Format and system image for smartphone... - Computer Technical Help

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Format and system image for smartphone...

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10-14-2014 , 06:49 AM

zica

adept

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 974

I usually format and restore c drive on my pc a few times a year. Do people do this with their smartphones? Do the operating systems come with the appropriate utility?

thanks

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10-15-2014 , 05:35 AM

zica

adept

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 974

I've never even owned a cell phone, much less a smart phone so I really know nothing about them so I hope someone can answer. I searched google a bit and found ghosting cell phones but that seems to be different.

Also, can a smartphone be used with a wireless keyboard and mouse? It would be awesome to get rid of my PC and have the benefit of using a full sized keyboard to do computer work at home by putting my smartphone on a stand near my face.

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10-15-2014 , 05:29 PM

Jigsaw

veteran

Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 2,308

I feel that there is no need to restore a smart phone to the factory settings, and then restore (reinstall) everything from a back up.

If you would like to do this for an iPhone, the software to use, with a Windows pc or Mac, is iTunes. I do not know how/if this is done with Android.

I recommend not wasting a lot of time unnecessarily by doing this.

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10-15-2014 , 05:52 PM

iosys

old hand

Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 1,753

I recommend doing this if you ordered some cheap Android device that came from China.

Android phones can come with apps pre installed with some type of malware in them.

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10-15-2014 , 05:53 PM

zica

adept

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 974

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jigsaw

Hi, thanks. I do this with a PC to keep it clean and fast. Often I'll install a program or two or three but only need them for a little while but they install stuff that often runs in the back ground etc and the programs build up and slow my PC down so I reformat and reinstall a saved clean system image that has all the basics I want and all the settings set the way I want and it only takes about 20 minutes and a few clicks. In the long run I think it saves lots of time.

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10-18-2014 , 11:11 AM

thunderbolts

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3,596

I would only bother trying to wipe / format / restore a smartphone if I was selling it. You'll be far more frustrated with degrading battery performance or something like that, rather than noticing OS slowdown.

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10-19-2014 , 01:09 AM

iosys

old hand

Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 1,753

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunderbolts

I completely disagree and this is coming from an android developer.

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10-19-2014 , 03:50 AM

zica

adept

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 974

Quote:

Originally Posted by iosys

I completely disagree and this is coming from an android developer.

So, do you do this? If so, what should I start learning about. In windows 7 control panel there is a "back up and restore" section that makes it easy.

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10-19-2014 , 04:42 AM

Fernando Oliveira

newbie

Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 17

Quote:

Originally Posted by iosys

I completely disagree and this is coming from an android developer.

Yesterday I reset to factory settings my backup phone (Android 4.0.4), the difference in performance was remarkable. It is much faster now. Why is that?

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10-19-2014 , 05:18 AM

#10

thunderbolts

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3,596

Quote:

Originally Posted by iosys

I completely disagree and this is coming from an android developer.

Fair enough. What do you recommend, then? May as well make this thread useful.

FWIW my cellphone is iOS rather than Android, and for most people getting under the hood with Apple isn't worth the hassle.

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10-19-2014 , 12:31 PM

#11

Jigsaw

veteran

Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 2,308

Quote:

Originally Posted by zica

It is my opinion that, in the long run, you are wasting a lot of time spent doing this with no real benefit.

Smart phones use SSDs, not hard drives. So they should always be running at a fast speed.

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10-19-2014 , 12:34 PM

#12

Jigsaw

veteran

Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 2,308

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fernando Oliveira

Yesterday I reset to factory settings my backup phone (Android 4.0.4), the difference in performance was remarkable. It is much faster now. Why is that?

Maybe it is because Android gets bogged down with malware.

https://www.google.com/search?client...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

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10-19-2014 , 06:43 PM

#13

zica

adept

Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 974

I just read about malware sometimes coming on brand new phones(Mostly in Russia and China). Should I hard reset my phone when it arrives? Would that insure it was clean?

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10-19-2014 , 10:36 PM

#14

iosys

old hand

Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 1,753

I use an iphone as my personal phone if that says anything.

Its the same concept for every device you own.
First step is to figure out how to use google in a smart way by finding a good article on how and what to do for a clean image once a year if you can.

In the thread's case; I compare it to buying a desktop that came with junk and formatting it to get the full potential out of it with peace of mind (sort of).

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