[Motorola Droid RAZR] Ohmster:
Casper, Back atcha!

[MENTION=1472623]d.casper.b[/MENTION] now where were we?

Ahh, so you are still using the pa-gapps package. I have one too on my phone that I used for the 03/29 build. The Modular-Mini 20150301 signed set. It worked. Gave me all sorts of Google hiccups, but it worked just fine and I could have used it again for the 04/05 build. But these pa-gapps get old as months go by. We need an new set up gapps which are updated. The set I suggested, the 04/04 Google Apps Minimal Edition for Android 4.4.x worked great for me. These are not necessarily "the best" or "the only" gapps that will work. I picked those from Shadow's List and posted the main list for those that want something other than the Minimal Edition gapps. I didn't flash any kind of Google keyboard. I have the ASOP keyboard and the Google Voice Typing keyboard. That is all I've ever had and all I've ever needed. There is also an "AirDroid" keyboard with no options, because I have AirDroid installed. It means nothing.

I like minimal or mini. I don't want or need Chrome, Google Earth, or Google Play anything other than Play Music. So the small gapps package is nice for me, under 100 Mb. Dude, we cannot get "fresh" pa-gapps anymore. We have to find a new source for gapps. Whether or not we all agree on one site, or each choose our own, does not matter. I will find a good download site for addition to the Guide when I update it. But you are okay this time, you got your update installed and all is well my friend! :D

The apk files, AFAIK, are compressed "zip" installer files, not the apps themselves. It would not make sense to have to unzip an app everytime you wanted to use it. But in the /data/data/ folder are all the apps on your phone in folders with names like com.google.android.maps and in that folder, are all the subfolders and files that make that particular app work. Not in the System partition or folder. You can see what is inside of an apk file by renaming it from apk to zip, then open in WinZip and extract to an empty folder. I am curious and I actually do stuff like this.

Wiping the System prior to installing the new Build is exactly what the old OTA updater script did. That really is the operating system and all of the things you need to make it work. Yes, you get some apk files and a lot of system apps and services are pushed onto the new rom directly from the rom zip file and not apk files. I opened a typical cm11 build by opening it with WinZip. Try it and extract all to an empty folder on your PC. Then you will really get to see what is in each build.

Even if you wipe system, flash a new build, and a "micro" gapps package, you will not "lose" previously installed apps such as Chrome, if you had it before. These apps do not get "removed" because you flashed a much smaller gapps package. Again, AFAIK. I have never seen it happen. Since you already have your gapps on the phone, you could probably wipe system, flash new rom, not flash any gapps, and the new rom should boot fine, with all of the previously installed apps. No I have never had reason to try it but could do so, if you really *must* find out. Backup the current rom in Safestrap, wipe system, flash new rom, wipe dalvik and cache, reboot. Flash no gapps. I bet it would work just fine. You may have updates waiting for you at the Play Store. If for some reason this fails, restore the backup in Safestrap.

Titanium Backup can and does uninstall system apps, although you will get a stiff warning to make sure you know what you are doing. I got these warnings when I uninstalled Apollo and Exchange services and mail too. Nothing bad happened other than they came back at next update. Freezing them makes sure they do not come back. CM11 does not allow you to uninstall system apps as a safety measure and to stop you from "toasting the rom" if you don't know what you are doing. In general, it is *never* recommended that you uninstall *anything* system! Titanium Backup with root, pay version, is an advanced app for experienced users. So if you do not want or use Exchange Services and Exchange Email, take them out, Freeze them, and the rom will be just fine. But you will no longer have Exchange available. :D

I really like this "Dwillian Dump" wipe system install method. All you are doing is dumping the current OS, NOT the apps installed. Again, IMHO. :)

Stock Browser and Email that was previously uninstalled WILL come back at next update. That is why I FREEZE them in Titanium Backup. So that they do not come back at each update. If and when your cm11 OS becomes final and you have NO plans or roms to update it anymore, then you can uninstall these apps instead of Freezing them (To get back the small amount of space they used on the sdcard.) because there will be no more updating or flashing.

Your words and your request. I am just letting you know what I know my friend. I did not just "guess" this stuff, I tested for it. When I have no proof other than what I have seen, or am not 100% sure, I will say "AFAIK" or "IMHO". ;)

I am not an Android Engineer or Developer so I do not know everything there is to know about Android. But I am curious, have a rooted file manager, and explore things on my own to answer my own questions.

BTW, I really like this new build so far. It is really fast and slick and I have yet to see any orange bars, although Google itself and it's servers have a lot to do with that issue. ;)