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How do I *completely* get rid of applications and ALL traces?

O

OM2

Android Enthusiast
My 2GB Micro SD card for my X10 is full up

I was looking through the files to download videos and photos

I've come across loooads of files that have been left by previous applications!
These applications, I've tried, found they were rubbish and then uninstalled
So... why why why do they get a chance to leave their remains??

When installing for EVERY application, you should get the option to delete any files created or keep

Am I missing something or doing something wrong?

The Android phone for several reasons is seemingly to be too much like a damn Microsoft Windows OS!!

Thanks


OM
 
Every couple of months I go in and delete old files and reorganize my 16GB Sd, I'm sure there are Cache cleaner apps in the market but sometimes doing it manually helps because you might not want something deleted. Hope this helps.
 
refthemc said:
Every couple of months I go in and delete old files and reorganize my 16GB Sd, I'm sure there are Cache cleaner apps in the market but sometimes doing it manually helps because you might not want something deleted. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
thanks for the reply
that all sounds odd to me! u shouldn't *have* to go to that trouble!
i think ALL applications should be forced to give a complete removal and cleanup option of the application when uninstalling!

some applications i only had installed for a millisecond (and then quickly uninstalled) have left poo poo (a name i just created out of frustration!) deposits of 50mb!!
 
Apps dont have control over the uninstall process. When Android removes them it removes their internal storage completely. It's up to the user to control the SD card.

It's better this way. It give the user more control.

Windows uninstallers are different in that they have the possibility of leaving files in the registry or other system folders and/or leaving settings changed. This cant happen on Android. They can only use the SD card, and the user has control over the SD card.

Btw cache cleaning apps are 99% of the time snake oil.
 
I try to remember to always delete apps via the manage app screen and do a 'delete data' and 'delete cache' first. Good luck!
 
Android25 said:
I try to remember to always delete apps via the manage app screen and do a 'delete data' and 'delete cache' first. Good luck!
Click to expand...

hmmm... that sounds like good advice
but: i think there should be a better way still - applications should be forced to clean up on the sd card as well
 
OM2 said:
hmmm... that sounds like good advice
but: i think there should be a better way still - applications should be forced to clean up on the sd card as well
Click to expand...


I understand your frustration, I really do, but you're not seeing the whole picture.

How are apps supposed to know what to delete? Imagine a camera app that takes pictures. Do you want it to delete all the pictures it took?

Also, consider what could go wrong if the Android system let apps know when they are getting uninstalled, and let them control their own uninstall process. That's basically Windows for you. Consider Macs and you have the opposite. OSX doesnt help you delete any settings or internally used files, it just deletes the app.

If you think it through, Android really has it set up well. No computer system in the world does what your asking. Android gives you a bit of both worlds. It gives you control of the SD card, and removes anything the app stored on internal memory for you.

The other nice thing about Android is that it really doesnt matter where you put your pictures/video/music/whatever as it scans the SD card for you and stores the data in a high-performance, lightweight database. It also has search as the interface for finding most things. So having a messy SD card really isn't a big problem.

Anyways, if the apps are truly misbehaving, then leave a comment in the market about it or email the dev and see if they will fix the problem. A lot of devs don't hear about these kinds of concerns from users and would gladly fix something if they knew.

Hope that helps explain it a bit.
 
>> Do you want it to delete all the pictures it took?
yes, why not? in the uninstall options, there should be a tick box to delete all files created by the application

i hear what u say though

thanks for th ereply
 
How do you acess the manage apps screen? I just bought the Huawei Ascend and it's my first Android system...im so lost im considering throwing the phone off a bridge! lol please help
 
Just uninsytall apps. This is not Windows OS where scraps of stuff are left after each uninstall making the system slower (pre-Windows 7 at least).
 
Szadzik said:
Just uninsytall apps. This is not Windows OS where scraps of stuff are left after each uninstall making the system slower (pre-Windows 7 at least).
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I disagree, depending on how the apps are uninstalled. I uninstalled the Skype app(which was around 4.3mb) because it was acting weird through the marketplace app. My Evo storage was at 81mb before the uninstall, and remained at 81mb after the uninstall. I thought this was weird so I reset the phone and wait a couple of hours before reinstall. Still at 81mb, I reinstall Skype and of course I lose another 4mb down to 77mb. Now my question is where is the missing 4mb that deleting Skype never freed. This happened before with an even larger app. And a similar case occurred with my daughters Epic. So yes Android does leave files floating around on your hard drive the same way apps on your pc leave residue. I just wish I knew how to free up that missing space barring a hard reset.
 
OM2 said:
>> Do you want it to delete all the pictures it took?
yes, why not? in the uninstall options, there should be a tick box to delete all files created by the application
Click to expand...

As was stated in alostpacket's great post, Android System is controlling the uninstall. The Android System doesn't know which apps have created files on the SD card and which haven't. The only way to have this check box here is to allow the app itself to handle it's own uninstall. If apps are given the ability to control uninstalls, then you are allowing apps to then purposely leave things behind (malware or otherwise).
 
thomasanderson said:
I disagree, depending on how the apps are uninstalled. I uninstalled the Skype app(which was around 4.3mb) because it was acting weird through the marketplace app. My Evo storage was at 81mb before the uninstall, and remained at 81mb after the uninstall. I thought this was weird so I reset the phone and wait a couple of hours before reinstall. Still at 81mb, I reinstall Skype and of course I lose another 4mb down to 77mb. Now my question is where is the missing 4mb that deleting Skype never freed. This happened before with an even larger app. And a similar case occurred with my daughters Epic. So yes Android does leave files floating around on your hard drive the same way apps on your pc leave residue. I just wish I knew how to free up that missing space barring a hard reset.
Click to expand...

You are talking about a documented issue with the Android OS on some devices (Desire for example) and not a common issue. I have had Android phones for 18 months now and never had the issue you are describing.
 
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