Database Users

(Q) How to full wipe with TWRP?

Hello!
Only one question..
Im on 4.2.2 with new baseband
When i want to wipe all my data,so i have the whole space back, what button i have to push in twrp ? Wipe data only or more?
And after that i can push my PA 3.0 via adb push on my nexus and flash it without problems ? Thank you guys and sorry for my noob english,i hope u understand what i want to do
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

In TWRP, click Wipe, then Format Data. Be warned, you'll lose everything, including backups.

USSENTERNCC1701E said:
In TWRP, click Wipe, then Format Data. Be warned, you'll lose everything, including backups.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it erase TWRP itself?
Does it erase EFS as well?
I assume after I press this, I will have to push a rom in via Odin for example?

the_hatrix said:
Does it erase TWRP itself?
Does it erase EFS as well?
I assume after I press this, I will have to push a rom in via Odin for example?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you joking mate or just trolling. I hope so otherwise you better buy a iPhone

No not really as I never clicked Format Data before.
I assume it doesn't wipe TWRP itself... but I just want to be sure.
As for EFS I asked because I have a persistent No Service - Selected Network Unavailable showing up since a few days ago. Restore, Full Wipe, Restart, Reconnecting, nothing works. I suspect it might be the EFS partition (TWRP never backed it up as it always fails when it gets to that point, the backup works fine regardless)
So I am down to probably doing a Full Data wipe and install a fresh rom to see if it will fix it.

the_hatrix said:
No not really as I never clicked Format Data before.
I assume it doesn't wipe TWRP itself... but I just want to be sure.
As for EFS I asked because I have a persistent No Service - Selected Network Unavailable showing up since a few days ago. Restore, Full Wipe, Restart, Reconnecting, nothing works. I suspect it might be the EFS partition (TWRP never backed it up as it always fails when it gets to that point, the backup works fine regardless)
So I am down to probably doing a Full Data wipe and install a fresh rom to see if it will fix it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don`t have to wipe if you flash a factory image in fastboot. Everything will be erased after the wipe. Look here for how to do it http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010312.

I'd like an answer to this too.
I want to nuke all data on my N4 (I've saved backups and media on my PC), so that i have a clean phone ready to flash a new ROM (copied across by USB after the wipe) so that any old program folders are gone and I've got a clean slate. But don't want to lose my TWRP recovery/root etc.
I recall that CWM had an option to wipe everything but still had the sense to avoid wiping itself! What's the point of a recovery that nukes itself in the process? That's just retarded - no offence.
Thanks.

gee2012 said:
You don`t have to wipe if you flash a factory image in fastboot. Everything will be erased after the wipe. Look here for how to do it http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010312.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So thanks to this forum, I thought I bricked my phone last night (well I kinda did). I used the format option on TWRP and magic happened, I was stuck at the logo. I figured I'd just use Odin to flash my official rom, which worked fine. Now I wanna flash the rom I had before formatting but want all the space back (I dont want all of the bloatware folders and bull**** that result from the official rom, which is why I used format in the first place). My questions is: Can I use format now that I have my official rom running and then push a custom rom through Odin? Will that work or not?

Globespy said:
I'd like an answer to this too.
I want to nuke all data on my N4 (I've saved backups and media on my PC), so that i have a clean phone ready to flash a new ROM (copied across by USB after the wipe) so that any old program folders are gone and I've got a clean slate. But don't want to lose my TWRP recovery/root etc.
I recall that CWM had an option to wipe everything but still had the sense to avoid wiping itself! What's the point of a recovery that nukes itself in the process? That's just retarded - no offence.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you use twrp and factory reset it will wipe data not the sd partition if you wipe system it wipes the ROM if you wipe data it will wipe SD partition including your backups. None of those will remove your recovery. Nothing will touch efs partition this is not a Samsung device
Sent from my Nexus 4

Globespy said:
I'd like an answer to this too.
I want to nuke all data on my N4 (I've saved backups and media on my PC), so that i have a clean phone ready to flash a new ROM (copied across by USB after the wipe) so that any old program folders are gone and I've got a clean slate. But don't want to lose my TWRP recovery/root etc.
I recall that CWM had an option to wipe everything but still had the sense to avoid wiping itself! What's the point of a recovery that nukes itself in the process? That's just retarded - no offence.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are showing a complete lack of understanding on the subject. I would recommend doing more reading before you mess with your device.
It is impossible to have root when you don't have a rom on your phone. Clearing all data erases root as well. Flashing a rooted rom (nearly all are rooted) establishes root again.
Wiping data in recovery does not wipe the recovery for one extremely simple reason - recovery has its own partition on any device. The only way recovery could ever be wiped is by flashing a recovery.img file by fastboot (such as the Google factory images).
Sent from my iPad 4
---------- Post added at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:58 PM ----------
FlashThisB said:
So thanks to this forum, I thought I bricked my phone last night (well I kinda did). I used the format option on TWRP and magic happened, I was stuck at the logo. I figured I'd just use Odin to flash my official rom, which worked fine. Now I wanna flash the rom I had before formatting but want all the space back (I dont want all of the bloatware folders and bull**** that result from the official rom, which is why I used format in the first place). My questions is: Can I use format now that I have my official rom running and then push a custom rom through Odin? Will that work or not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odin?????????
Do you have a Samsung Nexus 4????
Sent from my iPad 4

For some reason in my HTC One X wipe sdcard doesn't work with twrp. I've noticed that in the hardest and surprising way once that j was trying to flash a new rom and before flash I hit the wipe sdcard button. It supposed to delete everything but I didn't. Thanks god it didn't wiped my data, but now that I am safe I want to delete all from recovery and it just don't work.
Sent from The HTC One X Mongrel Cat.

mitchdickson said:
You are showing a complete lack of understanding on the subject. I would recommend doing more reading before you mess with your device.
It is impossible to have root when you don't have a rom on your phone. Clearing all data erases root as well. Flashing a rooted rom (nearly all are rooted) establishes root again.
Wiping data in recovery does not wipe the recovery for one extremely simple reason - recovery has its own partition on any device. The only way recovery could ever be wiped is by flashing a recovery.img file by fastboot (such as the Google factory images).
Sent from my iPad 4
---------- Post added at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:58 PM ----------
Odin?????????
Do you have a Samsung Nexus 4????
Sent from my iPad 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol nonono I have a samsung galaxy S4 i337M. Sorry for posting in the wrong section but this is all I found on XDA regarding TWRP formatting option.

mitchdickson said:
You are showing a complete lack of understanding on the subject. I would recommend doing more reading before you mess with your device.
It is impossible to have root when you don't have a rom on your phone. Clearing all data erases root as well. Flashing a rooted rom (nearly all are rooted) establishes root again.
Wiping data in recovery does not wipe the recovery for one extremely simple reason - recovery has its own partition on any device. The only way recovery could ever be wiped is by flashing a recovery.img file by fastboot (such as the Google factory images).
Sent from my iPad 4
---------- Post added at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:58 PM ----------
Odin?????????
Do you have a Samsung Nexus 4????
Sent from my iPad 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply, sorry my knowledge of this subject isn't as strong as yours.
So I can choose wipe data, then copy a new ROM using USB and flash on a clear device?

Globespy said:
Thanks for your reply, sorry my knowledge of this subject isn't as strong as yours.
So I can choose wipe data, then copy a new ROM using USB and flash on a clear device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. U will need to use adb to push the ROM after wiping data though.
Sent from my HTC Desire using xda app-developers app

soft bricked my s4

i have twrp installed on my s4, and i accidentally wiped the full system through twrp (via "format data" button in twrp). now its basically got the stock file system on it only. i can get into twrp though. i have the latest cm10.1 on my internal storage. but when i flash it through twrp it bootloops on the samsung logo. any help plz?? i tried to flash pacman rom as well as its the same thing..

param.006 said:
i have twrp installed on my s4, and i accidentally wiped the full system through twrp (via "format data" button in twrp). now its basically got the stock file system on it only. i can get into twrp though. i have the latest cm10.1 on my internal storage. but when i flash it through twrp it bootloops on the samsung logo. any help plz?? i tried to flash pacman rom as well as its the same thing..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do all the proper wipes as if changing ROMs before flashing:
Factory Reset
Wipe Cache
Wipe Dalvik
format /system
Flash ROM and gapps

Ol' Dirty Bastard said:
Do all the proper wipes as if changing ROMs before flashing:
Factory Reset
Wipe Cache
Wipe Dalvik
format /system
Flash ROM and gapps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure never to "format data" through TWRP, it will guarantee a bootloop.
To the OP:
The OP can ODIN back to stock, immediately do a factory reset, re-root, and then re-install TWRP again. At that point you can put whatever ROM and Kernel you had back on your phone...just make sure not to format Data again in TWRP or you will have to redo everything again. Also, make sure the MF3 OTA doesn't install on your phone before you get a custom ROM on it or you will be screwed for sure. Good luck.
And in the future, make sure you actually read the threads that pertain to whatever you are doing to your phone. If you would have read the TWRP thread in development, you would have seen what to do and what not to do.

scott14719 said:
Make sure never to "format data" through TWRP, it will guarantee a bootloop.
To the OP:
The OP can ODIN back to stock, immediately do a factory reset, re-root, and then re-install TWRP again. At that point you can put whatever ROM and Kernel you had back on your phone...just make sure not to format Data again in TWRP or you will have to redo everything again. Also, make sure the MF3 OTA doesn't install on your phone before you get a custom ROM on it or you will be screwed for sure. Good luck.
And in the future, make sure you actually read the threads that pertain to whatever you are doing to your phone. If you would have read the TWRP thread in development, you would have seen what to do and what not to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have TWRP 2.6 (trash, it freezes) and used the "Format Data" when switching from Slim Build 8 to my own built Slim 4.3 Beta 1.2, and everything was fine.

Ol' Dirty Bastard said:
I have TWRP 2.6 (trash, it freezes) and used the "Format Data" when switching from Slim Build 8 to my own built Slim 4.3 Beta 1.2, and everything was fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From the TWRP thread...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=43791999&postcount=538
A lot of people have had trouble with 2.6.x.x versions and have gone back to 2.5.x.x version, but the "format data" problem still exists. There is a little more info about it in the TWRP thread on the same page as the single post I posted.

scott14719 said:
From the TWRP thread...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=43791999&postcount=538
A lot of people have had trouble with 2.6.x.x versions and have gone back to 2.5.x.x version, but the "format data" problem still exists. There is a little more info about it in the TWRP thread on the same page as the single post I posted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird I had no issues... I did exactly that, click the button and typed yes... 2.6 is pretty horrible though, the freezing is annoying, so a downgrade to 2.5.0.2 will be next for me.
---------- Post added at 02:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:55 AM ----------
EDIT - I remember when I did that, it said that it may not be able to mount /data so I reboot recovery before I proceeded.

Restore your backup, and before you boot flash your kernel again, it should boot fine...
Thanks

scott14719 said:
The OP can ODIN back to stock, immediately do a factory reset, re-root, and then re-install TWRP again. At that point you can put whatever ROM and Kernel you had back on your phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I flashed a bad rom and am stuck in the same position. What I can't find is an odin walkthrough for restoring with my original nandroid backups or an official uamdl odin image to flash. One thread claims to have a uamdl restore image for odin, but it's only 9.23MB which seems far too small.
Thanks

Encryption that can't be formated

Hi,
I set up TWRP 2.8.7.0 and cm-13.0-20160129 on my Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE-A (GT-I9506), and run into an odd problem where it would work after install, but would not work after a reboot (booting screen would just roll for ever). Installing CM again, would work, and than the problem would still be there. Mindlessly I decided to play a little anyway and set up encryption. The phone ended up rebooting, and not loading, so I'm here without a password (default_password doesent work) and with an encrypted /data that TWRP cant wipe or format
Unable to mount storage.
Unable to decrypt data
Unable to wipe '/data' -- unknown file system 'auto'
Unable to format to remove encryption
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've attempted to use ADB to format it, but it seems parted isnt installed. With that phone being a less popular variant I'm kind of afraid to just flash whatever there, but I guess I need a recovery with a least parted, or possibly one that would be able to format the drive itself. Any pointers?

Have you tried flashing a stock ROM via Odin? Is this your phone: http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/database/GT-I9506/ ?

not yet; I don't have windows, and didn't see any point in changing the soft used for flashing, will try but cant download the polish rom at the moment o0 (ends up with a dead link or a server down?)

I know of no other way to flash a stock ROM from sammobile.com other than Odin.
Did you create a free account on sammobile.com to enable the regular download?

harce said:
not yet; I don't have windows, and didn't see any point in changing the soft used for flashing, will try but cant download the polish rom at the moment o0 (ends up with a dead link or a server down?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can also flash it with Heimdall. It's the open source variant of Odin.

aaaand I'm back, managed to download, got some windows, flashed to stock using odin, and it's still encrypted. is running 'repartition' from odin safe? I've noticed some warnings against it but without any explanations.
edit; running the same operation with repartition failed. this bloody encryption might be able to survive nuclear war.

After flashing back to stock via Odin, did you perform a factory wipe before booting the rom for the first time?
I assume you have a pit file for the phone since you repartitioned?

audit13 said:
After flashing back to stock via Odin, did you perform a factory wipe before booting the rom for the first time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just now, seamed to go thorough properly (no error messages) and worked!
audit13 said:
I assume you have a pit file for the phone since you repartitioned?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
never managed to do that. I wonder what advantage does the wipe from factory ROM have over custom recoveries... anyways thanks to all who helped, the issue is solved. also it seems that the problems with non-rebooting CM were my mistake of not wiping the cache/dalvik after install

I find that a wipe using a custom recovery is not always as through as a stock recovery. Can't say how or why, it's just based on my experience with Samsung and Nexus phones.

harce said:
just now, seamed to go thorough properly (no error messages) and worked!
never managed to do that. I wonder what advantage does the wipe from factory ROM have over custom recoveries... anyways thanks to all who helped, the issue is solved. also it seems that the problems with non-rebooting CM were my mistake of not wiping the cache/dalvik after install
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
audit13 said:
I find that a wipe using a custom recovery is not always as through as a stock recovery. Can't say how or why, it's just based on my experience with Samsung and Nexus phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the difference is that a custom recovery only wipes /data partition so that the internal sdcard will not be wiped. The stock recovery formats /data partition. When you want to lose encryption you need to format /data partition.
You can also format the /data partition with a custom recovery, but that option is hidden for good reason. Because it will also format your internal sdcard and that's not something we want to do when changing roms.

Just got RMA, can't disable force encryption

Just got my RMA, so of course I instantly unlock, root, and go to disable forced encryption and i keep getting a password error, my only pin i've ever used won't work, so I flashed factory, reset it up, made sure i didn't use a pin or anything, tried again, still asks for a password and won't accept mine. Am I missing something or is the fact they sent me a remanufactured phone screwing me because of the previous users pin?

kickenwing13 said:
Just got my RMA, so of course I instantly unlock, root, and go to disable forced encryption and i keep getting a password error, my only pin i've ever used won't work, so I flashed factory, reset it up, made sure i didn't use a pin or anything, tried again, still asks for a password and won't accept mine. Am I missing something or is the fact they sent me a remanufactured phone screwing me because of the previous users pin?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What TWRP version are you using? Are you on the newest 3.03? If not that's more than likely your problem.

murphyjasonc said:
What TWRP version are you using? Are you on the newest 3.03? If not that's more than likely your problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OMG I'm confident it's 3.02. So I need to update that before I try the decrypting thing. I need to go root, twrp 3.3 then unencrypt ?
Thanks man I wouldn't ahve thought of that .

kickenwing13 said:
OMG I'm confident it's 3.02. So I need to update that before I try the decrypting thing. I need to go root, twrp 3.3 then unencrypt ?
Thanks man I wouldn't ahve thought of that .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just download the updated TWRP from this link. Boot back into recovery and choose flash IMG instead of zip. Install to recovery partition and then reboot. You should be good to go.
http://dl.twrp.me/angler/

murphyjasonc said:
Just download the updated TWRP from this link. Boot back into recovery and choose flash IMG instead of zip. Install to recovery partition and then reboot. You should be good to go.
http://dl.twrp.me/angler/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same nonsense. Went from clean, rooted, flashed TWRP 3.03, tried to flash noencrypt kernel and it's asking me for a password I don't have ... . should I try making my own password next time I reflash stock and see if it like overwrites it ?

found something on a N6 thread that says wipe user data and it should work .

kickenwing13 said:
found something on a N6 thread that says wipe user data and it should work .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah that will work and shouldn't be an issue backing up everything with a new phone. TWRP should be able to read an encrypted device though as long as you gave it permissions to change system. No kernel will decrypt a device but most do not force encrypt.
---------- Post added at 11:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:37 PM ----------
kickenwing13 said:
same nonsense. Went from clean, rooted, flashed TWRP 3.03, tried to flash noencrypt kernel and it's asking me for a password I don't have ... . should I try making my own password next time I reflash stock and see if it like overwrites it ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you by chance trying to restore a backup on your RMA?

kickenwing13 said:
same nonsense. Went from clean, rooted, flashed TWRP 3.03, tried to flash noencrypt kernel and it's asking me for a password I don't have ... . should I try making my own password next time I reflash stock and see if it like overwrites it ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a similar problem with TWRP 3.0.3-0 when I tried to restore a backup. It asked for a password, which has never happened before. I couldn't access my backup or any of my data or boot up. I had to restore stock. Clearing user data did nothing.

murphyjasonc said:
Yeah that will work and shouldn't be an issue backing up everything with a new phone. TWRP should be able to read an encrypted device though as long as you gave it permissions to change system. No kernel will decrypt a device but most do not force encrypt.
---------- Post added at 11:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:37 PM ----------
Are you by chance trying to restore a backup on your RMA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was not . Just trying to disable force encrypt root and get PN back on it . Wiping worked for me. Also on 3.03, but that alone didn't solve, had to wipe . May be because I was using WUGS instead of manually doing it . Not sure, but it worked .

kickenwing13 said:
I was not . Just trying to disable force encrypt root and get PN back on it . Wiping worked for me. Also on 3.03, but that alone didn't solve, had to wipe . May be because I was using WUGS instead of manually doing it . Not sure, but it worked .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, I'm running into the same problem after an RMA. I'm currently on stock unrooted 7.1.1 and want to flash custom rom but want to disable encryption beforehand. Can you advise proper wipe steps, or is this correct?
- unlock bootloader
- restart phone, enable developer options for USB debugging
- fastboot twrp-3.0.3-0-angler.img
- factory reset
- wipe everything (all checkboxes) including internal? (will this format with no encryption?)
- wipe system, data, cache
- push ROM (PN), Gapps, SuperSU-v2.79-201612051815.zip to phone via ADB in TWRP
- flash ROM (PN), Gapps, SuperSU-v2.79-201612051815.zip
- restart
Or is there another way to decrypt data or is it not an issue when clean wiping a new ROM?
Thanks and appreciate any help.

martinomac said:
Hey, I'm running into the same problem after an RMA. I'm currently on stock unrooted 7.1.1 and want to flash custom rom but want to disable encryption beforehand. Can you advise proper wipe steps, or is this correct?
- unlock bootloader
- restart phone, enable developer options for USB debugging
- fastboot twrp-3.0.3-0-angler.img
- factory reset
- wipe everything (all checkboxes) including internal? (will this format with no encryption?)
- wipe system, data, cache
- push ROM (PN), Gapps, SuperSU-v2.79-201612051815.zip to phone via ADB in TWRP
- flash ROM (PN), Gapps, SuperSU-v2.79-201612051815.zip
- restart
Or is there another way to decrypt data or is it not an issue when clean wiping a new ROM?
Thanks and appreciate any help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to Format Data, Not Wipe to decrypt. It WILL wipe EVERYTHING so make sure anything in internal storage you want is backed up.

CyberpodS2 said:
You need to Format Data, Not Wipe to decrypt. It WILL wipe EVERYTHING so make sure anything in internal storage you want is backed up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for confirming, I wasn't aware that there's a difference between Format Data and Wipe Data. After formatting data, I should be able to sideload the ROM, gapps, etc back via TWRP right?

I always try to keep an emergency folder on the PC with the minimum needed to copy back to the phone through recovery. In my case I keep a copy of pure nexus, dynamic gapps, supersu and elementalx. That combination never fails to boot and I know it well enough to get back in business in short order if it all went to hell. Do what's best for you.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Process system isn't responding

Help urgent:
I am getting ' process system isn't working' for thrice a day after flashing custom rom and phone needs reboot to solve this.
I did wipe cache/devik cache.
I uninstalled Google update
I have changed my launcher
Nothing is working
Currently am on havoc os with stock gapps
And I have changed the gapps to nano
Not solved
Then
I clean flashed and installed the ROM still not solved
Plz any suggestion ?

psgbharathi said:
Help urgent:
I am getting ' process system isn't working' for thrice a day after flashing custom rom and phone needs reboot to solve this.
I did wipe cache/devik cache.
I uninstalled Google update
I have changed my launcher
Nothing is working
Currently am on havoc os with stock gapps
And I have changed the gapps to nano
Not solved
Then
I clean flashed and installed the ROM still not solved
Plz any suggestion ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you flash the correct gap version , arm 64 and 9.0 gapps. Wipe everything including vendor and system and flash only rom only and check, if not solved it might be some corrupted file, copy internal files to PC then wipe internal storage also.
If that doesn't work too, reflash the firmware.

james11705 said:
Did you flash the correct gap version , arm 64 and 9.0 gapps. Wipe everything including vendor and system and flash only rom only and check, if not solved it might be some corrupted file, copy internal files to PC then wipe internal storage also.
If that doesn't work too, reflash the firmware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the advice will do. Before that if I wipe internal storage then will my twrp recovery also wiped right. Than how can I flash if so

psgbharathi said:
Thanks for the advice will do. Before that if I wipe internal storage then will my twrp recovery also wiped right. Than how can I flash if so
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No , internal won't wipe ur recovery, it will wipe ur internal files clean.
---------- Post added at 04:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:43 PM ----------
psgbharathi said:
Thanks for the advice will do. Before that if I wipe internal storage then will my twrp recovery also wiped right. Than how can I flash if so
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No , internal won't wipe ur recovery, it will wipe ur internal files clean.
Just in case , have a twrp image file in ur memory card