Database Develop

Full wipe between installing EMMC roms

I want to do a full wipe of all data when going from ROM to ROM installing to EMMC.
So far each time I install, some files are left over in one or other area.
I have yet to find a complete answer/quide on how to go about completely cleaning everything before installing a new ROM?
(Ideally the equivalent of formating and partitioning before installing Windows...)
At the moment I am cautious to try the WIPES and FACTORY RESET options in CWM as I have not found a solid answer as to what they do here.
(Is CWM the way to go here?)
Thanks for any help

There is utility like that for GTAB but didn't see one for NC
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=974422
And in this post all the way down in OP:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=985705

Let me see if I understand this correctly, you're saying you manually format each partition under CWR and are sketched about using the factory reset function? Ive both wiped and flashed between various emmc based roms as well as EXT4 based roms to the (EXT2?) based roms without a problem. Each time I use the correct CWR and manually format /system, /data, and /cache. If i'm understanding your question correctly then I hope this helps. It may not be the fix you're looking for but it works.

stevencpoynter said:
Let me see if I understand this correctly, you're saying you manually format each partition under CWR and are sketched about using the factory reset function? Ive both wiped and flashed between various emmc based roms as well as EXT4 based roms to the (EXT2?) based roms without a problem. Each time I use the correct CWR and manually format /system, /data, and /cache. If i'm understanding your question correctly then I hope this helps. It may not be the fix you're looking for but it works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah - thanks, i think that is pretty much what i am after.
What is the difference between factory reset/wipe and formating the system/data partitions?
Is there anything on the boot partition that might get left over?

Full Wipe

Hey guys, I just seem to be having some lag problems with my NC. So I want to do a full wipe and flash my new rom/kernal.
I have made a bootable uSD card with CWR and my ROM (CM7) and Kernal of my choice. My question is here.
Which partitions do I need to manualy wipe using CWR? Do I need to mount any specific partition like /system to achieve a true full wipe?
Thanks guys

hmm, I would like to know this too

Having problems with ext3 for months now... help :(

Hey xda!
I keep losing my ext3 partition with all my apps every few boots.
It actually usually happens after I have trouble installing/uninstalling apps, which send my phone into softboot mania. A hard reboot usually fixes the app install problem, but every so often unmounts the ext3, which I then have to reïnstall.
Over the past months I've been moving dalvik around, flashing new ROMs, full wipes all the time, checking ext3 for errors, using different software to format re-partition,... The problem is that these issues are non-persistent and so very hard to check if it's fixed. So every time I have to reboot I'll clench my heart and full on rage when I lose ext again
So today after partitioning my SD card again and doing a full wipe, only to lose my ext3 again after hours of setting my phone back up it dawned on me... could this be my recovery??
I'm on CWM 5.0.2.0
It served me well for like a year until I got into the whole A2SD thing...
Problem is I wanna go back to AmonRA now (think that was my first recovery) but Mod Manager won't let me anymore. And I don't have adb anymore, nor the knowledge of how I rooted and did all of that stuff 2 years ago (scatterbrain).
So... Any thoughts on this, is my recovery the issue here? And can I flash AmonRA without having to go through adb and all that?
tl;dr
My ext3 is ****ed (sporadically), I THINK recovery is to blame. I suck at adb, how to flash AmonRA?
Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Yeah...quit using CW around version 3 due to the exact same BS...I found I had to actually repartion the whole SD card several times and even lost my backups once...
AmonRA was good but the newest greatest and most amazing recovery inho is 4EXT! http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1291970 it has been the best recovery I have used bar none and the developer is awesome with support if needed!

Thanks for responding so quick, you did not lie about the awesomeness of 4ext!
I'm having a blast tinkering with the recovery control settings
Since we're in the same boat, maybe you can be of advice.. Would upgrading to ext4 do me any good? Any upsides to it?
When I got into A2SD, ext4 was too new and considered to be "DANGEROUS EXPERIMENTS" xD

EXT4 is the stock filesystem for all new Android phones.

Jack_R1 said:
EXT4 is the stock filesystem for all new Android phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh ok, so it would be ridiculous for me to get it now, thanks for clarifying
For the record, this issue has (as it seems for now) been resolved by flashing AmonRA and wiping -> repartitioning the card with that.

While AmonRA was great I found many advanced features in 4EXT. For instance you can go from ext3 to ext4 and back again with just the push of a button. EXT4 is a more efficient file system and most ROM's nowadays should support it...if not just switch back to ext3. Also 4ext will check for filesystem errors on your SD card and also check partition alignment. If you use 4ext to partition it will ensure proper partition alignment which the other recoveries don't do....

While I was impressed with ext4 features and all, I tend to go with stability over advanced features. Which is why I'm on Amon_RA's recovery, and also why I'm on an OTA build ROM, so ext4 support is ruled out for me. I want my phone just to have all the functionality I need, and have maximum reliability so I can always depend on it.
In the ext4 thread there's a good example of why I will mostly choose stability over extended functionality

Galloway said:
While AmonRA was great I found many advanced features in 4EXT. For instance you can go from ext3 to ext4 and back again with just the push of a button. EXT4 is a more efficient file system and most ROM's nowadays should support it...if not just switch back to ext3. Also 4ext will check for filesystem errors on your SD card and also check partition alignment. If you use 4ext to partition it will ensure proper partition alignment which the other recoveries don't do....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I confirm 4EXT is the best recovery (using it for few months now without any pbs) and ext4 partitions are reliable now! Don't hesitate.

create ext4 for use with a2sd

hi,
i'm usin ra passion 2.2.1 and wan't to use a2sd from ics 4.0.3 evervolv. how can i create a part ext4?

Google:
"a2sd partition sd card".
Enjoy.

Try 4EXT recovery www.4ext.net
I think its the easiest way to create partition.
Or else you can do it in pc via partition managers(i use minitool partition wizard)
You can google it and also can search in youtube for video tutorials.
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

thanks for your help, i've done it in recovery.
one question is left:
what happen if i format the partioned sd-card under windows and do a full wipe in preparation for installing a new rom. i've read sd-ext even survive a full wipe? what does that mean? stays the partition untouched when i format the sd-card with windows? and what about the apps in the partition? are they still there even after a full wipe and can i use them after flashing a new rom out of the box?

Glad u succeeded in partitioning
Now if you format the fat32 partition in windows using those partition tools doesnt affect ur ext. Ext stays untouched but all the data on fat32 will be wiped(so backup first to pc)
If u want to merge there is an option called merge for that.
There is an free windows software called sdformatter, that formats the entire sdcard(fat32+ext)
Hope i helped a bit :thumbup:
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

ok. i wan't to format it with the windows internal function via right click. is it the same and the ext4 stays untouched?

Full wipe in recovery wipes SD-EXT too.

heinz gruber said:
ok. i wan't to format it with the windows internal function via right click. is it the same and the ext4 stays untouched?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i do beleive that it should be untouched, cos normally windows cannot see the ext partition and hence only fat32 will be formatted
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

ok. when ext4 stay untouched and i flash a new rom the apps are still in the launcher after flashing?

Jack_R1 said:
Full wipe in recovery wipes SD-EXT too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when i flash a new rom i use the format.zip form the xda user temasek which wipes system, boot, data and cache. so is sd-ext untouched when i use this file?

You insist on not listening and/or not understanding.
When you select "wipe data/factory reset" in custom recovery, EXT partition IS WIPED COMPLETELY. It doesn't stay.
I believe the same happens when using temasek's script, never bothered using it, so I can't say with 100% certainty.
If you don't wipe your phone and install a new ROM - be prepared for crashes of anything to everything, unless you install a ROM which is 100% compatible with what you have already - the next generation of the same ROM, usually.
If you're using A2SD and don't wipe EXT partition - you'll have crashes as soon as you boot, since system apps' data will be there (and wrong).
To keep your apps and their data, use one of the backup apps available in the Market, like Titanium Backup.

as Jack_R1 explained its always better to wipe everything(system,cache,dalvik n sdext) to be on safer side to avoid crashes n FCs.
Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

Temasek's Extreme Wipe does Data/System/Boot partitions but don't remember seeing ext in the list
However, as alluded too, I would format all outside phone with sdformatter or I think gparted, although never used that one
I thought I read a long time ago Windows formatter not recommended and do a full wipe not partial with whatever you use
Back up sdcard first
also, I believe you can use the Alignment Cool zip to get ext 4 from 3 on Amon and not lose anything--still backup
you do know MeDroid uses Ia2sd and different from a2sd on implementation

You don't need to wipe the regular FAT partition on SD card between flashes, because there's nothing there that loads automatically. And "wipe data/factory reset" option in recovery also wipes /sdcard/.android_secure.

hey guys, thanks for your answers i will keep them in mind.
edit:
one more question:
if i uses temaseks script and the sd-ext is untouched and i flash a newer version of my rom, are the apps then still there after flashing and booting the updated system? or is there another step i've to do?

No, the apps aren't there anymore - or to be correct, the apps are there, their data is gone (because the app data doesn't reside on EXT partition, unless you use specific mounting methods).
When you flash an updated version of your ROM, just don't wipe anything at all unless the instructions specifically mention having to wipe before installing that version. That means - don't execute temasek's script at all.

[Q][SOLVED] Bricked with EMMC bug I think - Anyone have .pit file

Hello
I'm pretty sure that my /data partition was corrupted. Not sure how, maybe using a custom recovery with the ICS kernel, maybe some other way, but it can't be formatted, copied to etc.
I've been reading on some other devices about editing the .pit file after finding out where the corruption is. I'm having trouble using LInux tools since using adb, I don't get the root command prompt, just a $.
Anyone have experience on a P7300 about how to work around the corruption, identify, perhaps run a fsck on the partition?
I'd also be willing to pay a $50 reward for anyone who can get it running again, even with a reduced size data partition, but ideally I'd like to try repairing the damaged partition first.
Thanks
Harry

check "Guide & ToolKit" thread
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1406137

SOLVED
Discovered after reading the Toolkit and guide that it wasn't an EMMC bug hard brick, thank goodness. I was directed in post #250 to one specific stock ROM to install with ODIN, that supposedly, was the only stock ROM that when you did a wipe data/factory reset, actually recreated the partitions and reformatted them. It is P7310XARLA3_P7310UELA3_HOME.tar.md5
But I had nothing to lose, so I installed the stock ROM with ODIN, booted the stock recovery, did the wipe, and for the first time in about 10 hours of trying this, it was able to format the /data partition, and installed the bootable ROM. After that, I installed a CWM recover in the tar format, and now about to put my old ICS ROM back on, the one in the development section that came from an OTA leak.
Thanks, I hope this helps someone who has problems accessing their /data or /sdcard directories..