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This thread details some troubleshooting steps that you can follow if you are experiencing issues with connecting your BlackBerry 10 smartphone to BlackBerry Link on a Microsoft Windows based computer.

Turn off Charge Only Mode:
The Charge Only Mode setting will prevent any data from passing via the USB connection when your device is connected to your computer. You can check this setting under Settings > Network and Connections > USB and toggle the Charge Only Mode switch so that it is Off.

Try a different cable and USB port:
Use a different USB cable and connect your BlackBerry smartphone to a different USB port on your computer. If it is at all possible, use a USB port that is built into the computer and not an external USB hub (or a keyboard/monitor/other external device that has USB ports built in). Once it has bee connected you should see a notification on your smartphone which states "Device connected to computer", and depending on the settings on your computer a notification sound indicating that a device has been connected. At this point you can go ahead and open BlackBerry Link and see if it detects your device.

Try a different computer:
In the event that using a different USB cable and USB port doesn't resolve the issue, try using a different computer. If your device is able to connect successfully on a different computer then there may be an issue with the BlackBerry USB device drivers on your computer. Follow the instructions in the next section to perform a full re-installation of BlackBerry Link and the BlackBerry USB device drivers.

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Remove BlackBerry USB device drivers and perform a complete reinstallation of BlackBerry Link:

1. Uninstall BlackBerry Link from your computer.
2. Open a new Command Prompt window by pressing Windows Key + R on your keyboard, type cmd and click OK.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1 and press Enter.
4. In the Command Prompt window, type start devmgmt.msc and press Enter.
5. In the Device Manager window, click View and then click on Show hidden devices.
6. Expand the BlackBerry section by clicking on the + symbol next to it.
7. Right click on the following items and click Uninstall. In the dialog that appears, check Delete the driver software for this device. If more than one of each of the following entries appear, remove them as well.
   
   • BlackBerry Device
   • BlackBerry Smartphone
8. Expand the Network adapters section by clicking on the + symbol next to it.
9. Right click on the following items and click Uninstall. In the dialog that appears, check Delete the driver software for this device. If more than one of each of the following entries appear, remove them as well.
   
   • BlackBerry Device
   • BlackBerry Tethering Device
   • BlackBerry Virtual Private Network
10. Restart the computer.
11. Reinstall the latest version of BlackBerry Link.
12. Attempt to connect your BlackBerry smartphone to the computer again and see if it is able to communicate with BlackBerry Link.

If the above steps do not resolve your issue, proceed to the next section.

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Perform a device software reload (last resort):
If none the above steps do not resolve your issue, it is then recommended that you perform a device software reload (however, do NOT uninstall BlackBerry Link again at this time).

The easiest way to reload your device software is via an autoloader, which contains the full software release including OS, Radio, and Apps. You can also use an autoloader if you want to upgrade to a newer software release than what your carrier currently offers since you can pick the version of BlackBerry 10 OS to install.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Performing a device software reload, regardless of method will erase all of the data from your device. You will need to reconfigure your settings, add your e-mail and social media accounts, and download your apps again from BlackBerry World or sideload them if you have done so previously.

1. Go to the BlackBerry 10 OS autoloader archive (provided by thurask).
2. Navigate to the "Complete" folder for the version of BlackBerry 10 OS you wish to run (e.g. 10.3.1/Complete/10.3.1.2726).
3. Download the appropriate autoloader for your device. You can use the following list to determine the correct autoloader:
   
   
   • Note: Substitute 10.x.xx.xxxx for the OS version you are downloading (e.g. 10.3.01.2726).
   • For Z10 (STL100-1): Z10_10.x.xx.xxxx_STL100-1.7z
   • For Z10 (STL100-2/3): Z10_10.x.xx.xxxx_STL100-2-3.7z
   • For Z10 (STL100-4): Z10_10.x.xx.xxxx_STL100-4.7z
   • For Q10 (All models): Q10_10.x.xx.xxxx_SQN100-1-2-3-4-5.7z
   • For Q5 (All models): Q10_10.x.xx.xxxx_SQN100-1-2-3-4-5.7z
   • For Z30 (All models): Z30_10.x.xx.xxxx_STA100-1-2-3-4-5-6.7z
   • For Z3 (STL100-1): Z3_10.x.xx.xxxx_STJ100-1-2.7z
   • For Classic (All models): Z30_10.x.xx.xxxx_STA100-1-2-3-4-5-6.7z
   • For Passport (All models): Passport_10.x.xx.xxxx_SQW100-1-2-3.7z
   • For Leap (All models): Z30_10.x.xx.xxxx_STA100-1-2-3-4-5-6.7z
   
   
4. Extract the downloaded file using a utility such as 7-Zip or WinRAR. Once this is complete, you should now have an executable (.exe) file in the location you extracted the archive's contents to.
5. Run the autoloader file.
6. When the Connecting to bootrom... message appears, connect your device to your computer and you will see a progress indicator appear.
7. Once the device software has been reloaded, your phone will restart and present you with the initial setup screen. Disconnect it from your computer at this time.
8. After completing the initial setup process, open BlackBerry Link and then connect your device to your computer.

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Reserved for a future post.