Alternative to formatting data partition when installing new ROM? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I'm thinking of installing a new ROM on my phone, and I reckoned that instead of formatting the data partition, what if I just wrote a script to erase only the parts of the data partition that have been put there by the system components of the old ROM? Would that work?
If not, why?

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Format /data without losing apps and app data ?

Hey guys
so whenever i need to flash new rom we need to format data and system before so i was thinking any way to format data without
losing apps
as apps are installed in data/apps and data/data
is it possible ?
i hate restoring again and again using titanium b
The whole point of formatting /data is to erase all the apps. Use TB

Complete wipe, I mean everything, question

So after years of flashing roms, installing apps, saving junk to my phone I think it is time to completely wipe it. I've searched and come across a few threads but I want to look at some of the CWM Mounts and storage options to be sure. Here is one I came across:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2/general/ref-cwm-clockworkmode-menu-options-t1542857
If I wanted to do a compete wipe including all internal SD data, but not lose Root, I would do the following???
wipe data / factory reset
wipe cache partition
wipe dallvik cache
format /system
format /cache
format /data
format /preload (unsure about this one, can't find info)
format /storage/sdcard0
install rom then from my ext sdcard1
install gapps then from my ext sdcard1
reboot into a clean phone and start installing stuff again.
That should be enough correct? I'm not sure where CWM Recovery lives but I would assume that would be on the /boot partition and that is the one section that I don't want to format, correct? I'm also not sure of where the modem is set/installed and would that need to be reinstalled again?
With this device, recovery lives with the kernel in the boot partition. Everytime you install a kernel, a fresh image is installed to the partition.
I'm not sure what your actual goal is, but the process you've outlined process is very redundant.
factory reset wipes /data & /cache (which includes dalvik-cache)
A factory reset plus manually wiping /system (and /preload if using samsung-based firmware) promises a clean installation of ANYTHING.
jackal2001 said:
[...]
If I wanted to do a compete wipe including all internal SD data, but not lose Root, I would do the following???
wipe data / factory reset
wipe cache partition
wipe dallvik cache
format /system
format /cache
format /data
format /preload (unsure about this one, can't find info)
format /storage/sdcard0
install rom then from my ext sdcard1
install gapps then from my ext sdcard1
reboot into a clean phone and start installing stuff again.
That should be enough correct? I'm not sure where CWM Recovery lives but I would assume that would be on the /boot partition and that is the one section that I don't want to format, correct? I'm also not sure of where the modem is set/installed and would that need to be reinstalled again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want to have a fresh install. Basically wipe everything including whatever junk is installed on the SD card. Like a new phone pulled out of the box. I'm sure there is tons of junk on the SD card due to apps being installed/uninstalled over the years.
Yes I understand some of the options may be redundant, but it only takes a second.
So as long as I don't "format /boot" you saying that should be OK?
If you prefer to take the extra steps, then I don't see any harm in your procedure.
It may seem obvious, but make sure you have everything you'll need on that ext-sd card, before you format /system.
mr.cook has some scripts that will format preload, if the option isn't present in your recovery.
jackal2001 said:
I want to have a fresh install. Basically wipe everything including whatever junk is installed on the SD card. Like a new phone pulled out of the box. I'm sure there is tons of junk on the SD card due to apps being installed/uninstalled over the years.
Yes I understand some of the options may be redundant, but it only takes a second.
So as long as I don't "format /boot" you saying that should be OK?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

When ever data is formated ext4 rom asks for a encryption pin on boot. [Solved]

Back in the day I had my phone encrypted with data as a ext4 partition, I switched to using f2fs for a long time.
Now that I've tried to go back to using data as a ext4 partition while booting android asks for a invalid decryption password
using a really old pin number (I've had it encrypted several times since then using f2fs with different pin numbers) from the first
time I encrypted my partition while it was ext4.
Now when ever I wipe my data partition and try and use it as ext4 while booting android asks for a decryption pin which I can enter
but then complains that the filesystem it is trying to decrypt is corrupt.
I've tried doing a data format in twrp but it automatically formats it f2fs which doesn't solve the problem since
the problem only shows up while data is formated ext4.
I've tried every piece of wisdom I can find on the internet.
factory reset,
formatting all partitions,
dd front and back of userdata and then make_ext4 on userdata,
twrp format data,
recovery --wipe_data --set_encrypted_filesystem=off (from within twrp with the partition formated ext4),
format f2fs then boot up and reset and format ext4,
etc.
How do I give data the ultimate clean slate for being formatted ext4?
Or where is the remnant of the old encryption info stored from the first time I encrypted my phone?
I can format my data partition f2fs but frankly I was a little stunned when I saw the kind of overhead that filesystem has,
its space using overhead is way more then I want to have in a filesystem, or any filesystem I've ever seen.
Also is the problem not what I think it is?
Faced the same behaviour on my xt1524. Would be interesting to know if there is a solution for this
Is there a way to generate a new encryption from within the recovery?
Since it won't boot with data formatted as ext4.
Formatting it ext4 and then putting a new valid encryption on it?
From what I've found it, if the UI to unlock the partition on boot had a cancel button the system would boot as normal.
Unfortunately there is no cancel button on the unlock encrypted partition screen on our device. =/
Tried flashing a different recovery and using it wiping tools on data.
official twrp-3.0.2-0-surnia.img.
mkfs-f2fs -t 0 /dev/block/mmcblk0p44
process ended with ERROR:255
Unable to wipe Data.
Unable to format to remove encryption.
Also data wiping on TWRP is defaulting to trying to format data as F2FS which isn't even the default,
and while the partition has been switched to ext4.
I'd like to fastboot erase userdata and then fastboot format userdata.
But its giving me this error message.
fastboot format userdata
(bootloader) has-slot:userdata: not found
Formatting is not supported for file system with type 'raw'.
I've already done a lot of looking around on this issue, I'm normally not worried about this but
formatting internal system partitions that I don't understand how its different from a standard
desktop computers layout does worry me.
Should I be doing a full wipe and format everything to stock and then back to a custom rom?
God I wish this was a desktop computer right now, wipe the hard drive and reinstall the operating system,
there is something to be said for being simple and straight forward.
WTB cellular modem support in standard operating systems, and handheld devices that
can run standard operating systems.
I'd ditch this overcomplicated vendor locked sht so fast and never look back.
Following this guide to setup a new system encryption with rom in one go from the start with data as ext4 to see if I can bypass it this way.
But I'm getting a cannot find libraries error running cryptfs format command from adb shell or twrp terminal. b(>.<)d
http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/33398/cannot-factory-reset-after-encrypting
All this because someone thought it would be a great idea to take off the cancel button on data decryption
during boot.
This is why god invented beer and soaking you're brain in alcohol.
Damn been at this thing all day and still no luck.
Can I smoke the whole userdata partition with DD without bricking the phone?
In fact what can I effectively zero on a android phone without bricking it?
Am I miss reading this problem? Is the new inbuilt ext4 encryption (ext4 filesystem now has built in encryption support on newer kernels) support assumed to be on?
Never mind not as solved as I thought, But I just found another way to have my partition set to F2FS with letting me know. (^.^)
God this illustrates why formatting utilities that take shortcuts and 'ghetto erase' stuff are bad.
*Edited*
Default filesystem from the factory was F2FS (I have a bad memory : ) looks like it doesn't support putting data on Ext4.
Editing this post because I did a lot of post updates on what I was trouble shooting, but that might have
pissed people off because it does 'bump' the thread.
Sigh I'm throwing in the towel and formatting F2FS and moving on, F2FS is a one way door one which you never get back to ext4 from. > : (
Or ext4 formatting utilities suck balls and don't do their jobs.
Format all partitions to f2fs reboot to recovery again and format system and cache to ext4 now make a factory reset and reboot.

How to format data unecrypted on fresh install?

I am about to do a fresh install of marshmallow with root/TWRP.
My current installation has gotten bogged down over the last few months.
My question is, how do i format the data partition as unencrypted? My understanding is TWRP cannot format this partition, but I know no other tool capable.
Many have mentioned that unecrypted data partition will make twrp work better, what are the pros/cons? I am not concerned about data privacy.
2me3 said:
I am about to do a fresh install of marshmallow with root/TWRP.
My current installation has gotten bogged down over the last few months.
My question is, how do i format the data partition as unencrypted? My understanding is TWRP cannot format this partition, but I know no other tool capable.
Many have mentioned that unecrypted data partition will make twrp work better, what are the pros/cons? I am not concerned about data privacy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, no problem with TWRP you can format Data and remove encryption

No system & vendor partitions in custom recoveries.

TWRP, Pitchblack, OrangeFox, whatever recovery I try, I always end up with this Super partition. And I can't see how much size it is. It's just sitting 8192MB by default.
Aren't there any recoveries that show partitions normally like system, vendor separately, with actual sizes filled ?
MPK99 said:
TWRP, Pitchblack, OrangeFox, whatever recovery I try, I always end up with this Super partition. And I can't see how much size it is. It's just sitting 8192MB by default.
Aren't there any recoveries that show partitions normally like system, vendor separately, with actual sizes filled ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because there are no dedicated partitions for system, vendor, and product. They are all located inside one partition called "super". Think of it as one big partition that houses other smaller partitions. The size of the individual partitions is variable hence you'll only be able to see the size of the super partition.
The size of the super partition is fixed and cannot be resized after a rom is installed. The super partition was created to eliminate the need for vendors to allocate specific sizes for sub partitions. Before the super partition, each partition had to be allocated a specific size and any free memory left after writing data to it could not be used when other partitions required more space. This free space was therefore wasted.
In the super partition, the sub partitions can be the exact size of the files contained within them. Any free space is left inside the super partition and can therefore be used by other sub partitions if they need it.
Unfortunately, the biggest setback for developers is that they cannot modify the contents of sub partitions once they're made read only (usually on the first boot after installing a new rom). People who try to modify these partitions often get into boot loops forcing them to reinstall the stock rom.
twistyplain said:
That's because there are no dedicated partitions for system, vendor, and product. They are all located inside one partition called "super". Think of it as one big partition that houses other smaller partitions. The size of the individual partitions is variable hence you'll only be able to see the size of the super partition.
The size of the super partition is fixed and cannot be resized after a rom is installed. The super partition was created to eliminate the need for vendors to allocate specific sizes for sub partitions. Before the super partition, each partition had to be allocated a specific size and any free memory left after writing data to it could not be used when other partitions required more space. This free space was therefore wasted.
In the super partition, the sub partitions can be the exact size of the files contained within them. Any free space is left inside the super partition and can therefore be used by other sub partitions if they need it.
Unfortunately, the biggest setback for developers is that they cannot modify the contents of sub partitions once they're made read only (usually on the first boot after installing a new rom). People who try to modify these partitions often get into boot loops forcing them to reinstall the stock rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Understood. But can we access /system & /vendor folders & modify files in it through root explorer.
So you're saying there's no way to remove system bloatware & unwanted apps ?
twistyplain said:
That's because there are no dedicated partitions for system, vendor, and product. They are all located inside one partition called "super". Think of it as one big partition that houses other smaller partitions. The size of the individual partitions is variable hence you'll only be able to see the size of the super partition.
The size of the super partition is fixed and cannot be resized after a rom is installed. The super partition was created to eliminate the need for vendors to allocate specific sizes for sub partitions. Before the super partition, each partition had to be allocated a specific size and any free memory left after writing data to it could not be used when other partitions required more space. This free space was therefore wasted.
In the super partition, the sub partitions can be the exact size of the files contained within them. Any free space is left inside the super partition and can therefore be used by other sub partitions if they need it.
Unfortunately, the biggest setback for developers is that they cannot modify the contents of sub partitions once they're made read only (usually on the first boot after installing a new rom). People who try to modify these partitions often get into boot loops forcing them to reinstall the stock rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx for explanation bro. Currently I have this issue. Can you take a look into this thread below & answer there ?
Unable to decrypt FBE device
Plz anybody help this out... I unlocked bootloader, then immediately flashed Pitchblack recovery, then booted into recovery. Initially console shows decrypted FBE device with default password. But Encryption status : Encryped So I went into wipe...
forum.xda-developers.com
MPK99 said:
Understood. But can we access /system & /vendor folders & modify files in it through root explorer.
So you're saying there's no way to remove system bloatware & unwanted apps ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In some custom miui roms like miui eu it is possible without causing a bootloop. Sometimes a bootloop will occur because of the root explorer you use. However, of you're still on stock rom you'll very likely end up in a bootloop. AOSP roms don't have this weaknesses but they're not as stable as miui.
I recommend installing a debloated rom like MiuiMix or miui eu. Then get help from the support forums to find out how to get into system without killing the rom.
Everytime I tried to flash a ROM without wiping system (bc I can't) I got error 7. So I had to do a format data and I lost all of my stuff. Is there any way of wiping system so I don't have to do a format data?
Piusak said:
Everytime I tried to flash a ROM without wiping system (bc I can't) I got error 7. So I had to do a format data and I lost all of my stuff. Is there any way of wiping system so I don't have to do a format data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once after booting up any rom, check whether the device is encrypted or not. (Security > Encryption)
If it is, then offcourse, in recovery you had to wipe everything if you wanna flash a new rom. This device has dynamic partition update, that merges all OS partitions (system, vendor, product) & encrypts data partition if it's decrypted.
Ofcourse you also can't able to modify partitions while encrypted, caz you'll end up into errors.

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