Help me rescue my Torch 9800

[loopdokter]

My gf was updating some apps on my old Blackberry Torch 9800 (she knows for sure one was GasBuddy) when the device went into the dreaded 'reboot of death' cycle.

Now I will preface this by saying that I've bricked 2 other 9800's and had to send them back to the carrier by doing the exact same thing with updating apps, but at the time the device was under warranty. Now I've upgraded to the 9810 so I believe my old device is null and void. That said, I've also had this happen to me on several occasions and managed to revive the device.

I'm rather technical. I work in IT and have a tech background, so very little intimidates me.

I cannot get this danged thing to connect at all. It just cycles and cyles. It refuses to boot into safe mode. The old battery pull/connect trick doesn't do anything. BBSK won't connect to wipe the OS (that would make me feel good if it did). Blackberry Desktop doesn't connect. Blackberry Hybrids won't see it. App Loader sees the PIN through USB and then it says it can't connect. Windows sees the device and installs the driver for it. Also, interestingly BB Desktop recognizes that I have a Torch 9800 connected but refuses to connect to it. I've swapped out batteries, USB cables, etc. I'm completely at a loss. All I want to do is get an OS installed and work from there.

This is doing my head in! I've been able to fix other devices and I'm rather upset I've got a $200 paperweight on my hands.

HELP!? Suggestions, ideas and sympathy are much appreciated!

[drkknyt98]

Sometimes BBSAK should connect right after you the red LED goes off, but you have to be quick about it. Once connected, go to the modify COD's tab and read system. After read, select the offending apps that started this cycle and remove them. BBSAK will auto-reboot once its completed.


To see if the OS install will work you want to make sure, before connecting your 9800 to your PC, that OS is properly installed on your PC and that both Vendor xml files are deleted. I referenced this from Elite1 new OS install. On PC, navigate to
•64-bit: Computer/C:/Program Files (x86)/Common Files/Research In Motion/AppLoader and delete file therein called Vendor.
•32-bit: Computer/C:/Program Files/Common Files/Research In Motion/AppLoader and delete file therein called Vendor.
There was a second vendor.xml buried here at:
C:\Users\***\AppData\Roaming\Research In Motion\BlackBerry\Loader XML that you should delete also.

Now open apploader.exe. Connect phone and as soon as the red light goes out keep clicking connect. The java handler should take hold from here. It should allow you to reload.

As a last resort one time I had to use BBSAK to just wipe the phone. Then follow the nuked to reload the latest OS and then restore my backups.Follow this link to reload the OS from there: http://crackberry.com/blackberry-101...ked-blackberry.

[pmccartney]

Also, usually BBSAK will NOT connect if BlackBerry DEVICE Manager is still running. Be sure DM and Device Manager are both shut down before starting BBSAK.

[sedalia066]

Like pmccartney says. Be sure to check for background running (CTRL-ALT-DEL) and stop all RIM processes. That little bit of trouble caused many headaches in the past.

[DallasFlier]

I had the same thing, constant reboot, never finished the boot. Did a little reading, found the solution. Reboot into safe mode. Right after the red light goes out, (quickly) press the escape (right of the trackpad) key and hold it down for 5-10 seconds as the boot process begins. It will boot into safe mode and allow you to remove the last apps you installed that caused the problem.

[loopdokter]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

I tried all of these methods and they failed. However, after some repeated efforts BB Desktop decided on a whim that it was going to connect and 'upgrade' (I laugh, because it downgraded the OS I had installed previously) the OS. When it was all said and done, I got the device up and running again.

After having seen my old Torch 9800 issues with bricking, my gf has decided that she's sticking to her old Bold 9000 over my other hand-me-down. In some ways, I don't blame her. I had issues beyond belief with the 9800.

Anyone want to buy a Torch 9800? Haha.

[UTZobel]

Willing to purchase your Torch 9800, what are you looking to get for it?