Over the last 6 months, I've bought several applications through the market without any problems. Yesterday, I bought Camera Zoom FX which downloaded just fine. But after downloading, it's been stuck at "Installing..." in the Download-section of my Market. It sais "Purchased" in the upper right corner (as usual) and I've received the receipt through e-mail. I tried to install another app afterwards, and that worked just fine.
Its about 24 hours since I purchased the app now, but it's still trying to install. I've rebooted the phone at least 5 times, cleared the Market-cache before and after rebooting. I've even tried to remove my SD-card just in case.
If I click and hold the application in the Market-app, the only choice I get is "Details", not "Uninstall" and the other options I usually get. When I go to the apps details, the button at the bottom is greyed out and says "Installing..". This means I can't cancel the installation or choose uninstall.
My Hero has the official 2.1 version (fully updated) without root or other modifications.
I've looked through the forum several times, including what seems to be relevant posts, but I can't seem to find any real solution for this problem. Anyone know how I can fix this? I think it's really strange that Android doesn't have any form of time-out or something for this..
@Slug: The problem is that the market-app has downloaded everything (the download finished a few seconds after I bought the app), so there is no download to cancel... It's the installation-process that never starts (even now after about 35-40 hours)
@Xyro: I can't remove the account since it's in use (most likely by the market-app), so all I can do is a factory reset..
@nedamdam: My sdcard/downloads-directory is empty.. I thought that was where the app put the downloads! Does it put it somewhere else? Do you know?
@nedamdam: The force stop-button in settings - applications - manage applications - market is greyed out.. Tried Advanced Task Killer to kill Market, then clear the cache, but still same old...
Does anyone know where market puts its downloaded files? I thought it was in /sdcard/downloads/, but that folder is empty.. That might be what causes the problem?! But still annoying that I can't stop the installation-process for the app..
@nedamdam: Nope.. No root! I wanted to give Android a chance running as supposed before I'd root the phone.. but now I see I might have to! If I wanted a mobile with restricted access and programs that just hangs 24/7, I'd buy a Windows mobile!
@Xyro: I did install Advanced Task Killer to kill the Market-app, and that worked like a charm. I think I've installed about 5 programs through the Market-app after this one froze. So if I could get the apk, I could install through Astro or something..
I did hope I could fix this without a factory reset.. But now I'm not even sure that a reset would fix this problem!
@Xyro: I did install Advanced Task Killer to kill the Market-app, and that worked like a charm. I think I've installed about 5 programs through the Market-app after this one froze. So if I could get the apk, I could install through Astro or something..
I don't mean killing any app. I mean uninstalling the app that froze mid update.
So you already have astro installed? If you go to astro, hit menu and then tools you should get an application manager. If the problem app is listed in there you could try uninstalling it from there.
Last edited by Xyro; October 8th, 2010 at 09:08 AM.
@Xyro: It doesn't show up on the list over running applications.. My problem is that it's downloaded but not installed..
I'll paste a picture of the mobile with the problem.. Easier to explain with a photo than just text! This is how it's been for more than 36 hours now!!
As you can see, the app is purchased and downloaded, but the install-process never started.. The button at the bottom (Installing...) is greyed out, so nothing to do there..
Hmmm hmmmmm, what about disconnect all net. Data and wifi, and reboot. You should get a an error when opening the market. I kinda am not sure its really downloaded still :P . Btw, you could do a quick root maybe and stop the market, erase cache and data. Not sure if just root is enough.
Hmm, what about taking out the SIM? And maybe put some other in. This I think if iirc that it wanted to me to sign on again. That could kinda erase the history of downloading. And when you put your old inside. And your old account. It should start downloading again.
I switched off, used a UK SIM-card, started the phone and used it for a bit.. Even updated a few paid and free apps through the market! Then I switched back to my norwegian SIM, started the phone and no difference!
Really don't know why this installation has stopped, and why there's no way to cancel / force it to stop it!!
Do you have a rooted phone? any chance you could check if an installation through the market has it's own (individual) PID (process ID).. If so I should be able to root the phone and then kill the process..
Why dont you do it now ? There is no harm done in killing of processes . You have a 2.1 and you should be able to kill almost all. So kill all of what you know what is. Then kill of what you suspect might be it. And then kill all others off. :P You might have to then take out battery if you kill somehting and then phone hangs. But you could try.
btw, as you changed the sim, you changed the gmail account right? I mean you didnt use the one you had before? (as you said updated payed apps , you had on the second account payed apps too?)
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Rooting it takes 3 seconds with installing the APP doing it. If you use the one click root apps.(universal androot I think) you shouldnt loose any data. It will just say you are rooted.
not sure it will help you though. but you could check if you cant erase the market data after.
Maybe I can access the folder where the downloaded apps are.. And if it's there, I might be able to delete it to see if that helps.. As of now, I don't find the file on the system, and that's probably because of permissions..
Do you know where the files are downloaded to? I don't have an app that can search other than sdcard...
Didnt Xyro said it up? (And I was always thinking its on the SD ) I think I have it on the SD :P . I mean before installing. Oh, that brings me to . Did you try to remove the SD and boot without it.
After you root you could install file explorers that can explore the root partitions :P . Like the root explorer. Great app . but expensive.
Xyro said it's in the /system folder, but there are 10 sub-folders or something there.. I've looked through it, so guess I can't see it without root! I can't find it on the SD-card either, so maybe that's the problem.. The market-app thinks it has downloaded the file, but in reality it hasn't.. And now it's trying to install a file that doesn't exist..
Again.. Why no time-out!?
But I'll have to look more into this tomorrow!! I'll see if I try rooting or a reset first! Either way I hope at least one of them can fix the problem!!
take the SD out before you sleep and reboot . And you should see it without ROOT. But you wouldnt have acces to it I guess . not sure. factory reset >>> all data and apps gone . Anyway waiting for the posts
As annoying as it may be, I think a factory reset is the better option here. Getting root access and just poking around in the system folders might not be the best idea.
But yeah, apps are stored in /system/app/*appname*.apk. Paid apps might be stored somewhere different, but I can't remember the path for that folder. Something to do with private.
Last edited by Xyro; October 9th, 2010 at 12:09 AM.
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As annoying as it may be, I think a factory reset is the better option here. Getting root access and just poking around in the system folders might not be the best idea.
But yeah, apps are stored in /system/app/*appname*.apk. Paid apps might be stored somewhere different, but I can't remember the path for that folder. Something to do with private.
Xyro thats the place where they are installed or no? I dont know why but I think it downloads them first to the SD then installs them there. (SD/Download)
What I kinda hope from his root :P . Is that he could erase market data. Even maybe install the market from 2.2 ! OH
DO THAT NOW I think slug posted here a link to the newest market from paul. Not sure what you need to install it . But might be worth a shot :P (not sure root is needed, but if you gonna do a factory , you can try )
Xyro thats the place where they are installed or no? I dont know why but I think it downloads them first to the SD then installs them there. (SD/Download)
I've certainly never heard anything like that. Why would they bother having a secured part of the internal memory to store protected paid apps (to try to curb piracy) and then decide to store them on the vulnerable sdcard? As far as I'm aware sdcard/download(s) is just for the stock browser's downloaded files.
As far as I'm aware sdcard/download(s) is just for the stock browser's downloaded files.
Nope, the app is downloaded from the Market to /sdcard/download, installed from there then deleted. If the installation stalls and you cancel the file can usually still be found there and manually installed.
Kinda defeats the point of having a place for 'protected' apps on the internal memory.
Why? Normal (non root) ppl wont know its there and they have to pay for it. Super Humans (root ppl) know many other ways of doing many things (I cant even write here)
Btw lots of times I do have have in that directory download number number files cuz of the stupid market bugs.
And to the protected apps, I guess you mean the ones with "purchased" . They are always protected for you on the google market once you buy them and you can redownload. The data of the apps isnt stored in that directory.
as you even know google can erase apps from your device remotely so I wouldnt worry of ppl stealing apps that way.
Device(s): Samsung Vibrant (Galaxy S) with Android 2.1
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On my Samsung Vibrant (Android 2.1, not rooted) I had the same problem with an app showing as "Installing" and found a way to solve this:
- Goto Settings -> Applications -> Manage Applications
- Select Market
- Do a "Force stop" and a "Clear cache" as described in some posts above
- do an "Uninstall updates" and confirm the action
- Open the market app and select Menu -> Downloads
- Your app may still show up in the list, but now should be marked as installable
-> The only thing I don't know about this method is, if it forced a downgrad on my Market app. After the "Uninstall updates" it shows the version as 2007 unter "Manage Applications -> Market", but I'm not sure, if I had a higher version before. I certainly don't get an update notification within the Market app itself.
Could someone who hasn't downgraded their Market app yet, please let me know, what version they see.
Well.. I think the problem is solved now!! I just did a backup and reset the whole thing.. It's a nice way of cleaning up the memory (which the Hero doesn't have too much of), and get a clean start.. Luckily I could buy a backup-app without the same bug happening to that app! So right now I'm restoring the whole thing...
Just hope it doesn't happen again while installing all my apps from before the reset! I'll guarantee that you'll hear from me again if that happens!!
@tangofan: I could not force stop my market.. The "button" was greyed out, so no way I could do that.. I was going to uninstall the updates and stuff too, but since I didn't have a way of force stopping the market, I was kinda stuck! And I'll check my market-version as soon as my phone is back running OK! I didn't uninstall anything, and the Market should be the version it's supposed to be!
Just have a question about a rooted phone! Are you able to make shell-scripts (for those of you that know Linux), or do you just have a regular shell without posibilities for scripts? I'm this close to rooting the phone now, as Linux is my main OS on my computer.. Want to see what I can and can't do on the phone..If I get another bug like this, I'll open a can of "hackass" on the phone!
Spork, once rooted all you need is a terminal app installed on the handset and you can run shell scripts direct. Also check out GScript in the Market. This app lets you run shell scripts from within Android with a single 'click'.
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@tangofan: My Market-version is 2007 too on my vanilla (non-modified) Hero.. And I've never deleted the updates, so I shouuld have the newest version for our mobile.
I really like the thought of creating scripts on my mobile, so I might try that.. The best would be if I could find out what process that needs to be killed if the Market hangs again, and then make a script that checks and kills the app if needed! Really annoying if it happens again and I have to do a factory reset again.. That's just not happening!
Device(s): Samsung Vibrant (Galaxy S) with Android 2.1
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@Spork, Thanks for the info.
What software do you use for your backups? And does it work with a non-rooted phone? I'm also looking for a backup software that would make a factory-reset and especially the sub-sequent re-configuration relatively painless.
I'm using MyBackup Pro right now. When I reset my phone the first time, I used the trial version. That one is free and fully functional for 30 days, so that gives you a good time to test the app. It works as well as a backup-app can do on a non-rooted phone. It also takes a backup of your Scenes, but more 90% than 100%.. Still way better than 0%!
The drawback of a non-rooted phone is that you need to make backup / export settings and documents from your programs yourself. If you have a rooted phone (which I haven't right now), the backup app (Titanium and more) can backup data from apps automatically.
You could buy the app, backup / reset / restore, and then ask for a refund! It's not a nice way doing it I guess (I support buying good apps), but it's possible.. But try the trial version for 30 days first!
Just remember.. If you sync your calendar and contacts with your Google-account, make a backup of it (just in case), but do not restore!! If you do, you'll get double entries in your calendar and contacts. Your phone will ask you if you want to delete the extra set of contacts, but you'll probably get an error that your trying to delete too many contacts!
So:
1. Install MyBackup trial version
2. Export / backup all your data and documents wherever the apps allow you to,
3. Backup everything (data and apps) with MyBackup (another good free app for backing up non-protected apps is OnTheFly)
4. Force reset
5. Restore all data except contacts and calendar (if synced with Google)
The reason you should backup your apps is that I like old versions of some apps. Mainly because some have become too advanced or big, so I still use the old versions. This way you can revert the old and nice versions of those apps..
I hope this might help you in case you want to reset your phone!
A question mybackup pro doesnt connect the apps witht eh market right? So you still loose the update capability?
Its a long time since I did a factory reset. But I remember that
1. it didnt work
2. made my phone unusable (settings were restored partly and that 90 percent you are speaking of made me wanna reconfigure from 0 to 100 :P, in my case 90 percent was worse then 0)
3. no apps in market download section
so for a non rooter. Manual I had to go :P . But was a long time maybe it got better
maybe just download apps manually and then apply data from mybackup. but not use the restore apps from there if you dont want to loose market updates
EDIT: Nothing beats a good old nandroid (or root + its backup tools)
Last edited by nedamdam; October 10th, 2010 at 04:57 PM.
Absolutely.. The manually installed apps doesn't show up in the Market, but for me it's a way of keeping old versions I want. I install those manually and don't get reminders for updating them, and the rest is installed manually through the Market.. So for non-rooted, it does create an installation job afterwards!!
So for all the apps you want to update, use the market, but for all the apps you want to leave out of the Market, create a backup and do a manual installation!
But I guess my next backup will be with Titanium or something similar..
After I learned that you can script with a regular terminal, that kinda did it for me! I just have to get my phone back up running properly (been away for the day), so I guess I'll look into it tomorrow!
One app from the market stopped after download but before install again now, but luckily just for 10 minutes or so.. I thought I had to go through the same again! So next time, I'll poke through the system trying to fix it without a reset!
I never encountered that problem you had. But I saw some mentioning about it . So if you make some fix script/easy app . Post it here so more can be helped.
i too had the similar problem.
i think its something to do with the CAMERA ZOOM FX.
before downloading it...i had 7 to 8 apps working fine.. but when i installed zoom fx...the installation continued for eternity.
Then after a reboot....none of the apps work....
infact i was unable to install a single app
Apps downloaded but wont install
button.
I wanted to give Android a chance running as supposed before I'd root the phone.. but now I see I might have to! If I wanted a mobile with restricted access and programs that just hangs 24/7, I'd buy a Windows mobile! 
. You have a 2.1 and you should be able to kill almost all. So kill all of what you know what is. Then kill of what you suspect might be it. And then kill all others off. :P You might have to then take out battery if you kill somehting and then phone hangs. But you could try.
