Database Users

URGENT: Factory Reset wiped sdcard

I have a rather urgent issue, in which a factory reset wiped my sdcard. First of all, is that normal? This is my first device with no external microsd, and my first time using TWRP. Before, I had been using various versions of Amon-Ra or CWM, and when I factory reset they never wiped the sd card. Next, whether it was normal or not, I need a way to recover my data. I had around 8 gigs in sdcard before it got wiped.
To give you more background info on what was going on, I had a rooted 4.1.2 16GB Nexus, and I decided that I wanted to try PA. I made a nandroid backup of course, and then proceeded to flash the rom. I followed the instructions on the PA thread, first doing a factory reset followed up by the actual flashing, then a wipe of cache/davlik. After I tried the rom out for a few minutes, I noticed that there weren't any redeeming features to make it worth the time-consuming switch from stock to PA, transferring all my data and setting up my settings once more.
I rebooted back into recovery and factory reset again, and then I went to restore and saw that there were no backups. Suspicious, I went to the install menu, and found my entire sdcard folder had been wiped out. What happened?
Edit: I'm currently still on the recovery, afraid to do anything in case I lose my data forever.

Was your boot loader already unlocked or did you unlock it right before you flashed the ROM?

littleemp said:
Was your boot loader already unlocked or did you unlock it right before you flashed the ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply, especially on Christmas, but I got around the issue myself. It had been unlocked for 2 months now.
I noticed that every time I booted into recovery, it would make a "0" folder and move the contents of my sdcard into that "0" folder. Then the 0 folder would go inside another 0 folder, and so on and so forth. It was a really strange issue because I was unable to restore my backup; TWRP could not find my /sdcard/TWRP/backup folder, because it did not exist! It was in sdcard/0/0/TWRP/backup. I used the built in file manager in TWRP, and moved the contents back into the proper folder. I could then restore, and now I'm feeling relieved.
However, two issues remain; the 0 folders are still there, and storage transfer speeds seem very slow.
Edit: I got rid of the 0 folders by moving my folders out of them and then deleting the 0 folders, but the size of my files seem to have been inflated. What took up 6 gigs before is now taking up 8.8gb. Lol wut? Also, when I hook it up to a computer it tells me that 12GB has been filled. So many discrepancies.

androidwkim said:
Edit: I got rid of the 0 folders by moving my folders out of them and then deleting the 0 folders, but the size of my files seem to have been inflated. What took up 6 gigs before is now taking up 8.8gb. Lol wut? Also, when I hook it up to a computer it tells me that 12GB has been filled. So many discrepancies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am having the same problem. I think everybody has that problem, because it's caused by jelly bean 4.2 and its new emulated storage.
The only way I have found to get arround it was to copy all files on the computer from the sdcard, then formating the sdcard in recouvery and moving everything back.
Only problem I am having right now is that I can't for the love of it copy my files. Stupid MTP filesystem is really buggy and extremly slow. I constantly crashes or gives me multiple erros. The one I am having at the moment is something about a parameter error.
Very annoying the stupid filesystem under 4.2.
Btw. I can't get the adb pull command to work either. When I tell it to copy system/storage/emulated/legacy (I believe thats where the sdcard is actually loccated, right?!) it doesn't copy a single file.
If anybody could help me I would be very greatfull.

xaboren said:
I am having the same problem. I think everybody has that problem, because it's caused by jelly bean 4.2 and its new emulated storage.
The only way I have found to get arround it was to copy all files on the computer from the sdcard, then formating the sdcard in recouvery and moving everything back.
Only problem I am having right now is that I can't for the love of it copy my files. Stupid MTP filesystem is really buggy and extremly slow. I constantly crashes or gives me multiple erros. The one I am having at the moment is something about a parameter error.
Very annoying the stupid filesystem under 4.2.
Btw. I can't get the adb pull command to work either. When I tell it to copy system/storage/emulated/legacy (I believe thats where the sdcard is actually loccated, right?!) it doesn't copy a single file.
If anybody could help me I would be very greatfull.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same fear, emotion and discovery a week ago when trying a new Rom thanks multi users feature .
You may try to switch from MTP mode to MSC in system setting to increase the speed.
Take care of the different tools because as example JROMFlasher will format the SD card for better cleaning. (I had backup!)

I think I read that the Factory Reset from the settings menu WILL erase everything.
Formatting with ClockworkMod, saves your sdcard files.
I also recommend unlocking asap just for laughs. Even if you don't plan on rooting or Modding... unlocking will ensure your files won't be deleted if you decide to or something happens that requires it
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app

Every time !! Arghhhh

Okay,, i have a note 10.1 n8010 and EVERYTIME I FLASH a rom i cant install any apps and it says insufficient storage, I do everything step by step, I don't understand, I just don't understand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can someone please explain me why this is, i wipe everything before doing a update etc...

asustf700t said:
Okay,, i have a note 10.1 n8010 and EVERYTIME I FLASH a rom i cant install any apps and it says insufficient storage, I do everything step by step, I don't understand, I just don't understand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can someone please explain me why this is, i wipe everything before doing a update etc...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you using an external SD Card or just your internal one ?

lsherif said:
Are you using an external SD Card or just your internal one ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A external one as well

asustf700t said:
A external one as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try following the below steps as per smaw51 recommendations :
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partition
mounts and storage/ format /data
mounts and storage/ format /system
mounts and storage/ format /cache
advanced/ wipe dalvik cache
Repeat a couple times for good measure

I have already tried those steps as I found them online and it does nothing, I always have to delete everything and then return to stock ... I just don't get it >

asustf700t said:
I have already tried those steps as I found them online and it does nothing, I always have to delete everything and then return to stock ... I just don't get it >
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So what`s your internal free storage after installing a fresh rom ?

asustf700t said:
I have already tried those steps as I found them online and it does nothing, I always have to delete everything and then return to stock ... I just don't get it >
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oops accidentally thanked you for this post.
Anyways, I have found that wiping data from recovery doesn't clear download files and such. Download Astro File manager and see what is taking up most of your internal memory. I found personally that .zip files and a few things like that were taking up oodles of storage space. Also, when yuo do a CWM backup, do the backup to the External SD card, that way it doesn't take up app space.

lsherif said:
So what`s your internal free storage after installing a fresh rom ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
like 7gb? and external is 4gb because i have a partition, but the partition in my case is irrelevant because before when I didn't know about link2sd I still had this problem, but everyone else seems to flash roms daily with no issues lol?

Jonphinguyen7 said:
Oops accidentally thanked you for this post.
Anyways, I have found that wiping data from recovery doesn't clear download files and such. Download Astro File manager and see what is taking up most of your internal memory. I found personally that .zip files and a few things like that were taking up oodles of storage space. Also, when yuo do a CWM backup, do the backup to the External SD card, that way it doesn't take up app space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
okay ill thank you back lol, okay I will back it up externally for future reference, but the issue seems to be on every rom i download with my device...but no one else seems to have this issue with the same rom
edit------------
i can't it says ive reached my 8 limit today...

anyone?
i also tried the steps in this post... http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1745247&page=3
I believe reading this thread and taking a few tips has fixed everything!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1908711&page=2

I strongly suggest you flash a stock rom using Odin and clear everything. If you still have problems with the stock rom on your tablet return it for warranty repair. My feeling is though it is something you are doing. So once back to stock (out of the box) reinstall apps one at a time - avoid apps to sd and installing them on external memory. I don't believe that can be necessary!

Internal SD Card write permission

Okay, I don't know how many people are facing this issue but here it goes.
I've just restored back my Nandroid backup rom which is root stock 4.4.2 TW Poland from CM11. Everything is as it should be except for one thing, my INTERNAL storage suddenly become READ ONLY, not REWRITABLE.
To me this is weird as most people I've search on this board has external SD issues, but my external SD are working fine. I can transfer apps and even do Titanium Backup on it no problem.
Can someone enlighten me what seems to be the problem? What has CM11 done to the internal storage permission?

syazwanimator said:
Okay, I don't know how many people are facing this issue but here it goes.
I've just restored back my Nandroid backup rom which is root stock 4.4.2 TW Poland from CM11. Everything is as it should be except for one thing, my INTERNAL storage suddenly become READ ONLY, not REWRITABLE.
To me this is weird as most people I've search on this board has external SD issues, but my external SD are working fine. I can transfer apps and even do Titanium Backup on it no problem.
Can someone enlighten me what seems to be the problem? What has CM11 done to the internal storage permission?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have exactly the same issue now.
Hoping there is a fix

Same issue, had to flashed stock firmware again to fix it.
I noticed in es file explorer, internal sd is mounted as "legacy" after restoring while it was mounted as "0" in stock tw before CM11.

stonedead said:
Same issue, had to flashed stock firmware again to fix it.
I noticed in es file explorer, internal sd is mounted as "legacy" after restoring while it was mounted as "0" in stock tw before CM11.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you flash via Odin or via CWM?

Mobile odin..

stonedead said:
Same issue, had to flashed stock firmware again to fix it.
I noticed in es file explorer, internal sd is mounted as "legacy" after restoring while it was mounted as "0" in stock tw before CM11.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
stonedead said:
Mobile odin..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps that's the way to go - sorry for 20 questions - did you flash a pre-rooted version or just plain stock via mobile odin?

Hammer_drum said:
Perhaps that's the way to go - sorry for 20 questions - did you flash a pre-rooted version or just plain stock via mobile odin?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plain stock. I just tick the everoot and reset data and cache...don't mind re-install everything as I don't have many apps and games.
You can try flash it without clearing data and cache, that might work..

stonedead said:
Plain stock. I just tick the everoot and reset data and cache...don't mind re-install everything as I don't have many apps and games.
You can try flash it without clearing data and cache, that might work..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I seem to have been able to get it working again.
I went into CWM - wiped Storage, Data, then the usual full data reset etc and flashed a rom.
Permissions are ok now.
Last time I install CM11...

[trick] switching roms without loosing adopted sd data[mm]

Marshmallow had a new cool feature of adopted storage but all the flashoholics had trouble in changing roms because they have to format sd card every time they change roms .
I have a solution.
1:- while flashing rom wipe system dalvik cache and cache but dont wipe data .
2:- flash the rom and let it optimize apps .
3:- after optimizations most probably you will be in bootloop , simply boot into recovery and wipe data and reboot.
4:- your phone will optimize apps again and this time it will boot up and you can access sd card as adopted storage without need to format it again as internal.
This trick worked for me and should work for you guys too.
There's another method that is :-
1:- navigate to root folder
2:- copy all the files from data/misc/vold to somewhere in SD card
3:now boot to recovery wipe everything except SD card and flash new ROM .
4:- now using twrp's file manager move the files you from step 2 to the same folder I.e. data/misc/vold
5:-reboot

According to twrp dev, you can use this trick ' Note, if you factory reset and leave the key present in /data/misc/vold, then Android will still detect and use the adopted storage on the next boot.'
https://gerrit.omnirom.org/#/c/15921/

Thanks! Worked for me! :fingers-crossed:

PoseidonKing said:
Thanks! Worked for me! :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Dirty Flashing....and adopted sd card
If I dirty flash a rom by just clearing the cache and dalvik cache, will the old adopted sd card setting work or will I have to follow your procedure even then also?

[email protected] said:
If I dirty flash a rom by just clearing the cache and dalvik cache, will the old adopted sd card setting work or will I have to follow your procedure even then also?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It'll work, according to the trick mentioned here

[email protected] said:
If I dirty flash a rom by just clearing the cache and dalvik cache, will the old adopted sd card setting work or will I have to follow your procedure even then also?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup but most probably you will get boot loop if you have installed significant number of apps....so clean flash is advised......and use the trick mentioned
Sent from my Moto E using Tapatalk

Abhimanyu Shekhawat 121 said:
Yup but most probably you will get boot loop if you have installed significant number of apps....so clean flash is advised......and use the trick mentioned
Sent from my Moto E using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you explain? why this bootloop?
pls do read my post here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66353859&postcount=1784
does this sound familiar?
i had 39 apps installed so you can say i have lots of apps
but this never happened to me before i flashed 13th april nightly...
ultimately i had to wipe everything, do a clean flash and use this method to save the sdcard

booo159159 said:
can you explain? why this bootloop?
pls do read my post here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66353859&postcount=1784
does this sound familiar?
i had 39 apps installed so you can say i have lots of apps
but this never happened to me before i flashed 13th april nightly...
ultimately i had to wipe everything, do a clean flash and use this method to save the sdcard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know the exact reason but as long as you have only 10-15 apps you won't get bootloop .....I always get bootloop while dirty flashing updates
Sent from my Moto E using Tapatalk

will this also work on other phones? i have an i9505

k2828 said:
will this also work on other phones? i have an i9505
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will
Sent from my Moto E using Tapatalk

booo159159 said:
can you explain? why this bootloop?
pls do read my post here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66353859&postcount=1784
does this sound familiar?
i had 39 apps installed so you can say i have lots of apps
but this never happened to me before i flashed 13th april nightly...
ultimately i had to wipe everything, do a clean flash and use this method to save the sdcard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use latest RR.......RR not giving booloops on dirty flash
Sent from my Moto E using Tapatalk

Sorry for bringing up this old thread again, but I've an issue where I had to hard reset in order to get root on my Moto X Pure. I didn't think about whether or not I should make any backups of my sd or nand.
I thought I could just continue using the sd as adopted storage on my new ROM.
Anyways, when doing this trick do I leave the sd card inside?

ZoneBlaze said:
Sorry for bringing up this old thread again, but I've an issue where I had to hard reset in order to get root on my Moto X Pure. I didn't think about whether or not I should make any backups of my sd or nand.
I thought I could just continue using the sd as adopted storage on my new ROM.
Anyways, when doing this trick do I leave the sd card inside?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes SD card should be inside.
Sent from my Moto E using Tapatalk

well it works. you can also switch from cm13 to cm14.1, but the option migrate data, to migrate from internal to adopted is missing afterwards

please help , i can see the .key file in the vold folder but i don't know how to save it so that i can RE USE the adoptable storage AFTER FACTORY RESETTING my Phone.
PLEASE PLEASE help me out !

yaxir0 said:
please help , i can see the .key file in the vold folder but i don't know how to save it so that i can RE USE the adoptable storage AFTER FACTORY RESETTING my Phone.
PLEASE PLEASE help me out !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just copy it to your SD card using file manager. Then when you flash ROM, go into twrp file manager and copy-paste it back to vold folder.
However, if you are on a nougat ROM then you don't need this entire trick at all! Just flash ROM without this trick. The .key will take care of itself automatically without any problem.

Vikrant Desai said:
Just copy it to your SD card using file manager. Then when you flash ROM, go into twrp file manager and copy-paste it back to vold folder.
However, if you are on a nougat ROM then you don't need this entire trick at all! Just flash ROM without this trick. The .key will take care of itself automatically without any problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for you reply , Vikrant
my problem is , my SD card does NOT appear in TWRP fiile manager , since it was formatted as internal. my phone's stuck in boot animation. so i have no access to the phone's OS to retrieve my VERY precious data.
please help me out ... i would explain the issue in detail but i have already made a post here ;
https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxquestions/comments/62m1p6/decrypting_a_sd_card_on_ubuntu/
kindly take a look and suggest possible solutions.
Many thanks !

yaxir0 said:
thanks for you reply , Vikrant
my problem is , my SD card does NOT appear in TWRP fiile manager , since it was formatted as internal. my phone's stuck in boot animation. so i have no access to the phone's OS to retrieve my VERY precious data.
please help me out ... i would explain the issue in detail but i have already made a post here ;
https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxquestions/comments/62m1p6/decrypting_a_sd_card_on_ubuntu/
kindly take a look and suggest possible solutions.
Many thanks !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, in TWRP file manager, don't you see the option 'sdcard' ? Go to TWRP > Advanced > file manager > sdcard.
I'm also using SD as internal and flashing ROMs and stuff without using this trick (on nougat).

Vikrant Desai said:
Well, in TWRP file manager, don't you see the option 'sdcard' ? Go to TWRP > Advanced > file manager > sdcard.
I'm also using SD as internal and flashing ROMs and stuff without using this trick (on nougat).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i see. you're using Android 7.0 (Android N) ... i was using CM13 , Android 6.0 (Android MarshMellow) oh and infact , i downloaded the ROM from xda forums ...
here's the EXACT ROM that was running on my phone before disaster struck ;
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-mega/development/rom-aicp-11-0-mm-6-0-1-t3457130
i DID use the TWRP File Manager but i don't remember exploring that particular 'sdcard' folder . but do tell me , what did you see in your 'sdcard' folder in file manager ?

16 Gb of memory instead of 32

I've updated to .253 with all the wipes last week and today I discovered I only have 16 Gb of internal memory now.
Has anybody encountered the same issue? What can cause such a problem? And how can I solve it?

I've been getting this issue but some reason, I'm not limited to 16, I'm limited to 22? I'm not sure.

Is the same information as the picture, if you check memory with a file explorer(Es file explorer for example)? On a computer what is the situation with memory?

Monipeev said:
Is the same information as the picture, if you check memory with a file explorer(Es file explorer for example)? On a computer what is the situation with memory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I noticed it on a computer initially. It showed 16 Gb instead of 32 Gb.
Now it shows something even worse! Total irrelevance.

It is absolutely illogical. In file explorer? What about if restart your phone? Any differents?

No difference, reloading doesn't change anything.
I'm so puzzled.

Also getting this issue @ 16GB internal storage.
FWIW i'm using the XPower 3 debloat with the .253 kernal.

@jufofu, What will show if despite the small remaining space, continue to copy more information in the internal memory? Whether it will continue to collect more data in memory, which means just bad reporting of information on available memory ? Maybe factory reset or repair with Xperia Companion. If problem still there, then the option is service. If you decide to do this, copy your information from phone to computer before this steps.

@Poag, was the problem there on the previous firmware? Do you have any ideas about its origins?
@Monipeev, it doesn't copy files from PC when the small memory is filled.
I will try to flash it again this week. If it doesn't work properly I'll have to restore TA backup and go the the service.

To be honest, i can't remember. I just flashed .224 from Flashtool wiping everything and TWRP reports only 8GB for internal.....booting into system atm....
Would someone with a 32GB internal mind posting a df?
[edit] Ok thats given me back my 32GB internal storage, currently sat on a freshly imaged device with 10GB of 32Gb used internal.

Poag said:
To be honest, i can't remember. I just flashed .224 from Flashtool wiping everything and TWRP reports only 8GB for internal.....booting into system atm....
Would someone with a 32GB internal mind posting a df?
[edit] Ok thats given me back my 32GB internal storage, currently sat on a freshly imaged device with 10GB of 32Gb used internal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you go about fixing this?
I have the same problem.

So this is supposedly a bug in .253? I'm glad that it can be solved by reflashing.
@MattyCurrann, you too got this problem after flashing .253?

So i
1- Downloaded the UK Customised 224 in Flashtool - XperiFirm
2- Flash this wiping everything in the 'Wipe' box.
3- Booted into Fastboot and flashed the .253+TWRP kernal listed in the XPower thread post #312
4- Booted in system and then set about resetting up the device from TitaniumBackups.
---------- Post added at 10:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:23 AM ----------
MattyCurrann said:
How did you go about fixing this?
I have the same problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont think you have the problem. 22GB is were you are meant to be.
10GB is system 22GB is user space.

jufofu said:
So this is supposedly a bug in .253? I'm glad that it can be solved by reflashing.
@MattyCurrann, you too got this problem after flashing .253?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope, NOT a bug in .253,
afaik it's been there on Lollipop as well,
existed on Lollipop firmwares, 185, 224, 253 MM firmwares
(I got it too on Z5).
It sometimes occured during flashing Firmwares via XperiFirm + Flashtool or flashing new ones via TWRP,
really weird "bug"

There is another thread regarding this bug:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z5-compact/help/how-storage-t3398804/post67849319#post67849319
You can fix it without flashing anything - if you have TWRP recovery, just Repair /data partition in Wipe menu. If that doesn't help, try Repairing /system partition (that helped in my case).

Another cases of the same issue: http://forum.xda-developers.com/xpe...-repack-stock-kernel-dm-t3301605/post67317647
Edit: posted it without refreshing the page, basically the previous post covers it all.

flashtools sucks nowadays!

Repairing didn't help, but resizing /data works perfectly. I've got my memory back.

jufofu said:
Repairing didn't help, but resizing /data works perfectly. I've got my memory back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A little "how to" would be nice.
EDIT:
As TWRP kept giving me Errror 4. I did figure out what it meant by that.
It needs manual handling (answering questions) in cli.
I went on with "adb shell" on my computer while the device was started up in TWRP/recovery mode.
There I unmounted everything, and then I ran this command from adb shell:
Code:
e2fsck -f /dev/block/mmcblk0p42
There I had to answer a bunch of questions about orphaned inodes and other corruptions. (Tookl a while to answer them all. I could have used "-y").
Once done, the fs was marked as clean, and the rezise command in TWRP worked flawlessly. Problem solved.
Strange that it had so many corruptions/orphaned inodes, considering it was a new fresh flash made just recently with flashtool.

how did you update your phone?