Google Nexus 7 Viruses

[BobbyBobBob]

If there is a virus on a nexus 7 ( or any tablet ) can you get rid of the virus by completely factory resetting so it is as new, or will it still be there?

[IggyB]

A factory reset wipes all user data and firmware settings but leaves the contents of your internal SD Card intact, so a virus or malware saved to the SD card could remain.

A Hard Reset Restores a tablet to its basic factory settings, which erases all applications that were installed by the user as well as all user data. Hard Reset wipes everything including the contents of your internal SD Card. Whatever firmware you last flashed will be the firmware you get back, but everything else will be wiped.


Before doing all this you should try an antivirus app like avast or avg and see what the results are, remember that is they find a suspect app you still need to manually remove it.

If the av app shows no problem and you haven't experienced any issues then you tablet is probably fine

[BobbyBobBob]

Brilliant thanks iggy. Just one thing.........what do you mean by 'whatever firmware you last flashed, is the firmware you'll get back'

Thanks again

[IggyB]

firmware is the control program for the device, flashing in this sense is saving a new control programming / operating system to you devices memory.