• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Root Full list of apps and apks that are removable and non-removable with root (Pre-Gingerbread)

I just thought i would share my experience. After i rooted i went through and changed all the apps i didnt want in my system/app folder to extension .bak. Then i noticed that there were still showing up in my application manager it just said they werent using any memory. I then went and removed all of them from that folder but i moved them to my sd card so i still had them. The next day i wanted to do a factory reset and start over so i moved all of them back into my system/app folder and thought that would be good enough. It wasnt.

One of the apps i removed was blurhome. I was running launcher pro and didnt need it. It ran fine as far as i could tell without it but when I reset the phone, it booted up and activated just fine but i had no home screen. I thought i was screwed but I ended up plugging the phone into my dock and it brought up my dock screen. From there I was able to access the market and i downloaded Launcher Pro again. I saw that the blurhome app was in the right spot but it still wasnt working. I had to install it before it worked. But the thing is, it installed it to the data/app folder. But none of my other system apps are in that folder.

My question, if anyone knows, is where are all the system apps and apps that come on the phone installed. Did i do everything right or what am i missing. I am currently trying to turn the phone completely back to stock which i dont know if we are aloud to talk about or whatever. Sorry this was so long. Has anyone else had issues like this.

Oh and one more thing. My phone doesnt vibrate for income texts or emails anymore. Does anyone know why? Im pretty sure it used too. It does for calls.
 
Upvote 0
Ok, I gotta ask the obvious question: If the bloat removal process leaves an artifact that you can only find in the application manager, that doesn't cost any resources, and doesn't show up anywhere else in a meaningful way on the phone, who cares?!

The point of booting up with less memory used by bloat is still achieved. The point of cleaning bloat out of the app tray is still achieved. Besides, I'm not sure what is showing is the actual application, or some leftover artifact.
 
Upvote 0
I'm new to rooting and had a few questions about removing/renaming some of the basic apps.

1. Will my phone run "faster" and will it help with battery life if i remove/rename the files?

2. Renaming an app is as simple as changing the .apk to .bak using root explorer?

Thanks for your help!

1. Debatable. To whoever said yes, show me the proof?? Android handles its own processes very well.

2. Yes.
 
Upvote 0
I tried gaining root access to my phone the long way shown at Alldroid.org; however, I couldn't get it to work, so I ended up using the GUI way instead.

Now..after downloading Android Mate (free) I was able to delete certain stuff that I thought I didn't need (I did this before finding this wonderful site). Everything is fine; however, when I use android market, I can no longer download anything. It is simply stuck at starting download.

It hasn't been 30 days since I got this phone so I can easily exchange it, but I was wondering what I removed that I shouldn't..Any help would be great because I'm scared as hell to root my phone again when I get it exchanged.

GUI: http://alldroid.org/default.aspx?g=posts&t=553

I was dumb enough not to backup my files so if anyone could take the time to tell me how I could back them up safely and make them easily retrievable that would be amazing.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

P.S When I rooted this phone using the GUI; it ran a bit slow, and if I remember correctly it was hard for me to get to the screen with all my apps. Iunno.. Thoughts?
 
Upvote 0
question..

if i remove all these widgets, ie, email 2.1, social messaging, moto weather...etc etc is there something better to replace it with????

im def getting rid of the amazon, blockbuster kindle...etc etc...but why would i want to get rid of motorola messaging???

just curious (and sorry my phone isnt in my hand yet, so maybe this would be clearer if i actually had it)
 
Upvote 0
I recently noticed that I could no longer add new events to my calendar. I do not delete anything, I use Titanium Backup to freeze everything I don't want, just incase. Anyways after a long process of defrosting and refreezing apps I found the problem:

Do NOT remove "Email Engine 2.1-update 1" if you do you can not add new calendar events.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mikeyz
Upvote 0
I recently noticed that I could no longer add new events to my calendar. I do not delete anything, I use Titanium Backup to freeze everything I don't want, just incase. Anyways after a long process of defrosting and refreezing apps I found the problem:

Do NOT remove "Email Engine 2.1-update 1" if you do you can not add new calendar events.

Thanks. I'm guessing that this is BlurEmailEngine.apk - I've updated the OP with this info.

what does APK stand for?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=what+does+apk+stand+for? :p
 
Upvote 0
hey i was wondering i rooted my x with the easy root app. and i got root explorer and i renamed some apps and im happy wit my phone right now its running smooth. but when the froyo comes out do i have to rename those apps back to just apk or what? and do i have to unroot with the button on easy root?

Id like this answer too, I rooted and renamed just 6 or 7 apps to Dot back
when the update comes will my root explorer stop working and do I have to rename them back to Apk and unroot before updating?
 
Upvote 0
I've updated to the leaked Froyo 2.2 through ROM Manager...

I'm having trouble switching my Root Explorer into R/W mode. When I first get to the Root Explorer screen I will change it into R/W just fine, but when I go into the "system" folder, Root Explorer will automatically switch it back to R/O in the upper right corner! (dumb thing, don't you know I want to keep R/W?!)

I'm kind of frustrated, because when I even hit the R/O to go back to R/W, it won't change, and it just stays at R/O...(which of course won't let me move or delete any files)

Help...please help?

(I could also just delete the apps through my TIBa, but I want to see if there's something wrong with my Root Explorer).
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones