Hard Proof That Wiping Your Phone Doesn't Actually Delete Everything

${i} · 07-12-2014, 05:51 PM

An interesting article

http://mashable.com/2014/07/09/data-...y-smartphones/

metaschima · 07-12-2014, 06:07 PM

Yes, resetting the phone doesn't wipe anything. Wiping the phone deletes most thing (not NAND). The only sure way to erase the onboard NAND is if you mount it yourself and wipe it. I can do this with my GP2X, dunno about phones as I don't use smartphones.

${i} · 07-12-2014, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metaschima

Yes, resetting the phone doesn't wipe anything. Wiping the phone deletes most thing (not NAND). The only sure way to erase the onboard NAND is if you mount it yourself and wipe it. I can do this with my GP2X, dunno about phones as I don't use smartphones.

Yep, I am one of the many that though a factory reset would secure your phone for reselling or giving it away. Now, I know better.

I heard about this on the All About Android podcast episode #169 on the TWIT network. They say the factory reset just removes the files from the index table. They also said, google doesn't invoke the bit-by-bit erasure which is longer but more secure is because this shortens the life of NAND cells. This is not me saying this, but the folks at the AAA podcast.

syg00 · 07-12-2014, 09:23 PM

Well I just bricked a tablet trying to put a modded ROM in it. Struggling to get it powered on, let alone screwing around in adb.
Short of some seriously exotic probing hardware, I reckon this one is safe ....

${i} · 07-13-2014, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

Well I just bricked a tablet trying to put a modded ROM in it. Struggling to get it powered on, let alone screwing around in adb.
Short of some seriously exotic probing hardware, I reckon this one is safe ....

That's sucks. Tablets and smartphone should be made to allow us to easily install an alternative OS without the risk of bricking it. I wanted to install cyanogenmod for my dated phone but it wasn't supported from it's list of supported devices and so I didn't install it.

My only option is to buy a new smartphone at a later time.

syg00 · 07-14-2014, 08:13 AM

CM may not be the only option.
Took me (quite) a while, but managed to get my tablet sorted. Hasn't had an update from ASUS since ICS, now running KK - really fast. Much better.

${i} · 07-14-2014, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

Took me (quite) a while, but managed to get my tablet sorted. Hasn't had an update from ASUS since ICS, now running KK - really fast. Much better.

I'm glad you got it sorted out

It saddens me when our phone carriers and/or tablet manufacturers don't release current android releases like nexus devices do.

I mean, our phones/tablets are still in good working condition, why shell out money for a new phone when it is not necessary? The only caveat on our phones/tablets is a dated OS. Running a dated android is like running windows XP on a PC/laptop.

I just wish these carriers and manufacturers would release android updates on a more timely basis.