[Munchkinguy]

A sudden storm washed me and my canoe into the middle of a lake and eventually capsized me. I was bobbing around in the water for about 30 minutes until I was rescued. My Blackberry Passport capsized with me. Once ashore, I immediately put the phone in a bag of rice and left it there for about two days. Upon arriving home, I tried turning it on, but no luck. When I plugged it in, the LED turned on, but the phone did not turn on when I tried the power button while it was plugged in. I've put it back in some rice and will wait another day. SIM card works fine in another phone.

Any tips for reviving the phone? If I can't, is there any way I can recover my address book data, etc?

[elfabio80]

A sudden storm washed me and my canoe into the middle of a lake and eventually capsized me. I was bobbing around in the water for about 30 minutes until I was rescued. My Blackberry Passport capsized with me. Once ashore, I immediately put the phone in a bag of rice and left it there for about two days. Upon arriving home, I tried turning it on, but no luck. When I plugged it in, the LED turned on, but the phone did not turn on when I tried the power button while it was plugged in. I've put it back in some rice and will wait another day. SIM card works fine in another phone.

Any tips for reviving the phone? If I can't, is there any way I can recover my address book data, etc?

It happened to me the same, but I was at the sea and it came suddenly a strange wave.... I put the phone 2 days inside a box full of rice and then took it to a phone shop. I was at that time in the Philippines, at Tacloban.

I was lucky, since the guy opernd the phone and "cleaned" it inside with a special product. It was a bit oxidated but it worked. I do not why, but he had to install from zero one of the old versions of BB10 (I was there in 2014, February. I suspected he replaced the motherboard, but it was not true, since I paid in total 20 USD.

My advice....leave the phone still some days with the rice and in a dry room and then try to bring it to a mobile shop in case it is still not working.

[Munchkinguy]

I thought to dry it in the sun, but people have advised against this because water vapour could cause more harm. What do you think?

[spARTacus]

I suggest you Google around a lot. The overall advice I found (I took my original z10 for a swim a bit ago, about this time of year) was to leave it and to try to get it fully dry and clean before trying to power it on or else it will just fry itself. You've already passed that point so there might not be much luck left for you. My z10 never came back either. Some have suggested that rice really doesn't normally do enough and leaving it in rice for a few days won't get all the water out, let alone do anything about the minerals from the water that stay in the device even when the water evaporates (my dunk was in a salt water pool). Some have suggested ideally some other silica products instead of rice, or best yet a complete bath/wash in a certain water displacement type of a alcohol/chemical in order to get all possible water/minerals completely out of the device before then next fully drying, before even thinking about re-applying power. For drying, I've seen some suggestions about putting it on a warm dashboard for a few days in the sun or even lightly baking it in an oven. Like I said, it might be done for but look around on Google a bit more before you give up. Good luck.

Posted via CB10 on Z10

[deltaTgm]

It doesn't matter how long it swam.. A 30 second swim and a 30 minute swim is the same .. It is how fast you can remove the water and keep it dry and dehumidifies. Usually bag of rice and put phone in right after you take it out. Apparently the rice will draw water and remove moisture.

[elfabio80]

I thought to dry it in the sun, but people have advised against this because water vapour could cause more harm. What do you think?

Do not do it ...

[AlexDelRio]

This is how I saved my Classic. Forget the rice, it won't do anything. You should have dump the phone in alcohol and leave it for a day. Ultimately, you'll have to replace the battery which is always the first victim of the flood but other than that alcohol will replace the water and will prevent oxidizing from happening all over the place. Then take it out and leave it in a warm and ventilated place away from direct sunlight for 10 days. Depending on the time the phone spent under water and the salinity of the water you should be able to save it at least to extent to recover important info.

[anon(5597702)]

I thought to dry it in the sun, but people have advised against this because water vapour could cause more harm. What do you think?

Follow the advice above re: leaving for days in rice.

Posted via CB10

[stlabrat]

Forget it for a while (10 days or more). Keyboard attract lots of water. Leave it in dry cool place, no sun. No heat.

Posted via CB10

[Troy Tiscareno]

Rice and other desiccants are effective for a very brief dunk or being sprayed with water, but if it was in the water for 30 minutes, it is full of water and that water is actively corroding the phone.

The correct procedure is to completely disassemble the phone and remove all the water, disconnect the battery, then use a hair dryer or heat gun on low to evaporate as much of the remaining moisture as possible. (Alcohol isn't recommended as it can damage seals and sensors.) Then you put the parts in desiccant (silica crystals or rice) for a few days. Only then should you reassemble and turn it on.

Chances are that it is fried from being turned on with moisture still inside, and because it was encrypted, getting data off it will be impossible. Hopefully you were making unencrypted backups of your data.

This is also why they sell heavy duty zip lock bags for when you take electrics on the water.

[gamegurl]

Just going to leave this here, not sure if it helps, but 30 minutes under sounds severe

https://www.cellphonerepair.com/smar...ssport-repair/

[anon(10603236)]

Any tips for reviving the phone? If I can't, is there any way I can recover my address book data, etc?

The Passport is still one of the finest mobile devices made. do you really want to take a chance with someones grandmas fix-it?
Take it to a cellular repair shop.

You should have a back up of your address book.
or (Example) GMAIL: Access your email account "ON LINE" from you Browser (chrome, ETC)

Also, depending on who your carrier is : they may have a back up of your address book. AT&T used to have one but discontinued it.

And, Lastly, use a little common sense. Get a waterproof bag if you must take your device with you into the water. Better yet, leave it in the car. they'll call back.
It's also a good way to gauge you're level of addition.

[anon(10603236)]

This is how I saved my Classic. Forget the rice, it won't do anything. You should have dump the phone in alcohol and leave it for a day. Ultimately, you'll have to replace the battery which is always the first victim of the flood but other than that alcohol will replace the water and will prevent oxidizing from happening all over the place. Then take it out and leave it in a warm and ventilated place away from direct sunlight for 10 days. Depending on the time the phone spent under water and the salinity of the water you should be able to save it at least to extent to recover important info.

WOW! WHY stop there? THrow it in the microwave and finish it off!

Rice in a sealed plastic bag is the only safe home remedy. The rice WILL absorb all the moisture.
Some time ago, a friend did something to his device and it appeared to be dead. He tried everything except Voo-Doo but nothing.
I kiddingly asked him if he had tried dropping it or throwing it against a wall. He called me back... told me dropping it did the trick. Another home remedy you should NEVER try.
It's A Blackberry. Don't treat it like you got it from a toy store.

[Smokeaire]

Forget the rice. The most efficient and effective method to absorb the moisture in the phone is Silica Gel Desiccated packets. Those absorb more water and faster than rice. The packets can be purchased online. In the future save those packets that come with electronic devices and other moisture sensitive items for future use.
Rice can get sticky when damp and the starch can be problematic, especially if you take the back off the phone.
Alternatively find a phone repair shop that has a heated blow dryer vacuum unit designed to dry out phones. It will cost but we are writing about an expensive cell phone.

[Munchkinguy]

I took the phone in for cleaning. Battery appears to hold a charge. When I press the power button for long enough, I get a white screen with rainbow blotches. The phone tech suggests that my problems will be solved by replacing the screen.

[Thud Hardsmack]

I took the phone in for cleaning. Battery appears to hold a charge. When I press the power button for long enough, I get a white screen with rainbow blotches. The phone tech suggests that my problems will be solved by replacing the screen.

At this point I'd recommend getting data off of it ASAP and buying a new Passport. Even with a new screen you're likely to encounter problems, any little bit of leftover moisture can produce condensation or bridge electrical signals to places they weren't intending to go.

[markus2107]

EDIT: Should have read the last two posts...

Please don't use a heat gut on the phone. It'll accelerate any oxidation and won't help getting rid of the salts dissolved in the water.

So you should bring it to a phone repair shop or try your luck with alcohol on a disassembled motherboard. Put it in pure ethanol and let it sit there for a while. Then take it out and let it dry on it's own. However I'm unsure whether this procedure is needed or good at all for your LCD. Maybe it's been already damaged severely through your accidental bath in the lake.

Another tip: If you do have another BB10 device (or you can find one) and you have a recent back up you could put it on that device and save your data at least.

[Munchkinguy]

At this point I'd recommend getting data off of it ASAP and buying a new Passport. Even with a new screen you're likely to encounter problems, any little bit of leftover moisture can produce condensation or bridge electrical signals to places they weren't intending to go.

How do I get the data off without replacing the screen?

[markus2107]

How do I get the data off without replacing the screen?

You could try to use Link.

Before you can backup the device you'll probably have to unlock it (if i remember correctly). If you have a pp, then just swipe three times on the screen. It'll ask you to type in "blackberry" and hit return, just to make sure your unlock attempts are for real. Then you have to unlock the phone via your passphrase. [I hope you don't have any numbers in it, because they are only accessible via touchscreen....] Type in your passphrase and hit return.

Then you should be go to go for a backup via Link.

[Munchkinguy]

I'm not even sure if Link worked on my computer before I dropped the phone in the lake!

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I'm not even sure if Link worked on my computer before I dropped the phone in the lake!

Let me guess... you haven't even considered what you would do if you lost your phone or it was stolen?

I did multiple backups on my Z10... LINK I didn't really trust as it didn't have a 100% success rate on doing restores (or just working).

Even with Android and it's "almost" complete backup capabilities... I still use OneDrive for some data and Samsung's Smart Switch.

If the data is important too you... guess you'll have to allow them to start replacing parts and see if the main board is still working. Might see about a used Passport and just switch out the main board.

[Munchkinguy]

Did not expect theft because it's not a highly desirable phone. Link might work on my old Windows 7 PC, so I will attempt once they replace my screen.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Did not expect theft because it's not a highly desirable phone. Link might work on my old Windows 7 PC, so I will attempt once they replace my screen.

For a long time LINK didn't work on my Windows 10 PC, but about a year ago it started working again. Haven't tired it since the big Spring update...

[Munchkinguy]

I got my phone back with a new screen (cost $107 CAD but worth it). Going to back it up as soon as possible. Camera does not work but probably just needs to be reconnected.

[Munchkinguy]

Here's the Screenshot of the camera not working.