[Q] How to completely wipe all data from my phone

[Slickzor]

Hello Sensationalists,

After 3 years I have upgraded my phone to an HTC One and would like to sell my old phone.

It is currently running ICS Android Revolution HD 7.3.

What I would like to do is wipe all data from my SD drive and sell the phone with a pre-installed latest version of Android Revolution. I have found several tools for erasing but do not want to brick my phone or do anything rash, so here I am asking the pro's :

What would be the best way to erase all data from my HTC Sensation (full erase, non recoverable) and provide the buyer with a clean installation of the phone?

I believe the factory reset is no longer possible due to the custom ROM installation etc. (been a while since I have worked with the phone so not sure).

Please be easy on me with the technical terms and abbreviations, I'm a little rusty :angel:.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[rzr86]

just use the full wipe option from recovery and then install ARHD ROM again

 

[Slickzor]

just use the full wipe option from recovery and then install ARHD ROM again

Wipe data/Factory reset?

It asks me 'About to wipe data, cache and sd-ext partitions.. Wipe all Userdata?'. This is what you mean right? It's in the recovery EXT4 program.

And if I have done that then the entire thing is unrecoverable? So no private data can be found by using recovery programs?

 

[rzr86]

Wipe data/Factory reset?

It asks me 'About to wipe data, cache and sd-ext partitions.. Wipe all Userdata?'. This is what you mean right? It's in the recovery EXT4 program.

And if I have done that then the entire thing is unrecoverable? So no private data can be found by using recovery programs?

if you have 4ext recovery use the format all partitions except sdcard option
i assume it is unrecoverable

 

[Slickzor]

if you have 4ext recovery use the format all partitions except sdcard option
i assume it is unrecoverable

But I want to wipe the SD card as well. Should I do 'Format all partitions (except SDcard)' and after that 'Format sdcard'? I read that people use special programs to completely wipe all data from SD cards with programs like 'RoadKill's diskwipe'. But if this program does the same thing then I'm good, I doubt it though, that's why I ask .

 

[rzr86]

But I want to wipe the SD card as well. Should I do 'Format all partitions (except SDcard)' and after that 'Format sdcard'? I read that people use special programs to completely wipe all data from SD cards with programs like 'RoadKill's diskwipe'. But if this program does the same thing then I'm good, I doubt it though, that's why I ask .

now i see
you want to wipe the sdcard too
hmm,
i don't know if from 4ext will be unrecoverable but it would be better to use a program to wipe it from pc

 

[Slickzor]

now i see
you want to wipe the sdcard too
hmm,
i don't know if from 4ext will be unrecoverable but it would be better to use a program to wipe it from pc

The thing is, I'm afraid that if I do this, reinstalling my phone will be a pain since EXT4 is put on the SDcard as far as I know. So if EXT4 doesn't wipe the data completely, and I have to use a PC program, I want to make sure I don't brick the device or delete crucial content for a clean installation.

So let me rephrase: How to wipe (unrecoverable) all data from my HTC Sensation including the SDcard, without losing the possibility of reinstalling the phone whilst avoiding the possibility of bricking the device/losing the possibility of a clean installation

I don't want the person that buys my phone to have access to files formerly stored on the SDcard or the phone itself.

 

[rzr86]

The thing is, I'm afraid that if I do this, reinstalling my phone will be a pain since EXT4 is put on the SDcard as far as I know. So if EXT4 doesn't wipe the data completely, and I have to use a PC program, I want to make sure I don't brick the device or delete crucial content for a clean installation.

So let me rephrase: How to wipe (unrecoverable) all data from my HTC Sensation including the SDcard, without losing the possibility of reinstalling the phone whilst avoiding the possibility of bricking the device/losing the possibility of a clean installation

I don't want the person that buys my phone to have access to files formerly stored on the SDcard or the phone itself.

by formating anything from 4ext won't brick the device at all
by the way 4ext is not on sdcard
it has its own partition in emmc

 

[Slickzor]

by formating anything from 4ext won't brick the device at all
by the way 4ext is not on sdcard
it has its own partition in emmc

I did not know that, thanks! I'll just use a program from my PC then to wipe all data, then do a format all partitions (except SDcard) and do a clean installation of Android Revolution 7.3 ICS for the new buyer. This should suffice then right? Will this also wipe the data on my phone, numbers etc.? (I will destroy my simcard since I won't need it any more).

 

[rzr86]

I did not know that, thanks! I'll just use a program from my PC then to wipe all data, then do a format all partitions (except SDcard) and do a clean installation of Android Revolution 7.3 ICS for the new buyer. This should suffice then right? Will this also wipe the data on my phone, numbers etc.? (I will destroy my simcard since I won't need it any more).

it will wipe everything

 

[Slickzor]

it will wipe everything

Perfect, that's what I need. I'll start... ehh.. wiping then... :laugh:

 

[Slickzor]

It worked btw, a full format from windows 7 made it impossible to recover data by using recovery programs. All data was wiped and new OS is running . Thanks a lot!