Shedding the weight of Gapps

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jeffsf

jeffsf

Senior Member
Mar 7, 2011
1,121
976
San Francisco
I've spent some time on ICS in whittling down what Gapps I really needed, and was able to save a lot of space. Since I use my own Darwin (Mac) CalendarServer I don't have any need for Google's contacts and calendar syncing. I also don't use "voice" features. Basically, I use Play and Maps, or have apps that require some level of Google services to run.

Getting ready to move to KitKat on a couple phones, I wanted to do the same for 4.4.2. Good news is that @BaNkS is well ahead of me in slicing and dicing Gapps.

(also check to see if @Ryuinferno has updated his Gapps thread)

BaNkS' selection of "Core" is around 26 MB extracted, which seems a lot better than the full-on collection occupies. Of course, you don't get all the Google secret sauce (or is it Kool-Aid?), but it might fit your needs a little better. (Contents behind the button)

Code: 
Archive:  1-16_GApps_Core_4.4.2_signed.zip
signed by SignApk
  Length     Date   Time    Name
 --------    ----   ----    ----
     2284  02-28-08 20:33   META-INF/MANIFEST.MF
     2337  02-28-08 20:33   META-INF/CERT.SF
     1714  02-28-08 20:33   META-INF/CERT.RSA
   190444  02-28-08 20:33   META-INF/com/google/android/update-binary
      870  02-28-08 20:33   META-INF/com/google/android/updater-script
     1668  02-28-08 20:33   system/addon.d/70-gapps.sh
   198899  02-28-08 20:33   system/app/GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
      816  02-28-08 20:33   system/etc/permissions/com.google.android.maps.xml
      835  02-28-08 20:33   system/etc/permissions/com.google.android.media.effects.xml
      261  02-28-08 20:33   system/etc/permissions/com.google.widevine.software.drm.xml
      967  02-28-08 20:33   system/etc/permissions/features.xml
     9629  02-28-08 20:33   system/etc/preferred-apps/google.xml
   160503  02-28-08 20:33   system/framework/com.google.android.maps.jar
    34818  02-28-08 20:33   system/framework/com.google.android.media.effects.jar
      740  02-28-08 20:33   system/framework/com.google.widevine.software.drm.jar
   435696  02-28-08 20:33   system/lib/libAppDataSearch.so
  1430596  02-28-08 20:33   system/lib/libgames_rtmp_jni.so
   497108  02-28-08 20:33   system/lib/libjni_latinime.so
  8536983  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GmsCore.apk
   127533  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GoogleBackupTransport.apk
   303624  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GoogleFeedback.apk
  5715280  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GoogleLoginService.apk
     8498  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GoogleOneTimeInitializer.apk
   129480  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GooglePartnerSetup.apk
  2359257  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GoogleServicesFramework.apk
  6126834  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/Phonesky.apk
  1531300  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/SetupWizard.apk
 --------                   -------
 27808974                   27 files


He's also got fuller packages as well as various incremental ones as well.

You can probably thin this further. Based on what I use and some guesses, I know I'll be trying to get rid of at least:
  • system/app/GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
  • system/priv-app/GoogleBackupTransport.apk
  • system/priv-app/GoogleFeedback.apk
  • system/priv-app/GoogleOneTimeInitializer.apk
  • system/priv-app/GooglePartnerSetup.apk
  • system/priv-app/SetupWizard.apk
  • system/lib/libAppDataSearch.so
  • system/lib/libgames_rtmp_jni.so
as well as generating my own "preferred apps" for system/etc/preferred-apps/google.xml (method described in that file)
 
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silentvisitor

silentvisitor

Senior Member
Mar 15, 2012
4,522
2,653
You can safely remove
Google backup transport
Google feedback
Google partner setup

Well, that's what I do and never had any issues. Basically I remove everything except Play Store :)
I anyways don't want to run so many apps with full system rights/permissions.
 
FBis251

FBis251

Senior Member
Mar 21, 2011
3,418
3,716
www.fernandobarillas.com
It's a constant struggle trying to find a good source of gapps that provides a lightweight installer. I also only really need maps and the play store. I'm not sure if the SLIM team has released their 4.4 bundle, but the last time I checked a few weeks ago, there was still only a beta version of the 4.3 slim gapps.

Thanks for the links @jeffsf
 
jeffsf

jeffsf

Senior Member
Mar 7, 2011
1,121
976
San Francisco
So far, "working for me" for Play, Maps, and map-API apps, after I install Banks' 1-16_GApps_Core_4.4.2_signed.zip

I won't say that "it all works fine" with these removals, as I'm still just doinking around with KitKat and not running it day-to-day.

Code: 
rm /system/app/GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
rm /system/priv-app/GoogleBackupTransport.apk
rm /system/priv-app/GoogleFeedback.apk
rm /system/priv-app/GoogleOneTimeInitializer.apk
rm /system/priv-app/GooglePartnerSetup.apk
rm /system/priv-app/SetupWizard.apk
rm /system/etc/preferred-apps/google.xml
rm /system/etc/permissions/features.xml

That makes the installed-files list look something like:
  • addon.d/70-gapps.sh
  • app/GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
  • etc/permissions/com.google.android.maps.xml
  • etc/permissions/com.google.android.media.effects.xml
  • etc/permissions/com.google.widevine.software.drm.xml
  • etc/permissions/features.xml
  • etc/preferred-apps/google.xml
  • framework/com.google.android.maps.jar
  • framework/com.google.android.media.effects.jar
  • framework/com.google.widevine.software.drm.jar
  • lib/libAppDataSearch.so
  • lib/libgames_rtmp_jni.so
  • lib/libjni_latinime.so
  • priv-app/GmsCore.apk
  • priv-app/GoogleBackupTransport.apk
  • priv-app/GoogleFeedback.apk
  • priv-app/GoogleLoginService.apk
  • priv-app/GoogleOneTimeInitializer.apk
  • priv-app/GooglePartnerSetup.apk
  • priv-app/GoogleServicesFramework.apk
  • priv-app/Phonesky.apk
  • priv-app/SetupWizard.apk

There are a couple jar files and libraries, as well as potentially GmsCore.apk that I may try removing as well.
 
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Reactions: Rebel_X, hutson23 and DragnzKlaw
hutson23

hutson23

Senior Member
Sep 2, 2012
267
90
How did it go after removing these?

Sent from my SGH-T959V using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
 
jeffsf

jeffsf

Senior Member
Mar 7, 2011
1,121
976
San Francisco
hutson23 said:
How did it go after removing these?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I've additionally tried removing priv-app/GmsCore.apk with no apparent ill effects. I didn't push the phone hard after that, but at least Play was still working Edit -- Play won't let you update anything without GmsCore, nor can you do a first-time login to your existing Play account. I'm working on some build issues and I'm not running KitKat enough to be a fair judge of things. I'd consider dumping lib/libgames_rtmp_jni.so based on the name, and even lib/libAppDataSearch.so

It should be easy enough to move them somewhere "safe" like /cache (*not* to /sdcard/ as it doesn't preserve ownership, permissions and all) and see what happens. Given that you can run completely fine without Gapps, I wouldn't think there would be any meaningful chance of making your phone unusable to the point that you'd need to completely reflash it.

That said, make lots of backups...

Edit -- Running the Gapps installer will remove com.android.quicksearchbox -- you may wish to restore if you're not replacing it with a Gapps equivalent.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: hutson23
inimeg81

inimeg81

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2013
226
121
Croyon, PA
Jeffsf. Do a search for jitrevert.zip on google. Scroll down to the bottom where its.some.webpage.com/justanotherdev check out some of the jit zips in there. When i searched that GA_ARIES_library.so lib that was in stock gb it came up with results saying jitrevert. I'll have to jump on irc to explain what im getting at

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

---------- Post added at 02:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:48 PM ----------

Oh i have a gapps with playstore and maps if u want me to up it fb

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2
 
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  • 4
    jeffsf
    jeffsf
    I've spent some time on ICS in whittling down what Gapps I really needed, and was able to save a lot of space. Since I use my own Darwin (Mac) CalendarServer I don't have any need for Google's contacts and calendar syncing. I also don't use "voice" features. Basically, I use Play and Maps, or have apps that require some level of Google services to run.

    Getting ready to move to KitKat on a couple phones, I wanted to do the same for 4.4.2. Good news is that @BaNkS is well ahead of me in slicing and dicing Gapps.

    (also check to see if @Ryuinferno has updated his Gapps thread)

    BaNkS' selection of "Core" is around 26 MB extracted, which seems a lot better than the full-on collection occupies. Of course, you don't get all the Google secret sauce (or is it Kool-Aid?), but it might fit your needs a little better. (Contents behind the button)

    Code: 
    Archive:  1-16_GApps_Core_4.4.2_signed.zip
signed by SignApk
  Length     Date   Time    Name
 --------    ----   ----    ----
     2284  02-28-08 20:33   META-INF/MANIFEST.MF
     2337  02-28-08 20:33   META-INF/CERT.SF
     1714  02-28-08 20:33   META-INF/CERT.RSA
   190444  02-28-08 20:33   META-INF/com/google/android/update-binary
      870  02-28-08 20:33   META-INF/com/google/android/updater-script
     1668  02-28-08 20:33   system/addon.d/70-gapps.sh
   198899  02-28-08 20:33   system/app/GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
      816  02-28-08 20:33   system/etc/permissions/com.google.android.maps.xml
      835  02-28-08 20:33   system/etc/permissions/com.google.android.media.effects.xml
      261  02-28-08 20:33   system/etc/permissions/com.google.widevine.software.drm.xml
      967  02-28-08 20:33   system/etc/permissions/features.xml
     9629  02-28-08 20:33   system/etc/preferred-apps/google.xml
   160503  02-28-08 20:33   system/framework/com.google.android.maps.jar
    34818  02-28-08 20:33   system/framework/com.google.android.media.effects.jar
      740  02-28-08 20:33   system/framework/com.google.widevine.software.drm.jar
   435696  02-28-08 20:33   system/lib/libAppDataSearch.so
  1430596  02-28-08 20:33   system/lib/libgames_rtmp_jni.so
   497108  02-28-08 20:33   system/lib/libjni_latinime.so
  8536983  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GmsCore.apk
   127533  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GoogleBackupTransport.apk
   303624  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GoogleFeedback.apk
  5715280  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GoogleLoginService.apk
     8498  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GoogleOneTimeInitializer.apk
   129480  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GooglePartnerSetup.apk
  2359257  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/GoogleServicesFramework.apk
  6126834  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/Phonesky.apk
  1531300  02-28-08 20:33   system/priv-app/SetupWizard.apk
 --------                   -------
 27808974                   27 files


    He's also got fuller packages as well as various incremental ones as well.

    You can probably thin this further. Based on what I use and some guesses, I know I'll be trying to get rid of at least:
    • system/app/GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
    • system/priv-app/GoogleBackupTransport.apk
    • system/priv-app/GoogleFeedback.apk
    • system/priv-app/GoogleOneTimeInitializer.apk
    • system/priv-app/GooglePartnerSetup.apk
    • system/priv-app/SetupWizard.apk
    • system/lib/libAppDataSearch.so
    • system/lib/libgames_rtmp_jni.so
    as well as generating my own "preferred apps" for system/etc/preferred-apps/google.xml (method described in that file)
    View
    3
    jeffsf
    jeffsf
    So far, "working for me" for Play, Maps, and map-API apps, after I install Banks' 1-16_GApps_Core_4.4.2_signed.zip

    I won't say that "it all works fine" with these removals, as I'm still just doinking around with KitKat and not running it day-to-day.

    Code: 
    rm /system/app/GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
rm /system/priv-app/GoogleBackupTransport.apk
rm /system/priv-app/GoogleFeedback.apk
rm /system/priv-app/GoogleOneTimeInitializer.apk
rm /system/priv-app/GooglePartnerSetup.apk
rm /system/priv-app/SetupWizard.apk
rm /system/etc/preferred-apps/google.xml
rm /system/etc/permissions/features.xml

    That makes the installed-files list look something like:
    • addon.d/70-gapps.sh
    • app/GoogleContactsSyncAdapter.apk
    • etc/permissions/com.google.android.maps.xml
    • etc/permissions/com.google.android.media.effects.xml
    • etc/permissions/com.google.widevine.software.drm.xml
    • etc/permissions/features.xml
    • etc/preferred-apps/google.xml
    • framework/com.google.android.maps.jar
    • framework/com.google.android.media.effects.jar
    • framework/com.google.widevine.software.drm.jar
    • lib/libAppDataSearch.so
    • lib/libgames_rtmp_jni.so
    • lib/libjni_latinime.so
    • priv-app/GmsCore.apk
    • priv-app/GoogleBackupTransport.apk
    • priv-app/GoogleFeedback.apk
    • priv-app/GoogleLoginService.apk
    • priv-app/GoogleOneTimeInitializer.apk
    • priv-app/GooglePartnerSetup.apk
    • priv-app/GoogleServicesFramework.apk
    • priv-app/Phonesky.apk
    • priv-app/SetupWizard.apk

    There are a couple jar files and libraries, as well as potentially GmsCore.apk that I may try removing as well.
    View
    1
    jeffsf
    jeffsf
    hutson23 said:
    How did it go after removing these?
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    I've additionally tried removing priv-app/GmsCore.apk with no apparent ill effects. I didn't push the phone hard after that, but at least Play was still working Edit -- Play won't let you update anything without GmsCore, nor can you do a first-time login to your existing Play account. I'm working on some build issues and I'm not running KitKat enough to be a fair judge of things. I'd consider dumping lib/libgames_rtmp_jni.so based on the name, and even lib/libAppDataSearch.so

    It should be easy enough to move them somewhere "safe" like /cache (*not* to /sdcard/ as it doesn't preserve ownership, permissions and all) and see what happens. Given that you can run completely fine without Gapps, I wouldn't think there would be any meaningful chance of making your phone unusable to the point that you'd need to completely reflash it.

    That said, make lots of backups...

    Edit -- Running the Gapps installer will remove com.android.quicksearchbox -- you may wish to restore if you're not replacing it with a Gapps equivalent.
    View

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