Help How to wipe a dead phone before returning it to Verizon?

[Deleted User]

3 weeks into having my New (Certified Pre-Owned) Thunderbolt the screen went dead. Black. I could hear the alerts and messages but that's it.

So I had them overnight me a 2nd one and it works fine, but since I can't access my dead one, how can I wipe all my emails, texts, and other info from it before I send it back?

Any ideas?

 

[jdsingle]

If the phone boots up but the screen is dead you can do a hard reset. Just put them side by side and what you do to your new phone to do a hard reset do to the old one.

Side note: I sure am loving this rain we're getting in CO. I think we might be getting it more in Boulder than you guys in Denver.

 

[Yeahha]

If the phone boots up but the screen is dead you can do a hard reset. Just put them side by side and what you do to your new phone to do a hard reset do to the old one.

I understand the simpleness of this but that will be difficult with no visual feedback.

OP: Do you know if the screen is responding to touch? You may be able to take it to a VZW store and have them flash it so it would be the same as a factory reset.

 

[Deleted User]

Exactly, I can't see the screen. To make things even more difficult, a few days before it died I made a 'pattern lock' on the phone, I remember the swipe pattern, so maybe if I set the same thing up on the GOOD (new phone) it would let me unlock it at least. I don't know what I did with my 'settings' icon either..

jdsingle- We haven't had any rain here for a few days, must just be up there but I hope we get some soon! Nice to have a day that wasn't 100 degrees though.

I'm using it as my tether connection so I'll reboot and give it a shot.

 

[Yeahha]

I would call the local VZW store, explain the screen died and you want to have it flashed to have none of your data on it before sending it back, they should be able to do it in store for you.

 

[Deleted User]

I understand the simpleness of this but that will be difficult with no visual feedback.

OP: Do you know if the screen is responding to touch? You may be able to take it to a VZW store and have them flash it so it would be the same as a factory reset.

I can't tell if it's responding to touch because of the unlock-pattern I can't get into it. I actually turned my phone on 'silent' w/o vibrate before this happened, just to make things even more challenging obviously

 

[Yeahha]

Sweet, no heptic feedback on your phone either? If it is feeling your touch you may end up locking it up trying to get the pattern right.

 

[jdsingle]

Exactly, I can't see the screen. To make things even more difficult, a few days before it died I made a 'pattern lock' on the phone, I remember the swipe pattern, so maybe if I set the same thing up on the GOOD (new phone) it would let me unlock it at least. I don't know what I did with my 'settings' icon either..

jdsingle- We haven't had any rain here for a few days, must just be up there but I hope we get some soon! Nice to have a day that wasn't 100 degrees though.

I'm using it as my tether connection so I'll reboot and give it a shot.

I knew it'd be difficult but it was the only option I could come up with for you short of having a stock ROM flashed for you. Do what the person above says and take it into VZW. For some reason I assumed your phone was rooted, and didn't want to take it to VZW. But now thinking about that if the screen is dead I'm not sure they'd know if you were rooted unless they had someway of hooking it up to a computer and looking at what's on your phone.

I'm getting tired of the 95+ days that's for sure.

 

[trapperjohn]

Just for future reference if you installed one of the security apps you would be able to remotely from your pc or another phone wipe the bad phones contents.
I know it doesn't help now but this way you will not have to go to the verizon store to wipe.
Thanks,
Bryan

 

[Deleted User]

Ok, I setup the same pattern unlock code on the good TB and rebooted them both. Without any vibration or auditory ding I'm not sure if it worked. I think it did, unless there was a 2nd 'confirm delete' screen when you actually follow through and reset it.

I Don't know what the next screen is after the 'Are you SURE you want to erase everything and restore factory defaults?' final screen because I cancelled it on the good one, obviously. I haven't had to reset this model yet.

trapperjohn- that's a great idea, that should be on the mandatory-apps list for all new installs. I'll add one later. I've been to the V store twice and they said they need screen access to wipe it there.

Gotta drop this junk off @ FedEx, thanks for all the help!

 

[TxGoat]

Sounds like the exact same issue I have with my current phone. Do the 4 buttons below light up? If they do, I may recommend something that was a temporary fix for me. I know this is going to sound weird, but I would twist my phone, as if I was wringing out a dirty rag, as if I were viewing the phone in Landscape mode. Try twisting it to see if that helps. I think my phone has some sort of screen contact that is either wearing out or was not fabricated correctly. Try twisting it, but not too hard or else you may break your phone and get charged for your replacement. Try a back and forth twisting, like I said, as if you're wringing out water. Good luck.

 

[Deleted User]

Interesting tip TxGoat, I already sent the phone back otherwise I would've tried that.

I didn't even drop the phone or anything, it was pretty much babied. But since it was a 'pre-owned' phone I wonder about it's spotted past. The replacement phone arrived overnight and was free, but I did pay shipping ($12.99 for next-day, I think 6.99 for 2-day, but ground was free).