Hey Guys,
After doing some reading about Folder & partition structure of Android, I am totally confused & in worse condition.
My question is simple;
Flashing a new ROM does not reset/delete the folder in the internal SD card. Since I have capacity problem, I would like to delete those folders and make fresh start. How can I do this? Is is safe to delete /android/data folder?
Under setting/storage, the sum of all folders is around 5.2 GB, while it shows the total as 8.8 GB. Where is the rest of my space?
Best Regards
I have a GT-I9500, running Arrow ROM 11.0 (android 4.3)
Philz recovery has an option to format the device internal memory.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
9505 has 9.13gb
in recovery before flashing a rom you have to wipe data, system, cache, dalvkit cache, etc
i wist phyl recovery sayd wike internal memory, but there is no option like that, only wipe sdcard1 (external)
Okay this is what you need to do.
First download official firmware through SamMobile, then flash the .tar file through Odin, the boot into recovery, factory reset, the flash the same .tar file again. This will wipe out ALL your data on internal storage and give you a true fresh start. Of course after that if you're not happy you can always flash a custom recovery and flash a ROM.
Thanks for the replies. Going back to original firmware, seems like a tough route.
When I connect my device to windows, it simply allows me to format the SD card. What would happen IF I just do that? Would I brick the phone or loose an irrecoverable important data? (I don't care, If some bloatware does not work or loose its data)
xhuttra said:
Thanks for the replies. Going back to original firmware, seems like a tough route.
When I connect my device to windows, it simply allows me to format the SD card. What would happen IF I just do that? Would I brick the phone or loose an irrecoverable important data? (I don't care, If some bloatware does not work or loose its data)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure if you format the internal card from a Terminal prompt, you will brick your phone.
we already told you you have to WIPE though recovery
maurocds said:
we already told you you have to WIPE though recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When wiping through recovery will that wipe/erase my efs folder?
That contance my imei and other...
marcel112 said:
When wiping through recovery will that wipe/erase my efs folder?
That contance my imei and other...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. wiping through philz does not erase your efs directory.
However, you can always backup your efs to be totally safe
Related
Hy there I love xda and im a new user to xda nexus forum
With excelent guides I learnt how to root unlock and install custom rom (quite easy let it down into your internal storage and install from zip)
but I have few questions..
When I tried to wipe data and cache I accidentally did factory reset which ended up in no installed rom, internal storage empty and I was in custom recovery and I couldn't connect to computer, so I had to start from 0... last times I've been selecting wipe data and cache.. but I seen that in my nexus 7 some old files are still there (under a folder called 0) What should I do to make a clean install? which option of the new recovery should I choose? thankyou
mariosanoguera said:
Hy there I love xda and im a new user to xda nexus forum
With excelent guides I learnt how to root unlock and install custom rom (quite easy let it down into your internal storage and install from zip)
but I have few questions..
When I tried to wipe data and cache I accidentally did factory reset which ended up in no installed rom, internal storage empty and I was in custom recovery and I couldn't connect to computer, so I had to start from 0... last times I've been selecting wipe data and cache.. but I seen that in my nexus 7 some old files are still there (under a folder called 0) What should I do to make a clean install? which option of the new recovery should I choose? thankyou
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use TWRP for recovery and to do a clean install wipe all data from TWRP.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
mariosanoguera said:
Hy there I love xda and im a new user to xda nexus forum
With excelent guides I learnt how to root unlock and install custom rom (quite easy let it down into your internal storage and install from zip)
but I have few questions..
When I tried to wipe data and cache I accidentally did factory reset which ended up in no installed rom, internal storage empty and I was in custom recovery and I couldn't connect to computer, so I had to start from 0... last times I've been selecting wipe data and cache.. but I seen that in my nexus 7 some old files are still there (under a folder called 0) What should I do to make a clean install? which option of the new recovery should I choose? thankyou
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd flash a stock recovery image onto your device available here which would restore your device completely back to stock (with your bootloader unlocked) From there I'd just re root and do what you want. However I'd personally use CWM Touch Recovery myself, but I just like that recovery more (have used it and the non-touch version for ages and on many devices)
smt8544 said:
I'd flash a stock recovery image onto your device available here which would restore your device completely back to stock (with your bootloader unlocked) From there I'd just re root and do what you want. However I'd personally use CWM Touch Recovery myself, but I just like that recovery more (have used it and the non-touch version for ages and on many devices)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually have Team Win Recovery Project..
under wipe I can find
Cache
Dalvik
Factory Reset (This is the one I use.. but It leaves in my internal storage with a folder called 0 and my old data from previous roms is stored there)
System
External Storage
Int. Storage ?
Format Data (I did this and I lost everything except TWRM which I could boot at it (but I had no option to install from zip neither couldnt transferr a file through usb mount sd card didn't work))
Which one of all of this should I run before doing the install zip from sd card?
mariosanoguera said:
I actually have Team Win Recovery Project..
under wipe I can find
Cache
Dalvik
Factory Reset (This is the one I use.. but It leaves in my internal storage with a folder called 0 and my old data from previous roms is stored there)
System
External Storage
Int. Storage ?
Format Data (I did this and I lost everything except TWRM which I could boot at it (but I had no option to install from zip neither couldnt transferr a file through usb mount sd card didn't work))
Which one of all of this should I run before doing the install zip from sd card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it would be easier and cleaner if you restored back to stock before trying to re root, flash recovery, etc. If you have no important data on your device I'd go for it. If you do have important data, then try and pull it to your computer and then flash a stock image and re root etc.
I always find that in times when my device is screwing around, or I have file dregs around the place, I find it simply easier to backup important things and flash a stock image.
In my previous phone (which had an SD card) I placed both, the ROM and Gapps in the SD before wiping data. But in the nexus, if I wipe data, won't I lose the ROM and Gapps zip no matter where I place it in the internal memory?
Well, it obviously won't but just to make sure, where do I put it? Anywhere? I don't wanna wipe data only to realise it wiped everything and I can't go back to stock or something
sixaxis94 said:
In my previous phone (which had an SD card) I placed both, the ROM and Gapps in the SD before wiping data. But in the nexus, if I wipe data, won't I lose the ROM and Gapps zip no matter where I place it in the internal memory?
Well, it obviously won't but just to make sure, where do I put it? Anywhere? I don't wanna wipe data only to realise it wiped everything and I can't go back to stock or something
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firstly, what recovery are you using? Wipe Data in CWM and Wipe Data in TWRP do different things :/
Connor Baker
I'm used to CWM but the MSkip's toolkit recommended TWRP so I installed that.
They do different things??
sixaxis94 said:
I'm used to CWM but the MSkip's toolkit recommended TWRP so I installed that.
They do different things??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't matter what recover you have. They have the same functionality. TWRP is widely used by many users.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
scream4cheese said:
It doesn't matter what recover you have. They have the same functionality. TWRP is widely used by many users.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay.. But where do I put the two files?
scream4cheese said:
It doesn't matter what recover you have. They have the same functionality. TWRP is widely used by many users.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sixaxis94 said:
Okay.. But where do I put the two files?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same funtionality, but wiping data do completely different things. On CWM, wiping data means factory reset without touching the sdcard. In TWRP, wiping data means... well, see the screenshot. It's a complete factory reset, and also wipes the sdcard (so files, ROM zips and the such are all gone).
You can put the two files on your sdcard. Just put them someplace you can find them. I usually leave my zips on the root of my sdcard.
Connor Baker
Connor Baker said:
Same funtionality, but wiping data do completely different things. On CWM, wiping data means factory reset without touching the sdcard. In TWRP, wiping data means... well, see the screenshot. It's a complete factory reset, and also wipes the sdcard (so files, ROM zips and the such are all gone).
You can put the two files on your sdcard. Just put them someplace you can find them. I usually leave my zips on the root of my sdcard.
Connor Baker
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just for the sake of clarity, when you say SD card you mean internal memory obviously right?
So how do I wipe data in twrp?
sixaxis94 said:
Just for the sake of clarity, when you say SD card you mean internal memory obviously right?
So how do I wipe data in twrp?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get ready for more pictures
So to wipe, go to wipe (1st photo), then do factory reset (2nd photo), and I usually do the advanced wipe after the factory reset (2nd-3rd photo). An example of what I do for my phone's roms is the 4th photo. I have the folder with the things I want to flash, and I have a backup ROM. The backup rom is incase I do a full wipe (factory reset, and wipe /system), and the zip file is bad and cannot install. So be careful, and make sure you have a good zip file before you wipe system. Once system is wiped, the Android OS is basically gone, so you can't boot into it and copy over a working ROM.
Best of luck,
Connor Baker
Connor Baker said:
Get ready for more pictures
So to wipe, go to wipe (1st photo), then do factory reset (2nd photo), and I usually do the advanced wipe after the factory reset (2nd-3rd photo). An example of what I do for my phone's roms is the 4th photo. I have the folder with the things I want to flash, and I have a backup ROM. The backup rom is incase I do a full wipe (factory reset, and wipe /system), and the zip file is bad and cannot install. So be careful, and make sure you have a good zip file before you wipe system. Once system is wiped, the Android OS is basically gone, so you can't boot into it and copy over a working ROM.
Best of luck,
Connor Baker
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sweet! Thanks for clearing that out.. Appreciate it
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:
I have never had a device without a removable SD and am used to having the contents of my SD protected when I wipe and then flush, i mean flash (hah). When I wipe with TWRP, will I lose my pix, audio, etc as they are not on a separate partition?
docslate said:
I have never had a device without a removable SD and am used to having the contents of my SD protected when I wipe and then flush, i mean flash (hah). When I wipe with TWRP, will I lose my pix, audio, etc as they are not on a separate partition?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you lost your pix, audio, etc that would really really suck. I don't think I would flash new ROMs daily. So of course the contents of internal SD are protected. UNLESS you choose to wipe internal storage in TWRP so don't mess with those advced options. They call it a factory reset in TWRP but its not like the phone option to factory reset which does wipe internal storage.
Your app data is lost. Just back up with titanium backup. After flashing new ROM install only TB, then restore apps and data (no system apps!) and you're done!
And make sure you have a backup! If anything does go wrong just restore it.
alright so lets say i download a rom and put it on my internal, then i boot into twrp do i just factory reset or what? i dont understand what to wipe to keep internal intact sorrry im a noob
in TWRP do a factory reset and install the new rom (and gapps if its CM rom) and you are golden.
stuck on team win screen
ok I need some serious help my battery is about to die! I rooted my phone last night and this morning I installed twrp 2632 and then rebooted and the phone now will not boot past the twrp screen then I got a call to go to a hospice home and that took several hours in the meantime my phone will not do anything just drain battery! any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks
tdevaughn said:
in TWRP do a factory reset and install the new rom (and gapps if its CM rom) and you are golden.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't been able to find an answer upon searching and haven't come across this in my time reading forum posts.
So if I go to settings - backup and reset and do a factory reset from there.
I will lose all my data on internal storage, yes. But will the Android system boot into the same rom with Gapps and all just without any data at all? Allowing me to set it up as a new phone completely.
I'm on official Resurrection remix.
Edit - here's what I did. Thanks @Sam Nakamura
1. Clean flashed the ROM I wanted to use. (wipe everything except internal storage)
2. Booted into the ROM and set up Google account.
3. Booted into twrp and wiped internal storage.
4. Rebooted into system.
Everything is good as new. Setting it up from scratch now.
Isn't better doing it from recovery?
fabrquila said:
Isn't better doing it from recovery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trying to find out how. Want to delete all data including internal storage.
Want to lose all apps, files. Basically exactly as a new phone, just with a custom ROM.
pranayysharma29 said:
Trying to find out how. Want to delete all data including internal storage.
Want to lose all apps, files. Basically exactly as a new phone, just with a custom ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just use wipe data/factory reset function in TWRP and use the advanced wipe options.
fabrquila said:
Just use wipe data/factory reset function in TWRP and use the advanced wipe options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And check everything, swipe to delete and reboot? But that way I won't have any rom or Gapps installed, will i?
pranayysharma29 said:
And check everything, swipe to delete and reboot? But that way I won't have any rom or Gapps installed, will i?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not if you don't wipe system partition, where ROM and Gapps are located. Just if something goes wrong, you should have a way to flash these zips. You can use TWRP to transfer them.
Basically I'm not sure which partitions to wipe. As I don't know what is contained in which partition. Which is what I'm trying to understand
How to use twrp to transfer them? I lost you at that.
pranayysharma29 said:
Basically I'm not sure which partitions to wipe. As I don't know what is contained in which partition. Which is what I'm trying to understand
How to use twrp to transfer them? I lost you at that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wipe data, cache, dalvik, and internal storage partitions. Don't wipe system.
Data contains your apps. Cache works as cache for apps and dalvik has a similar function afaik. Internal storage stands for the internal memory, where files that you download, transfer or receive, are located.
I'm trying to say that you should have a backup of ROM and gapps just in case something bad happens, which I don't think. If that happens, just boot the phone in TWRP and plug it to a computer. Then transfer zip files of ROM and Gapps to internal storage, and then flash them. Voilá, clean ROM and full operative Gapps.
Sorry for taking so much to reply, I didn't see notifications in the forum.
fabrquila said:
Wipe data, cache, dalvik, and internal storage partitions. Don't wipe system.
Data contains your apps. Cache works as cache for apps and dalvik has a similar function afaik. Internal storage stands for the internal memory, where files that you download, transfer or receive, are located.
I'm trying to say that you should have a backup of ROM and gapps just in case something bad happens, which I don't think. If that happens, just boot the phone in TWRP and plug it to a computer. Then transfer zip files of ROM and Gapps to internal storage, and then flash them. Voilá, clean ROM and full operative Gapps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the explanation about the partitions.
I managed to achieve what I set out for.
Did a clean flash of my ROM. Then went on to wipe internal storage in twrp. Now have a new rom and everything. But clean slate for internal storage.