[controlair]

We have BES 4.1 here, from time to time I have to swap device for user, that is, to assign another device to a user's account when there is already a device assigned.

I was doing it by:

- No action about erasing the previous device was done (I can't find any option to do that)

- Connect the new device via USB to the server, under the user's name, just assign it.

I am having so many troubles when doing this, the first error would be encryption key error, and the next one would be some connector not responding..... sometimes I just need to disconnect the device and try it again, sometimes it takes a restart of the server to make that to work.

Is there a standard procedure to "unassociate" the old device with the user's account, before I assign another device to it?

[Krissy]

If the device that you are trying to assign to the user was used for another user previously, You should wipe that device first. You can do a wireless activation on the new device for the user as well, you shouldn't have to cradle it.

[controlair]

I do not think it has anything to do with the new device, it is always either brand new or already wiped out clean. I guess it is about the user account already aoosicated with a device when I tried to ADD device.

[BlackBerry Master]

Originally Posted by controlair

I do not think it has anything to do with the new device, it is always either brand new or already wiped out clean. I guess it is about the user account already aoosicated with a device when I tried to ADD device.

Actually, you shouldn't think it has nothing to do with the handheld, trust me...always do a wipe of the handheld before you assign it to a user. Brand new or not. The encryption errors you are receiving are a red flag that this is not being done, likely because of existing service books on the handheld.

To wipe a handheld with 4.1 code go to Options -> Security Options, under Password select either enabled or disabled and you will see an option to "Wipe Handheld".

If you do this your first issue should be resolved. Post the exact error on the second issue you have if you see it again.

Good luck.

[controlair]

Originally Posted by BlackBerry Master

Actually, you shouldn't think it has nothing to do with .........

You are right, I always made sure I wipe the handheld if it was previously used, however if it is brand new out of the box, I did NOT do a wipe because I didn't know that is nessasary.

At the next time I will make sure to wipe it, and post the detail error message if I still have problem.

Krissy, BB Master, thank you both for helping me.

[BlackBerry Master]

No problem, if you wipe them everytime I doubt you'll see this problem again.

If so, post that second error. I'd like to see it.

[Khue]

Standard procedure here is to just wipe the bb, remove the user from the BES (along with existing statistics), then add the user back and OTA activate the device with the desired user. No biggie, we trained our teir 2 support to handle these issues and no problems to speak of.

[Spamdumpster]

My advice is to backup the old device, but to let the enterprise activiation complete before restoring the data to the new device. This should avoid the encryption error that you're getting.

[controlair]

Originally Posted by Spamdumpster

My advice is to backup the old device, but to let the enterprise activiation complete before restoring the data to the new device. This should avoid the encryption error that you're getting.

Spamdumpster,

Your suggestion is intresting....

I never try to backup from old device and restore it to a differenct device, I am seeing that time comsuming and not nessasary -- under the situation that everything is on the user's Exchange account and no data specifictly on the handheld needs to be backed up.

I wonder what RIM's tech support will suggest when we need to swap device, I know what I did was probably wrong because I ran into errors, however I doubt if doing backup/restore would be the standard way to do device swap.

[Khue]

Originally Posted by Spamdumpster

My advice is to backup the old device, but to let the enterprise activiation complete before restoring the data to the new device. This should avoid the encryption error that you're getting.

Just a quick question, why would you back up the old device? What items would be saved strictly to the bb and not to the mail box?

[Ekrimmer]

Originally Posted by Khue

Just a quick question, why would you back up the old device? What items would be saved strictly to the bb and not to the mail box?

Saved items for one

[controlair]

Originally Posted by Xaneth

We have been using BIS prior to using BES. One reason you want to backup, is so that when doing such a migration, you want to retain the users address book. I first go into Blackberry Desktop and use Intellisync to dump the address book to the users contacts in Outlook. Same thing with any calendar events, tasks, etc. Then after wiping the device and setting them up on the BES, it's all good!

Xaneth,

What you described above makes sense however is no longer nessasary in BES 4.x.

Not only email, but also contacts, calendar events, tasks, even notes are all being sync'ed wirelessly with Outlook account in real time, there is nothing you need to "retain" anymore!

[Xaneth]

We have been using BIS prior to using BES. One reason you want to backup, is so that when doing such a migration, you want to retain the users address book. I first go into Blackberry Desktop and use Intellisync to dump the address book to the users contacts in Outlook. Same thing with any calendar events, tasks, etc. Then after wiping the device and setting them up on the BES, it's all good!

[punkinwing]

Used to do the wipe, delete and reactivate OTA, but that is a bit complex when coordinating with non-tech remote folks.. We now deploy the BB desktop software on our user's laptops and they can just connect and change the blackberry themselves when a replacment unit is sent.. The policies and all the other settings are retained!! Found out it even works with the BB connect client too.. (although the BB connect client stinks on ice)