[Q] Rip APK files from phone? - EVO 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hey guys, I know how to bring an apk file from /system/app using ADB Pull, but if the app isn't listed in that directory, where is it and how can I rip it from the phone to my computer?
What I'm ultimately trying to do is install an app that I can only download in Sense, then rip it from Sense and install it on my CM7 ROM.

U can back the apk up with titanium back up and then go to the folder on ur SD card and take the apk from there

gmap516 said:
Hey guys, I know how to bring an apk file from /system/app using ADB Pull, but if the app isn't listed in that directory, where is it and how can I rip it from the phone to my computer?
What I'm ultimately trying to do is install an app that I can only download in Sense, then rip it from Sense and install it on my CM7 ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is found in data/app. If it's a protected app it's in data/app-private. Or you could use astro to back up the apk. Titanium backup doesn't just backup the apk, it's in different files. Or you could backup with titanium and then restore.
Sent from my badass HTC Supersonic (Evo 4g) using XDA Premium App

Great, thanks! So all apps, no matter the source will be found in one of: /system/app, /data/app, or /data/app-private, as long as they're installed on internal, correct?
Once I rip the .apk, can I rename it?

Yeah, should be, I've never seen anything installed outside of those directories. I personally just use root explorer, that way I can do anything straight from the phone. It's well worth the convenience. You should be able to rename the apk to anything you want, especially if all your doing is putting it on the SD card to install.
Sent from my badass HTC Supersonic (Evo 4g) using XDA Premium App

Now, if I found an app had a .zip installed in /data/app and an apk installed in /data/app-private and I want to try to install it on CM7, should I adb push the .zip first to /data/app then adb install the apk? or just adb push both to their respective directories?

I would think you could just regular install the apk. Put it on your sd card & install using a file explorer. As for via adb, I'm not sure. I copied a protected apk to my SD & installed through Astro, it installed to /data/app and was no longer protected so I think the apk by itself would be fine.
Sent from my badass HTC Supersonic (Evo 4g) using XDA Premium App

plainjane said:
It is found in data/app. If it's a protected app it's in data/app-private. Or you could use astro to back up the apk. Titanium backup doesn't just backup the apk, it's in different files. Or you could backup with titanium and then restore.
Sent from my badass HTC Supersonic (Evo 4g) using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hate to disagree but u can backup with titanium back up then go to the titanium backup folder on ur SD card. It stores two files per apk. One is ur data for the apk the other is the apk. It just uses weird names on the backups. Much easier than using adb to pull apk or a file manager to go on a hunt for an apk all over ur phone

Titanium backup can backup apps and data. If you backup the app, you will have 3 files...data only creates 2 files. Apps can be find in /system/apps, /data/apps, /data/app-private, and also in .android-secure on your sdcard. I recommend root explorer to pull the app though. If its a sense only app, it may not work in AOSP.

bwcorvus said:
Titanium backup can backup apps and data. If you backup the app, you will have 3 files...data only creates 2 files. Apps can be find in /system/apps, /data/apps, /data/app-private, and also in .android-secure on your sdcard. I recommend root explorer to pull the app though. If its a sense only app, it may not work in AOSP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are partly correct. It crease three files. One is ur data from ur app another is almost useless and the last is the actual app. I pull apps that way on a daily basis for theming or looking at how other apps r themed.

Related

Install all apps after flashing ROM instead of each one by one??

Using Titanium backup..... It's really annoying to have to install over 100 apps one by one after I flash a new rom. Any way to do it without having to click install on every single one??
If you purchase titanium you can do that. On pro version click menu then batch
stroths said:
If you purchase titanium you can do that. On pro version click menu then batch
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1... the paid version does it all automatically. Worth the few bucks to unlock.
sent from my HTC Evo
Titanium pro (paid) will do that, but I know another way. This does not save your data however. Make a backup in something like astro, and copy from sdcard to computer. Once new rom is flashed, go into recovery. Put all the apps in a folder (I reccommend the name app) and put that in your tools folder. Cd to the tools folder, and use the command
Adb push app/ /data/app/
If you get the gist of this, it will put all the stuff in the apps folder into data app. Reboot, and they will all be installed, but with no data.
@dkdude36
Wouldnt he still have to individually install each apk?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
you could always use a script to do it. Just put all the apks in one directory on your SD card and have it install everything in that dir.
I have one I made for a ROM of mine that does it with symlinks, it could probably be modified to install them. You would still need to install the app data or you would lose all your saved info though.

Extracting apk's

I'm working on cooking my own rom but I'm not sure how to take an apk from my current rom to copy it to my computer.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
I would just download the rom you're using and use 7 zip to copy out the apks u want. Just right click on the rom, choose 7 zip then select open archive. You can copy out any file/apk u want.
Sent from my HTC Supersonic
thanks, I forgot to mention that I'm running on mac osx, looks like there may be a similar program for mac.
dglowe343 said:
I would just download the rom you're using and use 7 zip to copy out the apks u want. Just right click on the rom, choose 7 zip then select open archive. You can copy out any file/apk u want.
Sent from my HTC Supersonic
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So heres what I'm trying to do, I would like to use other apps that I've downloaded after my rom was installed. So Instead of flashing a rom then deleting apps and downloading app and making all kinds of customizations, I would like to create one just for me. So is there a way to pull an apk from my phone through adb? Or are the apps not stored on my phone in .apk format?
Michael61182 said:
So heres what I'm trying to do, I would like to use other apps that I've downloaded after my rom was installed. So Instead of flashing a rom then deleting apps and downloading app and making all kinds of customizations, I would like to create one just for me. So is there a way to pull an apk from my phone through adb? Or are the apps not stored on my phone in .apk format?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
adb or root explorer.
If you haven't already install DROPBOX on your mac and your phone.
With dropbox setup use root explorer to go into your data/app folder and copy the apk to your sdcard root.
Then use dropbox to upload the apk.
Wait for your mac to sync and you now have your app apks on your mac.
Just to give you a heads up, some aftermarket apps need some extra work just to get them to install AND work with the rom installation.
I use MYBackup pro or get the trial one. back up all the apps you want to you SD card then open the SD card and look for rerward folder open it and all the .APK you backed up will be there.

how do you get an apps .apk

How do you get an apps .apk file off of a rom to restore it on another rom. Some of my app i like are not inthe market anymore and i have them on an old Nandroid i have. THANKS IN ADVANCE
If it's installed as a user app on the ROM, restore the ROM, then navigate to /data/app and copy it, then paste it to your sd card, that would be the easiest and safest way with a good file explorer like ES,Astro,Root Explorer etc.
ok i didnt look there but its just acouple of apps i had and they aint in the market so i thought i would ask here before i gave up thanks man
You can just use 7zip from your PC and either go to system/ app or data/ app depending on where the apps your looking for are on the ROM and copy them to your sd and install them with a file manager.
Thats if they will work with your new ROM not all apps work on all ROMs I don't think I've tried this with a few and some work and some don't.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

[Q] Get apk files of installed app's

Hello everyone! I've been trying to find the answer to my question in the forum but I have not succeed.
The thing is that I want to get the apk files of some of the app's I have installed on my Desire.
I use Norton Mobile Utilities to check the directory where the apk file of each app is stored. Some of them are in /mnt/asec and these are so easy to find there and save them via copy-paste. On the other hand, some app's are stored in /data/app-private/ but when I check this directory with my file browser it appears completely empty.
What can I do?
Thanks in advance!
Get App Backup & Restore from market and than make backup to specified folder on sdcard.
Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
For backing up and restoring apps i can highly recommend titanium backup. Using it everytime i change rom or install current new. Never had problems.
Sent from Oxygen
to see /data you would need root explorer.
or you could try My backup Root, backup apps you need and then extract .apk from .rar
some file explorer programs like Astro have this feature as built in component
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Just tried both Titanium Backup and Root Explorer. They both work. Thank you all!
Titanium backup is probably the best way to get APK's quickly.
I use Astro too which you could try too.

[Q] Save APK file from Android Market ?

Hi,
I have some applications I want to save, I mean the APK file.
But I find them only on the android market, and doesn't see how to save the .apk file on my disk (for future use for example).
Do you know if the apk file is stored somewhere in the phone ?
Thanks
Is your phone rooted? It makes a difference. If not rooted you can use mybackup from the market to backup the apps. Never tried it and I am guessing it won't backup paid apps and only free versions. But it might.
If your phone is rooted you can find your apps in the data/app/ folder.
Once you have installed the App, look in /cache/download. Most apks will be in there.
You don't need rooted phone to save (backup) apk's. Just use MyPhoneExplorer which has the function to backup all installed programs (apk's) to computer (also backups SMSes, contacts, etc)
D>
yes, the phone is rooted.
I checked with Estrong explorer in the folders data and cache and there's nothing ...
The idea is to keep the apk files somewhere when they are not directly available on the net, only using the android market.
Back them up on titanium backup then when you want them again just restore them using titanium again, you can restore them fresh or with your old settings, hasn't failed me yet
ponk2k said:
Back them up on titanium backup then when you want them again just restore them using titanium again, you can restore them fresh or with your old settings, hasn't failed me yet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Works for me too.
jean019 said:
yes, the phone is rooted.
I checked with Estrong explorer in the folders data and cache and there's nothing ...
The idea is to keep the apk files somewhere when they are not directly available on the net, only using the android market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look in data/app as I said. This is the location of all user installed apks. Unless you are using a ROM that uses a different location. Only familiar with sense builds myself. Or use a program that can backup apps. There were 3 mentioned in this thread.
apk with a manager go to system / app. they should be, and extract and save hello
Data/app or system/app?
Confused.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda premium
dinosaurrudy said:
Data/app or system/app?
Confused.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Either or, depending on what you're after. Apps you've installed (e.g. from the market) will be in /data/app, system apps (e.g Sense and the apps bundled with it) will be in /system/app.
//sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk; all errors entirely intentional.
If the directories/files are not there then check that ES file explorer is configured to show hidden files.
Jon
For unrooted devices, using ES File Explorer:
1. Open ES File Explorer
2. Press Menu >> Manager >> App Manager
3. Long press the application and then press Backup
4. .apk file will be saved to /sdcard/backups/app/

Categories

Resources