what's the diff btwn odin and gsm reset??

[odindra]

noob and perhaps stupid question I know, but is their any difference between these?

 

[james27007]

Better to ask and get an answer than guess and...

Using the GMS reset does a 100% clear and reset of the phone and internal SD card; however it will not restore any stock apps or files that are deleted or changed. For example, if you flash a new rom, change a system file, delete the AT&T bloatware or similar, a GSM reset will not bring them back. I think it does remove root, but not 100% sure. This is basically the same as a factory reset (or hard reset as I used to call it)

Using Odin will flash new firmware onto the phone. From what I understand, the one-click Odin does not use the exact same firmware as what came on your phone, but 99% almost the same. It will restore everything back to the way the phone was when you first got it, files, settings, bloatware and unroot. Be warned, using Odin may eliminate your ability to update the phone over the air. But there is a workaround out there to kinda fix that. Odin also requires a computer.

Before you do anything I recommend to root your phone (with nothing else done), using Rom Manager create a backup of your unmodified phone, and back that up. That way if anything goes bad, just go back to a real stock. From what I have read, anyone that did that instead of the Odin one-click was still able to get the OTA update.

Please make sure and read (I know it is a lot) the entire thread about rooting and Odin before you do anything; there were too many people that just read the first and last page of a thread and missed the warning and issues.

 

[Andrewdroid]

Can you also explain "Factory Reset" in the Recovery Menu? That seems different than either GSM Reset or Odin. So many types of resets!

 

[odindra]

Can you also explain "Factory Reset" in the Recovery Menu? That seems different than either GSM Reset or Odin. So many types of resets!

Correct me if I'm wrong anyone, but a "factory reset" simply resets all of your phone's settings/configurations to the factory settings. All saved info; ie photos, music, etc will still be saved. The only reason I know this is b/c I bought this phone via ebay and the seller did this without erasing the internal sd card, so I got to see some of his pics and collection of music. :-/

 

[Andrewdroid]

I think "Factory Reset" just resets the root area of the phone without touching it's internal sd, but I could be wrong. So many kinds of resets!

 

[james27007]

I think "Factory Reset" just resets the root area of the phone without touching it's internal sd, but I could be wrong. So many kinds of resets!

Correct, a factory reset, just resets the phone; it does not normally do anything to the internal SDcard (which is why a GSM reset can be better at times); but any changes to the main system files (like deleating bloatware) will not come back with a factory reset or gsm reset. That only happens when using odin.

Now if you do a master clear in odin, it will not only reflash the phone and replace/renew everything on the phone, but it will also erase the internal sdcard

 

[sremick]

If one has done an Odin "1-click" flash, is there any difference between then doing a "Master Clear", and simply reformatting/erasing the internal SD card?

 

[jopet216]

I'm rooted and flashed a custom rom. Can I do a gsm reset to go back to stock?

 

[james27007]

If one has done an Odin "1-click" flash, is there any difference between then doing a "Master Clear", and simply reformatting/erasing the internal SD card?

Good question, I'm not sure; the result is the same so I don't think so on our end. I know Odin is a Samsung internal program that got leaked; maybe they added that option so it was one less step duing a restore process? I have reset my phone both ways and it has always ended up the same