[AnnaRic]

I've had it for close to a year now and it keeps randomly shutting down and locking up on me. Sometimes I can just turn it back on but mostly I have to remove the battery all together, reinsert and wait about 15 minutes while it figures out what it's doing. It's very frustrating.

Also - I added a memory card so it would stop randomly deleting my e-mail but it still does and it drives me insane. I literally have NO idea how to fix this.

I have to take it in to a product care centre (Telus) but I want to understand what the deal is before they try and talk me out of the fact that my phone is a P.O.S.

A friend of mine has these problems as well and they replaced his phone but he hasn't had it that long. I wish I would have taken care of this sooner.

Anyone else?

[jeffh]

There's almost certainly nothing wrong with your 8830. Check your free memory: Options / Status / File Free:

What you are describing is typical of the problems caused by low available memory. Any time "File Free" drops below 12 000 000 bytes, the phone will start deleting call logs and text messages without warning to free up memory. Text messages may be deleted as soon as they arrive, before you have had time to read them.

A battery pull recovers memory and will alleviate the problem temporarily. The solution is to remove the stuff you don't need (the sample video, wallpaper, themes, other languages, brickbreaker, etc.) from the device's memory. The following procedure, originally written by Forums Moderator Reed McLay will guide you:

http://forums.crackberry.com/f3/how-...-memory-34633/

Also, if you have a Media Card, be sure to put pictures, videos, music, and ringtones on it, not in your device's memory. Keep in mind that Media Card memory is not device memory. You have to keep your device memory above 12 000 000 bytes, regardless of the capacity of your Media Card or how much free space it has. Finally, you can't at this time run programs from a Media Card. Programs have to be installed in and executed in device memory.

[AnnaRic]

Thanks Jeff. I checked my device memory after having read through the forums but it's 17,616,267. I have next to nothing in my media folder except for a couple of pics sent to me via Blackberry Messenger - no music, video, etc.

I don't understand why it just shuts down. Low memory or not, that doesn't sound right.

[jeffh]

17M is enough memory, unless you are running an app that consumes it. In that case, it's possible to experience low memory effects, even with sufficient post-battery-pull memory. If you don't mind telling me what you're running, I might be able to identify some common memory problem culprits.

[AnnaRic]

I haven't installed any apps outside of what came with the phone. I use the Telus e-mail (simple set up, I recall just entering my user name and password in the e-mail set up), Blackberry Messenger, the calendar and tasks utilities, BrickBreaker (which I haven't played since the first week I got the phone), Facebook (rarely use), Google Chat (never use), Yahoo Chat (never use), Maps (seldom use) and that's it.

I could delete the chat apps because I never EVER use them....

Was this what you were looking for or should I list the Applications from the actual Applications Menu?

[AnnaRic]

Darnit and now my trackball isn't working.....

[AnnaRic]

I can't find where the chat apps are located in order to delete them - they don't show up in my applications menu list and I can't delete them from the main screen - only hide. Am I not seeing something?

ETA: That's because they're just shortcuts. The actual application was never installed - I clicked and it asked me download the app.

[berry me with it]

I would delete the Facebook app, it's been giving a lot of people issues lately, it could be your culprit.

[jeffh]

I would suspect Facebook if you were using it. If you press Alt-Esc, is it running in the background? Is anything running other than the five basic apps: Messages, Messenger, Phone Log, Home Screen and Browser?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[AnnaRic]

Oh boooy... Um, where's the ESC key? (I'm embarrassed that I don't know this)

[jeffh]

Sorry, it's the counter-clockwise arrow to the right of the trackball. Hold down the alt key while pressing it and you get a list of running apps.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[AnnaRic]

Wait - is that the key to the right of the trackball? I didn't even think to guess it was called the Esc key. I pressed ALT+ESC and no, it's not running.

[AnnaRic]

Posted at same time! Sorry...

media, messages, home screen, browser, options, blackberry messenger and phone are what show up when I do that.

[jeffh]

No problem. I don't know why Media and Options would be running. If you do a battery pull and do an alt-esc as soon as your phone finishes booting, are they running then?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[AnnaRic]

Takes for freakingEVER to boot back up...

They're not running after a reboot.

[jeffh]

That's also odd. What OS are you running? Have you upgraded? If you've had it about a year, you probably have 4.2.2.176.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[AnnaRic]

I have 4.2.2.123

[jeffh]

Unfortunately, I'm not at my computer and can't pull up the list of bugs and issues that 4.2.2.176 fixed. It's not clear to me what's wrong with your 8830, but an old OS isn't helping. You could try upgrading to 4.2.2.196. If your warranty is expired, it's worth a try. If it's still in warranty, you may want to exchange it. At this point you will almost certainly get a refurbed unit. So you have a choice.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[AnnaRic]

The only other OS my provider is offering is v4.2.2.322 so I'm downloading it right now. I am kind of confused as to how to do this though as the instructions they give are virtually useless.

I already have the Desktop Manager installed, do I connect my phone, launch Desktop Manager and then the Software Update? Last thing I need is to screw this up now....

It's still under warranty though, maybe I should leave the OS as is until they look at it. I don't want a refurbished phone (gross LOL!). I might just raise a really big stink - I've been with Telus since 1994.

[AnnaRic]

By the way, thanks very much for all of your help!

[jeffh]

I'm not familiar with Telus, so I don't know what their policy re a new phone for a long-time customer might be. Another point to consider is that the 8830 is nearing the end of its time in the RIM lineup. You might want to upgrade to a newer model.

The upgrade / downgrade procedure that's linked in my sig will help you with the upgrade if you decide to do it.