Help (VZW) Can't Install, Uninstall, Update Apps or Clear Cache, Data

menotquilty · Apr 1, 2012

Just started having this problem. I'll list the symptoms first:
Can't Install, Uninstall or Update any apps either through Google Play on phone or through internet. When trying on my phone, the screen gets stuck at the blue progress line ("installing","uninstalling", etc...) and never completes. Back button doesn't leave the screen, but the Home button and Recent Apps button will get me out, and I can go back to the Settings>Apps screen and try again.

Can't clear cache or data for any apps from the Settings>Apps. All apps say "Computing..." for Storage and Cache info and never change.

In Settings>Apps>Running a number of games (Small Street, Contract Killer, Stardom, E. Warriors, etc...) auto-start and keep coming back after I force close or reboot

Here's what I've done so far to try to fix it.
Reboot, Shut down, Battery Pull.

Force Close every suspicious app. Certain apps keep coming back.

Tried to Clear Cache of Google Play Store app, but it doesn't seem to clear. Also, Clear Data, Uninstall Update never completed.

Went to Settings>Accounts & Sync and unsync'd my Google account, and resync'd it.

Here's how it started
I downloaded Samurai vs. Zombies Defense, played it for a while, then used the in-game links to download a bunch of apps to earn free Glu Credits. I now know this was a horrible mistake, and it seems to be the cause of this problem, as I was able to download/update/uninstall apps with no problems before this. Many of those Games/Apps I downloaded seem to start themselves and even push notifications to my phone about "75% off Credits and Coins" and other nonsense. Other than this game and the Glu Credits related ones, I promise I haven't downloaded a whole bunch of sketchy apps. Not to mention that Samurai vs. Zombies was prominently featured on the Google Play homepage... Anyway, just pretty frustrated and extremely grateful for any advice. Thanks!!!

Phone Info
Samsung Galaxy Nexus Verizon v4.0.2 Rooted
Google Play v3.5.15
I mainly just use root for Wireless Tether and SetCPU, and I don't flash custom roms or push apk's from non-google sources.

heat57 · Apr 1, 2012

If you've overclocked go back to stock speed and try again. If this doesn't do it I'd say do a factory data reset. Then just re-root which should be relatively painless and reinstall your apps manually up to the point when your problems began - then don't download these "freebees".

menotquilty · Apr 1, 2012

thanks for the suggestion. i'm not overclocking, but i will factory reset if no other options come up.

Techromancer_old · Apr 8, 2012

Hi menotquilty

Heat57 is dead wrong. this has little to do with WHAT you install. and mostly to do with an android flaw in the way it handles app on SD cards.

workaround

Physically remove your sd card and replace with a blank. you will then be able to manipulate apps again. you will however have to re install any apps that were on the sd card.

the original sd card needs to have all traces of apps that were installed on it removed (basically any apk s and .folders in the root) and then it can go back in.

Shades.549 · Apr 8, 2012

He can't pull the SD card, he says he has a Galaxy Nexus and the Galaxy Nexu does not have an SD Card.

sspaziano · Apr 16, 2012

I've been having this same problem for at least a couple of weeks. My device suddenly seems to be lagging quite a bit and when I try to uninstall suspected problem apps, they just won't uninstall. I'm just stuck with that blue progress line which never seems to finish. I have a stock Verizon Galaxy Nexus, v4.0.2, not rooted and I suspected that one or more of the replacement launchers which I had installed was causing the problem. Between this issue and the fact that I cannot seem to lower the volume during a call I am second-guessing my decision not to go back to the iPhone. Anyone figure out a solution to this yet?

vandyman · Apr 16, 2012

This problem sounds like a weak data connection to me. If you are using a wifi connection and it is weak, the data will try to switch to a better connection.

sspaziano · Apr 16, 2012

vandyman said:
This problem sounds like a weak data connection to me. If you are using a wifi connection and it is weak, the data will try to switch to a better connection.

Initially I thought this may have been the problem as well. But then I tried to uninstall apps while sitting literally right next to my wifi router and it still gets stuck at the progress bar. I've tried with and without wifi on as well as in airplane mode with only wifi on. Nothing seems to make any difference.

chicketychina · Apr 26, 2012

i'm having the exact same problem with my galaxy ace. i can't download or update any apps from google play and when i go to the apps settings all i get is "computing"... i can't clear cache or anything! i don't really know when did this problem first started 'cause i haven't been downloading many apps lately. just found out about it about two days ago while trying to update some apps i already had.

jmbillings · Jun 14, 2012

Any more ideas on this? I'm on 4.0.4 and I have the same thing with my Nexus. Uninstall just sits there forever and won't complete, and the data/cache sizes for most apps never get past "Calculating..."

I've done a factory reset (my apps all re-installed automatically after this) and the problem persists.

I wonder if it's filesystem corruption in some way...?

fbandroid · Nov 23, 2012

Hi there,
I had the same problem, removing the card worked for me, but putting it back in reverted the problem.

for me the cause was playing with different roms and installing apps on sd card like crazy (when you change rom, it changes android id, and that sort of screws your sd apps apparently).

hope this helps

amalkascool · May 11, 2015

I don't understand what you're talking about but the same thing happened to me. I have 249 MB free but I can't download anything or clear cache. Any ideas?

Garyabc · Dec 3, 2015

Solved. Had similar problem with an app called "Screen Off". Play Store hung during uninstall. Tried everything above except factory reset. Couldn't uninstall. Used an app called "Uninstall" from the Play Store. Problem solved.

scottdave · Oct 4, 2017

I had same problem. "Calculating..." size of app/data/cache" forever. Uninstalling app would just show status bar forever. Also, phone would randomly decide to reboot itself for apparently no reason. After reading this and another article, it sounds like SD card. When trying to Unmount the SD card a few times, it still showed as being mounted. Finally shut down phone, then pulled battery after shutdown. Then just removed SD card, put battery back in and booted up phone. Now I can uninstall apps. I'll have to figure how to get info off SD card later.

Help (VZW) Can't Install, Uninstall, Update Apps or Clear Cache, Data

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