Erase Data | Secure Wipe - AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note I717

i originally posted this question at the noob thread, and got this answer, which i don't totally understand either:
my question:
with the avast article coming out last week, i'm wondering how someone (me) with very little techno ability knows how to properly erase ALL my data from my old galaxy note android phone (which i'd like to sell). i keep reading that yes, it's a problem, no, the factory reset will do it, blah, blah, blah.
i've uninstalled all of my downloaded apps, encrypted the phone and done a factory reset. will this do it? should i do the encrypt/reset several times? what else, if anything, do i need to do?
i've tried searching the forum for this info, but didn't get anywhere (maybe i'm using the wrong terms?)
thanks!
answer provided:
i would do the factory reset 3 times from stock recovery.
try searching your phones forum, if you dont know how to get into stock recovery.
it is just a couple button combos when powered off, but not all phones are the same or i would just tell you what to push
what is a "factory reset from stock recovery" for a galaxy note (original)? i've done the phone's factory reset....is that the same thing?
thanks!

nevermind....found a youtube video that shows me how to enter stock recovery and find the wipe data option.

Ms.O said:
nevermind....found a youtube video that shows me how to enter stock recovery and find the wipe data option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I might be wrong but that is still a factory reset. If you want to be sure about secure data shredding there are many apps that apply secure data wipe, military grade wipe, or write zeros on device storage.

Related

true hard reset?

How do I do a full factory wipe of my phone? I know you can go into privacy and do a factory reset but that is for data only isn't it? I want to make the phone how it came in the box. I was rooted and had the lag fix installed but I have undone both in preparation for this. Thanks.
snorge said:
How do I do a full factory wipe of my phone? I know you can go into privacy and do a factory reset but that is for data only isn't it? I want to make the phone how it came in the box. I was rooted and had the lag fix installed but I have undone both in preparation for this. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will have to flash it with odin to get back to full stock. why do you need it back to stock?
You can do a "factory format" not a factory reset, and this will erase all data and restore to factory settings. Download my service menu program in my signature to do this. Otherwise do what the last poster did and reflash with odin.
phone seems slower in general than when I got it a few weeks ago, wondering if I messed something up playing with it. also I have a lot of fails when texting. just want to get it back like it came then start over.
snorge said:
phone seems slower in general than when I got it a few weeks ago, wondering if I messed something up playing with it. also I have a lot of fails when texting. just want to get it back like it came then start over.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it was me I would do a Clockwork recovery of the stock rom. Im a little afraid of Odin due to all the bricks I have seen on the forums involving Odin (plus im on a Mac). If you are not returning it to Tmobile you could also try one of the roms that are posted in the forums. I would recomend Bionix or Frankin-twiz. Both devs are spot on with thier roms.
Factory Format Code is *2767*3855#
snorge said:
How do I do a full factory wipe of my phone? I know you can go into privacy and do a factory reset but that is for data only isn't it? I want to make the phone how it came in the box. I was rooted and had the lag fix installed but I have undone both in preparation for this. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just do a factory format, all the other methods listed are complicated
Go to dialer and dial in:
*2767*3855#
thats it, it will format your device and set it back to factory.
you can do a soft reset by dialing in
*#*#7780#*#*
SamsungVibrant said:
Just do a factory format, all the other methods listed are complicated
Go to dialer and dial in:
*2767*3855#
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tried that it erases all your data and settings but doesn't restore anything you have removed. will most likely use clockwork then.

Every newly installed app crashes at startup

Hello everyone, I hope I'm posting in the good section.
I usually can find solutions to my problems by searching and reading, but this time, I can't, and I have a huge problem.
As the title says, every new application that I install since a few days ago will crash when I try to use it. When I do, the phone will hang for a few seconds, then a message saying "unfortunately, <appname> has stopped", with two choices given: OK and report.
Every other app that was installed before still works. I uninstalled an app that worked and reinstalled it, it doesn't work anymore.
I have a galaxy S3 i9300, with jelly bean 4.1.1 (official rom from my carrier SFR), rooted with SuperSU through exynos abuse.
I don't know exactly when the problem actually happened (realized by trying to install and run new apps), but here is what I did before realizing the problem and that may be the source:
I tried to replace the android.policy.jar file to activate long press volume buttons to change songs. Didn't work, put the original back in place (with total commander).
I tried to installed Xposed after that to activate it, but it crashed too, so I uninstalled it.
Now that I think about it, it may have been with the same error message, but I can't say for sure. I dismissed it, thinking it was not compatible with JB and forgot it.
I uninstalled AdService through the task manager, and reinstalled it after realizing the problem, by using the apk backuped by rootuninstaller. But I can't force stop it from the task manager, so I guess it's not even running.
I also softbricked (stuck on boot logo) it by installing Chainfire3D on JB (I know, stupid of me. I did read the description though, but missed the "doesn't work on JB" somehow). I was able to unbrick it by using "adb -d shell su -c "/system/lib/cf3d_uninstall.sh"" (would that command work if the phone is not rooted by the way? I'd guess yes but I'm not sure) from my computer while the phone was in recovery mode (thanks to a user of this forum for the tip), but it was before all that and I'm sure I installed apps after that that would work.
Now when an app crash, the report is always the same:
Exception class name: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException
Source file: BaseDexClassLoader.java
Source class: dalvik.system.BaseDexClassLoader
Source method: findClass
Line number: 61
The stacktrace is also always the same, and is basically what's above.
I fear that I may have lost some system files (even though I don't remember modifying any beside android.policy.jar nor granting root access to apps that would. I didn't tinker a lot with my phone).
The strange thing though is that old apps still works, which leads me to think that maybe it is thanks to the dalvik cache and odex files that I read about (but don't know much) but that newly installed apps don't have.
I'd really appreciate any kind of help. Otherwise I guess I'll have to reset to factory settings, but I'd like to avoid that if I can.
Thanks in advance.
You're not, General is not for questions. Q&A is
Glebun said:
You're not, General is not for questions. Q&A is
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aw, such a fail... So would a kind moderator move the thread there or should I repost it and let this one drown to the abyss of this section?
If no one else comes up with any answers, I'd say that your best option would be to wipe everything and install a stock ROM again. That should sort it out.
DeadSOL said:
If no one else comes up with any answers, I'd say that your best option would be to wipe everything and install a stock ROM again. That should sort it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I'm thinking about, but I have a question about that: would the reset to factory option from the recovery menu work? I see a lot of people advising to flash a stock rom, is there a difference between both (I do not have CWM)?
And is there a difference between "factory settings" and "store settings"? I mean, if I reset it to factory, will I have my phone in the same state I did when I bought it (with my carriers modifications and apps) or not?
hey01 said:
Aw, such a fail... So would a kind moderator move the thread there or should I repost it and let this one drown to the abyss of this section?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You ask via the report button on your post .
Wipe phone factory reset .
jje
hey01 said:
That's what I'm thinking about, but I have a question about that: would the reset to factory option from the recovery menu work? I see a lot of people advising to flash a stock rom, is there a difference between both (I do not have CWM)?
And is there a difference between "factory settings" and "store settings"? I mean, if I reset it to factory, will I have my phone in the same state I did when I bought it (with my carriers modifications and apps) or not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I always factory reset via Recovery. This will give you a clean ROM with no extra apps installed.
Buuuuuut you need to repair your ROM since you messed with it. Just flash a stock ROM and you're good to go!
DeadSOL said:
Yes, I always factory reset via Recovery. This will give you a clean ROM with no extra apps installed.
Buuuuuut you need to repair your ROM since you messed with it. Just flash a stock ROM and you're good to go!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, so I seemed to have mistaken a few things, I thought the factory reset did reinstall the rom, but apparently it just wipes user data and settings. And it also seems that flashing a new rom doesn't erase everything, such as CWM or similar things, right? So I wonder if it would solve my problem or not.
Also, I just realized, when in recovery mode, I have the classic 6 options in blue at the top, but then in the middle, I have this in yellow:
# MANUAL MODE #
-- Appling Multi-CSC...
Applied the CSC-code : SFR
Successfully applied multi-CSC.
And in the background, the android robot lies open with a red warning sign above.
The typo in "Applying Multi-CSC" and the warning sign make me think that this is not as it should be and there is a problem.
Would flashing also solve that problem, if it is one?
I'm sorry for the noob questions, but even though I'm reading a lot of guides and tutorials, I'm still quite confused.
The problem got worse: I did the wipe data/factory reset, and things got worse: when booting, I get dozens of "application stopped". Literally all of them, it's hard to even turn off the phone (need to press ok on all the popup to reach the shutdown button).
So I then tried to flash my phone, but problem again. I followed this guide exactly, but when I press start, Odin 3.04 hangs for a bit and crashes, be it on a windows XP or 7. It writes:
"checking md5... do not unplug the cable
please wait"
and crashes
I then tried to download another version, 3.07, but when I put the firmware in Odin, it does the md5 check at that moment and crashes again, on both computers, so it seems the problem isn't even related to the phone.
My phone is totally unusable now if I can't flash it, I'd really need some help.
hey01 said:
Ok, so I seemed to have mistaken a few things, I thought the factory reset did reinstall the rom, but apparently it just wipes user data and settings.
WRONG it reinstall the rom .
And it also seems that flashing a new rom doesn't erase everything, such as CWM or similar things, right?
Correct unless its a wipe rom .
The problem got worse: I did the wipe data/factory reset, and things got worse: when booting, I get dozens of "application stopped". Literally all of them, it's hard to even turn off the phone (need to press ok on all the popup to reach the shutdown button).
Sounds like the firmware stored in recovery is damaged .
Download a stock rom and flash via Odin and report failure point if it does not work .
jje
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
JJEgan said:
hey01 said:
Ok, so I seemed to have mistaken a few things, I thought the factory reset did reinstall the rom, but apparently it just wipes user data and settings.
WRONG it reinstall the rom .
And it also seems that flashing a new rom doesn't erase everything, such as CWM or similar things, right?
Correct unless its a wipe rom .
The problem got worse: I did the wipe data/factory reset, and things got worse: when booting, I get dozens of "application stopped". Literally all of them, it's hard to even turn off the phone (need to press ok on all the popup to reach the shutdown button).
Sounds like the firmware stored in recovery is damaged .
Download a stock rom and flash via Odin and report failure point if it does not work .
jje
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I downloaded another rom from another forum, specific from my carrier, and Odin didn't crash. I flashed my phone, and it's working again. Only thing still worrying is that warning sign over the open android robot if I boot in recovery mode. It is still there and I can't find anywhere what it means.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update, if any case someone has the same problem and ends here:
I tried once again to activate that long press, replace the .jar with another, it didn't work (I guess it does only on deodexed ones). Replaced the new jar by the original one, and the crashing new apps problem arised again.
Being less panicked than last time, I realized the permissions changed. The android.policy.jar should be rw-r--r--, as every other file there, but they were rw-------. So yes, bound to make problems.
So adb -d shell su -c "mount -o remount rw /system"
and then used total commander to change the permissions back to original. Rebooted, it works.

[Q] What happens if I factory reset phone

Was thinking about factory resetting my phone. For some reason the WatchESPN app isn't working and I thought that
if I factory reset my phone it will work again. Question is, Will I lose root if I factory reset my phone.. Thanks
kidnice15 said:
Was thinking about factory resetting my phone. For some reason the WatchESPN app isn't working and I thought that
if I factory reset my phone it will work again. Question is, Will I lose root if I factory reset my phone.. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If only one app is having issues I'd uninstall and reinstall the app. Factory Data Reset is really a "last resort" sort of thing. And the main thing it does for you is to uninstall all the apps you've installed and then reinstalls them.
Why not just wipe the application data for Watch ESPN? As far as Factory Reset, it wipes /data and /cache. If you're using stock recovery, this will include the internal SD card, so pictures, videos, etc. that you have taken will also be wiped.
kidnice15 said:
Was thinking about factory resetting my phone. For some reason the WatchESPN app isn't working and I thought that
if I factory reset my phone it will work again. Question is, Will I lose root if I factory reset my phone.. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The idea of factory reset can be quiet confusing in android. The word "factory reset" is fancy enough to trick you that it will restore everything back to where it was...but all it does is just clearing stored cache, data, and etc etc., and it does NOT promise you anything. In lots of circumstances, damaged system or installed apps can't be restored, and they are ended up getting firmware flashed by manufacturer (some Verizon stores do flash firmware but many don't). Let's say you're rooted and removed all the bloats using system app remover. That's not going to restore your bloats to where it was....and you'll be rejected from receiving OTA update.
To get back to your question, "Will I lose root if I factory reset my phone?" I think it really depends on how you rooted. I think if you rooted your phone by flashing rooted image, then probably not. But if you use ADB shell to root your phone, you may lose your root.
Try to clear your cache and see if it works again.....I think that's the best way.
I agree you probably don't need a factory reset here. But no you will not lose root. Root is custom binaries inside the system that will not be touched. Depending how you installed your super user app I guess you could lose that, but you who's just have to download one
Sent from my SCH-I605 (AKA NOTE 2)

[Q] [HELP] - Factory Reset Special Request

So I sold my phone on ebay.
Just a quick overview of what i have:
Motorola Atrix 4g for ATT
Rooted using some command prompt method.
using CM7 ROM.
The point of this post is I sold my phone. Stupid me forgot to reset the phone into factory settings or at least wiping the pone clean.
The good part is I had a swipe pass code on the phone and the person cant access the phone immediately. I asked the person to send me the phone back so I could do the proper wipe and return it. Apparently they dont want to do that so I want to offer them steps to wipe the phone clean themselves.
First I would like to make sure they wipe all data, apps, pictures etc, secondly they can wipe any passwords including the swipe code to unlock the screen.
Can this be easily done? if so can someone provide the tut or steps? Thank you very much.
All they need to do is go to recovery and format /data, /cache and /emmc.
No instructions since the specifics depend on what recovery you have installed.
ravilov said:
All they need to do is go to recovery and format /data, /cache and /emmc.
No instructions since the specifics depend on what recovery you have installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the premium version CWM. But i have also tried the TWRP.
Isn't there an ussd cose for that?
Sent from the gray stuff inside my skull
There might be for wiping data, but almost certain there isn't any for wiping cache or emmc.
@OP,
Not sure what's the relevance of what all recoveries you've tried. Just instruct the buyer how to wipe through whatever recovery you had installed at time of sale.
let them power off phone, then power on with volume down pressed and held - boot option will be available (fastboot, ..., recovery, ...), switch to "recovery" by volume down, enter it by volume up. there will be "wipe data", "wipe cache", "advanced/wipe dalvik" - navigation by touch (if touch-CWM) or volume+power button.
wiping it all deletes all data (contacts, sms, calendar), apps, swipe codes. but it doesn't delete pictures and other user files.
If they have access to a Computer i would just send them a link to this thread or even the website so that they have a"guide" to look at. They are probably gonna need some info on a rooted and unlock atrix anyways.

Safestrap & Factory Reset?

Forgive me if this has already been answered... I did a quick search with subject keywords, and didn't find anything..
Will doing a factory reset in phone's recovery remove safestrap? I'm assuming it will not, since safestrap is installed in the system partition, but I just want to make sure..
Also.. Are there any reasons not to do a factory reset in phone's recovery? Using hypderdrive, and having issues with s health crashing.. Did a search that recommended a factory wipe, and want to make sure this is something that's not going to force me to turn on the old computer and start up Odin..
Thanks!

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