Problems Installing Apps From the Market? No Cure, But Here Are Some Suggestions

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In browsing around the forums on the vast interwebs out there, I've noticed this topic come up several times.  It seems that, occasionally, apps that you are trying to download from the Market just refuse to install.  It's a fairly frustrating issue that has happened to me several times with different apps.  From my perspective, there doesn't really seem to be a common denominator either.  However, I have noticed the issue more predominantly after upgrading to Froyo (Android 2.2) than prior.  

After doing some research, I've come up with a few tips on how to possibly rectify the problem.  None are guaranteed to work, but certainly something to try.

Just so you know, Google has had a support thread opened on this issue for a while.  There's not really any good troubleshooting info in it.  However, if you are running in to this problem, I would recommend posting about it there to help get some attention placed on this issue.

Here are some suggestions that may help overcome the problem:

1. If you repeatedly get download failed errors, try wiping both the cache and the data for the Market app on your phone.  To do this, press the menu button while on your home screen and select settings.  Next scroll to Applications and select it.  Tap on Manage Applications.  If you are running Froyo, make sure you tap on the All tab at the top.  Scroll down to Market and tap it.  Now, tap the Clear Cache button.  Next, tap the Clear Data button.
   • Note, the next time you open up the Market app, you will probably have to re-enter your gmail credentials.
2. If you are running Froyo, it's possible that the app you are trying to download defaults to installing on the SD card.  It seems that this may be part of the underlying issue.  You can force the app to install to internal phone memory a couple of different ways:
   • Power off your phone and physically remove the SD card.  Turn the phone back on, then try downloading the app.  If it works, you should be able to turn the phone off and reinsert the SD card after the installation completes.
   • Alternately, if you are rooted, you can try an app called Move2SD Enabler.  Within this app there's an option to set Android to force installs to internal memory by default.  Note that this app will only work on devices running Froyo.
3. If you are trying to update an app that resides on your SD card, try moving it back to phone memory and then updating.  
4. You can also try completely uninstalling the app that you are attempting to update and then reinstalling.  If the app is one you have paid for, don't worry, since the purchase is connected with your gmail account, the Market won't try to charge you again when you re-download it.

If all else fails, you can do a factory reset on your phone.  Yes, this is going to do exactly what you think it will.  It's going to pretty much blow everything on your phone away and start from scratch.  You will have to reconfigure all of your accounts, redownload apps, configure settings and preferences again, etc.  If there are any vital files on your phone, you must back them up to your PC by copying them to your SD card, and then to your PC via USB cable before doing this.

For most phones, you can perform a factory reset by doing the following:

1. From your home screen, press the menu button and select settings
2. Scroll down to SD & Phone Storage and tap it
3. Scroll down to Factory Data Reset and select it
4. Here's your last chance to back out.  If you are sure you want to continue, tap the Reset Phone button on the screen that comes up.  

Doing a factory reset is a pretty drastic option, but if you really, absolutely MUST play Angry Birds, this may just work for you.

If you have any other tips on troubleshooting this issue, please help us out and post them in the comments section below.