How harmful is a Factory Reset? - Nexus 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hey there.
Just wondering is a factory reset does any harm to a phone, or is it perfectly safe? You see, I've performed one factory reset on my phone - was worried about stuff being transferred across that shouldn't be, and I've set it up again. However, I mustn't have unchecked the restore from backup box when setting up my phone, and it's downloaded every single app I've ever tried whilst being on the Android platform. I don't want to manually have to delete everything, so I was wondering if I could perform a second factory reset and start afresh?
So yeah, is the factory reset safe, and does it just set my phone back to how it was out-of-the-box?
Thanks.

Of course it's safe. Don't be paranoid. Just enjoy your phone.
Sent from my iPad 4

And it just sets it back to how it was when I first took it out the box, right?

jonnokenny said:
And it just sets it back to how it was when I first took it out the box, right?
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Duh. Lol. Of course.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

jonnokenny said:
...and does it just set my phone back to how it was out-of-the-box?
Thanks.
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Click to collapse
Assuming you haven't flashed another ROM, in which case it will return you to the "stock" installation of that particular ROM.

haha i deserved that.
okay cool, I'll do a second factory reset then and start afresh. and then hope my new SIM arrives tomorrow so I can actually use the phone

Related

Google Books!

I downloaded Google Books today just to play around with it and now I cannot uninstall it. I don't want to root my phone just to get rid of it. Will a hard reset help?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
Not sure bout a hard reset. When i got my phone, this was already preinstalled. Your phone might think its a system app and not clear after a hard reset.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App
Hmm.. that sucks.
By the way, is there any difference between a factory reset done via the settings menu and the hard reset done by booting into the special menu?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
athani said:
I downloaded Google Books today just to play around with it and now I cannot uninstall it. I don't want to root my phone just to get rid of it. Will a hard reset help?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
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All Nexus Ss come with Google Books preinstalled after the 2.3.1 or 2.3.2 ota. So nothing can remove it unless you root. Why so annoyed by it? you never noticed it being installed on the phone before and it doesn't take any resources if you disable books syncing from Accounts and Sync under the system settings.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
My phone did not have google books preinstalled. I installed it yesterday just to see what it was and now I'm stuck with it.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
Pretty sure it's still the same as it use to be
Soft reset is like rebooting
Hard reset is like unplugging something while its on( removing battery without turning phone off first).
Factory rest wipes it to stock, or original rom that you may have flashed. All setting revert to default.
Don't quote me though
athani said:
Hmm.. that sucks.
By the way, is there any difference between a factory reset done via the settings menu and the hard reset done by booting into the special menu?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
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Click to collapse
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App
pierre1321 said:
Pretty sure it's still the same as it use to be
Soft reset is like rebooting
Hard reset is like unplugging something while its on( removing battery without turning phone off first).
Factory rest wipes it to stock, or original rom that you may have flashed. All setting revert to default.
Don't quote me though
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, I wanted to know if there is any difference between the two methods of performing a factory reset -
1. Settings> Privacy> Factory Data Reset
2. Power off phone. Power on while pressing the volume up button. And then reset.
Does the latter method perform a "deeper" reset?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
Its a preference thing.
If I'm on stock, prolly do it through settings.
Or through bootloader if i can't get it to boot.
If rooted and unlocked and custom rom, i do it through recovery. Cause i can flash and clear stuff in 1 shot.
athani said:
Actually, I wanted to know if there is any difference between the two methods of performing a factory reset -
1. Settings> Privacy> Factory Data Reset
2. Power off phone. Power on while pressing the volume up button. And then reset.
Does the latter method perform a "deeper" reset?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App
I want to "root" my phone only for the purpose of getting rid of some pre-installed stuff. I do not want to have a custon ROM, at least not now.
I've seen this thread which explains rooting the Nexus S, giving 4 steps in which to do it.
At what step can I stop if I want just a simple root as stated above? Or will I have to go through the whole process?
Will the procedure erase anything from my phone? If yes, how do I backup?
I believe both reset methods do the same thing, which is format the /data partition (and maybe a bit more?).
matt2053 said:
I believe both reset methods do the same thing, which is format the /data partition (and maybe a bit more?).
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Thanks for the reply but I'm just as clueless as before.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA Premium App
athani said:
I want to "root" my phone only for the purpose of getting rid of some pre-installed stuff. I do not want to have a custon ROM, at least not now.
I've seen this thread which explains rooting the Nexus S, giving 4 steps in which to do it.
At what step can I stop if I want just a simple root as stated above? Or will I have to go through the whole process?
Will the procedure erase anything from my phone? If yes, how do I backup?
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Click to collapse
The process will wipe your data, and you need to do the whole thing.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
I just checked, it only takes up 4M, which is nothing. I wouldn't worry about it so much.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

Factory condition

Okay, so let's say you want your phone to seem to a Samsung rep to have never been rooted or messed with in any such fashion.
What exactly, all in all, would you say you would have to do to get it back to such a condition after having been rooted?
I assume it is something like,
Reset the counter with a usb jig
flash original firmware
But it would not surprise me if there were other loose ends that could end up messing you up as well, so I thought I'd ask.
edit: Wow am I ever bad at posting in the wrong forum, sorrry, should have put this in Q&A.
mystic01 said:
Okay, so let's say you want your phone to seem to a Samsung rep to have never been rooted or messed with in any such fashion.
What exactly, all in all, would you say you would have to do to get it back to such a condition after having been rooted?
I assume it is something like,
Reset the counter with a usb jig
flash original firmware
But it would not surprise me if there were other loose ends that could end up messing you up as well, so I thought I'd ask.
edit: Wow am I ever bad at posting in the wrong forum, sorrry, should have put this in Q&A.
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Your assumption is correct.
Sent from my GT-I9100
Hard reset (not factory reset) the device.
Intratech said:
Hard reset (not factory reset) the device.
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Ain't hard reset = factory reset?
BananaMilkShake said:
Ain't hard reset = factory reset?
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Factory reset: using reset option in phone..
Hard rest: using dialer code
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

[Q] What happened!? My phone unconfigured everything!!

Something strange happened today.
My N4 changed a lot of things with no reasons:
1) home button stopped working
2) no notifications at all on notification bar
3) when i hold power button only show "turn off" and no more the other options
What may be the cause of that?
campanate said:
Something strange happened today.
My N4 changed a lot of things with no reasons:
1) home button stopped working
2) no notifications at all on notification bar
3) when i hold power button only show "turn off" and no more the other options
What may be the cause of that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have you tried rebooting?
also, you will have to give us more info, like what rom, kernel, any mods/themes, your setup, etc..
simms22 said:
have you tried rebooting?
also, you will have to give us more info, like what rom, kernel, any mods/themes, your setup, etc..
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Click to collapse
already rebooted a few times..
I am all stock, but rooted.
Very strange what is going on...
campanate said:
already rebooted a few times..
I am all stock, but rooted.
Very strange what is going on...
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Click to collapse
I have no notification icons on the top bar as well, but i have some apps running on background that should appear there.
Is there a reboot method like when we remove the battery?
If you have a custom recovery and can get into it have you tried wiping cache and dalvik? Or a factory reset?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
I dont have a custom recovery.
How do i do a factory reset?
campanate said:
I dont have a custom recovery.
How do i do a factory reset?
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BTW, do i lose root factoring reset?
In settings it is under backup and restore I believe will have the option. Keep in mind it erases your data so if you have anything you want to keep back it up first.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
I think i know what happened. This is a very strange bug but it happens once in a while.
Whenever you flash gapps or flash the stock rom your phone boots up into a setup mode which blocks alot of things and limits itself . Once your all done with the setup your phone then changes a file in the system or deletes it that keeps the phone from going into setup mode again. Your phone seems to be in this so called setup mode because the home button doesnt work, only power off option, and no notifications, this is the behavior of the setup. Your phone might have changed that file or replaced it.
I dont think a factory reset will help anything as its in the system, i might be wrong but you should try it first and if you cant get it to work then just flash stock again. This has happened to me a few times before and i have resolved it by just reflashing the stock rom. Im not sure what the cause is but i guess its just a random chance that you get this.
Also no you dont loose root if you factory reset.
That is a strange bug I've never heard of that you may be right but a factory reset should force him to go through set up again which could fix that. I didn't suggest re flashing since he stated he didn't have a custom recovery.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Hyperrunner said:
I think i know what happened. This is a very strange bug but it happens once in a while.
Whenever you flash gapps or flash the stock rom your phone boots up into a setup mode which blocks alot of things and limits itself . Once your all done with the setup your phone then changes a file in the system or deletes it that keeps the phone from going into setup mode again. Your phone seems to be in this so called setup mode because the home button doesnt work, only power off option, and no notifications, this is the behavior of the setup. Your phone might have changed that file or replaced it.
I dont think a factory reset will help anything as its in the system, i might be wrong but you should try it first and if you cant get it to work then just flash stock again. This has happened to me a few times before and i have resolved it by just reflashing the stock rom. Im not sure what the cause is but i guess its just a random chance that you get this.
Also no you dont loose root if you factory reset.
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Click to collapse
forvrknight said:
That is a strange bug I've never heard of that you may be right but a factory reset should force him to go through set up again which could fix that. I didn't suggest re flashing since he stated he didn't have a custom recovery.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate both tips.
I am trying a factory reset this afternoon.
After that i am going to post a feedback right here.
Thanks.

Device got restored automatically and app data gone

Early morning when I woke up, I saw the language option coming on the home screen. I thought I got an upgrade to Android M automatically, so, I moved on with the all the process of setting up the device. Later on, there came an option to keep all the 81 apps and it's data, so, I choose 'Yes'. It was shocking to see that it was no upgrade but a reset was automatically initiated. Though all the apps are being downloaded and installed but the app data is gone which was more than important to me. I was using an app called Expense Manager (play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=at.markushi.expensemanager) and I really want the data back. Please help me out with this and yes, my device is not rooted. Android version is 5.1.1
sahil1033 said:
Early morning when I woke up, I saw the language option coming on the home screen. I thought I got an upgrade to Android M automatically, so, I moved on with the all the process of setting up the device. Later on, there came an option to keep all the 81 apps and it's data, so, I choose 'Yes'. It was shocking to see that it was no upgrade but a reset was automatically initiated. Though all the apps are being downloaded and installed but the app data is gone which was more than important to me. I was using an app called Expense Manager (play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=at.markushi.expensemanager) and I really want the data back. Please help me out with this and yes, my device is not rooted. Android version is 5.1.1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you make a nandroid with TWRP? Or titanium backup?
Evolution_Tech said:
Did you make a nandroid with TWRP? Or titanium backup?
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Click to collapse
No, I did nothing.
sahil1033 said:
No, I did nothing.
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Click to collapse
I'm afraid you most likely can not recover that data.
No most likely about it. OP is SOL. Data cannot be recovered in this situation by ANY means.
If something is valuable to you on your tablet TAKE BACKUPS FREQUENTLY.
Evolution_Tech said:
I'm afraid you most likely can not recover that data.
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Click to collapse
fwayfarer said:
No most likely about it. OP is SOL. Data cannot be recovered in this situation by ANY means.
If something is valuable to you on your tablet TAKE BACKUPS FREQUENTLY.
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Click to collapse
Any good backup app which can be used on non-rooted device. Also, I'm curious why did my device automatically got a reset.
sahil1033 said:
Any good backup app which can be used on non-rooted device. Also, I'm curious why did my device automatically got a reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup
sahil1033 said:
Any good backup app which can be used on non-rooted device. Also, I'm curious why did my device automatically got a reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it could have been anything. the cheap flash memory is getting old in these devices. people are having their flash literally fail to unreadable at this point. it could have even been a goddamn cosmic ray hit that triggered it. no way to tell at this point.

[OOS 4.5.13] Phone unresponsive after phone call during little delay

Hello all,
I'm using xXx (basically OOS stock). When I make a phone call, the phone isn't responsive during a few seconds. I can try to change the page, open the home menu, or anything else and it doesn't do anything. However, everything is made after a few seconds so I see the phone opening stuff and all in a rush.
Anyone have this issue? I already had this issue before but not sure if I was on stock OOS or not. Furthermore, I'm using boeffla kernel.
Thanks!
Clear cash and reboot
colindodds said:
Clear cash and reboot
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Already tried and no luck
Sent from my OnePlus5 using XDA Labs
You could try full wipe and reset remember to back up hope it works I always stay on stock everything did all the flashing on earlier Samsung's and htcs so learnt my lesson so these days stock all day long
colindodds said:
You could try full wipe and reset remember to back up hope it works I always stay on stock everything did all the flashing on earlier Samsung's and htcs so learnt my lesson so these days stock all day long
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Click to collapse
I already did a full wipe and I found the issue, it's caused by ARISE. I'll try another way
Sent from my OnePlus5 using XDA Labs

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