CWM - Wipe data\Factory reset - Wiping all data from Internal SD - Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I've read some other posts where this has caused a certain amount of controversy but no post seemed to actually answer the question..
Using the Wipe data\Factory reset in ClockWorkMod Recovery has started to wipe the ENTIRE device
(excluding the external SD card)
I have flashed dozens of custom ROMs in the past and what normally happens is my external SD card contents remains safe, this still happens, no problem there, and all my personal documents such as music, pictures, videos and all other files that are not part of the actual ROM itself remain safe too.
BUT
Yesterday, i flashed a certain ROM designed to resemble the S4 (with leaked 4.2.2). Its performance was shockingly bad and other reasons caused me to flash a new ROM which i had used in the past - but when i wiped data/factory reset through CWM - ALL MY INTERNAL SD CONTENTS WHERE GONE
Things i did notice with the 4.2.2 ROM before re-flashing were that:
-When i connected it to the computer (via USB) my device was seen as i9500 (the S4)
-Also, it had created a "0\" folderto store the system ROM.
-I also noticed, wehn re-flashing, it took longer to wipe data than usual..
NOTE: I DID NOT USE THE FACTORY RESET THROUGH ANDROID SETTINGS - THIS, I KNOW, WILL WIPE THE ENTIRE INTERNAL SD, PERSONAL FILES AND ALL. THIS WAS DONE THROUGH CWM.
Because obviously the 4.2.2 ROM wiped my entire Internal SD i had no ROM packages left on it to flash and because obviously i didnt know this until i wiped/reset it involved me having to use ODIN to reflash a STOCK ROM just to be able to boot up and transfer files (ROM packages) from PC to phone - which obviously then meant i had to reflash CWM aswell before i could install the new ROM.
Final Note:
The problem i have, is that i have to do the above EVERYTIME i want to flash a different ROM (i flashed 3 last night).
For some reason when i wipe through CWM my internal SD card is COMPLETELY WIPED!
The question is......Why???
Could the 4.2.2 ROM have re-partitioned my internal SD card and now CWM thinks the ENTIRE thing is data to wipe?
This is the only reasoning i could put to why it wont leave MY FILES alone...
If this IS the case, how do i get it back to normal??
I'm told, on numerous websites in BIG BOLD RED LETTERS that selecting 're-partition' in ODIN is bad and is just a ticket for a free paperwieght (the phone!).
Thank you to ANYONE who can help with this......

The clue may be in the 0 folder. Please read link in my signature to see if it helps
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

rootSU said:
The clue may be in the 0 folder. Please read link in my signature to see if it helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your help, however the info you suggested does not solve my query..
The info you've provided assumes that the data is stored somewhere else, ie. 0\
Although my device did create a 0\ location when wiping the data, no personal data was in this location.
When i flashed back to stock using Odin, i could see that my phones internal storage was only 1.0-1.5GB used.
Before i started this i only had about 900mb left on my device!
So its not that my data is hiding somewhere.....its gone, and everything on my hones internal storgare is wiped everytime i "wipe data/factory reset" through CWM.

Related

[Q] Wipe options for flashing new ROM - what gets wiped?

Hi
I've read alot of the threads around but cant seem to find specific info that I require. I've already rooted and flashed Litening ROM 1.5, however I want to try other ROMS and read its best to wipe before some of them.
Now most of the instructions say to boot into CWM and do a data/cache wipe, can anyone tell em what does this wipe exactly?
From what I can understand the 16gb is partitioned into the "sd card" and the storage? When looking through Windows Explorer only the larger (I believe sd card" partition shows up, with download folder, CWM back ups, music, camera images etc.
Does this get wiped, or is it just apps/personalisation of the phone? I've got titanium backup and backed up all data + user data etc which can be restored, but I just want to check that music/camera images etc won't go!
Hope its not too stupid a question, cheers for any info!
My understanding is: wipe = factory reset. I hope I'm right with that assumption.
Sent from my GT-I9100
Wipes....
I got caught once when I installed cognition for the first time. The installation somehow did wipe my internal sdcard with all my stuff on it. (Although I do have backups on my PC) So it was just a pain but not serious.
But the odd thing is that all the following upgrades of the rom did not wipe the sdcard, so DG might have change the way it does the wipes.
Also if you do a factory reset either via keypad on phone with the *#... it will wipe the sdcard.
So one needs to be carefull and make sure that we have backups of the stuff we want to keep.
I find this annoying making the 16GB card internal sdcard almost behaive as temporary storage ruther than permanent.
So watch out.
thanks for both replies! still not 100% sure though, does anyone know 100% what the CWM wipe options actually wipe?
thanks again!
How about "everything"? It sets your phone back to the way it was when you first started it.
Sent from my GT-I9100
Back up sd card and wipe phone to learn.
jje
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

[Q] Noob flashing questions (WanamLite ICS)

After browsing and reading a lot of threads I decided to go with WanamLite, because from what I read everything is working like stock Samsung firmware and it's fast. I'm hoping encryption and tv-out work.
I already zergrushed root and installed CF-root CWM some days ago.
So if I flash WanamLite my new bootloader will be the one from ICS? That means I'll get an increase in the flash counter and the yellow triangle, right?
Or is it that this ROM doesn't include the bootloader section?
The instructions in the official thread say:
1 - Copy my Rom to internal sdcard
2 - Backup, backup, backup
3 - If you came from a Gingerbread or AOSP Rom, you MUST WIPE your data
4 - Flash my Rom from recovery
5 - Reboot & enjoy (and let the phone to boot up, at least 5 minutes required for media scanner to finish)
I just want to be sure on this so I don't mess up.
1 - done
2 - I have made a backup using CWM
3 - so for this I must boot into CWM recovery mode and then select Wipe Data/Factory reset and then Wipe Cache Partition?
4 - still in CWM I then must select Apply Update From SDCard?
5 - reboot
Is the above correct?
Thanks a lot for your help.
BTW, is it just me or v10.7 has more features than v10.8?
Check the changelogs in the links after the text "Before you download PLEASE vote for you preferred mods" in the original thread here
The procedure you follow is right.
I would do couple more things before flashing a new ROM.
*cwm -advanced - wipe dalvik cache.
*mounts and storage - format system. This step won't be mentioned in installation steps.but its good to do.sometimes you may have problems moving from aosp rom to sammy rom this ensures that there are no issues.just be careful that you don't format SD card.
Any new flash will increase the counter.you can reset it using the USB jig.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
Don't bother about the counter and yellow triangle if you get one, there is an app called triangle away, it will help you remove both the counter and yellow triangle with ease in ics
#*posted on the move *#
netcitizen said:
*mounts and storage - format system. This step won't be mentioned in installation steps.but its good to do.sometimes you may have problems moving from aosp rom to sammy rom this ensures that there are no issues.just be careful that you don't format SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just want to make sure I understand this...
So what the "Wipe Data/Factory reset" does is the same as "format /data" in the CWM advanced menu.
And the "Wipe Cache Partition" is the same as "format /cache".
And you're saying to also "format /system"
Is that correct?
netcitizen said:
Any new flash will increase the counter.you can reset it using the USB jig.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bala_gamer said:
Don't bother about the counter and yellow triangle if you get one, there is an app called triangle away, it will help you remove both the counter and yellow triangle with ease in ics
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may be wrong on this but, I think I read somewhere that the USB jig was not working with some newer kernels.
So I thought that if the jig doesn't work then it could be that the triangleaway also wouldn't work.
But do all ROMs, or in this case WanamLite, overwrite the bootloader?
Once again thanks.
@ghost shell
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=triangle+away&c=apps this is for the trinangle Isue for rooting , but theirs another way for rooting the phone without yellow triangle by using self recovery .if u came in GB u need to wipe delvic cahce ,data .
ghost shell said:
I may be wrong on this but, I think I read somewhere that the USB jig was not working with some newer kernels.
So I thought that if the jig doesn't work then it could be that the triangleaway also wouldn't work.
But do all ROMs, or in this case WanamLite, overwrite the bootloader?
Once again thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
usb jig wont work with newer bootloaders that comes with ics. triangleaway is the simpler and easy way to remove counter , usb jig is not required for ics.
for anyone who finds this thread when trying to answer their questions...
All went OK and I didn't got any yellow triangle.
So either the bootloader wasn't flashed or CWM doesn't increase the flash count.
I'm still exploring things, but the phone seems less responsible. Sometimes I tap and it does nothing.
And I think I screwed up by allowing google to backup and restore my data. Either that or WanamLite still comes loaded with a lot of crap (like widgets). I'm not sure.
To my understanding:
1. Flashing bootloaders won't give you a yellow triangle or increase flash counter.
2. Flashing with CWM or mobileODIN will not increase the flash counter as well. (Flash counter only increase when flashing non-official kernel in ODIN mode?)
3. Wananlite CWM zip doesn't flash bootloaders, you need to manually flash the ICS bootloaders if coming from GB.
4. I'm on V10.3 with siyah kernel 3.0.1, everything works as it should. (Next ROM: Sensation v3, perhaps?)
5. If you are not satisfied with the touch sensitivity, you may download ExTweaks from play store and adjust vitalij value.
Hope it helps.
Hi I was thinking of trying this rom to, but I am bit concerned about *mounts and storage-format system operation can someone exlpain this process in more depth as I don't want to loose my saved roms/back ups which are on the internal sd card and my external sd card.
The procedure you follow is right.
I would do couple more things before flashing a new ROM.
*cwm -advanced - wipe dalvik cache.
*mounts and storage - format system. This step won't be mentioned in installation steps.but its good to do.sometimes you may have problems moving from aosp rom to sammy rom this ensures that there are no issues.just be careful that you don't format SD card.
maxal said:
Hi I was thinking of trying this rom to, but I am bit concerned about *mounts and storage-format system operation can someone exlpain this process in more depth as I don't want to loose my saved roms/back ups which are on the internal sd card and my external sd card
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its very simple.....
Yesturday only I have done this for my MIUI ROM, I came from Samsung ROM earlier, but it was continuesly giving one error on each MIUI rom I flashed,
I understand Wiping and formating are same, but in the main menu it is only given few wipes which will not effect your ROM's system file and you will be able to boot even after all that wipes,
But by formating System (at Mounts & Storage) you are completely wiping your ROM with its data, but this will not wipe any data which is stored on the user partion of SDcard (which you can access from Computor through mass storage) . now your pnone is Romless and you will not be able to boot until you install a new ROM from recovey or from ODIN.
the steps are:
1) Put your favourite ROM on your iternal SD
2) wipe data factory reset
3) wipe Dalvik cache from Advance
4) go to mouts and storage and select only format system and do it.
5) go back and select install zip from SD card and install your ROM...
Reboot - DONE
Just click on the link of CWM in my signature for more knowledge about CWM menu and partitions which I gathered for me and shared with you....
Hi all
I am about to install Wanamlite and have a question. If I copy Wanamlite in my internal SD (the 11.5 GB memory space I had afrom the beginning with my SII) and that I select wipe data/factory reset, won't it delete everything on the internal SD including the Wanamlite zip ?
Thansk for your help
nsidb said:
Hi all
I am about to install Wanamlite and have a question. If I copy Wanamlite in my internal SD (the 11.5 GB memory space I had afrom the beginning with my SII) and that I select wipe data/factory reset, won't it delete everything on the internal SD including the Wanamlite zip ?
Thansk for your help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, wiping will not delete any user data on your SD card which is accessible through PC
wiping Cache and Data will only wipes your phon's some temporory files and applications and its data...

[Q] how do I install the official (but rooted) rom without restocking?

I would really like to check out the recently released i717 official rom, but i don't want to have to go through the process of backing everything up, wiping everything, running odin, risking bricking my device, and then have to move all my data back over.
Is there a version of this rom that has been rooted and zipped so i can install it with twrp like every other rom i've ever come across?
thanks in advance,
cpgeek
If you use the Kies software on your pc it will install the stock rom and save your apps and data.
If you use the stock rom in the development section by pmtr3 you can flash that as a zip and it is rooted.
But when you change a rom to a different base you should factory reset and wipe first. If you skip this procedure (called dirty flashing) you can have troubles later.
rangercaptain said:
If you use the Kies software on your pc it will install the stock rom and save your apps and data.
If you use the stock rom in the development section by pmtr3 you can flash that as a zip and it is rooted.
But when you change a rom to a different base you should factory reset and wipe first. If you skip this procedure (called dirty flashing) you can have troubles later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you for your fast reply, I apologize my search-fu rather tanked on this one d'oh
thanks again though!
Yeah buddy, the xda apps stink. I usee the odin tar from samfirmware.com to get the stock JB. This morning I flashed the pmtr3 stock on top of what I had without backups or resets. But its the same base.
At least be sure to do usual wipes. If it borks your phone you can always fix it later.
rangercaptain said:
If you use the Kies software on your pc it will install the stock rom and save your apps and data.
If you use the stock rom in the development section by pmtr3 you can flash that as a zip and it is rooted.
But when you change a rom to a different base you should factory reset and wipe first. If you skip this procedure (called dirty flashing) you can have troubles later.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I should have spoke more carefully - I *always* run "factory reset", wipe "system" and "caches" from TWRP, it's the internal sd filesystem data that I wanted to retain which is separate from the OS image and it's active data files. I don't want to have to move around my music, pictures, app archive, etc.
cpgeek said:
I should have spoke more carefully - I *always* run "factory reset", wipe "system" and "caches" from TWRP, it's the internal sd filesystem data that I wanted to retain which is separate from the OS image and it's active data files. I don't want to have to move around my music, pictures, app archive, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You shouldn't have to worry about wiping your internal memory. I updated with kies and didn't touch my internal memory, and neither did kies. However it is recommended. I now have some extra folders that aren't being used on my internal memory. I'd delete them but last time I did that I kept getting errors. So now I make a spot on my external sd card saying "internal backup" and copy everything to it. Then I wipe internal as I do a factory reset. Once up and running I move what I need back to the internal memory from the sd backup.

[Q] WTH. I made sure not to wipe Internal SD card on newest TWRP and

I my DCIM and a few other folders, were wiped!? Factory reset is not support to wipe either SD card. What happened here? Is there a possibility of permissions, rescanning (I tried manually in the AOKP kernel settings) not bringing up the files?
Trying to figure out how the hell my internal sd card got wiped. I did have to wipe data, to go back to an older recovery but that again should not touch the sd card, it never has in the past. The only thing that makes me think otherwise is in the newer version of TWRP it is mounted oddly (under emu/storage) as opposed to the usualy direct method of sdcard or /external sd
Help! At the very least don't want to make this time consuming mistake again.
What really confused the hell out of me was I went back to my 4.1.2 build to get some files/check some settings, and took some screenshots. All I did was a factory reset in TWRP and restored my newer Kitkat, and none of the screenshots were anywhere to be found. I am hella confused here.

Question about thoroughly wiping phone with custom rom on it

Hi, I'm running skydragon 6.02/sd kernel 5.04 and it was running very well until recently. I am starting to have forced closes and the black screen after reboot. Never had this before, sometimes the phone just turns off and I don't realize it and I miss messages. I'm thinking that there may be a corrupt file somewhere on the phone. I'd like to wipe phone completely, but when I do a factory reset, it still leaves some of my data on the phone (on the internal sd partition) I could manually delete that data using a file explorer, but I am not sure if there are other files in other places that are not being deleted as well. I was wondering if I could 'wipe' the internal drive from twrp (in addition to davalcik/system/data/cache) and then be able to reinstall sd 6.02 from twrp immediately following. I've never wiped the internal drive that way and am not sure if I would lose root and remove twrp in the process. Can somebody please direct me to a way to completely scrub the phone of current data files and then reinstall 6.02/5.04? Thanks in advance.
tmord1 said:
I was wondering if I could 'wipe' the internal drive from twrp (in addition to davalcik/system/data/cache) and then be able to reinstall sd 6.02 from twrp immediately following.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. TWRP / wipe / internal storage.

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