This is not the Droid application you're looking for
March 8, 2010 3:10 AM Subscribe
DroidFilter: How do you tell the Android Marketplace that you really have uninstalled an app?
I just got a shiny new Droid (from Verizon) and have already "corrupted" it. I installed an application and then I didn't like it, and obviously didn't uninstall it properly (I dragged the icon to the trash, because I was naive at the time).
Now, the Market lists it as "installed", but I can not Open or Uninstall it.
A bit of googling shows that the "only" way to fix this situation is to do a Factory Reset of the phone, which I'd rather not do.
What do I need to do to correct the issue?
I'm not completely averse to rooting the device, but I would rather find a proper solution first if it's out there.
I just got a shiny new Droid (from Verizon) and have already "corrupted" it. I installed an application and then I didn't like it, and obviously didn't uninstall it properly (I dragged the icon to the trash, because I was naive at the time).
Now, the Market lists it as "installed", but I can not Open or Uninstall it.
A bit of googling shows that the "only" way to fix this situation is to do a Factory Reset of the phone, which I'd rather not do.
What do I need to do to correct the issue?
I'm not completely averse to rooting the device, but I would rather find a proper solution first if it's out there.
Response by poster: Both the "Open" and "Uninstall" button are greyed out and unclickable in the marketplace.
posted by jozxyqk at 3:45 AM on March 8, 2010
posted by jozxyqk at 3:45 AM on March 8, 2010
What about in Settings>Applications>Manage Applications? Do you see it in there?
(Assuming it is the same as on a Nexus One)
posted by tip120 at 3:50 AM on March 8, 2010
(Assuming it is the same as on a Nexus One)
posted by tip120 at 3:50 AM on March 8, 2010
Dragging to the trash just removes the icon from the home screen. How are you trying to open or uninstall the application? Are you sure you are looking at the right application?
I am not sure how you can get into a state where it thinks the app is installed, but can't open or uninstall it. It is probably just a bug.
posted by jrockway at 3:56 AM on March 8, 2010
I am not sure how you can get into a state where it thinks the app is installed, but can't open or uninstall it. It is probably just a bug.
posted by jrockway at 3:56 AM on March 8, 2010
After looking at my Droid, I second looking at it in Manage Applications.
What application is this? Is it a core app like maps or just a random marketplace one?
posted by octothorpe at 4:33 AM on March 8, 2010
What application is this? Is it a core app like maps or just a random marketplace one?
posted by octothorpe at 4:33 AM on March 8, 2010
Just tried to see how you could have deleted the icon from the tray and I can't figure out how, you can delete things from the home screen but not from the app tray. The garbage can doesn't show up when you have the tray open.
posted by octothorpe at 4:39 AM on March 8, 2010
posted by octothorpe at 4:39 AM on March 8, 2010
Response by poster: Hmm.. from my googling, I thought this was a more common issue.
It is not under Manage Applications either.
I dragged it to the trash not from the Home Screen, but from the .. um.. "popup area where you move the icons to the home screen from" (sorry I don't know the term for this). (It's not the Notification area either).
At least I think that's what I did. Now you're making me second-guess what steps I actually took.
Regardless of what I did, the fact is this:
The application is Uninstalled, but the Market says that it is Installed.
Whatever I did, the application is not available to run or uninstall from any place I can find.
The application is "Qik", a videocamera thingamajig that I don't really care about anyway.
When I go to the Market, the Qik application is marked "Installed", but those 2 buttons I mentioned are both greyed out. That's the only place on the device that I can see it being inconsistent.
In the worst case I can ignore this, but I will never be able to re-install the app.
I just wonder if it is using up precious memory space.
posted by jozxyqk at 5:08 AM on March 8, 2010
It is not under Manage Applications either.
I dragged it to the trash not from the Home Screen, but from the .. um.. "popup area where you move the icons to the home screen from" (sorry I don't know the term for this). (It's not the Notification area either).
At least I think that's what I did. Now you're making me second-guess what steps I actually took.
Regardless of what I did, the fact is this:
The application is Uninstalled, but the Market says that it is Installed.
Whatever I did, the application is not available to run or uninstall from any place I can find.
The application is "Qik", a videocamera thingamajig that I don't really care about anyway.
When I go to the Market, the Qik application is marked "Installed", but those 2 buttons I mentioned are both greyed out. That's the only place on the device that I can see it being inconsistent.
In the worst case I can ignore this, but I will never be able to re-install the app.
I just wonder if it is using up precious memory space.
posted by jozxyqk at 5:08 AM on March 8, 2010
Response by poster: Another update: Maybe I am getting worried about nothing.
After further googling this morning, I found something in this link:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2011403/android-unable-to-uninstall-application
It says:
from what i understand (i don't work on Market myself), the "Downloads" list inside Market can be out of date for up to a day, until it next gets an update from the server. the app isn't actually installed anymore, and Settings > Applications > Manage Applications will show that it is indeed gone.
So maybe I just need to wait until later today, or tomorrow, and see if it corrects its status.
I will post a final update here if that's what happens.
I hate wasting my askmefi question on stuff that fixes itself.
posted by jozxyqk at 5:15 AM on March 8, 2010
After further googling this morning, I found something in this link:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2011403/android-unable-to-uninstall-application
It says:
from what i understand (i don't work on Market myself), the "Downloads" list inside Market can be out of date for up to a day, until it next gets an update from the server. the app isn't actually installed anymore, and Settings > Applications > Manage Applications will show that it is indeed gone.
So maybe I just need to wait until later today, or tomorrow, and see if it corrects its status.
I will post a final update here if that's what happens.
I hate wasting my askmefi question on stuff that fixes itself.
posted by jozxyqk at 5:15 AM on March 8, 2010
Best answer: Not sure if it applies, or if the fix is doable without root, but via the awesome Cyanogen Wiki:
"Apps don't run and appear in market with greyed out buttons
This typically happens during a ROM upgrade or when moving sdcards with apps2sd or similar. The cause is the application file (.apk) actually goes missing or gets deleted, but the market still thinks it's installed. The easiest solution is to manually remove the market data and let it re-create it from the .apks that are present.
1. Start by making sure the market isn't running (task manager of your choice, or settings->applications->manage applications, Market, 'Force Stop' button).
2. Then open a terminal and type
su
rm -r /data/data/com.android.vending/*
Finally, restart the market (it may take a minute and possibly throw an "Application Not Responding", just press wait)
If Market still shows the Open and Uninstall buttons grayed out, reboot your phone now."
posted by inigo2 at 9:03 PM on March 8, 2010
"Apps don't run and appear in market with greyed out buttons
This typically happens during a ROM upgrade or when moving sdcards with apps2sd or similar. The cause is the application file (.apk) actually goes missing or gets deleted, but the market still thinks it's installed. The easiest solution is to manually remove the market data and let it re-create it from the .apks that are present.
1. Start by making sure the market isn't running (task manager of your choice, or settings->applications->manage applications, Market, 'Force Stop' button).
2. Then open a terminal and type
su
rm -r /data/data/com.android.vending/*
Finally, restart the market (it may take a minute and possibly throw an "Application Not Responding", just press wait)
If Market still shows the Open and Uninstall buttons grayed out, reboot your phone now."
posted by inigo2 at 9:03 PM on March 8, 2010
Response by poster: inigo2: Yeah I came across that suggestion, which does require root, and I'm mulling it over.
I'm not sure how it happened for this particular app, as I wasn't doing anything fancy.
I also found, in this thread:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Android+Market/thread?tid=1d228f4cbfaafcbc&hl=en&fid=1d228f4cbfaafcbc000480e65432811c
a google employee says that it's a "known problem" that they're "working on". meh.
So, yeah, rooting is looking more tempting if Google can't fix their own problems.
posted by jozxyqk at 5:06 AM on March 9, 2010
I'm not sure how it happened for this particular app, as I wasn't doing anything fancy.
I also found, in this thread:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Android+Market/thread?tid=1d228f4cbfaafcbc&hl=en&fid=1d228f4cbfaafcbc000480e65432811c
a google employee says that it's a "known problem" that they're "working on". meh.
So, yeah, rooting is looking more tempting if Google can't fix their own problems.
posted by jozxyqk at 5:06 AM on March 9, 2010
Best answer: Aha! I found another way to correct the problem.
I found a direct-download of the application's installation "apk" file (from cnet, this is nothing malicious). I installed from that, then I was able to uninstall from the market!
Still considering rooting, but it's less necessary.
Thanks for your patience with my problem.
posted by jozxyqk at 5:17 AM on March 9, 2010
I found a direct-download of the application's installation "apk" file (from cnet, this is nothing malicious). I installed from that, then I was able to uninstall from the market!
Still considering rooting, but it's less necessary.
Thanks for your patience with my problem.
posted by jozxyqk at 5:17 AM on March 9, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by octothorpe at 3:39 AM on March 8, 2010