[Omnitech]

In as much as BB10 is a nice concept RIMS or do i say BlackBlerry in trying to re-invent the wheel messed up a lot of things. For example, the contacts application in previous version of blackberry works fine. Why not simply enhance it rather than try to re-invent it knowing there is not enough time to test and perfect what they want. Looking back and being in the tech world, one now understands why BB10 was delayed. Its all due to re-invention policy. That said it is still a good device. One will not really appreciate this device until a few years down the road when the many miscues are fixed via updates and all that.

I've stated several times here in different discussions that it looks like in many cases (ie with the email client), RIM/BlackBerry seems like they fired almost all the people responsible for implementing those functions on the legacy platform, and turned it over to the QNX people who in many cases probably had never written such software before (ie: an email app), where they had to start from scratch, many times without the benefit of the existing knowledge on how to solve certain problems.

RIM did terminate 5,000 employees between 2012-2013, a lot of those must have been legacy platform development staff.

[go1ndr]

Hi Guys! After reading your horrible and painstaking experience with this Azum4u, I am more and more convinced it is isolated issues with different users and the "broken" Link software. I (thankfully) have not suffered any of those issues. What's more interesting from a discovery and reserach point is that my system (W7/32--OS 10.1.0.2121--Link .32) works perfectly. It 2-way syncs my contacts and calendars both ways flawlessly and whether I add a contact to my Q10 or my Outlook 2007, it syncs them together with no duplicate issues. The only time I see any duplicate contacts is when I open (turn on) more than one contact source or calendar source. I've tested and retested it adding and deleting dummy contacts and calendar events on both outlook and the Q10 device and it works perfectly! I just do not understand why it's not working for you. I do know that you are not alone as I have followed many threads and posts on here and in the leaked/beta forums and there are many, many users with servere issues that they can not fix--and a lot of these people are seasoned devs and techies. I'm more and more convinced it is on a case or user by user experience. I so agree with Omnitech everyone else that has stated it, that RIM should have left the old sync and back up software as is and tweeked it to work with OS10! If Iphone and Android and WP can do it, how hard can it be to build a system that simply syncs betwee Outlook and the darn phone. Thanks for sharing your steps and hopefully it will add to and help others until this is fixed!

[Omnitech]

I so agree with Omnitech everyone else that has stated it, that RIM should have left the old sync and back up software as is and tweeked it to work with OS10! If Iphone and Android and WP can do it, how hard can it be to build a system that simply syncs betwee Outlook and the darn phone.

Just to clarify, I don't really think that BlackBerry should have left BlackBerry Desktop "as is", but I do certainly think that they should have retained some of its functionality, such as configurable PIM sync with field mapping, and granular backup / restore.

Also, Android to my knowledge has no native PIM sync feature. Apple iOS, on the other hand does - via iTunes.

[azum4u]

Hi Guys! After reading your horrible and painstaking experience with this Azum4u, I am more and more convinced it is isolated issues with different users and the "broken" Link software. I (thankfully) have not suffered any of those issues. What's more interesting from a discovery and reserach point is that my system (W7/32--OS 10.1.0.2121--Link .32) works perfectly. It 2-way syncs my contacts and calendars both ways flawlessly and whether I add a contact to my Q10 or my Outlook 2007, it syncs them together with no duplicate issues. The only time I see any duplicate contacts is when I open (turn on) more than one contact source or calendar source. I've tested and retested it adding and deleting dummy contacts and calendar events on both outlook and the Q10 device and it works perfectly! I just do not understand why it's not working for you. I do know that you are not alone as I have followed many threads and posts on here and in the leaked/beta forums and there are many, many users with servere issues that they can not fix--and a lot of these people are seasoned devs and techies. I'm more and more convinced it is on a case or user by user experience.

@go1ndr,
The problem with syncing from what i found out has to do with the whole concepts, of Local, BBLink, Linkedin, BBM, etc contacts. Let me break it down as i understand the issue.

If you do a pure data transfer a previous BB using media card and Setup, your contacts coming from the old BB gets saved as Local Contacts which BBlink wont be syncing with outlook. This is clearly stated in this link below:

KB34413-After performing a two-way sync, all contacts and appointments imported with the previous version of BlackBerry Link are duplicated

Though here it only talks of Local Calendar not syncing. Same is true for Local contacts.

Now as per new contacts created on Q10 syncing this is what happens. When you create a new contact in your phone. Check the link symbol at the bottom. You will notice that the new contact automatically gets assigned as Local Contact as well as BBLink contact. Thus it syncs because it is a BBLink contact. Check that out and you'll agree with me.

[go1ndr]

@go1ndr,
The problem with syncing from what i found out has to do with the whole concepts, of Local, BBLink, Linkedin, BBM, etc contacts. Let me break it down as i understand the issue.

If you do a pure data transfer a previous BB using media card and Setup, your contacts coming from the old BB gets saved as Local Contacts which BBlink wont be syncing with outlook. This is clearly stated in this link below:

KB34413-After performing a two-way sync, all contacts and appointments imported with the previous version of BlackBerry Link are duplicated

Though here it only talks of Local Calendar not syncing. Same is true for Local contacts.

Now as per new contacts created on Q10 syncing this is what happens. When you create a new contact in your phone. Check the link symbol at the bottom. You will notice that the new contact automatically gets assigned as Local Contact as well as BBLink contact. Thus it syncs because it is a BBLink contact. Check that out and you'll agree with me.

That makes total sense to me! In hindsight, I think the best thing that a new user should do is, NOT do a total transfer, but rather just do a pure sync with Outlook via BBLink the first time and then it will all come over as BBLink contacts and calendar events. I still am not totally sure of how the local and BBLink connection is as no matter whether I personally add new events to my phone or my Outlook on my PC, it syncs and shows on both devices. Once in a while a local event will be only on the local calendar and I'll have to check it from time to time, but your explanation makes perfect sense to me. Thanks!!

[azum4u]

That makes total sense to me! In hindsight, I think the best thing that a new user should do is, NOT do a total transfer, but rather just do a pure sync with Outlook via BBLink the first time and then it will all come over as BBLink contacts and calendar events. I still am not totally sure of how the local and BBLink connection is as no matter whether I personally add new events to my phone or my Outlook on my PC, it syncs and shows on both devices. Once in a while a local event will be only on the local calendar and I'll have to check it from time to time, but your explanation makes perfect sense to me. Thanks!!

Just to buttress my facts above. Just yesterday i did a reload of my software using BBlink. And then restored my data from a backup i did before i started my reload. One my contacts were not restored which apparently means i had to restore by doing a 1-way sync between my outlook and my Q10. This i did. My contacts were saved on my Q10 as BBLink contacts not local contacts.

[go1ndr]

Just to buttress my facts above. Just yesterday i did a reload of my software using BBlink. And then restored my data from a backup i did before i started my reload. One my contacts were not restored which apparently means i had to restore by doing a 1-way sync between my outlook and my Q10. This i did. My contacts were saved on my Q10 as BBLink contacts not local contacts.

]

To further your research, I uploaded the .4651 leak to my Q10 last night and then did the setups and finally restore from Link and NONE of my calendar contacts came over. In fact it didn't even show my BBLink Calendar using the restore feature.

It was not the leak's fault, in fact the .4165 leak is so buttery smooth it's scary! It was 100% the fault of the BB Link software program. Regardless, first thing this morning, I came in my office and did a 2-way sync with my PC/Outlook 2007 and bingo, the calendar came over with all the entries intact.

The contacts came over with the restore feature but I think the sync updated them as well. Everything is running smoothly now--thankfully!

One thing I noticed is that a couple of the sideloaded android apps like Flipboard, won't work on the upgraded OS or maybe they finally became unstable but regardless, I'd give the .4651 leak a "2-thumbs up", 100% on it's stability and ease of use. Awesome with a "white" calendar now. Like it or not! Thanks Mecca!!

[spaniard65]

This is an awesome "how to".....

My only question: how long did this take you with 1000+ contacts. I can feel the pain from here..... must have been measured in "hours" I am sure.

Philisophically, and this is NO REFLECTION on you, we shouldn't have deal with this f________ b___s___ to begin with --- this being said applauding your where-with-all to get this figured out.

It would appear that BB had the assumption that one has NO CONTACTS stored as local contacts on the device.....but that would still hose up BB Link contacts. What a mess.

I totally agree with your comments totally unacceptable. It is like they expect each user to be a freaking engineer to figure out something as simple as sync contacts. Before BB I was a Palm Treo user and my contact sync experience was horrible, when i started with BB in 2006 I was amazed how easy and efficient the sync app was compared to anything else in the market... What the hell happened? BB10 is a total mess regarding the sync feature. I count my experience cleaning my contacts in out look and BB not in hours but in several days... what a shame!!!! Now I gave up syncing with outlook and only sync with G-mail BUT no picture ID or contact names when I receive a call. So I have no idea who is calling me... any one has a solution? I am running 10.1.0.4651 on Z10. Thank to the forums for the help. SHAME TO Blackberry!!!!

[Omnitech]

...BUT no picture ID or contact names when I receive a call. So I have no idea who is calling me... any one has a solution? I am running 10.1.0.4651 on Z10.

People have reported some success resolving that by resetting the country code/dialing prefixes.

Otherwise I believe later (leaked) OS versions fixed that. (ie 10.1.0.4687, 10.2.0.1047)

[go1ndr]

I totally agree with your comments totally unacceptable. It is like they expect each user to be a freaking engineer to figure out something as simple as sync contacts. Before BB I was a Palm Treo user and my contact sync experience was horrible, when i started with BB in 2006 I was amazed how easy and efficient the sync app was compared to anything else in the market... What the hell happened? BB10 is a total mess regarding the sync feature. I count my experience cleaning my contacts in out look and BB not in hours but in several days... what a shame!!!! Now I gave up syncing with outlook and only sync with G-mail BUT no picture ID or contact names when I receive a call. So I have no idea who is calling me... any one has a solution? I am running 10.1.0.4651 on Z10. Thank to the forums for the help. SHAME TO Blackberry!!!!

Hi guys! Glad to see this thread is still going in hopes that one of these days, someone will post an answer to all of these issues.
Along those lines, I have posted another thread regarding syncing my Q10(10.2.0.1047 leak with 810 runtime) with 2 different computers, and other than a friend of mine on here, no replies. Maybe someone on here can be of help.

Here is the delima. I am running W7 on my PC at my office (main computer) with Outlook 2007, and I 2-way sync and backup nightly using BBLink 1.1.1.32. It synce calendar and contacts flawlessly. There are no issues with this configuration and zero problems. Everything syncs both ways perfectly.

The issue is that I also have a Netbook that I use when on travel and out of the office in meetings. I would like to be able to do a 1-way sync between my Q10 and my netbook as well--syncing from my Q10 to my netbook via a 1-way configuration to keep my Netbook up to date as well.

I have downloaded the latest BBLink 1.1.1.32 to the Netbook and when I hook up the Q10 to the Netbook to do the one-way sync, it goes through the motions of gathering info, comparing info, previewing sync writing to the Netbook; and proudly announced "Synce completed"! Only problem is, nothing syncs!! It shows 2 BBLink accounts on the phone, as it should--1 is my PC and 1 is my Netbook, but it doesn't sync anything over to the netbook.
I have tried every conceivable combination and setting and nothing works. I've deleted the new accounts from my phone and deleted Link from my netbook and reinstalled it. Still no go. Any ideas would be really, really appreciated.
Thanks as always!

[gigitogigi]

Hello,
the same happens to me, nothing was synced with bb 10.1, now with 0S 10.2 it's even worse I got an error message and no sync at all
it's A shame!!!
everyting was working perfectly on desktop software and os 7, so why do they don't fix it at RIM????

[go1ndr]

Hello,
the same happens to me, nothing was synced with bb 10.1, now with 0S 10.2 it's even worse I got an error message and no sync at all
it's A shame!!!
everyting was working perfectly on desktop software and os 7, so why do they don't fix it at RIM????

Hi Gigitogigi--what version of Link are you using. You need to have version 1.1.1.32 installed on a ""BB clean" computer--in other words, make sure that there in no older version of BBDM still on your PC and no other version of Link on your PC. To check and remove them, you need to go to your PC control panel> programs and features and uninstall them from there. Once they are all off of your PC do a restart of your PC to clear your cashe and then download the BBLink version 1.1.1.32 and you should be able to sync from there with no problem. I run the latest leak version 10.2.1047/810 runtime and I have no issues syncing with my main PC at all. Syncing with a second computer is an issue.

[grumpyaeroguy]

OK, a new twist/observation:

I added balance to my device... meaning I have a work space with EAS to my corporate e-mail. This means, I now have BBLink contacts with my local Outlook client, as well as EAS "Work" contacts.

Some of them "linked on their own, most did not (as many contacts that appear on my work outlook ALSO appear in my "home" contacts.

The rub: If you edit a linked contact, I can't figure out which "side" gets updated and/or why. If you THINK you have the same phone number in there twice (in ONE linked contact), and you delete on of them, it is then blank on one or the other "side" of the equation. No way to tell....

Furthermore, try voice dialing with duplicate contacts/numbers, linked or not. It don't work..... (lol)

Unfortunately, my corporate EAS profile does not allow me to turn off EAS outlook syncing. So, I could delete all of my HOME contacts, but.....I will always have a contact here or there that will be "missing".

What a pain in the back of the front. If BB was TRYING to hose this up, they certainly succeeded. Kind of puts a damper on the awesome concept of bb balance. From a contact perspective, it's BB LACK of BALANCE.

I'll try to live with it for a bit, see if I can come to terms with living with duplicates. Otherwise, I'll have to ditch balance until the contact app gets sorted out......like THAT'S gonna happen......

[grumpyaeroguy]

Hi Gigitogigi--what version of Link are you using. You need to have version 1.1.1.32 installed on a ""BB clean" computer--in other words, make sure that there in no older version of BBDM still on your PC and no other version of Link on your PC. To check and remove them, you need to go to your PC control panel> programs and features and uninstall them from there. Once they are all off of your PC do a restart of your PC to clear your cashe and then download the BBLink version 1.1.1.32 and you should be able to sync from there with no problem. I run the latest leak version 10.2.1047/810 runtime and I have no issues syncing with my main PC at all. Syncing with a second computer is an issue.

I agree, the back up and syncing with BBLink seems to have settled down for me. Works pretty good. I don't even want to try syncing to a second computer. For some reason, just don't seem to "smart" for me to expect that to work.

[go1ndr]

I agree, the back up and syncing with BBLink seems to have settled down for me. Works pretty good. I don't even want to try syncing to a second computer. For some reason, just don't seem to "smart" for me to expect that to work.

LOL-well I can tell you for a fact, that it does not work! Until another version of Link comes out, I won't even attempt it again. I've googled the heck out of it and I guess I'm the only person in the world with this desire--LOL!

[gigitogigi]

I agree, the back up and syncing with BBLink seems to have settled down for me. Works pretty good. I don't even want to try syncing to a second computer. For some reason, just don't seem to "smart" for me to expect that to work.

Hello, I have the latest version of BBLink, I have set one way sync from the laptop to the q10 and no second pc
still unable to have back my contacts and calendar, i have the "CPreference...." error message
Another very disappointing thing is that they are not restored after the backup, same applies to all the accounts passwords.
I find it really disappointing and I am unable to understand how it can be such a crappy system.
Sorry to say but this makes me willing to go definetely on Android...

[gigitogigi]

Hi Gigitogigi--what version of Link are you using. You need to have version 1.1.1.32 installed on a ""BB clean" computer--in other words, make sure that there in no older version of BBDM still on your PC and no other version of Link on your PC. To check and remove them, you need to go to your PC control panel> programs and features and uninstall them from there. Once they are all off of your PC do a restart of your PC to clear your cashe and then download the BBLink version 1.1.1.32 and you should be able to sync from there with no problem. I run the latest leak version 10.2.1047/810 runtime and I have no issues syncing with my main PC at all. Syncing with a second computer is an issue.

Hello Again and thank you for your reply.
A question: does BBlink sync your contacts and calendar in the "home" or in the bblink account?

[go1ndr]

Hello Again and thank you for your reply.
A question: does BBlink sync your contacts and calendar in the "home" or in the bblink account?

Hi Gigi, it syncs to the BBlink contacts and calendar. In calendar on my phone under the "manage calendars" setting, I only have the BBLink calendar checked and the "read only" holiday calendar. Not the Home calendar. Same with my contacts (though I had small bump in the road when reloading What'sApp, as it tried to link all my contacts with it--I caught it and stopped it-I think. I have no issues syncing but I am doing a 2-way sync between my desktop pc/outlook 2007 and my Q10. That said, I did have to do a 1-way sync for my calendar, when I installed my last leak and it worked fine. Calendars worked great as well.

[luvkeyb]

BBLink (V 1.1.1.32) with my Q10 produced the same problem. Many duplicates when synchronizing, particularly for the first few letters of the alphabet. This gave me the hint: The synchronization is AWFULLY slow and I had repeatedly interrupted the synch unknowingly by pulling the USB connector. The synch had not completed yet and the next time started anew effectively duplicating the entries. Even worse: it mixed content of several contacts to create combined new ones!
I had to delete all duplicates on PC, deleted all contacts on the Q10 and single sided "synchronized" back from the PC. Annoyingly, deleting the address book as a whole on the Q10 would not work and instead I had to mark contacts in blocks of up to 100 (more would crash the system) and delete them. Deleting a block of 100 contacts might take about 5 minutes. So BIG patience, please.
My recommendation for BB Link: Make it more obvious if sync is still in progress and discourage disconnection. Now you will only know once the Sync Contacts/Calendar button turns from grey back to full white.
Another annoyance: BBLink will ALWAYS index all my harddisk, trying to keep taps of my 22000 pics and 32000 documents, none of which I would ever want to have on my Q10! Either allow limit indexing to a certain directory or be able to turn it off entirely.

[Omnitech]

Annoyingly, deleting the address book as a whole on the Q10 would not work and instead I had to mark contacts in blocks of up to 100 (more would crash the system) and delete them. Deleting a block of 100 contacts might take about 5 minutes. So BIG patience, please.

Did you use Settings/Accounts/[overflow menu]/Clear Local Contacts?

[Dan Donahue#WN]

Well this is great. I have 6500 contacts and they have all been tripled. I spent 6 plus hours on the phone being transfer a couple of time. Finally they tell me after conversation with second level that this is a know issue and they didn't have a fix. They told me to just delete the duplicates. I said how do I determine which one is the good contact and what if I added something to one of contacts the duplicate. I was told I had to look at all of them.
I always sync both ways as I add to my (Z10) phone when traveling.
The strangest thing is the total contacts count has not change much.

[Omnitech]

They told me to just delete the duplicates. I said how do I determine which one is the good contact and what if I added something to one of contacts the duplicate. I was told I had to look at all of them.

There are 3rd-party apps that can automatically find and remove duplicates. Examples include Contact-X, Contacts Pro, Pink Contacts Manager.

Just make sure you make backups before attempting such an operation, if you get unexpected results.

I would suggest doing a native BB10 backup using BlackBerry Link or Sachesi, and also a backup using one of the contact backup apps such as Contact-X, InTouchApp Contacts or Contacts Pro, just for extra assurance.

[Omnitech]

Just ran across a recent BlackBerry knowledgebase article about how automatic contact linking works. This could help people who have trouble with contact linking because it explains which field it tends to use as a unique identifier and how it prioritizes records to link:

KB34444-Automatic contact linking expected behaviour on BlackBerry 10 OS

[joan02]

Hello, I have the same problem and i can�t fix it with this instruccion, a friend recommended me a repair tool for Outlook, so, is necessary buy it? Can you tell me others solutions? With this problem I have lost all my contacts in Outlook.

[wilwoods]

I downloaded a product called ODIR.. It seamlessly deletes the duplicates.

Mind you BBLInk doesn't sync contacts "yet" anyway but I keep on trying and then all of a sudden i have 900 new contacts every time I try.

ODIR cleans up the mess so to speak