Difference between restore, erase all content and settings, and DFU restore

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In the iPhone 3G and earlier days, since data on the user partition was not encrypted, performing a restore in iTunes would not physically erase user data from an iOS device, although of course the user data would be inaccessible from the user interface. Only by using 'Erase all content and...

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Courtesy of WestNet Wireless
www.westnet.ca