Talk to me about resetting my Android.

I'm stalling buying a new phone because they're bloody expensive. I have three years on my current S5 Active and its not happy; locking up, freezing, won't update (downloads the software but says update failed).

So I want to try a hard reset. I have already backed up my photos and I think (for the most part) the Play Store knows what apps I had and re-downloads them.

How can I be sure my contacts will re-populate? When I save a new contact on my phone, it asks me where I want to save it, and some are saved on "device" others on "google" and then others are linked to other apps. Is there a way to make sure they're all backed up?

I have google calendar, so that should automatically repopulate, right?

Not too happy about having to restart Angry Birds Pop. I was on level 876, dangit.

Is there a way to set it to NOT automatically download apps? I want to sift through them and only add the ones I actually use.

It used to not automatically download apps, which had its own sort of problems.

If you're rooted, titanium backup will take care of everything for you. Contacts, messages, games, etc. As well as the bonus of freezing and uninstalling "non modifiable" apps and bloatware.

If you're not rooted, contacts are iffy. I make sure to save all of mine to Google, but I inevitably lose a few transferring phones or resetting things. usually the newest ones.

With the newest play store updates, you may be able to pick and choose, I usually just use a batch uninstaller program though and knock out everything after the fact.

Game data may save if you have it linked to face place or your Google play account. That's one thing that had been good to me, Marvel puzzle quest I'm in day 950 in a row, and I've gone through 6 phones in that 950 days.

Like RevRico said, sync all your contacts to google (it may make duplicates....) but they should save.

GooglePlay will save your game data if you log into your game thru it.

Wipe your cache before you do a full reset, sometimes things get stuck in there.

Mine didn't automatically DL the apps (well most of them didn't) last time I did it. But it did the time before.

If you're linked to your Google account under Settings > Accounts > Google > (Your email address) there's the options to turn off or on what syncs to your Google account.

Make sure Contacts and Calendar are turned on and have a recent sync time. If not turn them on, go to three dots in the top right, and select Sync Now.

That'll back up everything selected in the options so it redownloads after you link the account after the factory reset.

Note I'm running version 7.1.2 but I think it's been that way since 4.1.1

Part 2: In the Play store under the three lines in the search bar, there's an option for Settings.

The top option is the Auto-Update Apps option to turn on and off the app updates.

Watching with interest, between here and the "mobile computing thread. I have an LG tablet on att that is loaded with bloatware that I'm looking to wipe and add a bt keyboard to.

Tried backing up other things to my desktop and its bad enough that it won't even recognize the phone. It shows up on the tree, but clicking on it says that it the device is disconnected. Same thing on my laptop.

I'm going to try the "backup and reset" and see how that does. That will at least not format the SD card and I'll save my last few days of photos. One of the other things that stopped working was google photos. Grrr.

I saved all my contacts to drive. Here's hoping. Pressing the button.... NOW.

Great. Now it locks up every time I try to press the reset button.

curtis73 wrote: Great. Now it locks up every time I try to press the reset button.

Reset button? Do you mean the "Factory data reset" option in the Settings menu?

You could always boot into recovery and do the reset from there.

That's what I ended up doing. Yay, bloatware downloading.

In reply to curtis73:

For some reason, when I first connect my phone to a computer to download pictures, I have to manually go into the USB menu of the phone and set the phone to allow them to communicate. It won't do it automatically anymore (used to when I got it).

I think I have another two months before I'm eligible for a new phone (every two years). I don't mind my Motorola Droid Turbo, but it is starting to get slow and finicky.

I tried the USB menu. I could get the desktop to make the noise like I plugged something in, but when I click on the phone in the tree it says it may be disconnected and the icon disappears.

Oh well, the important stuff was on the SD card, so I just took it out before the hard reset.

Looks like all but a few of my apps re-downloaded. Contacts automatically populated. Aside from some glitches it seems to have worked. I was able to update software from the resident 5.0 to 5.1.1. I thought there was something newer, but I guess not.

The last android phone I had that was acting that way ended up being a bad SD card. I reset the phone and replaced the SC card and it acted like brand new for a long time.

It lasted until it was so old it wouldn't run updated apps.

I'm thinking about keeping this one and just getting a new battery. This one struggles to last 6 hours. It seems to be behaving since the reset with the exception of some software glitch. It keeps asking for permission for Picassa to post to Facebook for me. Annoying but I'll figure it out.

curtis73 wrote: Looks like all but a few of my apps re-downloaded. Contacts automatically populated. Aside from some glitches it seems to have worked. I was able to update software from the resident 5.0 to 5.1.1. I thought there was something newer, but I guess not.

There is, just not for your phone.

I'm as big an Android fanboy as you're likely to find, but version fragmentation is a big issue with Android. It's a big reason I bought a Pixel. I know that for 3 years (longer than I'll ever keep a phone), it'll be current.

cheapish answer: moto g4 play edition. i have one and love it. $99 :-) if you don't like it, i'll buy it (limit one per account)

Clear out cache and make sure you have available space otherwise. My phone acts funny when it gets close to full. Facebook and whatever streaming music app i am using at the moment (Spotify, Google music) are usually the bloated apps on my phone that need either cache or data cleared out.

Tom_Spangler wrote: I'm as big an Android fanboy as you're likely to find, but version fragmentation is a big issue with Android. It's a big reason I bought a Pixel. I know that for 3 years (longer than I'll ever keep a phone), it'll be current.

You're drifting off topic, and I'm here to help.

Some years ago, I bought a cheap, refurbished Acer Android 7" tablet. It's running KitKat. There are no upgrades available. Many current applications won't run under KitKat.

It's almost worthless. At least it will run the latest version of Torque, so I can use it when I need a big display in the car.

Currently narrowing down new phone choices.

Looking at Moto Z Play and S7 right now, but the S7 hasn't dropped in price like I had hoped now that the S8 is out.

Any other suggestions? Memory, camera quality, and battery life are hot buttons for me. Prefer removable SD card. That way I can have as much storage as I want and pictures and files are more portable.

Needs to be AT&T or unlocked.

Honestly I'm sure the s7 will drop soon, once the s8 is widely available. I'd wait for it. Lots of bloatware on it sadly though, and unless you root, it's stuck on there

I just picked up an lg v20 predominantly because it's the last of the removable battery smartphones. Huge memory, fast processor, and nice screen size. Was 450 new unlocked off ebay vs 800 new retail.

I had skipped the V20, primarily because its so huge. 5.7" screen and jeans pockets don't work well together. I can't do a belt holster either as much as I would love to. Working in the shop it takes about 4 days before I am carrying lumber or steel and break things, and I also hate having it on there when driving.

Is there a comparable "non-phablet" version?

Regular Moto G4? I have one at a second phone (although I still slightly prefer my Nexus 5 now that I've reflashed it with Lineage OS), decent camera, takes SD cards and it's a little smaller than a V20.

From the Moto Website

Moto G5
$229: 32 mb w/ 2mb ram, 2.0 gHz processor and 5.2 " screen. Android 7
$299: 64 mb but w/ 4 mb ram

Unlocked lg g5 are under $300 now.

I've been very happy with mine the past year since my g4 died.

Removable memory card, easy swap batteries, decent battery life overall, really nice camera. I liked the g4 camera better, but this one is still pretty great with the manual mode.

The new OnePlus is $439, no carrier https://oneplus.net/3t