Root Titanium Backup and uninstalling the default messaging app.

[ivesjd]

I backed up all system apps and info with Titanium Backup. Made sure that the apps I was uninstalling were backed up. Then uninstalled the default messaging app because I use chompsms. Turns out chomp as well as handcent use part of the default messaging app. No big deal, go back into TB and restore it. But its not there. It seems that TB just creates a link to the market place and the default app is not available there. Unless I'm mistaken, I need someone to upload the default messaging app and it's location, (TB didn't tell me where it was) so I can actually have messages show up in handcent or chomp. Next time I'll just change the name of default apps...

 

[skater95]

Refer to this http://androidforums.com/ally-all-things-root/157968-how-do-you-restore-app-titanium-backup.html

 

[ivesjd]

I know how to restore an app. I already did a full restore. But the default messaging app, which is not available in the marketplace did not get restored. From what I can tell, default apps do not have the restore option. Others that don't are amazon and backup assistant.

Also, I believe the file I need is com.android.mms

 

[skater95]

I know how to restore an app. I already did a full restore. But the default messaging app, which is not available in the marketplace did not get restored. From what I can tell, default apps do not have the restore option. Others that don't are amazon and backup assistant.

Also, I believe the file I need is com.android.mms

Oh my bad I over read some details sorry

 

[ivesjd]

I should also mention that a factory reset did not restore it either. And that I did a restore with TB both before I did the factory reset and after I re-rooted it after the reset.

 

[death2all110]

Try these files:
mms.apk
mms.odex

place both these in system/app

let me know if you need help doing this

if these dont work see my thread here:

http://androidforums.com/ally-all-things-root/166588-how-flash-stock-lg-rom.html

and flash the stock rom back

 

[ivesjd]

Probably should have gotten instructions... got them there and then it was a in a continuous reboot loop. If you have any ideas... I'm downloading the rom and I'm gonna flash it soon.

 

[ivesjd]

Rom update failed because it says it says my phone is not connected. Phone is plugged in, but since it's not booted up I think that's the problem. I hope someone has an idea...

 

[Zoandroid]

I somehow am in the same boat after running Velocity 1 for awhile (I think I may have "frozen" this app without thinking or something) and now have no messaging app. There is a copy pf mms.apk in the velocity-backup folder on my SD card, but when I try to install it, it says "app did not install" when it completes the operation. Can I use these files to fix it? What is the best way to get them into position?

 

[KingOfGreen]

I somehow am in the same boat after running Velocity 1 for awhile (I think I may have "frozen" this app without thinking or something) and now have no messaging app. There is a copy pf mms.apk in the velocity-backup folder on my SD card, but when I try to install it, it says "app did not install" when it completes the operation. Can I use these files to fix it? What is the best way to get them into position?

To restore you have to move it to /system/app/ in recovery with adb. cant just install it.

system apps are not backed up with TIBU only the data.

 

[Zoandroid]

Is that why it has a line through the listing in TiBu?

I managed to use Root Explorer to copy the existing mms.apk file from my SD card to the system/apps folder (by setting Root Explorer to "mount as R/W"). I tried tapping on it again to install it but got the same result. Also no listing in the app drawer. I'm going to try rebooting the Ally and hope it will pick the app back up. If that isn't the thing to do (or doesn't work), can I still use these files DTA provided for the newer Froyo 2.2.1 / Velocity 1 ROM? They are dated way back in May 16, 2010, when the Ally was first sold.

What, exactly, did you mean by "in recovery with adb"? I cannot do this from within the phone? My knowledge of the term "adb" leads only to using the ADB app on a Windows PC to push files to the phone. If I have to do it that way, I'll need instructions, because although I succeeded in using ADB to get Velocity 1 running, I am not comfortable with it. I had lots of help at the time from the IRC folks when things went astray from the instructions I was following.

 

[Zoandroid]

I copied the 2 above files from DTA to system/apps and used Root Explorer to change the permissions on the mms.apk file so that "user" can "execute" it. Thought I was onto something here. I then tapped on it and it "installed" without giving me the "application did not install" message, and then rebooted. I really thought I might have it.

Sadly, not. Still no Messaging app in the app drawer. So what do I need to do?

 

[KingOfGreen]

I copied the 2 above files from DTA to system/apps and used Root Explorer to change the permissions on the mms.apk file so that "user" can "execute" it. Thought I was onto something here. I then tapped on it and it "installed" without giving me the "application did not install" message, and then rebooted. I really thought I might have it.

Sadly, not. Still no Messaging app in the app drawer. So what do I need to do?

you will have to do it via adb. are you near a pc now? you wilol need to put the mms.apk on the root of your sdcard, boot into recovery. copy it to /system/app/ then wipe dalvik cache and reboot. this should work. im not sure ive only installed a few apps this way

 

[Zoandroid]

I am, but I don't have time at the moment to do it via ADB. I'll have to wait until later tonight. If I was quite familiar with ADB I could do it now, but it will likely take me some time for me to figure out how, especially if I don't have written instructions. I haven't used ADB since I installed Velocity, and was following written instructions every step of the way at that time.

What does doing it via ADB do that doing it with Root Explorer mounting in R/W mode can't do?

Is there somewhere you can point me to get detailed instructions on how to install an app using ADB, because I'll probably need them.

BTW - I have 9 different Nandroid Backups I have made since installing Velocity, spanning February and March. I am sure whatever I did to screw up the Messaging app happened somewhere in the middle of all that, so if I could figure out how to read a Nandroid to look for system apps it covers I would know what point in time to roll back to. However, being a system app, it doesn't seem to be listed in the .tar file included in each Nandroid. Apparently that file holds only the names of user-installed apps. Worst case, I should be able to restore the oldest of those Nandroids and build things back up from there.

Thanks!

 

[KingOfGreen]

I am, but I don't have time at the moment to do it via ADB. I'll have to wait until later tonight. If I was quite familiar with ADB I could do it now, but it will likely take me some time for me to figure out how, especially if I don't have written instructions. I haven't used ADB since I installed Velocity, and was following written instructions every step of the way at that time.

What does doing it via ADB do that doing it with Root Explorer mounting in R/W mode can't do?

Is there somewhere you can point me to get detailed instructions on how to install an app using ADB, because I'll probably need them.

Thanks!

i dont know why you cant do it with root explorer, you very well may be able to i just dont know how since ive never used root explorer. ive just used adb and terminal emulator on the phone

http://androidforums.com/ally-all-things-root/265692-guide-adb-era.html


theres a link to a guide for adb.
pretty much put it on the root of your sd card. reboot into recovery go to mounts and mount sd card and system .

open windrows command prompt and type
cd c:\directory\where\adb\is
adb shell
cp /sdcard/mms.apk /system/app/

wipe dalvik cache and reboot

 

[Zoandroid]

Thanks 2X!!

I was just preparing to try to find this info myself, so you saved me the trouble. One thing I love about this community is that responses here are so quick. I have seen some forums where the activity on them would make the term "dead lay" seem exciting. ;-)

I'll give this a go as soon as I can.

I am guessing the reason ADB works and (essentially the same efforts on my part when using ) Root Explorer did not would be a "permissions" thing. I won't launch into the tirade about "permissions" I would love to, since you were so nice to help me. They are the bane of 'free' computer existence everywhere, IMHO.

I suppose no one has afforded Root Explorer the same access and abilities as the tried and true (but archaic) ADB method has going for it.

One lesson I have come away with already in all this - you can't rely on TiBu to back up and restore system apps!!

Do you know the meaning behind why TiBu shows the (nonexistent) Messaging app on my phone in the Backup/restore list, but it is displayed in "strikethrough" text? I would have hoped the vendor for TiBu would prevent using it to remove an app that it cannot also restore.

 

[KingOfGreen]

Thanks 2X!!

I was just preparing to try to find this info myself, so you saved me the trouble. One thing I love about this community is that responses here are so quick. I have seen some forums where the activity on them would make the term "dead lay" seem exciting. ;-)

I'll give this a go as soon as I can.

I am guessing the reason ADB works and (essentially the same efforts on my part when using ) Root Explorer did not would be a "permissions" thing. I won't launch into the tirade about "permissions" I would love to, since you were so nice to help me. They are the bane of 'free' computer existence everywhere, IMHO.

I suppose no one has afforded Root Explorer the same access and abilities as the tried and true (but archaic) ADB method has going for it.

One lesson I have come away with already in all this - you can't rely on TiBu to back up and restore system apps!!

Do you know the meaning behind why TiBu shows the (nonexistent) Messaging app on my phone in the Backup/restore list, but it is displayed in "strikethrough" text? I would have hoped the vendor for TiBu would prevent using it to remove an app that it cannot also restore.

well first off youre welcome. the guide by savoxis is extremely useful. with that and google adb is an amazing tool. i dont know why TiBu wont backup system apps whether it cant or wont is beyond me. but with adb you can copy ALL your system spps to a folder. i actually have ALL the system apps apks saved on my pc just in case since TiBu wont restore them. something i first saw in savoxis' guide!

 

[Zoandroid]

The information you are sharing and good folks like Savoxis has provided is pure treasure! Once I get Messaging restored, I will follow your example and save copies of the system apps, now that I know I can.

I'll report back later.

 

[Zoandroid]

OK, one thing i need to know is if there is a way to wipe cache from ADB, how is that done? No mention of that in Savoxis' nice guide to ADB.

So here is what I did, but I still do not have Messaging in my App Drawer:

Put copies of Mms.apk and Mms.odex on the root of the SD card.
Make sure USB Debugging is ON.

Open CMD window on PC connected by USB cable to the Ally



type cd C:\android-sdk\platform-tools
type adb start-server
(Already have rooted # prompt, perhaps because of the Ally being rooted?) so no need to type “su”.


type the following and press enter after each line

mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock4 /system

cp /sdcard/mms.apk /system/app/


cp /sdcard/mms.odex /system/app/


exit


adb reboot recovery


from Amon-Ra recovery on the Ally – select


wipe


wipe Only Dalvik-Cache


Vol-Down button on edge of Ally to return to main recovery menu


reboot


Messaging App is STILL not available.


Any other ideas before I try a Nandroid Restore?

 

[Zoandroid]

Something is wrong now, because when I try again and type the "adb start-server" command, it just goes back to the C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools folder prompt. ADB won't run.

Edit: Oops. I was forgetting to enter "adb shell" in this second attempt. So I have ADB running again, but still no Messaging App.

 

[dautley]

I would just restore the Nandroid or just flash Velocity again then download TB from the market and restore your other programs

 

[Zoandroid]

I may do just that, but in an effort to get better acquainted with ADB as well as to see what is going on I decided to use it to look into the /system/app folder, and I may have found the problem.

As I mentioned earlier, I had been pasting a copy of the mms.apk and mms.odex file here using Root Explorer. And because I am pretty much Windows-centric when it comes to computer ops, I still have trouble remembering that in a Linux OS, CASE MATTERS in file names. So guess what I just found in /system/app?

Mms.apk
mms.apk
Mms.odex
mms.odex

I'll bet that's not good.

Since every other *.apk file in there starts with an upper case letter in its name, I have to presume mine should be doing that too. So, I just removed all 4 instances of those files, and have re-copied these

Mms.apk
Mms.odex
back from the SD card to /system/app (with the appropriate mount command having been entered to grant r/w access in ADB).

I am still trying to figure out if there is a way to clear the Dalvik-Cache from ADB, but not finding any mention of cache clearing commands online for it. So I'll do another adb reboot recovery and use the phone's recovery menu to wipe the cache, and then reboot and see what the results are this time.

 

[Zoandroid]

Still no Messaging App. Is there a way to "run" the Mms.apk file while in ADB so that it gets "installed"?

I guess my only solution otherwise is to try one of my 9 Nandroids, but I have no idea how far back in time I need to go to fix this. Normally I keep a log of things I do on my computers, including on the Ally. Apparently whatever I did slipped through the cracks and I forgot to log it.

Lesson learned.

 

[Zoandroid]

So, after all the above, it finally hit me what 'stupid thing' I had actually done to cause Messaging to be gone.

I had been looking at the Velocity Script menu for Manage System Apps, and saw the apps listed there. The list isn't very long, but I wanted to try out the Backup and Remove function. So when I saw "MMS" in the list, it never occurred to me that would ALSO include "text messages". DUH.

I was thinking it was more like "social networking" which I am not into, so decided I could do without it. I used the script to back it up and remove it. And it was there on the SD card in a folder named "velocity-backups". Not to be confused (??) with another folder named "Velocity_Backups" in which there is an apps and a misc folder. I think I would have made the 2 folder names for more different had it been up to me.

But apparently one cannot simply use the copy of Mms.apk that got stored in velocity-backups to reinstall it unless using the Velocity Script to do so. And I did not have the good sense, when I realized all this, to go back into /system/app and REMOVE all my above attempts BEFORE trying Velocity's script to "restore" it. That may be why, even though it was once again in the app drawer (yay!) it immediately FC'd if I tried to USE it. Even after a reboot and wiping cache and Dalvik-cache. (In my own defense, I was visiting with our son who stopped by, while trying to do all this, so I was somewhat distracted.)

I had to restore a recent Nandroid from 4/7, which finally got Messaging back for me.

Moral of the story, keep better logs! Had I remembered using Velocity Script to remove it, I probably could have had it working hours ago.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[death2all110]

Well, Nevermind you fixed it. Nice!