How wipe data from DEAD Samsung (Galaxy S6) android phone? Please Help.

michael · Jul 17, 2015

Hi Guys,

I had bought Samsung Galaxy S6 from Ebay but it stopped switching ON since yesterday, now I want to ship my phone back to seller and get new one. but I want to delete data present in phone, Galaxy S6 as you know has no removable battery or memory card.

How to delete that data as phone is DEAD? Please help me.

Pressing POWER +VOLUME UP + HOME is not working too.

Please advise.

Thanks
michael.

Bill_Bright · Jul 17, 2015

Do make sure it has plenty of charge on it. If the battery is way low, it will not even try to turn on. I once thought my S4 was dead because after being plugged in for 24 hours, it still would not turn on. Then I realized the plug in the wall was hanging 1/2 out! :oops:

Did you try Safe Mode:

Press and hold the Power key.
When ‘Samsung Galaxy S6' appears, immediately release the Power key and then press and hold the Volume Down button.
Continue holding the Volume Down button until the phone finishes the restart.
When you see Safe Mode on the lower left corner of the screen, release the button.

Note that is pressing the Volume "Down" button, not "Up" for Safe Mode.

If me and that did not work, I would take it an authorized repair center (or send it in to Samsung) instead of sending it back to someone who may not be trustworthy on ebay.

OneMoar · Jul 17, 2015

you can't if it won't boot into download mode then there is nothing you can do
the data is not readable in anycase not sure what you concern is

CrAsHnBuRnXp · Jul 17, 2015

OneMoar said:
you can't if it won't boot into download mode then there is nothing you can do
the data is not readable in anycase not sure what you concern is

Hes probably not aware of that fact and thinking it's like a hdd.

Bill_Bright · Jul 17, 2015

Actually, my first fear when he said ebay is this is not even a genuine Samsung.

vega22 · Jul 17, 2015

will it blend?

scaminatrix · Jul 17, 2015

you can't wipe the data. the seller most likely can't view the data as it will have to be fixed at a service center. your average ebay seller doesn't have the tools, and they are a pig to work on.
if you can ninja remove the back cover you can try another battery without killing any warranty stickers before you send it back. but be careful and study youtube if you decide to.

michael · Jul 18, 2015

scaminatrix said:
you can't wipe the data. the seller most likely can't view the data as it will have to be fixed at a service center. your average ebay seller doesn't have the tools, and they are a pig to work on.
if you can ninja remove the back cover you can try another battery without killing any warranty stickers before you send it back. but be careful and study youtube if you decide to.

Its S6 cant remove the battery...!

Update:-
Dam it! My phone started..! Now I don't know whether I should send my phone back or just be with it....

OneMoar · Jul 18, 2015

michael said:
Update:-
Dam it! My phone started..! Now I don't know whether I should send my phone back or just be with it....

ODIN Back to the latest Stock Rom just to be sure

scaminatrix · Jul 18, 2015

michael said:
Its S6 cant remove the battery...!

before the s5, samsungs were eaaaasy to work on. now they getting silly.

ChevyOwner · Jul 18, 2015

Don't bother trying to "wipe" data form a phone. If you're considered about others getting your data you need to use a phone with an SDCard slot, store all the data you don't want to risk others getting, and never let go of that sdcard.

I know there are a few, but I don't know about an android phone that does not have root. You may not even need root for this. With ADB you can read the phone's storage to you pc, and recover any file that was "wiped" by the phone, and has not been over written with undelete software.

Frick · Jul 19, 2015

What about encryption, would't that protect the data?

scaminatrix · Jul 20, 2015

Frick said:
What about encryption, would't that protect the data?

Good point, if he had a strong pattern lock/password/PIN set-up then the point is moot. no data would be recoverable. as long as its the built-in android lock and not a 3rd party one (which would be thwarted by safe mode instantly).

StefanM · Jul 20, 2015

At first you can try a "USB Jig dongle", costs you a buck to make it yourself. Or a few bucks on ebay.

If that fails you would really need to disassemble the device and solder the mainboard to a "JTAG debugger".
That's more expensive and you lose warranty of course.

michael · Jul 20, 2015

First time I have bought a phone which has no card slot and removable battery.. though S6 is Great but still feel That I will always be at risk of sharing the data with others in case it goes off and i have to send it to seller.. this is too risky...
What you say guys on this. Samsung has done very bad thing with this ... don't know what all Iphone users deal with such problems..

Frick said:
What about encryption, would't that protect the data?

There is private mode in galaxy S6 but know know how safe it is if your cell goes dead.

scaminatrix · Jul 20, 2015

michael said:
What you say guys on this. Samsung has done very bad thing with this ... don't know what all Iphone users deal with such problems..

I say the S4 is the last of the decent samsung's. blacklisted? change IMEI. IMEI Null/Null? refresh EFS. so easy to fix. The new security on the S5 and newer phones means I can't even write IMEI to them at home.

michael said:
There is private mode in galaxy S6 but know know how safe it is if your cell goes dead.

I feel you are only half-understanding some posts.
One question: Did you have a pattern lock/PIN/password set-up on your phone?

michael · Jul 21, 2015

what I meant here is -...'There is private mode in galaxy S6 but know know how safe it is if your cell goes dead."

There is private mode in galaxy S6 but "don't' know how safe it is if your cell goes dead. typo error.

I am talking about Phone having no removable storage and we had to send it to Service center to repair or replace as we may have data on it.

Bill_Bright said:
Actually, my first fear when he said ebay is this is not even a genuine Samsung.

No It's geniune! I checked it and have already seen fake vs real vidoes of it on Youtube.. So no Worry.

Frick said:
What about encryption, would't that protect the data?

But every time we can't keep on encrypting the data we store on phone, as we never know when phone goes dead, specially S6 kind of phones.

Athlonite · Jul 21, 2015

michael said:
But every time we can't keep on encrypting the data we store on phone, as we never know when phone goes dead, specially S6 kind of phones.

Once encryption is turned on everything you do is automatically encrypted so nobody or program can read what's in your phone with being able to decrypt it which isn't an easy thing to do and take a butt load of time if you don't have the encryption key to start with so I'd say you'd be pretty damn safe by turning it on before sending it back

micropage7 · Jul 21, 2015

michael said:
First time I have bought a phone which has no card slot and removable battery.. though S6 is Great but still feel That I will always be at risk of sharing the data with others in case it goes off and i have to send it to seller.. this is too risky...
What you say guys on this. Samsung has done very bad thing with this ... don't know what all Iphone users deal with such problems..

yea, i think the same too, i prefer store it to memorycard and leave the phone just app, ringtones and wallpapers
and why i prefer removable battery, coz the main problem of mobile devices is battery, especially in here where kinda far just for replacing battery and removable battery price is lower than non removable battery

taz420nj · Jul 21, 2015

If I have to send something back that has non-removable flash memory and personal data on it, I connect 24V AC to the battery terminals.. POOF, the magic smoke comes out and consider it sanitized.

micropage7 · Jul 21, 2015

taz420nj said:
If I have to send something back that has non-removable flash memory and personal data on it, I connect 24V AC to the battery terminals.. POOF, the magic smoke comes out and consider it sanitized.

will it void the warranty?

HammerON · Jul 21, 2015

@michael - please do not double nor triple post. If you have something to add before someone else posts, just use the edit feature.

taz420nj · Jul 21, 2015

If I'm sending it back it's already got something wrong with it.. "It doesn't turn on anymore, I don't know why"..

a_ump · Aug 1, 2015

go to good will, spend $5 on cheap microwave, plug it in, throw in the phone, turn it on, walk away with peace of mind.

Solaris17 · Aug 1, 2015

this thread is pretty scattered. I'll just drop my 2cents.

if you had a password on your phone, send it back its encrypted and they cant read shit.

If your phone all of a sudden works for no reason

A. do a factory reset.

B. Send it back (It broke before turning on doesnt mean its fixed wtf?)

if your phone didnt have a password and it doesnt turn on send it back they cant get it.

If your phone doesnt have a password and randomly turned on, factory reset it.

idk seems pretty standard too me.

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How wipe data from DEAD Samsung (Galaxy S6) android phone? Please Help.

michael

Bill_Bright

OneMoar

There is Always Moar

CrAsHnBuRnXp

Bill_Bright

vega22

scaminatrix

michael

OneMoar

There is Always Moar

scaminatrix

ChevyOwner

Frick

Fishfaced Nincompoop

scaminatrix

StefanM

michael

scaminatrix

michael

Athlonite

micropage7

taz420nj

micropage7

HammerON

The Watchful Moderator

taz420nj

a_ump

Solaris17

Super Dainty Moderator

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