# Android Gingerbread users--are you having problems with Google Play Store, of late? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 13, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698 "2012-04-13T20:16:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/1 "2012-04-13T20:16:40Z")
About six months ago I got my first Android smartphone, which came with v2.2 (“Froyo”), and since then I’ve gone to 2.3 (“Gingerbread”), then back to Froyo, then to a custom Gingerbread based ROM, then back to Froyo, and finally back to a different Gingerbread custom ROM as of a couple of days ago. (If you’ve ever owned an Android phone and spent time tweaking it, the foregoing won’t sound at all strange or excessive. If not, you can probably stop reading now.) Not long ago, Google decided to revamp Android Marketplace (the same thing to Google as the App Store is to Apple). They redesigned it and changed its name to the Play Store–and now it seems to be aborting and crashing for a lot of people. I have pending updates, some of which are for paid apps, and I can’t install them because when I try to open Play Store, either it won’t open at all, or else it opens and works to the point where I can search for apps, but when I try to download one it crashes. Usually the error is _The application Google Play Store (process com.android.vending) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again._ followed by a “Force Close” button. Has anyone else been experiencing this? Poll coming. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/2 "2012-04-13T20:25:05Z")
ETA: I do know about the prominent Android-related forums, but I thought it would be easier to get the kind of answers I’m after on here. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/3 "2012-04-13T20:46:34Z")
I’m using stock Gingerbread (well, overlaid with HTC Sense) and having no problems at all with the Store. I’m assuming that you are “rooted” from your reference to custom ROMs, and I’d further guess that’s the source of your problems. When Google updated the Store, they couldn’t guarantee compatibility with all the custom ROMs out there. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/4 "2012-04-13T21:24:57Z")
I don’t know how to choose for the poll. My phone came with Froyo but has since been updated to Gingerbread by my carrier. So stock Gingerbread? Either way, no problems with the Market. ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/5 "2012-04-13T21:30:33Z")
Galaxy Skyrocket running Gingerbread (as updated via over the air updates, so stock) here. No issues. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/6 "2012-04-13T21:52:32Z")
Does anyone know of a way to install apps from a PC via the USB cable? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/7 "2012-04-13T22:04:35Z")
No problems here with stock Gingerbread (2.34) on my HTC G2. I did read something recently about a lot of people with custom ROMs having problems with the new Google Play. Seems a lot of people are being forced into pirating apps by downloading and installing .apk files from third parties because of the problems trying to access the market legitimately. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/8 "2012-04-13T22:17:53Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > No problems here with stock Gingerbread (2.34) on my HTC G2. > > I did read something recently about a lot of people with custom ROMs having problems with the new Google Play. Seems a lot of people are being forced into pirating apps by downloading and installing .apk files from third parties because of the problems trying to access the market legitimately. I thought there might be a sanctioned way to do it through the Google Play website. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/9 "2012-04-13T23:50:57Z")
Some of the more responsive developers (not many of them) could look up in their records that you have paid for an app and email you the .apk file so you could install a legitimate copy. But I doubt that you could get that level of service for updates to all your apps. The other incomplete solution is to try a legitimate app store other than Google’s, like Amazon’s, for instance. Be very dubious of apps you can download from shady sites. Even if they’re normally free apps or apps you have already paid for, if they’re not from a trusted source, stay FAR away. ---
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/10 "2012-04-14T00:01:45Z")
First, did you run “fix permissions” in ROM Manager ? Sometimes that fixes “force close” problems. After that probably wipe data/cache & factory reset, and if that doesn’t work install one of the latest nightly builds for your phone/device instead of the latest stable version. FWIW, I have no problems with Google Play. Had some market issues on one of my devices, I think I had to wipe & reinstall the latest nightly to fix it if I remember right. Mostly little trouble - I have a Nook Color, 3 android phones (1 not in service/let my kids play with it), and an HP Touchpad all running some flavor of Cyanogenmod. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/11 "2012-04-14T00:44:23Z")
> [@jacobsta811](#): > > First, did you run “fix permissions” in ROM Manager ? Sometimes that fixes “force close” problems. Unfortunately I can’t use ROM Manager, as it’s a confirmed instant brick for my phone. > [@](#): > > After that probably wipe data/cache & factory reset, and if that doesn’t work install one of the latest nightly builds for your phone/device instead of the latest stable version. I did try these steps, and while they do allow me to get a little farther in the process of downloading an app, which is to say that now it fails at the point of clicking on “Accept and Download”–with the same error. > [@](#): > > all running some flavor of Cyanogenmod. I had Cyanogenmod before and might go back to it. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/12 "2012-04-14T00:45:47Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I’m using stock Gingerbread (well, overlaid with HTC Sense) and having no problems at all with the Store. I’m assuming that you are “rooted” from your reference to custom ROMs, and I’d further guess that’s the source of your problems. When Google updated the Store, they couldn’t guarantee compatibility with all the custom ROMs out there. Seems to be a very widespread problem though, as indicated [here](http://groups.google.com/a/googleproductforums.com/forum/#!searchin/android-market/com.android.vending$202012/android-market/nhQO0isH87g/W-Tvje6v7g4J). How many people bother to root, anyway, let alone flash custom ROMs? ---
**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/13 "2012-04-14T01:17:45Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > My phone came with Froyo but has since been updated to Gingerbread by my carrier. So stock Gingerbread? Either way, no problems with the Market. +1 ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/android-gingerbread-users-are-you-having-problems-with-google-play-store-of-late/618698/14 "2012-04-14T01:47:17Z")
I have stock Froyo and marketplace works fine for me.