Removing 'Stuck' Applications - No reformatting or reinstalling! :D

[Gizmoratty]

Now we all know the story of reformatting your phone or updating the firmware, just to find that your previously installed applications from the memory card are appearing in your apps menu - You go to open them, but nothing happens.. So maybe deleting them will work? Well it would be nice if it did..!

Up until now I was under the impression that reformatting the memory card was the only way out, but this was often a very big inconvenience and so it was never a pleasurable way around it, but it worked. There again you could always move the icon to a remote location in a sub-folder hidden away in your menu somewhere - What you can't see can't hurt? :P

I was roumaging through my memory card the other day and realised that symbian native applications actually included an uninstallation list - Meaning that you could view where all the installed files are dumped (This is used by the device in reverse to remove all the files)

Mr G in his troubles, actually gave me the idea today to use this to our advantage - So I got onto the experimenting

Now I'm no C++ expert, and I hardly had any idea as to which of these listed files would actually be the shortcut that we found ourselves stuck with in our phones - So by trial and error, I tracked down each file listed and removed it from the memory card, checking each time to see what effects were made (And replacing the file if nothing was found)

Eventually I came accross THE directory - The folder in which seemed to contain ALL installed application shortcuts! SCORE

Anyway, I'll finish off my babbling and get to the point - Removing these files is easier than we ever could have thought!

--Removing 'Stuck' Applications--

--Simple Version--

Note: In these examples, I am going to refer to the Memory Card as 'E:\' - This may be different for everyone else

1. Now the first thing you need to do is connect your phone via USB in Data Transfer/Mass Storage mode (Or get the old card reader out) - What you need to be able to do is view the hidden AND system files - So you can not do this internally

2. Make you way accross to this folder from your computer:
E:\Private\10003a3f\import\apps\

THIS is the folder that contains all shortcuts for applications installed on your memory card (You should see a/some *.rsc file/s and maybe another folder or two)

Note:
*.rsc files refer to installed Symbian applications (*.sis/*.sisx)
The folders refer to installed Java files (*.jar)

You will most likely want to delete ALL of these files, but I shall explain the proccess in detail incase you want to remove individual shortcuts

3. (For Symbian installations) Delete the *.rsc that refers to the application you are trying to remove (The file is easy to determine as it will be named in relation to the original application)

4a. (For Java installations) This is a little more complicated - You will need to remove the folders one by one (Making a backup each time) to figure out which folder refers to the Java application in question (This is because the folder, nor its contents refer to the original application directly)

4b. Now head to: E:\Private\102033E6\MIDlets\
Here you will find the root folders for Java applications - You need to open each folder to find and delete the *.jar file and the 'uids' file that accompanies it

And that's it! All shortcuts should be removed from your applicaions menu or anywhere else that the 'stuck' shortcuts were placed

--Removing 'Stuck' Applications--

--Advanced Version (Optional)--

I mentioned earlier about the uninstallation files I found - These are located here:
E:\sys\uninstall\

You may have numerous folders included in this diectory, but simply searching through them will aid you in finding the desired *.log file

The *.log file can be viewed in Notepad or any simple text editor - It will include the directories of ALL installed files on the memory card for each application

The trick is to follow the links and delete each and every file to maximise recovery of data storage

I describe this as the more advanced option as you will need to KNOW what you are deleting or you may cause damage to other resources in the card

Note: I have ONLY tested this on my v20.0.015 device so please inform me if this is not compatible with other firmware versions

And thus concludes my little tutorial - I have tested this on numerous applications now with full success but I would love to hear any feedback you guys have! Also, any bugs reported will be greatly appreciated, but please MAKE SURE to follow this exactly as stated before coming back with problems

Thankyou very much! :D

[Mr G]

Cheers,i'm gonna try now.

[Gizmoratty]

You will be my first pawn muahaha >:D

Good luck!

Edit: Don't know if this is worth being a sticky? But I'd be very grateful, if any mods are listening :D

[Mr G]

All gone,thanks Giz.

I did do something like this earlier but it didn't work,now i'm happy,although i did delete snakes in doing the process but thats no big deal.

[Gizmoratty]

Excellent! Cheers for the confirmation mate :D

I'm still wondering what compatibility issues this will have though.. I'm thinking the '10003a3f' folder may be named differently in other firmware versions but the idea should be exactly the same

We'll see.. ;D

[Mr G]

They're all still in the app manager though and can't be removed.

[Gizmoratty]

Originally Posted by Mr G

They're all still in the app manager though and can't be removed.

Did you try the second method?

[Mr G]

No,will that get rid then?

[Gizmoratty]

Originally Posted by Mr G

No,will that get rid then?

Hopefully! LOL

The first method ONLY removes the shortcut

[Mr G]

Just done the second method,still there mate,after re-booting too.