I was just on the phone with a Tech Support rep at RIM.

During the course of the call, I explained that I had run OS 5.0.0.328 on my last Storm and my current one, and had the same problems (with constantly running out of memory). So, when they released 5.0.0.419, I installed that immediately and it isn't any better.

He said, "the installer shouldn't have let you install that on a Verizon phone."

I said, "well, all I had to do was delete the vendor.xml file."

He said, "that's what I thought. You know, that voids your warranty."

He still proceeded to try and help me. But, I had never heard that before (that I recall), so I thought I'd share the info.

Ask them where that is published?

It doesn't void the warranty. At worst they will refuse to help you until you install the latest OS for your carrier.

Yeah providers are always looking for reasons to void warranties. Now, there is many valid reasons, but installing latest os from other provider are not one of those, like juwaack68 said.

And support reps are famous (or notorious) for saying that loading a different OS version VOIDS the device warranty.

The support rep is full of B$. That is the company line since we know more than they do and only go to customer support as a last resort.

Isn't that why this place exists ... to fix problems and offer solutions and not "bother" the (enter name of your favorite wireless provider here) "support" people?

Would this really void your warranty? I'm still new to this, but spend a couple hours on here a day reading all the new posts and trying to learn from them, but I've never seen this addressed.

Just so I understand, deleting the vendor.xml file can void your warranty, and it's because you used the OS not from your specific carrier? I think I'm missing something here.

I would greatly appreciate some enlightenment.

No, it cannot void your warranty.

The warranty claim is only for hardware; there is no warranty of any software or OS. So he wanted to aloof you by saying that the warranty is void after deleting vendor.xml.

Tech support will say ANYthing to get you off the phone with them. A little "mis-information" is standard operating procedure if it will clear the call from their log. And if that mis-information will possibly keep you from calling back, for them it's teh win! That's my experience with both Sprint and AT&T anyway. Others might be more forthright, however. I don't want to cast aspersions on the entire tech support sector. Just on the swine I've dealt with.

I can see that being the case, when your bonus is based off of how quickly you can get a customer off the phone.

The Tech Support is partially correct. If you are having an issue with the phone from Verizon and you are running an OS that is not supported by Verizon then you are on your own until you replace the official Verizon OS back on the phone. This is the only way for them to verify that it is a hardware issue instead of incompatible software. They have no obligation to support a phone that you have modified.

Customer Support and Warranty Service are two different things.

you can check for make sure in the warranty card. what it will make void.

This just isn't limited to RIM. There was a story a few weeks back about a guy who returned his laptop to Best Buy for service, but since he had installed Ubuntu on it, they refused to fix it. He reformatted with the original OS and they still told him tough s**t.

Just to be clear, it was RIM tech support that told me that - not Verizon. AND, the RIM guy then proceeded to try and help me - so he wasn't just telling me that to get me off the phone and close the case.

Finally, yes (to one the posters here), the problem was simply that I deleted the vendor.xml and then installed RIM's release of 5.0.0.419. And I can somewhat understand their "official" position on it. By deleting vendor.xml, I was "modifying" their release. Essentially, I did not install the official 5.0.0.419. I installed a version that I modified myself.

I'm not saying I agree with RIM's position. I'm just saying I understand the logic they are using to get there.

I haven't read the warranty text for a while, but there likely is some clause that voids the warranty for modifying or altering the device or something along those lines.

However, I doubt there is a specific mention of installing a different version of the OS than the carrier releases being a violation. More likely some people interpret that as modifying or altering the device and then assume the warranty is void.

Unless that's the carrier's official position, it's all speculation on the reps part.

Do I need to validate my warranty in any way? I bought a BB 9700 3 weeks ago and have the receipt and everything that came with it. Thanks.