Best way to perform Factory Default Reset (and restore data) after ICS

There's some information at Factory Reset an Android Phone (ICS, Jelly Bean Included)

Are you rooted?

You can reinstall paid apps from the Play Store and Amazon without having to pay again.

 

OK, you might want to connect your phone to a PC and move stuff you want to keep.

I don't know if you can simply put the data back. It may depend on the app. Some apps allow you to export and import data.

Looking at Backup/Restore Contacts, Messages, Apps from Android to Windows PC I don't know if it'll work or not.

 

I'm NOT rooted and I didn't see anything about needing to root for that link I posted.

That being said, when I boot into recovery it says I'm rooted, go figure. Go ahead, boot into recovery like you're going to clear the cache. You'll see a little "qe" followed by 0/0, 0/1 or 1/1. If it says 0/0 you're not rooted, 0/1 you were once rooted and 1/1 currently rooted. Verizon will notice mainly if you take it in for a problem.

There are apps that will only run if rooted. You can also change the speed of the CPU and install ROMs.

 

Someone said when this root checker was discovered that if you did a full fxz the root checker would be set back to 0.

 

I don't know exactly what the initials stand for but it is a zipped XML file that is like an image & flashes the phone back to exactly as it would come out of the box from the manufacture. (partitions & all)
So like a restore file of the whole phone settings & files.

 

FXZ=Full XML Zip (file), like what sst45jeff alluded to.

Unlike a Factory Reset, the FXZ can be used to change your version.

 

you cannot take your game save data with you unless you are rooted and use some backup program, that was the reason i rooted in the first place way back in the days of the OG DROID. I use Titanium Backup Pro, and have used it to transfer apps & data between at least 5 different phones (4 of the D1, 1 Bionic) and 4 different OS versions (froyo, GB, ICS, JB). As long as you don't try to restore system data everything should be ok. It really isn't that complicated, although TiBu has a lot more capability than i use it for.

my suggestion would be to make a full backup of your internal and external SD cards. That way, after the FDR and the restore, if there is anything missing its still on your pc.

rooting will void your warranty, so its up to you to decide if its worth it for you.