[Q] Which Files Remain After Flashing? - Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi, do you know which files left after flashing another stock rom into device? No matter system file or any type of any other file. What is the thing that flashing cannot change in device?
and
if there is, is it possible to reset ALL?

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Flashing a stock rom will replace system files; files like music and videos etc should stay on the internal storage.
If you want to clear all items off your phone then you should:
1. Format the internal storage, can be done through Settings on the device
2. A factory reset from the recovery menu.
3. Clear Dalvik Cache if your recovery menu allows the option.
Edit: Some stock roms do not have modem files etc, if the stock rom you are about to flash does not have a modem file then the original modem file will remain.

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Tufftoad said:
Flashing a stock rom will replace system files; files like music and videos etc should stay on the internal storage.
If you want to clear all items off your phone then you should:
1. Format the internal storage, can be done through Settings on the device
2. A factory reset from the recovery menu.
3. Clear Dalvik Cache if your recovery menu allows the option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I flashed my stock ICS, the internal memory was formatted :silly: , so copy your stuff to sd card and remember to remove it before flashing :good:
Flashing a zip from recovery is not going to format anything, if you do not tell it to. However if you flash a custom rom it may not boot if you have not wiped your data.

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hsrars-d said:
When I flashed my stock ICS, the internal memory was formatted :silly: , so copy your stuff to sd card and remember to remove it before flashing :good:
Flashing a zip from recovery is not going to format anything, if you do not tell it to. However if you flash a custom rom it may not boot if you have not wiped your data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if it's Android version related but have flashed stock firmwares before and have had photos (not in DCIM) remain on the phone.
Still, common sense to take anything off the phone that you want before clearing it down.

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Thank you for replies,
I asked it because after I flashed a stock rom into my device, for awhile later system status changed from normal to modified although i didn't root or anything else to effect system. I think there are some files left after flashing and it causes my system to realize there are something changed. What I have to do to turn my device into never used status?

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tvf_tez_e said:
Thank you for replies,
I asked it because after I flashed a stock rom into my device, for awhile later system status changed from normal to modified although i didn't root or anything else to effect system. I think there are some files left after flashing and it causes my system to realize there are something changed. What I have to do to turn my device into never used status?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to use Triangle Away, here's the link to the original thread - [root] Triangle Away
Worked for me
Oops, this is the thread that I meant! - [2012.11.08][ROOT] TriangleAway v2.36

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Tufftoad said:
You need to use Triangle Away, here's the link to the original thread - [root] Triangle Away
Worked for me
Oops, this is the thread that I meant! - [2012.11.08][ROOT] TriangleAway v2.36
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have worked for me too but after using it I flashed a stock rom and now it is sometimes custom sometimes normal. what kind a stock rom should I flash

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tvf_tez_e said:
Have worked for me too but after using it I flashed a stock rom and now it is sometimes custom sometimes normal. what kind a stock rom should I flash
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I flashed Wanamlite 3.7 custom rom and then went to I9300XXBLG8 (4.0.4 so I could officially update to JB). Before flashing I9300XXBLG8 I used Triangle Away and then flashed the firmware.
There's a warning on the page that some firmwares will not reset.
I wrote a little guide on another forum for restoring the warranty on an S3, may help?
1) Carry out the usual procedures such as backing up anything you want to keep, contacts, sms, data etc.
2) Install and run Triangle Away on your device (please read the XDA thread and take note of the 'in app' warnings.
3) Once Triangle Away application has been used the phone will reboot. Turn off the phone and go into download mode, check the statuses say 'No' & 'Official'.
4) While in Download Mode boot straight into to Recovery Mode and Wipe data/factory reset, then wipe cache and wipe dalvik cache.
5) Put the phone into download mode.
6) Extract the Stock Firmware so that you have a .MD5 file.
7) Open Odin and click on the PDA field and select the .MD5 file. Leave all other options alone.
8) Plug the phone in using USB cable, wait for yellow 'com port' to appear and hit start.
9) Leave the PC and phone alone until the process has finished and the phone has fully booted.
Your phone should now have a valid warranty but we should check a few things to make sure this is the case.
Check your firmware is the same as the firmware you have downloaded:
Dial *#1234# to bring up the firmware version. If your CSC is incorrect then we will need to change this.
To change your CSC you will need your IMEI number.
Dial *#06# and note down the 15 digit number on a piece paper.
Dial *#272*yourIMEI# and install your relevant CSC (I'm in the UK and Network Unlocked so my CSC = BTU). Your phone will factory reset and reboot.
Your phone is pretty much ready now. If you wish to send off your phone for repair or any other reason that may require the warranty to be valid then continue on to make sure there is no sign of tampering with the phone.
Once the phone has booted up, format the internal storage from Menu > Settings > Storage > Format SD card
If you wish you can then connect the phone to Samsung Kies on the PC and check for any updates.
Double check that both the Binary Counters have been reset.
Your phone now has a valid warranty with Samsung.

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Thank you very much for this guide, I will apply all the steps one by one. But before to begin I have a couple questions:
* I don't have anything about "Dalvik Cache" in my recovery menu, is this a problem?
* I dialed *#1234#, and it says:
AP: I9300XXDLJ4
CP: I9300XXDLID
CSC: I9300OXADLJ4 something wrong?
* I'm living in austria and was using austria rom, but flashed official UK (BTU) stock rom via Odin and it is still current rom in my device. But I've found a CSC included BTU stock rom too in this forum. If I flash it, is the all gonna be fixed, maybe?

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tvf_tez_e said:
Thank you very much for this guide, I will apply all the steps one by one. But before to begin I have a couple questions:
* I don't have anything about "Dalvik Cache" in my recovery menu, is this a problem?
* I dialed *#1234#, and it says:
AP: I9300XXDLJ4
CP: I9300XXDLID
CSC: I9300OXADLJ4 something wrong?
* I'm living in austria and was using austria rom, but flashed official UK (BTU) stock rom via Odin and it is still current rom in my device. But I've found a CSC included BTU stock rom too in this forum. If I flash it, is the all gonna be fixed, maybe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No not a problem at all, the Dalvik Cache relates to installed apps and is just another step to ensure a complete wipe.
The option to wipe Dalvik Cache is usually found in CWM recovery, so if no CWM is installed then you are unable to do so.

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Thank you for the info, so nothing to worry about Dalvik thing. Do you know something about my other two question too?
* I dialed *#1234#, and it says:
AP: I9300XXDLJ4
CP: I9300XXDLID
CSC: I9300OXADLJ4 something wrong?
* I'm living in austria and was using austria rom, but flashed official UK (BTU) stock rom via Odin and it is still current rom in my device. But I've found a CSC included BTU stock rom too in this forum. If I flash it, is the all gonna be fixed, maybe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

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tvf_tez_e said:
Thank you very much for this guide, I will apply all the steps one by one. But before to begin I have a couple questions:
* I don't have anything about "Dalvik Cache" in my recovery menu, is this a problem?
* I dialed *#1234#, and it says:
AP: I9300XXDLJ4
CP: I9300XXDLID
CSC: I9300OXADLJ4 something wrong?
* I'm living in austria and was using austria rom, but flashed official UK (BTU) stock rom via Odin and it is still current rom in my device. But I've found a CSC included BTU stock rom too in this forum. If I flash it, is the all gonna be fixed, maybe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. The firmware shouldn't be a problem, it's for the UK S3 but the modem is European...your phone is network unlocked isn't it?
2. It shouldn't be a problem and if you do encounter problems then I would jut flash the LJ4 firmware again.

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I was searching about it right now. And I realized that my phone was network locked. I used an app called GalaxSim Unlock and now it is unlocked

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Tufftoad said:
3) Once Triangle Away application has been used the phone will reboot. Turn off the phone and go into download mode, check the statuses say 'No' & 'Official'.
4) While in Download Mode boot straight into to Recovery Mode and Wipe data/factory reset, then wipe cache and wipe dalvik cache.
5) Put the phone into download mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Step 3 was succesfully. But after I did 4th and came back into download mode, counter was 1 and status was custom. That's why I had to do all once again and this time skipped the 4th step. So I flashed the stock rom without wiping data, cache and dalvik cache. Does it make a problem?

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tvf_tez_e said:
Step 3 was succesfully. But after I did 4th and came back into download mode, counter was 1 and status was custom. That's why I had to do all once again and this time skipped the 4th step. So I flashed the stock rom without wiping data, cache and dalvik cache. Does it make a problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if the firmware LJ4 is giving you the problem but you could try flashing I9300XXBLG8 and then updating through Kies to LJ4?