20 — Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ (School Notes Client)¶

A Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ (SM-X610, Wi-Fi, refurbished) used exclusively as a note-taking and schoolwork tablet. It is a client of the Z2 Mini, not a service on it: it reaches the files Samba share over the tailnet and stores nothing important locally that isn't also exported to the server. This page records the debloat that turned it into a minimal, account-free device and how it connects.

Companion to 01-connecting.md (the other client devices), 03-tailscale.md (transport) and 04-samba.md (the share it mounts). For getting files to and from college lab PCs via the tablet, see 21-school-pc-files.md.

Why¶

The tablet's job is Samsung Notes with the S Pen, a browser for school sites, Office-file preview and a path onto the Z2's files share. Out of the box it carries ~30 preloaded user apps (Samsung, Microsoft, Google and Galaxy Store promo installs) that all want accounts, background sync and notifications. Constraints:

No Samsung account. Samsung Cloud, Galaxy Store, Samsung Pass, SmartThings, Bixby and Samsung Free all gate on one; none are needed.
No root. Rooting trips Knox permanently, voids the warranty on a refurb and breaks nothing that needs breaking.
Reversible. Every removal must be undoable without a factory reset.

The method that satisfies all three is pm uninstall -k --user 0 over ADB: it unlinks the package from user 0 while leaving the system image untouched, so cmd package install-existing <pkg> reinstates it in a second. Nothing in /system changes; OTA updates keep working.

Firmware¶

The refurb shipped on Android 14 / One UI 6.1 with a July 2024 security patch — two years stale. It was updated before debloating (Settings → Software update, three sequential OTAs) so the removal pass ran against the final package set rather than a set the update would change.

Field	Value
Model	SM-X610 (`gts9fepwifi`)
Android / One UI	16 / 8.5
Build	`X610XXSFEZH7`
Security patch	2026-08-05
Debloated	2026-09-21

Debloat procedure¶

Done from the MacBook over a USB-C cable.

1. Tooling. adb via Homebrew (brew install --cask android-platform-tools). Homebrew refuses to run until the Xcode license is accepted: sudo xcodebuild -license accept.

2. Enable USB debugging on the tablet. Settings → About tablet → Software information → tap Build number ×7 → Settings → Developer options → USB debugging on. Plug in, tap Allow on the RSA-fingerprint prompt (tick Always allow from this computer).

3. Verify the device before touching it.

adb devices -l                              # must say "device", not "unauthorized"
adb shell getprop ro.product.model          # must be SM-X610

4. Snapshot the inventory so the removal list is derived from what is actually installed, not from a generic list:

adb shell pm list packages     | sed 's/^package://' | sort > packages-before.txt
adb shell pm list packages -3  | sed 's/^package://' | sort > packages-third-party.txt

5. Remove in batches, pausing after each to confirm Notes, My Files and the browser still work:

while read -u 3 p; do
  adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 "$p" </dev/null
done 3< batch.txt

Note: the </dev/null and read -u 3 matter. adb shell reads the loop's stdin, so a plain while read p; do adb shell ...; done < list consumes the list after the first line and silently stops.

6. Verify the log against the device. pm list packages -u includes packages uninstalled for the user; the difference against pm list packages is the device's own record of what was removed and must match the log exactly:

comm -13 <(adb shell pm list packages | sed 's/^package://' | sort) \
         <(adb shell pm list packages -u | sed 's/^package://' | sort)

Protected — never removed¶

Anything matching com.samsung.android.knox*, *framework*, com.samsung.android.providers*, com.samsung.android.spen*, com.android.systemui, com.android.settings, com.samsung.android.dialer, com.samsung.android.honeyboard (the Samsung keyboard — com.sec.android.inputmethod no longer exists on One UI 6+), com.google.android.gms, com.android.vending, Samsung Notes and My Files.

Removed — 50 packages¶

Group	Packages
Samsung (27)	Samsung Free (`app.spage`), Bixby (`bixby.agent`, `bixby.wakeup`, `visionintelligence`), Tips, Game Launcher + Game Tools, Samsung Pass + Pass Autofill, Samsung Cloud, Kids (`kidsinstaller`, `kidshome`), TV Plus, AR Zone, AR Emoji ×2, Samsung Health (`com.sec.android.app.shealth`), Reminder, SmartThings (`oneconnect`), Continuity, Customization Service (`rubin.app`), Sticker Center, Smart Switch ×3 (`smartswitchassistant`, `easyMover`, `easyMover.Agent`), Global Goals (`com.samsung.sree`), PENUP, Samsung Members (`voc`), Samsung Messages, Samsung Contacts (app only — `providers.contacts` stays), Voice Recorder, Galaxy Store (`samsungapps`)
Promo / third-party (6)	Goodnotes, Spotify, LumaFusion, Clip Studio Paint, AccuBattery (not a Samsung preload — left by the refurbisher), Samsung Internet
Microsoft (2)	OneDrive (`skydrive`), Link to Windows (`appmanager`)
Google (10)	Play Movies, YouTube Music, Meet (`tachyon`), Messages, Photos, Drive (`apps.docs`), Gmail, Maps, Google app (`googlequicksearchbox`), Gemini (`apps.bard`)

com.samsung.android.game.gos (Game Optimizing Service) reports Success and then reinstalls itself within seconds — on One UI 8 the package manager treats it as persistent. It is harmless on a notes tablet and was left alone rather than fought.

The exact list, before/after inventories and the restore/re-apply scripts live on the MacBook at ~/Documents/tab-s9fe-plus-debloat/.

Kept on purpose¶

App	Package	Reason
Samsung Notes	`com.samsung.android.app.notes`	Primary note app. Lowest S Pen latency on this hardware, PDF import + annotation, handwriting/equation-to-text, fully offline with no account
Chrome	`com.android.chrome`	Browser. Samsung Internet was removed in its favour
Microsoft 365	`com.microsoft.office.officehubrow`	The only Word / PowerPoint / PDF viewer-editor kept; works with the college licence. Standalone Word also installed from Play
Outlook	`com.microsoft.office.outlook`	College email
My Files	`com.sec.android.app.myfiles`	Local file management (see the network-storage gotcha below)
Samsung keyboard, S Pen stack, Air Command	`honeyboard`, `spen*`, `service.aircommand`	Input
Calendar, Clock, Calculator, Gallery	—	Small, useful, no account
YouTube, Play Store, Play Services, WebView, TTS	—	Lecture videos + the plumbing everything else depends on

Installed from the Play Store afterwards: Tailscale, Material Files, Word.

Connecting to the Z2's `files` share¶

Why not My Files → Network storage¶

My Files' Network storage (SMB/FTP) feature is a separate plugin, com.samsung.android.app.networkstoragemanager, that is not preloaded on this unit (not before the OTA, not after). Without it My Files hides the option entirely — it does not appear in the sidebar or under Settings → Edit home. The plugin is only distributed through the Galaxy Store, which requires accepting Samsung's terms and, for downloads, a Samsung account. Rejected.

Material Files instead¶

Material Files (me.zhanghai.android.files, open source, Play Store) has native SMB support and, unlike My Files, registers as a system DocumentsProvider — the share shows up in every app's Open/Attach picker (Samsung Notes → Import, Microsoft 365, Chrome uploads), which is better integration than My Files would have given.

In Material Files: ☰ → Add storage → SMB server

Field	Value
Hostname	`z2mini.elk-kanyu.ts.net` (MagicDNS full name; `100.67.235.68` as fallback)
Port	`445`
Path	`files`
Name	`z2mini`
Authentication	Password
Username	`gabriel`
Domain	(empty — standalone Samba, no Windows domain)
Password	Samba password (the `smbpasswd` one, not the Linux login)

Repeat with path music for the music share if wanted. Tailscale must be connected on the tablet for any of this to resolve; on home Wi-Fi the LAN address also works.

Notes backup¶

Samsung Notes has no cloud sync without a Samsung account, so notebooks live only on the tablet. Anything worth keeping is exported manually: Notes → Share → Save as PDF file → Material Files → z2mini/files/.... That lands in /data/files on the Z2 and is covered by the nightly backup (05-backups.md).

Verifying¶

adb shell getprop ro.build.version.oneui     # 80500
adb shell pm list packages -u | wc -l        # total incl. removed
adb shell pm list packages    | wc -l        # active — difference should be 50
adb shell pm list packages com.samsung.android.app.notes com.android.chrome me.zhanghai.android.files com.tailscale.ipn

On the tablet: S Pen hover + Air Command button works; Samsung Notes imports a PDF; Material Files lists z2mini/files; Play Store opens (the canary for Google plumbing).

Restoring¶

Everything removed is still in the system image. Restore one package:

adb shell cmd package install-existing <pkg>

Restore all, or re-apply the debloat after a factory reset (a reset brings every package back):

~/Documents/tab-s9fe-plus-debloat/restore-all.sh
~/Documents/tab-s9fe-plus-debloat/remove-again.sh

Troubleshooting¶

adb devices shows unauthorized: - The RSA prompt on the tablet was dismissed. Unplug, replug, tap Allow. - If no prompt ever appears, USB debugging is off (Developer options).

Homebrew refuses to install anything (You have not agreed to the Xcode license): - sudo xcodebuild -license accept, then re-run the install.

Batch loop removes only the first package: - adb shell ate the loop's stdin. Use read -u 3 ... 3< list and </dev/null on the adb call.

A package reports Success but is still installed: - Persistent package (game.gos is the known one). Leave it.

"Network storage" missing from My Files: - Expected on this unit — see above. Use Material Files.

Material Files can't reach the share: - Tailscale disconnected (most common). Open the Tailscale app. - Short hostname z2mini failing — use the full z2mini.elk-kanyu.ts.net or the IP. - Domain field filled in — must be empty.

Samsung Free page gone but its dot lingers on the home screen: - Launcher setting, not a package. Long-press the home screen → swipe to the leftmost page → toggle off.

Decisions¶

Decision	Reasoning
`pm uninstall --user 0`, not root or a custom ROM	Reversible in one command, no Knox trip, OTA updates keep working. Root buys nothing here
Update firmware before debloating	Two years of missing patches on a device that carries a Tailscale key; and One UI 8 added Gemini and reshuffled packages — one pass against the final set instead of two
Samsung Notes over Goodnotes / Nebo	Native S Pen latency, no subscription, no account. Goodnotes' Android build lags iPad and needs its own account; Nebo remains an option if handwritten-math conversion is ever wanted
Chrome over Samsung Internet	Gabriel's preference; sync with the Google account already on the device
Keep Microsoft 365 + Outlook, drop OneDrive / Link to Windows	The college licence makes M365 the natural Office viewer; OneDrive and Link to Windows are the parts that phone home for nothing. Collabora Office was the zero-Microsoft alternative, not needed
Material Files over My Files for SMB	My Files' network plugin is Galaxy Store / Samsung-account gated on this unit; Material Files is open source, account-free and exposes the share to every app's file picker
Galaxy Store removed	Notes, My Files and the keyboard also update through Google Play. Restored once to check whether the network-storage plugin was downloadable without an account (it demands terms + account) and removed again