[General Questions and Answers] dropdeadgoogle:
SMS messaging keeps crashing on rooted and debloated phone

Question4u - SMS messaging keeps crashing, I get the message "unfortunatley messaging has stopped" on rooted and debloated phone

The phone is rooted and I removed a lot of bloatware and unwanted google apps + services (by renaming, not deleting apk files in system/apps), and by using DisableServices (so services CAN be re-enabled), and by disabling some system apps in settings/apps

I have affected the SMS messaging service it seems. I can open Messaging and it receives messages OK but when I try to read a message the app crashes.

If I try to write a new message then I can select the recipient, type in the message and press "send" - the message is sent but the app shuts down at the same time as I press "send" with the error "unfortunately messaging has stopped".

The phone is an Asus Zenfone Go 2, also called Asus Z00VD and Asus ZC500TG. I am in Thailand on the True network.

The ROM is the original manufacturer's. Android 5.1.

The phone was rooted by unlocking the bootloader with fastboot and then flashing a TWRP recovery.

The rom was downloaded from Asus, loaded onto the external SD card and flashed from recovery.

I have found no information on the web relating to this problem on that particular device.

I do not believe this is a device-specific issue anyway but I could be wrong.

I tried the following suggested solutions to this messaging problem posted on the internet and on XDA but to no avail

1- apps/messaging then, clear data and clear defaults

2- delete files "mmssma.db" and "mmssms.db-journal" at /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/

3-wipe cache partition in recovery

4 - replace native messaging app - I tried a few new messaging apps, they worked immediately after being installed but then wouldn't work again (even with steps 1-3 repeated).

5 - reset the CSC

6 - I have a firewall but that is not the problem either (even when it is set to allow all traffic from all apps over all communication channels, I still get the same error with messaging)

7 - Clearing data for OMACP app

Perhaps someone is familiar with this messaging problem on a rooted phone with apps and services disabled and knows just which app or service needs to be re-enabled/restored?

I know full well I can flash the rom again but even if I flash the rom I still won't want to operate the phone without rooting and disabling some apps and services, so I am trying to repair the messaging service with the OS in its current state.

I have cut out out apps and services successfully on 3 other phones and had them working just perfectly (but not on Android 5.1 it must be said). This phone is also doing everything I want of it, apart from the SMS messaging service.

I really am asking for help from someone who has encountered and solved this problem after rooting and debloating an Android phone.

If there is a better forum here to post this question then please let me know.

Thanks.

UPDATE - I didn't get an answer here, just some generic advice, but I did find the answer elsewhere.

The system app that I had deleted and that was necessary for the correct functioning of the SMS Messaging app was called

"WebViewGoogle"

I restored it in data/system/apps and messaging returned to normal.

Even when I terminated the WebViewGoogle process, messaging continued to work properly which suggests it is not vital for the functioning of messenger, yet the WebViewGoogle apk can't be deleted. Go figure!.