Develop Bugs

Non deleteable files?

Is there a way to make a folder or does a folder already exist that will not be deleted when you wipe data to flash a new rom? I want to flash a new rom but do not want to lose my music and pictures and have to re-transfer them from my computer. Any help is appreciated
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

happymfeet said:
Is there a way to make a folder or does a folder already exist that will not be deleted when you wipe data to flash a new rom? I want to flash a new rom but do not want to lose my music and pictures and have to re-transfer them from my computer. Any help is appreciated
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing a rom doesn't wipe your sdcard.
Unlocking the bootloader wipes your sdcard.
Just flash the rom, you will lose apps and user data but pictures, music etc. That are on the sdcard are safe.

nodstuff said:
Flashing a rom doesn't wipe your sdcard.
Unlocking the bootloader wipes your sdcard.
Just flash the rom, you will lose apps and user data but pictures, music etc. That are on the sdcard are safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm assuming its a virtual SD card of some sort?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

Ya pretty much.
Its the sdcard partition of the total 16/32gb total.
The rest is split into recovery, system, boot, cache and data.
Flashing a rom overwrites those, not the sdcard partition.
Just make sure to do a full wipe in cwm before you flash a rom.

Yeah, it's not really an SD card but a special partition of the internal storage that gets treated like an SD card. If you have the stock recovery, a factory reset will erase the SD-like partition; ClockworkMod Recovery will not erase it.
If you do unlock your bootloader (via the fastboot oem unlock route), everything on your phone will be wiped - SD card data included - but that is really the only time you have to worry about losing SD card data.

Thanks for all your answers I understand now. Next up flashing AOKP!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

nodstuff said:
[snip]
Flashing a rom overwrites those, not the sdcard partition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
codesplice said:
Yeah, it's not really an SD card but a special partition of the internal storage that gets treated like an SD card. If you have the stock recovery, a factory reset will erase the SD-like partition; ClockworkMod Recovery will not erase it.
If you do unlock your bootloader (via the fastboot oem unlock route), everything on your phone will be wiped - SD card data included - but that is really the only time you have to worry about losing SD card data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You guys forgot to mention that /sdcard is actually just a symlink to /data/media, so if you wipe or flash the data partition in fastboot (or flash a stock ROM) it will erase /sdcard.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Is it true that formatting your internal SD card will brick your phone?

I have avoided formatting my internal SD card via clockworkmod since day one out of fear that I will brick my phone. I format it all the time when its connected to my PC....but I heard it shares some system partitions with the internal storage? .....and formatting via CWM will brick your partition map?
Is there any re-partition files available for the galaxy s3 if corruption ever did occur?
This area is something I dont know much about, so please bare with my classifications if they are inaccurate.
Thanks!

RealTic said:
I have avoided formatting my internal SD card via clockworkmod since day one out of fear that I will brick my phone. I format it all the time when its connected to my PC....but I heard it shares some system partitions with the internal storage? .....and formatting via CWM will brick your partition map?
Is there any re-partition files available for the galaxy s3 if corruption ever did occur?
This area is something I dont know much about, so please bare with my classifications if they are inaccurate.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe you can, as long as you install a rom before rebooting. I think i did it before but I can't say I'm sure.

RealTic said:
I have avoided formatting my internal SD card via clockworkmod since day one out of fear that I will brick my phone. I format it all the time when its connected to my PC....but I heard it shares some system partitions with the internal storage? .....and formatting via CWM will brick your partition map?
Is there any re-partition files available for the galaxy s3 if corruption ever did occur?
This area is something I dont know much about, so please bare with my classifications if they are inaccurate.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've done it before on CWM. I currently use TWRP though. Just load your ROM and anything else you need to flash on your extsd card. Format internal storage then flash your ROM of choice. I do this every time I flash a new ROM. I find it helps cut down on freezing and other issues.
As long as you flash a ROM after you wipe the internal storage your fine.
Sent from my Clean Bean v2.6 Galaxy S3

TheSocalGuy79 said:
I've done it before on CWM. I currently use TWRP though. Just load your ROM and anything else you need to flash on your extsd card. Format internal storage then flash your ROM of choice. I do this every time I flash a new ROM. I find it helps cut down on freezing and other issues.
As long as you flash a ROM after you wipe the internal storage your fine.
Sent from my Clean Bean v2.6 Galaxy S3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's right. Formatting through recovery will not affect the boot or recovery partitions, so it's safe to do... but as SocalGuy79 said, just make sure you have the Rom zip you want to flash on your extSDCard.

I do that every time I install a new ROM. So no, it's perfectly safe, just make sure you flash a new ROM before you reboot lol.

Joe0113 said:
I do that every time I install a new ROM. So no, it's perfectly safe, just make sure you flash a new ROM before you reboot lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. I use TWRP 2.4.4, Format data usually too, I never backup and restore data for apps ever. And I very, very rarely ever have problems that others have with ROMs.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

TheSocalGuy79 said:
I've done it before on CWM. I currently use TWRP though. Just load your ROM and anything else you need to flash on your extsd card. Format internal storage then flash your ROM of choice. I do this every time I flash a new ROM. I find it helps cut down on freezing and other issues.
As long as you flash a ROM after you wipe the internal storage your fine.
Sent from my Clean Bean v2.6 Galaxy S3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have done something really stupid here. I formatted my /system and /data & /data/media using CWM and the rom i had loaded for flashing on the internal storage is now gone. I do not have an external sd card. I tried using adb to sideload or push the file but in vain since /data/media folder is missing. Will this be fixed if I flash stock ROM using Odin.
I can still boot into CWM and download mode.

(Q)Flashing roms/kernals without SD? - Noob Question

Hello! I've only been working with Android for a good year but the only devices I've used have had SD cards so I've only ever backup'd, and flashed via an SD Card.
I understand I must either get an OTG cable or push through ADB to get the files on my device after wiping through TWRP right? I've already unlocked the bootloader, flashed TWRP, and rooted through CF.
Is there anywhere I can move the ROM files too in the phone's internal storage that'll stay there after wiping my System, Data and Cache through TWRP so I can select them to flash right afterwards?
Thanks for helping me, I understand it's a noob question!)

Br4nd3n said:
Hello! I've only been working with Android for a good year but the only devices I've used have had SD cards so I've only ever backup'd, and flashed via an SD Card.
I understand I must either get an OTG cable or push through ADB to get the files on my device after wiping through TWRP right? I've already unlocked the bootloader, flashed TWRP, and rooted through CF.
Is there anywhere I can move the ROM files too in the phone's internal storage that'll stay there after wiping my System, Data and Cache through TWRP so I can select them to flash right afterwards?
Thanks for helping me, I understand it's a noob question!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wiping data will not wipe your data/sdcard, so you can download the files normally (directly on the device using a web browser, or USB MTP, etc).

Yes, custom recovery is specifically setup not to wipe your internal storage.
Sent from my Nexus 7 2013 using Tapatalk

SwoRNLeaDejZ said:
Yes, custom recovery is specifically setup not to wipe your internal storage.
Sent from my Nexus 7 2013 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome. So put the files into my SDCard or any internal folder and it should work?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Br4nd3n said:
Awesome. So put the files into my SDCard or any internal folder and it should work?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anywhere on your SD card is safe.

arkolbus said:
Anywhere on your SD card is safe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SD card? Nexus 7?

douger1957 said:
SD card? Nexus 7?
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Click to collapse
The internal "sdcard" directory

arkolbus said:
The internal "sdcard" directory
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah.
CM's File Manager calls it "internal storage" as does Android. ES File Explorer calls it "SD card." You say "tomato" and I say "tamato..."
At any rate, a factory reset will indeed wipe the internal storage/sd card. The ROM the OP is trying to flash will no longer be there. Ask me how I know this.
For what it's worth, here's how I do it.
1) Back up that which I can't reload. Pictures automatically upload to Dropbox for me. Music I can always resync. Your mileage may vary.
2) Factory reset. If I'm feeling lazy or the ROM developer says it's OK, I'll wipe just the cache and dalvik, then flash away. Feeling lazy usually means more work in the end, so I try to avoid that option.
3) Reboot. Once the setup wizard runs... I do not sign on to Google so that it won't try to restore my apps and settings... I mount the internal storage and transfer the ROM zip to the device. I do not download anything directly to my device, but rather my desktop. First off, I trust the internet connection more, second, I can run the thing past my antivirus before I load it on my device. I then transfer it to the root directory of the device.
4) Boot into recovery and wipe the cache, dalvik and system. I then flash the ROM. If there are other files that need to be flashed before the first boot, I do so one at a time. When I'm done, I'll wipe the cache and dalvik one more time, then boot into the system and run the wizard.
When I first got into Android with the Droid Incredible, I was a flashaholic. It'd be nothing to flash three or four times a week. I quickly learned what worked and what didn't. Knocking on wood, I've never come close to bricking a device and usually don't invite trouble by sticking religiously to my routine. That's not to say that I never got a tightening feeling in my nether regions when a device seemed to hang on the splash screen a bit too long.
ROM development is far more sophisticated now than in those days. With both the Rezound and now the S4, I've pretty much hung with one developer and his product and don't flash nearly as much, especially since the ROMs of today are far more stable. But the basic procedure remains the same. The above procedure is modified from my phones past and present, since the Nexus is the first device I've owned that did not have an external SD card, which isn't wiped on a factory reset. I also don't do a nandroid backup with the Nexus, since it's a fairly simple matter to reload a factory image using Wug's Toolbox. That's how I recovered from doing a factory reset and a system wipe on the Nexus... which also involved some tension in the posterior.

douger1957 said:
Ah.
CM's File Manager calls it "internal storage" as does Android. ES File Explorer calls it "SD card." You say "tomato" and I say "tamato..."
At any rate, a factory reset will indeed wipe the internal storage/sd card. The ROM the OP is trying to flash will no longer be there. Ask me how I know this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
douger: the OP was referring to a factory reset/wipe in TWRP, which does *not* wipe the internal storage. I flash frequently on my Nex7 and LG G2, neither have external SD cards, both have TWRP, and I have never lost my data using this method. If you load TWRP and click [Wipe], the exact text is:
Factory Reset
Wipes Data, Cache, and Dalvik
(not including internal storage)​

arkolbus said:
douger: the OP was referring to a factory reset/wipe in TWRP, which does *not* wipe the internal storage. I flash frequently on my Nex7 and LG G2, neither have external SD cards, both have TWRP, and I have never lost my data using this method. If you load TWRP and click [Wipe], the exact text is:
Factory Reset
Wipes Data, Cache, and Dalvik
(not including internal storage)​
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It did indeed blow out my internal storage when I first tried it. When I went to flash, there was nothing in internal storage. None of the usually folders, most certainly not the .zip I was looking for, nothing. Enter tension. :cyclops:
Perhaps the next time I'll try again. It'll save a few steps. I'll have Wug's Toolbox open just in case. :highfive:
In edit: I just looked. In TWRP version 2.7.0.0, I must have hit the "format data" button and didn't catch it. You sir are exactly correct.

douger1957 said:
It did indeed blow out my internal storage when I first tried it. When I went to flash, there was nothing in internal storage. None of the usually folders, most certainly not the .zip I was looking for, nothing. Enter tension. :cyclops:
Perhaps the next time I'll try again. It'll save a few steps. I'll have Wug's Toolbox open just in case. :highfive:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TWRP wipe blew out your internal storage, or was it some other process? Your link pointed to a T-mo "master reset", which I'm sure isn't referring to a custom recovery. Unlocking the bootloader on my G2 completely trashed my internal storage, but I was expecting this. IIRC, Nexus devices have been more unlock-friendly, but loading a factory image will wipe everything, including internal sd.
Helpful hint for everyone (esp. the paranoid): get a cheap USB OTG to USB-A (female) adapter, and have a flash drive handy. Newer versions of TWRP can mount USB OTG, so it's a nice plan B if you can't get past recovery. They're cheap (<$5), small, and come in handy pretty often.

Yeah the N7 official TWRP definitely does not wipe internal storage. It says right in TWRP "wiping data without wiping /media" which means without wiping internal storage.
If your TWRP is wiping the internal you should make sure it isn't a modified version and TeamWin official.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

To clarify, wipe data/factory reset wipes your internal storage (/data) but misses /data/media which is your 'sdcard', call it what you like
Assuming a custom recovery, I cannot speak for stock
Sent from my Nexus 7 2013 using Tapatalk

matt4321 said:
To clarify, wipe data/factory reset wipes your internal storage (/data) but misses /data/media which is your 'sdcard', call it what you like
Assuming a custom recovery, I cannot speak for stock
Sent from my Nexus 7 2013 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but your sdcard is to most and many your internal storage... What is factory reset wiping if it avoids everything you have on your sdcard, including files copied to the root of your internal storage?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Wiping internal storage?

I followed This Guide to get temp root on my Verizon M8 in order to get s-off with sunshine. The SuperSU apk the guide requires is hosted on an iffy looking file hosting site. I'm worried that it could've been infected with malware, which would've gotten root access.
After getting s-off, I followed the guide to install the DigitalHigh GPE ROM HERE. First I had to flash the 5.1 GPE firmware, and then the ROM itself. Would doing both of these things remove any infections, if that apk was infected? If not, what should I do? If it had root access, it could have installed as a system app. I'm assuming that flashing either the 5.1 firmware or the ROM would've overwritten system apps, but I'd like to be sure.
If I wipe internal storage, will I still have s-off and be able to flash the firmware through adb or sideload a ROM?

TheLeshii said:
I'm assuming that flashing either the 5.1 firmware or the ROM would've overwritten system apps, but I'd like to be sure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firmware doesn't touch system partition; but a ROM flash wipes it and flashes the new ROM to the system partition.
TheLeshii said:
First I had to flash the 5.1 GPE firmware, and then the ROM itself. Would doing both of these things remove any infections, if that apk was infected?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't claim to have the technical knowledge to really say. But I suppose theoretically its possible some malicious code can reside on other partitions. But it probably unlikely for an infection to be that sophisticated, when there is lower hanging fruit to be had. I'd guess that you are correct, that most malware is installed in system partition or as an app in user data.
TheLeshii said:
If I wipe internal storage, will I still have s-off and be able to flash the firmware through adb or sideload a ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, yes, and yes.
The only thing that can make the phone s-on again, is you manually making it so.

So if I do wipe internal storage, would I be able to do everything without a microSD, being that I can't enable USB debugging with no OS? If so, would it be as simple as rebooting to fastboot, then RUU mode, flashing a firmware zip, and then maybe pushing the ROM?
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app

TheLeshii said:
So if I do wipe internal storage, would I be able to do everything without a microSD, being that I can't enable USB debugging with no OS? If so, would it be as simple as rebooting to fastboot, then RUU mode, flashing a firmware zip, and then maybe pushing the ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure I follow. Wiping internal storage doesn't affect the ROM. Or are you thinking of wiping everything (internal storage, system, etc.) again.

Wouldn't wiping internal storage take out everything, including the ROM? I'd just like to my sure my phone is clean of malware.
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app

TheLeshii said:
Wouldn't wiping internal storage take out everything, including the ROM? I'd just like to my sure my phone is clean of malware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Internal storage" specifically just means the user-accessible storage partition (also called the "virtual SD" by some), which is /data/media. That one partition, that's it. No other partitions are touched, including system (ROM) partition, as I already mentioned.
Now, there are options to wipe other partitions, such as in the Advanced Wipe options in TWRP. If you select the system partition, than that will wipe the ROM. But again, its a completely different option and partition than internal storage.

If I wipe the OS completely, would I still be able to access the device with adb? Or would wiping /system definitely get rid of all possible malware?

TheLeshii said:
If I wipe the OS completely, would I still be able to access the device with adb?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should be able to use adb while booted into TWRP. Fastboot commands will work without OS (boot into bootloader-fastboot mode).
TheLeshii said:
Or would wiping /system definitely get rid of all possible malware?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Definite" is a tough term. In the grand scheme, in theory you can have malware on your phone and computer from any number of sources. But its a matter of probability. I'd say if you've already replaced your ROM, wiped user data, and you wipe internal storage; the probability of malware is rather low.

redpoint73 said:
"Internal storage" specifically just means the user-accessible storage partition (also called the "virtual SD" by some), which is /data/media. That one partition, that's it. No other partitions are touched, including system (ROM) partition, as I already mentioned.
Now, there are options to wipe other partitions, such as in the Advanced Wipe options in TWRP. If you select the system partition, than that will wipe the ROM. But again, its a completely different option and partition than internal storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry to ask again, seems I have to do it because my internal storage is almost full because of unnecessary "things".
So if I wipe the internal storage from TWRP, it will not affect the ROM, etc? So I don't need to flash any ROM again after wiping the internal storage?
Thank you, sir!

pryg said:
Sorry to ask again, seems I have to do it because my internal storage is almost full because of unnecessary "things".
So if I wipe the internal storage from TWRP, it will not affect the ROM, etc? So I don't need to flash any ROM again after wiping the internal storage?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ROM is on the "system" partition, which is completely separate from internal storage. You will only wipe the ROM if you specifically choose to wipe the system partition in Advanced wipe options.
You will however, lose all personal data on internal storage if you wipe it, including TWRP backups. So its advised you copy TWRP backups to your computer or removable SD before wiping. You should always have a known good TWRP backup available, in my opinion.
ROM zips also take up a lot of space. If you've been doing a lot of ROM flashing you might clear up your storage problem simply by moving unneeded TWRP backups and ROMs to your computer.

redpoint73 said:
ROM is on the "system" partition, which is completely separate from internal storage. You will only wipe the ROM if you specifically choose to wipe the system partition in Advanced wipe options.
You will however, lose all personal data on internal storage if you wipe it, including TWRP backups. So its advised you copy TWRP backups to your computer or removable SD before wiping. You should always have a known good TWRP backup available, in my opinion.
ROM zips also take up a lot of space. If you've been doing a lot of ROM flashing you might clear up your storage problem simply by moving unneeded TWRP backups and ROMs to your computer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, sir. Where can I find the TWRP backups?

pryg said:
Thank you, sir. Where can I find the TWRP backups?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TWRP>Backups>Serial number

Guys Please help. Unable To Mount... error. Tried everythng. Video given.

I have watched a lot of tutorials but nothing is working please someone help
I made a video of the problem and what I tried. Can anyone understand what happened
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaN-y-Worlg
Update: In Data i Changed the file system and went back to original. Didn't work.
I even wiped system. But i guess the only problem is to fix the "data". Since it shows 0 Mb size. But i can't find any way or guide. The ones i did find are too advanced and use cmd commands and toolkits which i don't think an inexperienced user like me should be following.
Some background information: i attempted to install Open gApps and enable Camera2 API. I Entered "read only" mode.
The adb shell commands for enabling it wasn't working (some "proprietary" something shown )
So I tried another method. I downloaded the latest Magisk and flashed it. Then i tried gApps. I don't remember when i started to think what went wrong but yeah..

I found this and I think it may be related.
But I don't understand it properly.
And its and Old post for some other Recovery
https://forum.xda-developers.com/go...o-repairing-corrupted-data-partition-t2577447

See if this will help you
https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/closed-solved-twrp-unale-to-mount-storage-help.544878/
Essentially reboot twrp then wipe-> format data

jaybeeee said:
See if this will help you
https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/closed-solved-twrp-unale-to-mount-storage-help.544878/
Essentially reboot twrp then wipe-> format data
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DId that in the video. Doesn't work

Did you reboot twrp first? I don't see that

jaybeeee said:
Did you reboot twrp first? I don't see that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yeah didn't do it in the video.. But yeah no good.

Crap, sorry to hear it, hopefully someone better than me chimes in. Good luck!

Why did you wipe internal storage? And what are you trying to mount. If you are trying to install a new rom all you need to wipe is cache, dalvik, system and data. Wiping internal storage removes everything from the internal SD card and if you do this then you have no OS.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Stransky said:
Why did you wipe internal storage? And what are you trying to mount. If you are trying to install a new rom all you need to wipe is cache, dalvik, system and data. Wiping internal storage removes everything from the internal SD card and if you do this then you have no OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At this point i can't care less about the data in internal storage. I just need to flash the official MIUI ROM back, enable Camera2 API and live in peace. At this moment I'm halfway through downloading the ROM but I'm not sure if i can flash it due to the Mount Issue of internal storage. I plan on transferring it to my micro SD card and flashing it from there to System Image. Will it work? And Internal Storage formatting failed in case you didn't notice. Practically nothing worked except the file system change of "data". And even that didn't fix the unable to Mount issue.

Stransky said:
Why did you wipe internal storage? And what are you trying to mount. If you are trying to install a new rom all you need to wipe is cache, dalvik, system and data. Wiping internal storage removes everything from the internal SD card and if you do this then you have no OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Btw i gave more information on the first post.

Have you tried redwolf recovery? If it has the same error then flash your phone with fastboot rom

devcon69 said:
Have you tried redwolf recovery? If it has the same error then flash your phone with fastboot rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hevent tried redwolf recover. Just Fastboot flashed the ROM on intuition. And it Worked!!