Samsung galaxy s2 stuck on start up loop

[Anonymous]

My samsung galaxy s2 now won't turn on and ets stuck on the start up screen. I can't get my pictures off and I'm worried sending it to O2 will lose all this data as I have a feeling they'll just wipe it and send me a new phone. Any advice?

[jonsie]

Do you get any response connecting to Kies? If you have a google account, contacts should be backed up automatically. Not too sure about your photos though.

[Anonymous]

Can O2 do data recovery? Or should I just brave it and factory rest? Have I lost them?

[jonsie]

If you have never backed up you will just have to bite the bullet I'm afraid. O2 won't recover any data. If nothing is happening and you can't get into the phone when connected to your PC then I'm not sure there is any way to save your files.

[Anonymous]

Are there any programmes which will help other than kies? As kies doesn't work brilliantly on my mac

[MI5]

Data loss will depend on which firmware you are running. If ICS you will be OK as the personal data is partioned off separately, but if on Jelly Bean you may loose everything. You have no option but to do a factory reset as it's the only chance you have of starting the phone. Even writing new firmware will erase your data so you've nothing to loose except reset (and maybe your data)......

[Anonymous]

Is ics an update? As it never let me update it on kies so have the original firmware on.

[MI5]

Depends on when you had the phone, some early ones came with Gingerbread on them, anything after March 2012 should have come with ICS.

[Anonymous]

Is the sd card wiped? As when on reboot page I can look and see the camera folder is still there on the black and blue screen

[MI5]

No, it shouldn't be touched.

[Anonymous]

So on the reboot screen where is says install update from sd card and when I press that I can see the folders which usually had my pics in etc when I do a factory reset they will def still be there?