SERIOUS damage from moisture.. Need verdict or advice PLEASE!

Let me start by saying that I have spent countless hours looking for something similar to my situation but haven't truly found anything that resulted where I am now. Desperate, I'm posting here for some help since it looks like I'm not going to get anywhere alone now.

Scenario:
Over a week ago, my Blackberry 8900 froze on me after I took a shower. I'd like to mention that I regularly text pre-shower and leave the phone on the counter in case I get a call (I would never answer by taking the phone into the tub). Anyhow, I pulled the battery and the keyboard and trackball were acting sort of funny. I locked the phone and a couple of seconds, I tried unlocking it but it simply would not unlock. I pulled it again and now all I could do was move the on-screen cursor, I could not click to edit date/time or use the keyboard. Confused, I researched and didn't even suspect that it was moisture damage (huge mistake) because I didn't ever drop my phone in water because I take very good care of it.

So I spent HOURS that night re-installing and wiping the phone with BBSAK and reinstalling. I did this SEVERAL times (another huge mistake). Still not suspecting it was moisture damage, I just stopped using it and used my old flip phone. When I got home from LAX later that night, I tried again til the wee hours of the morning and still not true success. The next day, I did the same stuff again pretty much for about an hour. The weird thing is that soon enough, the trackball and keyboard (after functions completely ceased) started working again! Slowly but surely, it started working again through the night. I was able to normally text and such, restored all my data and reloaded OS 5 back on through my Mac. I continued using my 8900 through the next day pretty much, everything totally fine. Nothing slower. Nothing suddenly closing on me. So still no suspicion or need to suspect moisture damage. Although, I did notice the red/pink line on the bottom of the battery that supposedly indicates water damage?

A couple of days after it was fine again, I was texting before I got into the shower, locked my phone, set it on the counter, and showered. I got a text half way through the shower but just acknowledged it. After my shower, I went to respond to the text but my phone would not unlock this time.. By now, I suspected that it was the OS again. So I proceeded to do the same thing again before a few times before I just gave up. Upon some research that night, I realized that this could be moisture damage and that the WORST thing I could've done was try to turn it on RIGHT after my phone had been exposed to water. Then I thought how I had done this several, several times. I wiped and re-installed again and my trackball was working.. Once more and it just stopped.

About a week ago, the keyboard and trackball have completely ceased function.

Starting that last time I tried to wipe and reinstall, I set it on top of a modem only overnight (another mistake). Checked in the morning: nothing. Tried it for one whole day: nothing. 24 hours: nothing. Another 24 hours: nothing. Then I heard about putting it in rice, so I tried it. Before the rice, I opened it up and blow dried the Blackberry. Placed it in rice, 24 hours: nothing. 48 hours: nothing. Keep in mind, I was putting the battery back in between all of these amounts of time to see if it works (...). I left it in for the last 2.5 days, and still nothing...

The phone still:

1. Turns on completely normal
2. Syncs with Mac or PC Desktop Manager
3. Seems like it's perfectly fine, problems unrecognizable until you try using it

So now I'm confused... I've been out of warranty for several months. I have 3-5 months until my contract expires (my family will be switching from T-Mobile to AT&T for their bundles). My Blackberry 8900 turns on completely fine but the trackball and keyboard will simply not work.
I need a verdict: does my Blackberry have any hope or is it pretty much like a "vegetable" (still alive but cannot function at all)? Is there anything I can do?
Please help! I'm a university student who organizes and communicates through his Blackberry!

I think you're fried. The keypad has corrosion by now and since the battery was hosed as well...
You could take it apart and try cleaning and replacing the keypad parts but of course no guarantees.
http://www.horizonwireless.com/
http://www.bbrepairshop.com/


Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

My sons 8310 started acting very similar to what you describe a couple of years ago, he said no water damage, but who knows for sure. It's sounding like you're past the point of no return with it. I tried several things, as you have done, but could never revive it.

I would agree with the possibility of a fried phone. However- if you're willing to try a few things since you have nothing to lose- Get some "Damp Rid" powder. usually available at Home Depot, Kmart, etc... put about a cup into a bowl. Get a Large Ziploc bag. Take the battery out of the phone and leave the cover off. place the bowl AND the phone in the bag and leave it for a few days. Do NOT put the phone in the bowl! The Damp rid will extract any moisture that may still be in the phone. IT could be a longshot, but you never know.

CrackBerry is sometimes the "home of false hope".

Dude, your phone is toast. If you have insurance that covers water damage, USE IT. If not, start shopping. Whatever you do, stop wasting your time trying to raise the dead. You ain't Jesus and your phone ain't Lazerus.

Oh and other than the above, never take ur phone in the shower with you. The moisture can get into the phone and render it useless.

Aka what you're experiencing now.

It happened with a curve I had a few years back and I had to just buy another phone, the errosion had taken its toll.

Brightside: you get to look at new phones.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Start shopping for another phone- however you could try the rice trick if your desparate. Get a big zip lock back or air tight tupperware like container fill it with enough rice to cover your phone completely. Remove battery cover, battery, sim card and bury the handset in the rice, leave in there for 12-24 hours. The rice will draw out the moister of the phone. I've recovered a few phones this way (Pearl that fell into sink while doing dishes, two curves that fell into toilet, etc). Please note this will not stop corrosion once it has started, at most it will buy you some time while you shop.

Also for future reference, pay attention to where you are placing the device when you put it down in the bathroom while you shower- if the counter is set up in a manner that device is in direct line of steam leaving actual shower stall you could be basically be steaming your berry. So either leave your berry out of steamy bathoom or place on the floor or some other low area to keep it dry.

Sounds like you needed a midplate. What u can try. Disassemble the phone and remove the main board from the LCD, midplate etc. Spray on contact cleaner (on main board) and clean it with a clean toothbrush. Then get a blow dryer if thats the best you have a heat the main board. Heat it for a couple minutes. Until its to hot to touch. Let cool, reassemble the phone and see if it boots. If it does but the keys still don't work you'll need to have that gray part with the keypad that the board and LCD rests on.

Originally Posted by ghostnyc

Start shopping for another phone- however you could try the rice trick if your desparate. Get a big zip lock back or air tight tupperware like container fill it with enough rice to cover your phone completely. Remove battery cover, battery, sim card and bury the handset in the rice, leave in there for 12-24 hours. The rice will draw out the moister of the phone.

Did you not read his / her post or just missed the part where it was mentioned that that was done.

Even if it hadn't, at this late stage, ANY attempt at drying the phone would be an abject waste of time. The OP needs a new phone. Simple as that.

Originally Posted by amazinglygraceless

Did you not read his / her post or just missed the part where it was mentioned that that was done.

Even if it hadn't, at this late stage, ANY attempt at drying the phone would be an abject waste of time. The OP needs a new phone. Simple as that.

Maybe, maybe not. 8900/9630/9650s actually recover from water damage better than most. Only needing one part to resume normal function. I have a 8900 here that went for a nice hour long sea bath and it works now.

Originally Posted by amazinglygraceless

Did you not read his / her post or just missed the part where it was mentioned that that was done.

Even if it hadn't, at this late stage, ANY attempt at drying the phone would be an abject waste of time. The OP needs a new phone. Simple as that.

My apologies, I overlooked that part of OP.

However OP did not clarify if he placed in airtight container which makes a big difference. Ideally OP needs to get another phone, but its the holidays- cash could be tight. If they are going to stuck without a phone for X amount of days- trying one more time wont hurt situation any more/ any less.

Originally Posted by ghostnyc

My apologies, I overlooked that part of OP.

However OP did not clarify if he placed in airtight container which makes a big difference. Ideally OP needs to get another phone, but its the holidays- cash could be tight. If they are going to stuck without a phone for X amount of days- trying one more time wont hurt situation any more/ any less.

Yeah, you're right. Worst that can happen is he has to replace it but no harm
will come from trying I guess :cool:

It sounds dead. Save yourself the heartache and the time, and just get a new phone. Sell the old one for parts/as water damaged, and move on.

Most importantly DONT TAKE YOUR BERRY ANY WHERE NEAR A SHOWER

It was in an airtight bag.

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I appreciate any hopeful or realistic thoughts.
I was pretty much ready to accept that it's fried.. Sucks though: won't be getting a new contract until Spring. Oh well :(

Thanks everyone. I might give some of the last words of advice a try if I have the time, otherwise it seems pretty obvious what the future of this phone looks like.

Happy holidays everyone! Keep those phones dry like I shall next time.