BlackBerry® Bold™

[truckin-on]

Bold - Verizon 9930, died with flashing red light, non-responsive.

Can connect wtih loader, re-loading latest OS for Verizon (7.1.0_rel1737_PL5.1.0.429_A7.1.0.580_Verizon_Wireless)

Load fails with "application loader was unable to connect with your device" when it tries to connect with the JVM.

I have tried:

- fully charged known good battery (tested in another 9930)

- wiping device

- start without battery, insert battery when JVM message comes up

- both BB desktop and Loader directly

- two different PCs (no change)

- different USB ports

- older version of BB OS for device

- many, many iterations...

All end with "application loader was unable to connect with your device"

Is the device scrap?  If so why?  It's not even 2 years old, out of warranty, and apparently now totally worthless.  This one is the CEO's Blackberry, and he's not happy...  If I can't resolve this, it will be the very last BB to ever see the inside of our company.  This is the second 9930 to die this way in the last 4 weeks. 

[truckin-on]

No ideas?  I'm looking for any and all alternative suggestions, or just confirmation that yes indeed, "...you've  exhausted all available options and you have a brick on your hands..."  Does RIM care about these failure issues at all I wonder?

Thanks!

[sdgardne]

Hello,

Firstly...

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truckin-on wrote:

Does RIM care about these failure issues at all I wonder?

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If you were hoping for a response from RIM, you have misunderstood the purpose of these forums. These are not a channel for any communications with, support from, nor escalation to RIM for anything. Rather, these are a user-to-user community of volunteers trying to help each other out amidst their own busy lives. So patience perhaps would be a good thing to have...

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Nevertheless, please try this sequence...note that, throughout the entire 4h15m process, your BB must remain connected to a known-good wall charger (not PC USB):

1. With the battery inside, connect your BB to the wall charger
2. Leave it alone for 2 hours, no matter what the LED or the display does
3. Remove the battery
4. Wait 15 minutes
5. Insert the battery
6. Wait another 2 hours, no matter what the LED or the display does

This has been known to "kick start" some BBs.

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While you've already validated that your battery is good, I don't think you've tried the first part of this test:

1. Obtain a known good and already fully charged additional battery...use it in your BB and see what happens
2. Obtain access to a known good and identical BB...use your battery in it and see what happens

The results of this will indicate if it's your BB or your battery that has the problem.

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While perhaps redundant to what you've already attempted, here are a few more things to try:

• KB10144 How to force the detection of the BlackBerry smartphone using Application Loader
• KB27956 How to recover a BlackBerry smartphone from any state
• http://crackberry.com/blackberry-101-lecture-12-how-reload-operating-system-nuked-blackberry

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Since you are out of warranty, your next step I suppose would be to seek in-hand support from a qualified technician to give you a proper diagnosis. Doing such at this internet distance is quite a challenge and therefore cannot replace in-hand evaluation and diagnosis.

Good luck and let us know!

[truckin-on]

Thanks - didn't intend to come across as impatient.  Just frustrated...

re: the battery test - I did try a known good bat. in a known good BB and verified it was OK.  The dead BB did have a dead battery, but it charged up fine and now works fine in the known good BB.  So I concluded I have two good batteries, and one bad BB.

I'll give the 4-hour "soak" suggestion a try - that's the one thing I haven't done yet, so it's worth a shot.  I'll let you know if any progress.

[sdgardne]

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truckin-on wrote:

Thanks - didn't intend to come across as impatient.  Just frustrated...

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No problem...I just wanted you to have a proper set of expectations here...

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truckin-on wrote:

re: the battery test - I did try a known good bat. in a known good BB and verified it was OK.  The dead BB did have a dead battery, but it charged up fine and now works fine in the known good BB.  So I concluded I have two good batteries, and one bad BB.

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I actually disagree. From what you say (perhaps I misunderstand), I do not see that you tried an otherwise known good battery in the dead BB. Example...a different yet identical BB, with a fully charged battery, that exhibits no issues -- use that battery in the dead BB. The combination of both tests is what can, IMHO, best lead to the conclusion that the battery is not the root cause.

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truckin-on wrote:

I'll give the 4-hour "soak" suggestion a try - that's the one thing I haven't done yet, so it's worth a shot.  I'll let you know if any progress.

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OK...let us konw how it goes.

[truckin-on]

No luck.  Tried the 4 hour "soak" process and the results are the same.  Blinking red light, on for ~11 seconds, off for ~8 seconds, repeat.

re: re: the battery test - "So I concluded I have two good batteries, and one bad BB."  I did as you indicated, just didn't completely communicate it - tried both batteries in a known good BB and verified they were both functioning fine in the known good device.

End of the line I guess.  Thanks for the suggestions.  I guess the next stop for the dead 9930 devices is the electronics recycling pile. 

Our CEO has given up on Blackberry and moved to an iPhone.  RIM looses another.

[sdgardne]

OK...good luck.

PS -- I do hope your CEO is not as unreasonable as your words present. To expect perfection from devices designed, built, and used (often abused!) by humans is folly indeed! Defects exist everywhere, including other platforms. I recognize that you've had two devices go bad in this way, but two out of millions does not, IMHO, a "failure" make. But, each must make their own choices. Fortunately, there is a plethora of choice in our free market. As I say, good luck!