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[Q] Unlocking bootloader wipes SD storage: YES OR NO???

I'm seeing different answers in different threads. I need to reinstall 2.3.4 but have to go back to earlier version first. ClockworkMod was suggested to me but the only way to get that is to unlock the bootloader or root. And both of them wipe the SD storage, right?

EDIT
it does format

demo23019 said:
No
Unlocking and locking your bootloader will only reset your phone data not internal SD data
even if it did you could just copy everything to your PC
And you flash Clockwork recovery from bootloader screen after you unlock it doesn't require root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can I copy it? I lost USB connectivity, from the manual 2.3.4 install, which is why I'm trying to go back to an older version in the first place. No SD card on the NS. Are you sure it won't delete the SD storage? I have A LOT of picture(that were on a card before the NS) and I would DIE if I lost them; pretty much EVERY picture of my 8 month old baby. Have you done this personally and your SD data was intact?

I locked and unlocked and it did format my SD card. Maybe try getting the photos off through adb
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

edit my bad it does format
could always check this out
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=931865
jrocka01 said:
Have you done this personally and your SD data was intact?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recently sent my phone out for repair to Samsung i loaded stock rom and locked my bootloader and had to format my sd because after i did all that my data was still there
I just tried and lost my data so i hope you didn't listen to me

demo23019 said:
edit my bad it does format
could always check this out
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=931865
I recently sent my phone out for repair to Samsung i loaded stock rom and locked my bootloader and had to format my sd because after i did all that my data was still there
I just tried and lost my data so i hope you didn't listen to me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, still too much of a puss to pull the trigger. Thanks for letting me know for sure. Any other ideas?

no you're not a puss you would have lost everything..i felt bad after i double checked on my phone

Only time your SD is wiped is by fastboot UNLOCKING your boot loader. Locking it will keep your data intact. The other way of wiping your SD is by selecting format SD card in Clockwork. Moving between versions of Android does not wipe your SD. When I say SD, I mean your personal stuff like pictures, music, downloads etc.

peeturr said:
Only time your SD is wiped is by fastboot UNLOCKING your boot loader. Locking it will keep your data intact. The other way of wiping your SD is by selecting format SD card in Clockwork. Moving between versions of Android does not wipe your SD. When I say SD, I mean your personal stuff like pictures, music, downloads etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason I'm trying to go to an earlier version is because I lost USB connectivity after a manual 2.3.4 install, which means I can't access my SD storage. The only ways to do that are by 1)unlocking the bootloader or 2)rooting to put on CWM. Both of which wipe my SD storage. Or an I mistaken? Can you think of an alternative? Again, the key issue is NO USB CONNECTIVITY.

jrocka01 said:
The reason I'm trying to go to an earlier version is because I lost USB connectivity after a manual 2.3.4 install, which means I can't access my SD storage. The only ways to do that are by 1)unlocking the bootloader or 2)rooting to put on CWM. Both of which wipe my SD storage. Or an I mistaken? Can you think of an alternative? Again, the key issue is NO USB CONNECTIVITY.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried removing the device via device manager and reinstalling the appropriateusb driver? 2.3.4 doesn't have a non functional USB storage.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App

krohnjw said:
Have you tried removing the device via device manager and reinstalling the appropriateusb driver? 2.3.4 doesn't have a non functional USB storage.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's showing up as Unknown Device and when I try to update the drivers it says they're up to date. Do you manually install 2.3.4? Have you heard about this issue from anyone else?

When you say you lost usb connectivity, do you mean when in the bootloader? If so you need to install the drivers from PDAnet I believe. If you are having issues mounting the drive while the phone is on, try reinstalling the device/drivers after you uninstall, reboot and use another USB port.
Hope that helps. Otherwise, sorry to waste your time. Good luck.
EDIT: Now I think I follow what you are saying. I went into recovery to mount the SD card and NADA, then USB mass storage devices, NADA. Same issue as this post right? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1072884&page=2 One of the gents recommends disabling USB legacy devices in the BIOS but I am not so sure if that will help. I had this same issue on my EVO with another recovery.

Will erasing Internal Storage in TWRP give me any issues with flashing?

I might have to do this because my files are everywhere, and possibly to have a clean start. I'm backing things up, but if I wipe internal storage, will it give me an issue if I try to flash a rom and gapps?

I believe this will delete your recovery too so you will have to push your recovery back on to your phone using adb.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Recon0212 said:
I might have to do this because my files are everywhere, and possibly to have a clean start. I'm backing things up, but if I wipe internal storage, will it give me an issue if I try to flash a rom and gapps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you wipe data in twrp it wipes the internal card now.
Learned this the hard way that they fixed it. Thankfully I don't keep anything important on their and keep it on my external card.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

I accidently wiped my internal storage on my S3 and don't have an SD card. Can I flash a new ROM using my PC? Or am I ****ed?

DroidNewbcake said:
I accidently wiped my internal storage on my S3 and don't have an SD card. Can I flash a new ROM using my PC? Or am I ****ed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you can side load a ROM that's downloaded on your PC, or you can push a ROM to your internal storage with ADB. There's definitely a few guides on how to do it in this forum.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Yeah. Wiping and formatting your /system or any internal directories is lovely for a fresh and stable start... just need to have a ROM on your eternal SD card, haha. I've done this several time, forgetting about having a ROM to flash afterwards. LOL.

Just get an external card, have the ROM and flash it from there. Makes everything way easier!

Unable to detect/read from internal SD card

Hi all, I am posting this on behalf of my friend who has faced a problem with his Galaxy 3. This is the problem as described by him:
"When I look into settings>storage, it shows that the total space of the internal memory is 0, I can't install any apps and it do a factory reset every boot
here is what I have done to solve this problem:
use odin to flash to stock rom
use heimdall to flash to stock rom
wipe data, factory reset
reboot
format /cache, /system, /sd-ext
also, I am unable to clear dalvik cache"
Any ideas how to solve this? I have advised him to mount /SDcard or usb storage but to no avail. The internal SD card can be read from Mini partition wizard and it is formatted to FAT32. Thanks in advance for the help.

ballsofsteel said:
Hi all, I am posting this on behalf of my friend who has faced a problem with his Galaxy 3. This is the problem as described by him:
"When I look into settings>storage, it shows that the total space of the internal memory is 0, I can't install any apps and it do a factory reset every boot
here is what I have done to solve this problem:
use odin to flash to stock rom
use heimdall to flash to stock rom
wipe data, factory reset
reboot
format /cache, /system, /sd-ext
also, I am unable to clear dalvik cache"
Any ideas how to solve this? I have advised him to mount /SDcard or usb storage but to no avail. The internal SD card can be read from Mini partition wizard and it is formatted to FAT32. Thanks in advance for the help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are u sure that although you formatted / system your phone booted
I was under the impression that doing that deleted the /system completely
Sent from my GT-I5800 using xda premium

Arjav23 said:
Are u sure that although you formatted / system your phone booted
I was under the impression that doing that deleted the /system completely
Sent from my GT-I5800 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the /system is deleted completely as you said, then is there any solution to it?
(I am the 'friend' mentioned in this thread, just signed up in XDA)

lastingfreedom said:
If the /system is deleted completely as you said, then is there any solution to it?
(I am the 'friend' mentioned in this thread, just signed up in XDA)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash a Rom
Sent from my GT-I5800 using xda premium

Arjav23 said:
Flash a Rom
Sent from my GT-I5800 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if his /sdcard stuff is gone and he can't read the phone from a computer it's not really an option. Any other solutions?

ballsofsteel said:
Well if his /sdcard stuff is gone and he can't read the phone from a computer it's not really an option. Any other solutions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when flashing in Odin, I was stuck in the setup connection part, then it failed, the only way to flash is by CWM, if I can flash to stock with CWM, then I think it can solve the problem

ballsofsteel said:
Well if his /sdcard stuff is gone and he can't read the phone from a computer it's not really an option. Any other solutions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Computer will read phone even if there is
No sd card
lastingfreedom said:
when flashing in Odin, I was stuck in the setup connection part, then it failed, the only way to flash is by CWM, if I can flash to stock with CWM, then I think it can solve the problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try turning on USB debugging and then flash
Sent from my GT-I5800 using xda premium

ballsofsteel said:
Hi all, I am posting this on behalf of my friend who has faced a problem with his Galaxy 3. This is the problem as described by him:
"When I look into settings>storage, it shows that the total space of the internal memory is 0, I can't install any apps and it do a factory reset every boot
here is what I have done to solve this problem:
use odin to flash to stock rom
use heimdall to flash to stock rom
wipe data, factory reset
reboot
format /cache, /system, /sd-ext
also, I am unable to clear dalvik cache"
Any ideas how to solve this? I have advised him to mount /SDcard or usb storage but to no avail. The internal SD card can be read from Mini partition wizard and it is formatted to FAT32. Thanks in advance for the help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to solve 0 kb problem just flash the zerofill tar by hillbeast. just download the attachment from below, extact the zip file and flash it via odin.Remove your sim card and sd card before flashing.

Arjav23 said:
Computer will read phone even if there is
No sd card
Try turning on USB debugging and then flash
Sent from my GT-I5800 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am sure USB debugging is on, the computer can read my phone's external SD only, the internal SD can only be read by a software called mini partition wizard
avinash19 said:
to solve 0 kb problem just flash the zerofill tar by hillbeast. just download the attachment from below, extact the zip file and flash it via odin.Remove your sim card and sd card before flashing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tried your solution already, as mentioned above, I was stucked in the setup connection part of odin and I can just flash with CWM (not even heimdall)

lastingfreedom said:
I am sure USB debugging is on, the computer can read my phone's external SD only, the internal SD can only be read by a software called mini partition wizard
I have tried your solution already, as mentioned above, I was stucked in the setup connection part of odin and I can just flash with CWM (not even heimdall)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash joy OS
See if problem persists
Sent from my GT-I5800 using xda premium

[Q] sd card deleted after reset?

Hi,
I just installed CM11. After booting it said something about wrong system UIDs, so I did a factory reset to fix it. It worked, but now I can't find my backups on my sd card, it seems to be empty. Did the factory reset delete my sd card?
Edit: I just tried to restore my backup in recovery mode, but it says "no files found". Did the factory reset even delete my system backup??

Only stock recovery wipes /sdcard
It you had official cwn, they were never on your sdcard. They we're in /data/media
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

rootSU said:
Only stock recovery wipes /sdcard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that's why it was the first thing I did after buying my Nexus.
It you had official cwn, they were never on your sdcard. They we're in /data/media
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
/data/media is empty, too!

Don't know what to tell ya...
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

But why was my sd card deleted if I didn't do a stock recovery wipe? I have CWM recovery installed!

Refer to previous post
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Yes, you said only stock recovery wipe deletes sd card. But I don't have stock recovery and still my whole sd card was deleted. I don't get it.

Nor do I. Like I said "Don't know what to tell ya"
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Oh, sorry, I missunderstood that.

I use twrp and it definitely can wipe an SD card.
From what I see on screenshots here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/ClockworkMod_Recovery
CWM can also format(which wipes all the data) SD Card.
I copy backup from my sd card to my computer after every successful backup, because i've already been in your shoes when sd card wiped out.

It's weird because on my old HTC Desire my sd card was never deleted.

igchy said:
I use twrp and it definitely can wipe an SD card.
From what I see on screenshots here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/ClockworkMod_Recovery
CWM can also format(which wipes all the data) SD Card.
I copy backup from my sd card to my computer after every successful backup, because i've already been in your shoes when sd card wiped out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ALL custom recoveries can wipe the /sdcard. That's not what we're saying. Only stock includes this in the standard "factory reset / wipe data" option.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
---------- Post added at 10:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:05 AM ----------
gartenriese said:
It's weird because on my old HTC Desire my sd card was never deleted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC desire had an actual /sdcard. The Nexus 5's sdcard resides within /data which is what a factory reset always wipes.... but custom recovery understands the importance of not wiping /sdcard as a rooted user under factory reset so ensure /sdcard is not wiped.
Although all this seems irrelevant for you as your data appears to be gone
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

rootSU said:
Although all this seems irrelevant for you as your data appears to be gone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. Thanks for the clarification though!

[PSA] Corrupt SD Card Issue On Some Roms

Okay so I have been noticing many people on each and every rom thread that they are experiencing a corrupt SD card issue. The problem occurs when adoptable storage is not enabled. Many people here seem to not want to jump to adoptable storage but there is no reason not to if you keep it inside your phone.... If you would like to never experience the "Corrupt SD" issue ever again and keep all your files (full twrp support) then follow these steps
Rom with corrupt sd issue:
1. Boot twrp
2. Copy all files from sd card to computer via USB.
3. Boot rom and format sdcard make sure it is adopt able storage or it might recorupt
4. Boot twrp
5. Move all files from computer to sd card via USB
6. Boot Rom and enjoy all your files
Rom without "Corrupt SD" issue:
1. Copy all files from phone to computer via USB while in Tom
2. Format as adobtable
3. Boot twrp
4. Move all files from computer to sdcard
Freedom to install any rom
You NEVER need to format one of those SD Cards again

"There is no reason not to if you keep it inside your phone.".... Are you sure? What if I need to reflash a rom or change rom? I'll need a full wipe, losing photo's camera an other files. I like the adoptable storage, but for reasons like that I had to use my memory as external.

[email protected] said:
"There is no reason not to if you keep it inside your phone.".... Are you sure? What if I need to reflash a rom or change rom? I'll need a full wipe, losing photo's camera an other files. I like the adoptable storage, but for reasons like that I had to use my memory as external.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No you won't you don't need to wipe the sd card with Rom changes/reflashes! It's 100% twrp compatible
Sent from my XT1575 using XDA Labs

Wiping does not touch storage.

WelcomeToTheSkye said:
No you won't you don't need to wipe the sd card with Rom changes/reflashes! It's 100% twrp compatible
Sent from my XT1575 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yay!! In this case, I can format my sd right now .

lafester said:
Wiping does not touch storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did it. But how I can access the files? I can not find with the file browser

[email protected] said:
I did it. But how I can access the files? I can not find with the file browser
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is now "sdcard" they merged p
Sent from my XT1575 using XDA Labs

WelcomeToTheSkye said:
It is now "sdcard" they merged p
Sent from my XT1575 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Using the option "migrate data to sdcard now I can see it

....what about a corrupted card AFTER adoptable storage was set..??