Wiping personal data...

[myotai]

Hi,

I am returning my HDX after receiving a replacement. How can I ensure all my personal data has been wiped before or send it off. It's had a couple of factory resets, is still rooted, safestrapped and on 4.2.5.

Thanks...

 

[DB126]

Hi,

I am returning my HDX after receiving a replacement. How can I ensure all my personal data has been wiped before or send it off. It's had a couple of factory resets, is still rooted, safestrapped and on 4.2.5.

Thanks...

To my knowledge there is no sure-fire way to securely wipe ALL permanent storage on this device. Best suggestion is to remove all secondary Safestrap v4 slots and then flash CM11 or Nexus v4 to the stock slot. Then use Android's native encryption (settings->security->encrypt tablet) to scramble the contents followed by a stock 'factory reset'. Note this may leave your device in an unbootable state. Not sure how comprehensive the encryption is (eg: does it go after unused blocks) but should thwart most casual efforts to recover previous contents.

 

[myotai]

Thanks for that, but can you tell me how I'd remove the Safestrap v4 slots? Not even sure what they are to be honest!

 

[DB126]

Thanks for that, but can you tell me how I'd remove the Safestrap v4 slots? Not even sure what they are to be honest!

If you don't know what they are you probably never created any. You can get an indication when booting your device. If the word 'disabled' appears on the Safestrap recovery screen you do not have any secondary slots.

What OS (rom) do you have installed?

 

[myotai]

Stock 4.2.5....nothing stating Disabled when booting. There are several 'free' slotsin Safestrap. But apart from rooting and installing Safestrap to flash the stock ROM I didn't do anything else.

 

[DB126]

Stock 4.2.5....nothing stating Disabled when booting. There are several 'free' slotsin Safestrap. But apart from rooting and installing Safestrap to flash the stock ROM I didn't do anything else.

For clarity I believe you mean 4.5.2
Don't worry about the slots. Just encrypt your active slot. The subsequent factory reset probably isn't necessary unless you distrust Amazon's refurb process which securely wipes the device. As noted the nuances of Android encryption are unknown (complicated by HDX hw and Safestrap) so you are confidently only protecting against casual inspection.

 

[myotai]

Yeah , that's what I'll do then. Nothing other than personal letters and pics of my kids etc...thanks for your feedback