1. 8330_curve's Avatar
    So, after 10 failed password attempts, blackberry said it will now wipe the data, and it started the wiping process. It all began with getting the bb wet, and then once it started asking me to type in 'blackberry', I did. My password was numbers so I held down alt while typing it in, but learned too late that I shouldn't. Last failed attempt was via the desktop manager, which doesn't warn you that it should be characters.

    Right when the wipe out started, I pulled the battery. I then took out the micro sd card (yea, good luck with their wiping My data now). Now I just need to know which part of the blackberry contains the other data that's not on the sd card, so I can pull it out too.

    A quick question. Does text notes in the notepad application get wiped during wipeout?
    That's important to me as it contains many important memos. I find it bad taste that blackberry don't have a way to let legit users prevent the data wipe out, for instance by logging into their account and get verified or something. Anyways, I've already rescued the sd card data, now I just need to rescue what's left. Where does that data sit on the blackberry, can I pull it out?

    Thanks.
    10-26-11 02:42 AM
  2. jbeachy's Avatar
    Sorry, but it was probably a mistake removing the battery. An incomplete wipe usually = a bricked phone. There is nothing you can remove from a BlackBerry to recover or save data - whatever isn't on the media card is in internal memory and will be completely wiped.

    A successful wipe process removes everything from the device and restores it to out-of-the box condition. A partial wipe as you've described usually results in a phone that won't boot.

    If you have not made a recent backup, I doubt that you will be able recover any of your data. You may need this link to recover your BlackBerry: http://m.crackberry.com/blackberry-101-lecture-12-how-reload-operating-system-nuked-blackberry

    Posted from my BlackBerry using BerryBlab
    Last edited by jbeachy; 10-26-11 at 07:57 AM.
    10-26-11 07:51 AM
  3. 8330_curve's Avatar
    Thanks for the answer. But I thought a blackberry is just a computer in miniature. Doesn't it have some hard drive equivalent that can be inserted to another type of device, where the data can be accessed from? There must be a way. They can't let their own customers lose potentially life altering info accidentally, think of it dates, employment important reminders etc. Security shouldn't be a liability. Losing data more worth than a $200 phone makes little sense.
    10-26-11 10:48 AM
  4. NetworkGuy's Avatar
    No, the SD card only contains media files that you may have stored on the blackberry. (Music, Pictures, Videos..) And if I remember correctly, the wipe would not have touched the SD card. All of your actual data like contacts, calendar, e-mail, most 3rd party program settings are stored within the blackberry itself on memory chips.

    As stated above, if you would have performed a backup using Desktop Manager, after the wipe was finished and you got your phone back, you would have been able to do a restore and get all the information that was wiped back. The information is gone, and because you pulled your battery in the middle of a wipe, you might now have a bricked phone. But don't fear, if your phone is bricked, search the forums for "bricked phone" and you will come across several posts on how to recover from it.
    10-26-11 11:04 AM
  5. 8330_curve's Avatar
    Ok, I appreciate your trying to help. I might keep trying to figure out a way to transfer the flash drive data, or whatever the bb harddrive type is for a while.
    10-26-11 11:57 AM
  6. MobileMadness002's Avatar
    Well, I am sure if you figure a way around RIMs secure device and are able to retrieve the data before the wipe finishes, there would be governments banging down your door with buckets of money to get that process from you. Let me know how it works out for you.
    10-26-11 12:24 PM
  7. MobileMadness002's Avatar
    Thanks for the answer. But I thought a blackberry is just a computer in miniature. Doesn't it have some hard drive equivalent that can be inserted to another type of device, where the data can be accessed from? There must be a way. They can't let their own customers lose potentially life altering info accidentally, think of it dates, employment important reminders etc. Security shouldn't be a liability. Losing data more worth than a $200 phone makes little sense.
    Well, if that's what you thought, you were wrong. That's what backups are for. Sorry if you only thought about too late, but your data is gone.
    10-26-11 12:25 PM
  8. MADBRADNYC's Avatar
    Sorry, but I think all of your efforts to access any data may be a waste of time, unless you are willing to take your device apart, and you have access to a computer lab where you can read the data from the device IC chips. Even then as mentioned your device is probably totally wiped already, or in a "bricked" state.

    As stated, the best option is to follow the instructions provided to you in that link, and restore from a back up IPD.

    That really blows though.
    Hope it works out for you.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    10-26-11 12:26 PM
  9. Phil DeLong's Avatar
    It's all gone unfortunately. Pulling the battery can't stop the wipe, you merely interrupted the process. You can't make the phone "forget" it was performing the wipe. Your best bet now is to simply get the phone working again, and then start rebuilding. You can search for something other than that, but you won't find it.

    Sorry if it's not the answer you're looking for, but it is the answer.
    10-26-11 12:32 PM
  10. ichat's Avatar
    All your important stuff including apps are all device memory. All gone. Sorry.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    10-26-11 01:25 PM
  11. 8330_curve's Avatar
    This is a late reply, reason being that my password didn't work for the site! Even though it was stored and autofilled by the browser. Something about bb and passwords.


    What I was meant to say (much earlier) was that since the wipe process is code based, there must be some code to counter act it, that rem or the carrier would have. Has anyone tried contacting rem or their carrier in situations like this? They couldn't be so short sighted not to see that accidental wipes could happen, and be disastrous. Even laptops that cost much more tend to have workarounds in cases of forgotten passwords.

    Also, there must be some card reader that can read the curve's application memory, if it could be taken apart. There are already microsd card readers that can read the bb's sd data, so there should be reader devices that can read its app memory also. Doesn't sound far fetched, does it?
    Last edited by 8330_curve; 11-07-11 at 08:27 AM.
    11-07-11 08:13 AM
  12. sam_b77's Avatar
    This is a late reply, reason being that my password didn't work for the site! Even though it was stored and autofilled by the browser. Something about bb and passwords.


    What I was meant to say (much earlier) was that since the wipe process is code based, there must be some code to counter act it, that rem or the carrier would have. Has anyone tried contacting rem or their carrier in situations like this? They couldn't be so short sighted not to see that accidental wipes could happen, and be disastrous. Even laptops that cost much more tend to have workarounds in cases of forgotten passwords.

    Also, there must be some card reader that can read the curve's application memory, if it could be taken apart. There are already microsd card readers that can read the bb's sd data, so there should be reader devices that can read its app memory also. Doesn't sound far fetched, does it?
    This would be a nightmare scenario. If you don't have a backup in your computer, your data is done for.
    Losing your contact list would be huge.
    However in BB's defence, it does give you ten tries and even after that it asks you to enter Blackberry before it wipes. You must have missed those warnings.
    You might get your contact list back if you were using the facebook app and had synced your contacts to facebook.
    11-07-11 08:38 AM
  13. T�nis's Avatar
    Thanks for the answer. But I thought a blackberry is just a computer in miniature. Doesn't it have some hard drive equivalent that can be inserted to another type of device, where the data can be accessed from? There must be a way. They can't let their own customers lose potentially life altering info accidentally, think of it dates, employment important reminders etc. Security shouldn't be a liability. Losing data more worth than a $200 phone makes little sense.
    Guy, are you for real? "Life-altering info" the user didn't bother to backup using the software RIM provides??? Comeon ...
    11-07-11 10:13 AM
  14. reeneebob's Avatar
    I can't stop laughing at this thread for some reason...anyway no. You can't find/buy/build a reader to circumvent the hardware security.

    If this information was THAT life altering you should have done a backup.

    Comparing the BB to a laptop is dumb because for every computer I have owned, ever, I've had a backup of important information.

    If the OP had that kind of info and is allegedly tech savvy enough to pull information from internal flash, then the OP should also have known the basic rule of every computer lesson I've ever had (and my training is technical support/hardware)... MAKE A BACKUP IF ITS IMPORTANT.

    smh


    Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk
    kbz1960 likes this.
    11-07-11 10:28 AM
  15. T�nis's Avatar
    Yea, Rule #1 is still S.O.S: Save Often, Smartie!
    11-07-11 10:48 AM
  16. AugustArborists's Avatar
    Has anyone tried contacting rem or their carrier in situations like this?
    I'm not sure Michael Stipe would be the "go to" guy for this.
    Good luck though.
    11-07-11 11:30 AM
  17. 8330_curve's Avatar
    I can't stop laughing at this thread for some reason...anyway no. You can't find/buy/build a reader to circumvent the hardware security.

    If this information was THAT life altering you should have done a backup.

    Comparing the BB to a laptop is dumb because for every computer I have owned, ever, I've had a backup of important information.

    If the OP had that kind of info and is allegedly tech savvy enough to pull information from internal flash, then the OP should also have known the basic rule of every computer lesson I've ever had (and my training is technical support/hardware)... MAKE A BACKUP IF ITS IMPORTANT.

    smh


    Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk



    Well, firstly, I lost the usb transfer cable early, so never got a look into the bb desktop manager until recently. Secondly, backing up a computer is COMMON knowledge. Backing up a freaking phone is Not. Have you ever heard of a phone 'crashing'. Thought so. Hard drives on computers Do commonly crash however, so the comparison is invalid.


    This problem is different altogether. It has to do with RIM's choice of security implementation. It has to do with the company's own choice, not faltering hardware.
    Besides that not every 'smartphone' carrier even has the same security implementations. Not all of them wipe everything, or have no way of going back.

    Someone said the blackberry gives you 10 tries. True. But WHERE does it tell you that your NUMBERS are actually letters? Is that also a no-brainer? This is where many fail, including me. Not until too late did I find out after much searching online that you should just accept the letter inputs as is, without pressing ALT. Did REM tell you that? No, so I blame them for it. If they choose to wipe users data after accidental password failures, the Least they should do is make this damn clear. It should be in bold under faq and in the manual.

    Again, yes life altering data can be lost. It isn't in my case, but I find the security measure stupid. The least they could do is make a distinction between thief and owner. At least by allowing owners to verify themselves, and provide them with a counter measure to accidental data wipes. Don't need to no "you should've known better" from a freaking company whom I'm a customer of.
    It's because of that data or other data that you password protect your phone. Given a phone doesn't typically crash, it's not intuitive to back up. This is just you smarties that happen to know because you're so into it, and seem to bask in it. All I'm doing is verifying any potential remedy I can come up with. Do you provide your blackberries with small blankets and pillows at night? Have you constructed little micro beds for them so that they go through the night comfortably?

    Moreover, a crashed computer CAN have its data recovered in many cases.

    "back up your phone", lol. What, do you get an external hd for it... Just kidding. Of course from now on. Actually, I'm going to get another phone coming up, and it won't even be a blackberry. Thanks for the answers.
    Last edited by 8330_curve; 11-08-11 at 10:20 PM.
    11-08-11 09:37 PM
  18. Michelle Haag's Avatar
    Pretty sure after that you won't be getting any further helpful answers.

    You say yourself the BlackBerry is like a tiny computer, and you say you know you should back up a computer.. so with that logic, you know you should have backed up your phone. Also, after a couple of wrong entries, most people would double check that they are putting in the password correctly, and maybe do the research you did after the fact. Also, even if you didn't think your phone would "crash".. what would you have done if it was lost or stolen? With no backup, you'd be in the same position as now.

    Sorry you are having this issue, unfortunately there is nothing we can do to help. I suppose next time you will know better, and hindsight is 20/20.
    11-08-11 09:47 PM
  19. reeneebob's Avatar
    backing up a computer is COMMON knowledge. Backing up a freaking phone is Not. Have you ever heard of a phone 'crashing'. Thought so.
    Oh wow. In a word...YES.

    Just from the first page alone:

    How to Reload the Operating System on a Nuked or Bricked BlackBerry | CrackBerry.com

    http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...-issue-667361/

    http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...ricked-662582/

    http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...hreads-668265/

    http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...issues-668275/

    http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...9850-a-657899/

    http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...0-dead-667658/

    http://forums.crackberry.com/tips-ho...ckberry-32322/

    Not just Blackberry, my own personal **** with my Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant:

    Bell Galaxy S Users, Do Not Update to Froyo! - Android Forums

    Iphones too...

    How To Recover Your iPhone From Death | TIPS-BOX

    For someone so sure of their tech knowledge, you can't honestly think that a bricked smartphone can't happen.

    EDIT

    What Michelle said. To say that no one has ever heard of a bricked smartphone and so no one makes a back up in naive at best, just plain ignorant at worst.

    EDIT again

    Did REM tell you that? No, so I blame them for it.
    Awwww don't be so hard on REM. They just broke up after all, but while REM never told me to back up my contacts list, they did tell me that they were in the corner losing their religion. Also, I try to remember that everybody hurts sometimes, particularly when they fail to back up their contacts list.
    Last edited by reeneebob; 11-08-11 at 10:02 PM.
    Michelle Haag and Dugganm like this.
    11-08-11 09:53 PM
  20. T�nis's Avatar
    My BlackBerry sleeps in his cradle. And the way an owner "verifies" himself is by entering the correct password.
    11-08-11 10:04 PM
  21. reeneebob's Avatar
    And now this is stuck in my head...

    "That's me at the 'puter
    swearing at the smartphone, I'm
    Losing all my data
    Trying to keep my contacts
    And I don't know if I can do it
    Oh no, I've lost too much
    I lost it all
    I thought that I heard RIM laughing
    I thought that I heard RIM ping
    I think I should have backed it up

    Consider this
    Consider this
    The hint of the century
    Consider this
    Always make a backup

    I thought that I heard RIM laughing
    I thought that I heard RIM ping
    I think next time I'll back it up"
    11-08-11 10:10 PM
  22. 8330_curve's Avatar
    Did I say REM again? Maybe it's just that REM are far more famous than RIM.


    Here we go again. The way an owner verifies ownership is by typing in the correct password... This is Exactly what hundreds of bb owners have done and yet failed! You don't see a problem here? That if your password is made up of digits you are kept in the dark about them actually being letters ? Don't blame me. I did type in the password correctly, meaning I pressed the exact same keys I've always pressed to login. You don't fail ten times at that even if you were hammered. I also went online after the 8th attempt. But did not find the info about numbers being letters until too late. In fact the final failed attempt was when trying to login from the BB manager. But how stupid I was to think that typing in the exact same numbers that I've done hundreds of times before would actually amount to the wrong password, even from the the desktop manager. Not even That could tell you to be careful if you're using digits in your password. This actually makes no sense to a user at all. It's very far fetched to expect someone to figure out that digits might actually be letters. Doesn't happen in the computer world. It was also not easy to come by that answer. It wasn't posted about in most of the web forums I visited. That alone would also tell you that it might not be accurate information to start off with. Additionally, Rim's website didn't pop up in the first results with the answer. So should you just take one or two poster's recommendations out of dozens of posts? Is that how the world of BB wipe out solutions work? If a solution is given, it's typically posted about everywhere. It wasn't in this case, meaning even if I'd found that answer earlier, I might have been reluctant to try it with only 2 password attempts left.

    Also, I said that a computer gets backed up because there's something called hard drive failure which happens commonly. Much more commonly than a phone gets stolen. Laptops get stolen frequently too, on top of it. I think "RIM" could do more, meaning something at all, to ensure bb owners don't end up losing their data, by making sure more upfront that they know to backup. It was never intuitive to back up a phone. I guess someone that connects frequently to the BB manager might be aware of the option to begin with.

    And ok pda's crash, I accept it. But it still doesn't change the other confusing facts about RIM's phone security.

    I have accepted the situation. All I wanted was to exhaust options. As for not getting any answers based on my answers? Did you note whom I quoted? Do you think I want more answers from clowns that try to mock my posts? Shouldn't you be telling them to behave, first? I'd said nothing that called for such.
    I frankly expected a more in depth discussion, thinking this was a 'geek' forum, but oh well. I do appreciate everyone that answered civilly and constructively.
    Last edited by 8330_curve; 11-09-11 at 12:57 AM.
    11-09-11 12:42 AM
  23. T�nis's Avatar
    Here we go again. The way an owner verifies ownership is by typing in the correct password... This is Exactly what hundreds of bb owners have done and yet failed!
    Wrong. They typed in the incorrect password. That's why they failed.

    You don't see a problem here? That if your password is made up of digits you are kept in the dark about them actually being letters ? Don't blame me. I did type in the password correctly, meaning I pressed the exact same keys I've always pressed to login. You don't fail ten times at that even if you were hammered. I also went online after the 8th attempt. But did not find the info about numbers being letters until too late. In fact the final failed attempt was when trying to login from the BB manager. But how stupid I was to think that typing in the exact same numbers that I've done hundreds of times before would actually amount to the wrong password, even from the the desktop manager. Not even That could tell you to be careful if you're using digits in your password. This actually makes no sense to a user at all. It's very far fetched to expect someone to figure out that digits might actually be letters.
    There's no way pressing numbers would yield letters on your computer. Was your caps lock stuck? If so, pressing number keys might yield symbols. Typing 101, bro.

    Doesn't happen in the computer world. It was also not easy to come by that answer. It wasn't posted about in most of the web forums I visited. That alone would also tell you that it might not be accurate information to start off with. Additionally, Rim's website didn't pop up in the first results with the answer. So should you just take one or two poster's recommendations out of dozens of posts? Is that how the world of BB wipe out solutions work? If a solution is given, it's typically posted about everywhere.
    Solution to what? Next time RTFM. From page 231 of the 8330's user guide:

    "If you type your BlackBerry� device password incorrectly, you might be prompted to type blackberry before you can continue. When you try to type your password again, the characters that you type appear on the screen. If you exceed the number of allowed password attempts, your device deletes all your device data for security reasons."

    Why does it prompt you to type "blackberry?" So you can see what it is you're typing. And Desktop Manager even tells you when your caps lock is stuck on.

    Also, I said that a computer gets backed up because there's something called hard drive failure which happens commonly. Much more commonly than a phone gets stolen. Laptops get stolen frequently too, on top of it. I think "RIM" could do more, meaning something at all, to ensure bb owners don't end up losing their data, by making sure more upfront that they know to backup. It was never intuitive to back up a phone. I guess someone that connects frequently to the BB manager might be aware of the option to begin with.
    Hard drives crash much more frequently than phones getting lost or stolen? O-tay! The only thing RIM could do more other than showing up at your doorstep to make your backups and type your password for you is to give you a typing class and explain the difference between caps lock on/off, number lock, etc.

    It's hard to believe your topic is not just a joke. It breaks my heart to suggest that anyone switch to another platform, but have you considered a dumb phone? Perhaps a feature phone would be more intuitive ...

    Anyway, you're welcome.
    Dugganm likes this.
    11-09-11 06:16 AM
  24. reeneebob's Avatar
    Love it. He doesn't read the manual, he doesnt backup contacts ( something I've done since feature phone days and most people, even non techy people, know how to do), he comes across as arrogant and condescending (even scolding a moderator who was exceedingly polite compared to him) when presented with proof that his personal opinion isn't factually true, and we are the evil people.

    Okie dokie.

    It's because of people like him that I'm glad android and apple do backups in the background so that they aren't blamed for user error and ignorance.


    Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk
    Last edited by reeneebob; 11-09-11 at 09:17 AM.
    11-09-11 09:12 AM
  25. reeneebob's Avatar
    And for the record, if this was an ongoing failure of RIM that is unnecessarily affecting users I would think we'd have more threads like this or I would have seen scores of BB users inadvertently wiping their BBs by not typing their password in correctly. This is the first time I've heard of this weakness on a phone I still own.


    Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk
    11-09-11 09:20 AM
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