[WIP][POSSIBLE SOLUTION] Restoring Missing Apps Post Unlock: Your Help is Needed

Trekest · Mar 16, 2013

As reported by Modaco, it seems that unlocking the bootloader removes some system apps, among them are the Calculator, Flashlight, Ringtone Trimmer and Sound Recorder (and I've seen a report that the Teeter game is gone too).

Now, I haven't got my own One yet, however I do have access to a Canadian variant from work and we've got another one in America running an older build.
It was running 1.27, now it is running 1.28.

I cannot access the data partition, obviously, not even for read (it is not rooted), however using the pm command I managed to discover which packages are located in the preload directory (excluding the carrier specific apps from my variant):

com.android.calculator2
com.htc.flashlight
com.htc.pdfviewer
com.htc.ringtonetrimmer
com.htc.soundrecorder

Initially I thought ODEX files might be needed, but these are located in the data partition and as far as I know there are no ODEX files there (correct me if I'm wrong).

Using Carbon I've backed them up (see attached here), only thing left is to check whether they can be restored and work properly on unlocked Ones. It might not fit every variant, testing required. Perhaps it might even allow using OTA updates.

If you haven't unlocked your bootloader yet, I suggest trying this beforehand instead of the attached files:

Through ADB, use:
adb shell pm list packages -f | find "preload"
Backup these apps using Carbon.
Unlock bootloader.
Restore using Carbon.

Please let me know if this works.

MasterOfDesasters · Mar 16, 2013

Thank you so much. Flashlight and calculator is working. The Sound Recorder gives me a force close. But it is a beginning. :cyclops:

Nick Fury · Mar 16, 2013

Re: [WIP] Restoring Missing Apps Post Unlock: Your Help is Needed

MasterOfDesasters said:
Thank you so much. Flashlight and calculator is working. The Sound Recorder gives me a force close. But it is a beginning. :cyclops:

If you keep getting a force close then pmease try settings-application manager-sound recorder-clear data.

This should help clear up any force closures.

Also fixing permissions will help but quicker to just go through settings

Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

---------- Post added at 11:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:04 PM ----------

Trekest said:
As reported by Modaco, it seems that unlocking the bootloader removes some system apps, among them are the Calculator, Flashlight, Ringtone Trimmer and Sound Recorder (and I've seen a report that the Teeter game is gone too).

Now, I haven't got my own One yet, however I do have access to a Canadian variant from work (running version 1.27), and we've got another one in America running an older build.

I cannot access the data partition, obviously, not even for read (it is not rooted), however I did spot some of the missing apps in the system partition. I think that if we pull these files from a locked One and push them after unlocking we might not have to rely on flashing a custom rom to get them back.
Edit: or not... I've seen the Camera and have mistaken it for the Calculator... Idiot...

However, and here's the catch, I'm not sure the files remain unaltered between builds. So, here's the to do list:

Identifying the exact list of missing files post-unlocking - there'd probably be odex files missing as well as APKs, which is why we can't just pull these from a custom rom.

Pulling them from locked Ones (assuming they are in the system partition).

Comparing MD5 changes between different builds.

Testing testing testing.

Update: Stupid... this could be even simpler. These are in the data partition, and ES File Explorer can backup the APKs. I'm grabbing them now. We'll still need to figure out how to get the odex files back.
Update 2: OK, I've got 3/4 of the missing apps, the trimmer could not be backed up (attached them). Will have to continue with it tomorrow.
Maybe this tool can help us:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1844032

Hi if you want the .odex files back then you could try just taking them out of the system dump or official firmware.

Just an idea mate

Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

ste1164 · Mar 17, 2013

Also if you unlock the phone wont accept OTAs. I hope this is a bug and HTC fix it.

Trekest · Mar 17, 2013

OP updated, please try.

fernando sor · Mar 17, 2013

ste1164 said:
Also if you unlock the phone wont accept OTAs. I hope this is a bug and HTC fix it.

Anyone who unlocks their phone would not take an ota. I have never taken an ota on the six unlocked htc phones I have had. They almost always have a new bootloader.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda premium

predation · Mar 17, 2013

wow that sucks.

i'm planning on getting the phone unlocked without modifying the bootloader or anything...

will just unlocking to use different sims have missing apps?

craftycarper1 · Mar 17, 2013

predation said:
wow that sucks.

i'm planning on getting the phone unlocked without modifying the bootloader or anything...

will just unlocking to use different sims have missing apps?

No, completely different, unlocking sim and unlocking Bootloader are worlds apart.

Trekest · Mar 17, 2013

fernando sor said:
Anyone who unlocks their phone would not take an ota. I have never taken an ota on the six unlocked htc phones I have had. They almost always have a new bootloader.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda premium

Well, I have current an HTC Sensation, and up until the first ICS update I was stock and rooted, getting OTAs as usual.
Sure, I had to keep a backup of the original recovery and flash it through hboot each time before installing an OTA, however they did work.

I'm not planning on flashing a recovery this time around, I plan on just booting it to install Koush's Superuser and keep the stock one. And if it wouldn't work, just to root and go back to the stock recovery. Until I've had enough of stock :silly:

CNexus · Mar 18, 2013

ste1164 said:
Also if you unlock the phone wont accept OTAs. I hope this is a bug and HTC fix it.

Its not a bug, HTC has done this purposely so that you cannot update.

And for everyone who says that you wouldnt want to take OTAs anyway, just wait till a nice update rolls around and then you'll be saying different

fernando sor · Mar 18, 2013

CNexus said:
Its not a bug, HTC has done this purposely so that you cannot update.

And for everyone who says that you wouldnt want to take OTAs anyway, just wait till a nice update rolls around and then you'll be saying different

If your unlocked you would flash that update as a rom. I'm having a hard time accepting that you wouldn't know that

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda premium

CNexus · Mar 18, 2013

fernando sor said:
If your unlocked you would flash that update as a rom. I'm having a hard time accepting that you wouldn't know that

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda premium

You would. But sometimes people cant wait long enough for devs to update their roms to the new base

Hunt3r.j2 · Mar 18, 2013

CNexus said:
You would. But sometimes people cant wait long enough for devs to update their roms to the new base

And the same people that aren't patient enough and want instant gratification are also the ones that have the greatest tendency to hard-brick devices, who would've thought...

fernando sor · Mar 18, 2013

CNexus said:
You would. But sometimes people cant wait long enough for devs to update their roms to the new base

Generally updates are anticipated and usually a stock version will be posted soon after the ota. Actually the fact that you can't receive an ota after unlocking will save a lot of noobs from installing a new locked down bootloader.
OTAs can easily be pulled from your cache. Someone would pull it and upload it.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda premium

CNexus · Mar 18, 2013

fernando sor said:
Generally updates are anticipated and usually a stock version will be posted soon after the ota. Actually the fact that you can't receive an ota after unlocking will save a lot of noobs from installing a new locked down bootloader.
OTAs can easily be pulled from your cache. Someone would pull it and upload it.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using xda premium

I know, I'm not trying to say that it would be there thing to do or the right thing to do, I am only saying in general.
But yes, that is how you pull an OTA, and it definitely is helpful to not accidentally (or purposely) unroot your phone.

MaartenXDA · Mar 18, 2013

So, did anyone restore apps? If so, can someone attach the calculator.apk?

Trekest · Mar 18, 2013

MaartenXDA said:
So, did anyone restore apps? If so, can someone attach the calculator.apk?

Sent from my awesome fridge

See my OP - it has a carbon backup of all the missing apps. Just get Carbon from the play store (free) and restore them.

If you could also later tell me where it pushed them? (data/app or data/preload)

MaartenXDA · Mar 18, 2013

Trekest said:
See my OP - it has a carbon backup of all the missing apps. Just get Carbon from the play store (free) and restore them.

If you could also later tell me where it pushed them? (data/app or data/preload)

Yeah saw it, and found the apps in TrickDroid ROM zip. Thanks for the work here, but I can't test it cause I don't have the one.

soyef · Mar 19, 2013

I just installed the apks within the zip file and all seems fine

rampo · Apr 11, 2013

Trekest said:
As reported by Modaco, it seems that unlocking the bootloader removes some system apps, among them are the Calculator, Flashlight, Ringtone Trimmer and Sound Recorder (and I've seen a report that the Teeter game is gone too).

Now, I haven't got my own One yet, however I do have access to a Canadian variant from work and we've got another one in America running an older build.
It was running 1.27, now it is running 1.28.

I cannot access the data partition, obviously, not even for read (it is not rooted), however using the pm command I managed to discover which packages are located in the preload directory (excluding the carrier specific apps from my variant):

com.android.calculator2

com.htc.flashlight

com.htc.pdfviewer

com.htc.ringtonetrimmer

com.htc.soundrecorder

Initially I thought ODEX files might be needed, but these are located in the data partition and as far as I know there are no ODEX files there (correct me if I'm wrong).

Using Carbon I've backed them up (see attached here), only thing left is to check whether they can be restored and work properly on unlocked Ones. It might not fit every variant, testing required. Perhaps it might even allow using OTA updates.

If you haven't unlocked your bootloader yet, I suggest trying this beforehand instead of the attached files:

Through ADB, use:
adb shell pm list packages -f | find "preload"

Backup these apps using Carbon.

Unlock bootloader.

Restore using Carbon.

Please let me know if this works.

It works with a relocked bootloader

[WIP][*POSSIBLE SOLUTION*] Restoring Missing Apps Post Unlock: Your Help is Needed

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[WIP][POSSIBLE SOLUTION] Restoring Missing Apps Post Unlock: Your Help is Needed