Wipe data/factory reset not available in Android recovery

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SS
Seth Spears
Viking Termite & Pest Control Inc. (Copesan)

Hello,

I have a Samsung phone that is pin locked from an ex employee. when attempting to perform a manual factory reset, the option is not available on the list in recovery mode on the device. Is this something that gets altered by the Mobicontrol console for Samsung devices. when you select the prevent factory reset option in device profile? the device cannot connect to the server for me to perform any script commands.

Samsung Galaxy X Cover Pro

Android Enterprise

Zero touch enrollment

Work managed device with Managed google play account

Console version 15.2.3.1033, cloud based.

I have been told by support that this is a Samsung issue. I'm asking for a second opinion because other android devices I have in production have that option on the list. Any help is appreciated.

Seth Spears

Edited 4 years ago
Android
ANSWERS
RC
Raymond Chan Diamond Contributor
4 years ago (edited 4 years ago)

The solution, if any, can vary a bit with different Android firmware versions ( that use either full disk or file-based encryption), with whether there is any Factory Reset Protection (FRP) or Enterprise FRP policy, and with whether the "Disable Factory Reset" feature-control option has been deployed.

If there is no 'wipe" option in the recovery menu, then it's nearly always because the "Disable Factory Reset" feature-control option has been deployed.  You can confirm that by checking in the web-console the profile configuration(s) previously deployed to the device.

In fact, if your Samsung device has been configured to use Zero Touch Enrollment (ZTE), then the feature control option of  "Disable Factory Reset" should not be set and deployed to the device, as any factory reset should force the device to be re-enrolled back onto the same MDM server via ZTE.

Solution
A
ANKMOD@SOTI
4 years ago

Hello Seth

Greetings

Thanks for your post on Soti Central!!

After going thorugh your case and also from above mention issue.

Firstly if the device is not connecting , with Mobicontrol then there is no other method rather than  flashing the device from vendor end(as mentioned by agent) as factory reset from hardreset way is not possible due to restrictions applied on device.

Secondly , If you haven't tried then  you can try to send  script connect -f through send script(Platform Notification Service) to  see if the device comes online.

Kindly let us know if you have any other questions.

Regards

SS
Seth Spears
4 years ago (edited 4 years ago)

Thank you for your response!

So if I am understanding correctly, the restrictions are put on the device from Soti? If that is the case, is there a way around this or does this happen from enrollment? Does the restriction come from the "disable factory reset" in the device profile?

A
ANKMOD@SOTI
4 years ago

Hello Seth

Greetings

Thanks for your feedback!!

Here are answers of all of your question!!

After seeing screenshot shared by you on your old case,disable allow factory reset  feature control profile is already deployed on that device so that is the reason you are not able to Hard reset device. 

Secondly , If you haven already tried   script connect -f through send script(Platform Notification Service) to  see if the device comes online and it does not work then unfortunately , only option you have to flash the device as mentioned above.

 Also, if any post has helped you in solving your inquiry, I would request you to mark the particular comment as "is solution", so others may benefit from this information.

Regards

SS
Seth Spears
4 years ago

Thank you so much for your help! This was the answer I was looking for. It's not a device firmware issue, it IS a settings issue. I removed the factory reset option in the profile, rebooted the phone in recovery mode, and the option was available. Thank you again for your help. 

Seth Spears