How to prevent annoying ad pop ups on Galaxy S6, more app issues

We often receive more app-related problems from our community so this post is our answer to some of them. If you are looking for solutions to your #GalaxyS6 app issues, a quick search on this article may give you some idea on what to do.

s6

Below are the topics discussed here today:

  1. “Pinterest could not be downloaded due to an error” message on Galaxy S6
  2. How to prevent annoying ad pop ups on Galaxy S6
  3. Cannot find Samsung Knox app on new Galaxy S6
  4. “Unfortunately, Clock has stopped” error on Galaxy S6
  5. Solution for clock and alarm clock freezing issue on Galaxy S6
  6. How to use VPN on a Galaxy S6

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of that page.


Problem #1: “Pinterest could not be downloaded due to an error” message on Galaxy S6

When I go to the Google Play store and try to download apps I get the following message “Pinterest could not be downloaded due to an error. (Error retrieving information from server. [RPC:s-7:AEC-7 RAYL-542U-4AHCC]).”

I guess this code changes each time you try to do an install.  I’ve also tried downloading the Facebook app and get the same information.  I have tried clearing my stored data and cache in the Google Play Store and restarting my phone and nothing seems to work. The only other application that I have personally downloaded is a Solitaire app. — Kim

Solution: Hi Kim. This is a generic error message caused by either a bad Google Play Store app or other services associated with Google Services Framework.

Delete cache and data

If you have already deleted Play Store’s cache and data, you must do the same for Google Services Framework app. Both apps are delicately intertwined that changes on one may drastically affect how the other works. Google Services Framework is an important app that allows Play Store to communicate with Google servers. If the Google Services Framework app stops working, there’s a chance that automatic updates and installation of new apps won’t work.

Use another Google account

Once you’ve done that, the next best thing to do is to try using another Gmail account. This means logging out the existing account on the Play Store app and logging in another one. After that, try to download and install your apps again.

Uninstall Google Play Store update

Another good thing to do is to see if the most recent update is the reason for the glitch. Uninstalling existing updates sometimes work so you can try doing the same for your Google Play Store app.

Problem #2: How to prevent annoying ad pop ups on Galaxy S6

When i wake my phone up after boot using it for awhile i get pop-ups from various Google Play games and internet pages. The longer I’m away from my phone the worse it is. For example first thing in the morning, i check my phone and i get half a dozen pop ups or more i literally sit and wait for the pop-ups to stop so i can check my phone for calls or messages. I’ve blocked pop-ups and notifications from every application on my phone.

I’ve virus checked it and swept my cache every few days and nothing helps.

I’ve trolled the internet looking for solutions and tried everything and NOTHING helps…. please please help me solve this problem the phone works perfectly for me other than those annoying pop-ups. — Elle

Solution: Hi Elle. Pop-up ads are not only annoying but can also be intrusive in the least. Pop-up advertisements have gradually become attractive for advertisers as Android’s popularity continues to grow over the years. Adware are delivered to an Android device by a number of ways including via mobile browser, push notifications, games, and apps. Fortunately, there are a number of ways as well available for you to prevent these pop-ups from coming back.

Wipe the phone clean

The first ideal step to resolve an issue like this is by doing a factory reset. This ensures that you delete everything, cleaning the phone in the process.

Prevention is the best cure

After doing a factory reset, the next best thing to do is ensure that you don’t install the same set of apps you had before. Most probably, these pop-ups are being delivered by one or more apps so after doing a factory reset, you don’t just re-install everything. Instead, what you want to do next is to install reliable or official apps only. By reliable we mean apps created by trusted developers or teams.

Avoid re-installing apps or games from unknown developers as they are the most likely reason for the adware in your phone in the first place. In order to monetize apps, some developers may have to resort to using dubious means like making their apps as delivery vehicles for viruses, malware, or annoying advertisements. Making sure that these types of apps don’t find their way into your phone is not simple but having a suspicious mentality when installing any app is a good way to start.

If you encountered similar pop-ups in a computer before, the tactic we recommended here is exactly the same one that you may have to do.

Keep in mind that not all developers don’t just create apps for free. Sooner or later, they will find a way to recoup the resources they have spent on creating their products.

Install trusted ad-blocking apps

If you did not root your phone, simply skip this solution. Apps that promise to block ads needs to access and modify host files, which is only allowed after rooting a device.

Or download one of these antivirus apps for Android phone that should keep your phone in order.

We recommend that you stay away from rooting if possible though.

Problem #3: Cannot find Samsung Knox app on new Galaxy S6

I am unable to access Knox 2.0. I could see Knox shortcut in apps. But in application manager Container agent 2, personal home, phone in personal home and setup wizard is showing as Not Installed. After tapping these, it opens the window with all grey fields like “uninstall” but can not perform anything as those taps are greyed and disabled. I have also got notification as Samsung account – Tap here to enter Knox. But nothing happens after tapping and also nothing happens after tapping Knox app shortcut in apps area.

I am unable to do anything.  Please help. — Sandeep

Solution: Hi Sandeep. Samsung Knox is not a pre-installed app so you need to download and install it first. This is the reason why you cannot see its icon, nor tap the usual buttons when you open the app menu. Download Samsung Knox from Google Play Store by clicking this link.

Problem #4: “Unfortunately, Clock has stopped” error on Galaxy S6

“Unfortunately, Clock has stopped” error.

I looked on a page that you have already and fairly recently made responding to people about this clock issue. I have cleared cache and app data, as well as gone into recovery mode, and cleared the cache partition. When I got the error again, I decided against my Will to do a factory reset. With the phone BONE STOCK, I still receive that error message. Now, I doubt it’s a 3rd party app related, as it was bone stock and still got an error, but I’ve been wrong before. Please help me. — Kevin

Solution: Hi Kevin. The effects of doing a factory reset can be negated if you simply install the same apps after doing it. Most app issues are due to other apps affecting the firmware so if you simply re-install all of your apps after a factory reset, you were virtually doing nothing at all.

Try booting the phone in safe mode to verify if another app is to blame. Because safe mode prevents third party apps from loading, it’s usually an effective method to try first. Here’s how to do it:

  • Press and hold the Volume Down and Power keys for 20 to 30 seconds.
  • Once you see the Samsung logo, release the Power key immediately but continue pressing the Volume Down key.
  • Your phone should continue booting up and you will be prompted to unlock your phone as usual.
  • You will know if the phone successfully booted in safe mode if the text “Safe mode” is displayed at the lower-left corner of the screen.

Safe mode limits what apps you can use but we recommend that you let the phone run in this mode for at least 24 hours so you can observe how it goes. If the issue fails to occur in safe mode, that’s an indication that one of the apps is the culprit and you may have simply re-installed it after a factory reset.

Try uninstalling apps until the issue is gone.

Problem #5: Solution for clock and alarm clock freezing issue on Galaxy S6

I have alarms set and when I change them the alarm still shows the old alarm unless I reboot the system. Also, my clock is freezing.

Both of these things started after the upgrade to Lollipop. Then there was an update about 2 or 3 weeks ago and they started working correctly. Then my battery was draining VERY fast so I did a hard reset and reinstalled everything, now they are not working properly AGAIN. — Tina

Solution:  Hi Tina. We’re glad to know that everything is back to its working order. While updates are intended to enhance user experience, introduce new features, or fix known bugs, there are some rare cases wherein the opposite happens.

Major problems after updating to Lollipop have been reported to older Samsung Galaxy S models but not on the S6 series. We expect some minor annoyance (like the one you experienced) to happen occasionally though. Android Lollipop is still a work in progress and app issues are part and parcel of an evolving operating system. It’s simply impossible to iron out everything as there are millions of possible points of failure in an Android environment.

We appreciate your effort and time in sharing what works best in fixing your issue. We look forward to hearing from you here in our community.

See also Why Android Lollipop Causes Problems.

Problem #6: How to use VPN on a Galaxy S6

I would like to download data through VPN, but I don’t know how. I can connect with VPN, but after that I’m lost. Problem? I’m not computer literate and this wireless phone system is almost completely new to me.

Can you please tell me how to use this VPN app step by step with any of the US search engines? Please.

Thanks so much. — Henry

Solution: Hi Henry. A VPN is an interconnected group of computers linked together over the internet to allow users to use network resources more efficiently. It is usually managed by a group of IT experts (usually a business group) to provide good service to users. Using a VPN is advised if you are particular in safeguarding your browsing habits and internet communication from other parties. Many companies utilize VPNs to let their employees connect to their data centers even when they are not physically connected to their local area network. For a more detailed description how VPN works, try visiting this site.

To use a VPN on your phone, first you must install the app. There are many VPN services being offered for Android devices and you can use Google to look for one (if you haven’t yet). Keep in mind that most good VPN services are not free and you may have to pay for a subscription depending on your choice.

After installing the app, you may have to enter your credentials and configure a few things before you can start using it. Don’t worry, most VPN setups are straightforward so you can easily manage them. Because you will be mostly paying for the service, you are assured of help from a technical team should you encounter problems (although this rarely happens).  Try contacting the VPN’s technical support team for more product-specific details and configuration settings.


Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem. 

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

TheDroidGuy Mailbag

🛠️If you have questions, check our Help section for details on how to submit your questions.💡


Posts You Might Like

Leave a Comment