Deleting SMS

[Guest nicandris]

Well when trying to delete sms it stucks my phone.

Just remains still for a lot of time (until i reboot). When phone is back the sms is still there. Tried it whith lets say 1-10 sms threads and it works fine, but when i try to delete a huge thread lets say abt 400-500 sms, it's stuck. Any advices? (Yeah i know simple solution is to wipe - but smthing other than that)

[Guest Dr. dre]

Well when trying to delete sms it stucks my phone.

Just remains still for a lot of time (until i reboot). When phone is back the sms is still there. Tried it whith lets say 1-10 sms threads and it works fine, but when i try to delete a huge thread lets say abt 400-500 sms, it's stuck. Any advices? (Yeah i know simple solution is to wipe - but smthing other than that)

I will suggest you to wipe your phone because even if you somehow manage to delete the messages, still some or the other time you gonna face this problem again, it's better that you backup your data and then do a wipe and a fresh flash of the ROM.

[Guest Noel.]

If you want you can try to delete the entire database. Make a backup of the database first.

It is located here-> /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db .

I have no idea if this will brake your phone so be careful and know what you are doing.

[Guest The_IMF]

If you want you can try to delete the entire database. Make a backup of the database first.

It is located here-> /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db .

I have no idea if this will brake your phone so be careful and know what you are doing.

This is what I did... I had threads with over 1000 sms messages... bloody T-mobile unlimited text bolt on... lol

Had my phone plugged in for 8 hours while deleting one thread and eventually I gave up.

This was my solution:

1) Install "SMS Backup & Restore" by "Ritesh Sahu"

2) Backup all SMS (it'll take about 2 mins)

3) run terminal on phone:

su

cp /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db /sd/mmssms.db

rm /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/mmssms.db

(not sure if su is needed but I used it, the first command creates a back up on your SD so you can copy it back if you want)

4) copy the .xml file exported by SMS Backup & Restore to your PC (sd/SMSBackupRestore), delete lines/chunks of lines of SMS's that you don't want to keep using notepad as the editor. Save the file as Unicode format.

5) Copy that file to your backup folder (sd/SMSBackupRestore - renamed xml file of course).

6) Reboot your phone and go into messaging (to recreate blank mmssms.db)

7) Run SMS Backup & Restore

8) Select edited XML file and it'll take 10 mins to import your SMS's

Job done. I had 8,000 total SMS's and I only wanted to keep the messages from my fiancee (about 2000 odd). Took a while going through the XML file but now it's so much quicker to delete text messages and go into messaging etc.

Notes:

1) SMS Backup & Restore doesn't backup/restore MMS messages so save any pictures you want to keep.

2) If you get a parse error when importing; it's probably because you didn't save as unicode format... or is it ANSI... one of the two! I did it a couple of weeks back and I think it's Unicode you need to save as. If that parse error comes, save as ANSI instead.

3) Also; I recommend a Nandroid back up obviously before attempting this.

Edited February 22, 2010 by The_IMF

[Guest nicandris]

hmmmm thanx for the replies guys. I'll try your methods and if it's not working or if i break something i guess a wipe will do the thing. just a bit disapointed abt this issue. never had this problems on wm or even on older devices.

[Guest bunt83]

install an app called 'delete old messages' it'll do what you need! :(

[Guest nicandris]

install an app called 'delete old messages' it'll do what you need! :(

cool thanx! found also an app that deletes thread by thread not only by date. it's talking some time to delete them but it doeas the job. "Super SMS Quick Delete"