How to Hard Reset your Google Nexus 7 (2013)

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Kris Carlon 35
Kris Carlon
  • Forum posts: 1,110

Aug 13, 2013, 6:41:20 PM via Website

Performing a Hard Reset on your device is simple as pie. The difference between a Factory Reset and a Hard Reset is:

Factory Reset
The 'lighter' of the two reset options. It can be done either in settings or via recovery menu. It wipes all user data and firmware settings but leaves the contents of your internal SD Card intact.

Hard Reset
Restores a tabletto 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.

Have you already tried to Factory Reset first? If not, the tutorial is here . If this hasn't solved the problem, let's proceed with the Hard Reset for the Google Nexus 7 (2013).

Turn your tablet off.
With the tablet off, press and hold the Power key, then press and hold the Volume Down key. Scroll down twice to select Recovery.
Select with the power key.
You'll see the Android pop up, then while holding down Power, press Volume Up.
Use the volume keys to scroll to "Wipe Data/Factory Reset" and press Power to select it.
Scroll down to "Yes - Erase All User Data" and press Power to select it.
Your Hard Reset is now complete.

Let us know if you have any questions or problems.

— modified on May 23, 2014, 10:28:40 AM by moderator

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Dawnatilla Thehun

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1
Christopher Looi
  • Forum posts: 1

Aug 26, 2013, 2:37:26 PM via Website

Kris,

I tried holding power and volume up but it didn't give me any option other than starting back to the Android logo with an exclamation mark.
What did I do wrong? Please help. Thanks.

Regards,
Christopher

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Kris Carlon 35
Kris Carlon
  • Forum posts: 1,110

Sep 2, 2013, 6:04:54 PM via Website

Hey Christopher, sometimes the key combination can be a little tricky, but I assure you it does work. Just try it a few times, either pressing both at the same time, or the Volume button first and then the Power Button etc. I've also heard that pressing both Volume keys will get you the same result but I haven't tried this method. Google's page says Power first, then Volume Up - you get the idea! Once you're in Recovery Mode you should be able to see the available options and scroll to them with the Volume keys.

— modified on Sep 2, 2013, 6:08:49 PM

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1
Daniel Cortes
  • Forum posts: 1

Nov 12, 2013, 1:57:28 PM via Website

Kris,

I need to reset my Nexus 7 but I am not getting the desired results. In layman's terms, I want my tablet reset to how it was when I first got it. First I tried the Factory Reset option through the settings. When that did not work, I tried the hard reset though recovery mode. Both reset attempts do erase all apps, user data, etc...but not completely. What I mean is, under the storage option in the settings i only still have 9GB of available storage space. Using the file manager app already installed, I noticed nothing was erased form the internal storage or USB storage. Can you please point me in the right direction? I would really appreciate the help. Thanks is advance.

Regards,
Daniel C.

Tech-Spechs;
Google Nexus 7 2013, 32GB (rooted)
Android 4.2.2
CyanogenMod ver 10.1.3
CWM Recovery

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Kris Carlon 35
Kris Carlon
  • Forum posts: 1,110

Nov 13, 2013, 12:39:23 PM via Website

Hey @Daniel, you only have 9 GB of storage available on a 32 GB Nexus 7 AFTER hard resetting? Something is definitely amiss. A factory reset will only clear apps and data but leave your SDcard contents untouched, so that would explain it, but not if you did a hard reset through the recovery menu. I'm a little confused that you say apps and data are deleted but nothing is deleted from internal storage. What is left there if not apps and data? And what USB storage are you talking about? Resetting only affects your device, not any peripherals attached to it.

In any case, sometimes during the reset process everything doesn't go entirely to plan, so when in recovery mode you can also do some additional wiping yourself. Just go into the format options and clear data, system and cache etc. If this still doesn't work, we can look into it a little further.

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1
DM31
  • Forum posts: 1

Dec 5, 2013, 1:10:00 AM via Website

Help!!!! I have a 2012 nexus 7 tablet, wifi only. Yesterday, I made the mistake of updating to the new kitkat OD. My tablet is apparently rooted or modified...whatever my husband decided to do. Now it won't boot! It gets stuck on the animation screen. I tried a hard reset but the same thing happened when the device booted up. Can anyone tell me how to get it back to the way it was?

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Kris Carlon 35
Kris Carlon
  • Forum posts: 1,110

Dec 5, 2013, 1:04:13 PM via Website

Hi @DM31, there's a few things you can do. In order of increasing difficulty:

1. Hold the Power button down for as long as it takes for the device to restart. Sometimes that's all you need to do.

2. Press and hold the Power button with the Volume Down button until it reboots.

3. Get into the Recovery Menu (as explained in the start of this thread) and add the step of clearing the cache as well. There's a few caches options to clear. But before you do this make sure you have all your data backed up because this will of course wipe everything.

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1
Chilon Chiu
  • Forum posts: 1

Dec 19, 2013, 9:29:39 PM via Website

Hello,

I have been trying to do a hard reset following all your instructions--unsuccessfully. (I kept getting application crash notifications whenever I woke up my Nexus 7).

I have been holding the power button down while pressing the volume down button simultaneously. But when I get the option of entering recovery mode (and pressing the power button), all I get is small green robot icon and a "no command" (plus small red exclamation mark). Then it is stuck, nothing else happens.

So I never am able to enter recovery mode or have the option of erasing everything on the Nexus 7.

I am stumped. Any suggestions. My Nexus 7 seems stuck.

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2
Raymond Wilson Jr.
  • Forum posts: 1

Dec 30, 2013, 3:55:57 AM via Website

Chilon Chiu
Hello,

I have been trying to do a hard reset following all your instructions--unsuccessfully. (I kept getting application crash notifications whenever I woke up my Nexus 7).

I have been holding the power button down while pressing the volume down button simultaneously. But when I get the option of entering recovery mode (and pressing the power button), all I get is small green robot icon and a "no command" (plus small red exclamation mark). Then it is stuck, nothing else happens.

So I never am able to enter recovery mode or have the option of erasing everything on the Nexus 7.

I am stumped. Any suggestions. My Nexus 7 seems stuck.

Ok so I had the same problem, this is how I fixed it: After choosing recovery mode on fast bootloader screen, I got to the Android with the exclamation point then I double clicked the power button and on the second click I held the volume up button. I was then taken to the reset screen. Hope this helps.

Jeff Barrett

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1
gordon hamilton
  • Forum posts: 2

Jan 7, 2014, 3:04:00 PM via Website

hi i have got to the same point as you describe i got to the page with the list what do i use to move down to reset tried power key tablet just powered up ?? thanks

Gordon

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1
gordon hamilton
  • Forum posts: 2

Jan 7, 2014, 3:08:15 PM via Website

hi managed to get it reset thanks for your tip cheers

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1
Wilfrid Wong
  • Forum posts: 1

Jan 20, 2014, 3:46:54 AM via Website

Hi,

I have tried your method and get as far as "Recovery Mode". Upon selecting this mode, my 2013 N7 restarts into Google logo. I don't get to see the icon with an exclaimation mark. Just stuck at Google logo. Regardless, I tried holding down power while pressing volume up key. The tablet just shutdown. I would like to know if there is anything else I can do. Thanks!

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1
steve urben
  • Forum posts: 1

Feb 8, 2014, 11:02:54 PM via Website

So my 7 started just restarting itself everytime I launched an app, so I tried to "factory erase" from the settings and it just restarted, so I tried a "hard reset" but when I reboot the device hasn't been wiped....all my apps and settings are still there.

Help


Raymond Wilson Jr.
Chilon Chiu
Hello,

I have been trying to do a hard reset following all your instructions--unsuccessfully. (I kept getting application crash notifications whenever I woke up my Nexus 7).

I have been holding the power button down while pressing the volume down button simultaneously. But when I get the option of entering recovery mode (and pressing the power button), all I get is small green robot icon and a "no command" (plus small red exclamation mark). Then it is stuck, nothing else happens.

So I never am able to enter recovery mode or have the option of erasing everything on the Nexus 7.

I am stumped. Any suggestions. My Nexus 7 seems stuck.

Ok so I had the same problem, this is how I fixed it: After choosing recovery mode on fast bootloader screen, I got to the Android with the exclamation point then I double clicked the power button and on the second click I held the volume up button. I was then taken to the reset screen. Hope this helps.

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1
Izabela
  • Forum posts: 1

Feb 12, 2014, 2:30:52 PM via Website

Hello ,

My tablet was stuck on x logo and didnt want to load . I have done all the steps and restored it to factory setting but I still cant manage to turn it on ,its stuck on x logo again. Is there anything I can do ?

Izabela

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1
Patricia Ameo
  • Forum posts: 1

Mar 19, 2014, 6:59:38 PM via Website

I am able to do both the factory and hard resets without any trouble. My question is, when I don't use my tablet for a while, why do I have to reset it to use any apps? The first time, I thought Skype caused it, so I didn't reinstall it. The next time, I did not have any new downloads; my last use was for taking photos. I am not happy with having to reset it after it sits for a couple of weeks.

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1
Peder Mageroy
  • Forum posts: 1

Jun 26, 2014, 1:13:28 AM via Website

Kris
My Nexus 7 (2013) is stuck with the dead Android and the red triangle on the screen. I have tried factory reset and hard reset, both gives me nothing but a black screen. I have tried any button combination there is. Any suggestions? The problem happend with a failed update to 4.444.

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1
Ash Murdy
  • Forum posts: 1

Aug 20, 2014, 5:55:41 AM via Website

So my nexus won't turn on at all, even when I hold the power button and the power and volume buttons together. I thought it was the charger, but the charger still works just fine. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks a bunch.

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1
Steph Lynn
  • Forum posts: 1

Sep 2, 2014, 11:58:39 PM via Website

Hey Kris I followed the system reset as you mentioned and then after it said complete I didn't know where to go from there so I just hit reboot device then it started up new and wanted me to enter my gmail info. I had to reset mine because the passcode was forgotten as it was an older phone. Now I forget how to go through the steps from there?

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1
AMF SFF
  • Forum posts: 1

Sep 17, 2014, 3:14:13 PM via Website

Hi Kris,

I have the 2013 Nexus 7. My device is rooted and is running the stock ROM. I can't get into Recovery. When I try I get the fallen down Android with the red triangle. I followed your example and did the factory reset, but still can't get into Recovery. I can't use the System Update download; when they device reboots as part of the install I get an error report, the first part of it stating that the calculator.apk has unexpected contents and then a full error string followed by Installation Aborted.

I can boot up and use the device all day. I just can't get into Recovery. Your thoughts?

Thanks,
Stan

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1
Peter Raymont
  • Forum posts: 1

Nov 1, 2014, 3:42:46 AM via Website

Hi Chris,
Have done all the above in correct sequence, and when restarted, tablet just gets to rolling Google symbol, and just keeps spinning until battery goes flat. Machine was giving small bubble with " Sorry Launcher has stopped" and then would just crash and go to the tumbling Google logo.

Have done the reset about 5 times now and just getting the same result each time. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks Peter.

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1
Diane gaunt
  • Forum posts: 1

Nov 20, 2014, 4:04:45 AM via Website

I've tried all the suggestions for resetting (hard reset) after all the data erased I hit the restart and the frozen x returns. I bought this refurbished from walmart and had it only a month, returns only for 15 days. Any suggestions of anything else I can try? Thank you,

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1
Rene Toompuu
  • Forum posts: 1

Dec 28, 2014, 8:10:10 PM via Website

I have previous Nexus 7 wifi model with KitKat

Some days ago I set it on airplane mode. Now when I turn airline mode off and turn on wifi, it restart. When it comes on, it is back on airplane mode.
I have tried to reset it to factory settings from menu and also from the power/volume buttons (force reset). It says that reset is done, but actually it is not- when devise is turned on again, it is still on airplane mode..

What should I do...

Rene

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1
Ian Frank
  • Forum posts: 1

Feb 22, 2015, 7:39:35 PM via Website

Wilfrid Wong

Hi,

I have tried your method and get as far as "Recovery Mode". Upon selecting this mode, my 2013 N7 restarts into Google logo. I don't get to see the icon with an exclaimation mark. Just stuck at Google logo. Regardless, I tried holding down power while pressing volume up key. The tablet just shutdown. I would like to know if there is anything else I can do. Thanks!

I'm getting the same thing with my Nexus 7 2013. No matter what I select in the bootloader screen I end up at the Google logo indefinitely. I can't get the exclamation point or any option to factory reset. It's been stuck for a couple weeks. How can I reset?? I've tried all of the described ways of hard, soft, or factory resetting. Help!

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1
cindy horton
  • Forum posts: 1

Mar 10, 2015, 1:30:35 AM via Website

I bought a nexus 7 back the first part of 2013 it did a system update the other day and had not worked right since. It would keep turning off. So I tried to do a system reboot and now I get a android that says erasing after so long it falls over and has a red triangle with at ! In it.

How do I fix it?

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1
Roger Matthews
  • Forum posts: 1

May 25, 2015, 8:03:17 AM via Website

On a N7 2013, I needed to do a factory reset because Amazon Warehouse sent me the wrong model, Wi-Fi only instead of LTE, and it was going back. Since I had loaded a few things and did an Android upgrade before I noticed the error, I needed to do a factory reset. And my luck, I ran into the "Google" problem while running it with Nexus Root Toolkit. Everything went fine until the reboot, when it stuck on Google. When nothing else worked, I went into Recovery Mode and tried a data wipe/factory reset and cache wipe, but same result. By then, the Nexus was no longer seen by my desktop except in Bootloader mode. So from there I tried NRM again and this time got an error message that I was running 5.1.1, not 5.1.0. Don't know where that came from, since NRM hadn't said anything about it earlier and I never installed 5.1.1. But a rerun of the whole process, twice, still didn't get me to the moving balls. Unless I come up with another approach, it'll be going back as is.

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1
Zachary Mullen
  • Forum posts: 1

May 28, 2016, 8:00:42 PM via Website

I have done the resets still locks on google screen. when I go into the hard reset at the bottom where it says lock status-locked. now what?

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2
John Hunter
  • Forum posts: 4

Sep 20, 2016, 10:27:49 AM via Website

I'm still using my original nexus; I have followed instructions and completed a hard reset (as above) - device was not booting.

Device will not boot (spinning screen saver icon). When I go back to recovery menu text at bottom of screen reports:

E:failed to mount /cache (Invalid argument)
E:Can't mount /cache/recovery/log
E:Can't open/cache/recovery/log

This seems to mean I can't wipe cache or hard reset.

I'd appreciate any help. I'm pretty much at a loss. Thank you!

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Bastian Siewers 66
Bastian Siewers
  • Forum posts: 9,729

Sep 20, 2016, 10:39:54 AM via Website

Hello John,

welcome to AndroidPIT!

Sounds like there is a deeper issue and I would recommend reinstalling the factory image. A full how-to on how to flash a factory image can be found here.

Liebe Grüße, Bastian
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John Hunter

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2
John Hunter
  • Forum posts: 4

Sep 20, 2016, 10:49:09 AM via Website

Can I do this when I can't get it to load OS?

I don't know how to 'Enable usb debugging' on the device without access to the device's OS?

Nexus cycles between white Google logo and screensaver; it never boots.

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Bastian Siewers 66
Bastian Siewers
  • Forum posts: 9,729

Sep 20, 2016, 12:42:20 PM via Website

Hey,

in that case you need to flash in Fastboot Mode, in this case you do not need to acitvate USB-Debugging.

Liebe Grüße, Bastian
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John Hunter

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2
John Hunter
  • Forum posts: 4

Sep 21, 2016, 5:59:18 PM via Website

Sorry to be a complete PITA; it is a 2012 Asus Nexus 7 (WiFi).

From the 'hundreds' of options how do I tell which is the best factory image? There are quite a few 2013 Nexus 7 images; but I have no way of knowing which is the best/safest option to start with.

I really just need to get a stable system in there it should then update software, I hope!

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Bastian Siewers 66
Bastian Siewers
  • Forum posts: 9,729

Sep 21, 2016, 6:11:02 PM via Website

Do not use any images for the 2013 Nexus 7, only for the 2012 Nexus 7 if that is your device. The two devices are completely different.

Simply use the newest one for you device :)

Liebe Grüße, Bastian
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2
John Hunter
  • Forum posts: 4

Sep 22, 2016, 7:37:46 AM via Website

From the site provided, I am offered:

"nakasi" for Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi)
Version Download SHA-256 Checksum
4.1.2 (JZO54K) Link 25cab35cfc81a7d92679deece485590dd62070882124149295ded95463a1eb4f
4.2.2 (JDQ39) Link 1ed5719bbf2a709f090f8d1da5c3afc62d6fcb381ee2559f130639873e1d7283
4.3 (JWR66Y) Link 201de0b22cac0d5c8d51b249bf85dbe803b9a63b3eb1a7ceea0a4379b81b132c
4.4 (KRT16S) Link 7e5a44631d7f7df7312c52fedd5fdd5ec4a2d94a99d173c8e67865bb267b6cba
4.4.2 (KOT49H) Link f0e49b7a6a4bbe82019a60b919a75c9c18425c869e5de95c8b78fe13c2e00795
4.4.3 (KTU84L) Link 933858800b0fa94d2ee2289506c10065e2be9570852d845fa1732925031e380a
4.4.4 (KTU84P) Link 9482e892e274e27cc18028e82e206b2e9de82f17cd29ea6ab526592e997112d9
5.0 (LRX21P) Link 7d66743ed60fba0d83a44513c7a98e912302fa5c1f5634c33a38a08510f82885
5.0.2 (LRX22G) Link 386f8be2ae4ca68486535130f19eae68c93c59c770ea3e1e2da7b1876a15dd40
5.1.0 (LMY47D) Link 7f853a00ac20643c216e28f220a34c14024404240c9dd5f6002de4f982be8c2c
5.1.1 (LMY47V) Link 5a0bb0593ee9867bee61d59e94462e681c050da9db1397db98616e8887034614

Should I just use 5.1.1?

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David Lewis 2
David Lewis
  • Forum posts: 1

Nov 2, 2016, 12:45:17 PM via Website

i have the same problem but with a 2013 model. Did you get your problem fixed in the end?

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Jeff Barrett 1
Jeff Barrett
  • Forum posts: 1

Jan 5, 2017, 3:29:22 PM via Website

That worked, Raymond. Thanks for the good advice.

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1
FaujiaXd
  • Forum posts: 1

Feb 4, 2017, 7:43:07 PM via Website

Hello, I tried to do factory reset on my google nexus 7 tab. But when I choose recovery, a android sign comes with an exclamatory sign with a writing 'no command' and gets stuck. I tried with double clicking the power button with volume up button but my tab is just shutting down, nothing else is happening. Can anyone please help me?

— modified on Feb 4, 2017, 7:45:55 PM

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Tammy Lynn 1
Tammy Lynn
  • Forum posts: 1

Oct 4, 2017, 5:23:09 AM via Website

Thank you, Kris! I've been searching for how to get into my device, as I haven't used it in over a year, if you can't remember the pattern password. Obviously, it's contents were not important if I haven't needed it in the past year.

Anyway....I performed the hard reset w/success!

Yay!!!

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2
Randy R.
  • Forum posts: 1

Feb 6, 2018, 8:34:38 PM via Website

Kris. My pad was getting flaky. I first tried a factory reset, which left me with a slightly more flaky pad. Then I went for the hard reset. (many times) I also tried clearing the cache. I can reboot and get to the dancing light balls, but never further. A couple of times I left it running overnight to see if it would ever get some where. It never did. Whats next ?

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32
Deactivated Account
  • Forum posts: 770

Feb 7, 2018, 12:19:54 PM via Website

Randy R.

Kris. My pad was getting flaky. I first tried a factory reset, which left me with a slightly more flaky pad. Then I went for the hard reset. (many times) I also tried clearing the cache. I can reboot and get to the dancing light balls, but never further. A couple of times I left it running overnight to see if it would ever get some where. It never did. Whats next ?

Try re-flashing
https://developers.google.com/android/images

Ready To Help You.

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1
RudyOso
  • Forum posts: 1

May 29, 2019, 5:45:23 AM via Website

I have tried doing the hard reset and am still running into problems. My main issue that I'm running into is that everyone keeps saying that the little "no command" android guy with the red triangle in his chest will pop up. No matter what i choose, the only thing that pops up is the word "Google" all in white letters. Never once does the little android guy pop up. How can I get him to pop up so i can get to the hard rest menu? What other options do I have or can i do to get past the stuck "Google" on my screen?

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2
Barry Knight
  • Forum posts: 1

Aug 31, 2019, 6:10:25 PM via Website

Can't help, I'm afraid, as I'm having the identical problem. Did you find a solution?

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