Android Phone help
Discussion
MrsC has an ancient Motorola Android phone (+10years old I think) which she steadfastly refuses to upgrade or replace. As time has gone by she has gradually removed apps from it and stopped using them, due to the apps growing in size and the phone not being able to cope, so latterly all it has had on it other than the OS is Whatsapp and Google Maps. I've managed to limp it through a few app updates but over the weekend Whatsapp stopped working, needing an upgrade, which won't install due to space. I think the phone memory is 4GB, she has an SD card installed but the OS doesn't seem to be able to use this for very much, i.e. you can't simply select what you want to save and to where.
Me offering to buy her a new phone and explaining that it's easy to migrate, it's just like a car, all the main controls on any Android will be in the same place, caused a strop and a flounce yesterday the magnitude of which I haven't seen before in the 16 years we've been together. Little bit of lockdownitis thrown in, I guess.
There's a further rub in that some time ago the Play Store "disappeared" from the phone and I can't find any way of getting that back. Seems it's a not-uncommon issue; again, may be down to phone age and available space.
So I'm a bit stuck for options here. Other than a factory reset, does anyone know whether it's possible to wipe the phone completely of every last trace of software and then to install some sort of extremely-vanilla OS which will take up the absolute minimum of space whilst supporting current versions of things like Whatsapp and Google maps? And how would I do that? And would this restore the Play Store (not that there is much point as the phone will never support much in the way of apps anyway).
Also, can I easily export her contacts etc to a PC first?
TIA
Me offering to buy her a new phone and explaining that it's easy to migrate, it's just like a car, all the main controls on any Android will be in the same place, caused a strop and a flounce yesterday the magnitude of which I haven't seen before in the 16 years we've been together. Little bit of lockdownitis thrown in, I guess.
There's a further rub in that some time ago the Play Store "disappeared" from the phone and I can't find any way of getting that back. Seems it's a not-uncommon issue; again, may be down to phone age and available space.
So I'm a bit stuck for options here. Other than a factory reset, does anyone know whether it's possible to wipe the phone completely of every last trace of software and then to install some sort of extremely-vanilla OS which will take up the absolute minimum of space whilst supporting current versions of things like Whatsapp and Google maps? And how would I do that? And would this restore the Play Store (not that there is much point as the phone will never support much in the way of apps anyway).
Also, can I easily export her contacts etc to a PC first?
TIA
You should be able to transfer contacts to the sim card and put it in a new phone.
However, the new phone will need a smaller sim card. It maybe that you initially get a new sim card for a smaller phone and get a sim adapter so that the new sim card fits in the old phone.
So,
1) transfer the contacts FROM the sim card to the phone
2) insert new sim card when it arrives
3) transfer contacts TO the new sim card
4) buy new phone
5) put new sim card in new phone.
It doesn't really make sense to suffer a slow phone as you can pick up a decent phone with contract for the price of a cheap contract.
I was on a sim only contract with an old Samsung S3 that was really clunky about 18 months ago.
I now have a Sony XA1 with Virgin for something like £14 a month.
I was paying £13 a month WITHOUT a phone.
I am now on a 2 year contract with a total increased payment of £28 and I get a £150 phone. My contract was downgraded from unlimited calls to 1000 minutes but now it's back up to unlimited which is unusual for a company to do!!
Come October, I will get another new phone for no increase in fee. Or I could stick to my XA1 phone and save £1 a month. I like to save money but I think £1 a month for 2 years for a £200 phone (Sony Xperia 10 currently the offer for £14 a month) is too good a deal to pass on considering the ballache an older phone is with running apps.
Look what you can get: https://www.virginmedia.com/mobile/pay-monthly?sor...
However, the new phone will need a smaller sim card. It maybe that you initially get a new sim card for a smaller phone and get a sim adapter so that the new sim card fits in the old phone.
So,
1) transfer the contacts FROM the sim card to the phone
2) insert new sim card when it arrives
3) transfer contacts TO the new sim card
4) buy new phone
5) put new sim card in new phone.
It doesn't really make sense to suffer a slow phone as you can pick up a decent phone with contract for the price of a cheap contract.
I was on a sim only contract with an old Samsung S3 that was really clunky about 18 months ago.
I now have a Sony XA1 with Virgin for something like £14 a month.
I was paying £13 a month WITHOUT a phone.
I am now on a 2 year contract with a total increased payment of £28 and I get a £150 phone. My contract was downgraded from unlimited calls to 1000 minutes but now it's back up to unlimited which is unusual for a company to do!!
Come October, I will get another new phone for no increase in fee. Or I could stick to my XA1 phone and save £1 a month. I like to save money but I think £1 a month for 2 years for a £200 phone (Sony Xperia 10 currently the offer for £14 a month) is too good a deal to pass on considering the ballache an older phone is with running apps.
Look what you can get: https://www.virginmedia.com/mobile/pay-monthly?sor...
Edited by Hoofy on Monday 27th April 10:34
is it teh whatsapp messages that she is concerned about?
If so, they are easily backed up.
When (bear with me here) she goes to WA on a new phone, the old messages will be available.
If it is this concern that caused the breakdwon, it may help to explain the need to change.
IF she is adamant that she wants to retain this old phone, then it will need a wipe and I'm guessing an older version fo android needs to be installed - sorry, I have no idea how to do that.
What was her reasoning for not wanting a new phone? Perhaps there is a way of circumventing her concerns?
Lockdown is a PITA.....
If so, they are easily backed up.
When (bear with me here) she goes to WA on a new phone, the old messages will be available.
If it is this concern that caused the breakdwon, it may help to explain the need to change.
IF she is adamant that she wants to retain this old phone, then it will need a wipe and I'm guessing an older version fo android needs to be installed - sorry, I have no idea how to do that.
What was her reasoning for not wanting a new phone? Perhaps there is a way of circumventing her concerns?
Lockdown is a PITA.....
Don't shoot the messenger 
but.....it's the physical phone she's worried about! This is my conundrum. Try as I might I cannot convince her to have a new phone. I've explained that the basic operation of any Android mobile is the same, she can have the same apps on the same screens, etc etc, I've said I'll buy the phone, but she won't let this one go (I think it's a Motorola G2 or something). She seems to think that she's going to have to re-learn from scratch how to use a mobile phone. So this is what drove my OP about whether I can wipe the phone clean of any and everything and then install the thinnest Android client in existence just to give her a couple of apps back.
What was the comment above about installing a ROM? Is that instead of, or as well as, the OS? Thinking again about trying to release storage on the device.
but.....it's the physical phone she's worried about! This is my conundrum. Try as I might I cannot convince her to have a new phone. I've explained that the basic operation of any Android mobile is the same, she can have the same apps on the same screens, etc etc, I've said I'll buy the phone, but she won't let this one go (I think it's a Motorola G2 or something). She seems to think that she's going to have to re-learn from scratch how to use a mobile phone. So this is what drove my OP about whether I can wipe the phone clean of any and everything and then install the thinnest Android client in existence just to give her a couple of apps back.What was the comment above about installing a ROM? Is that instead of, or as well as, the OS? Thinking again about trying to release storage on the device.
Meeten-5dulx said:
What was her reasoning for not wanting a new phone?
You're new to women I assume?Sometimes they make a decision for emotional reasons and you can't use logic to get them out of it. In fact if you try they double down on their decision. Why? Because woman.
OP find a way for her to break the phone. Once it's dead and her fault, she'll move on.
Munter said:
Meeten-5dulx said:
What was her reasoning for not wanting a new phone?
You're new to women I assume?Sometimes they make a decision for emotional reasons and you can't use logic to get them out of it. In fact if you try they double down on their decision. Why? Because woman.
OP find a way for her to break the phone. Once it's dead and her fault, she'll move on.
I was going to post next: try bricking the phone. You will get an earfull but when she calms down, she will either have to give everyone she speaks to a cup and string to contact her or suck it up and get a new phone.
Munter said:
You're new to women I assume?
Sometimes they make a decision for emotional reasons and you can't use logic to get them out of it. In fact if you try they double down on their decision. Why? Because woman.
OP find a way for her to break the phone. Once it's dead and her fault, she'll move on.
Prob not new, but trying to find out what the reasoning is to her not wanting a new phone.Sometimes they make a decision for emotional reasons and you can't use logic to get them out of it. In fact if you try they double down on their decision. Why? Because woman.
OP find a way for her to break the phone. Once it's dead and her fault, she'll move on.
OP said it is a physical link to this particular phone later on.
That being the case, we have no hope bar breaking the mariage wrecker ...
OP Do you have a spare handset around that you can get her used to once you brick/break the G2?
Went from original moto G to a mororola G6. Just used google sync to transfer info from one to the other. Contacts done in seconds cant remember about rest of it but sure it wont be that difficult.
Like others have said will need a smaller sim card -in normal times your network provider will sent one overnight maybe a bit longer at moment
Like others have said will need a smaller sim card -in normal times your network provider will sent one overnight maybe a bit longer at moment
Mrs Scrump had similar a few years ago, I eventually persuaded her to go from a very old Motorola to a Moto G3 or 4. Once I had set it up so it looked the same as her old phone she wondered what all the fuss was about!
Subsequently she moved to a Moto G5 or 6 without too much persuasion (I just had to promise to set it up so it looked the same!).
Subsequently she moved to a Moto G5 or 6 without too much persuasion (I just had to promise to set it up so it looked the same!).
twokcc said:
Like others have said will need a smaller sim card -in normal times your network provider will sent one overnight maybe a bit longer at moment
If you are even slightly practical and have a sharp pair of scissors you can cut the existing one down. Lots of instructions on-line about it. He's a pretty girl to show you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7MKOgZZtR0
It works. I've done it. Make the cuts cleanly if the SIM has to slide into the new 'phone otherwise it won't slide well.
Scrump said:
Mrs Scrump had similar a few years ago, I eventually persuaded her to go from a very old Motorola to a Moto G3 or 4. Once I had set it up so it looked the same as her old phone she wondered what all the fuss was about!
This is the thing, I just can't get through to her that a new Android Moto will work just the same as her current one, even the icons can be in the same place, the only thing which will change is the location of the logo on the back of the bloody thing!We have several cars between the two of us and I pointed out to her that she frequently jumps in to any of them and drives them all successfully......because.......the controls are in the same place on every car. Just like her phone could be. This may not have gone down well at the time......
If you can find out the exact model of phone you probably could install an OS based on a later version of Android. I have one on my Galaxy S2 called SlimKat.
However it would be like having a completely different phone, a little faster probably, but still old and rubbish, so not really what she wants...
However it would be like having a completely different phone, a little faster probably, but still old and rubbish, so not really what she wants...
Hi,
You are in a precarious situation!
Explain to her that if you do try and install a 'lighter' or trimmed down OS to try and make the apps she wants work etc, that it might brick the phone to the point it's totally unusable. Nip over to Xda developers to see if you can find some sort of slimmed down version of Android that lists as being used/tested/works on the handset she has.
If the above doesn't work/no slim version that'll potentially work and she still doesn't want to change handset, leave her with the phone until she loses it (which you might have to help with/arrange), or it stops working completely or doesn't last long (ie battery life drops to 2 hours) . To stay 'independent' so that you don't need to put your armour on, ask her to take and pay for a Motorola service centre to try something. When they say there's nothing they can do/don't have old version tools/software etc, tell her to just carry on with it.
Maybe at that stage she may realize it's time to change?
Good luck !
You are in a precarious situation!
Explain to her that if you do try and install a 'lighter' or trimmed down OS to try and make the apps she wants work etc, that it might brick the phone to the point it's totally unusable. Nip over to Xda developers to see if you can find some sort of slimmed down version of Android that lists as being used/tested/works on the handset she has.
If the above doesn't work/no slim version that'll potentially work and she still doesn't want to change handset, leave her with the phone until she loses it (which you might have to help with/arrange), or it stops working completely or doesn't last long (ie battery life drops to 2 hours) . To stay 'independent' so that you don't need to put your armour on, ask her to take and pay for a Motorola service centre to try something. When they say there's nothing they can do/don't have old version tools/software etc, tell her to just carry on with it.
Maybe at that stage she may realize it's time to change?
Good luck !
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