Delete system files from Android phone

[Wrichik Basu]

I have a Samsung Galaxy on7, running on Android 6.0.1.

It has a lot of pre installed apps that I consider bloatware. I want to remove them completely from the phone.

Recently, I tried removing these apps as per this video:



But soon I found that it does not delete the system files, because that is not possible without root.

I also found that I can root my phone using adb. The procedure (on a different phone, though) is here:



After rooting and installing twrp and magisk, I want to delete the system files from adb using the following command (say, to remove google photos):

adb shell rm -f /system/app/Photos/Photos.apk

Two questions on this:

1. Is this possible to be safely done on my device? Any precautions?

2. Is there any way to backup the system file before deleting it?

 

[YoungPhysicist]

I want to remove them completely from the phone.

The method mentioned in the video won't remove it completely from the phone. It just hides it from the current user, he mentioned it at 1:27

 

[Wrichik Basu]

The method mentioned in the video won't remove it completely from the phone. It just hides it from the current user, he mentioned it at 1:27

That's why I wrote this soon after the video:

But soon I found that it does not delete the system files, because that is not possible without root.

 

[CWatters]

Are the factory issued apps stored in ROM or Fash?

 

[YoungPhysicist]

Are the factory issued apps stored in ROM or Fash?

I am not sure, but I don't think so. Usually ROMs and Flashs on mobile phones only store BIOS or bootloaders.

 

[CWatters]

I asked because the 2nd reply here suggests they are possibly in ROM...

https://www.quora.com/Are-apps-installed-and-stored-on-RAM-or-ROM-on-Android-phones

 

[YoungPhysicist]

I asked because the 2nd reply here suggests they are possibly in ROM...

https://www.quora.com/Are-apps-installed-and-stored-on-RAM-or-ROM-on-Android-phones

He mentioned EEPROM, a thing that I only heard before but not fully understand. But if my knowledge isn't outdated (my physics ones have this serious problem),then chances of rewriting it will be possible but really unlikely, since eeprom also has a write/erase time limit. That is a point from hardwares, I am not sure if softwares can bypass that.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Are the factory issued apps stored in ROM or Fash?

They are stored inthe /system directory, and after rooting, you can gain access to files in that directory.

I asked because the 2nd reply here suggests they are possibly in ROM...

https://www.quora.com/Are-apps-installed-and-stored-on-RAM-or-ROM-on-Android-phones

The replies mention that apps are stored in ROM. Flash is actually the recovery part. All the OS files are always stored in ROM, which is the /system directory.

 

[YoungPhysicist]

They are stored inthe /system directory, and after rooting, you can gain access to files in that directory.

@Wrichik Basu the concept of storing in ROM or Flash is a hardware approach of where the factory issued apps are. /system on the other hand is a software approach. They are both correct.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

@Wrichik Basu the concept of storing in ROM or Flash is a hardware approach of where the factory issued apps are. /System on the other hand is a software approach.

I am talking about factory issued apps. That's what is called "bloatware". If you have access to an Android phone, download an app called "App Inspector" from the play store. It will show you the directory for every app, even system apps. There, you can see that these are all installed in /system directory. For example, for Google photos,

Both the source and data have to be cleared through adb for a complete removal.

 

[YoungPhysicist]

I am talking about factory issued apps. That's what is called "bloatware". If you have access to an Android phone, download an app called "App Inspector" from the play store. It will show you the directory for every app, even system apps. There, you can see that these are all installed in /system directory. For example, for Google photos,

View attachment 229929

Both the source and data have to be cleared through adb for a complete removal.

adb shell rm -f /system/app/Photos/Photos.apk

I am aware of that. There isn't seem to be a problem for you to connect your phone to the computer and delete them via this command.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

adb shell rm -f /system/app/Photos/Photos.apk

I am aware of that. There isn't seem to be a problem for you to connect your phone to the computer and delete them via this command.

That's what I wanted to know.

 

[YoungPhysicist]

That's what I wanted to know.

Just make sure that you type the command right and don’t accidentally delete other stuff

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Just make sure that you type the command right and don’t accidentally delete other stuff

That's why I posted the second question:

2. Is there any way to backup the system file before deleting it?

 

[YoungPhysicist]

That's why I posted the second question:

I am not sure, but backing up your entire phone(i.e, back up the normal way) should back up the system files as well.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

I am not sure, but backing up your entire phone(i.e, back up the normal way) should back up the system files as well.

No, it doesn't.

There are two commands of adb that can handle files in this way: push and pull. Not sure whether they can copy system files after rooting the phone.

 

[YoungPhysicist]

No, it doesn't.

There are two commands of adb that can handle files in this way: push and pull. Not sure whether they can copy system files after rooting the phone.

Check this out
https://drfone.wondershare.com/android/backup-rom-android.html#part3