[Desire HD General] Yoshi_523:
Ok so after much lots of frustration realising I'd lost access to the delete system apps after installing HTC 1.72.405.3 (in LeeDrOiD 1.3) I've finally figured out a way to do it and without needing to use ROM Cleaner then re-flash a ROM wich would remove all my data/apps/ect I've loaded. Now this may well be a guide for you guys like me who are very new to Unix commands and the whole Android system. I hope that it helps someone coz honestly the last couple of days I've searched high and low and haven't gotten any answers that worked until I worked it out tonight.

Just as a quick note I was able to delete apps from the /system/app folder before this update when I was still on 1.32.405.6 using Visionary+ in loading R/W access to the system folder on boot and a simple file manager like Astro or AndroZip to delete. Since updating to 1.72.405.3 without Radio S-Off I've tried the following methods and found they don't work:

- Flashing rmk40's Super User/Root patch for 1.72.405.3 as in this thread http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=886999

- Visionary+ selecting R/W system access then using a file manager like Astro or AndroZip to delete.

- Terminal Emulator after getting "supposed" super user access after typing su then going to the /system/data folder and typing rm Facebook.apk ect... also using the other unix commands to try and change the system apps from read only to writable still no access.

- Using Root Explorer which is granted "supposed" super user access does not want to mount as R/W the system/app folder and of course then won't let me delete the apps.

- One click Radio S-Off doens't work as obviously I'm already locked out as I've loaded 1.72.405.3 (LeeDrOiD 1.3) before running Radio S-Off.

- Re-flashing to a previous 1.32.405 ROM then trying to run Radio S-Off followed by all the steps above. Nope nuthin...

Okay and here is is here's how it's done. I had to have the Android SDK installed with USB drivers (HTC Sync has the USB Drivers). I then in windows I opened up command prompt and using the good old DOS commands like "cd\program files (x64)" I go to my android sdk folder platform-tools. Once in the platform-tools let the foreign Unix commands begin

Without the exclamation marks type I type "adb remount shell"

Then "adb shell rm /system/app/Facebook.apk"

Now Facebook.apk being an example of the app you want to delete. I use a file browser such as Astro on my phone to go the the /system/app folder and easily look around and get the file names of the apps I want to delete. An important thing to remember for all the other's unfamiliar with Unix commands like myself, this ain't DOS. Unlike DOS, files and commands are case sensitive so if you try to delete the Facebook app and type it in "facebook.apk" all lower case it won't delete. Make note of any letters uppercase or lowercase in the folder name and file and type it in correctly in the Unix commands or they won't work.

The other two important things to note before you go on a Spring cleaning, delete frenzy (like I will be after I finish typing this up ) is: 1) If you delete some certain system apps (for example TelephonyProvider.apk) Android will **** itself and after booting enter a loop where you can't access anything & you can't stop it complaining about blah blah app failed. So make sure you have on your microSD card either a Nandroid backup done recently using the Backp/Restore function under the Bootloader installed with Clockwork Recovery or a working ROM that you've tried and know works such as the stock ROM or a custom ROM from LeeDrOiD, Cyanogen, ect. If you get into one of those non recoverable loops you'll need to flash the ROM and of course loose any data and apps not backed up. Okay this brings me to my next point. 2) If you want to copy any of the system apps off to your microSD card either to backup or just if you're not 100% sure if you may want to install it again later then in command prompt type this:

"adb shell cp /system/app/Calculator.apk /sdcard/"

Obviously here Calculator.apk is the app we are copying but you can choose any app to copy. Also /sdcard/ means it will go to the root folder of your MicroSD card.

Stick it to tha man and have fun cleaning up your ROM and deleting all that crap bloatware your service provider and HTC don't wanna give you access to and now without the cripple of HTC update 1.72.405.3 stopping you!