I wanted to wipe my phone back to stock, so I did a Factory data reset in the Setting>Power menu. After it completed I connected the phone in disk drive mode, but it still had many of my old app folders in the root.
How can I get rid of these folders and go back to how I got my phone from ATT?
you can flash the RUU thats in the dev forums, it should wipe the phone.
i haven't tried to wipe this phone yet, but on my gnex, iirc, there was an option when you asked it to wipe to remove all personal data as well. i'll have to check for it on my 1x after i finish flashing the new RUU to it.
edit:
i looked again, it's in settings / storage. in there it has options to wipe saved data from the apps partition as well as the sdcard partition, and also the factory wipe.
Related
Hey,
I'm selling my phone to some random guy and I'm wondering whats the best way to wipe the phone? I dont really care about the apps , but i care that all the data is erased (passwords, wifi passwords, notes, texts, pictures). All the stuff that I need to keep has already been backed up onto my desktop so now its just a matter of finding the best way to delete everything on the phone, WITHOUT IT BEING ABLE TO GET RESTORED (I.E THROUGH TITANIUM).
What would be the best way to do this?
Thanks.
Factory reset
in recovery:
to wipe your internal memory (which should wipe your settings, passwords, etc), wipe data/factory reset.
to wipe the sdcard (which holds your notes, pictures, etc), you can format it (if you are using clockworkmod, there is an option under "mounts and storage" that allows you to format the sdcard. if you are using another recovery such as amonra, i am not exactly sure if there is such an option; if there isnt an option for this, you can just partition your sdcard into two partitions, and repartition back to one partition).
I remember there were apps that Did zero formatting (I think that's what it was called) for the old Palm Treos.
You might want to do some search. I'm sure someone has thought of it already.
I flashed CleanRom 5.0 the other day, along with the new Modem and RPM. I was previously stock and rooted ICS. I no longer have the ability to use DLNA, and searching the CleanRom thread in the Developement section it looks like it might be because I did not install the Allshare app when installing the ROM.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=30877701&postcount=1131
I want to go through the install again, but have a few questions, but don't have the authority to post in the ROM thread. Just want to make sure I go through the right steps.
Do I just need to boot into CWM recovery and do a system wipe, cache wipe and delvik cache wipe, then reflash and install the ROM with the options I want?
Do I need to reflash the Modem and RPM?
Also, in this post, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=34675681&postcount=7511
Scott states at the bottom "3. Restoring data form ICS is highly discouraged but I dont th ink would cause any screen jitters."
Does this mean that I should not restore my User Apps & Data that were backed up using Titanium Backup Pro from my original ICS ROM? I can re-download my apps from the Playstore, but it really easy to do with Titanium BU. I restored my User Apps & Data this way after originally flashing CleanRom 5.0, and didn't notice any issues, but want to make sure I do things the right way this time. I did not restore any system apps & data, just user apps & data.
Any help/input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for helping a rookie out!
Boot into CWM, wipe data then flash the ROM the way you want. You don't have to flash RPM or Modem again. Just restore your apps and their data. Don't restore any system data (never should).
This what you needed?
Yes, that is perfect, and what I thought. Just wanted to make sure. Thanks!
I do have a few other questions that I would like to have answered:
With the CleanRom installed, am I going to get prompted for the Verizon OTA updates when they get pushed out? I assume not.
Not saying I want to go back to my stock/rooted ICS which I made a nandroid of, but if I did decide to restore that nandroid, it restores the Modem and RPM that go with that ROM, correct? Or will I need to find and flash these?
Thanks
The OTA is disabled in CleanROM. Nandroid backup should copy everythng.
Got another question regarding data wiping.
In section 2 of this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1762709
states "Step 5: Wipe Data/Factory reset, then under the "mounts & storage" menu Format System."
In all the threads I have read I see folks state to do a data wipe/factory reset, wipe cache, and wipe dalvik cache. I have only seen the "Format System" in this thread.
The reason I ask, I just went through the process of re-flashing CleanRom 5.0 and did the data wipe/factory reset, wipe cache, and wipe dalvik cache and when I go into my file explorer, I see folders from before doing a data wipe.
I assumed a "data wipe/factory reset" would delete all this info from the internal sd card bringing it to a clean factory setting. Looking at the "Mount and Storage Menu" in CWM, there is the option "format /system", "format /sdcard" among others.
I guess I would like to know if a "format /system" is required, and would this get rid of old data, or is a "format /sdcard" the right thing to do?
Formatting system is a matter of preference to be honest. You don't realize this but by flashing CleanRom 5, Scrosler (that roms dev) has the rom automatically format /system before it installs. You'll notice it does so if you watch and read it as its installing although it does say this in passing. So to answer your question, it already formatted /system as it installed BUT this isn't the case with every rom.
When you "wipe data" and flash a rom, all you're deleting is the software on the phone itself not the data saved to your internal or external sd card UNLESS you manually select "format sd card" in the process. All your photos/movies/etc are untouched otherwise it would delete all this data and therefore you would not be able to flash anything because your internal storage was already wiped/empty. Make sense?
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
That helps. Thanks. I'm picking up the info little by little, but there is a lot to learn.
08G8V8 said:
That helps. Thanks. I'm picking up the info little by little, but there is a lot to learn.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, I do agree but if you stick around long enough you'll pick up quite a bit. There are a lot of helpful threads here and helpful people at that.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
I recently reset my phone using the steps outlined in verizons preferred and alternate method with the same results. I made sure to uncheck the box to allow google to backup and restore my files/preferences/apps. But when i look on the phone storage there are remnants of OLD programs (folders) and a couple of pictures, all of which i had assumed would be gone after the factory reset. What did i do wrong? How do i know which folders the phone actually uses, and which are crap that i can delete?
A factory reset won't clear your internal storage. Your best bet is to backup everything you need off of the internal storage, and then delete everything and restore what you backed up.
so hypothetically, everything listed in "device storage" when browsing the phone files is not required for the phone to work? I delete everything in the device storage and still factory reset the phone?
EDIT: WHO KNEW! i deleted the files in storage and it still went through the factory reset just fine. i now have a phone again, not a brick. TY. I guess i was just too cowardly to try it without asking first.
Correct, some apps store data on the internal storage, and that is the folders you are seeing. If you delete them all anything that is coming from an app you use will be recreated when it is needed.
Aside from the pee-stain at the bottom of the phone I did notice one thing. When you do a factory reset (and select/check that deleting userdata is okay) it does not:
• delete sdcard data
• remove user settings for apps/wifi
• restore modified system files (hosts, etc...)
• root remains as well
Is there actually a way to do a proper reset and have it restore things as it should? In line with that how do I securely erase the data if possible so in given it to a family or it ends up on some truck with Avast that the data can't be restored?
Thanks!
windraker said:
Aside from the pee-stain at the bottom of the phone I did notice one thing. When you do a factory reset (and select/check that deleting userdata is okay) it does not:
• delete sdcard data
• remove user settings for apps/wifi
• restore modified system files (hosts, etc...)
• root remains as well
Is there actually a way to do a proper reset and have it restore things as it should? In line with that how do I securely erase the data if possible so in given it to a family or it ends up on some truck with Avast that the data can't be restored?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WTF? Factory reset does not actually factory reset..? This seems like a huge bug with CM11... Especially the part about the lack of deletion in the SD card and user settings.
an_xda said:
WTF? Factory reset does not actually factory reset..? This seems like a huge bug with CM11... Especially the part about the lack of deletion in the SD card and user settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. I had rooted the phone and while I think I lost root; the modified hosts file I changed (http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm) was still there as well as the entire SD card contents. It remembered my home wifi as well because I looked in settings and it showed my home one as "out of range"
Not sure if it's a bug or by design as I haven't tried flashing the stock image yet.
For a complete factory reset that will erase everything. Everything! You can do a factory reset from the boot loader. (Restart or power on phone and hold down the volume down button, scroll to factory reset, push power button) or from TRWP data reset, it makes you confirm and type "yes"
I reset my phone through the boot loader on accident a couple times and wanted to kick my dog.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Free mobile app
You guys do know that factory resetting only formats the data partition excluding the /data/media directory. This is not a bug. It wouldn't need to do anything to the system partition of you don't root. And it's not able to restore the system partition without a system image and where are you going to store that? In the system partition? All user settings including apps and WiFi settings are stored on the data partition will actually be wiped unless when you log into your Google account you select restore from backup. There's no reason you would want to delete storage too when factory resetting unless you want to sell the phone and you can delete that in so many ways since it's your storage.
Sent from my TouchPad using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
cannonofcourse said:
For a complete factory reset that will erase everything. Everything! You can do a factory reset from the boot loader. (Restart or power on phone and hold down the volume down button, scroll to factory reset, push power button) or from TRWP data reset, it makes you confirm and type "yes"
I reset my phone through the boot loader on accident a couple times and wanted to kick my dog.
Sent from my HTC One using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Jack of Clubs said:
You guys do know that factory resetting only formats the data partition excluding the /data/media directory. This is not a bug. It wouldn't need to do anything to the system partition of you don't root. And it's not able to restore the system partition without a system image and where are you going to store that? In the system partition? All user settings including apps and WiFi settings are stored on the data partition will actually be wiped unless when you log into your Google account you select restore from backup. There's no reason you would want to delete storage too when factory resetting unless you want to sell the phone and you can delete that in so many ways since it's your storage.
Sent from my TouchPad using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you both Tried that and worked. Wanted to restore the hosts file to stock but couldn't find the original again. (didn't think to extract factory rom files on cyangen site)
The solution is in their FAQ.
so wait... if i factory reset from twrp... will my internal sd.. i.e. music.. and other files also get deleted?
abhimanyu bajaj said:
so wait... if i factory reset from twrp... will my internal sd.. i.e. music.. and other files also get deleted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.
Transmitted via Bacon
timmaaa said:
No.
Transmitted via Bacon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and if i flash a new rom... will it be deleted?
abhimanyu bajaj said:
and if i flash a new rom... will it be deleted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just flashing the ROM by itself will not wipe data or internal storage, but you may encounter bugs (it's called dirty flashing). The best way to get a bug-less ROM is to clean flash which means wiping every partition. The only one that should be OK is internal so you don't have to wipe that one when clean flashing.
abhimanyu bajaj said:
and if i flash a new rom... will it be deleted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, flashing a ROM doesn't wipe user data. When flashing a new ROM it's best to wipe system, data, cache, and dalvik cache, but it isn't necessary to wipe (internal storage) user data.
Newbie XDA member
I change my phone original bootanimation and then i get No Command when i factor reset .. Nothing Happend how do just restore my (/system) /system/media bootanimation.zip ... other way to fix this thing i have pc >?
Hi all,
I know phone SD cards are generally very hard to recover once wiped, all the same, I wanted to make sure.
Wiped Data through custom recovery
Wiped Caches
Installed stock OS
Restored stock recovery
Wiped
Are these enough steps to sure the phone is secure and no data can be recovered? Thanks.
If you want to fully wipe phone before sale security, try phone data eraser tool. Such tool can help us wipe all information on phone without recovery and make it like a new one. Then there is no need to worry about data leaked. Just search it online and choose the one you like. Good luck to you.
The same zero out technique I use for hdds, with a 5 pound sledge; flatten completely and then some.
Sometimes a oxyacetylene cutting torch... a nice bonfire gets it too.
Zero chance of data recovery and fun to do
ph3n0m. said:
Hi all,
I know phone SD cards are generally very hard to recover once wiped, all the same, I wanted to make sure.
Wiped Data through custom recovery
Wiped Caches
Installed stock OS
Restored stock recovery
Wiped
Are these enough steps to sure the phone is secure and no data can be recovered? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As @blackhawk mentioned: Overwriting Android's user-space several times with zeroes is fully enough. You even can do this by means of ADB.
I always just plug up to my laptop and do a: sudo fastboot -w
I've sold quite a few devices of mine over the years since Android began and t.ive always just did a format data using fastboot.
If you had some super top secret information on there maybe use some type of cleaner software program like another user here already mentioned. I've never used anything like that but I've read about them over the years online. I think a ./flash-all.sh and and not removing the fastboot -w flag is enough though, but that's just me. There are things you can purchase that will supposedly wipe it to where three is no possible way of anything ever being retrieved.
One of the most thorough ways to wipe the Android device is the factory reset.
The f actory reset deletes the complete relevant data - both the system settings data and the user settings and user data. The system applications are reset to the delivery state.
The factory reset deletes all subfolders of data (only lost+found remains) and deletes cache/dalvik-cache.