Help Does factory reset really make data unrecoverable?

[AppleUser]

Performed a factory reset on a S5 and then realized an hour later it had three pictures I wanted. Does factory reset really prevent any data recovery, even by a professional?

 

[ironass]

You could try some of the methods mentioned in post #2 of...

Backup! Backup! Backup! NOW!

 

[AppleUser]

What an excellent thread. Thank you! Did you post that because the cure for a factory reset is to have a backup? Or do you think a program can recover data AFTER a factory reset?

 

[ironass]

What an excellent thread. Thank you! Did you post that because the cure for a factory reset is to have a backup? Or do you think a program can recover data AFTER a factory reset?

It was posted in an effort to prevent people losing stuff because they had not taken simple and sensible precautions and would then blame Samsung for such losses. An FDR does make it highly unlikely that you can recover any data, photos, etc; but not entirely impossible. Also, if you had sync enabled for your Google account, you could try checking on your Google photos online to see if they had been backed up automatically.

 

[AppleUser]

It was posted in an effort to prevent people losing stuff because they had not taken simple and sensible precautions and would then blame Samsung for such losses. An FDR does make it highly unlikely that you can recover any data, photos, etc; but not entirely impossible. Also, if you had sync enabled for your Google account, you could try checking on your Google photos online to see if they had been backed up automatically.

Have you or anyone you personally know has/have recovered any data after a FDR ? I did find a backup of those few photos, but now curious if Samsung's warning that a FDR will make data recover impossible is true.

 

[Hadron]

If you didn't set out to make it hard (below) I'm sure a specialist could recover data, at a significant cost. I used to constantly ask people who would recommend various apps whether they personally have used them successfully, but gave up bothering some time ago - the lack of response seemed to be an answer itself.

If you want to be sure data are irrecoverable, encrypt the device and then do a reset (of course many recent devices are encrypted by default). I know that's the opposite of what you want, just for completeness.