[Q] Cleaning out the main storage/new beginning - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshootin

I am about to give my AT&T Samsung GS4 a new beginning. I have had issues with my current stock ROM and restoring to a previous recovery is giving me issues. I am ready for a new start. The device is rooted, and I have TWRP 2.6.3.0 installed. I don't mind switching to CWM (Jeboo v1.1 is already on my flash list). I am leaning toward Graviton 1.4 ROM. Maybe Goldeneye.
I have just over 2 GB free on my internal storage, which I see getting used up pretty quick with photos of kids and other stuff. I have looked into a few folders, not knowing if they are important. I would like a fresh start with a new ROM and a clean internal storage. I'm even starting anew with a new empty SD card.
What can I do to clean out this internal storage and still keep TWRP (or CWM) recovery intact so I can install a new ROM? My goal is to have a fresh start on a new ROM with no junk files in the internal. Will wiping the internal storage from recovery wipe out my recovery?
In the interest of avoiding catastrophic meltdown and loss of everything, I have indeed made a copy of my internal drive, the sd card, and a few Nandroid backkups, which are all stored on a flash and/or PC.
Device config: Rooted stock ROM, UCUAMDL, stock kernel 3.4.0-453947.

duckredbeard said:
I am about to give my AT&T Samsung GS4 a new beginning. I have had issues with my current stock ROM and restoring to a previous recovery is giving me issues. I am ready for a new start. The device is rooted, and I have TWRP 2.6.3.0 installed. I don't mind switching to CWM (Jeboo v1.1 is already on my flash list). I am leaning toward Graviton 1.4 ROM. Maybe Goldeneye.
I have just over 2 GB free on my internal storage, which I see getting used up pretty quick with photos of kids and other stuff. I have looked into a few folders, not knowing if they are important. I would like a fresh start with a new ROM and a clean internal storage. I'm even starting anew with a new empty SD card.
What can I do to clean out this internal storage and still keep TWRP (or CWM) recovery intact so I can install a new ROM? My goal is to have a fresh start on a new ROM with no junk files in the internal. Will wiping the internal storage from recovery wipe out my recovery?
In the interest of avoiding catastrophic meltdown and loss of everything, I have indeed made a copy of my internal drive, the sd card, and a few Nandroid backkups, which are all stored on a flash and/or PC.
Device config: Rooted stock ROM, UCUAMDL, stock kernel 3.4.0-453947.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reset Flash Counter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FXULkN5rAU
Reflash Stock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpdWLPaJpiQ

What is the purpose of resetting the flash counter? As far as I know my bootloader is still locked.
Returning to stock? Wont i ose root and recovery? Wont I risk ending up with MF3 instead of the MDL that can be rooted?
On-On and Beer Near

If you've got everything backed up, a nandroid, the new ROM, a custom kernel (if you so desire) and the loki-doki zip (if not flashing a loki'd ROM or kernel) all on your micro SD card, then you're ready to begin.
In recovery, wipe everything except the external sd card. I've heard of users having problems after wiping/formatting data in twrp. May want to look into that. I think some users reverted to an older version of TWRP to avoid that. I use cwm. Check out the I337 guide in my signature. It details everything to wipe for a clean slate (system, data, etc).
Cheers

I have one each of a TWRP and CWM backup and recovery. Can a CWM be restored in TWRP?
On-On and Beer Near

duckredbeard said:
I am about to give my AT&T Samsung GS4 a new beginning. I have had issues with my current stock ROM and restoring to a previous recovery is giving me issues. I am ready for a new start. The device is rooted, and I have TWRP 2.6.3.0 installed. I don't mind switching to CWM (Jeboo v1.1 is already on my flash list). I am leaning toward Graviton 1.4 ROM. Maybe Goldeneye.
I have just over 2 GB free on my internal storage, which I see getting used up pretty quick with photos of kids and other stuff. I have looked into a few folders, not knowing if they are important. I would like a fresh start with a new ROM and a clean internal storage. I'm even starting anew with a new empty SD card.
What can I do to clean out this internal storage and still keep TWRP (or CWM) recovery intact so I can install a new ROM? My goal is to have a fresh start on a new ROM with no junk files in the internal. Will wiping the internal storage from recovery wipe out my recovery?
In the interest of avoiding catastrophic meltdown and loss of everything, I have indeed made a copy of my internal drive, the sd card, and a few Nandroid backkups, which are all stored on a flash and/or PC.
Device config: Rooted stock ROM, UCUAMDL, stock kernel 3.4.0-453947.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have the answers already, but I will advice one thing, do not do any twrp over version 2.5.0.2, or you will for sure be starting over again at some point. Those versions have issues.
good luck.

TheAxman said:
You have the answers already, but I will advice one thing, do not do any twrp over version 2.5.0.2, or you will for sure be starting over again at some point. Those versions have issues.
good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TWRP 2.6.0.0 is why we are having this conversation...
I have TWRP on my Asus TF700 tablet...not sure which version. Perhaps I need to get CWM on that device also.

Now I'm thinking the SD card that I was using at the time was the problem. I have not been able to write any files to that card using a PC. I have found another card from a different manufacturer. I have clockworkmod installed. My sd card contains recovery files and a new ROM.
I think all I need to do now is go into recovery, wipe everything including internal storage but not the external SD. Flash the new rom and kernel then reboot.
I believe this is all I need to do. Sound good to you?
On-On and Beer Near

Related

[Q] partitions messed up

Ive been flashing for a while now. Just recent my phone got stuck on the "Galaxy S4" screen amd I had to restart like 15 times and reflash a few times before it booted into the rom. Now I see that I only have 3.5GB of internal space left. Even off od a fresh flash with a complete format. I even fomatted all data in TWRP amd all that. How do I get my space back?
Do I use odin and check off the repartition tab?
Sent from my SGH-I337M using xda app-developers app
Do not mess with odin and check repartition. This will do nothing but brick your phone. If any thing, use your custom recovery and format storage, but be prepared to lose everything. First find out what's taking up all the space.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app
I've heard of problems after formatting /data in twrp on this device. You may consider flashing back to stock and starting over
Keep in mind that the total internal storage available includes your /data partition as well as your internal SDCard (/data/media/). TWRP will not format your internal SDCard unless you explicitly tell it to. Check out the stuff on your SDCard and see if it's eating up space (like a nandroid backup for example that can take up over 2.5gb of space!)
If still unresolved, I would do these steps:
- Backup your internal SDCard to your computer, and otherwise backup everything (nandroid, data backup, what-have-you) to your computer
- Do a simple wipe-data with TWRP
- Use Odin to return to MDL stock (or Canadian equivalent)
- Use stock recovery to wipe your data (this should also wipe SDCard)
- Root with motochopper, install custom recovery, install rom, etc.
To avoid accidentally downloading any OTA updates, I would recommend simply removing your SIM card during all this
Aou said:
Keep in mind that the total internal storage available includes your /data partition as well as your internal SDCard (/data/media/). TWRP will not format your internal SDCard unless you explicitly tell it to. Check out the stuff on your SDCard and see if it's eating up space (like a nandroid backup for example that can take up over 2.5gb of space!)
If still unresolved, I would do these steps:
- Backup your internal SDCard to your computer, and otherwise backup everything (nandroid, data backup, what-have-you) to your computer
- Do a simple wipe-data with TWRP
- Use Odin to return to MDL stock (or Canadian equivalent)
- Use stock recovery to wipe your data (this should also wipe SDCard)
- Root with motochopper, install custom recovery, install rom, etc.
To avoid accidentally downloading any OTA updates, I would recommend simply removing your SIM card during all this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:good:

Flashing ROMs with TWRP

I'm coming from the Droid Razr Maxx. With that phone there was an internal and external sd card. I saved everything important on the ext sd card and never had to worry about losing data. Plus with Safestrap I could create up to 4 virtual Rom slots. Yes that system had a modified TWRP system... but it was highly modified.
So, I rooted my VZN g2 just now and installed TWRP via Flashify. I'd like to flash Malladus 1.2.2 but before I do I want to be sure I know which files are safe when I wipe data. I'd like to know how I'm supposed to back up my data since this system is different than what I'm used to. Any help or links would be very useful. Also, is it possible to switch between different ROMs the way I could with Safestrap? Thanks in advance.
Sent from my LG G2 android phone
jagman96 said:
I'm coming from the Droid Razr Maxx. With that phone there was an internal and external sd card. I saved everything important on the ext sd card and never had to worry about losing data. Plus with Safestrap I could create up to 4 virtual Rom slots. Yes that system had a modified TWRP system... but it was highly modified.
So, I rooted my VZN g2 just now and installed TWRP via Flashify. I'd like to flash Malladus 1.2.2 but before I do I want to be sure I know which files are safe when I wipe data. I'd like to know how I'm supposed to back up my data since this system is different than what I'm used to. Any help or links would be very useful. Also, is it possible to switch between different ROMs the way I could with Safestrap? Thanks in advance.
Sent from my LG G2 android phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you wipe data/factory reset from recovery your /sdcard contents are fine. No there's no sdcard but the folder is still named so.
I don't know about safe strap. But if you make a nandroid you can flash back and forth between ROMs. Its good to have a nandroid anyways

[Q] SafeStrap 3.71 Formatted my EXTSD card!

I have a pretty serious issue. I was trying to upgrade to the latest version of Hyperdrive, and somehow using SafeStrap 3.71 I emptied my stock OS slot (System partition size is 0, and it says no OS installed when I try to reboot). Obviously, I had put all my backup files and the new ROM on my external drive. In the midst of trying to restore my stock ROM, I tried the "Wipe" Format Data option just to get back to a fresh start. It says all "internal storage" will be formatted. I had no idea this included my EXTSD! Now I can't install the custom ROM that was on it, can't get back to factory ("no os installed"), and I've lost every bit of data, pictures, business files etc.
Any help here? I'm pretty intelligent but this is over my head. I've got to restore that data on that SD card if nothing else.
Thanks,
Matt
You are in the wrong section. Our S4 don't use safestrap. You need to be here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4-att
ps try to read your sdcard in your pc to see if the data is really gone.

SAFESTRAP - Low Space

So I only have a 16 GB version of this phone(the only one verizon offered on launch) and it does not have enough space for me to install a rom slot.
Is there a way I can put a rom slot on my sd card?? I guess if not I need to write over my stock rom but I'd rather not
Just make a backup of your stock slot and flash it there. If anything goes wrong just wipe and restore your stock backup. Any particular reason you want to avoid flashing the stock slot?.......just curious
chrisbass said:
Just make a backup of your stock slot and flash it there. If anything goes wrong just wipe and restore your stock backup. Any particular reason you want to avoid flashing the stock slot?.......just curious
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to be cautious. you're right I guess there is no difference if I have a backup, thats what I'll do, thanks!
You can copy backups to external sdcard till needed to free up some space

TWRP backup question

If I backup my system on tw recovery, and flash a new rom, will wiping my phone delete the tw recovery backup in case I have to restore my phone? Feel free to correct me on this, but to my understanding teamwin has it's own partition, and wiping does not mess with this partition?
matthewbhass said:
If I backup my system on tw recovery, and flash a new rom, will wiping my phone delete the tw recovery backup in case I have to restore my phone? Feel free to correct me on this, but to my understanding teamwin has it's own partition, and wiping does not mess with this partition?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think TWRP backups are normally stored on your internal storage partition, so if you perform a (EDIT full factory reset doesnt wipe this, thanks Silesh) or wipe your internal storage, your backups will be erased too. The TWRP itself does install to the recovery partition (which will only be affected by a flash to the recovery, which a wipe will not perform), you're correct on that but the backups are held separately to that. You can copy your backups to another computer or SD card, I found my backup under /SDcard/TWRP/BACKUPS - you could either copy the folder with a root browser or use the ADB pull command (with the ADB terminal), though the TWRP backup may not show on a Windows desktop even if it's been copied correctly. However, if copied back to your phone, the TWRP backup should function.
Edit: thanks Silesh for correcting me, I was thinking of app data rather than user data!
echo92 said:
I think TWRP backups are normally stored on your internal storage partition, so if you perform a full factory reset or wipe your internal storage, your backups will be erased too. The TWRP itself does install to the recovery partition (which will only be affected by a flash to the recovery, which a wipe will not perform), you're correct on that but the backups are held separately to that. You can copy your backups to another computer or SD card, I found my backup under /SDcard/TWRP/BACKUPS - you could either copy the folder with a root browser or use the ADB pull command (with the ADB terminal), though the TWRP backup may not show on a Windows desktop even if it's been copied correctly. However, if copied back to your phone, the TWRP backup should function.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for replying. I can't transfer files from my computer to my phone, but I have thought about using the ADB sideload option from recovery. Is there a way that I can move my backup from my phone to my computer (and to my phone from my computer) using the sideload option, just in case I need the backup? I refuse to flash a new ROM without access to my complete backup, lol.
Internal storage is not formatted during a normal wipe. You have to specifically go into the advanced wipe and select internal storage to wipe it completely. So there is no issue while flashing a new rom if you don't choose the advanced wipe option.
You could also create the twrp backup in your external sdcard. That way your backup stays even if you wipe your phone using a factory reset or by mistake.
Strange. What's the problem of making backups to external SD? The function is right there (as Silesh mentioned). BTW: the very last version of TWRP is able to make backups straight to pc. This needs to be done FROM a pc though. TWRP is capable to work with fastboot now (using special command though, or with this GUI for pc: https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software-hacking/tool-twrp-backup-restore-tool-pc-t3572241 )
You can choose whether you want to use internal storage or SD card when making a backup. It doesn't matter which you choose as long as you (and I learned this the hard way) pay attention to what you are doing and DO NOT WIPE internal storage or your SD card. Advantages of SD card is you won't lose your backup if you decide to flash stock. Disadvantage: if your card craps out on you backup is lost unless you have copied to PC or saved on cloud.
My Solution
I solved my problem by using the pull command in adb. Now if I decide to flash a new ROM, I can push my TWRP recovery back to my phone using adb and then recover it in my TWRP recovery.. I also backup using adb backup which backs it up directly to my computer anyways.
I knew about storing my TWRP backup on an sd card, but I haven't made time to get one. . I recently switched to the Motorola G4 Plus after my iPhone 6s decided to turn off and not turn back on. I eventually grew tired of the iPhone anyways due to lack of accessibility and freedom. Back in the day I owned androids but never rooted one or had one that was rooted. I did jailbreak my 4th generation iPod a few years ago. But I went through an iPhone 5s, and upgraded to a 6s and had that for a few months. I eventually just switched back to android after the longest time and I can't say that I regret it.
My Moto G4 Plus has been an amazing phone. I've only had it for a few weeks now, but I rooted it the day after I got it . So I'm a bit of a noob in the rooting community, . Since then it's been a pretty smooth transition. I've only got root access and xposed framework as of now. I was thinking about flashing a ROM so I made backups just in case, but I don't plan on making any major changes to the kernel or flashing another ROM. I'm satisfied with the stock ROM since Motorola pretty much made it as minimal as possible. I would recommend this phone to anyone. It's the most solid phone I've had yet.

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