Thoughts on a factory reset

JOC2016

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Aug 22, 2016
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I just wondered if a few thoughts on the process of a factory reset might help others in a similar situation.

So this was my situation - I had a phone niggle, it wasn't phone life threatening, but it was a nuisance requiring the cancellation of many identical notifications during a day. Nothing I did or it was suggested I do short of a factory reset worked to solve the niggle. So that was what I was left with to try and solve it. I'm semi-IT literate. I know that sometimes the equivalent of switch it all off and switch it all on again works, however a factory reset sounds a whole lot more frightening. I couldn't be certain that any of my backup routines would work, but I did know that all my emails came through to other computers anyway, I knew that Google play would remember what I had downloaded, I copied all my photos/videos to my PC by direct file transfer, all my contacts came from Outlook on my desktop so they could be restored, likewise my calendars would also do so through Mobisynapse. So I decided to bite the bullet.

As I wrote elsewhere, my reset wasn't without worry - the phone is a legal grey import and booted into Chinese (or something similar). Something that anyone in a similar situation needs to know is that a good guess at the start-up routines for entries tends to work, and when you get to a suitable point the internet can be asked for where you need to click on certain screens to get back to English.

It took me about half an hour to get back to something useable in English - during which time I nearly had a panic meltdown thinking that I'd killed my prize possession. However, once back in English you start to learn a lot from the process. I have now found stuff that I had never previously discovered, different ways of organising things, I've been able to set up accounts better, only install things that I really need, only get one set of contacts/calendar entries etc. all things I'd previously had problems with seemed to solve themselves and within a few hours tinkering I am back up and running better than I ever was before.

All in all I think the factory reset was a good thing and it solved the niggle that it was intended to. I just thought it was worth posting about the experience in case anyone else is wondering if they should take the plunge. All I can say is that it worked for me. I'd still not do it again unless I was up against a wall with it, but you can work through it. The only downside is that I think I lost my high score in Diamonds!!! LOL
 
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Tim1954

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Jan 17, 2016
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Well done there, a happy ending is always good to read! I'd do the reset if i really had to, but the thought of all that setting up, signing into account stuff gives me a headache... Good work mate