First, if you're new to BB or you've never made modifications to your BB before then this may not be the procedure for you. However, if you're familiar with the BB and it's OS and have edited made modifications, such as for themes, then continue on.

If you're like me and you never use the VAD installed on all the new BB's you can remove it and free up over 1/2MB of memory on your device. Also, some have complained that their BT headset keeps activating the voice dialing menu when they don't want it to. There's no way to disable it on the device but it can be removed by removing all the modules associated with it.

Remove the following .cod's:

net_rim_vad.cod
net_rim_vad_resource.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__en.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__en_US.cod (this is the big one that's over 1/2 a MB.)

If you have other languages installed you will have other vad.cod's installed that you'll want to remove.


You can do it with javaloader (if you know what you are doing) or you can remove it the same way you would any vendor themes you no longer want.

Install Desktop Manager to the PC. Get it here.
Install to the PC the OS package that matches what is installed on the handheld. Find your OS here.
Then go to the java folder for the OS and rename or remove all the net_rim_vad.... cod's

The java folder will be located here:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files\8320-v4.2.2.184_P2.5.0.40\Java
(note: your BB model and version number may differ from mine but will be located in the same place.)

In my case I simply renamed them like this: "REMnet_rim_vad..." but you can move them to another folder, or even delete them, if you like. You can always get them back again by running the OS installation package on your PC again. It's just easier to get them back if you don't delete them.

Then run Desktop Manager and Application Loader. Nothing will show as needing an update in the main window with the checkboxes. However, just finish the apploader and you will see that the vad cod's will be removed. The device will reboot and you'll have no more VAD.

Good luck!

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility if this totally breaks your phone or if it blows up into a gazillion pieces after modifying in this manner.

Warning: Removing the VAD .cod's on 4.3 and newer OS devices will render the Options >About screen inoperative. Everything else seems to work fine except for this. You can still use alt + eace to get the same information.


Note Here's another good post about removing other items and optimizing your BB's memory. Click here.

"Install to the PC the OS package that matches what is installed on the handheld.
Then go to the java folder for the OS and rename or remove all the net_rim_vad.... cod's"


I would like to remove the voice-dialing features...but these instructions are a little confusing...please advise. Thanks, Jim.

Whatever OS is installed on your BB handheld, must also be installed to your PC

Could be quite a few and will depdend on the languages and OS installed.

FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 32,780 net_rim_vad.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 506,420 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__de.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 521,322 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__en_GB.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 564,678 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__en_US.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 499,414 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__es.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 458,866 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__es_MX.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 477,746 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__fr.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 480,518 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__fr_CA.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 482,226 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__it.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 509,612 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__nl.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 483,610 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__pl.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 480,630 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__pt_BR.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 595,790 net_rim_vad_engine_resource__ru.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 1,880 net_rim_vad_resource.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,720 net_rim_vad_resource__ar.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,376 net_rim_vad_resource__ca.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,392 net_rim_vad_resource__cs.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,496 net_rim_vad_resource__de.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,176 net_rim_vad_resource__en.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,408 net_rim_vad_resource__es.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,352 net_rim_vad_resource__fr.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,476 net_rim_vad_resource__he.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,252 net_rim_vad_resource__hu.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,284 net_rim_vad_resource__it.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,272 net_rim_vad_resource__nl.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,472 net_rim_vad_resource__pl.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 1,912 net_rim_vad_resource__pt.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,348 net_rim_vad_resource__pt_BR.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,948 net_rim_vad_resource__ru.cod
FILE ---A---- 9/5/2007 21:19 9/5/2007 21:19 11/28/2007 12:38 3,256 net_rim_vad_resource__tr.cod

Unacceptable waiver of liability. Wimp.

^^WOW! If you had removed all your foreign languages you would not have so many "net_rim_vad..." files.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry 8700g: BlackBerry8320/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Thanks for the tip! I removed this as I never use it.

Removed it from my 8830....got 3M freed up

All the different language .cod's will still be in the java folder regardless of what's on the device. When I renamed all the .cod's it still only removed 4 .cods from my device. There was just over 1MB worth of .cod's there that were removed.

Edited the post. If you've not messed with the OS files before then this may not be the best thing to do right now. You might want to do some searching around. There are lots of threads about doing this with themes and this is really no different.

All responsibility for bricking your BB lies with the BBF SAC, NJBlackberry. He will provide all support for this "hack."

Here are the 4 cods and the properties of the largest ones.

If you have removed all the languages already its about 600k.

32780 +
563248 =
596028 TOT
596028 +
1880 =
597908 TOT
597908 +
3176 =
601084 TOT
601084 +

Another option is to blank out those lines in the blackberry.alx file.

That works too....However, I've started enabling everything to load in the .alx and then renaming a .cod to remove it. It just makes it a little easier to go back and then add them again, if desired. Just my $.02.

I moved the files out of the directory to one named REMOVED; easy enough to restore if necessary.

Well..... I actually don't delete the lines. I add a pseudo vendor id to the fileset line so it's easy to find if I want it back.

Edit: I get the feeling that just removing the file from the folder is bad because the install is searching for that file, but can't find it. As it is, nothing bad happens, but you never know in the next version. A proper install program would actually fail in such an instance. Changing the lines changes the parameters of the install so it's no longer searching for those files.

Or you can just change the "True" to "False" in the blackberry.alx as well. There are lots of ways to accomplish the same thing.

I just look for the blue dot or the plus/minus sign

I did the 'John Clark REM Method' ... picked up about a MB. Also REM'd an unused theme while i was in there and picked up another MB or so. Thanks !!!!

John,

I have always admired how well you support folks here... newbies and old hands alike. This is an excellent tip and should make it's way to the FAQ.

Well done sir!

One thing I am doing slightly different....

You are putting REM as part of the file name. I can understand that. Common way to remark comments in source code. In my case, I am slowly developing "Old Timer's Disease" and "CRS" Syndrome. With all the never versions of OS popping up, I sometimes can't remember what I changed in the last release. So I am using Zsav- as the prefix to all the files I don't want loaded. That puts all those files at the END of the directory listing where I can find them Lets me remember to get rid of the Sample video, sample pics, PTT and now Voice Dialing. And I'll be sure to remember them on the next rev too. Because even if I uninstall the last version before I install the latest rev... all those files are still there in the folder.

I've had the icons hidden for so long I forgot this junk was still installed. Thanks for the 1-2 punch.

gonna do this as soon as I get hiome

You're not the only one.

could something like this be done for wifi?

Tough question. Without research I'll guess "no" because it's so inherently connected to other parts of the OS that trying to remove the COD files might introduce instability to the rest of the OS. Voice Dialling is much more separate, it's almost like a generic 3rd party app on your device like Jivetalk or whatnot. That's my gut instinct guess, not facts...

Did it works great, never used it either.

I'm with Rivvie...I wouldn't try this with wifi. Wifi can be turned on and off. The VAD was installed and always enabled. If you don't want wifi then you're best to just get a device without wifi.

Thanks John!

Bye, VAD and bye, Today theme! :D

Where can I find useless music files and movie?

NM found it 3 whole Mb freed... Helllllo 3 meg for games or whatever.

Thanks to Zerog46 for bringing this to my attention. Removing the VAD .cod's on 4.3 devices renders the Options >About screen inaccessible. Not sure yet which .cod will bring it back. On my 8320 I removed the VAD and can still access Options >About. However on my 4.3.1 Pearl I can't access it.

Note: You can still hit alt + eace and still get that same info.

I would try installing these two cod files: net_rim_vad_resource, net_rim_vad_resource__en_US and seeing if it works, they look the most likely candidates and luckily don't take up much space. Try net_rim_vad next, maybe just removing that big old engine_resource is all that's really needed to save space?

<insert backup data first caveat here>

I have tried every combination and not able to make it happen. good luck to who ever can.

IMO, the extra memory is more valuable than accessing the Options >About page. Anyone who can remove VAD from their device knows what OS version they have. And, as I posted above, you can still use alt + eace.

If it were mine, I'd still remove VAD. It's strange though, as I can access it on my 4.2.2 Curve. I wonder what they did in 4.3 to make that different?

I removed all my hair tonight, saving space for my new hat. Thanks for the tip.

I'm with you all the way, I have not put it back on except to figure out what would make it work.

Anyone have any issues with this yet.

After removing media, I lost ability to pick folder colors other than plain yellow, but no other effect for me.

Who said anything about removing media? What "media" did you remove?

zzzkilled-net_rim_bb_media_8830_320x240_b
zzzkilled-net_rim_bb_media_tunebundles_qualcomm
zzzkilled-net_rim_theme_120_today_320x240_b
zzzkilled-net_rim_theme_125_today_320x240_b
zzzkilled-net_rim_theme_bbdimension_today_320x240_b
zzzkilled-net_rim_vad
zzzkilled-net_rim_vad_engine_resource__en_US
zzzkilled-net_rim_vad_resource
zzzkilled-net_rim_vad_resource__en

Those are all files I removed from my blackberry. Ignore zzzkilled- part, it's result of renames. Total of 3.32 MB approx removed.

Looks like you've removed all your preinstalled media, like wallpapers, etc. Also, you removed all your preinstalled ringtones and notifiers, some themes and VAD.