[csawatsky]

I picked up a used 9900 yesterday and it's currently running 7.0.x so I wanted to update to 7.1
The person I bought it from says it is unlocked for all carriers but didn't know anything more than that

The phone doesn't have any carrier markings on it, and no splash screen.

Vendor ID shows 301 which is carphone warehouse out of the UK. I downloaded their version of the new OS but bb desktop doesn't want to install that either. The online update tool also said no updates available.

I read some information about using loader.exe to do a wipe/install, is that the recommended next step?

thanks!

[aiharkness]

Verify that it is a 9900. Check the About screen in device options.

See the following. Follow the instructions. See what happens.

http://www.blackberryforums.com/gene...ml#post1791483
Posted via BlackBerryForums.com Mobile

[csawatsky]

yes it is a 9900

when I try the loader.exe thing (after deleting vendor.xml's) it only shows "wireless music sync" as an option in the applications, doesn't say anything about the OS

ideas?

I should also note that I dont' yet have a sim card in this phone not sure if that's relevant or not

[aiharkness]

It wasn't a dumb question whether it is really a 9900, or even really a BlackBerry. You'd be surprised.

I don't remember the details at the moment, but for some time RIM has required a data plan in order to do OS upgrades. Search on how to upgrade without a data plan and read the details. It can be done. I thought using loader as you are doing was the way around this, but I may be wrong. Search and check.

Also, when you downloaded the OS installer, you installed it, correct?

And see what others say if you are unable to make it work. The details you gave about the device are suspicious, but I'm not sure that is a factor or not.
Posted via BlackBerryForums.com Mobile

[csawatsky]

for background, I am an IT professional working with blackberry for ~10 years, I have 4 working 9900s (also acquired used this week) on my desk currently
I did install the OS upgrade, and I did do sim-card-less upgrades on the other phones yesterday via DM

ok so I threw a working sim card into the phone (had to borrow one as I use a 3ff device and don't have an adapter)

on power up it shows no bars, flashes to full bars, then goes to SOS

I went into options -> sim card and typed MEPD and it shows DISABLED for all options so I think that means it's unlocked.

Any other ideas?

[aiharkness]

The particulars about that device confuse me. I don't really know much about unbranded BlackBerrys and so forth. No personal experience, only what I read. I wonder about it possibly being an engineering prototype, but then why would it have a vendor ID number? Maybe the case has been replaced, but then why no splash screen. It's over my head.

And it does sound like it is unlocked. So why doesn't the phone at least find and connect to the network? Does that have anything to do with the present problem?

I suspect you probably know more than I do. If it were me I would want to retuen the device and get my money back. But if you are intent on dealing with it, I don't know. I really don't know. What about wiping it to a 507 error and them trying to install 7.1? Could be, though, you'll end up worse off than now.
Posted via BlackBerryForums.com Mobile

[csawatsky]

so I managed to get the software updated by treating it like a bricked phone

pull battery, get apploader started, plug in phone (no battery) and click "next" in apploader immediately.
induced error 507, which then allowed me to install 7.1

Still SOS error, but I've started a dedicated thread to that

thanks for your help so far!

[aiharkness]

Ahhh.....ok.....good. So something was boogered with the device software? I can imagine if you had wiped it to the 507 error you would have been able to install the OS again.

I'm looking forward to seeing an answer to the SOS issue. I guess it is still doing it after the OS upgrade or you would have said something. Strange.
Posted via BlackBerryForums.com Mobile

[aiharkness]

Some ideas on the SOS issue:

http://btsc.webapps.blackberry.com/b...ListHelperImpl

Have you tried reseating the SIM card? Have you been able to try another SIM card? Do the contacts look ok?

There are some other ideas in the article, but I don't know if they apply.
Posted via BlackBerryForums.com Mobile

[rambo47]

It was starting to sound like you had one of those pre-release engineering/developer units. Very dodgy stuff.