[Q] Extract data from encrypted Samsung Galaxy Note 8 GT-N5100

I don't know where to start, but I had posted on android.stackexchange.com and no-one has replied (yet). So let me just copy the text:

I have the US Samsung Galaxy Note 8 GT-N5110 and last night I downloaded and installed the latest kitkat firmware. After I unlock the phone (I have full encryption on), it just goes to a black screen. I tried to load from the cache (in recovery mode cache/fota/update.zip), but after it does the same thing. Practically everything on the device is stored in the cloud, except for a few files from the S Note that did not sync in the last 2 weeks. Is there any way to recover the files?

I tried connecting it to kies, but it doesn't find it. If I try to manually enter the device information it gives me only the option to do a factory reset and then it will update it to the latest firmware.

I read somewhere, but I can't seem to find it now, that if I were to download CM that they have some tool to backup and then I can somehow use that to recover my files. Is this true in my case since I have full encryption. I just wish that after I enter the password I could just connect through adb and get the files. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

So I looked to see how I could do a backup, but in recovery mode I don't have that option. Why is that? Maybe only certain devices have that option? So now I found this article that has a link to the UK version (the model appears to be the same GT-N5110) of the firmware. I'm guessing this is the same firmware, since it's the WiFi version. Does anybody know of anything I should be concerned with? The download size is actually bigger than the one I downloaded from my device, but I'm guessing that the one from the device was compressed maybe?

I don't know what else to do. The file is downloading right now, so I'll wait and try that. As a last resort Im going to do a factory reset. I'd like to avoid that, but the files are for a class (notes and audio). Sadly I did not ensure that they were backed up. I also have usb debug off so I'm unable to use adb to grab the files I need.

If there's any other ideas on retrieving the data, I'm all eyes to read your recommendations. Thanks