App to stop process from running in background

[androidmonkey]

I know that the Android OS handles memory well and closes apps when not needed. The problem is, some apps run processes in the background when Im not even using them. I dont want these processes running because it A.) Slows down my internet speed if the app is using it B.) It slows down my phone processing speed because the app is using precious cpu cycles

Here is a list of apps running in the background on my phone right now that I have no desire for them to be running unless I am using them.

- GetJar
- FaceBook
- musiXmatch

If I use Advanced Task Killer to kill them, they open back up.

Is there a way to stop these from running unless I have them as my active application?

 

[chanchan05]

Facebook is running because its polling for notifications etc, and the upload service. Its running but not connected to the internet, but its running because the upload service is connected to the system itself. For example, from file manager or from gallery, if you press share on an item, you will see a "share to facebook" option for upload.

I dont use musiXmatch so I dont know why it has a running service

Nor do I know why Getjar is running, but on mine it doesnt affect my internet speed.

The only option you have is to freeze them, but you need to be rooted for that.

 

[androidmonkey]

Yea, well, thats the thing. I dont want apps like Facebook running unless I choose for them to be running. Regarding the upload service, that service doesnt need to be opened unless I choose to upload a picture. If it is in fact working the way you say, it doesnt always need to be running to work. The "Share to" option has lots of programs that come up when I use it, Evernote, Flickr, etc, none of those programs are running unless I choose them.

I have root on my phone, freezing them though wont allow me to use them anymore.

 

[lunatic59]

If you use ATK and they open back up then that means other apps or services are using them for a required process. Killing them, freezing them or removing them will likely make your phone very unstable. It is best to just let them be.

If you haven't read this, you might want to read Why You Don't Need a Task Killer.

 

[androidmonkey]

If you use ATK and they open back up then that means other apps or services are using them for a required process. Killing them, freezing them or removing them will likely make your phone very unstable. It is best to just let them be.

If you haven't read this, you might want to read Why You Don't Need a Task Killer.

I am not talking about system apps, which can make your phone unstable if killed. I am talking about apps like I posted in the OP. That link you sent, Ive read many, many post about not needing a task killer. While I agree that Android manages memory very well, this doesnt stop a background app from using CPU cycles and/or the internet. Memory isnt slowing my phone down its these apps using my CPU when I am trying to play games or other task.

 

[lunatic59]

If those processes are running they are running for a reason. It is usually because there is a process they provide that another app is calling. If you kill it, you can cause serious problems. There are many who will testify that trying to get rid of the Facebook will disable other communication features of your phone.

 

[androidmonkey]

If those processes are running they are running for a reason. It is usually because there is a process they provide that another app is calling. If you kill it, you can cause serious problems. There are many who will testify that trying to get rid of the Facebook will disable other communication features of your phone.

Seriously, think about it. Whats the difference between keeping it from running unless I have it open and not having it at all? So uninstalling FB would disable other communication features on my phone, no.

Ive read numerous threads regarding this subject, many explain about memory management of Android. My point isnt about memory management, its about the CPU being used in the background.

 

[lunatic59]

So uninstalling FB would disable other communication features on my phone, no..

Actually, yes.

I am going to ask some of our rom developers if they can explain it better.

 

[scary alien]

Since I don't and haven't used any of the apps that the OP has listed, I can only tell you my experiences from having actually written an app that utilizes a background service.

When such an app (let's call it a service-app) is killed, it is automatically restarted by Android.

The app itself must recognize that it crashed and/or was killed in order to differentiate that it was started-up from boot or normally by the user. If it was killed, it will likely spend time trying to re-sync and re-establish itself back to the state it was prior to be terminate. So, killing the app manually or with a task killer will almost certainly cause extra CPU cycles and other resources to be used versus just leaving the app running.

The best alternative would be, assuming that the app supports this, would be to simply turn off its syncing feature and then initiate a sync manually, at the time of your choosing.

If your app does not support turning off its syncing feature, your only other choice would be to uninstall it if it not a system app, or obtain root capability and uninstall or freeze it.

Hope that helps.

Cheers!

 

[sdrawkcab25]

The apps are cached in the background, not running, therefore they are not using cpu cycles or data. You can also turn off background data.

If they are running in the background, it means they are trying to accomplish a task such as syncing or another app has called on it for one of it's services such as contact/photo/music syncing.

 

[Scur]

Those apps reside in memory, but only use your CPU when performing a task. You can use a task killer all day long, but more will pop open, mostly the same ones. They're sitting in your memory waiting to perform a task, and for the most part aren't using up your CPU. Android likes to have stuff in it's memory, it sees too much empty memory as a waste of space. If you install SystemPanel App or something like it that will keep a history of how much CPU each app is really using.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

To the OP: Since you have root on your phone, try the Permissions Denied app. Once you grant it su access, it will bring up a list of your installed apps. Press on the ones in question, and I think you will find that they all have RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED permission. Remove that permission and reboot. If the app isn't notified when you start your phone, I'm pretty sure its background services won't start until you actually run the app in question.

 

[alostpacket]

To the OP: Since you have root on your phone, try the Permissions Denied app. Once you grant it su access, it will bring up a list of your installed apps. Press on the ones in question, and I think you will find that they all have RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED permission. Remove that permission and reboot. If the app isn't notified when you start your phone, I'm pretty sure its background services won't start until you actually run the app in question.

This could cause other, different problems but might be worth a try.

The thing is the OS may still attempt to send the BOOT_COMPLETED intent, but these apps will crash when they get it.

They can also ask the system to be started "every 10 mins" or similar. So while they may be off for the first ten mins after boot, they will still launch.


Also there's a lot of green in this here thread!

 

[zuben el genub]

If those processes are running they are running for a reason. It is usually because there is a process they provide that another app is calling. If you kill it, you can cause serious problems. There are many who will testify that trying to get rid of the Facebook will disable other communication features of your phone.

I've deleted all social media with no detriment to phone - calls work, wifi works, text works, mms works. the apps I do want work. Basic stuff should work. Other social stuff might not. I'm not interested in social stuff. FB shouldn't work if you never sign up for it. How can it poll if it doesn't have the right info? My account name, GMail name and most of the other stuff are totally different anyway. Half the extras on the phone I never registered for.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

This could cause other, different problems but might be worth a try.

That's true, but I've followed this advice and been lucky more often than not. Nothing to lose by trying... other than a little time.

 

[chanchan05]

I've deleted all social media with no detriment to phone - calls work, wifi works, text works, mms works. the apps I do want work. Basic stuff should work. Other social stuff might not. I'm not interested in social stuff. FB shouldn't work if you never sign up for it. How can it poll if it doesn't have the right info? My account name, GMail name and most of the other stuff are totally different anyway. Half the extras on the phone I never registered for.

If they are uninstalled, nothing will happen to your phone because whatever service that was triggering them (say Facebook) to run is getting back info that Facebook is not installed.

If it is installed and the service gets back that triggering Facebook to run failed, it will try over and over to run Facebook again until it gets it running. Which is basically why Facebook re-opens every time you kill it.

Short is, if you dont want Facebook running background, uninstall it.

 

[ardchoille]

If one app is using an activity from another app both apps will appear as "running". Let me explain this a bit..

Activities
Android apps use activites to preform tasks. For example, if you use a file manager to send a picture via email, the file manager calls the send activity within an email app, passes the file name to it and the email app sends the picture.. not the file manager. This will result in seeing the email app as "running" even though the user didn't actually launch that email app.

Smaller apps
Using activites helps developers design smaller apps. A file manager app that contains every bit of code needed to do everything a file manager does would likely be so large that no one would want to install it. Developers know that an android phone more than likely has an email app so there is no need for the developer to include email code in his/her file manager to send a picture when he/she can call an activity in an existing email app to do the job. This results in a smaller file manager app since there is no need to include email code or any other code for an activity that can be done via an app that is already present on the phone. This also alleviates redundant code. When you install an app outside of the android market, also known as sideloading, the file manager app calls the package installer (already present in Android) to install the requested app.

Running apps vs. cached apps
The "Manage Applications" list included in many android devices lists running apps as well as cached apps. Cached apps don't use any CPU or battery, they're cached so they will load faster the next time you need them. Killing cached apps results in those apps requiring more time to load the next time they are launched.

System management
By default, every android application runs in its own Linux process. Android starts the process when any of the application

 

[zuben el genub]

I'm rooted, so FB is gone. But it does need to be controlled.

I do have a FB account, but the name is not any I use anywhere else and not my real name. Having FB search even if never registered with it or use it is not fair to those with limited data plans. I'd call this an unacceptable and unfair business practice.

You are also right that FB has tentacles everywhere. I use NoScript with FF and only turn on javascript when necessary. When you click to allow a site, half the time facebook net is in the NoScript list.

 

[cerj]

If one app is using an activity from another app both apps will appear as "running". Let me explain this a bit..

Activities
Android apps use activites to preform tasks. For example, if you use a file manager to send a picture via email, the file manager calls the send activity within an email app, passes the file name to it and the email app sends the picture.. not the file manager. This will result in seeing the email app as "running" even though the user didn't actually launch that email app.

Smaller apps
Using activites helps developers design smaller apps. A file manager app that contains every bit of code needed to do everything a file manager does would likely be so large that no one would want to install it. Developers know that an android phone more than likely has an email app so there is no need for the developer to include email code in his/her file manager to send a picture when he/she can call an activity in an existing email app to do the job. This results in a smaller file manager app since there is no need to include email code or any other code for an activity that can be done via an app that is already present on the phone. This also alleviates redundant code. When you install an app outside of the android market, also known as sideloading, the file manager app calls the package installer (already present in Android) to install the requested app.

Running apps vs. cached apps
The "Manage Applications" list included in many android devices lists running apps as well as cached apps. Cached apps don't use any CPU or battery, they're cached so they will load faster the next time you need them. Killing cached apps results in those apps requiring more time to load the next time they are launched.

System management
By default, every android application runs in its own Linux process. Android starts the process when any of the application