What's left on a cellphone after cards out...?

[AJMD429]

My Android LG4 died so hard the technicians at the store couldn't get it to restart (it keeps looping saying "UI has stopped" and only quits if you remove the battery). All of their fancy 'Safe Mode' start attempts failed, and so they sent me a refurbished phone, but it came in a box I have to send my old one back in (or get billed $400 or some such).

I took the SIM card out to activate the new phone, and also the SD memory card, but my 'contacts' weren't on either. Somehow when I started up the new phone, my past few months of texts started showing up, but without anything in the 'sender' section other than the phone numbers they were sent from. I managed to figure out and update the contacts manually by just reading the texts.

My question is "What information is on an Android that is in the regular 'internal' memory, or any other places, that remains after SD and SIM cards are removed...?"

I have heard from people getting refurbished phones that had personal information from the previous owner on them, so am wondering just what is on the internals that stays there.

If I knew physically where the memory chip(s) was/were, I'd be tempted to just drill a 1/32" hole there or something, but that would probably result in a voided warranty and a big bill.

[Blaine]

My Android LG4 died so hard the technicians at the store couldn't get it to restart (it keeps looping saying "UI has stopped" and only quits if you remove the battery). All of their fancy 'Safe Mode' start attempts failed, and so they sent me a refurbished phone, but it came in a box I have to send my old one back in (or get billed $400 or some such).

I took the SIM card out to activate the new phone, and also the SD memory card, but my 'contacts' weren't on either. Somehow when I started up the new phone, my past few months of texts started showing up, but without anything in the 'sender' section other than the phone numbers they were sent from. I managed to figure out and update the contacts manually by just reading the texts.

My question is "What information is on an Android that is in the regular 'internal' memory, or any other places, that remains after SD and SIM cards are removed...?"

I have heard from people getting refurbished phones that had personal information from the previous owner on them, so am wondering just what is on the internals that stays there.

If I knew physically where the memory chip(s) was/were, I'd be tempted to just drill a 1/32" hole there or something, but that would probably result in a voided warranty and a big bill.

I guess it depends on your carrier, and you plan. Mine backs up every day, and when I get a new phone or do a factory reset my contacts, and stuff comes back from "up there" somewhere. If you do a factory reset on old phone (but, I guess you can't) your stuff will prolly die.

[Tycer]

Have you tried a hard reset?

1 Turn the power off.
2 Press and hold the Power/Lock key + Volume Down key on the back of the phone.
3 Release the Power/Lock Key only when the LG logo is displayed, then immediately press and hold the Power/Lock Key again.
4 Release all keys when the Factory hard reset screen is displayed.
5 Press the Power/Lock Key to continue or either of the Volume Keys to cancel.
6 Press the Power/Lock Key once more to confi rm or either of the Volume Keys to cancel.

[Rusty]

Maybe if it were "Charged" with a high voltage connection the memory would be wiped out?

Just wondering?

[AJMD429]

Have you tried a hard reset?

1 Turn the power off.
2 Press and hold the Power/Lock key + Volume Down key on the back of the phone.
3 Release the Power/Lock Key only when the LG logo is displayed, then immediately press and hold the Power/Lock Key again.
4 Release all keys when the Factory hard reset screen is displayed.
5 Press the Power/Lock Key to continue or either of the Volume Keys to cancel.
6 Press the Power/Lock Key once more to confi rm or either of the Volume Keys to cancel.

Tried that, and so did the service tech. The device never gets to the 'hard reset screen' - no matter whether you release or don't release any of the keys before that, it still briefly shows the LG logo, then goes to the 'UI has stopped' screen, alternating every three seconds with a blank blue screen. No amount of key press combinations prevail, so out goes the battery. Reinstall the battery and you still get the same results with any method of restart.

I guess 'fatal startup looping' is endemic for the LG-810 series.

I'm not as concerned with salvaging my data (I backed up what was important regularly), but can't hand over a device to anyone else that potentially has 'federally protected health information' on it.

I like the idea of a high-voltage charge...

[williamranks]

Does this help?

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/20432/an ... y-default/

[Chuck 100 yd]

Sounds like a mineral shortage. Nothing about 250 grains of lead won't cure!

[Griff]

Sounds like a mineral shortage. Nothing about 250 grains of lead won't cure!

Yep! Why I've stayed with HTC phones for the past several years. Salemen tell my they have far fewer problems than either LG or Samsung, with are both a tad cheaper. I now save all my contacts to my 'google' account as backup to my phone.

[mikld]

I got all that figgered out. When I do use a cell phone, which is rarely, I use my phone that does nuttin' but make phone calls. No web connections, no texting (I prolly could if I figgered out how, and had someone to text), and I have only one number in my "phonebook". I'm not so important that I need to be 100% available 24-7 and if someone "needs" to get in touch with me, they will call my home and leave a message. My cell accompanies me up into the hills in case I break down or get stuck (BTDT and one time had to walk 8 miles to get help). I guess I'm a dinosaur, but a happy, uncomplicated, one less monthly bill dinosaur...

[765x53]

I carry a cell phone in case I want to call someone.

It stays turned off in case someone wants to call me.

I check voice mail every week or two and find that most problems have already solved themselves.

[Larkbill]

"I check voice mail every week or two and find that most problems have already solved themselves."

Haha. You sound like my youngest brother. He's a retired phone man who used to be on call 24/7 as a supervisor. He's so unreachable one of his friends thought he died. As Big Jake liked to say "not hardly".

He almost never answers a text unless it's about shooting or going hunting and fishing. He lives north of Rolla so the two of you could probably be on the same wavelength, or share tinfoil hats.

[plowboy 45]

Wrap it in copper wire maybe 3 ft or so, leaving 2 ends strip the ends and connect 1 end thing one end neg, for a couple seconds or till the wire cant be held due to heat, bet you that'll do something