[dnjvan]

My good old Z30 finally died. Found an ordered a replacement. Since the Blackberry software does not work with that phone under current versions of Windows, have not been able to download/save my contacts, etc. If I take the sim and memory cards out of the old one and stick in the new one, should it come up and work? Thanks.

[conite]

My good old Z30 finally died. Found an ordered a replacement. Since the Blackberry software does not work with that phone under current versions of Windows, have not been able to download/save my contacts, etc. If I take the sim and memory cards out of the old one and stick in the new one, should it come up and work? Thanks.

It won't.

Use Ultimate Backup.

http://runisoft.com/index.php?option...=78&Itemid=485

Or better yet, use cloud sync like everyone else this day and age.

[dnjvan]

Thanks for the hint on Ultimate Backup. That looks like it might be a great solution ... IF I can get all my data onto the new phone by just moving the sim card and SD data card over to it ... which was my original question, in case anybody knows the answer to that.

But just for fun, I'll bet you anything in the world that not "everyone else," even in this day and age, uses cloud sync. :-)

[conite]

Thanks for the hint on Ultimate Backup. That looks like it might be a great solution ... IF I can get all my data onto the new phone by just moving the sim card and SD data card over to it ... which was my original question, in case anybody knows the answer to that.

But just for fun, I'll bet you anything in the world that not "everyone else," even in this day and age, uses cloud sync. :-)

Ultimate Backup will backup to your SD card.

I'll agree to 99.9% then.

[dnjvan]

I'd even take that bet!

[dnjvan]

I notice you do not capitalize "cloud sync," so is that just a generic term or a specific product (e.g., Net App Cloud Sync)?

[conite]

I notice you do not capitalize "cloud sync," so is that just a generic term or a specific product (e.g., Net App Cloud Sync)?

Generic.

Meaning Gmail, Outlook365, etc.

[dnjvan]

Thanks.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Thanks for the hint on Ultimate Backup. That looks like it might be a great solution ... IF I can get all my data onto the new phone by just moving the sim card and SD data card over to it ... which was my original question, in case anybody knows the answer to that.

But just for fun, I'll bet you anything in the world that not "everyone else," even in this day and age, uses cloud sync. :-)

You might be once you figure out you just lost a bunch of data.

SIM is only going to contain contacts you specifically saved to it... which generally isn't many, as it's not the default storage for contacts, and is limited in what data it can save.

SD Card will have the info you saved to it, hopefully your photos and documents, but not texts, contacts, emails.... And that's if you didn't encrypted it, if encrypted, that data is only accessible via the old phone.

If the old phone works to the degree you can run Ultimate Backup... you can use your SD Card to get "most" of your information over to your new phone. If your old phone is completely dead, you'll just have to see...

Might be worth swapping out some parts like battery and display to see if you can get your data....

[dnjvan]

Pardon me for being woefully inexperienced with some of these issues on cell phones. Do I understand then that the phone has additional storage besides what's on the SIM card and the SD card, and that would be where all your other data (contacts, saved messages, etc.) would reside? And do I understand from your last post that "Ultimate Backup" can only backup to the SD card, and not to your computer? If I plug my cell phone (via USB) to my computer as just an external drive, should I be able to find all that data somewhere? (In the past I have not been able to find anything except basically what's on the SD card, so maybe not looking in the right place.) Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise.

The screen seems to work. The phone is dead unless you plug it in, but the battery is relatively new and was fully charged.

[conite]

Pardon me for being woefully inexperienced with some of these issues on cell phones. Do I understand then that the phone has additional storage besides what's on the SIM card and the SD card, and that would be where all your other data (contacts, saved messages, etc.) would reside? And do I understand from your last post that "Ultimate Backup" can only backup to the SD card, and not to your computer? If I plug my cell phone (via USB) to my computer as just an external drive, should I be able to find all that data somewhere? (In the past I have not been able to find anything except basically what's on the SD card, so maybe not looking in the right place.) Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise.

The screen seems to work. The phone is dead unless you plug it in, but the battery is relatively new and was fully charged.

All the data is on your device memory. Nothing should be on your SIM, and only what you intentionally stored on your SD card will be there. You won't see anything apart from specific files or photos. Stuff like email, contacts etc are inaccessible.

You didn't exactly say what you meant by "dead". Can you even start your phone?

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Pardon me for being woefully inexperienced with some of these issues on cell phones. Do I understand then that the phone has additional storage besides what's on the SIM card and the SD card, and that would be where all your other data (contacts, saved messages, etc.) would reside? And do I understand from your last post that "Ultimate Backup" can only backup to the SD card, and not to your computer? If I plug my cell phone (via USB) to my computer as just an external drive, should I be able to find all that data somewhere? (In the past I have not been able to find anything except basically what's on the SD card, so maybe not looking in the right place.) Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise.

The screen seems to work. The phone is dead unless you plug it in, but the battery is relatively new and was fully charged.

Yes all phones have internal storage... an SD card is optional.

The SD Card isn't used by the phone, unless you specifically select it as the location to save some data. But that's usually reserved for things like Photos, Images or backup options in some apps.

Ultimate Backup runs on your phone and I always saved the data to my SD Card and manually moved it. Might do network locations... I haven't needed to use it in a long time.

Most data is saved within apps or within data stores that for security reasons are not accessible. Even backup solutions like Darcy and LINK only offered an encrypted file that was pretty much useless for anything but restoring another BB10 device.

If it's working... use Ultimate Backup to do a full backup to a clean SD Card. Then reverse with your newly setup phone, then reinsert the original SD Card. But your will have to setup your new phone and manually add back your accounts and apps.. But most your data will be accessible.

Going forward.... plan around what you'll do if the phone doesn't allow you access or you lose the phone.

[dnjvan]

Thanks for that reply. We may have found the issue with my phone, so hoping it will be back up and running. Then, as you say, will put a new SD card in for backups and load Ultimate Backup. Now, the folks at Runisoft mentioned that they send a BAR file. Is that like an APK you load and activate on the phone? Then you just use that to copy your data to the SD? Does it continually back up, or is that a discreet process where you have to do a backup periodically? Thx.

[dnjvan]

And another couple questions as I drag myself, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century ...
So, when you back up the files onto the SD card, they are not "veiwable" except on the phone, or another phone onto which your may upload/restore them, right? So is there a way to have those files (contacts, SMS, media, etc.) get onto your PC in a form/format they are readable/usable? What is Microsoft "Your Phone" and does it have any usefulness in this context?

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

And another couple questions as I drag myself, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century ...
So, when you back up the files onto the SD card, they are not "veiwable" except on the phone, or another phone onto which your may upload/restore them, right? So is there a way to have those files (contacts, SMS, media, etc.) get onto your PC in a form/format they are readable/usable? What is Microsoft "Your Phone" and does it have any usefulness in this context?

Your Phone only works with Android.. .

I'm not sure if it was Ultimate Backup or another app I used, but it would save some data in standard .CSV files that could be viewed... and could be exported to allow for importing into other products. Like moving contacts to a cloud email service or moving SMS to another device. Never really dug into trying to access the one archive file Ultimate Backup created.

But I also only used it for SMS for the most part. Images and documents I had synced with OneDrive (it's been a while since I used BB10). Email and Contact were synced with my Accounts that allowed full syncing - stopped using POP when BB10 came out and it didn't at first support syncing with desktop Outlook.

The BAR file you'll have to sideload... going to assume if you use BB10 you know what that is. If not search for "BB10 / PlayBook App Manager" in Chrome extensions.

It doesn't work in the background like Android and iOS does... you'll have to remember to run it from time to time. Best practice would be to use SD Cards you don't keep in the phone. Worst case is always that you lose the phone.... so prepare for that.

[dnjvan]

Great information. Thanks so much.

[dnjvan]

At this point, I'm either going to get the Z30 running again or I'm not, but in either case it's old and tired and it will need to be replaced. So, I'm having trouble figuring out if there are any new Blackberry phones, or if we are all going to need to start thinking about something other than a Blackberry (after all these years). So, if you wanted to stay with BB, what would you be trying to buy as a new phone. (Cell provider is Verizon if that makes any difference.)

[brookie229]

Since the Blackberry software does not work with that phone under current versions of Windows,

BlackBerry Link still works on Windows 10 - it's just fussy sometimes.

Works ok for me - even for my PlayBook - something you are missing.

[brookie229]

So, if you wanted to stay with BB, what would you be trying to buy as a new phone.

Time to get a new brand and leave BB behind. Try Pixel or Samsung or iphone - all good choices.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

At this point, I'm either going to get the Z30 running again or I'm not, but in either case it's old and tired and it will need to be replaced. So, I'm having trouble figuring out if there are any new Blackberry phones, or if we are all going to need to start thinking about something other than a Blackberry (after all these years). So, if you wanted to stay with BB, what would you be trying to buy as a new phone. (Cell provider is Verizon if that makes any difference.)

1st - A phone that Verizon sales and fully supports.

2nd - What are family and friends using? What do they like about their phone and what don't they like.

At this point you can write off LG...
Samsung, Google and Apple are the brands I'd stick to at this point - Verizon supports them, and they (OEMs) support their customers.
I'd buy as new a phone as possible - longer support window.

My "view" is iOS offers a simpler experience that many less tech savvy BlackBerry users might be easier to adapt too. And if your in the US, it's a good chance that you or your family are already using an iOS Tablet, Phone or Watch.

I'd be fine with a Google or Samsung phone... but shared family ecosystem based on Apple make my owning an Apple device more logical.

[bh7171]

At this point, I'm either going to get the Z30 running again or I'm not, but in either case it's old and tired and it will need to be replaced. So, I'm having trouble figuring out if there are any new Blackberry phones, or if we are all going to need to start thinking about something other than a Blackberry (after all these years). So, if you wanted to stay with BB, what would you be trying to buy as a new phone. (Cell provider is Verizon if that makes any difference.)

Verizon has a Current trade in program for any older device that gives a user a 1000 dollar credit toward a new device. For that amount you can pretty much pick your preferred flagship.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Verizon has a Current trade in program for any older device that gives a user a 1000 dollar credit toward a new device. For that amount you can pretty much pick your preferred flagship.

Fine print.... if you try to put in "any" BlackBerry it will tell you it doesn't qualify. My old broken S7 is worth about $340, to get the full credit still has to be a newer phone. Not the best deal I've seen from Verizon on phones...

I'd wait and watch different sales... but in the end the best deals are on new lines. My cheat was to move a line to Xfinity for 90 days and then come back.... Xfinity has some really cheap plans if you don't need much data, but I did the $45 unlimited for her. But it's best to "plan" around the launch of a new devices... or some big holiday.

Will say Xfinity was great, and their rates for VZW towers were good too. But there are limitation with any MVNO, and I'd rather pay a little more to know I'm a first class citizen. (had a hurricane here... if you were on a MVNO during the peak calling going on, you didn't get through)

[bh7171]

Fine print.... if you try to put in "any" BlackBerry it will tell you it doesn't qualify. My old broken S7 is worth about $340, to get the full credit still has to be a newer phone. Not the best deal I've seen from Verizon on phones...

I'd wait and watch different sales... but in the end the best deals are on new lines. My cheat was to move a line to Xfinity for 90 days and then come back.... Xfinity has some really cheap plans if you don't need much data, but I did the $45 unlimited for her. But it's best to "plan" around the launch of a new devices... or some big holiday.

Will say Xfinity was great, and their rates for VZW towers were good too. But there are limitation with any MVNO, and I'd rather pay a little more to know I'm a first class citizen. (had a hurricane here... if you were on a MVNO during the peak calling going on, you didn't get through)

Well in this case could switch to the new #2 T-Mobile as they will give any new user a Samsung Galaxy A32 5G for ANY phone traded in and are upgrading all users to unlimited plans.

The new A32 5G ships with Android 11 and will receive 3 additional OS version updates and 4 years of security patches.

https://9to5google.com/2021/04/07/t-...5g-free-promo/

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Well in this case could switch to the new #2 T-Mobile as they will give any new user a Samsung Galaxy A32 5G for ANY phone traded in and are upgrading all users to unlimited plans.

The new A32 5G ships with Android 11 and will receive 3 additional OS version updates and 4 years of security patches.

https://9to5google.com/2021/04/07/t-...5g-free-promo/

Maybe... but if he's like me, moving away from VZW isn't yet an option. But if you are free of a contract and have coverage with other carriers....

[dnjvan]

Thanks for all that info. Just as an update, taking your excellent viewpoints into account, picked up a new Galaxy phone, still Verizon, and it's up and running just fine. Waiting for a part that should get the Z30 running at least long enough to get the data off onto an SD card. The BB phone is deactivated (with respect to the cell service), but hopefully I won't have any trouble loading Ultimate Backup via USB cable and downloading the data. Then the next question will be whether the new phone (also running UB) will be able to upload that data. Fingers remain crossed.