Remove browser with adb on rooted tcl

Phones TCL Phones
, ,
42

Commands to remove TCL Browser, Email, System Update*, and CaptivePortalLogin**:

adb shell
su
/vendor/bin/write_protect 0
reboot

adb shell
su
mount -o rw,remount /
rm -r /system/app/Chromium
rm -r /system/app/PlatformCaptivePortalLogin
rm -r /system/priv-app/FPEmail
rm -r /system/priv-app/JrdFota
reboot

*Even if your phone is rooted and TCL blocks you from running system update, it’s not kedai to have it installed and take the risk of bricking your phone.

**This is for the Flip 2 (T408DL). The Flip Go’s (4058L & 4058W) are in priv-app.

43

I’ve seen in the past that deleting apps with this method didn’t work and the apps came back on a reboot. It was a problem with the step of making it read write.

44 
1|Gflip6_TF:/ # rm -r /system/app/Chromium

Gflip6_TF:/ # rm -r /system/app/PlatformCaptivePortalLogin

Gflip6_TF:/ # rm -r /system/priv-app/FPEmail

Gflip6_TF:/ # rm -r /system/priv-app/JrdFota

after a reboot it is still there

(i think it works for everyhing but browser)

and after a factory reset everything comes back

edit:

i skipped

/vendor/bin/write_protect 0
reboot

after doing that it worked.

thank you @FliphoneBochur

45

I think it’s less of an issue with mounting system as read-write and more of an issue with write_protect. The system mounts as read-write just fine even when write_protect is enabled, but some phones report that the setting has been disabled while it’s still active, so changes to the system don’t persist after a reboot. (I’ve had this issue with several T408DL’s.) The eitza would be to externally modify the system. Here’s how to do that with NeutronScott’s recovery2.img.

Guide to remove TCL Browser, Email, System Update, and CaptivePortalLogin using NeutronScott’s recovery2.img:

Please note that neither I nor anyone involved in creating this exploit can be held responsible for any harm it may cause to your phone, data, or warranty.
Proceed at your own risk!

First, see my TCL ROM Flashing Guide here.

After flashing vbmeta, vbmeta_system, and vbmeta_vendor and rebooting (step 9), run autobooter again. Once you’re in FASTBOOT mode, flash Neutron Scott’s recovery2.img to recovery with the command

fastboot flash recovery recovery2.img

and then reboot into recovery with

fastboot reboot recovery

IMPORTANT: If any text flashes on screen when you boot into recovery DO NOT run any commands from there. Reboot your phone (by tapping the power button while Reboot system now is highlighted), and then boot your phone into recovery again. You can also boot into recovery while holding the power and volume-up buttons while the phone is off.

Once you’re in recovery, run these ADB commands:

adb shell
su
lpp | sh
mount /dev/block/mapper/system /mnt/system
chmod a+rwx /mnt/system/system/app/Chromium
rm -r /mnt/system/system/app/Chromium
chmod a+rwx /mnt/system/system/app/PlatformCaptivePortalLogin
rm -r /mnt/system/system/app/PlatformCaptivePortalLogin
chmod a+rwx /mnt/system/system/priv-app/FPEmail
rm -r /mnt/system/system/priv-app/FPEmail
chmod a+rwx /mnt/system/system/priv-app/JrdFota
rm -r /mnt/system/system/priv-app/JrdFota
reboot

Iy”H, your Browser, Email, System Update, and CaptivePortalLogin should all be gone even if write_protect was giving you issues.