Full Wipe help

[Hawker]

I've seen full wipes mentioned a few times on here (also delvik wipe?) and I have a few questions.

1. How is this done (step-by-step)
2. When exactly does this need to be performed?
3. Does this only need to be done on rooted devices?
4. I assume all your home screen icons need to be re-configured
5. Also, I assume all your wifi settings and gmail accounts etc. need to be re-entered.
6. Do all your market apps need re-downloading? Will I still see these apps in my market account, as if I uninstall an app on my device (not via market) then this disappears from my market list of apps.

Many thanks yet again!

 

[steslatt]

It depends what you mean when you say "full wipe"
If you mean everything... like data, cache, dalvik then it can be done in different ways. Most popular being in CWM.

1)Reboot into CWM
Go to wipe data factory reset.
Select yes
Once done go back to main menu.
Go to wipe cache partition
Select yes.
Once done go back to main menu.
Got to advanced.
Then go to wipe Dalvik Cache
Select Yes.
All done.

2) When instructed to do so, often when swapping custom roms.
3) It can only be done on rooted devices.
4) Yes, if not backed up
5) Yes, if not backed up
6) Yes, if not backed up. Your purchased apps will still be in your market account.

 

[lotsip81]

Kind of an old thread I know, but I have a couple of questions.

1. I was just wondering, is this also recommended if a person was flashing back to a stock firmware?

2. Is it only done if the ROM you are flashing recommends it or is it a good thing to do before flashing ALL custom ROMS?

Thanks
lotsip81

 

[Unforgiven]

Kind of an old thread I know, but I have a couple of questions.

1. I was just wondering, is this also recommended if a person was flashing back to a stock firmware?

2. Is it only done if the ROM you are flashing recommends it or is it a good thing to do before flashing ALL custom ROMS?

Thanks
lotsip81

It is a good idea to do this before flashing any custom rom, and usually before flashing stock. Unless otherwise instructed, you should wipe per the post above (some nightlies don't require a wipe). I would add that you should do a nandroid backup (backup/restore option in CWM) before wiping as well.

 

[Slug]

The safest answer is, if it's a different version, wipe.

e.g.
Stock to custom.... wipe!
Custom A to Custom B.... wipe!
Android 2.3.x to Android 4.0.x.... wipe!

Updating a custom ROM normally only requires a cache & dalvik wipe. Official firmware updates from Samsung are also usually non-wipe as they've been 2.3.x to 2.3.x, although the Android 4.0 update may differ.

 

[Sword Fish]

1. I am assuming you are asking technically what is happening when you do a full wipe? That I don't know but I do know that during this period when I have been testing ICS and then coming back to GB, I have to do a full factory reset or I get constant FC's and SOD's.

2. Definately when changing versions of your firmware. When coming back from ICS, I do a factory reset, reload KK5 stock, install Checkrom, re-root, Install Kernel then do a restore from CWM. (I find Titanium very unreliable for restores!) This process works everytime. The only time I have had issues is if I did't do a Factory Reset.

3. Really not sure on that one. I use CWM to do a full wipe and you can't use it if you aren't rooted so maybe the answer is yes??

4. No, when I do a CWM restore, my screens all come back the way I had them before the backup.

5. Yes, I also have to delete all my exchange email accounts as they won't work until I delete them and reset them up.

6. No, using CWM restore, all my apps and data come back. I think that is why I have issues with exchange, CWM restores something it shouldn't and it messes up my accounts.

One thing I noticed when coming back from ICS LPH, I couldn't use the backup I made using CWM from ICS. Not sure why but I had so many FC's I finally started over and this time restored an older GB backup. Could be something in the formats of data that messes up GB.

 

[Retroglide]

Was wandering the same thing. Have been browsing via root explorer and am coming across folders/file from apps that aren't used anymore. I would like to delete everything to return the phone back to its out of box state when I first bought it. I did a hard reset but there are still unwanted files on there.

 

[lotsip81]

What about kernel flashing, do you wipe for that? For instance, going from a CF kernel back to a stock kernel.

 

[Shotgun84]

Was wandering the same thing. Have been browsing via root explorer and am coming across folders/file from apps that aren't used anymore. I would like to delete everything to return the phone back to its out of box state when I first bought it. I did a hard reset but there are still unwanted files on there.

If you go to settings, privacy, factory data reset you can tick to format USB storage which will remove everything from the internal memory card as well.

 

[Shotgun84]

What about kernel flashing, do you wipe for that? For instance, going from a CF kernel back to a stock kernel.

If you are changing kernel you only need to wipe cache and dalvik. However if you are using a custom kernel which uses init.d scripts its advisable to delete these from /etc/init.d using root explorer or similar as these can cause conflicts between kernels. If you don't want to do that manually you can flash hawkers kernel blitzer script before flashing your new kernel
http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-international-all-things-root/469630-my-gs2-kernel-cleaning-scripts.html