I just bought a Tilt from ATT recently, but unfortunately the one I got has battery issues, so I'm going to exchange it. While I was experimenting with the phone however, I did load up all of my contacts and emails and notes. A lot of it is sensitive data that should not be seen by others. Is there currently a way to securely erase the data on the Kaiser/Tilt, or am I stuck with having to hard reset the device, write over it with fake contacts, and continue the process about 10 times?
kagekouen said:
I just bought a Tilt from ATT recently, but unfortunately the one I got has battery issues, so I'm going to exchange it. While I was experimenting with the phone however, I did load up all of my contacts and emails and notes. A lot of it is sensitive data that should not be seen by others. Is there currently a way to securely erase the data on the Kaiser/Tilt, or am I stuck with having to hard reset the device, write over it with fake contacts, and continue the process about 10 times?
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Click to collapse
A hard-reset should be good enough. If you really want to go through some extra trouble then do a hard-reset and then flash it again with ATT ROM.
kagekouen said:
I just bought a Tilt from ATT recently, but unfortunately the one I got has battery issues, so I'm going to exchange it. While I was experimenting with the phone however, I did load up all of my contacts and emails and notes. A lot of it is sensitive data that should not be seen by others. Is there currently a way to securely erase the data on the Kaiser/Tilt, or am I stuck with having to hard reset the device, write over it with fake contacts, and continue the process about 10 times?
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Click to collapse
Clear storage under system settings
Does clear storage/hard reset do any rewriting of information? I haven't personally read anything on pulling information off WM pdas specifically, but I know in order to securely erase something you should at least run some information over the same sectors.
Wow... do you have Paris Hilton's number on there?
Seriously, hard reset it, and then sell it. Don't keep rewriting on to the memory.
Related
what do you guys recomend for one of those "stolen phone" programs, and tracking your phone if it ever gets stolen?
SPRITE TERMINATOR or WIMP ..... but the programs are only good as long as you don't hard reset the device..... Once the device Hard reset EVERYTHING GONE
Thanks for the tip
There is always possibility to cook program with your settings inside ROM... so hard reset won't help... but cooking with settings - that's not easy.
_mike_ said:
There is always possibility to cook program with your settings inside ROM... so hard reset won't help... but cooking with settings - that's not easy.
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Now we know that we can cook a program into ROM.. Although i am aware of the fact that there are so many Cooking Guides available here in the forum and that also become a problem for me to choose a best step by step guide for cooking ROM and adding a program into it.... could some one translate this for me....
I use mobile justice. So far haven't had to use it, so I really can't comment on it to much, I did play with it a little and like it.
max621 said:
SPRITE TERMINATOR or WIMP ..... but the programs are only good as long as you don't hard reset the device..... Once the device Hard reset EVERYTHING GONE
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Click to collapse
thanks, i did have WIMP on my phone before, then after many rom flashes its gone, ill try the sprite one.
mikeeey said:
thanks, i did have WIMP on my phone before, then after many rom flashes its gone, ill try the sprite one.
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You must try it Mate... since i myself using Terminator and its quite good.. BTW have you tried to cook any of the software into ROM with required phone numbers ?
On a somewhat related note, generally what happens to stolen PDA/Phones?
The reason for this question was that I was looking at "Ultimate Theft Alert v3" after seeing a link in someone's signature. I thought it sounded like a good idea, but I was aware that a hard reset would kill any protection that the program would offer.
So I was wondering what would happen. If the want the data from the phone they would be hoping it wouldn't lock, because if it does you can't get in to get the data easily. If it does lock and the SIM is still in (or it is taken out and not replaced), I assume there is some way to get round it (like auto-run from an SD card and copy off the data) and it won't have dialled home. Once that is done they can ditch the device....
If they do want the device, they will try and use it and, if it has a lock on it, they will have to hard-reset to get it in. If they had used a similar device before, they might hard-reset anyway.
So this means that most likely the device will not get the chance to dial home given most of these types of software don't auto-cook themselves.
If it is cooked into the ROM it would stand a much better chance of being able to dial home, but if it was not automated I would wonder if it was all worth it. By this time your data is safe (I am assuming you encrypted your SD card and the hard reset will have wiped the device ASSUMING the thief didn't manage to get data off while it was locked) and insurance will no doubt get you a new one.
So.... has anyone managed to use this type of software to retrieve their stolen phone?
GPS
Do any of these programs turn on your GPS and let you know the location of your phone as well as sending out an SMS? I thought I heard there are programs out there that do that.
yeah i heard about a program that would that i dont know if the ones they were talking about above do that thouhg. it was cool u send a text message with a code in it to your phone and your phone kicks you back the location of the phone
umvagia0 said:
Do any of these programs turn on your GPS and let you know the location of your phone as well as sending out an SMS? I thought I heard there are programs out there that do that.
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The one I referred to (Ultimate Theft Alert) claims it. I don't use it, so I don't know how effective it is.
umvagia0 said:
Do any of these programs turn on your GPS and let you know the location of your phone as well as sending out an SMS? I thought I heard there are programs out there that do that.
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Click to collapse
As i mentioned before, i am using SPRITE TERMINATOR and i do throughly test it. It do send me the GPS coordinates on the given mobile number and i also try the WIPE command from the other mobile phone for Data deltion and that command successfully delete the whole data including the Storage card... But after the deletion it locked the device..... But for GPS the device must be outside otherwise u have to send the command again....
Over the past two weeks, I have been encountering a problem with my ActiveSync software.
An error message has been appearing "There has been a change made in your server that requires you to re-synchronize all items on your device. All changes made since your last successful sync will be lost. Do you wish to continue?"
Obviously, the answer is no. However, in more than one occasion, I have accidentally pressed YES. This resulted in wiping out my contacts, my appointments (Calendar) and my tasks. My messages were fortunately left intact.
A couple of days ago, I had the good fortune - a possible glitch - that suddenly detected my old sync profile and thus was able to restore my deleted contacts and appointments.
Anyways, I wish to get rid of this error lest it wipes out my information again.
I am using L26's Diamond Rom on an HTC Tytn II. (Available in the Kaiser Rom Development Forum). [The rom uses WM 6.1.]
I was already wary of flashing a rom when I first bought my phone
but I am even more wary that my phone might have become unstable - which is still possible even if I have been using the rom for over 8 months now.
If anyone can help me out, I would really appreciate it.
Oh yeah, I have yet to use Sprite Back-up and funambol.
I think given my near brush with complete data loss, I need to take this precautions.
Would really appreciate some answers from other users. Thanks in advance.
Over the past two weeks, I have been encountering a problem with my ActiveSync software.
An error message has been appearing "There has been a change made in your server that requires you to re-synchronize all items on your device. All changes made since your last successful sync will be lost. Do you wish to continue?"
Obviously, the answer is no. However, in more than one occasion, I have accidentally pressed YES. This resulted in wiping out my contacts, my appointments (Calendar) and my tasks. My messages were fortunately left intact.
A couple of days ago, I had the good fortune - a possible glitch - that suddenly detected my old sync profile and thus was able to restore my deleted contacts and appointments.
Anyways, I wish to get rid of this error lest it wipes out my information again.
I am using L26's Diamond Rom on an HTC Tytn II. (Available in the Kaiser Rom Development Forum). [The rom uses WM 6.1.]
I was already wary of flashing a rom when I first bought my phone
but I am even more wary that my phone might have become unstable - which is still possible even if I have been using the rom for over 8 months now.
If anyone can help me out, I would really appreciate it.
Oh yeah, I have yet to use Sprite Back-up and funambol.
I think given my near brush with complete data loss, I need to take this precautions.
Would really appreciate some answers from other users. Thanks in advance.
Hi guys, need your help.
Short version:
i own the XDA Stellar, running vanilla WM6.0. tried to install Windows Live but had to soft reset before it ended. now stuck at the green boot screen.
what besides hard reseting can i do? i don't mind breaking the device if i have to, but i want my data back. particularly my text messages. everything else that i need is backed up.
while am on the green boot screen, if i receive an sms, the phone actually rings. but thats basically all it does. when i connect the USB to my computer, nothing pops up.
anyway i can get access to the files directory?
what i've tried:
- soft reseting a number of times
- remove SD card
- removing sim card
- removing Battery for a couple of minutes before putting it back in
- connecting USB cable. "nothing pops-up on computer"
- SMSing it. "it rings"
- pressing all buttons on surface of device.
no success
thanks for any help
Long version:
i own the XDA Stellar, running vanilla 6.0. today i downloaded Windows Live for windows mobile to update the one i already had on my device. while it was installing before it reached the end, i got a pop-up telling me that i was running out of space. and it just stayed like that, progress bar wouldn't move. so i went to the device deleted a couple of pictures and tried to cut/paste the voice notes from device to storage card. it refused to allow it. so i decided to soft reset.
when i did soft reset, it got to the green boot screen and is stuck there.
after along wait, i get a white screen telling me the device can't boot because i might have "turned off the device incorrectly" or installed an insecure software and that my only option is to hard reset and lose everything.
while am on the green boot screen, if i receive an sms, the phone actually rings. but thats basically all it does. when i connect the USB to my computer, nothing pops up.
anyway i can get access to the files directory?
Thanks
And no mention of a Hard-Reset?
are you saying that there is absolutely no way to read the memory on the phone beside doing it when the WinMobile OS is running right?
that sounds like a completely stupid design. its like having windows without a start disk that gives you access to a command prompt.
having to lose all your data over some OS data corruption is ridiculous
i would really appreciate it if anyone knows a way, even an expensive one.
i just had text messages from someone dear to me that passed away that i'd rather not lose.
thank you
Some other things to try
Yes you can check whether the sms messages are stored on the sim card (by putting it in another phone/using a sim card reader). On my TyTN II, the SMS Messages are stored there and it's only emails that use phone or memory card memory. You could also try removing the Sim before booting (one thing not on your 'tried' list but if all this fails, the only other thing I can think of short of a hard reset, is contacting Microsoft about their Windows Live software. There's a website for support of these products and Microsoft staff will actually get back to you (I had need to contact them over a bug in the email portion of their software some time ago). Best wishes
seeing as i have over 2000+ messages in there, i don't think the sim card could actually help me in this case.
but thanks anyway
i still can't believe they made a phone with a memory that could only be accessed through the OS
VeraMedix said:
i still can't believe they made a phone with a memory that could only be accessed through the OS
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Click to collapse
Including any additional way of accessing it uses up more storage memory for the relevant program and on a mobile device (unlike a desktop PC), that's very valuable space. Maybe some of your sms messages (the most important ones) may be on the sim - you have little to loose by checking. What about trying to boot it without the sim card in or contacting Microsoft as I mentioned? Not all your options have run out yet but you seem to write as if they are....
Flying Kiwi said:
What about trying to boot it without the sim card in or contacting Microsoft as I mentioned? Not all your options have run out yet but you seem to write as if they are....
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Click to collapse
@Flying Kiwi
thanks for replying. i actually did try to boot it without the sim card after you suggested it. it didn't work.
and with regards to contacting Microsoft, i'll give that a go but i doubt they'll be able to help if people here can't. as we all know, XDA Developers kick ass.
with regards to checking the sim for the messages, i don't have a spare phone to try it on just now, and if i remember correctly, sim cards don't usually hold more then 15 text, though i might be wrong.
the thing is, the fact that my phone still rings when it receives a messages, kinda makes me think the OS is partially loading. i was hoping someone could suggest a way for me to force enough of it on to reach my files..
am starting to lose hope.. *sigh*
am really thankful to the people who have replied so far.
P.S. oh yeah, Flying Kiwi, could you give me a link to the WM6 support page that where people actually reply to you since i can't find any support besides that to MSDN account holders, either that or paying £200 for one single phone call that last upto 8 hours at which point it could just end up with them just telling me to hard reset. thanks
can anyone help me out here? anyone with a link or an email address i can get support from Microsoft for WM6?
i have a similar problem, is there anyway to get data from phone if the OS is corrupt and the system is stuck at the green bootup screen?
please say yes.
Themse said:
i have a similar problem, is there anyway to get data from phone if the OS is corrupt and the system is stuck at the green bootup screen?
please say yes.
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Click to collapse
If you activesync before this happened yes you can get some info.
My wife's phone accidently got wiped clean due to factory reset, she had lots of photos of her dying mother without proper backup.
Unfortunately she has US note 10+ and it is snapdragon and can't be rooted, I found a person in this forum who was able to enable the bootloader despite Samsung removing it.
Will rooting the phone give better chances for recovery software's recover images and videos before the factory reset?
Thank you for your time people.
Is it possible it was backed up by Google or Samsung cloud?
Otherwise I would say it's unlikely.
Loading anything onto the phone could overwrite any data left. Turn off the phone until you decide what, if anything can be done.
It may be possible to directly access the chipset's memory internally. You would need an expert for that if possible.
Run it by Samsung as you aren't the first with this issue. Getting upper tier tech support ie a real engineer will be tough, be persistent. A letter may work better. You may get lucky and they'll ask you to send it in.
In the future get and use a SD card as a data drive for the 10+. A V30 .5 tb Lexar card is only about $75. With data, backup is the only solution most times. Make sure to backup the SD card data as well to the PC and at least one other stand alone hdd.