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How to Reset Your G1 and Start From Scratch

110

It came time to part with my review unit of the G1 (Thanks T-Mobile!) and send the phone back to its rightful owner. But what about all the personal info on the phone? The apps, texts, e-mails, AIMs and all that jazz? A quick search of AndroidForums.com turned up an easy way of restoring your G1 to factory settings:

if you power off your phone and hold the home (shaped like a house) and the end (red hangup button) for about 20 seconds you get a triangle with an exclamation point and a picture of the G1.

Now all you have to do is pop open that pretty QWERTY keyboard and there are several keyboard shortcuts you can use to accomplish what you want to do:

Home+Back reboot system now(Soft Reboot)

Alt+L – Toggle log text display – (Toggles between the exclamation and menu options)

Alt+S – apply sdcard:update.zip – (Not brave enough yet)

Alt+W – Wipe data/factory reset(What I chose, had to re-register, out of the box settings)

I used the last option (Alt + W) and restored my borrowed G1 to factory settings. I’m sure the soft reboot could be helpful too, should you run into problems a troubled application may have caused. We didn’t try the other 2 options so use at your own risk.

By the way, I couldn’t live without a G1 so I made the leap and purcahsed a G1 with a T-Mobile service plan. I’m still a loyal Verizon customer and will simply have to keep both plans… but I NEEDED the G1. So basically, you can expect the application reviews and insight you’ve gotten at phandroid.com to cotinue since we’ve got our very own device now!

[Via Android Forums]

Rob Jackson
I'm an Android and Tech lover, but first and foremost I consider myself a creative thinker and entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for ideas of all sizes. I'm a sports lover who cheers for the Orange (College), Ravens (NFL), (Orioles), and Yankees (long story). I live in Baltimore and wear it on my sleeve, with an Under Armour logo. I also love traveling... where do you want to go?

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110 Comments

  1. Or, just go to Settings > SD card & phone storage > Factory data reset

    Bonus points for Anderoid having made this so easy that a blog post on the topic is just plain silly. ;)

    -danny

  2. There is a option in the settings that will allow to do a full factory reset without all that hassle. Simply go to
    Go to SD card\Phone Storage and at the bottom of that you should see Factory Reset.

  3. Will Factory Reset erase the information off of the SIM card?
    Here is the situation:
    Initial setup of G1 used [email protected]
    Want to change that so it uses an address from my Google Apps address, for example: http://www.google.com/a/Scott.com and the [email protected] account).

    Any information or ideas? TIA

    – Scott

  4. i did that and know the fone wont turn on. can some one help?

  5. Bryan, I did today what you are wanting to do and it went fine. Sym card wasn’t touched and I’m doing the same thing you want to do with my google apps address.

  6. I actually had the phone freeze up on me so the only option for me was to turn the phone off and reset it the way shown. So the “settings” option may not always be useful.

  7. this does not help at all it goes to the stupid bloody turn off? do i want to turn it off? no i want bloody unlock & whatever. good lord im going to burn it

  8. i do know how to remove my google account because alraedy i forget my google account

  9. What a piece of junk! I just received this phone from a colleague and have got tired trying to figure out how to setup my gmail account. Either I am too dumb (which I don’t think) or the phone is pure crap (more like it).

    So I thought I’ll bring it back to factory settings looking at the steps above. And now the phone doesn’t event boot – it’s just stuck at this random warning sign at boot up. Doesn’t do anything, doesn’t react to any buttons. Pure piece of crap!

  10. AK when it gets to the warning sign u must press Alt+W that means press Alt and W at same time

  11. i did that and it says no sim card then no sim card in phone how do i fix this

  12. HOW DO YOU GET PASS THE UNLOCK SIGN IN?

  13. is there a way to bypas the Gmail set up. i dont have signal where i am but i would like set up the rest of the phone

  14. how do you reset your phone to get pass the gmail username and password sign in when you forget that junk without erasing all your contacts and apps and stuff?

  15. well i tried but its showing me ..there is problem to conect with google server,i dont know what i have to do .if anyone know than PLease rpley as soon as possible .
    thanx

  16. thanks alot guys this really worked for me 5 star recommendation

  17. well i tried the same but its showing me ..there is problem to conect with google server,though I’m using a 3G activated sim, i dont know what i have to do .if anyone know than PLease rpley as soon as possible .
    Thanks
    Mita

  18. Since re-booting phone I lost music. Tried reloading just getting message:’insert SD card’,while SD card is in it. Been unable to download since then. Anybody with a solution? I am contemplating factory reset but, do not know what outcome will be. Phone doing my head in since I got it.

  19. Since re-booting phone I lost music. Tried reloading just getting message:’insert SD card’,while SD card is in it. Been unable to download since then. Anybody with a solution? I am contemplating factory reset but, do not know what outcome will be. Phone doing my head in since I got it. A.O.B.

  20. there has to be a way to bypass the dam google stuff.

  21. Worked just fine for me. Exellent if you are selling your G1.

  22. This worked out perfect for me. I wiped my phone out. I couldn’t delete my text message threads; kept getting forceclose. So i wiped my phone out and it kept all of my contacts, songs (It didn’t keep the ringtones so but since the songs were still in my music I just had to convert them to ringtone), and pictures. I am so happy :)

  23. i by a g1 from the internet but the sent it to me lock but how can i unlock it pls

  24. good shitttt

  25. well what about if you forgot your password or user nam eand its locked? i just tried doing this and it didnt work!

  26. i ve been using my phone for a week.and never used the phone lock.my younger brother activated the screen locked,so i was adivce by a friend to place it on factry setting which i did.it has restarted and asking set of questions..can some1 be of a good help here

  27. i accidently pressed “ALT+L”…HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS SCREEN?

  28. how do you get to the gmail user name log in because my phone isent letting me use my wifi or get on the internet

  29. man i did that…it was working until it showed the triangle over and over and over! wtf…help..you not really helping on that

  30. A.K – You are such a loser! You cant figure it out so the phone is junk… Yet everyone else can… No way it would be your fault would it???

    Loser – Go get something idiot proof like the iphone. Its there for morons like you. Although you may even have trouble with that and freak out… Maybe stick with an old flip phone so to stay at your level…

  31. Worked like a charm thanks alot to Rob Jackson. To all you haters of the G1 who are not used to good things you should stick to the Iphone or those other second class phones.

  32. I FORGOT MY G MAIL AND PASSWORD.HOW I PUT A NEWONE

  33. it worked thank u i thought i had to buy new one

  34. Uhhmm..I have a question..there is nothing wrong with my phone but I’m just wondering…if you don’t have internet on your sim card and you reseted your phone can you still activate it because its gonna need an internet connection for your gmail account. Thanks(:

  35. i have a g1 i unlocked it and am using on att i also forgot my passcode if i do a hard reset will i still be able to use on att. also will it get me passed the the gmail pass code. thanksw

  36. I followed instructions to perform a hard reset holding down Alt and L at the same time which gave me the warning sign. I then opened the keyboard then pressed Alt and W at the same time to wipe and factory reset the G1 once finished I press home and back key at the same to restart the handset.

    The handset powered up and on the screen appeared

    Welcome to T-Mobile G1
    Tap the android to begin

    When I try to tap on the screen to begin, nothing happens and I cant get passed this screen

    PLEASE HELP

    When I press menu APN Settings appear

    APN
    T-Mobile UK
    Genera T-mobile uk

    Name T-Mobile
    APN: general.t-mobile.uk
    Proxy:
    Port:
    User Name: t-mobile
    Passwoed: xx
    Server: +
    MMCS: http://mmsc.t-mobile.co.uk:8002
    MMS Proxy: 149.254.201.135
    MMS Port: 8080
    MNC: 30
    APN type:

    SOMEONE PLEASE HELP

  37. hey , my g1 says that i need a qmail account & i have already typed it in & it says “thia could be temporary problem or your SIM card may not be provisioned for data sevices. Please try again when you are connected. if it continues, call Costomer Care.” like does that really mean?

  38. Do you have G1 service???

  39. THANK YOU VERY MUCH THAT WORDED 4 ME. I LOCK MY PHONE WITH THE GMAIL ACCOUND IN COULD NOT GET IN 4 NOTHING.

    THANKS

  40. my g1 is restarted and i can not get access to internet to “log in” to my gmail account please for some help :)

  41. MY FRIEND MIKE(MAJOR IDIOT) LOCKED ME OUT OF MY PHONE AND I HAD TO RESET IT!!!!!!

  42. you just press “menu” and set up your local APN (just get gprs settings from your provider/operator) and than proceed with your existing google account or register new one. The icon “E” in the top of screen will show you that internet works

  43. here’s my problem! i reset my g1 at home! and i do have wi fi.
    but after reset the phone it ask me for my gmail and for that ii need internet. My question is… The only way is to active the intenet on the phone or there’s another way because i cant do nothing with my celpphone except by an emerqency call .. HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

  44. Hi, locked the screen of my phone and now its asking me to register my google account which it does not recognize.

    I get the same message as everyone here that say “this could be a temporary problem or your sim has no data service”. Can anybody help, this phone is my life! :(

  45. Help!!! my g1 had been working fabulously for months as a prepaid, whenever i wanted internet, i just went on wifi….. anywho, in an attempt to reset my pattern, i stupidly entered it wrong…(more than 5 times)…. so i did the factory reset thinking the unlocking(code obtained from tmobile cc)would remain intact…. it didn’t and now i cant even get to the screen that asks for the unocking code, please help…im so distraught!

  46. For reset your fone
    Turn your phone off; then press the Home key and turn it on. The screen will you show u a exlamative point.After that, you have just to press Alt W and Alt L. It’s all.
    After rebooting. There some step to follow until the phone ask you your account or create New.
    Thre is the big problem for many people. About this
    you just press “menu”(you will see wirelles settings) and set up your local APN (just get gprs settings from your provider-operator) and than proceed with your existing google account or register new one. The icon “E” in the top of screen will show you that internet works

  47. If you do a factory reset – how do you get back the few apps that you have paid for? E.g. power manager and Fuel costs those are the only ones I got.

  48. The market place remembers all the apps you have downloaded/paid for. Go to the downloads section in marketplace and you should find it there.

  49. My son downloaded some app. Which froze my home screen, I can not get to the settings to delete this and reboost phone, how do I get to settings and get this stupid software out without a home screen?

  50. dude your so smart i appreciate it you help out alot i thought i was about to go crazy if i would have to purchase another g1 i lock my self out my phone didn’t know my gmail or anything

  51. just bought the phone use. get set of instruction for the reset. dont see how anyone could have problems with it. just wanted to thank you for the info

  52. I CANT TURN MY PHONE BACK ON AFTER THE HARD RESET… HEEELLLLPPP!!!!

  53. What is the minimum I need to do to switch GMail account in my G1 phone (developer edition)? (I have seen several variations on how to do it)

  54. I noticed my phone was getting browser signal, then my phone wasn’t dialing calls, now switched to off and can’t get it back on. When I press the on botton only a black screen with some words come up (to connect USB)… does someone knows how to fix this? (reset) or do I need to go waste my time at the Verizon store again? Thank you for your answers.

  55. I have an unlocked G1. My dad set it up for me, but of course he doesn’t remember his google password…so I can’t use all the google apps that come with it.

    I am using the phone out of the US. I do have internet connection, but I’m scare that I won’t be able to use it again. I don’t care if I lose my contacts, but I can’t just not have my phone.

    Does anyone have any suggestions? I’d like to avoid reseting to factory settings if possible….i’ve read a few bad posting here about that.

    Thanks

  56. hey i reeeealllllly need help! my phone locked me out b/c of too many password attempts, now it doesn’t recognise my gmail or password – and all tmobile says they can do is reset the entire phone by clearing it all off…

    problem is in the “notepad” app i have typed information that i simply CANNOT lose!!! if anyone has any advice or solution to this problem, i would be forever greatful!!!!!!!! thank you sooo SO SOSOSOSOSOSOSO much!!! <3

  57. I c most ppl hve the prob. wit signin, but no resolution to tha prob. hve been post, plz help me to get pass this obsticle.

  58. For the people that have forgotten their security pass code.

    Before going ahead with the factory reset below try this: Here’s the solution to unlock without losing your data:

    Type you gmail username and in the password field type “null”. You will then be prompted to enter a new pattern and your phone will be unlocked.

  59. Am having problem with my g1.want 2 set up my Apn, i press the menu button but nothing is appearing,may be am mistaking it or which of the menus,is it the at the left side of the keyboard or the one on top of the toggle?

  60. My phone has been going very slow and I cant get images or video from my phone to my new laptop like I was able to with my PC. Any ideas?

  61. how do you get to the gmail user name log in because my phone isent letting me use my wifi or get on the internet

  62. HI
    My G1 is not showing nothing.The keyboard lights up but dont show nothing .
    what should i do?

  63. how doi bypass the google sign in because my phone is not picking up any wireless, but i wud like to set up the rest of my phone

  64. ii 4or got muh google account sign in and password but thats the onli way ii can get in my phone what should ii do????

  65. um i need help i rebooted the fone and it says that my sim card is may not be provisioned for data services… i had got the fone from someone else n i rebooted cuz i didnt want their information can someone plz help

  66. Jai War- you are awesome “null” worked. Im in in in in…..

  67. What do i do when i get this screen with a serial 10 in the middle with red, green, blue, and white horizontal colored screens. Doesn’t react to any button?

  68. can i get back to the passcode screen coz i no my code and dont have a gmail. plz help i need to get back to the passcode scren plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz help

  69. My issue is I just got the G1 and once it says enter Gmail account I do so yet I get an error stating the server can’t be reached or its my SIM card.. I put the sim in my old phone and the Net works well. I even tried to create another Gmail account and its the same issue?

  70. i have a g 1 and when i trun it on it load up but when it finish my screen just go blue can some one help me please i am willing to pay to get it fix a s a p

  71. Ive reset my phone a few times now and the buttons are still all weird. The answer button hangs up on the caller everytime! certain keys on the keyboard power off the phone as well…. so annoying! can anyone help?

  72. I have had a G1 for a year and I can whole heartly say it is the biggest piece of shite i have ever come across. My old N95 still rules over the G1 amateur junk. Mine is now stuck on that stupid exclamation mark.

  73. yeah uhhhm i rebooted tha andriod but wen it says start now i touch the andriod sign then it goes right 2 the lock screen and it says no SIM card

  74. I had the same problem with my G1 but for all the people who restarted your phones and dont have internet access, you guys are going to have to find a friend with a data plan on their sim and put it into your G1 and type in your gmail information or create a new one. Good Luck! :]

  75. My android was stuck during the power up cycle, would shutdown, restart, etc. This happened after the battery got really low. I followed the above steps, got the triangle, and did the factory reset. (the soft reboot didn’t help). The phone powers up now, and my contacts are still there. I did have to re-enter my gmail password and my icons were gone, but that’s ok. I’ll also have to reinstall some of the apps. Thank you for the blog!!

  76. Wel i restarted ma G1 n now it tells me 2 2 tap d android 2 begin but i tap the phone n it dnt work it seems like its not even touchscreen….can someone help????????

  77. y g1 i clicked all of the options but i still cant get my phone back to normal please HELP ME!!!!!!

  78. What if your parents set up all this parental control shit and when I do this a bunch of yellow words come up

  79. Android G1 sucks i had one for almost a year and if they dissconnect it its useless

  80. I also reset my phone and now I can’t go pass the gmail sign in screen I there a way to by pass the gmail sign in screen I don’t have internet .. I only have wifi at home please help ..

  81. ii 4or got muh google account sign in and password but thats the onli way ii can get in my phone what should ii do????

  82. Never reply or answer questions…shit

  83. I just did a hard reset on my unlocked g1 phone and i am with
    AT&T. Now I can not use my phone…… Help me plz

  84. i went to reset factory to reset my g1 phone but is not it required i should register with google first,what should i do for my phone to function without registering with google.com.i will register later.

  85. So I have the black g1. Bought it used and its worked great ever since. Randomly the other night it just stopped working and the screen stayed black, but illuminated. Couldn’t power off unless you took battery out. So I took it to t mobile who said it was basically a paper weight and tried to get me to buy other products and then finally I settled for a 15 phone for the time being. I did thisfactory reset and now its on, charging, and working. Sweet.

  86. ah wtf. i purposely didnt get the pattern right five times, then purosely pushed the forgot pattern. and now it is telling me to but my email but it is not working. wtf do i do, this is pissing me off because i have text mesges and missed calls and shit. and the phone is COMPLETELY useless when locked. its like a fuck dumbas laptop -.-

  87. my g1 wont turn on all the way it used to turn on and go to the triangle with an exclamation point and a picture of the G1.
    but now the screen is jus black need help i jus got the phone and over night it was like this

  88. had phone charging the other night and it just turned black now you cant see andything but its on only way to shut it off is by takin the battery out i try the facrtory reset but its not working! please help i loooooove this phone!

  89. omg thanks very much i did how it says f you power off your phone and hold the home (shaped like a house) and the end (red hangup button) for about 20 seconds you get a triangle with an exclamation point and a picture of the G1 then Alt+W – Wipe data/factory reset – (What I chose, had to re-register, out of the box settings) it worked you saved my life!

  90. ok, how do I get the keyboard to pop up so i can press ALT+W.. someone help -__-

  91. i’m ernest adou and live in cote d’ivoire. i please to help me configure my mobile (HTC T-MOBILE G1) i reset it and cannot reinstall it. please help

  92. the factory reset worked out find thanks

  93. orlando do u have the side up version thats how u get to the keyboard

  94. hey my friend locked me out of my phone by tryna do the screen lock and he did to many attemps. and i dont have the internet on my g1. how can i use it again asap ?

  95. how do you get passed the setting up a gmail account if you dont have interent ?

  96. i bought my g1 in use, google account was set by previous User.
    i want to install applicatin for dis i need to install Astrofile manger from market which need password of google account…. there is no option no change username,

    so i want to reset google account ……….

    any suggetion wat to do for unlocing account ot downloadin file manger except market or how to install apk files

  97. i have a tmoblie plan and my phone was working but now all of a sudden this pops up “SORRY! the process android.process.acore has stopped unexpectedly . please try again ” and i dont have any apps on my plone

  98. HI I WAS LOCK OUT OF MY PHONE DUE TO MANY PATTERN ATTEMPS.I EVENTUALLY DID A FACTORY RESET ON MY PHONE NOW IT IS NOT WORKING AT ALL .IT IS SAYING TO LOGIN TO MY ACCOUNT BUT MY NETWORK HERE IN GUYANA DOES NOT PROVIDE THAT SERVICE .WHAT SHALL I DO? IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN BYE PASS THIS PROCESS.PLEASE HELP I LOVE MY G1 AND REALLY NEED TO HAVE IT RUNNING AGAIN.

  99. i bought a used tmobile g1 phone, but says no sim card in phone,can i buy a tmobile prepaid caRD and activate it? i dont know the number to this phone, what can i do????

  100. uhmm.. my g1 stays on the boot up screen and it’ll stay like that for hours unless u take out the battery =|?

  101. I GOT A G1.. FROM SOME ONE AND… ON OT IT AS A RED GREEN BLUE AND WHITE SCREEN AND ON IT WITH SOME WRITTING THTS SAYS ‘DREA100PVT 32B HBOOT-0.95.0000 CPLD-4 RADIO-2.22.23.02’
    SERIAL 10 SOME ONE PLEASE HELP ME

  102. Thank you soo much…. T mobile were hopeless and could not help unless I sent the phone off.

    Want a job done right, (google it and) do it your self.

    Cheers.

  103. i was wanting to know if anybody could find the apn for straight talk service im trying to unlock a g1 without a tmobile sim card

  104. My issue is I enter Gmail account yet I get an error stating the server can’t be reached or its my SIM card.. I put the sim in my old phone and the Net works well.and also when i do system recovery after wards everytime i turn the phone on, the g1 phone pic apears with the exclamation signeverytime how do i remove that helpppp soon plzzzzzz.

  105. Saw a lot of you guys having problems with changing your password of your account (gmail/google) without resetting your phone.

    Here is a solution without resetting:
    http://bit.ly/androidreset

  106. Whenenver i hold the home and end button together it just turns on regularly. what is the problem?

  107. hi,
    my phone stuck when i turn it on..its happen after i reset it..pls help me..

  108. its not silly the way he explained it I personally was locked out of my phone and they asked for gmail account well i forgot the password so the only way i could rest it was by the last one

    thanks for the info by the way

  109. I got locked out of my phone and can’t get past the G-mail log in, even with the correct e-mail and password. I just need to get back to the pattern screen. Also is there a way to do it with out losing any info?

  110. Is there any way to bypass the Welcome to T-Mobile G1 screen my service provider does not support htc phones on their data service…. Help me please

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