Will flashing a ROM wipe photos?

[Guest distantstorm]

Edit: Update - I have managed finally to get a hard reset done and all is well.

Hi, sorry if I am posting in wrong section. Friend's sister has an Omnia i900 (UK on O2). I've been handed it in an attempt to fix since I'm a "geek". It is stuck at the Samsung Omnia loading screen when it is turned on and the battery needs removed to turn the phone off. I have absolutely no idea what ROM is on the phone, why it froze or whether it's an 8GB or 16GB model. I am thinking the only way to get it going again is to somehow flash the ROM. Does doing this also wipe the storage area where her photos will be stored? She had an extended stay in hospital following birth of her son and used the phone to take photos of him there and it's now somehow stuck at this screen with no way of accessing the photos. I was looking into a hard reset but got slightly confused with instructions saying I would be asked to format but also that the storage are would not be affected. Would I be right in assuming the format is simply referring to the ROM in this case? Regardless I do not seem to be able to get to this option at all and am thinking it may be a carrier lockdown of some sort so that's what led me to the flashing possibility.

I'd be very grateful if anyone could advise and also I notice there seems to be a multitude of ROMs available. The main goal is to get the photos and a superduper ROM is not required so if reflashing might help, and if it would not wipe her photos what ROM would be recommended?

Sorry for rambling, really want to help her out.

Thanks,

Steve

Edited May 5, 2010 by distantstorm

[Guest lagoskon]

First Leave the omnia without battery for 8-10 hours and then put it back to see if it turns on.

2nd . Hold both green&red buttons (accept/ignore buttons) and reset it from top still holding buttons until you see Format? message. Then press acceptcall button to Hard Reset the phone. This procedure DOES NOT wipe out internal storage card and you can find them (99% chances of success)

Good luck.

Best wishes for the baby

[Guest kimitza]

if the solution above does not work, i recommend flashing with grand prix, but uncheck the "format internal drive" This way only the main memory will be deleted.recover the photos and the files you need and format the drive too. Good luck :P