Yes, yes I know your thinking "Hmm this seems a pretty long long post so Im not gonna bother reading it."
It contains information for every aspect of the scripts, you wont need to read it all!
The majority of users will just need to read the Quick Start Section
You dont need to read the entire guide just to use this script!
Please dont quote this entire post!
Contents
- A Complete N0oBs Guide
- Quick Start Guide
- Summary
- Breakdown Of Zips
- - Folder Creator
- - ROMCleaner
- - Backup Tool
- - Settings Restorer
- - Setup Wizard Remover
- - Mods & App Installer
- How To Create Your Own List
- Examples Of Usage
- - Fresh ROM
- - ROM Upgrade
- - Full Backup & Restore
- ROMCleaner Logs & Support
- A Little About The Team
A Complete N0oBs Guide
I cant make this any simpler for you.
TO HAVE A CLEAN ROM = JUST FLASH THE ZIP
TO USE YOUR OWN LIST PUT ROMCleaner_user.txt ON YOUR SDCARD IN
Quick Start Guide
Ok, this is a quick start guide for those user who just want to flash and go.
The cleaner uses one of two text files located in the ROMCleaner folder on your SD card.
- ROMCleaner.txt - This is the default cleaner list that the script will read from. This list will be placed on your card on the first run of the cleaner. It will be overwritten each time the cleaner is run to ensure the latest updates are applied.
Or
- ROMCleaner_user.txt - This is your custom cleaner list. You can create this file at any time and the cleaner will automatically read from it.
File Locations:
Code:
/sdcard/ROMCleaner/ROMCleaner.txt <--- This is the default list and will be created automatically
/sdcard/ROMCleaner/ROMCleaner_user.txt <--- This is your personal list which you create.
Summary
In short, all you have to do is add text to a file and put apks into a folder.
Yes yes that simple.
You can even edit the text files and copy apks using just your device.
While we still recommend you use
http://notepad-plus-plus.org/ to edit your list on a PC to maintain the UNIX encoding the cleaner will also double check and convert the file if it finds it has been converted to a windows format.
EVERYTHING BELOW THIS RED LINE YOU DONT NEED TO KNOW.
ITS A COMPLETE REFERENCE GUIDE FOR THE ENTIRE TOOLSET WE DO RECOMMEND YOU HAVE A LOOK AT IT
_______________________________________________ <- The Red Line
Simple Breakdown
- Folder Creator - Creates all nesercery folders automatically for you on SDCard
- ROMCleaner - Will clean your rom using either default list or user list
- Backup Tool - Will backup Apps and settings* to SD for you
- SettingsRestorer - Restores backed up settings* made with backup Tool
- Setup Wizard Remover - Removes setup wizards
- Mods & App Installer - Installs using the SecondBoot folders
We have created this small flashable zip to aid you in getting the cleaners directory structure setup.
It should only need to be run once before using but can be run at any time to completely recreate the structure. Any files or folders in place will not be harmed if flashing again.
The script contains a small reboot to workround a very small bug in some recoveries. This bug will not update the sdcards file view to show new folders.
This is to help us avoid the obligatory "I flashed the zip but it didnt create the folders" posts.
On flashing, the RC zip will do the following things:
- Install our script and related files to /tmp
- Check if the folder is present on the SD card, if not then it will create it.
- Install the default cleaner list (ROMCleaner.txt) overwriting any older versions.
- Check to see if a custom list is present (ROMCleaner_user.txt).
- If it is then it will check for Windows encoding and convert to UNIX if needed.
- If it is not then it will use the default.
- Proceed to read the list and delete all the files and folders.
- Copy any backuped up apps back to /data/app
- Create Logs on the SD Card.
Note that the time it takes for the apps to be copied will vary dependent on the number of apps you have installed/are installing as will the first boot of the rom as most roms these days will automatically zipalign the data partition. On 200+ apps it takes under a minute to install and adds roughly 4-6mins to your boot time.
Due to the naming convention of apks when updated (they are appended with -1, -2 etc) please ensure you check for duplicates to avoid doubling up and wasting space. We will leave the organisation of your apps in this folder to you
Now to save time and bandwidth when installing a rom it is possible to have your apps 'pre-installed' before first boot.
On flashing, the zip will copy all apks located in
to
Code:
sdcard/ROMCleaner/FirstBoot/data/app
as well as several system files to your SD card in preperation for your new rom.
When the ROMCleaner is run it will copy these apks back to data/app for you before booting the rom.
We are slowly adding support for apps that are provided by the rom devs to make sure that these apps are
not copied across to ensure you will always receive the uptodate version included with your rom.
If you feel support for your rom should be included as default please contact us in the thread.
When flashed this zip will do the following:
- Install our script and related files to /tmp
- Check if the folder is present on the SD card, if not then it will create it.
- Backup Accounts, Bluetooth pairings, Mail accounts (including Inbox) and WiFi APs keys
- Copy all Apps (not app data) found in /data/app/
- Create Logs on the SD Card.
Accounts, BT, Mail accounts and Wifi can only be restored using the Settings Restorer.
This script will attempt to restore any files backed up by the backup tool.
These settings are stored by the Android system and are usually lost when flashing a rom. This can be annoying if you have a lot of wifi passwords stored or a few BT pairings which you dont want to lose.
It is important to note that in the majority of cases these settings will be correctly applied but sometimes for an unknown reason they dont and may cause errors. We are still trying to track these down. If you do encounter them PLEASE post in the thread so we can gather some information from you to aid in this process.
This tool also has limitations when it comes to moving rom base. Please do not attempt to restore these settings as it will more than likely cause errors.
The setup remover is a small additional zip that will remove the setup wizards which run at first boot.
Once these wizards have been run they become absolutely useless and as such can be removed safely.
Unfortunately they are tied into several aspects of the system and removing them before the roms first boot can cause some weird errors and FC's
While the default list should be enough for most users, we have included the ability to define your own custom list for the cleaner to remove.
Creating your own list is as simple as adding files to a text file! This can be done a variety of ways, from an editor on your PC or via an editor on your Phone!
The easiest way to start your own list is to use the one attached to the first post.
Run the folder creator or create the following structure on you sdcard
Code:
/sdcard/ROMCleaner/ROMCleaner_user.txt
As long as this file is present, the cleaner will read from it instead of the default ROMCleaner.txt.
To add to it all you have to do is add the apk file or folder you would like removed during cleaning.
Single apk files should just be listed while folders should be encased in quotes (" ")
Any item with a # in front of it will be ignored by the cleaner.
The cleaner will check BOTH the /system and /data partitions for any apk file named in the list and remove it if it finds it
Examples:
To add files:
Simple as that
To add folders:
Code:
"/system/app/UselessFolder"
Ignored example:
Here, both the empty folder and UselessApp2 will be deleted while UselessApp1 will be ignored.
Code:
"/system/app/EmptyFolder"
#UselessApp1.apk
UselessApp2.apk
We have also included the ability to batch delete a certain filetype by using the following syntax -
Code:
"/path/to/folder/*.fileextension"
Heres an example from the default list to remove all .png images from the resources folder:
Code:
"/system/customize/resource/*.png"
Heres a couple of example flashing procedures for the most common ways of flashing a rom and using the ROMCleaner toolset.
Before doing anything you should first flash the folder creator zip to create the folder structure for you.
Flash'n'Go - Full Wipe - Clean System
So this is your typical flashing procedure for a ROM starting with a full wipe, clean system, and no apps or settings backed up.
- SuperWipe
- Flash ROM
- Flash ROM Cleaner
- First Boot
- Setup Phone
- Flash Setup Wizard Remover
- Use Phone as Normal
ROM Upgrade
Obviously using the 'upgrade' method to install a rom will replace any files you have removed with the cleaner the first time round.
You can use the cleaner again straight after flashing a rom upgrade.
Be warned, using the upgrade method and cleaner will no doubt leave artifacts and residue from the previous install.
This is not our fault. This is the design by Android. Please do not complain to us, we hate it too.
This would be your ideal flashing method when using the cleaner on a rom upgrade.
- Flash ROM
- Flash ROMCleaner
- Boot
- Setup Phone
- Flash Setup Wizard Remover
- Use Phone as Normal
Patric, craack and I do not officially endorse the use of rom upgrades and as such will not be hold accountable for any problems that arise from them.
With the use of this cleaner script and the backup/install apps option alongside other data backup tools such as Titanium backup (Data only) should negate the need to use the upgrade method.
Full Backup & Restore
This is the daddy. A full on backup of Apps, Accounts, Bluetooth pairings, Mail accounts (including Inbox) and WiFi APs keys, wipe and reinstall of a cleaned rom.
This is usefull when you have been playing around too much and fooked somethig up but dont have a nandroid or just want the feeling of a freshly installed rom but dont want to lose some settings.
- Flash Backup Tool
- SuperWipe (Format /system, /data, /cache, /dalvik-cache)
- Flash Rom
- Flash ROM Cleaner which will also install Apps
- First Boot
- Setup Phone (Sign in at Google and sync all your data)
- Flash Setup Wizard Remover
- Flash Mods & App Installer (If you have added Apps, mods etc to ../SecondBoot folder)
- Flash Settings Restorer
- Use Phone
ROMCleaner Logs & Support
To make troubleshooting easier for us we have included a logging feature into the toolset to aid in trouble shooting.
Each script will create its own set of logs which will be stored in /sdcard/ROMCleaner/Logs
If you should run into problems, please attach these logs to your post in the thread to aid us in solving your issue.
If you don't help us with the logs we will for sure not be able to help you.
Mods & App Installer
!!! WARNING - ADVANCED USERS ONLY !!!
This tool has so far been successful in our tests and has been taken out of the experimental phase. Please note though the majority of mods we have tried have worked perfectly but some have caused bolops and black screens, usually heavy system apks such as framework-res and com.htc.resources.
For that reason it is for those users that know how to handle mod zips and understand the structure within them and can easily revert any changes made.
This script functions in a simialr way to the backup and installation of apps except it is used for mods which need to be flashed after the phone has had its first boot.
Such mods ,if flashed before the system has booted, have been know to cause errors such as bolops and black screens.
It was built to try and cut down on the recovery navigation of having to select each zip in turn. With this installer you will only need to flash one zip to have all your mods installed at once. It also allows you have finer control over the mods as you are dealing with normal folders and files rather than zips.
To Use
If you have flashed the folder creator you will find a folder within the sdcard/ROMCleaner folder on your SD called SecondBoot which in itself contains common system folders where mods are flashed to.
Take your mod zip, extract and place the files into these folders according to the structure in the zip.
Upon flashing the installer these files will be placed in the correct places and also have the correct permissions set to them.
[HUMUR]
Patrics83 spent many months cursing HTCs decision to fill his precious device with crap he didnt want with no way to remove it. After hundreds of letters, emails and even stalking the CEO with no response he finally decided enough is enough and ROMCleaner was born. He spends his time plotting revenge against Sense roms and their bloat in the hope that one day, his message to HTC will get through.
Dude360 one day stumbled across a small post regarding removing crap from his lovely rom. Patric offered him a small taste of how clean a rom could be but it wasnt enough. Dude360 wanted more. He wanted it all, a Sense rom with the size and speed of a AOSP rom. It soon took him over, he began creating monsterous abomaonations which no man should ever flash. Patric decided Dude360 needed a mentor, someone to calm his addiction to cleaning and proceeded to teach him the zen of ROMCleaner.
craack was just a innocent young man when he was abducted by Patric and Dude. They forced days and days of flashing and reflashing roms to get the cleaner working the way they wanted. He tried to resist but the cleaner was too strong and he finally gave in and become one of them. craack now wonders the realm of XDA searching out roms and the unneeded crap they come with to try to fulfill his goal of creating the ULTIMATE CLEANER LIST!
[/HUMUR]
