still manually transfer those apps after they have been installed. But I'll have to wait until I'm back home to test that theory. I'll be back if that doesn't fix it

 

[SoWhy]

Okay, my guess was correct. Once I set the Install Location back to "0", I can install everything again.

 

[SUroot]

That was always a given. What you have yet to ascertain is whether the problem was the installation location modification or the location (SD card) itself.

Unfortunately without swapping teh SD card you will never know.

 

[ritanguyen167]

Hi
I also changed the install location to SD card and got the same problem. I no longer can install apps from Android Market (e.g. Google+, some games, etc.). Maybe I have to reverse the install location to default to install them. And after that, will change the install location to SD card again to move installed apps to SD card
Thanks for your sharing!

 

[Grouch]

Old thread but top hit on google and I was able to resolve this.

I pulled the SD and put it back and pulled it and put it back again, no luck.

Then I got tired of switching SIM between phones.
With no SIM you have to log into Blur and my password is a pain.
But when I logged in, everything was working again.

 

[Hadron]

Blur won't be part of the solution here - this is the HTC Desire forum

 

[Grouch]

Blur won't be part of the solution here - this is the HTC Desire forum

BLUR was not mentioned as part of the solution, rather as an annoyance, a side issue.

The issue is common to Android, not reserved for a specific phone.

Since posting the SIM died and was replaced today.
Not sure if a bad SIM could have anything to do with this.
Maybe it lead to erratic behavior in the phone?
I'm guessing separate issues.
-noob