Erase iPad, set up as new, uh, didn't

[TBTdn (David)]

I got the NordVPN app working finally on iPad as described in:

Trouble with NordVPN App iPad login

UPDATE So the only other thing I could think of was to connect stuck iPad to Mac (my iPhones have gotten fouled up over the years trying to connect by USB and clicking to update in its Finder window; I only update them now from themselves while connected to electricity, so it occured to me to try the other way around: device stuck on it own, try the Mac), and lo and behold clicking ‘set up as new’ set iPad off on its setup march. Got it set up and spent next couple of hours deleting Apps, goin…

but was concerned about yesterday’s last steps.

I had told iPad to erase everything and set up as new (26.2). On first try of the setup, it stalled at Automatic Software Updates (and oddly, despite just having ticked an EU location, Cupertino time was still displayed). Then setup worked when connected by USB to my M2 MBA on 26.2.

Embarking on the hours long stroll thru every Setting, I was startled to find that although I’d asked to ‘erase everything and set up as new’, a good 40-50% of previous Settings were there, including Apple Account info.

So, ah, it appears that ‘erasing’ doesn’t really do that, or what am I missing?

[Technogeezer]

Could it be that the settings were returned to the device by Apple via use of the same Apple Account in the setup after a reset?

The real test of whether the device is retaining settings after reset Is to perform the setup with a different Apple Account, not the same one.

[TBTdn (David)]

@Technogeezer

Could it be that the settings were returned to the device by Apple via use of the same Apple Account in the setup after a reset?

I suppose, but no notice was given of that, and it was more than just the Apple Account Settings that came back, a broad mix of Settings that are default on, that I had turned off, were as I’d left them. I’m not aware of all my Settings choices being saved outside my device (other than on the Mac I sync it with via USB cable), and as they some were same and some changed, it’s creepy.

Not what I expected from tapping and approving “Erase All Content and Settings” and later “set up as a new iPad”.