Is it possible to make a full "disk image"/backup of the BB 8830 OS & data?

Hello everybody,

I've been reading this board for a few years now and then, but now I finally signed up.

I've got my BB in 2007, and loved it ever since. Recently (over last year maybe) it's acting up now and then. For example, when I click on something, it often shows a sand-clock symbol, and is generally a bit slower in responding compared to when I first got it. The other things - it delets incoming messages on its own. Usually a full power shut-down cures it for a while.
All this looks like the OS is just "trashed up". I have never updated it since '07 (the version is 4.2.2.148)
Now I'm thinking about doing OS update, however I would like to know if there is a way to completely back up ALL settings, data, apps, OS files.

Few reasons for that:
1) I have a Verizon BB that's set up for MetroPCS (in the U.S.) I'd like to keep those settings. Even though I've moved to Italy, and use it with GSM sim-card here, if I ever have to go back to the States, I don't care to get another phone.
2) I really like the basic theme that's in the OS that I have. I want to keep it. I kinda get stuck on the things that I do like and change reluctantly.
3) If something goes wrong - would there be any way to reverse to an older OS?

I tried searching about the back-up, but I guess I'm lacking terminology - I didn't come up with anything.
I saw something about backing up the data, but I don't care about the data (phone numbers can be punched back in, and I only have a few pics on it that I use for desktop images), I want all my setting, provider info, layout of the screen etc.etc.
Basically, like when you are doing a full hard disk image back-up with, for example Acronis, and then if you had a system crash, in 5 minutes you have you computer back with all programs functioning, mail set up and so on.

Thank you.

There isn't any way to preserve OS settings through an OS upgrade. The upgrade process removes the previous OS and replaces it. The backup capability backs up data only. You'll need a separate process to backup third party apps. If you are using one of the generic themes that comes with the OS, then it likely will look much the same, especially if you load another OS 4.2 version. If you upgrade to OS 4.5, the default themes may be different. I've had several BlackBerry devices since my 8830 and I don't remember if the themes changed when I upgraded from OS 4.2 to OS 4.5. OS 4.5.n.n is the latest that will run on the 8830, and it is barely acceptable. Unfortunately, you'll have a hard time finding OS 4.2 to install.

If you have both your updated and original OS versions installed on your PC, then it is relatively easy to roll back to the older version. I don't recommend an over the air installation of an old OS on an old device. There are too many things that can go wrong.

Thanks! Can I just "install" (i.e. refresh) the same version as I already have?

I am happy with the version of the OS that's on the phone right now, I just thought that you couldn't reinstall the same OS. All I want I is a "clean" install of it. I couldn't care less about the apps, the fist thing I did when I've got my (used) phone, I deleted them all, except for the system, calendar, and basic stuff like that, that I need to operate the phone properly.

I never considered an install over the air. I have found a full OS update, that you run from your computer. I think on that same site they had all various versions of OS; it also said, that if one wants to keep the carrier settings, after installation on the computer, the file named "carrier.xml" (or similar name) needs to be deleted for the progam's folder; I have all the instructions saved. (I've got it from here: http://berryshout.com/?m=8830&l=en)

There's the version that looks like exactly what I have here: http://www.osforblackberry.com/item....22148-for-8830.
Does this look kosher?

You are correct, the Loader app won't reinstall the same OS version on top of the existing version. However, you can wipe the OS from the phone manually, then reinstall it with Loader. The process is described in this thread: http://forums.crackberry.com/tips-ho...l_cmder-53502/. I used to have 4.2.2.196 on my 8830, which was a little newer than the version you linked to. I don't recall the differences now.

Thank you. I think I'm getting there as far as understanding what needs to be done...

1) I have read the thread you referred to, and I'm not quite clear if a wipe also deletes all carrier information.
Does it?

2)As I mentioned previously, all I'm interested the phone to do at this point is call/text. (Back when I fist got the phone, I paid to have the phone set up for MMS & Internet along with call/text) but I ended up reducing my data plan and getting rid of those features.)
Is there a service screen where I can go and find all the carrier data, so that I can set the CDMA part back up?
My BB is unlocked (I did it personally), and dialing ##000000 takes me to "CDMA Service Edit Screen". Is it enough to copy all this data to be able to set the phone back to call & text with MetroPCS?

Here's the data from my phone's "CDMA Service Edit Screen" (for Dallas, TX):

Code:

---

BB 8830 WE

From home screen dial ##000000
Press �Send� button
After making the changes make sure to press �Menu� button and choose �Save� with the trackball.

Mobile Directory Number:        enter phone No. without country code
IMSI_S:                                        2147530176
Mobile Country Code:                        310
Mobile Network Code:                        00
Home SID:                                        6503
Home NID:                                        65535
MO Voice SO Home:                        3
MO Voice SO Rome:                        3
MT Voice SO Home:                        3
Blackberry registration ID:                2004
Home System Registration:                true
Foreign SID Registration:                true
Foreign NID Registration:                true
A-Key:                                        (field empty)
SIP User ID:
[email protected]
SIP Password:
DMU MN Auth: 00111111

---

You've reached my uncertainty limit. I've wiped and reloaded the OS on an 8830 used on Verizon. I did not have to change any CDMA settings before or after. I think it is reasonable to assume that your CDMA settings would not be affected, but since I've never used a phone on MetroPCS, I cannot be certain. Since you have the info you need to recreate the settings if they are changed, you should be ok.

Thank you for all your advice. I've got a pretty good idea of what needs to be done now.
I guess when I'm ready I'll wipe my BB and try to reload the same OS. I think, before I do that I'll see if I can find a cell-phone place that can fix it for me if I screw up though. :)

Hi Jeffh!

I finally got annoyed with the slowness of my BB and said "let's do it".
I've carefully read all the info you recommended, found some more on the top of that and as a result, I've got it done without a wipe.
I installed the Desktop Manager, then the OS (my exact version thereof), and figured I'd play with it first and see what happens. Well, what happened, it that when I connected the BB, if offered and "update". I agreed, unchecked a bunch of unnecessary stuff, then removed another bunch of unnecessary stuff from
Windows Drive:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files\8830-v4.2.2.148_P3.0.0.67\Java:
Help .cod files (net_rim_bb_help.cod and others with the same name), password keeper (net_rim_bb_passwordkeeper.cod etc.) and password wizard (net_rim_bb_password_wizard.cod).
And that seems to have done the trick. Reloaded my data - and no sand-clock turning for 3 minutes at a time any more!
Well, for the time being at least - a whole hour. If the problem re-appears, I'll do the wipe then...

In the process I've learned to unlock vendor's themes, found the name of my favorite theme, copied the file in my distributives just in case and discovered that it might be possible to chunk all original BB themes except one, and everything should work (for some reason one has to be kept). I just did it like that, and it seems all to be working just fine.

I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS. :)
What files in "Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files\8830-v4.2.2.148_P3.0.0.67\Java" are responsible for:
1) Setup Wizard
2) Voice dialing
3) Search
4) Set Up Blue Tooth
I'd like to delete them all from my OS installer directory and not let it install them at all, since in 7 years I have never used that option.

It's no big deal if I delete them, and then the phone doesn't work - I can always put them back (I've already done that with something called Browser, and the phone got stuck, so I put the browswer files back and repeated the procedure).

? Do you also know how to extract preloaded wallpaper from the BB? I'd like to extract one picture that I've been using for 7 years and want to keeep. Then I could also remove the media package.

That's a lot of progress; congratulations! Unfortunately I don't know the answers to your remaining questions and I no longer have an 8830 for experimenting. I don't think it's possible to extract a picture from a media file, but again, I can't be sure.

That's OK, you've already helped so much by setting me on the right path.
The initial learning curve is always the hardest - and with your explanations it came rather easy. I do appreciate it a lot.
Do you think, if I put those questions in a separate thread with more specific title - someone might know? I can't recall where all this info on OS optimization & clean-up came from; might be from one of the link in the FAQs that you referred me to.

I think posting your remaining questions in separate threads with specific titles is a good idea. It might also be a good idea to post them in the General Discussion forum rather than here. The 8830 forum isn't very active and few current posters have ever owned or used one, so the pool of prospective answerers is rather shallow.

Thank you, I might do just that - make a separate thread in Gen.Discussion.
Yesterday I've discovered the CrackUtil and I'm having a blast. (You can probably tell - I've stuck a screenshot of my phone as avatar, since I didn't have one). The program is so incredibly simple and elegant.
I got rid of some more stuff like Voice Activated Dialing, that bugged me for years now, BlueTooth utility that didn't bug me but was never used and was therefore useless, couple more thingies that I never used either.

Anyway, I'm just nitpicking. I already have around 25 MB of free space, and the phone's fast. I left only two themes on it - Verizon theme that I use, and BB theme that also had "zen" in it like Verizon's theme, everything works impeccably. Originally, I did it by intuition, but later on I found out that it is exactly how one should do it: leaving a BB zen theme to support a 3rd party zen theme, icon for icon, etc. I have no idea what the difference between diff.types of themes is, but who cares at this point.
For now I'm doing search by the .cod file name, and many times stumble onto discussions of people who have already chunked them with no harm done, so I do the same.

I have also discovered that my background is a picture that I've downloaded somewhere, not a pre-set. I was so convinced it was one of the preloaded pics. So I could happily delete pre-loaded pictures - if I remember which one it is...

Do you know, if there ever was another version of CrackUtil other than 1.0? You were rather active in the topic, and I am not sure I want to read all 34 pages of it.

Originally Posted by falzman

...Do you know, if there ever was another version of CrackUtil other than 1.0? You were rather active in the topic, and I am not sure I want to read all 34 pages of it.

The version of CrackUtil that you found at the bottom of the first post is the latest version. It went through several updates, and I thought Pete6 changed the version number, but I could be mistaken. Regardless, the version he linked was the latest version. CrackUtil was a great app for its time and still is for phones of the 8nnn vintage. People with current devices need to use a different app.

Well, for me CrackUtil is perfect. Except for the log clean-up that doesn't work. I have saved the instructions in the thread dedicated to CrackUtil on how to do it "manually" from the computer (haven't tried it yet).
Could you point me to the right direction on where it is in the phone's menu?

I like having full control and understanding of what I'm doing - and the Util allows exactly that. I hate tools that "just do it" for you. Some of those have too few details on what's really going on. Now I'm working on figuring out how to install Russian language pack. My only task is to be able to read SMS text sent to me in Russian. I am in Russia 3 months a year at best, I strongly dislike menus in other languages than English, and all my friends will surely understand translit in my responses.

Originally Posted by falzman

Well, for me CrackUtil is perfect. Except for the log clean-up that doesn't work. I have saved the instructions in the thread dedicated to CrackUtil on how to do it "manually" from the computer (haven't tried it yet).
Could you point me to the right direction on where it is in the phone's menu?
...

On my 9930, I can type Alt LGLG to bring up the Event Log. I can then press Menu and select Clear Log to clear it. That probably works on the 8830 as well.

Hi Jeff!

Yes it works - thank you.

In the mean time - I've found a solution on how to add another language input onto the phone. :)
I almost got there on my own with only logic and copying some files into the phone, but in the installers I had available, some critical files for keyboard input were missing, so I ended up with a Russian menu (which I have no use for), but not Russian keyboard. After some more digging I found a recepie that indicated which OS installer would have all files, and how to make and .alx file to load them in one step. Worked like a charm!
For some reason, installers for 8820 smartphone has it all. Later phone versions do not. Weird. Maybe the very latest phones do as well, but obviously that interested me rather little. :) So a "salad" of 8820's language files plus 3 files containing "fastEuropean" from 8830's installer did the trick. Next - figure out how to get rid of Russian menus and leave input only. Trial & error I guess.

As you recommended, I posted a thread with questions about certain .cod modules. LIttle luck there. Apparently everybody uses other people's tools, that just do it for them, and the ones who know don't want to waste the time to share the knowledge.

Now I appreciate BB even more, the modular structure they use is great. I'd like to see anybody doing it so easily on and Apple device.

Maybe I can pick your brain, since you always answer me so kindly. Really, what I want to know is very generic.
For ex., what is crypto library? And what does it do?
Generally speaking, if a file contains "resourse" in it - what is it for?

Originally Posted by falzman

...Really, what I want to know is very generic. For ex., what is crypto library? And what does it do? Generally speaking, if a file contains "resource" in it - what is it for?

One good way to find answers to questions like this one is to Google the exact file name you're interested in. I Googled "net_rim_bb_crypto_resource.cod" and found numerous references. One that seemed useful was
Verizon Pearl 8130 memory savings

Hope this helps. The basic techniques you've discovered will work on newer devices. It's just not as urgent now that devices have more memory. Another excellent thread for older devices is
http://forums.crackberry.com/tips-ho...-memory-34633/

In their day, Reed McLay and Pete6 were superstars.