So I want to make sure my iPad is fully restored and doesnt have any of my info on it. What would you guys recommend using the restore feature a couple times?
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Selling iPad should I restore a couple times to fully wipe clean??
- Thread starter bobright
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mkrishnan
Moderator emeritus
Unless you have extremely sensitive information, I'd just follow these directions:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2110
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2110
Thanks it's on its way, selling it and saving all the money I can for hopefully a new iMac in 2012 😎
That only deletes the data, but doesn't erase it.
If you want to FULLY erase the data, use a program to do it.
mkrishnan
Moderator emeritus
That's correct on the newer devices (per the article, it did an overwrite on the older devices -- the newest thing I've personally done this on is an original iPhone 😱 ).
Like I said... figure out how much is at risk. If you just don't want your personal info in other people's hands, the hardware encryption key technique is probably fine. If you stored something really sensitive, that could get you in legal trouble, like HIPAA-covered medical records or trade secrets, consider some more aggressive caution.
BTW do you have a program for doing multiple random overwrites that you recommend?
The only way to securely clean your data is to physically destroy it. Otherwise, just got to settings > reset > erase all settings and content. I've sold 2 iPads and 5 iPhones and erased them all using that method, and never had a problem. Anything else is overkill if youre not going to physically destroy it. If someone wants your data bad enough, theyll get it.
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If its got iOS 5 and you've used iMessage on it I'd make sure you turn off iMessage before erasing it. Also remove your microsim. If u don't the buyer will be able to receive and send iMessage as you. There have been several threads in the iPhone forum abou this happening
If its got iOS 5 and you've used iMessage on it I'd make sure you turn off iMessage before erasing it. Also remove your microsim. If u don't the buyer will be able to receive and send iMessage as you. There have been several threads in the iPhone forum abou this happening
Well there are programs that can do it, but you will need to access the filesystem (make the iPhone act like a HDD) to do it:
http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner For mac: http://www.piriform.com/mac/ccleaner
mkrishnan
Moderator emeritus
Ahhh, okay, thanks. It's somewhat ironic to jailbreak your device for the purpose of securing it with respect to your own data, but well, what can you do?
The last iDevice I kept important data on was my original iPhone -- and it did random overwrites (per the Apple KB) when I erased it, because it didn't have hardware encryption. Now I don't really keep sensitive data on it, and I think Apple's procedure is good enough for me.
I wonder -- Apple has made a point of having a multiple overwrite erase in OS X to comply with military/government requirements. Do the military and government buy off on the hardware key method Apple uses now? If they do, I think that's probably good enough for most people.
That is a prime example of terrible logic. It does not indicate that anything was erased.
Other examples of poor logic:
My friend deducts his Vegas vacation and losses as a business, and never had a problem.
My friend deducts his swimming pool as a medical expense, and never had a problem.
We have fake owls on the back porch to ward off bats, and never had a problem.
We drink 5-7 glasses of wine and drive and never had a problem.
We buy dope from a guy on the corner and never had a problem.
We put fake degrees on our resume, and never had a problem.
I send our credit card info, SS # and passwords in an email to our kids and never had a problem.
Bottom line - never having a problem does not mean it is okay.
Your data was probably erased, but all your experience proves is that nobody has decided to access and/or use your personal data for anything.
I wondered the same thing before selling my iPad and iPhone. Read through a number of posts about secure wipe and using the iOS4 tools, I was reasonably convinced that it's okay to just do the complete erase and not worry about things getting recovered.
My understanding was that the buyer would have to go through a huge trouble to try to recover, if any, data from the iPhone/iPad and...well, what are the chances? I don't have anything real 'sensitive' per se so...yeah I just did one full wipe and sold it off.
My understanding was that the buyer would have to go through a huge trouble to try to recover, if any, data from the iPhone/iPad and...well, what are the chances? I don't have anything real 'sensitive' per se so...yeah I just did one full wipe and sold it off.