[Q] Confused about CWM - Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi all,
I've been using CWM to routinely backup my S3 thinking that if anything happened I could just to a restore to recover everything.
So, the other day I did a backup using CWM, then a factory reset via phone menus. Updated the firmware via Kies and restored my apps and data via Titanium Backup. However I'm missing a heap of photos that I believe were on the internal SD Card.
OK, so I do a CWM backup and restore my previous backup before I updated the firmware thinking it would recover my photos. But they are not there...
My questions:-
1. What deleted my photos?
2. What should I have done that I obviously did not do?
3. Does CWM or TB backup the internal SD Card Data?
4. Does CWM backup differently if it is to the External SD Card? ie: Include the internal SD Card data.
Any help would be appreciated.
TIA
Greg

1. You did, by factory reset using settings menu this wipes internal storage.
2. Used recovery to wipe. Factory reset in recovery doesn't wipe storage, only data.
3. Only if you set a custom backup and have space for 16gb on your external storage.
4. Not unless you change the default settings.

boomboomer said:
1. You did, by factory reset using settings menu this wipes internal storage.
2. Used recovery to wipe. Factory reset in recovery doesn't wipe storage, only data.
3. Only if you set a custom backup and have space for 16gb on your external storage.
4. Not unless you change the default settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many thanks for all the useful information.
Greg

Related

Factory reset+flash wiped my memory

Hi All,
I did a factory reset today and flashed the stock 4.1.1 Polish ROM via Odin. This process seems to have wiped my files (including photos etc) from my S3 (internal memory, not SD card). I've flashed plenty of ROMS before and this has never happened.
Anyone know if it's possible to get them back? I guess I've installed new apps etc now so a lot of the data would have been overwritten. Frustrating!
Thanks for any tips.
UnitedWeFall said:
Hi All,
I did a factory reset today and flashed the stock 4.1.1 Polish ROM via Odin. This process seems to have wiped my files (including photos etc) from my S3 (internal memory, not SD card). I've flashed plenty of ROMS before and this has never happened.
Anyone know if it's possible to get them back? I guess I've installed new apps etc now so a lot of the data would have been overwritten. Frustrating!
Thanks for any tips.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You answered your own question with your first sentence : I did a factory reset...
Unfortunately its not possible to get back the data
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Unless you backed up on PC or sd card...
Factory reset in S3 will always wipe internal memory as it shares internal memory for applications.
If you want to restore try some data recovery software that supports SD card.
ultramag69 said:
Unless you backed up on PC or sd card...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be the only way. There is a very small window to recover data wiped from flash memory and on a phone it would be even more difficult. Maybe a Clockwork backup?
Internal SDcard is mounted on the system partition via Fuse..so if you format the /system partition..sdcard is formatted as well..
Pointers for future..
Use CWM for flashing ROMS..(I hate Odin )
Backup your internal SDcard on your PC regularly
Perform a Nandroid Backup on your ExtSDcard before flashing any ROM.
If you ever need to factory reset..use the wipe data/factory reset option in CWM and not in Stock Recovery
For a clean install, if you want to wipe system partition..use wipe /system option under mount and format in CWM..it just wipes the system files and your SDcard data will be safe..
You will not face such issues if you in the future if you follow these pointers.
zoot1 said:
Internal SDcard is mounted on the system partition via Fuse..so if you format the /system partition..sdcard is formatted as well..
Pointers for future..
Use CWM for flashing ROMS..(I hate Odin )
Backup your internal SDcard on your PC regularly
Perform a Nandroid Backup on your ExtSDcard before flashing any ROM.
If you ever need to factory reset..use the wipe data/factory reset option in CWM and not in Stock Recovery
For a clean install, if you want to wipe system partition..use wipe /system option under mount and format in CWM..it just wipes the system files and your SDcard data will be safe..
You will not face such issues if you in the future if you follow these pointers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for that. Lesson learnt I guess..

How to backup Internal SDCard

Hello,
I got my international S3 2 months ago and I would now like to try a new ROM.
I am worried about looding data.
I did backup my device using CWM and Titanium Backup but it seems to me that neither backs up all of the contents of the internal SD.
Shall I worry about backing up these folders;
.AllSharePlay, .aptoide, .clipboard, Alarms, Andoird/data/(many files under this directory), Gameloft and many many more folders.
How do I know all was backed up with Titanium / CWM
Another irritating issue is that via Windows 7 browser it is impossible to tree size or Beyond compare the phone storage, (both internal and external SDCards). Am I missing something?
If you
Wipe data (factory reset)
Wipe cache
format system
then your internal sd card stays as it is and you dont have to worry about backing it up
CuttyCZ said:
If you
Wipe data (factory reset)
Wipe cache
format system
then your internal sd card stays as it is and you dont have to worry about backing it up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Half right, CWM will not wipe the internal SD with a factory reset, but stock recovery will.
And I don't think Titanium backs up the internal SD, all you can do is copy the files to your PC.
delsus said:
Half right, CWM will not wipe the internal SD with a factory reset, but stock recovery will.
And I don't think Titanium backs up the internal SD, all you can do is copy the files to your PC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By saying stock recovery you mean flashing new ODIN?
The thing about copying files to my PC as you stated is a pain, tree size or beyond compare cannot work on the phone's memory, also some files are in use by the system causing the copying to stop and then you have to start guessing what was / not copied.
Consumes a long time, I'm sure there should be an easier way.
Are these files seen in the img I attached needed at all or all is covered by the TIT and CWM backup?
Thanks
rmetanes said:
By saying stock recovery you mean flashing new ODIN?
The thing about copying files to my PC as you stated is a pain, tree size or beyond compare cannot work on the phone's memory, also some files are in use by the system causing the copying to stop and then you have to start guessing what was / not copied.
Consumes a long time, I'm sure there should be an easier way.
Are these files seen in the img I attached needed at all or all is covered by the TIT and CWM backup?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock recovery is what is included with stock ROMs, can't remember exactly what it's called.
I have never had problems backing my internal sd up on my PC, and the files in your pic seem to be your files and some app data, CWM does not back up the internal SD, but it also does not wipe the internal sd, if you wipe data in CWM, it only wipes the data partition and cache partition, 100% not the internal SD. I also don't know Titanium will backup app data from the SD.
delsus said:
Stock recovery is what is included with stock ROMs, can't remember exactly what it's called.
I have never had problems backing my internal sd up on my PC, and the files in your pic seem to be your files and some app data, CWM does not back up the internal SD, but it also does not wipe the internal sd, if you wipe data in CWM, it only wipes the data partition and cache partition, 100% not the internal SD. I also don't know Titanium will backup app data from the SD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Delsus, so you only copy and paste the Internal SD to your PC I guess.
rmetanes said:
Delsus, so you only copy and paste the Internal SD to your PC I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty much.
Internal SD card Backup
If U use apps like Lexicomp and Medscape
The file size for lexicomp is about 850,225,187 bytes (only for med not for dental) and number of files are 32037 and Medscape are 60,843,144 bytes and number of files are 2926. It takes more than 1 hour for the PC to determine the time to calculate the duration, to copy the files to PC.......android is still in its infancy comparing to PALM OS
Main Phone is Centro after treo 680, My secondary phone is SIII (a phone with lots of bugs, no one never denies it)
Thank you all guys.
I did rest to FD and you were right the internal SD was not wiped and I have also successfully installed Omega Rom on my S3.

How do I format (as in delete EVERYTHING) my internal storage?

I have to much junk and empty folders on the phone. I tried format through CWM, format system, cache, data, emmc...everything is still there. I want to clean (as in new) my internal storage.
Does "factory reset" does that, or is it just for deleting any 'personal' data (pics, files) etc?
Thanks.
Wipe data/factory reset only wipes the data partition. What you want is to format the internal sdcard. Go to Settings | Storage and select "Format SD card."
creepyncrawly said:
Wipe data/factory reset only wipes the data partition. What you want is to format the internal sdcard. Go to Settings | Storage and select "Format SD card."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.
Will I then be able to boot into recovery, or CWM will no longer be there and I'll have to use ODIN?
Also, am I losing ROOT when doing that?
No. No. No.
You can format the root files from CWM recovery. You said you tried that and it didn't do what you want.
Formating the internal sdcard will remove all your personal files from the phone, including pictures and any other files and directories you have created. If that's not what you want to do, then don't format the internal sdcard.
Formating the internal sdcard will not touch the system, kernel, data partition or any other root files. You will not lose root. So yes you will be able to boot into cwm recovery, or even into whatever system you have installed after formating the internal sdcard.
sbi1 said:
Thanks.
Will I then be able to boot into recovery, or CWM will no longer be there and I'll have to use ODIN?
Also, am I losing ROOT when doing that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Common sense, make a backup (meaning copy and save your personal info to somewhere else first, you can delete them later if you really don't need them).
Also, adding to what creepy has said, be sure "SD card" is your internal storage, not external uSD.
I suggest you removing the external uSD card first, just in case.
The reason I said so because with CwMR and Task's AOKP, format SD card is formatting the external uSD card, while "format /emmc" will be do the internal one.
Just precaution.
Thank you both.
Yes, I already 'discovered' that formatting SD Card in CWM formats the external ...luckily I didn't have anything important there.
I still don't get it though. Looks like we are talking about two different things.
I have my internal storage fully backed up. I want to wipe it clean, as in a PC Format. Is there a way to do that, or can I simply remove empty folders in file explorer? Too much junk has been collected there in a year and a half of many custom roms and different apps that I tried and removed.
sbi1 said:
Thank you both.
Yes, I already 'discovered' that formatting SD Card in CWM formats the external ...luckily I didn't have anything important there.
I still don't get it though. Looks like we are talking about two different things.
I have my internal storage fully backed up. I want to wipe it clean, as in a PC Format. Is there a way to do that, or can I simply remove empty folders in file explorer? Too much junk has been collected there in a year and a half of many custom roms and different apps that I tried and removed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Refer to 2nd post. Your internal storage has 2 partitions. One is where all the system data is, and the other is where all the personal data is (where apps install to). If you do what's written in the 2nd post, it will completely wipe clean the personal partition.
dsmboost said:
Refer to 2nd post. Your internal storage has 2 partitions. One is where all the system data is, and the other is where all the personal data is (where apps install to). If you do what's written in the 2nd post, it will completely wipe clean the personal partition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will I still be able to access CWM and install custom rom from Ext SD?
sbi1 said:
Will I still be able to access CWM and install custom rom from Ext SD?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, formatting internal sd card (doesn't matter which partition) does not touch either of those.

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

[SOLVED] Help Data Recovery from a Soft Brick

My father had a softbrick of his Galaxy S2 without having done a backup in the last 6 month.
Now he need some data that are stored on the phone so I cannot do a wipe data factory reset and I was wondering if I install a custom recovery can I move all the datas on the Sdcard and then read them from a microsd card reader?
Will installing a new recovery change the data?
Thanks
EDIT:
I solved the problem.
First I installed the Philz CWM recovery, that I reboot the phone in recovery Mode and chosed to mount as USB drive so I could copy the content of Sdcard.
Then I did a backup of data and system Partition through the backup menu on an external Sd card, after that I did a wipe/factory reset and the Phone reboot regularly
To recover the information that you need from the Backup can you use TitaniumBackup
I'm quite sure that the /data partition will stay untouched, since the recovery image is installed in another partition.
BTW, on some recoveries I was able to connect the phone to the computer and to read internal storage. Are you sure it's the data partition you need? The only thing stored in this partition are apps and app data. Images etc are on the internal storage (sdcard0).
Hope this helps.
I thought that Data and Sdcard were the same partition, what I need is to recover contacts and Viber/whatsapp message and images.
If I install a Custom recovery can I do a backup of everything and could I use adb to do a complete copy of the sdcard?
Thanks

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