Root Backing up apk's.

[jmm92108]

When I download an app from the Android market, where is the apk stored? I noticed a folder called sdcard/backups/apps where some of my apk's are stored. Some, but not all. Not sure why only some are stored there. Is there a place on the phones internal memory where my other apks are stored? I would like to back them all up. (No, I don't want to download an app to back them up for me, I would like to see if I can do it myself).

 

[sitlet]

You can only backup apps if you are rooted.

 

[jmm92108]

I'm rooted, running CM6.1 (as of 1 week ago)

 

[sitlet]

Ok, then download Titanium Backup from the market.

 

[novox77]

When I download an app from the Android market, where is the apk stored? I noticed a folder called sdcard/backups/apps where some of my apk's are stored. Some, but not all. Not sure why only some are stored there. Is there a place on the phones internal memory where my other apks are stored? I would like to back them all up. (No, I don't want to download an app to back them up for me, I would like to see if I can do it myself).

Downloaded apps' apks are placed in /data/app
System apps' apks are in /system/app

 

[jmm92108]

Downloaded apps' apks are placed in /data/app
System apps' apks are in /system/app

Thanks, there they are!

Ok, this might be a dumb question, but an apk is just an installer file, right? If I delete an apk the program is still installed somewhere else and will still run? So I could delete all of the apk's in /system/app if I wanted to? (Not going to do, it, just asking...)

 

[novox77]

Thanks, there they are!

Ok, this might be a dumb question, but an apk is just an installer file, right? If I delete an apk the program is still installed somewhere else and will still run? So I could delete all of the apk's in /system/app if I wanted to? (Not going to do, it, just asking...)

No, if you delete the apk, the program is uninstalled. Android will also delete any associated library data with that application. So a perfectly viable way to remove apps is to manually remove the apks.

/system/app is mounted read-only by default. To delete system apps, you'll need to mount the /system partition read/write. For rooted users, it's quite common for people to delete the bundled crapware that was placed in /system/app. Unrooted phones can't mount that area read/write, so there's no way to uninstall those apps.

 

[jmm92108]

No, if you delete the apk, the program is uninstalled. Android will also delete any associated library data with that application. So a perfectly viable way to remove apps is to manually remove the apks.

/system/app is mounted read-only by default. To delete system apps, you'll need to mount the /system partition read/write. For rooted users, it's quite common for people to delete the bundled crapware that was placed in /system/app. Unrooted phones can't mount that area read/write, so there's no way to uninstall those apps.

Ok, another dumb question: If I move my apk's from /data/app to my SD card, does that mean those apps are *running* from the SD card? (Because I think I've read that some apps should not be run from the SD card)

And another question: What if I copied my apk's, instead of moving them (i.e. the apk's are in 2 places). Would that cause problems?
Not gonna do it... just curious.

 

[Xyro]

Ok, another dumb question: If I move my apk's from /data/app to my SD card, does that mean those apps are *running* from the SD card? (Because I think I've read that some apps should not be run from the SD card)

And another question: What if I copied my apk's, instead of moving them (i.e. the apk's are in 2 places). Would that cause problems?
Not gonna do it... just curious.

Well, the apps are actually running out of your RAM, but yes, your apps are saved and executed from the sdcard.

When you heard that some apps can't be run off the sdcard, you were probably hearing about android's native apps2sd in froyo/gignerbread. It's a bad idea to move widgets to the sdcard in this way, as they don't load in time when the phone boots, meaning you're left with broken widgets.

However, proper apps2sd+, that we'd been using for ages before android introduced it's version, is much better. You can run anything you want off there, no problem.

You can backup apps to your sdcard without any problems, if that's what you mean. The backed up apps won't be active.

 

[jmm92108]

Ok, one more last question! As long as I have enough memory on the phone, wouldn't it be better to store all of my apk's on the phone instead of the SD card? That way wouldn't they would load faster?

(I have a hundred other questions, I could go on and on... but I will stop now)

 

[Xyro]

Well, yes it's certainly ideal to have it on the phone, but personally I don't think you lose anything by having them on the sdcard. I use a class 6 card (class being a measure of minimum read/write speeds) and I don't notice any difference in speed. The sdcard the phone came with is class 2, but I've never heard many complaints about that either.

What I do find is that when my phone's internal memory is almost full, it tends to slow the phone down somewhat. Using apps2sd avoids that