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.
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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?

[Q] Wipe issue

I've been learning to edit and make ROMs for couple of months, some of the early works had been uploaded to a Chinese Milestone developers' BBS.
But there is a simple question which still confused me a lot. (- =)
Some senior developers in that Chinese BBS reminded their supporters in their threads to wipe before and AFTER applying the Rom in Open Recovery. But, why should we wipe AFTER applying the Rom? I've viewed some threads here, but none of them require to wipe after applying.
So I wonder if it is really necessary to wipe AFTER applying a new ROM. I'm very appreciate if you guys can answer my question and tell me why. Thx~~~
BTW, Xda is an excellent website. And it's much more professional than the BBS I used to visit. May you have a nice day~

It's a common myth. I'm not sure why it gets repeated over and over again.
One wipe is enough. Dalvik-cache is not populated again until the system is booting for the first time. While you are in recovery, it also doesn't matter if you wipe before or after you apply the update (unless the updater script in some particular update.zip also installs something to /data or /cache partition, which is not very common).
You can read cvpcs's thoughts on this matter here: http://cvpcs.org/blog/2011-06-05/time_to_wipe_data/cache

kabaldan said:
It's a common myth. I'm not sure why it gets repeated over and over again.
One wipe is enough. Dalvik-cache is not populated again until the system is booting for the first time. While you are in recovery, it also doesn't matter if you wipe before or after you apply the update (unless the updater script in some particular update.zip also installs something to /data or /cache partition, which is not very common).
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Thanks a lot~ (I'm looking for some threads which can explain how "wipe" works. Actually I still got some problem about that, like " Why system app still maintain after wipe? Is it because those system app has a backup in Flash Memory, and it will restore after wipe the EEPROM?")

(This message is only for testing whether it is reply to the original poster or the people who answer it....)

[E]Xtreme said:
Thanks a lot~ (I'm looking for some threads which can explain how "wipe" works. Actually I still got some problem about that, like " Why system app still maintain after wipe? Is it because those system app has a backup in Flash Memory, and it will restore after wipe the EEPROM?")
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System apps are installed into a different partition (/system), which also holds the OS files. Wiping data and cache only wipes the /data and /cache partitions and leaves /system alone. Otherwise the phone wouldn't work at all.

Dave Lister said:
System apps are installed into a different partition (/system), which also holds the OS files. Wiping data and cache only wipes the /data and /cache partitions and leaves /system alone. Otherwise the phone wouldn't work at all.
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Got it~ That's very kind of you.

Formating /system

Just wanted to know what happens when you format /system and /preload partitions.
Suppose you format /system from recovery. Can you boot into you ROM after that? Or is that where the ROM was?

dark_polok said:
Just wanted to know what happens when you format /system and /preload partitions.
Suppose you format /system from recovery. Can you boot into you ROM after that? Or is that where the ROM was?
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If you format /system in recovery you blow away the ROM, definitely cannot boot after that. If you format /data as well, the only way you'll be able to recover is with an ADB sideload.

you_eeeeeediot said:
If you format /system in recovery you blow away the ROM, definitely cannot boot after that. If you format /data as well, the only way you'll be able to recover is with an ADB sideload.
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Thanks.
What if I format /system + /data + cache and dalvik chache and then flash a custom rom right after that, without rebooting the phone in any way [meaning not rebooting into system or bootloader or recovery] that should be ok right? Coz I came from a S3 and that combination worked perfectly for it.
Also still have no idea what the /preload partition and formatting it does.

That's what I do when I update within a rom.
Wipe system, cache, dalvik. Flash rom, then wipe cache/dalvik again.
Just a habit after all the different recommendations from previous devs in the past.

dark_polok said:
Thanks.
What if I format /system + /data + cache and dalvik chache and then flash a custom rom right after that, without rebooting the phone in any way [meaning not rebooting into system or bootloader or recovery] that should be ok right? Coz I came from a S3 and that combination worked perfectly for it.
Also still have no idea what the /preload partition and formatting it does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can wipe /system, /data and /cache and you're good to flash a ROM, no need to reboot back into recovery again. Dalvik-cache is located on /data, so no need to wipe dalvik when you're wiping data, it's redundant. There is no need to worry about wiping or formatting /preload in almost all situations, otherwise the ROM devs would be telling us to do it. Back in my Galaxy s3 days I remember some ROMs would wipe and flash /preload but I don't think it's a big deal on the One. If it needs to be done, the ROM installation script will handle it.
Most ROM installation scripts wipe /system so it usually isn't necessary to do it yourself. However I do it anyway just to insure a completely clean installation in case the dev's script is messed up (it does happen). Wiping /data is optional of course but it is recommended when changing the base version (for example, 4.1.2 to 4.2.2) or if you're anal like me you can wipe data when upgrading between HTC base versions (2.17 to 2.24 for instance). Some people don't ever wipe /data and don't have any problems, but I can guarantee many of the weird odd-ball issues on this forum could have been prevented with a full wipe.

erikikaz said:
That's what I do when I update within a rom.
Wipe system, cache, dalvik. Flash rom, then wipe cache/dalvik again.
Just a habit after all the different recommendations from previous devs in the past.
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Click to collapse
henrybravo said:
Yes you can wipe /system, /data and /cache and you're good to flash a ROM, no need to reboot back into recovery again. Dalvik-cache is located on /data, so no need to wipe dalvik when you're wiping data, it's redundant. There is no need to worry about wiping or formatting /preload in almost all situations, otherwise the ROM devs would be telling us to do it. Back in my Galaxy s3 days I remember some ROMs would wipe and flash /preload but I don't think it's a big deal on the One. If it needs to be done, the ROM installation script will handle it.
Most ROM installation scripts wipe /system so it usually isn't necessary to do it yourself. However I do it anyway just to insure a completely clean installation in case the dev's script is messed up (it does happen). Wiping /data is optional of course but it is recommended when changing the base version (for example, 4.1.2 to 4.2.2) or if you're anal like me you can wipe data when upgrading between HTC base versions (2.17 to 2.24 for instance). Some people don't ever wipe /data and don't have any problems, but I can guarantee many of the weird odd-ball issues on this forum could have been prevented with a full wipe.
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Very helpful replies guys. Thanks =}

*SOLVED*Mounting error after wiping /data,/cache and /system via twrp on my z3c d5803

This problem has been solved by @Didgesteve
Thank you very much, Didgesteve!
For everyone who is a genius(like me), read his post.
Hi Community,
short story: my device seems kind'a bricked, because i am not able to install a rom via twrp; error: unable to mount /data /cache and /system.
What I did:
I unlocked my bootloader via the official sony method > everything worked flawlessly
I bootet my device into fastboot mode and flashed twrp onto it > everything still workes fine
I wiped /data /cache and /system according to the normal cm13.0 installation process > still finr
I installed the cm13.zip from an external sd-card > no errors
I installed the gapps.zip from the sd-card > Nothing unusual
I booted into cm13, configured it and installed some apps > works as usual
I noticed that a new version of the rom was published, so I booted into twrp > worked
I wiped /data /cache and /system > worked
I reallized, that i could flash my external sd-card, too because i wanted to install the new cm13-version via adb-sideload > now the errors came in
So i thougt retrying wiping /data /cache and /system and the same errors occured > holy sh*t
Last I tried simply installing the cm13.zip from the external sd-card > same errors
What the errors are for wiping(those for install are basically the same:
Code:
could not mount /data and unable to find crypto footer
failed to mount /data (no such device)
Unable to recreate /data/media folder
Failed to mount /system (Invalid argument)
Failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument)
Unable to mount storage
Same goes for using the official cyanogen recovery and other cyanogenmod versions.
I am also not able to find/mount it via adb shell.
The images, etc:
CM13: http://forum.xda-developers.com/z3-compact/development/rom-cm13-t3277402/page7 version by @nelvinchi on 25th February 2016, 12:39 PM
TWRP: https://twrp.me/devices/sonyxperiaz3compact.html
Gapps: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=24269982087021755
Additional information:
OS: Mac OSX El Capitan and Linux Mint 17.3
Sd-Card: SanDisk Ultra 64GB micro sdxc
Phone: Sony Xperia Z3 Compact D5803 (colorrange)
My ideas for fixing this:
-manually adding the partitions via adb shell
+required: correct partiton table and adb commands
+don't now, if this would work
Hope i didn't miss anything and there is someone out there, how can help me,
yours sincerely,
Niggl

Well I followed your method up to step 8 and the point of wiping system in recovery mode. Even if you were flashing a completely different rom, you shouldn't have to touch system unless you're coming from LL to CM for the first time. Updating roms to a later version should only require a wipe of dalvik/cache. By the sound of it there are no system files for it to boot into, either that or the partition tables are corrupt.
Have you got flashtool working? Have you tried pushing a stock tft? to see if you can repair it?
There is Sony Bridge, which if it does the same as the PC version will repair the phone to stock, as long as you can still get into Flashmode.
The chances of being able to repair it back into CM are slim, I suspect you're going to have to start from scratch, get stock working then go back to CM after.

**SOLVED**
Thank you for your help!
Didgesteve said:
Well I followed your method up to step 8 and the point of wiping system in recovery mode. Even if you were flashing a completely different rom, you shouldn't have to touch system unless you're coming from LL to CM for the first time. Updating roms to a later version should only require a wipe of dalvik/cache. By the sound of it there are no system files for it to boot into, either that or the partition tables are corrupt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The partition tables were(because of bull**** or something like that) corrupted(I checked it: not because of the wiping, but i will not wipe /system at an update in the future)
Didgesteve said:
There is Sony Bridge, which if it does the same as the PC version will repair the phone to stock, as long as you can still get into Flashmode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can boot into recovery and fastboot/flash mode.
Xperia companion and sony bridge are both not working because of "modified software".
Flashtool worked for the stock tft.
So THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
you are my savior!
I hope nobody else, will be a genius like me
Thx again,
Niggl1999

[HELP PLEASE] NEED HELP WITH make_ext4fs

Hello. So i have a S3 LTE with possibly(?) an insane eMMC. Long story short: phone bought back in dec 2012. Changed battery twice. Last battery started acting up, lost all power, next thing i know phone is in permanent bootloop. Odin won't repartition the phone (idk why) nor can it flash a full firmware, getting stuck on SYSYEM flash, but can flsh recoveries. After fiddling around with recoveries, i finally flashed TWRP. What i found out : /cache, /system, /data, /sdcard and /tombstones couldn't be mounted (invalid argument). After wiping everything with make_ext4fs, everything works fine, except for /tombstones, which can't be mounted. What i have seen from the logs is that twrp doesn't wipe /tombstones as well, so there was no way of getting it to work.
Full story here http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/help-i9305/i9305-bootloop-mount-data-sdcard-t3379377
WHAT MY PROBLEM IS:
I need somebody to tell me the parameters for make_ext4fs in order to wipe /tombstones as well, as it seemed to work flawlessly with the other folders.
UPDATE: I managed to wipe /dev/block/mmcblk0p11, which mounts in /tombstones. used rm -fr, then mkdir for the tombstones folder. Everything mounts just fine now. Will reflash and post an update.
UPDATE 2: Phone still won't work with odin. i flashed amcha with twrp. Boots just fine, but 10 seconds after boot finishes, phone freezes and won't respond to button presses. Any ideas?