Help please (erasing contacts)

[XxJohnnyxX]

ok, heres the story:
i wanted to erase the contacts in my iPhone and i went to Settings>General>Reset>Erase all content and settings and then it said wait for an hour. So i did, and the apple logo stays there and wont direct me to the home screen. When i try to reset it, it does the same thing. When i try to sync it was my pc, the iTunes window wont open and it wont recognize the iPhone because it stayed at the apple logo. I need help immediately please.

- XxJohnnyxX

 

[-aggie-]

Erase all content and settings resets all settings to their defaults and removes all your information and media on your iPhone by overwriting the data stored on iPhone. That's not the way to remove contacts. Since, you've removed them it doesn't matter now. Also, "you can’t use iPhone while data is being overwritten. This can take up to two hours or more, depending on the model and storage capacity of your iPhone." I copied and pasted that from the manual; I suggest you read it.

So, if your phone is hung up in this state for whatever reason, then you'll need to do a DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade) restore.

Here's a link to how to do that:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/603129/

Oh, and try to use a more descriptive title from now on. MR doesn't like titles like "HELP ME" or "GOING OUT MY MIND," etc. Just letting you know, since you'll get more responses following forum rules.

 

[jmann]

You should turn the device off, and then hold the home button down while you connect it to iTunes to force the device into recovery mode, and then you can easily do a restore in iTunes.

 

[-aggie-]

You should turn the device off, and then hold the home button down while you connect it to iTunes to force the device into recovery mode, and then you can easily do a restore in iTunes.

Okay, I'm only asking this to learn and don't want to confuse the OP, but what is the difference between what you offered the OP to do? Is one way better? Was what I told him wrong?

 

[jmann]

Sometimes doing a restore in in "Recovery Mode" versus "DFU Mode" will either work or throw out a different iTunes "error - xxx". If one doesn't work, the other most likely will.

 

[-aggie-]

Sometimes doing a restore in in "Recovery Mode" versus "DFU Mode" will either work or throw out a different iTunes "error - xxx". If one doesn't work, the other most likely will.

So, you're saying to do the Recovery Mode, first, correct? And use the error-xxx to ask questions?

BTW, it seems like the OP must have got his issue fixed anyway, since he never came back.

 

[jmann]

No it was just an alternative option in case the DFU didn't work. It can't hurt to throw out other possible solutions. I never asked him to try it before anything else.

 

[-aggie-]

No it was just an alternative option in case the DFU didn't work. It can't hurt to throw out other possible solutions. I never asked him to try it before anything else.

Ohhh. Well, it's good we had this discussion, because I thought you were saying not to do what I said. Thanks!

I guess, if he gets to recovery mode and gets an error, then he comes on here to ask what the error means. Should I suggest both to people in the future (I don't think I've ever seen anyone suggesting recovery mode)?

 

[jmann]

I usually suggest both depending on the situation, and if I have the energy to type the instructions to both. It's up to you.

P.S. I never told him not to do anything that you said. Your suggestion was perfectly valid, and that would have been my exact reply if you hadn't gotten to it first.