How do you reformat the iPad?

[harpy]

I'm on the verge of getting one, but one thing I want to figure out is how easy it will be to reformat the device if I want to sell it later on eBay?

If I load the iPad up with pdfs, movies, apps, photos, documents, etc. How easy will it be to scrub the system clean of all of that so I can sell it to someone?

I get that with iTunes you can get rid of a lot of content, but I suspect I'd be using lots of specialty apps that will transfer content over without using iTunes. So deleting files might not be as effortless as just using iTunes.

So is there just some format setting that can be done to clean the whole iPad of personal content and get it back to a factory state?

[Uchiha1911]

Originally Posted by harpy

I'm on the verge of getting one, but one thing I want to figure out is how easy it will be to reformat the device if I want to sell it later on eBay?

If I load the iPad up with pdfs, movies, apps, photos, documents, etc. How easy will it be to scrub the system clean of all of that so I can sell it to someone?

I get that with iTunes you can get rid of a lot of content, but I suspect I'd be using lots of specialty apps that will transfer content over without using iTunes. So deleting files might not be as effortless as just using iTunes.

So is there just some format setting that can be done to clean the whole iPad of personal content and get it back to a factory state?

I do not own an iPad, but I guess there's a 'restore' option for the iPad (just like the iPod Touch and iPhone), which brings it back to factory state

[murphyrulez]

Tap system settings, general, reset, erase all content and settings.

Tada!

[Tech-Boy]

Originally Posted by harpy

I'm on the verge of getting one, but one thing I want to figure out is how easy it will be to reformat the device if I want to sell it later on eBay?

If I load the iPad up with pdfs, movies, apps, photos, documents, etc. How easy will it be to scrub the system clean of all of that so I can sell it to someone?

I get that with iTunes you can get rid of a lot of content, but I suspect I'd be using lots of specialty apps that will transfer content over without using iTunes. So deleting files might not be as effortless as just using iTunes.

So is there just some format setting that can be done to clean the whole iPad of personal content and get it back to a factory state?

Just hit the restore button. Done. However I would still be able to get through that and get mos of your files if I wanted too. So take a song, duplicate it to the size of the iPad's flash memory and copy it over, then restore. That way even if someone get's through it, like after any format, all they will see is the song duplicated hundreds of times.

[harpy]

Originally Posted by Tech-Boy

Just hit the restore button. Done. However I would still be able to get through that and get mos of your files if I wanted too. So take a song, duplicate it to the size of the iPad's flash memory and copy it over, then restore. That way even if someone get's through it, like after any format, all they will see is the song duplicated hundreds of times.

Thanks, I think that is the key information I was after. It's too bad there isn't a true reformatting, but an overwriting work around will do in a pinch. Getting rid of personal information is going to be essential to selling it off to a stranger.

[Tom G.]

Reformat:

You mean there is not an "App for that?"

[Alrescha]

Originally Posted by murphyrulez

Tap system settings, general, reset, erase all content and settings.

Originally Posted by Tech-Boy

Just hit the restore button.

Either of these methods will work. See:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3828

A.

[voidptr]

Originally Posted by Tech-Boy

Just hit the restore button. Done. However I would still be able to get through that and get mos of your files if I wanted too. So take a song, duplicate it to the size of the iPad's flash memory and copy it over, then restore. That way even if someone get's through it, like after any format, all they will see is the song duplicated hundreds of times.

Given how long a "Reset all Settings and Content" from the settings app takes, I'm pretty sure it's doing a complete flash erase.

[Alrescha]

Originally Posted by voidptr

Given how long a "Reset all Settings and Content" from the settings app takes, I'm pretty sure it's doing a complete flash erase.

Newer iPhoneOS devices (and presumably the iPad) use hardware encryption. When you restore/erase, the encryption key is cleared and the data is effectively gone. Should happen instantaneously.

A.

[MacToddB]

If you have Mobile Me, you can even wipe it remotely

[voidptr]

Originally Posted by Alrescha

Newer iPhoneOS devices (and presumably the iPad) use hardware encryption. When you restore/erase, the encryption key is cleared and the data is effectively gone. Should happen instantaneously.

A.

Yeah, I stand corrected. The original iPhone does a full erase, the 3GS and iPad just regenerate encryption keys. Either way, it's secure. No need to try and trick iTunes into syncing GBs of garbage first.

[Nash Bridges]

Originally Posted by murphyrulez

Tap system settings, general, reset, erase all content and settings.

Tada!

Does this really wipe it or is it like formatting a hard drive where it just marks the space available for writing and the original data is still there?