Help How to factory reset when the display is broken?

[cas5nq]

My LCD display is broken and I want to resell my phone. I can fetch a decent price for it, but I am worried about data security. I have removed the SIM card, but the hard drive is still intact. How can I reset the harddrive without a working display? Can I connect it to a computer and wire in? Is there a button on the harddrive to reset? Thanks!

 

[Frisco]

My LCD display is broken and I want to resell my phone. I can fetch a decent price for it, but I am worried about data security. I have removed the SIM card, but the hard drive is still intact. How can I reset the harddrive without a working display? Can I connect it to a computer and wire in? Is there a button on the harddrive to reset? Thanks!

Welcome to the forums, cas5nq.

To hard reset the device, you will have to have a display present, even with the button combo:

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S3. Now press and hold Volume Up+ Home + Power buttons simultaneously while turning the device On.
Just select the option that reads wipe data/ factory reset.

The selection of the right option would be guess work with the menu not visible, then, once you've done that, there is a confirmation screen with several "no" in a row before the "yes, erase my phone" or some such wording.

I'd first get the screen repaired, then do the factory data reset.

 

[Harry2]

http://www.hard-reset.com/samsung-galaxy-s3-hard-reset.html

Harry

 

[rcsrich]

Take a look at my post here- http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s3/704227-s3-system-reset-no-screen.html#post5682864

it goes into # of times to press each button in the recovery menus if your screen isn't working- hope it helps!

 

[broken888]

After many attempts to factory reset with a broken screen I had the utterly brilliant idea (read: I came across this brilliant idea online) to simply use the Android device manager to erase the phone.

https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager

It's the best option.

 

[marcus33]

When the display failed on my S2 the touchscreen still worked perfectly so I was able to use MoboRobo (a really handy bit of software for PC's) to see what was on the screen.

Does your touchscreen still work?

If so then download MoboRobo from here and install to your PC. Connect the phone to your PC via USB. Once the phone is connected you will be able to see what the screen should be displaying in the main window. Just refresh the image each time you change something or select auto refresh (two of the buttons under the display representation on the Moborobo home screen).
As long as your touchscreen still works you can do a Factory Data Reset from:

Accounts > Settings > Backup and reset

After many attempts to factory reset with a broken screen I had the utterly brilliant idea (read: I came across this brilliant idea online) to simply use the Android device manager to erase the phone.

https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager

It's the best option.

Of course if you already have device manager set up then that is probably the easier way to go.

 

[pnote_2000]

This was the easiest solution I saw to reset a phone with a broken display> Worked great for me. Thanks!

 

[petersith]

This was the easiest solution I saw to reset a phone with a broken display> Worked great for me. Thanks!

I would counter that by saying suggesting you buy a female USB to microUSB adapter.

(http://www.amazon.co.uk/female-Micr...23058&sr=1-2&keywords=female+usb+to+micro+usb)

This way you can plug in a wireless mouse & keyboard receiver into your phone, it will pair instantly on booting the phone, then you can move around your screen like it was a computer. From there you can access settings, data resets, and whatever else your phone was once useful for!

I'm pretty excited to have discovered this simple method in the last 5 minutes!

You seem to have fixed your issues, and if not then I'd love to hear how you've been coping with a non-functional phone for the past 6 months! Hah, well I hope this help someone.

Cheers!