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diamond_ire · 08-24-2005, 04:27 AM

I am new to blackberry and have started to support it a little (I work on a helpdesk). I was wondering can I update the handhelds to version 4.0 and keep the BES at 3.x

We will probably be going to BES ver 4.0 in the future but can I upgrade the handheld now?

NJBlackBerry · 08-24-2005, 05:32 AM

Sure - you can run handheld OS 4.0 without upgrading BES (and vice versa - you can run handheld versions < 4.0 with a BES 4.0).

You must upgrade the devices manually; there is no way to push the upgrade over the air.

bryanhilton · 08-24-2005, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

Sure - you can run handheld OS 4.0 without upgrading BES (and vice versa - you can run handheld versions < 4.0 with a BES 4.0).

You must upgrade the devices manually; there is no way to push the upgrade over the air.

My story is a little different. We have BES 4.0 and want to upgrade all the users handheld software (rougly 1000 users) without physically going to each users desk to verify. Is there a way for us to push the software silently or check silently what version they are on? I have been seraching through the registry and cound not find any keys associated with the handheld. I can use scripting if I know where to start. Any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

jibi · 08-24-2005, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryanhilton

My story is a little different. We have BES 4.0 and want to upgrade all the users handheld software (rougly 1000 users) without physically going to each users desk to verify. Is there a way for us to push the software silently or check silently what version they are on? I have been seraching through the registry and cound not find any keys associated with the handheld. I can use scripting if I know where to start. Any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Sure, open up the Handheld_Administration_Guide.pdf file and look under the sectione entitled 'Upgrading handhelds'. They give you quite a few options. This is included as a paperback guide with the software or can be downloaded from the Product Documentation on blackberry.com's Support pages.

greywolfe · 08-24-2005, 06:12 PM

There are ways of pushing the handheld software out, regular software deployment. You'll just have to look at making the package preferences for the software non-alterable and making sure that people dont do something silly like unplugging the device once it starts updating :P

bryanhilton · 08-24-2005, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jibi

Sure, open up the Handheld_Administration_Guide.pdf file and look under the sectione entitled 'Upgrading handhelds'. They give you quite a few options. This is included as a paperback guide with the software or can be downloaded from the Product Documentation on blackberry.com's Support pages.

One issue I face is that we have different service providers for our blackberries (T-mobile, Verizon, Sprint, Nextel, Cingular, Suncom) so how would I determine which one to push to each user?

Dilseachd · 08-24-2005, 09:53 PM

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry7290/4.0.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

I'm in a similar situation (Cingular,Nextel,T-Mobile, Verizon). We have three options, create packages for each device and post somewhere the customers can download, or build one large packages with all the handheld code, pushing it the users, or put the handheld code on a server and have the desktop install go there to find the right package.

Dilseachd · 08-24-2005, 09:53 PM

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry7290/4.0.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

I'm in a similar situation (Cingular,Nextel,T-Mobile, Verizon). We have three options, create packages for each device and post somewhere the customers can download, or build one large packages with all the handheld code, pushing it the users, or put the handheld code on a server and have the desktop install go there to find the right package.

bryanhilton · 08-24-2005, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dilseachd

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry7290/4.0.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

I'm in a similar situation (Cingular,Nextel,T-Mobile, Verizon). We have three options, create packages for each device and post somewhere the customers can download, or build one large packages with all the handheld code, pushing it the users, or put the handheld code on a server and have the desktop install go there to find the right package.

I wish there was a way to tell what BB each user has as well as what service they have by the PIN. This is NOT going to be fun! We are meeting on Monday with a tech from Rim to discuss our options. Can't wait!

jibi · 08-24-2005, 10:45 PM

I think bfrye or someone else has mentioned in the past of having a centralized network share with the latest updates for all handhelds and running Application Loader from the network. Or maybe it was something else. I just usually hand a list of users that haven't been updated to our support personnel and let them handle the upgrade process.

greywolfe · 08-24-2005, 11:11 PM

The problem that I can see here is attempting to install multiple carrier versions of the same software on one computer. I havn't personally tried it, but i can take a bet it will either throw a hissy fit or each install will overwrite the other. I very much doubt it will install all of them and then let you choose which one when you run app loader.

bryanhilton · 08-25-2005, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greywolfe

The problem that I can see here is attempting to install multiple carrier versions of the same software on one computer. I havn't personally tried it, but i can take a bet it will either throw a hissy fit or each install will overwrite the other. I very much doubt it will install all of them and then let you choose which one when you run app loader.

I can go into the registry and tell if they have the newer blackberry due to USB and the older BBs using serial so I can easily pull a list of users using old BBs but can not tell what Service Provider they use.

SRThornton · 08-25-2005, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greywolfe

The problem that I can see here is attempting to install multiple carrier versions of the same software on one computer. I havn't personally tried it, but i can take a bet it will either throw a hissy fit or each install will overwrite the other. I very much doubt it will install all of them and then let you choose which one when you run app loader.

We have 3 carriers - T-Mobile, Verizon & Cingular - and 6 different devices, 6710, 7230, 7750, 7250, 7290 (TMO & Cing). When we rolled out the upgrade, we installed all versions of the carrier's 4.0 handheld software on one central PC in each of our offices around the world, and everyone brought their device to me and my techs. Everything actually worked perfectly. Application Loader Lite is smart enough to detect different carriers. We upgraded over 1000 devices without a hitch.

One caveat, you will need to go to Common Files - Research in Motion - AppLoader, and rename Vendor.xml to Vendor.old if you have older Verizon devices.

Hope this helps!

bryanhilton · 08-25-2005, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SRThornton

We have 3 carriers - T-Mobile, Verizon & Cingular - and 6 different devices, 6710, 7230, 7750, 7250, 7290 (TMO & Cing). When we rolled out the upgrade, we installed all versions of the carrier's 4.0 handheld software on one central PC in each of our offices around the world, and everyone brought their device to me and my techs. Everything actually worked perfectly. Application Loader Lite is smart enough to detect different carriers. We upgraded over 1000 devices without a hitch.

One caveat, you will need to go to Common Files - Research in Motion - AppLoader, and rename Vendor.xml to Vendor.old if you have older Verizon devices.

Hope this helps!

Thanks man! That helps alot!

b52junebug · 09-01-2005, 01:39 PM

Currently the pins in the U.S. are proprietary to the service provider.

Here is a breakdown. Only the first digit identifies the devices

1-Mobitext device
2-Cingular/ATT
3-Verizon
4-Nextel

I dont remember what the begining of the PIN is for T-Mobile. Wouldn't be hard to figure out though.

In order to upgrades to each of the users software, it can be done a couple of ways.

1) go to each desk
2) make sure that they have the latest desktop manager software loaded on their PC. (in BES 4.0 this makes a HUGE difference in the Handheld Manage without both 4.0 desktop and 4.0 handheld the device information will NOT populate) Then use the instructions from Blackberry to upgrade. I believe they just have you force a download and make everyone go to a directory on the network.

TIP FOR ANYONE UPGRADING HANDHELD SOFTWARE IN A 4.0 ENVIRONMENT: Install the 4.0 desktop manager on the users pc. Using an older version of this software will NOT update any information on the server. After doing an upgrade in BES 4.0 the handheld will do an enterprise activation.

NJBlackBerry · 09-01-2005, 03:14 PM

The first position of the PIN defines the network type. All GSM/GPRS devices begin with a 2. 2 is not limited to Cingular/AT&T.

2 = GSM/GPRS
3 = CDMA
4 = iDen

It is NOT carrier specific. It is network specific.

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