Formating

I heard that smartphone can be formated and install a fresh / new copy of symbian. My question here is not only how, but also what are the gadget required too? Thanks in advance __________________ Symbian phone can be formated....but it is unable to reinstall another new Symbian...just after u format..u get the phone back to the original factory setting...just like our pc formatting.... However I dun know the way of formatting other symbian phone...I only know how to format a 6600... switch off the 6600....then press the GREEN DIAL KEY + *KEY + 3KEY....While pressing these 3 buttons...never move off your finger...press the start up button together too until the screen shows "Formatting"... After about 30 seconds...the 6600 will be formated...it is abit difficult to do it cos u gotto press four buttons at the same time while all the four buttons seperated very far away... __________________ In other word that is some sort of restoring too is it? As you mention once you "format" it then I will get the phone back to the original factory setting. __________________ don't you just delete all data from the memory card? __________________ Ya that was what I thought when Tu!@ang Man explained, so I just want to know whether there is such thing in formating (like PC) the 6600? How? Any tools required? __________________ Formatting,described above will format phone memory available for user settings thus reverting to original factory settings. It has nothing to do with memory card. MMC can be formatted using supplied application. System areas including OS are protected and can not be formatted with the phone. What would be the purpose of such formatting besides rendering phone dead? Much like PC it won't even boot without OS __________________ Would be funny if you could use an MMC to boot the OS, bring us back to the old days. __________________ MMC can be formatted by using the phone...it is an option format MMC in it... The way I mentioned above is not only get your phone back to the original factory setting...but it clears all the memory inside your phone too... For example...when u install thousands of application to your phone...and u delete them one by one...finally u will find that part of your memory has been used although all the items have been removed...or...there are some errors in your phone that annoying you...so...a fully format by the way I mentioned above will solve all the problems and u will have a "new" 6600 after a format is done... this is the best I can explain...hope u all understand lah... __________________ MMC in the phone is just an extra storage. You can't install fresh copy of Symbian simply because there is no way to get that copy. BTW, user area gets formatted too if you select "Restore factory settings" from the menu or using *#7370# (=res0) command __________________ the way *#7370# is a normal restore factory setting... the way i mentioned before...red dial key+*key+3Key+start up button....is a way of low level format...much more better... __________________ Quote: Originally posted by Tu!@ng Man the way *#7370# is a normal restore factory setting... the way i mentioned before...red dial key+*key+3Key+start up button....is a way of low level format...much more better... Yeah, right... factory settings restore and user area format :-) Factory settings assume blank user area too. There's ain't no such thing as "low level format", Symbian file system is formatted in the same way. I believe you meant GREEN dial key, not red __________________ ya...green dial key....sorry for that.... I was told that the way I mentioned is much more better than the code *#7370#....then what's the different between these 2 ways?? __________________ What is low level format? What's the different between *#7370#? __________________ 3-key format just clears user area, all required folders are created on a subsequent boot. *#7370# also restores all factory settings (whatever you set in Settings menu). Technically those two are slightly different, but you won't see any other difference. Concerning "much better low-level format", making a parallel to PC, low-level HDD format can kill your disk beyond repairs (and warranty) nowadays, so you'd better think twice before attempting anything "low-level" __________________ I have formatted my 6600 for a few 10 of times by using the 3-keys way...so far nothing happen to it... __________________ There's ain't no such thing as "low-level format" in the phone, exposed to end-user __________________ so which one is better to use/? __________________ Format is always the same... I had a feeling that 3-key format should have been removed from official SW, but for some reasons or just someone's negligence remained there. Technically it is a vulnerability - everyone can destroy user data easily, unlike restore factory settings it is not even slightly protected by security code/PIN or whatever. Mavi forum