Can't uninstall app after update FP Open OS 18.04.1 -> 18.10.0

Help Fairphone 2
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1

Hi all

After updating to FP Open OS 18.10.0 I can’t uninstall the ‘Firefox Klar’ app, which I installed under FP Open OS 18.04. I need to uninstall it in order to install the latest version (version update is not working). Deactivating it doesn’t help therefore.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks
Martin

2

If I recall correctly, Firefox Klar became the system browser in the Android 7 version of FP Open. As such, it will be installed as a system app, which is why it cannot be removed via the normal method (and I don’t know what the side effects would be if it would be removed). I’m not sure what the intended update path will be.

1 Like
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On F-Droid the preinstalled Firefox Klar version is the current version. If a new one comes out the monthly OS updates will likely upgrade the app too and if not you can use F-Droid as a system app (with the privileged extension) to upgrade other system apps.

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4

Thanks for the clarifications. So I will rely on the OS updates for updating this app.

5

In order to uninstall a system app, you need to become root, remount the system partition and remove the folder /system/app/FirefoxKlar.
If you are using the terminal Termux you can type the following:

$ su
# mount -o rw,remount /system
# rm -r /system/app/FirefoxKlar
# mount -o  ro,remount /system
# exit
$ exit

Explanation: with su you become root, the mount command switches the system partition between “read&write” (rw) and “read-only” (ro) and rm simply removes files. Since I have already removed Firefox Klar, I’m not sure how the folder was called exactly. It could have been /system/app/firefoxklar or similar.

I don’t think this breaks anything. After a system update by Fairphone Firefox Klar will reapear again.

6

So would it be advisable, if one hasn’t already upgraded to 18.10., to uninstall Klar before updating so the impossible upgrade would not be offered, and the apps folder would be freed of an unnecessary duplicated entry (if “Browser” and “Firefox Klar” lead the the same app? Do they?).

Thanks

7

Installing FF Klar before the upgrade shouldn’t make a difference and the other browser will be removed.

8

So far I haven’t made the upgrade. I have Klar installed, so have two entries in the apps folder: Browser and Klar…

9

After the upgrade you’ll only have Klar and it will then be a system app.

1 Like
10

Ah, thanks for the info. That makes it clearer. Now only the backup question remains for me, and the various entries in the forum do not make that any clearer.

11

Hello there. I have a similar problem. It’s not only firefox klar that i want to remove but also some other system apps (gallery, camera, email, messaging, for example). I’m with fpoos. Usually after the updates i uninstall them with Titanium Backup, or Root Uninstaller. But this time it doesn’t work: the apps always come back even after reboot.

How can I do ?

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