New OS

[johnling]

If I go through Loader.exe rather than DM will I get the option to backup and restore my data and 3rd party apps?

Thanks....

[jsconyers]

Yes, you should get it both ways.

In any case, back up your third party apps and data. You can find instructions on how to do so at BlackberryFAQ.com.

[stevew]

If you want to create a backup that WILL survive no, should the loader.exe process die, halfway through, which would be rare, create a backup 1st using the DM, then use loader.exe to upgrade to the new OS; (it will backup and restore your data, but does not retain the backed up data, whereas a backup using the DM will). You could do exactly the same thing using the DM though, but as has been mentioned here, make a backup 1st.