Unfortunately, backups got deleted when I factory reset the device. Was hoping there was some other way, but guess I'll reflash with stock. Thanks for the help
For manual backups in TWRP, best to set backup directory to your SD card in the future! The backups the kernel tool automatically makes does bury them in the system partition, unfortunately, I think in /system/app/X-Backup and /system/priv-app/X-Backup. Worth plucking those out in the future for replacement?
There's a mod/unlocked version of greenify
(
here) that can hibernate system applications (like play store, services, framework, and account manager), once you set it to ignore working state, and catch and cut off all of the wake-up paths, it's
essentially the same as gutting the play store altogether.
(
Copy pasting this from my longer write-up)
With root access and a file explorer, by changing the following folders' permissions:
/data/data/com.android.providers.downloads/cache
/data/data/com.android.providers.downloads/files
from 771 (-rwxrwx--x) to 551 (-r-xr-x--x), Google Play store and Google Play services can be forced to NOT update themselves. To download any application updates from Play store you need to change these back momentarily to 771 (and then back to 551 before it gets wise and tries to download Play store updates). The stock GP Store and Services are far more lightweight compared to the updated ones. Note with those folder's permissions set to 551 you can still download files from any other browser application.