Root HELP! Need to Restore contacts

[drmarber]

I rooted my D3, apparently deleted something that i should not have because i then got an error of "The application Contacts Storage (process com.motorola.contacts) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again."

I found some advise that said to make sure that "blur_yahoo.apk" was there... which it was not, so i DLed the file, put it in the system/app folder, but it still will not recognize it.

My husband also has the D3, so we tried to copy the entire app folder from his phone, which made it onto his SD card, but when i opened the card on my phone the folder and files are not visible.

When i open the blur_yahoo in my system/apps it asks me to install it, but then the install fails.

PLEASE HELP!

 

[Frisco]

This issue has been experienced and posted by several users now, myself included.

The apps that should not have been removed, which cause the contacts issue, are both related to Yahoo.

Read this post for the remedy:

http://androidforums.com/droid-3-al...s-items-can-safely-removed-2.html#post3129905

..then follow the thread from the beginning for a list of safe apps for removal. It's a dynamic thread, being added to and commented on daily.

 

[bill_b100d]

Ok, I also have this issue. I install the third party contacts app and it works fine, but, is there a way to re-install the two yahoo apks that I foolishly uninstalled? Will a factory reset work? I am fine with the phone as-is, just curious if there is a way to return things to normal.

 

[Frisco]

Ok, I also have this issue. I install the third party contacts app and it works fine, but, is there a way to re-install the two yahoo apks that I foolishly uninstalled? Will a factory reset work? I am fine with the phone as-is, just curious if there is a way to return things to normal.

I've found that the factory data resets do not re-install needed system apps that have been removed; the reset only removes apps you've added from Market, etc and also restores all settings to stock, so the FC issues, etc will remain following the reset.

I attempted to install the two Yahoo apps and they would not install through Titanium Backup. I'm still not absolutely sure why, but it seems moot to me as the Go Contacts EX app does install both of them, as I looked for them in /system/app and there they were after installing that 3rd party contacts app.

 

[drmarber]

the factory reset didn't work for me. just deleted all the apps i already downloaded but didn't fix the contacts issue

 

[bill_b100d]

I've found that the factory data resets do not re-install needed system apps that have been removed; the reset only removes apps you've added from Market, etc and also restores all settings to stock, so the FC issues, etc will remain following the reset.

I attempted to install the two Yahoo apps and they would not install through Titanium Backup. I'm still not absolutely sure why, but it seems moot to me as the Go Contacts EX app does install both of them, as I looked for them in /system/app and there they were after installing that 3rd party contacts app.

So, does your original contacts app work now, or does it still FC? When I look at the "backup/restore" tab of titanium, those 2 yahoo apps are still not there, even after installing Go Contacts EX. If i could figure out how to map my contacts/dialer button to Go Contacts, I wouldn't really care about this issue.

 

[Frisco]

So, does your original contacts app work now, or does it still FC? When I look at the "backup/restore" tab of titanium, those 2 yahoo apps are still not there, even after installing Go Contacts EX. If i could figure out how to map my contacts/dialer button to Go Contacts, I wouldn't really care about this issue.

I didn't see the two Yahoo items in Titanium backup either. In Root Explorer, though, they were in /system/app (as mentioned before).

 

[Frisco]

the factory reset didn't work for me. just deleted all the apps i already downloaded but didn't fix the contacts issue

See post #4, right above yours.

 

[bill_b100d]

I didn't see the two Yahoo items in Titanium backup either. In Root Explorer, though, they were in /system/app (as mentioned before).

not seeing any file with yahoo in it in root explorer either...

At least not in the /system/app folder. there are a few *yahoo* files in the data folder.

No love lost here....anyway, how do I remap the contacts/dialer button??

 

[Frisco]

I "started over" with Contacts after the problem was encountered when I removed the two Yahoo files.

Rebooted, cleared data and cache on everything to do with social networking and email, contacts, etc. Everything. But no factory data reset because I didn't feel that needed to be done, plus I know that it won't restore removed system files.

Rebooted again and attempted to install the two Yahoo files I'd side loaded using Titanium backup. All it would do was freewheel on "restoring," having let it sit like that for 20 minutes on one attempt, with no success.

Uninstalled Titanium Backup, deleted the Yahoo files, then saw the post here about Go Contacts EX, installed that, rebooted and all has been well since then, including the Yahoo files found in /system/app.

There is a setting in the Go Contacts EX menu for changing the default button opener.

 

[bill_b100d]

There is a setting in the Go Contacts EX menu for changing the default button opener.

Sorry to sound like such a bafoon, but I don't have any such option. I'm pretty sure I searched through all the items in the menu...

Nevermind...I didn't realize you can just drag the Go Contacts icon over the Dialer button to replace it....too easy.

Also, you didn't mention whether or not the default contacts app worked after those files re-appeared....the yahoo ones. I also tried to slip them back in with a titanium back up from another droid and they wouldn't install. They show up in Titanium as backed up, but the restore option is grayed out.

Thanks for your patience here!
Bill

 

[Frisco]

The default Contacts app still brings up FCs. That's why I remapped that button/icon.

 

[bill_b100d]

The default Contacts app still brings up FCs. That's why I remapped that button/icon.

That's what i figured...just wasn't sure seeing how you got those yahoo APKs re-installed. Thanks again! I'm all set now

 

[Frisco]

I admit to being surprised that the stock Contacts app still forced closed after the Go Contacts EX app worked and provided the Yahoo missing files.

I think that there must be another culprit besides those two.. something I've forgotten about on my list of removed apps. I need to do some comparing of what I have left and what's in the stock D3 /system/app.

 

[Javier78]

Instead of a workaround, here is a solution: [Q] Hosed up my contacts after root and app un-install --Help please-- - xda-developers

Solution is in post #5.

 

[Frisco]

A-ha.. those pesky permissions.

 

[blakecorey]

You can restore lost contacts by simply syncing your Gmail with your Droid phone.

 

[doogald]

You can restore lost contacts by simply syncing your Gmail with your Droid phone.

This is a pretty old thread now. Thanks for posting. However, for the sake of others who may find this thread, may I point out that there are circumstances where this is not necessarily true?

- this is only true if your contacts were Google contacts in the first place. In the case of the Droid 3 in particular, and Android phones in general, it is also possible to store contacts locally, not synced (and you can also store contacts on the SIM card.) The Verizon Droid 3 allows you to sync these local contacts with Verizon Backup Assistant - many people upgrade to smartphones from feature phones, and Verizon has offered this service for years on feature phones.

- also, in the particular case detailed here, somebody rooted their phone and removed a key module of the contacts data service on the phone dealing with Yahoo contacts. At the time that this was posted, it was pretty difficult to restore these modules. Thankfully, today, there exist "SBF" files for the Droid 3 that allow you to restore a phone in a state like this to a stock, factory, unrooted condition.

However, to circle back to you point, I have long suggested that Android users put all of their contacts on their phones as Google contacts. This will give you the piece of mind that if the phone fails somehow - requiring a factory reset or replacement - you will be able to get your contacts (and calendars, for that matter) back in a matter of moment after resyncing your Google account. This also allows you the freedom to switch to a different carrier without losing your online contacts store, an issue that would happen if you relied on Verizon contacts syncing. Lastly, all of the major smartphone platforms will support syncing with Google contacts and calendars going forward.

Thanks for joining androidforums.com and please continue to share great ideas like this.

 

[beowulf7]

On my rooted phone (running Minimoto), I've been periodically exporting my contacts via: Contacts > Manage contacts > Export contacts to: SD card. It then saves it as /mnt/sdcard-ext/00001.vcf and increments the # with each new contact backup. I haven't imported the .vcf file yet, but I assume it'd work just fine on a rooted or unrooted phone.