Database Users

Removing encryption on Galaxy Tab

I encrypted my 10.1 yesterday without thinking all the way though. I found out that I could no longer flash kernels while the tablet is encrypted, since the SD card is not accessible in CWR.
I've tried doing a factory reset on my tab and each time, it boots up like nothing happened. I've also tried removing the pin that I put on it and the option to remove it is grayed out.
Do any of you know of a way to do a full wipe on the 10.1? Or could I reflash it using ODIN?
Thanks in advance.

id like to know this as well

still nothing? im starting to think this is an easy fix that nobody has posted about yet

there has to be something that im missing

try post # 6 in the linked thread, restore with unmodified vanilla version image from second link provided in the post, after booting from fastboot into recovery with clockworkmod recovery img; pushing it into the device sd with adb commandline, check the post for modifications and the link for details.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1161325

whenever i try to reset to factory defaults, it just reboots like nothing happened

re-flash a stock firmware via odin as tar or fastboot/nandroid as img (backup restore)

Ones the tab is encrypted, there's no way to un do it. Unless you do what mughalgxt suggested. Good luck

Thanks guys, I went through some of these steps and found some other good tutorials to get me back up and running. All i wanted was to try the new kernel/bonsai rom out and I'm now able to do that
**** encryption, put a lockscreen password and be done with it.

I'm still struggling with this, as well: off to read some of the linked threads, because even with flashing a stock image with ODIN I'm still not able to recover the device. At least I managed to proceed past the boot loop I WAS in (when attempting to flash from CWM) - but now, I can get to the point where the device prompts me for the decryption key (meaning, it's clearly not yet restored to factory defaults) - but can't get it boot to completion. I also note that I've still got CWM Recovery, not stock.
It seems, at some point, encryption-key be damned, right? Meaning, if I don't care about recovering the contents of the encrypted partition - surely these low-level tools have the ability to simply format the partitions? Perhaps not - at least, not CWM - as attempts to format /data continue to fail.
Off to review the linked threads to try to gain some additional insight.

I ran into this same issue a long while back. As I recall (and it's been a while), you won't be able to wipe from CWM, but you can wipe from Settings / Privacy / Factory Data Reset. I could be wrong, but I know that I didn't have to do any adb pushing or anything with special images.

Hi SacTilt-
Thanks for the reply - and agreed: Had I actively started the effort from a functioning device, I think I could have selected that option.
As it turns out - I ran CWM, rebooted into recovery, and... next thing I knew, I was in boot loop hell.
I've tried flashing a variety of files via ODIN: Some at least allow the device to boot to the point where I get the initial password prompt - which I can provide, and proceed past... but then the device just 'goes blank'.
What I'm looking for is a 'start-from-scratch', no concern for data loss, delete the dang encrypted /data folder already, will ya?... approach.
As I've mentioned, a variety of ODIN files from a myriad of sources haven't seemed to quite do the trick. I feel like I'm missing something obvious - but can't find the right angle to spot it.
Perhaps fastboot might be what I'm looking for?
FWIW: the device was rooted when I started, so I've got full Titanium backups, with which I can restore, once I recover the actual device / OS.
Thanks for any insight.

Hey guys...if anybody finds a solution to this, please let me know...I am stuck with this same damn experimental ROM I've had from day one...it's getting really old. All I want is to get rid of this stupid encryption. Thanks for any help. Tried ODIN flashing, wiping data from security screen, wiping from CMR, etc.

Have you tried formatting the sd? Whenever i had my ns4g i accidentially did the same thing and i wiped the SD and it removed the encryption.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using XDA Premium HD app

[Q] Please help, S4 Complete Backup (Nandroid) tool/ dicerctions needed

Hey everyone, I'm new to android game, I've been cracking iPhones since 1st gen, decided to challenge myself. I have an S4, rooted, but no CWM installed. I want to save the recovery so if any issues ever occur, I can just flash it and have it covered under warranty, and also to be ble to return to stock wen I sell the phone.
Is there a tool i can use to make a nandroid backup? On my Nexus 7, There is an all-in-one tool and I can make a nandroid straight from my PC. Is there anything similar for the s4? If not, how to I make a nandroid backup? thank you everyone for your help, I appreciate it

Odin back to stock if you ever need to.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app

Dimon1990 said:
Hey everyone, I'm new to android game, I've been cracking iPhones since 1st gen, decided to challenge myself. I have an S4, rooted, but no CWM installed. I want to save the recovery so if any issues ever occur, I can just flash it and have it covered under warranty, and also to be ble to return to stock wen I sell the phone.
Is there a tool i can use to make a nandroid backup? On my Nexus 7, There is an all-in-one tool and I can make a nandroid straight from my PC. Is there anything similar for the s4? If not, how to I make a nandroid backup? thank you everyone for your help, I appreciate it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not entirely sure it's possible to do a nandroid backup without first having a custom recovery. However, it is "always" possible to use the Odin method to return to stock (including stock recovery). Personally, I installed TWRP and immediately did a full nandroid (including system, boot, cache, etc...) and I've frequently found myself restoring pieces of it as I manage to screw up different things. I did return my recovery back to stock once by using the "dd" method to flash the stock recovery.img onto the correct emmc block. There's instructions how to do this exactly on the TWRP homepage (make sure you get the correct phone - block numbers are different for different devices) - but instead of re-flashing TWRP, I pulled the recovery.img from the giant Odin image available here on XDA.
It may also be possible to use "dd" to pull a copy of your existing recovery image as well, but I've never tried it.

Aou said:
I'm not entirely sure it's possible to do a nandroid backup without first having a custom recovery. However, it is "always" possible to use the Odin method to return to stock (including stock recovery). Personally, I installed TWRP and immediately did a full nandroid (including system, boot, cache, etc...) and I've frequently found myself restoring pieces of it as I manage to screw up different things. I did return my recovery back to stock once by using the "dd" method to flash the stock recovery.img onto the correct emmc block. There's instructions how to do this exactly on the TWRP homepage (make sure you get the correct phone - block numbers are different for different devices) - but instead of re-flashing TWRP, I pulled the recovery.img from the giant Odin image available here on XDA.
It may also be possible to use "dd" to pull a copy of your existing recovery image as well, but I've never tried it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! I'll be installing TWRP today, what is Odin if I can ask? I've never heard of any of it from Nexus 7.
Also, If i do a titanium backup, can I easily restore apps with setting and save games while I'm running CM10.1?

Dimon1990 said:
Thank you! I'll be installing TWRP today, what is Odin if I can ask? I've never heard of any of it from Nexus 7.
Also, If i do a titanium backup, can I easily restore apps with setting and save games while I'm running CM10.1?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You better find out what odin is because it's the only way you'll be installing twrp. And don't count on tibu restoring all your apps seamlessly. Never reinstall system apps.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app

jd1639 said:
You better find out what odin is because it's the only way you'll be installing twrp. And don't count on tibu restoring all your apps seamlessly. Never reinstall system apps.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I installed TWRP through GooManager. I looked up ODIN and got general info, hopefully I won't get stuck, but I'm sure I'll find my way around. Thank you so much for your help! I figured that sys apps will just be for stock, but i have a MC4 save that i don't want to lose ::cyclops: it looks like it's CM10.1 time for me!

Dimon1990 said:
Thank you! I'll be installing TWRP today, what is Odin if I can ask? I've never heard of any of it from Nexus 7.
Also, If i do a titanium backup, can I easily restore apps with setting and save games while I'm running CM10.1?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's the thread that explains how to return to stock using Odin. Be prepared for a large download.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2261573
In short, "Odin Mode" is the download mode that's built-in to just about every modern Samsung device, beginning as far back as the Captivate, afaik. Each device has a button combination to enter "download mode" or "odin mode". This special mode sometimes requires specific drivers to connect to your PC. Flashing stock firmware using this method is common, but with an unlocked bootloader, it could be used to flash about anything. It's like a secondary recovery in a sense. It's harder to destroy download mode, but still possible if you mess up the bootloader somehow.
For our device the easiest methods to get to download mode are:
- Hold down the power button until the device force-resets itself. The moment the device turns black, release the power button and begin holding down the Vol-Down button. The device with vibrate once as usual, but then you'll see a screen that you've never seen before (begins with "Warning!!").
- Using any shell, such as ADB Shell or a terminal emulator, give the command "reboot download". This may require root privileges, I'm not sure.
- There's apps for this - haven't tried them yet.
As for Titanium backup - I love this program and have purchased Pro (totally worth it). As others have said, it's a bad idea to backup/restore System apps. Only do so with extreme caution. It is possible to restore only the data from system apps, but again do so with caution.
While Google does its own job at re-installing apps after a factory reset (if you allow it to), it usually doesn't backup data for each app. I have a couple authenticator apps that I backup this way, and it works great for this. I've also managed to keep my copy of Angry Birds Samsung Edition from my Infuse. Other applications that have since disappeared from Google Play are still backed up and get migrated to each new device I purchase.
And for that matter, with almost every User application, you can easily back it up (with data) and restore it on a completely different ROM. When changing major android versions, you sometimes will find apps force-closing on you, requiring that you wipe their data... but I haven't had that problem in a long time.
You'll see some other things that you can backup, like SMS, Access Points, Bluetooth Pairings, etc. .... I recommend only restoring these with caution - especially cross-ROM or cross-device.
Okay, I'm done being long-winded. Good luck, have fun.

Good write up
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda app-developers app

Aou said:
Here's the thread that explains how to return to stock using Odin. Be prepared for a large download.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2261573
Thank you so much!
In short, "Odin Mode" is the download mode that's built-in to just about every modern Samsung device, beginning as far back as the Captivate, afaik. Each device has a button combination to enter "download mode" or "odin mode". This special mode sometimes requires specific drivers to connect to your PC. Flashing stock firmware using this method is common, but with an unlocked bootloader, it could be used to flash about anything. It's like a secondary recovery in a sense. It's harder to destroy download mode, but still possible if you mess up the bootloader somehow.
For our device the easiest methods to get to download mode are:
- Hold down the power button until the device force-resets itself. The moment the device turns black, release the power button and begin holding down the Vol-Down button. The device with vibrate once as usual, but then you'll see a screen that you've never seen before (begins with "Warning!!").
- Using any shell, such as ADB Shell or a terminal emulator, give the command "reboot download". This may require root privileges, I'm not sure.
- There's apps for this - haven't tried them yet.
As for Titanium backup - I love this program and have purchased Pro (totally worth it). As others have said, it's a bad idea to backup/restore System apps. Only do so with extreme caution. It is possible to restore only the data from system apps, but again do so with caution.
While Google does its own job at re-installing apps after a factory reset (if you allow it to), it usually doesn't backup data for each app. I have a couple authenticator apps that I backup this way, and it works great for this. I've also managed to keep my copy of Angry Birds Samsung Edition from my Infuse. Other applications that have since disappeared from Google Play are still backed up and get migrated to each new device I purchase.
And for that matter, with almost every User application, you can easily back it up (with data) and restore it on a completely different ROM. When changing major android versions, you sometimes will find apps force-closing on you, requiring that you wipe their data... but I haven't had that problem in a long time.
You'll see some other things that you can backup, like SMS, Access Points, Bluetooth Pairings, etc. .... I recommend only restoring these with caution - especially cross-ROM or cross-device.
Okay, I'm done being long-winded. Good luck, have fun.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much!

Reset S4 with broken LCD

Hi guys, i've broken my Galaxy s4 lcd some day ago, and yesterday i've decided to sell it on ebay.
But now i have to wipe it. The problem is that i am running a custom Touchwiz rom and Philz touch recovery. So i don't think i can use Kies to make a factory reset.
I can use Odin to flash a stock image etc... But i don't know how to solve completely my problems.
Can someone help me? Thx

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=41392134
Take help from this
"If someone helps, never forget to hit thanks ? "

DeepankarS said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=41392134
Take help from this
"If someone helps, never forget to hit thanks ? "
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the replay.
However, the Galaxy S4 doesn't have fastboot mode, but only download mode and recovery mode, so I don't know how to use the commands...

OmniSlyfer said:
Thank you for the replay.
However, the Galaxy S4 doesn't have fastboot mode, but only download mode and recovery mode, so I don't know how to use the commands...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odin will fix it.
Flash the stock ronin Odin. All your user data will be (sort of) removed.
A skilled user could still recover your user data' but most people won't even know its there.
You will not need the phone's screen to work at any point in the Odin process.

Skipjacks said:
Odin will fix it.
Flash the stock ronin Odin. All your user data will be (sort of) removed.
A skilled user could still recover your user data' but most people won't even know its there.
You will not need the phone's screen to work at any point in the Odin process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh ok perfect
I've just finished to flash the stock rom, I hope evrything worked fine. I'll try to install Kies3 to see if I can maybe do another wipe or something else to delete definately all my data inside (including photos etc...). Any suggestions?

OmniSlyfer said:
Oh ok perfect
I've just finished to flash the stock rom, I hope evrything worked fine. I'll try to install Kies3 to see if I can maybe do another wipe or something else to delete definately all my data inside (including photos etc...). Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odin will wipe the data as well as Kies will.
But neither really removes the data. Both just remove the directory structure which makes it easy to sort the data.
To really remove the data you need to overwrite it with new data. That is much more difficult to do without access to the screen on the phone.
You could do it in recovery with the device mounted via usb to a computer. But you generally need to select that in recovery using the touch screen.
You can also push data to the device to overwrite using adb, but its more difficult.
All in all though...unless you have evidence of your participation in a crime on the phone, don't be so worried about it. It will be okay.

Skipjacks said:
All in all though...unless you have evidence of your participation in a crime on the phone, don't be so worried about it. It will be okay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hahahahahahah

Skipjacks said:
Odin will wipe the data as well as Kies will.
But neither really removes the data. Both just remove the directory structure which makes it easy to sort the data.
To really remove the data you need to overwrite it with new data. That is much more difficult to do without access to the screen on the phone.
You could do it in recovery with the device mounted via usb to a computer. But you generally need to select that in recovery using the touch screen.
You can also push data to the device to overwrite using adb, but its more difficult.
All in all though...unless you have evidence of your participation in a crime on the phone, don't be so worried about it. It will be okay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahahah. Thank you so much for the explanation
I think the buyer will find some photos of me in the phone, i hope he will not die coz of my ugly face
I think this thread can be closed.

Skipjacks said:
Odin will wipe the data as well as Kies will.
But neither really removes the data. Both just remove the directory structure which makes it easy to sort the data.
To really remove the data you need to overwrite it with new data. That is much more difficult to do without access to the screen on the phone.
You could do it in recovery with the device mounted via usb to a computer. But you generally need to select that in recovery using the touch screen.
You can also push data to the device to overwrite using adb, but its more difficult.
All in all though...unless you have evidence of your participation in a crime on the phone, don't be so worried about it. It will be okay.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since Google implemented Trim in Android 4.3, it's impossible (as of yet) to recover deleted data. I tried several guides here on XDA on data recovery and none of them work anymore.
See for example this article.
http://forensic.belkasoft.com/en/why-ssd-destroy-court-evidence
So basically if you delete a file or format your system, the data is really gone.

Lennyz1988 said:
Since Google implemented Trim in Android 4.3, it's impossible (as of yet) to recover deleted data. I tried several guides here on XDA on data recovery and none of them work anymore.
See for example this article.
http://forensic.belkasoft.com/en/why-ssd-destroy-court-evidence
So basically if you delete a file or format your system, the data is really gone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That article was one of the most awesome nerdy things I ever read. I had no idea about the garbage collectors on solid state memory.

Skipjacks said:
That article was one of the most awesome nerdy things I ever read. I had no idea about the garbage collectors on solid state memory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From my experience, flashing stock firmware with Kies DOES NOT wipe the user data/files from phones SD card. I have to always do factory reset from stock recovery to wipe it.

tomtro74 said:
From my experience, flashing stock firmware with Kies DOES NOT wipe the user data/files from phones SD card. I have to always do factory reset from stock recovery to wipe it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It wont ever wipe the external sd card
The internal sd card should depend on the tar file and if it formats that partition or not.
I never really paid attention to it myself because I have never had to flash a full stock restore on my S4 so I have no idea what the standard for S4 firmwares is.
The internal data partition though should be wiped with a full stock firmware in odin every single time.

Skipjacks said:
It wont ever wipe the external sd card
The internal sd card should depend on the tar file and if it formats that partition or not.
I never really paid attention to it myself because I have never had to flash a full stock restore on my S4 so I have no idea what the standard for S4 firmwares is.
The internal data partition though should be wiped with a full stock firmware in odin every single time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it's not. Believe me. I used to flash stock rom on S4 number of times and I can confirm that flashing stock rom with Odin DOES NOT WIPE any user data. Your photos and other files stays intact as well as the apss ( you may loose some apps internal data ) until factory reset is performed either from stock recovery or from rom itself.

tomtro74 said:
Well, it's not. Believe me. I used to flash stock rom on S4 number of times and I can confirm that flashing stock rom with Odin DOES NOT WIPE any user data. Your photos and other files stays intact as well as the apss ( you may loose some apps internal data ) until factory reset is performed either from stock recovery or from rom itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well how about that.....you learn something new every day!

OmniSlyfer said:
Hi guys, i've broken my Galaxy s4 lcd some day ago, and yesterday i've decided to sell it on ebay.
But now i have to wipe it. The problem is that i am running a custom Touchwiz rom and Philz touch recovery. So i don't think i can use Kies to make a factory reset.
I can use Odin to flash a stock image etc... But i don't know how to solve completely my problems.
Can someone help me? Thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if your S4 opens, just connect it to the PC and then the internal memory will appear
delete whatever you wants

Nexus 4 - kitkat bootloop issues (2017)

I need help! My Nexus 4 on 4.4.3 is stuck in a boot loop! I don't know how this happened; however the [fix root? (Yes)] option in CWM recovery is missing! and I can't boot into safe mode to uninstall an app that I think might be causing this; (My phone died while I was using Hangouts and the bottom LED light flashed twice. That's the last thing I remembered before my phone became....a paper weight. Do you have any suggestions? Is there a way to boot into Safe Mode via. ADB or a button command on KitKat? I freally do not want to factory reset my device. I have too many unupdated apps and pictures and personal things on my phone that I've been building for... well 4 years since I've gotten the phone. Any advice will be appreciated, - Milo

NeXusLeXus said:
I need help! My Nexus 4 on 4.4.3 is stuck in a boot loop! I don't know how this happened; however the [fix root? (Yes)] option in CWM recovery is missing! and I can't boot into safe mode to uninstall an app that I think might be causing this; (My phone died while I was using Hangouts and the bottom LED light flashed twice. That's the last thing I remembered before my phone became....a paper weight. Do you have any suggestions? Is there a way to boot into Safe Mode via. ADB or a button command on KitKat? I freally do not want to factory reset my device. I have too many unupdated apps and pictures and personal things on my phone that I've been building for... well 4 years since I've gotten the phone. Any advice will be appreciated, - Milo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. What do you see when you connect the charger?
2. Are you able to boot in to recovery?
3. If yes, have tried, clearing cache and dalvik cache?
4. Do you remember how much battery was left?
Nitin

1. What do you see when you connect the charger?
Charging indicator. My phone still tells me how much charge is in my phone.
2. Are you able to boot in to recovery?
Yes I Am! (ClockworkMod)
3. If yes, have tried, clearing cache and dalvik cache?
Yes I have.... Numerous times
4. Do you remember how much battery was left?
Very close to being dead
I'm trying to figure out a way to perform a CWM backup to an external source, i.e. a USB Drive via. OTG; do you have any suggestions in terms of backup? Like a full Titanium Style Backup. Mind you my phone only had about 1.2 Gigabytes free upon this demise.
I hope that this extra bit doesn't impede you from aiding me further to your initial understandings and knowledge.
Hope to hear from you soon!
I'm still trying.
- Geraldo Munroe; NeXusLeXus

[HELP] Problem after upgrading to OOS 9.0.3/ PC doesn't see Phone

So, I didnt want to upgrade my oneplus but since I had few problems with the camera after Magisk things I decided to upgrade.
Since the upgrade, no PC in my house is seeing the phone in any way.
I tried putting MTP transfer as standard choice, I tried with debugging and everything but nothing.
Not my laptop with win10, nor my PC desktop with win7 see the phone.
I also tried reinstalling drivers, ADB, and every possible thing from Internet!
its 2 days I'm looking at everypossible solution but didnt find one.
Also my TWRP app fails to install TWRP, since I cant connect the phone to the PC I cant backup for a factory reset and cant flash TWRP inside.
Anybody has a secret solution or something I couldnt find online? PLEASE!

sproez said:
So, I didnt want to upgrade my oneplus but since I had few problems with the camera after Magisk things I decided to upgrade.
Since the upgrade, no PC in my house is seeing the phone in any way.
I tried putting MTP transfer as standard choice, I tried with debugging and everything but nothing.
Not my laptop with win10, nor my PC desktop with win7 see the phone.
I also tried reinstalling drivers, ADB, and every possible thing from Internet!
its 2 days I'm looking at everypossible solution but didnt find one.
Also my TWRP app fails to install TWRP, since I cant connect the phone to the PC I cant backup for a factory reset and cant flash TWRP inside.
Anybody has a secret solution or something I couldnt find online? PLEASE!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You didn't mention if you tried other cable or cleaned the usb socket of your device...
But it's better to make backups off your device. Is your twrp up and running or do you have stock recovery?
Titanium backup installed?

strongst said:
You didn't mention if you tried other cable or cleaned the usb socket of your device...
But it's better to make backups off your device. Is your twrp up and running or do you have stock recovery?
Titanium backup installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I felt that was a little too obvious haha
anyway yes, i did all of that, i have stock recovery since i cant flash TWRP after the upgrade, have the TWRP app that fails to backup from the recovery image i did before upgrading and no, unfortunately i dont have titanium

sproez said:
I felt that was a little too obvious haha
anyway yes, i did all of that, i have stock recovery since i cant flash TWRP after the upgrade, have the TWRP app that fails to backup from the recovery image i did before upgrading and no, unfortunately i dont have titanium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then backup your data over wifi and maybe Google backup. Internal storage too, but maybe take some time.