Help Steve's questions

[Steves Questions]

I am using my T999L asis for 6weeks.

I have NEVER been on the Internet or Play Store yet on this device.

When an APP I don't want and NEVER download starts trying to
install itself on my device (having NO option to abort installation
that I can find) how do I stop it w/o pulling the battery.

Discovering this on the first day of ANDROID use is NOT a WARM
fuzzy feeling.

SB

 

[Hadron]

Can you give us some more information? Most importantly, what app is this?

Have you set up a Google account on it (and if you can tell, is this a Play Store installation that's happening)? Did you buy the phone new or pre-owned (since that's quite an old model)? If pre-owned did you do a factory reset on it to ensure there was nothing left behind by a previous owner?

Sorry for all of the questions, but the thing is that what you are seeing is not normal behaviour. Hence we need more information to work out what might be causing it. If you've never visited a website or the Play Store but something is downloading anyway then some possibilities are:

* That it is being pushed from the Play Store (if you've set up a Google account on the device). This could happen if it's an update to an existing app (and you have automatic updates enabled, which they probably set by default) or if someone has hacked your Google account (less likely, but let's consider all possibilities).

* That some other app you have installed is responsible. Should not happen out of the box, but that's why I asked whether it was pre-owned (or came with some dodgy Chinese app store installed, but that shouldn't happen if it's a genuine Samsung).

* It's a system update, which some US carriers set their phones to push whether you ask them or not. I expect you would have said if it was, but as you said you were new to Android I include this possibility in the list.

 

[russell stephen broshears]

The APP didn't identify itself. It just wanted to be configured.
Google account yes. This APP didn't have any normal PLAY STORE buttons.
This is a T999L discussed in another thread, 6 pages worth.
I loaded new 3wks old OH1 firmware load Friday. Have not been on Internet,
or Play Store sense (sp) I loaded OH1. Factory Reset and Cache clear yes.

I understand. I just pulled the battery, though a good app would have an exit
button I would think.

SB

 

[Hadron]

Apps generally don't have exit buttons. In general that's not how Android works: when you've finished with one app you return to the home screen or switch to another. Recent apps are kept dormant in memory (using no power if they are not performing some ongoing task) until you either switch back to them or the memory is needed by another app, in which case the OS will clear them out. This uses less power than constantly closing apps, which then need to be reloaded next time you use them (whereas if they are dormant in memory you just switch back to them). Hence actually exit buttons on apps are actually rather unusual. Pressing the home button usually suffices to exit.

If the app was already installed and wanted to be configured then switching the to recent apps/multitasking view (probably a long press on the home button on a Samsung) would show you the name. I'd thought you had intercepted something being downloaded/installed from the description. This sounds like it might have been something pre-installed being activated (perhaps inadvertently) and asking to be set up. Apps don't automatically run when installed, you need to run them yourself the first time.

I don't know what "play store buttons" are, sorry.

I guess you mean this thread. I'm afraid I'm not sufficiently familiar with Samsung devices to know what the firmware versions mean, and they are probably specific to this device anyway (which is a variant not found on my side of the Atlantic). If this is a carrier firmware then it's possible that this thing was an app that either the carrier or Samsung pre-installed (Samsung probably add more junk apps than any other manufacturer. I believe that Verizon hold the prize for being the carrier who adds most junk, but I'm sure T-Mobile add some of their own too).