Factory reset erases everything? - Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Will a factory reset erase everything in the internal (16gb or 32gb) ie, pictures, music, and/or other data? Or does it just reset the rom only?

really? I answered this in the other thread you asked it no need to create another thread

fatboypup said:
really? I answered this in the other thread you asked it no need to create another thread
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I understand but I figured Id ask in general section so the ones who actually have the device (international) can confirm since no one in the Sprint thread has the s3 yet. You did answer in regards to the s2 and do appreciate the reply.

If you do it in settings it will wipe everything including pictures

On the galaxy Note, when you did the reset under settings it ask you to check USB. which did wipe everythin....i have not seen this in sgs3 it just asked to reset and then clear all. but all my folders and app data where still there.
so in order to do a REAL wipe, i use clock work mode and just format cache, format system and format data.
the one in the setting menu SHOULD wipe everything though.

the2rrell said:
On the galaxy Note, when you did the reset under settings it ask you to check USB. which did wipe everythin....i have not seen this in sgs3 it just asked to reset and then clear all. but all my folders and app data where still there.
so in order to do a REAL wipe, i use clock work mode and just format cache, format system and format data.
the one in the setting menu SHOULD wipe everything though.
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I have done it and it said everything will be erased including photos. All I had on the internal, themes, custom roms disappeared

Factory reset returns the device to factory default settings, in other words it wipes the entire data partition.

i have had to send two s 3s back .
i have factory reset both and yes it wipes everything except external sd

delsus said:
Factory reset returns the device to factory default settings, in other words it wipes the entire data partition.
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Click to collapse
And all the rest, data partition doesn´t has its own partition anymore

sewe said:
And all the rest, data partition doesn´t has its own partition anymore
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Click to collapse
Damn I need to get up to date, damn my phone.

YES!
Any factory reset will delete all your stuff on your phone unless you have a sd card. An sd card is completely apart from your phone. Hope that helped man and god bless! Go androids!

512jmann10 said:
Any factory reset will delete all your stuff on your phone unless you have a sd card. An sd card is completely apart from your phone. Hope that helped man and god bless! Go androids!
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Click to collapse
Sort of, it didn´t do that on sgs, sgs2 and other samsung phones before.
They have separate data partitions that are erased and all the rest remains

delsus said:
Factory reset returns the device to factory default settings, in other words it wipes the entire data partition.
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Click to collapse
Useful thread
Will a factory reset restore a rooted phone to its previous un-rooted status?
Dont think its that simple

No, the /system/ partition will remain as-is. Only the cache and data partition are formatted.
Unrooting is not that difficult. Ok somewhat more difficult than this but still 5 minutes away...

Why do people post questions in general... I don't get it.. and no, a "general" question is not what this section is for. :banghead:
sent from my Galaxy S III

If you want to erase everything, you need to go to settings/storage, and format the internal sd after you do the factory reset.

Thanks guys for the reply. Its a bummer that it wipes everything as I do not want to have to back up things in the internal. The hard part too is when backing up game data. They're all over the place and sometimes I can't tell what the app is just by the folder name. Then you have to back up picture videos etc. Then having to transfer them back to the phone later if you do end up factory resetting. I'm hoping there will be a way around it later on. I could use GL to SD so game data are stored in the external SD but this means getting a 32gb S3 is kind of a waste but at least its already backed up in the card.
And I apologize for putting this in the general thread...it was too late by the time I posted so I couldnt change. Mod can move to Q&A if it needs to be there.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2

Related

Hard Reset - Resets Internal Memory? Really?

All,
I just performed a Hard Reset afterI bricked my SGT using Supercharger and to my surprise all the data from internal storage was erased too. How stupid is that?
Samsung could have been smarter and prevented that.
Well thats what a hard reset is, otherwise its called a soft reset.....
This isnt something new
DT3CH said:
Well thats what a hard reset is, otherwise its called a soft reset.....
This isnt something new
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Click to collapse
I am not talking about the ROM memory, of course it is cleared and the ROM is reloaded, how stupid do you think I am?
I was talking about the memory that you use for storing data. I had my Music and apks on the Tab's \sdcard and all is gone after a hard reset - this is total stupidity on Samsung's side.
Szadzik said:
I am not talking about the ROM memory, of course it is cleared and the ROM is reloaded, how stupid do you think I am?
I was talking about the memory that you use for storing data. I had my Music and apks on the Tab's \sdcard and all is gone after a hard reset - this is total stupidity on Samsung's side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well ya since it only has 1 internal card for storage, what do you expect, on a phone its not as much of an issue since you generally have an external SD card too....
Its the same as formatting a partition on your computer, so same thinking applies, back up your data elsewhere
Ya. Wouldn't you use the hard reset function to wipe the device before giving it away or sending it in for repair or something. I would expect that so that data didn't get into someone else's hands.
Not to mention when you choose factory data reset it tells you that it will erase all data including accounts, music, etc...
The main thing here is that Honeycomb devices does not have a real fat32 formatted sdcard partition. The sdcard is emulated from a part of the /data partition that is in ext4 if i understand correct.
This is also why it mounts as a MTP device instead of a drive in Windows.
I was also suprised the first time i did a factory reset, i was used to my old Galaxy S phone and there the sdcard was never wiped with a factory reset.
/qsec
qsec said:
The main thing here is that Honeycomb devices does not have a real fat32 formatted sdcard partition. The sdcard is emulated from a part of the /data partition that is in ext4 if i understand correct.
This is also why it mounts as a MTP device instead of a drive in Windows.
I was also suprised the first time i did a factory reset, i was used to my old Galaxy S phone and there the sdcard was never wiped with a factory reset.
/qsec
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Exactly what Iwas thinking as previously memory was never cleared on my Android devices, just the ROM. This is totally stupid. Now I have to carry a card reader and an SD card with my stuff so that if I have to do a hard reset on the go I can restore it from the card - stupid again. Some will say use dropbox, and I will say: Have you ever tried downloading 200MB when roaming? DO you have a wallet that fat?
I'm pretty sure that in cwm recovery the "sdcard" won't be erased when doing a factory reset. Only the stock recovery will delete your "sdcard". I too had to wipe after flashing some mod and my /sdcard wasn't touched when I remember correctly.
gokpog said:
I'm pretty sure that in cwm recovery the "sdcard" won't be erased when doing a factory reset. Only the stock recovery will delete your "sdcard". I too had to wipe after flashing some mod and my /sdcard wasn't touched when I remember correctly.
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Thanks, I have to try that.
qsec said:
The main thing here is that Honeycomb devices does not have a real fat32 formatted sdcard partition. The sdcard is emulated from a part of the /data partition that is in ext4 if i understand correct.
This is also why it mounts as a MTP device instead of a drive in Windows.
I was also suprised the first time i did a factory reset, i was used to my old Galaxy S phone and there the sdcard was never wiped with a factory reset.
/qsec
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uhhh anytime Ive done a hard reset on my SGS, it wipes the internal card....
Yes for my understanding the stock recovery will erase everything instead of using the cwm recovery.this would never touch your sdcard. Regards
Relaxxer
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

Full reset.?

I tried to reset my phone to factory state but after i flashed everything.. all my files were still there..
I tried to format my sdcard internal&external, no good..
Tells me that its formating but nothing happens, and my external card isnt recognized any more by the phone just says "card is blank".
How do i fix this?how do i fully reset my phone and the sdcard?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Post belongs Q&A
TRY
Clean Slate for those that balls up the firmware .Or need to return to service or decide if its hardware/firmware problem .
Backup data first if phone is working .
Boot CWM recovery
Mounts and Storage
Format cache data system sd card .
Remove battery
Boot to download mode
Open Odin
Install correct stock firmware .
Still problems use usb jig to set rom counter to zero .
Return to service centre .
I did the full wipe from cwm but didnt flash after it...
I will try it now an post result, thx.. any way
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Worked. It did cleaned my internal sdcard..
I have another pesky problem,
I have whatsapp installed and i cant use a shortcut from contact to send via whatsapp.
Any thought? This problem stayed after factory reset ...
Sent from my GT-I9100
hielo_te said:
I tried to reset my phone to factory state but after i flashed everything.. all my files were still there..
I tried to format my sdcard internal&external, no good..
Tells me that its formating but nothing happens, and my external card isnt recognized any more by the phone just says "card is blank".
How do i fix this?how do i fully reset my phone and the sdcard?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you really want to wipe your device, press:
*2767*3855#
WARNING, there is no confirmation, when you pres the last digit "#", everything is gone for good... Make a backup first, this code wipes your whole SD and formats it to factory defaults, i "think" only the external sd is untouched, not sure, you'd better remove it before typing the code.
Hope it helps
spsf said:
If you really want to wipe your device, press:
*2767*3855#
WARNING, there is no confirmation, when you pres the last digit "#", everything is gone for good... Make a backup first, this code wipes your whole SD and formats it to factory defaults, i "think" only the external sd is untouched, not sure, you'd better remove it before typing the code.
Hope it helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there any different between this method (*2767*3855# ) and by going in to settings ->privat --> factory reset? If so, what's the different (im not sarcastic, i really want to know)
thank you,
from memory, a factory reset via android's menu only wipes /data and /cache (plus a few other things like the android_secure, .cache and sd-ext folders) but leaves your internal and external SD intact.
the service code is the "real deal" and wipes everything that's mounted. Why don't you try it and tell us the results? I hear lots of good about it... ^^
Snakeforhire said:
from memory, a factory reset via android's menu only wipes /data and /cache (plus a few other things like the android_secure, .cache and sd-ext folders) but leaves your internal and external SD intact.
the service code is the "real deal" and wipes everything that's mounted. Why don't you try it and tell us the results? I hear lots of good about it... ^^
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, i leave it to someone els. Do you know if this method also erase the root or not?
nope, /system partition remains as is (including all the files that were installed to it, but there aren't that many of them. Most third-party files get written to /data, which is also wiped. There might remain a few .conf files in .etc though, but it's rarely a problem -especially for rooted users, since we're used to completely wipe everything including /system when flashing a new stock ROM )
Use the service code or as JJEgan said:
Boot CWM recovery,
go to Mounts and Storage,
Format cache, data, system and sd card.
^^both of these methods do the same thing and will wipe everything that has been changed by the user.
Good Luck.
I performed the *2767*3855# method but yet on first start up im still seeing a background from a old rom ive flashed to it? Why is this? Is there any way to completely nuke everything on the phone? and just start flashing things back onto it?
Help
Hi how do I completly set my phone back to original unrooted status?
I have read up on so much but I seem to have made a right mess of my phone.
I can't unroot it no matter what I do, I put the original kernal back on through odin but it is still rooted but it got rid of yellow triangle.
The phone works ok and boots up but even the usb jig won't reset the counter, just boots into recovery mode.
I'm at the point as I don't know what I have done anymore.
Please help someone.

Factory Reset Doesnt Delete Internal SD Files.

Hellow,
Well i have done a factory Reset and Wipe Partiition/cache from Sgh-i727 Recovery Mode (Stock Rom) and i still can see all the files that i have in internal SD Card. The phone has return to factory settings, but the data still remains. I have already done a Back Up of all my files using Titanium Back up but the problem still remains 6 GBS of information i had before the reset 6 GB i have now after the reset.
Any Ideas? Does not suppose to erase all the data the factory reset function?
Thank you
Constanine.
1. Factory reset will NOT touch your internal SD partition, meaning all your personal stuffs as well as some folders created by apps will be intact.
2. If you want to wipe all those, try do format usb or something.
3. This is for i777, not i727.
Oh i see. Thank you very much for your answer. To do a format to Internal SD Card what i am supposed to do? Sorry for the wrong thread.
dreico33 said:
Oh i see. Thank you very much for your answer. To do a format to Internal SD Card what i am supposed to do? Sorry for the wrong thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Type "format SD" into Google and see.
From me to you.
None of the custom recoveries will wipe sdcard in recovery unless you specifically wipe it in the menus. Theres an entire option just for that purpose
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

My photos popped up on loaned phone

A friend of mine had her phone stolen, so I loaned her my old rooted Rezound. I had wiped, factory resetted a million times, both in recovery, and through the phone settings. There were no images, no pictures, no files at all on the phone. When she logged in and set it up, my pictures came up in her VZ Backup files. How did this happen?
tmettler5 said:
A friend of mine had her phone stolen, so I loaned her my old rooted Rezound. I had wiped, factory resetted a million times, both in recovery, and through the phone settings. There were no images, no pictures, no files at all on the phone. When she logged in and set it up, my pictures came up in her VZ Backup files. How did this happen?
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Click to collapse
Did you wipe the internal SD Card also?
mjones73 said:
Did you wipe the internal SD Card also?
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Click to collapse
tmettler5 said:
both in recovery, and through the phone settings. There were no images, no pictures, no files at all on the phone.
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Click to collapse
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using xda app-developers app
Factory resetting doesn't clear the internal storage nor the SD Card. Depending on how OP wiped the phone, it may have been missed also. You have to specifically format both of those. I was asking if the OP did just that.
mjones73 said:
Factory resetting doesn't clear the internal storage nor the SD Card. Depending on how OP wiped the phone, it may have been missed also. You have to specifically format both of those. I was asking if the OP did just that.
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Click to collapse
I did not specifically do that, no.
tmettler5 said:
I did not specifically do that, no.
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Click to collapse
oh well dude. you said no files were on the phone, if you had deleted the pictures from both sd cards and still did a factory reset than all pictures should be gone
when you said "There were no images, no pictures, no files at all on the phone." i thought you had either did a factory reset than cleared the sd cards in recovery or manually cleared the sd cards than factory reset
sorry for the confusion there @mjones73
bunchies said:
oh well dude. you said no files were on the phone, if you had deleted the pictures from both sd cards and still did a factory reset than all pictures should be gone
when you said "There were no images, no pictures, no files at all on the phone." i thought you had either did a factory reset than cleared the sd cards in recovery or manually cleared the sd cards than factory reset
sorry for the confusion there @mjones73
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did do a complete factory reset, both from recovery and through settings several times. In fact, when I flash ROMs I wipe data and cache three times just to be sure. I went to gallery--no images. In file manager there were no files found. Since factory reset and wiping data says it will wipe ALL data, I didn't think I needed to specifically wipe internal SD storage. I assumed that was done on the factory reset and data wipe. I did not include an external sd card with the phone, either. They didn't pop up until she set up VZ Backup. Some of them were pictures I had taken, some were attachments from emails, I am just curious how my pictures showed up with her VZ Backup. It makes me wonder...
Lesson is when you reset a phone to loan to someone, give away, sell, or donate, probably a good idea to make sure it is squeaky clean...
tmettler5 said:
I did do a complete factory reset, both from recovery and through settings several times. In fact, when I flash ROMs I wipe data and cache three times just to be sure. I went to gallery--no images. In file manager there were no files found. Since factory reset and wiping data says it will wipe ALL data, I didn't think I needed to specifically wipe internal SD storage. I assumed that was done on the factory reset and data wipe. I did not include an external sd card with the phone, either. They didn't pop up until she set up VZ Backup. Some of them were pictures I had taken, some were attachments from emails, I am just curious how my pictures showed up with her VZ Backup. It makes me wonder...
Lesson is when you reset a phone to loan to someone, give away, sell, or donate, probably a good idea to make sure it is squeaky clean...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the photos are probably from the internal sd or vz backup backed up some without you realizing it.

[Q] How to prevent data recovery on Samsung Galaxy S3?

Hi,
I'm planning to sell my Samsung Galaxy S3. I've done a factory wipe and reset everything. :good:
Now, how can I prevent any apps to recover my old data? You know it's personal and don't want the buyer to recover my stuff.
Look for an app that writes random data to the internal sd, there is one in the freezing thread. However, given the difficulty people have in trying to recover data after an accidental wipe, I don't think you're in much danger.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
boomboomer said:
Look for an app that writes random data to the internal sd, there is one in the freezing thread. However, given the difficulty people have in trying to recover data after an accidental wipe, I don't think you're in much danger.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your response, I also tried to search for such apps, couldn't find any reliable ones.
Moe560 said:
Hi,
I'm planning to sell my Samsung Galaxy S3. I've done a factory wipe and reset everything. :good:
Now, how can I prevent any apps to recover my old data? You know it's personal and don't want the buyer to recover my stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Data recovery is so hard from eMMC that the costs to recover anything might be very large anyway.
But if you are incredibly paranoid the "advanced" method should be to encrypt the internal storage (that way you will also get to see how it's done), and then wipe it all / factory reset again.
Moe560 said:
Hi,
I'm planning to sell my Samsung Galaxy S3. I've done a factory wipe and reset everything. :good:
Now, how can I prevent any apps to recover my old data? You know it's personal and don't want the buyer to recover my stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In recovery format system cache data sdcard .
Done
Done.
Thank you all, have wiped everything as well as cache wipe.
Thanks
JJEgan said:
In recovery format system cache data sdcard .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks :good:
thanks
xclub_101 said:
Data recovery is so hard from eMMC that the costs to recover anything might be very large anyway.
But if you are incredibly paranoid the "advanced" method should be to encrypt the internal storage (that way you will also get to see how it's done), and then wipe it all / factory reset again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Done that, thanks :good:

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