"Bricked" BB - My adventure!
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This is a warning, list of what doesn't work and maybe a note of hope for folks with "bricked" Blackberries. Not my thing. I HATE tiny screens & buttons. This is for my wife.
It's a BB 8310 (AT&T) gifted fm my bro. Contract expired. He upgraded and gave it to her. Unlocked it here (U$10). With a local (Philippines) SIM it worked fine.
Installed "BB Desktop Manager" on XP. When DM suggested an "update" I said OK. While it was writing the power went out! Happens a lot here. Shut down what I could and prayed to UPS gods. No luck.
Seemed the flash ram was scrambled because the BB did NOTHING but blink the red light every 3 sec.
Tried the RIM website but seems they don't talk without pay. I guessed a new BB would be cheaper and more effective.
So here's as much of what I tried as I can remember. EVERYTHING said "no device" or words to that effect.
> found a RIM KB on the subject and tried ~14 items.
> tried 8 ideas fm blackberryforums/BlackBerry Help
> charged battery for 12 hours
> checked DM, loader, BBSAK, WinXP, etc., etc.
> checked USB cable against other devices & computers
> removed the battery for 30 min.
> run "loader -nojvm" 25 times.
> run JL_Cmdr 1.9.3 and tried to wipe 25 times.
> run "If JL_Cmdr wipe doesn't work" routine 25 times.
> tried BBSAK 10 times.
> check XP Hrdwre Mngr\USB devices. No RIM anything.
checked every USB device, no RIM driver on any.
> try XP NEW HARDWARE but XP said no such hardware.
> un/re-install DM and tried 25 more times.
> un/re-install JL_Cmdr and tried 25 more times.
> pushed the little hardware "reset" button a dozen times.
> re-tried EVERYTHING with/without battery, SIM, SD,
every combination
Google found people in similar holes who got RIM to talk to them - RIM said "buy a new BB". No discount.
FINALLY - my (filipina) wife laughed and took it back to the shop that unlocked it. Plug into a PC and in 10 min it was OK. Factory defaults but lots better than a "brick".
I don't know what software they used and they won't say but if RIM can't do it for a U$400 device and a "hole-in-the-wall" shop in an obscure town in the PH CAN........ then I need a different vendor.
For other folks with "bricked" BB's, have hope. Try a vacation to the PH. <G>
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