Sprint - OEM App removal

[Aeroica]

Forgive the nub question but I am new to android phones and I have noticed that Sprint is forcing a bunch of junk applications such as NFL, NASCAR and a friggin Bejeweled demo on a phone I paid way to much for not to be able to customize MY way.

What is the progress status of being able to remove this stuff off the phone? If anyone has any instructions I would appreciate it.

Thanks

[TheWineLover]

+1 on this.

I just traded my Blackberry Tour for the Samsung M900 (I say M900 because the name "Moment" is entirely stupid!)

With an open sourced OS, one would think that being able to take off applications that aren't used would be a simple matter. So please, Masters, give us the 411...

Thanks to all, in advance, for sharing your knowledge to use 'droid newbs.

- TWL

[ramiss]

I can see why they would err on the side of caution and not allow customers to remove apps that it came with. Otherwise it would be entirely too easy to remove very critical apps.

I agree we need this. Having an uninstallable demo of a crap game is just not acceptable!

[johnnybu]

Root access is needed to remove applications that are part of the ROM I think.

edit: There would be no way to get them back either. Do so at your own risk!

[blazinazn]

They are in ROM so the only way to get rid of those is by rooting and flashing a different OS

[zefie]

Originally Posted by blazinazn

They are in ROM so the only way to get rid of those is by rooting and flashing a different OS

Just rooting is sufficient.

Search here or google for samsung moment root. Once you used my method to get root, just remount /system read-write and remove the apk from /system/app/ that you don't want.

I'd highly suggest backing them up first.

[SAShady]

When you are root
Use the following method to backup and remove apps:

 
cd system
cd app
cat Bejeweled.apk > /sdcard/Bejeweled.apk
rm Bejeweled.apk

When you are finished deleting apps, type 'reboot'.

[Carla]

A little more details on SAShady's post...This is from xconstaud on SDX-Developers (also a member here) so all credit goes to him.

Once your in Terminal Program, I use Better Terminal Emulator, when you type SU the $ sign turns into a # sign. Then type the mount, cd system, cd app....remove the apps you want by adding rm in front of the app name.apk...Then reboot like SASHady said

You know you can remove apps from your phone using connectbot or some other terminal program. Here is the code. And you must have root.


Code: [Select]

su

mount -oremount,rw /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system

cd system
cd app

Then decide if you want to back up the app to the sd card.


(Backup code)
Code: [Select]
cat app_name_here.apk > /sdcard/app_name_here.apk


Than/or

(Delete)

Code: [Select]
rm app_name_here.apk

I did not find this. You can find this over at the Samsung Moment Wiki.

[TheWineLover]

As an update, I have since traded the M900 for an HTC Hero. I have rooted it using my Mac. So, my question is now... when you guys are referring to the Terminal, you mean on the actual handheld device, not the computer... correct?

If the answer to the above question is yes, then my last question, can I use the same commands on the Hero as you noted they were for the Moment?

Thanks again y'all. I so appreciate it. =D>

[joeykrim]

Originally Posted by TheWineLover

As an update, I have since traded the M900 for an HTC Hero. I have rooted it using my Mac. So, my question is now... when you guys are referring to the Terminal, you mean on the actual handheld device, not the computer... correct?

If the answer to the above question is yes, then my last question, can I use the same commands on the Hero as you noted they were for the Moment?

Thanks again y'all. I so appreciate it. =D>

android runs on a build of linux. android is a graphical interface, while the terminal, is the underlying system. the equivalent of the terminal in windows would be the command prompt.

connectbot is a great free program for accessing the terminal in android or adb shell (found in the android sdk package) can be used when the phone is connected to the computer to access the shell (terminal).

it is very powerful and the whole phone can be damaged by using the commands incorrectly in the shell. the same commands will probably work on the Hero as on the Moment, but i would double check. even though they both run Android, their file structures might be different due to different hardware and software programming. i would make sure the files are located in the same locations.

I have never owned a Hero. Perhaps somebody with a Hero can chime in with their experience...