There are a bunch of threads that have questions about Apps not installing in the market. My usual symptoms include the app being stuck in 'Starting Download" in the market while the notification bar says it downloading ok. This occurs in many roms too ASOP and Sense.
This fix I use it deleting the contents of .android_secure folder found on your SDCard. This fix works 100% for me.
I'm pretty sure that deletes any apps you've moved to the SD card.
I can't say thats the case. I have a couple of apps on my sd card (Angry Birds, Raging Thunder 2, etc) and my .android_secure is empty.
I checked by going into settings/applications/manage applications/on sd card. It reports 7 apps on SD. What I did then is checked the .android_secure folder using Root Explorer and it says its empty. Finally, I opened up Raging Thunder and was able to play the game successfully.
Where did you get this information? Looking at the folder structure, it looks like the data is stored in another location. I would like to know where though.
The directory appears empty from within an android based explorer, but if you mount the card on windows, you'll see a bunch of .asec files. For example, I have a 16MB com.rovio.angrybirds-1.asec file there. I think the reason it appears empty when you look on the phone is because it takes those files and mounts them, either hiding them as a side effect of that process or explicitly hiding them as a separate step. If you do a df from ADB or terminal (with the card mounted on the phone), you see a bunch of entries like this:
/dev/block/dm-69 16612 14484 2128 87% /mnt/asec/com.rovio.angrybirds-1
So there are files there, but it looks like they're hidden when the card is mounted. I'm not 100% sure what happens if you delete them (while the card is mounted on windows, not the phone), but I believe it would break the apps you've moved to the SD card when you remount the card on the phone.
Interesting info...i didn't know the files were hidden. Btw, do you have apps that don't install the first go around? This happens on numerous occasions with different roms
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Yeah, I've seen issues sometimes. You mention different roms -- are you using Titanium to reinstall apps and having issues the next time an update comes out on the market? I've been seeing that one lately. Usually the second time around it works. Not sure why. Of course, the market itself also goes out from time to time.
Your tip *does* apply when you're doing a hard reset/wipe data. .android_secure should be emptied after you've wiped data, as I believe those files are encrypted using a key on the data partition. However, I believe both CW (for sure) and Amon (I think) will wipe .android_secure when you wipe data, so that should be done for you. I did see situations before I was rooted when I reset somehow (maybe just through android's own factory reset) and the dir didn't clear out, but I think it will normally if you wipe through recovery. Other than after a data wipe though, I don't think you normally want to manually touch that directory.
Another method that has worked for me especially with Angry Birds is to unmount your SD card (via settings), install the program, and then remount your SD card. With this method however you have to repeat the procedure each time the program is updated.
I've been having this problem on and off for a while, mostly I believed it was related to something getting corrupted when I restored my apps to a new Rom with Titanium Backup.
I am happy to say, that after scouring the web for days, and trying a lot of wrong information, I finally figured out how to fix this.
It's real easy. All you need to do is remove any *.apk files located in the /cache directory on your phone (did not even need to remount- though I did it as root just in case).
I never did figure out why only some apps will have this problem or how the problem first comes about, but I have successfully done this twice and have since been able to install/update files that had this error before.
Update (3/3/11): OK - After scouring the Internet for over a month I finally figured it out. My info above was only part right. The problem is specifically with ROMs/Kernels that move the dalvik-cache to the /cache directory (HTC puts it in the /data dir).
In any case, when it's in /data, it is using app space, and therefore you usually run out of app space and know about it. However, because this is in /cache, you don't really know what you are using. As you load up on apps, your dalvik-cache grows, and since these apps need the .dex files in the cache, even if you clear your cache, it will just get re-created.
the /cache dir is also where the apps are temporarily stored while downloading from the market. So....
1. If you are getting immediate download fails, that means that your cache is so full that you don't even have space for the temp file.
2. If you get "Invalid Package" that likely means that there was not enough cache left to install the .dex files (the download is also taking up some of this space).
Unfortunately, the only way to fix this is to either remove some of your apps, or move your cache to your SD card.
HOWEVER, I found this great app on the market called Link2SD, that allows you to only move select apps to the SD card, and you can also move the dalvik-cache files associated with these apps.
see this thread for specifics: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=10711328&postcount=1
it lets you select which apps to move. You will need to create a new partition on your card, though.
So far results have been great and I can finally update the 30+ apps that have been stuck for me for the last 2 months.
almost forgot, if you adb shell or use terminal emulator, you can type "df" to see how much space is left on all your mounts.
My phone has been doing the same thing with the whole package file is invalid bs. I tried to follow your instructions on going to the /cache folder. When I went to the folder, it was empty, so I wasn't able to remove any .apk files. So now what? How do I fix this?
If you use a File Managemet app like ASTRO, it will show the folder as empty because you need root access to see the dir. However, if you use Terminal Emulator or adb shell (as root) you will see that there are indeed other directories, and probably these orphaned .apk files.
Hi,
I'm also having the same issue with invalid package. I cleared the /cahch direcotry and still have the issue -- Is there something else i can try before wiping and starting over?
thanks
Rudey
It could also be caused by the .android_secure folder on your SD card. Clearing this folder and letting the market restore them solves issues a lot ofthe time.
As always use TiBackup or something to backup all your apps first too to be safe.
As the OP, I can tell you that I have, in fact, been unable to fix this problem.
Initially the suggestion I posted above worked, however a couple of days later is was no longer working again.
I have tried every trick on the web, including:
1. Removing SD card.
2. Deleting the above mentioned folder
3. clearing market cache
4. Clearing all caches in recovery
5. logging out and back in to google talk.
The only thing that fixes it is a complete factory reset.
I currently have a combination of 3 errors:
1. No download at all.
2. Download unsuccessful
3. Invalid Package
some apps will still update, but what is really weird is that I am even getting invalid package on new apps (so its not a corrupt app already installed on the phone).
One last thought. Once I am unable to update an app, even if I remove it, I can no longer restore the backup using Titanium.
oughta try reformating your SD card and let the phone reformat it too.
sgt. slaughter said:
oughta try reformating your SD card and let the phone reformat it too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't see why this is different than un-mounting the SD which should do the same thing and has been tried.
sw99 said:
don't see why this is different than un-mounting the SD which should do the same thing and has been tried.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
na actually reformating it will fully wipe everything on the SD and having the phone do it is best always as its always better to format with the device your using the disk on the most in general.
Found the problem, updated in OP.
sw99 said:
I've been having this problem on and off for a while, mostly I believed it was related to something getting corrupted when I restored my apps to a new Rom with Titanium Backup.
I am happy to say, that after scouring the web for days, and trying a lot of wrong information, I finally figured out how to fix this.
It's real easy. All you need to do is remove any *.apk files located in the /cache directory on your phone (did not even need to remount- though I did it as root just in case).
I never did figure out why only some apps will have this problem or how the problem first comes about, but I have successfully done this twice and have since been able to install/update files that had this error before.
Update (3/3/11): OK - After scouring the Internet for over a month I finally figured it out. My info above was only part right. The problem is specifically with ROMs/Kernels that move the dalvik-cache to the /cache directory (HTC puts it in the /data dir).
In any case, when it's in /data, it is using app space, and therefore you usually run out of app space and know about it. However, because this is in /cache, you don't really know what you are using. As you load up on apps, your dalvik-cache grows, and since these apps need the .dex files in the cache, even if you clear your cache, it will just get re-created.
the /cache dir is also where the apps are temporarily stored while downloading from the market. So....
1. If you are getting immediate download fails, that means that your cache is so full that you don't even have space for the temp file.
2. If you get "Invalid Package" that likely means that there was not enough cache left to install the .dex files (the download is also taking up some of this space).
Unfortunately, the only way to fix this is to either remove some of your apps, or move your cache to your SD card.
HOWEVER, I found this great app on the market called Link2SD, that allows you to only move select apps to the SD card, and you can also move the dalvik-cache files associated with these apps.
see this thread for specifics: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=10711328&postcount=1
it lets you select which apps to move. You will need to create a new partition on your card, though.
So far results have been great and I can finally update the 30+ apps that have been stuck for me for the last 2 months.
almost forgot, if you adb shell or use terminal emulator, you can type "df" to see how much space is left on all your mounts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didnt solve my issue.. I had reformatted my phone and SD card and reinstalled my apps. It was working fine again but now its back to some apps update fine.. some get DOWNLOAD UNSUCCESSFUL and some get PACKAGE FILE INVALID.. any ideas.. Im on sprint lovers rom (latest)
It appears th LINK 2 SD needs a second partition that I dont have nor use with SPRINT LOVERS ROM and 2.2 .... am I missing something??
To the OP,
The program you linked to seems to be a variation of dark tremor's a2sd method (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=715116). His lets you move data, cache, and/or dc to the ext partition, but doesn't (at least I don't believe it does) give you granular control over which apps remain in the standard location.
In my own use, I chose to move all user installed apps to sd, but dc remained on the internal memory (albeit, not in /data, but in the /cache partition). I figured this way, even if the sd card is missing, the phone will still boot. I won't have access to anything I installed, but whatever the rom came with will still be accessible.
Follow the instructions on that thread and create the second partition. You won't need more than 500mb. apps2sd or link2sd is the only way you can fix this problem unless you want to remove some of your apps.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
gpz1100 said:
To the OP,
The program you linked to seems to be a variation of dark tremor's a2sd method (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=715116). His lets you move data, cache, and/or dc to the ext partition, but doesn't (at least I don't believe it does) give you granular control over which apps remain in the standard location.
In my own use, I chose to move all user installed apps to sd, but dc remained on the internal memory (albeit, not in /data, but in the /cache partition). I figured this way, even if the sd card is missing, the phone will still boot. I won't have access to anything I installed, but whatever the rom came with will still be accessible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that's true, and I eventually went the app2sd route. However, I was trying to avoid that because of the slow speed of my sd card.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
sw99 said:
Yes that's true, and I eventually went the app2sd route. However, I was trying to avoid that because of the slow speed of my sd card.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure which app2sd method you're referring to, but keep the following in mind. I discovered this after my backup images failed to restore properly.
In the past, i'd be backing up boot, system, and data partitions. Obviously with dt's a2sd, I need to include the ext partition now. No problem. BUT, when restoring, i'd run into issues where my apps were present, but all settings were lost. After much confusion and head scratching, I tried wiping cache and dc AFTER the restore, but before the initial boot. The restore was a success now!
Apparently, with a2sd on the ext3, some remnants of cache or dc remain when backing up, even if cache is not selected. As part of any good restore, first thing is to always wipe, so now we end up with a hodge podge of files in the cache which I think causes the OS to revert all the settings back to default.
Just something to keep in mind.
i wanted to go back how my dhd was.. lots of problem.. i havent fix my radio problem yet and now this invaled package thing *face palm*
My phone is HTC G7, and I use data2sd to get 1.5G rom space, now there is still about 1.2G left, but I also met the "invalid package file" problem. I can't find any *.apk in /cache, (root, with "ls -a"). But if I uninstall some apps, I could install or update other apps successfully. I could not use Link2sd for I already have data2sd and I guess it's not a problem of insufficient space, because I still have enough rom space.
Do you have any new solutions?
supericexu said:
My phone is HTC G7, and I use data2sd to get 1.5G rom space, now there is still about 1.2G left, but I also met the "invalid package file" problem. I can't find any *.apk in /cache, (root, with "ls -a"). But if I uninstall some apps, I could install or update other apps successfully. I could not use Link2sd for I already have data2sd and I guess it's not a problem of insufficient space, because I still have enough rom space.
Do you have any new solutions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is not the apps, its the /cache running out of space. I suspect that the app you are using cannot move the dalvik-cache files (and is really just a shortcut to android's app2sd - which is not the same as darktremor or link2sd).
in terminal us df -k to see how much space you have on each mount to confirm that there is little space in cache.
If you really have that much space in your apps mount, then I would suggest moving the dalvik-cache back to its original location (search for instructions, as the only way I know how to do it is by installing darktremor's app2sd). If you are still having problems, you really are limited to either partitioning your SD card and using apps2sd or link2sd or removing apps.
hope this helps.
I have been having this issue for a couple of months now - with a bit of a twist. After wiping my dalvik-cache, my apps began to sucsessfully update - except for Google apps.
I have no idea why just those apps, but going into settings/Applications/Manage applications, and selecting each app, then clearing that apps cache, allowed those apps to sucessfully update also.
I am thankful I did not have to resort to the above fix.
Any solution if not rooted?
I've just started to get this error when trying to update the Google+ app. The error is only happening with Google+, every other app I update/install works fine.
I haven't rooted my device, and I'm hoping there's a way to fix the issue without rooting?
Device: Nexus One
Rom: Stock Android
Version: 2.3.4
Although I couldn't see anything in the cache directories, I checked in /system/app and couldn't find any package that looked like it would be Google+.
I have a question that is more android-in-general than Nook specific. I am trying this out on my Nook first, as it is an unbrickable device, before tinkering with my target device (a phone). My phone also does not have Clockworkmod recovery support, so a bricked device would be fatal.
I am attempting to increase the memory available for installed apps. My phone has limited space, but a bunch of pre-installed junk that I thought I might be able to get rid of in order to make more space for more apps. Knowing that simply deleting these pre-installed apps from the /system folder does really nothing, I set about making and editing an image file from the /system partition, then reflashing this image back to phone. As I am trying this on the Nook first, here is what I did:
1. Adb into the Nook and dd the system partition to a system.img file on the sd card.
2. Copy the system.img file to my desktop and mount the image.
3. Edit the image, removing the LiveWallpapers.apk file (a hefty ~3M file), then save the result back out as a new system.img.
4. Copy the new system.img to the sd card, then adb back into the Nook and dd the system.img from the sd card back to the system partition.
Everything appeared to work fine. The Nook boots, runs fine, and the LiveWallpapers.apk file is nowhere to be seen. Problem is, there is no difference in the available memory on the device.
In retrospect, I suppose I should not have expected there to be a difference. I am under the impression that the system partition is a read-only partition, and that extra space on this partition is not available for installation of apps. I am guessing that in order to increase the memory available, I would need to resize the data partition.
So, ultimately, my question is whether or not this is correct. Do I need to resize the data partition in order to actually get more memory available for apps, or is there an easier way? If I would need to resize the partition, how would I go about doing this, and would I need to take this extra space away from the system partition (the extra memory would need to come from somewhere, I imagine). I would envision removing bloatware from the system partition, shrinking that partition as I would no longer need that much space, and giving that extra memory to the data partition. Bear in mind that I need to do all of this through adb as I will not have Clockworkmod recovery on my target device.
Alternatively, I could be out my gourd and none of this makes any sense. Feel free to let me know if this is the case.
Thanks!
You've got it right.
The Nook emmc has partitions for boot, rom, system, data, and media. Originally data was 1g and media (/emmc under CM7) was 5g, newer models have reversed this. Data is where apps and their data go.
There are threads here about repartitioning newer Nooks with lots of good discussion. It sounds like you are capable (or want to be capable) of creating a custom partition scheme; there's enough info there for you to do that.
Experimenting with an 8g SD card might be a good place to get familiar with the tools. The "size-agnostic" installer will use a pre-partitioned SD if it finds one IIRC.
Good luck!
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
xdajunkman said:
I have a question that is more android-in-general than Nook specific. I am trying this out on my Nook first, as it is an unbrickable device, before tinkering with my target device (a phone). My phone also does not have Clockworkmod recovery support, so a bricked device would be fatal.
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just wanted to re-iterate the importance of what you said here.
I have sent several people off to buy Nook Colors who were interested in developing for android, for this very reason.
Nothing else you can get your hands on ( to my knowledge ) is as safe of a dev-tool as the Nook Color, because of the first boot to sd-card.
It doesn't matter what you do to it, at the end of the day you'll have a working device unless you throw it down the stairs or something.
Bonus points for running an sd-install directly, because when you hose it you just reflash a new microsd card.
Can't reformat the card because windows only reads the boot partition? No problem - if you still have your Nook Color with it's stock software just boot it up and pop the microsd card in. The B & N software in the Nook Color will just format the card, without a care in the world for any existing partition schemes or whatnot.
You're on the right track for what you're trying to do, as the previous poster has pointed out, so just wanted to give you another vote of confidence letting you know you're doing all the right things for all the right reasons.
Thanks for the replies!
You know, I actually did the repartition of my Nook using the CWR zip file. I hadn't thought to go look through the original thread for the manual instructions. As you pointed out, I found the directions here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=13971291&postcount=110
The only problem is that his instructions require that you boot from the SD card in order to manipulate your interal memory. This is fine and good on the Nook, but not possible with my phone. Any idea what would happen if I tried to repartition the internal memory while booting from the internal memory? Seems that this would not be possible....or at least wrought with peril. I think that my phone can boot into a fastboot mode, but have not tried that...anyone know if this would help?
Perhaps I am just playing with fire here and need to settle for cramped memory space on my phone. I am just too accustomed to my 5GB of available app space on my Nook.
Thanks again.
Well, after some more Googling, I think I might abandon the repartitioning bit. I think I am likely to brick my phone, even though I think I could do it manually on the Nook. In addition, it appears that many phones are set up so that the kernel resets the internal memory partitioning on boot....so I might also need to mess with the kernel to get this to stick. This is beyond my skill set and really not worth my turning my phone into a paperweight.
I thought of a bit of a workaround, however. As I can extract and edit the image of the system partition, I will simply install the apps that I will eventually want on my phone on my Nook instead, extract the apk's from the Nook, then insert them into the system image file from my phone. Reflashing the system image then puts these apps into the system partition instead of the data partition, effectively saving me hoards of space on my data partition. A bit laborious, but for several core apps that I know I will want and that are memory hogs, I think it will be worth it.
Anyone see any problem with this approach?
I have a rather urgent issue, in which a factory reset wiped my sdcard. First of all, is that normal? This is my first device with no external microsd, and my first time using TWRP. Before, I had been using various versions of Amon-Ra or CWM, and when I factory reset they never wiped the sd card. Next, whether it was normal or not, I need a way to recover my data. I had around 8 gigs in sdcard before it got wiped.
To give you more background info on what was going on, I had a rooted 4.1.2 16GB Nexus, and I decided that I wanted to try PA. I made a nandroid backup of course, and then proceeded to flash the rom. I followed the instructions on the PA thread, first doing a factory reset followed up by the actual flashing, then a wipe of cache/davlik. After I tried the rom out for a few minutes, I noticed that there weren't any redeeming features to make it worth the time-consuming switch from stock to PA, transferring all my data and setting up my settings once more.
I rebooted back into recovery and factory reset again, and then I went to restore and saw that there were no backups. Suspicious, I went to the install menu, and found my entire sdcard folder had been wiped out. What happened?
Edit: I'm currently still on the recovery, afraid to do anything in case I lose my data forever.
Was your boot loader already unlocked or did you unlock it right before you flashed the ROM?
littleemp said:
Was your boot loader already unlocked or did you unlock it right before you flashed the ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply, especially on Christmas, but I got around the issue myself. It had been unlocked for 2 months now.
I noticed that every time I booted into recovery, it would make a "0" folder and move the contents of my sdcard into that "0" folder. Then the 0 folder would go inside another 0 folder, and so on and so forth. It was a really strange issue because I was unable to restore my backup; TWRP could not find my /sdcard/TWRP/backup folder, because it did not exist! It was in sdcard/0/0/TWRP/backup. I used the built in file manager in TWRP, and moved the contents back into the proper folder. I could then restore, and now I'm feeling relieved.
However, two issues remain; the 0 folders are still there, and storage transfer speeds seem very slow.
Edit: I got rid of the 0 folders by moving my folders out of them and then deleting the 0 folders, but the size of my files seem to have been inflated. What took up 6 gigs before is now taking up 8.8gb. Lol wut? Also, when I hook it up to a computer it tells me that 12GB has been filled. So many discrepancies.
androidwkim said:
Edit: I got rid of the 0 folders by moving my folders out of them and then deleting the 0 folders, but the size of my files seem to have been inflated. What took up 6 gigs before is now taking up 8.8gb. Lol wut? Also, when I hook it up to a computer it tells me that 12GB has been filled. So many discrepancies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am having the same problem. I think everybody has that problem, because it's caused by jelly bean 4.2 and its new emulated storage.
The only way I have found to get arround it was to copy all files on the computer from the sdcard, then formating the sdcard in recouvery and moving everything back.
Only problem I am having right now is that I can't for the love of it copy my files. Stupid MTP filesystem is really buggy and extremly slow. I constantly crashes or gives me multiple erros. The one I am having at the moment is something about a parameter error.
Very annoying the stupid filesystem under 4.2.
Btw. I can't get the adb pull command to work either. When I tell it to copy system/storage/emulated/legacy (I believe thats where the sdcard is actually loccated, right?!) it doesn't copy a single file.
If anybody could help me I would be very greatfull.
xaboren said:
I am having the same problem. I think everybody has that problem, because it's caused by jelly bean 4.2 and its new emulated storage.
The only way I have found to get arround it was to copy all files on the computer from the sdcard, then formating the sdcard in recouvery and moving everything back.
Only problem I am having right now is that I can't for the love of it copy my files. Stupid MTP filesystem is really buggy and extremly slow. I constantly crashes or gives me multiple erros. The one I am having at the moment is something about a parameter error.
Very annoying the stupid filesystem under 4.2.
Btw. I can't get the adb pull command to work either. When I tell it to copy system/storage/emulated/legacy (I believe thats where the sdcard is actually loccated, right?!) it doesn't copy a single file.
If anybody could help me I would be very greatfull.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same fear, emotion and discovery a week ago when trying a new Rom thanks multi users feature .
You may try to switch from MTP mode to MSC in system setting to increase the speed.
Take care of the different tools because as example JROMFlasher will format the SD card for better cleaning. (I had backup!)
I think I read that the Factory Reset from the settings menu WILL erase everything.
Formatting with ClockworkMod, saves your sdcard files.
I also recommend unlocking asap just for laughs. Even if you don't plan on rooting or Modding... unlocking will ensure your files won't be deleted if you decide to or something happens that requires it
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app