Develop Bugs

[Q] How do I format the internal storage and flash with cwm

I've had a bit of a nightmare tonight, I rooted and cwm my nexus within the first hour of ownership and flashed modaco pauls rom however after a couple of days of messing around I found myself wondering how to format the internal storage but still be able to flash via cwm. Have poked around I've found you are able to push the rom via adb while in cmw so again no problem except selecting "wipe" from ics doesnt really format the partition the storage, while when the phone is running and plugged into the computer you seem to have a fresh storage area however the free space is still taking into account of old files. And when I went back to cwm it clearly still showed the old deleted files which seems strange. The only way i was able to clear everything was via the storage menu with ics deleting folders one at a time ?!
So my question is......
Which is the best way to format the internal storage area and once completed am i able to push my rom onto the phone and flash correctly?

Same problem here.
Even with wiping and formatting data, cache, system, dalvik cache and even a factory reset from the running Android, I still have old data from non-present apps in my app list.

Download the Super Wipe script from the Android Revolution HD thread, flash it in CWM and voila - completely formatted phone (bar the user data like pictures, music, etc)

Simplest way is to re-lock and re-unlock back the bootloader

Proyoyo said:
Simplest way is to re-lock and re-unlock back the bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will this has any effect on rom / root?

GBIC said:
Same problem here.
Even with wiping and formatting data, cache, system, dalvik cache and even a factory reset from the running Android, I still have old data from non-present apps in my app list.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Grab the Nexus Toolkit in the development section. It will do everything you are looking for plus more.

Format system and other miscellaneous questions

I understand about wipe the dalvich cache, cache, and user data.* I see it is recommended that you format the system data and sd card and this is where I am confused.
I am on a custom rom and the next time I change roms I want to make sure I do it properly.* Before I flashed my latest JB rom I did a complete factory restore to 4.0.4 and then unlocked/rooted using one of the all in one programs. (wanted a clean install of all apps/data)* I then loaded rom manger downloaded my rom, went to recovery, wiped the cache, dalvich, and user data and while still in recovery I installed the downloaded rom no problem and everything is running fine.
My questions.
When they say back up your SD card is that what I see when I plug the phone into my computer? And this is the safe part of the system if all goes well during rom changing.
When told to format system and sd card here is what I see for my options:
Mount/sdcard
Mount/system
Unmount/cache
Unmount/data
Format/sdcard
Format/system
Format/cache
Format/data*
What do I actually need to do in this section and what order do I do it in?* Before or after the cache/dalvich/userdata?
And my main question is, if I use Rom Manger and download a rom, then reboot into recovery, then wipe the cache, dalvich, user data, and then do the format part above, will I lose the downloaded rom or is that part of the system untouched?

Unnecessary steps are unnecessary.
Rom install will format/wipe system for you and new dalvik cache will be generated automatically.
Going to a whole new rom, just do factory reset/wipe data from main screen in cwm. Then install rom.
Cache will be wiped with factory reset within cwm.
And yes when they say back up your sdcard, it means the files you see when you plug it into your computer.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for helping me understand more clearly. I guess i did do everything correct my last install.

korsjs said:
Thanks for helping me understand more clearly. I guess i did do everything correct my last install.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you did it fine.
General rule of thumb is that there is no need to nuke and start fresh unless you are having some major issues with your rom
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[Q] General Rooting Question

Since there is no sd card, when you flash a ROM and have to wipe data, do you lose all the stuff like music, pictures, and ringtones? If so, what do you guys use to make this not a pain. I can't imagine recompliling all the folders from what you have backed up on your computer is the best way. I have titanium backup, but isnt that really just for restoring your apps and contacts, not so much for things like music and ringtones etc.?
Also, does the CWM backup/recovery work with this phone? I come from a droid charge and the restore never really worked on that phone.

its been answered a ton of times
your data in /sdcard/ (also known as /data/media/ ) is left alone when you wipe data/cache in cwm/twrp
restore works fine.

Your virtual SD card isn't wiped, so your photos and music are preserved. If you want a little extra assurance though, just back it all up to a Dropbox account. That way you always have access to it if something does go wrong during a wipe.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium

What he says!
I have clockwork mod touch installed. For a fresh clean install, I wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache and then install the zip from sdcard (the new ROM is itself stored on the sdcard).
Zepius said:
its been answered a ton of times
your data in /sdcard/ (also known as /data/media/ ) is left alone when you wipe data/cache in cwm/twrp
restore works fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

DZYR said:
What he says!
I have clockwork mod touch installed. For a fresh clean install, I wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache and then install the zip from sdcard (the new ROM is itself stored on the sdcard).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the sd card, the images, ringtones, data files will remain untouched also with a full wipe.

DZYR said:
What he says!
I have clockwork mod touch installed. For a fresh clean install, I wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache and then install the zip from sdcard (the new ROM is itself stored on the sdcard).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Be aware that wiping data/factory reset also wipes cache. And the need to wipe caches when flashing roms is a myth. They're hash signed by the rom at flash, different roms have different signatures, thus android will always be forced to rebuild them after a new rom has been flashed.
Sent from my i9250

completely wipe the phone?

Just wondering, as i'm probably selling my Galaxy S3 soon... what's the easiest way to completely wipe everything off the phone? Pictures, apps, documents.... everything? Will re-install a custom ROM after wiping.... just want to make sure all personal data is off the phone.

elementaldragon said:
Just wondering, as i'm probably selling my Galaxy S3 soon... what's the easiest way to completely wipe everything off the phone? Pictures, apps, documents.... everything? Will re-install a custom ROM after wiping.... just want to make sure all personal data is off the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I imagine using twrp would be the best way. Not sure if there is another alternative. Maybe odin.
First before wiping system you may want to wipe internal storage (after backing up your internal storage to your computer or something first of course). Then boot up your current system and transfer a rom you want to install to your internal storage. Then reboot to twrp and wipe system, factory reset, cache and dalvik. Then install a rom fresh and then it should be ready to go. This is what I do after selling a device, before shipping to a customer.

.... wouldn't copying a custom ROM to the internal storage BEFORE wiping System and everything also erase the custom ROM i just transferred to the device?
And i mean wiping EVERYTHING. basically as if the phone was just taken out of the box, and unlocked, rooted, and custom ROM installed. No left over files whatsoever. Don't think wiping just System does that, does it? Wouldn't i do the "Wipe Internal Storage" or something like that? Think that's about what i did on my Motorola Atrix when i sold that.

* edit looking into the wiping system part to see exactly what it erases.
Wiping system, factory reset, cache and dalvik should erase everything except storage. You could wipe internal storage after you freshly install a ROM. But hopefully there are no errors, because you will have no files on storage if something had went wrong during installation. I would also have a ROM file on an external sdcard that you could plug in if you needed to.
You will probably want to leave one ROM file on the device for the person you are selling it to, just incase.
Sent from my Nexus 5

stelv said:
* edit looking into the wiping system part to see exactly what it erases.
Wiping system, factory reset, cache and dalvik should erase everything except storage. You could wipe internal storage after you freshly install a ROM. But hopefully there are no errors, because you will have no files on storage if something had went wrong during installation. I would also have a ROM file on an external sdcard that you could plug in if you needed to.
You will probably want to leave one ROM file on the device for the person you are selling it to, just incase.
Sent from my Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I am selling it with the 8GB Micro-SD card anyway, since i've got no use for it with the Nexus 5. And i believe that's what i did with the Atrix. Wiped storage/system/factory reset/cache. Pretty much everything that made sense to wipe.... and just kept the ROM on the SD card out of the phone, just to make sure i didn't accidentally wipe that somehow.
And i'll probably just do what i usually end up doing for stuff like this. Wipe everything, install the ROM and make sure it boots, and just shut it off when it comes to the initial setup screen.

Here are some useful links
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1823906
http://teamw.in/whattowipe
Sent from my Nexus 5

(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?
Click to expand...
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