Desktop Software for PC

[sdgardne]

Hi there,

With the advances in the RIM Desktop Software, there have been many posts about the upgrade process resulting in less than functional situations. The process I recommend is to cleanly start completely over, cleaning all remnants of the Desktop Software from the PC, and perhaps even clearing the content databases from the BlackBerry SmartPhone (on the assumption that the Desktop Organizer app has complete and correct data).

To do this, I suggest the following steps (insert plenty of reboots of your PC...not just restarts, but full power down reboots). Also, it is advised that you be logged into the PC on an account with full admin rights. Further, under Vista/Win7, use the "Run As Administrator" option for everything that you can. Additionally, if you are truly concerned about your data, then you should first copy (for Outlook, to a PST) your contacts, calendar, memos, and tasks...just to be sure, in case of something catastrophic.

There are some reports that a Windows user profile (type 'echo %userprofile%' in the command prompt) that contains spaces might cause the installer to fail. In order to solve this issue, log out of your Windows account and log back in using the local Administrator account (or any other account name without spaces, but with full admin rights) and install the desktop (for all users).

1) Remove any/all BlackBerry Device Software package(s) from your PC

• Add/remove programs, Uninstall, etc. depending on your Windows OS level

2) Cleanly uninstall the RIM Desktop Software:

• KB02206 How to perform a clean uninstall of BlackBerry Desktop Software
• Some have reported the manual search and removal of RIM, BB, and Puma registry keys to be helpful.
• Do not attempt this if you are at all unsure -- editing your registry incorrectly can render your entire PC useless!
• Others have reported the use of a registry cleansing tool to also be helpful
• Still others have reported the use of your original PIM (e.g., Outlook, NOTES, etc.) installation CD, running the "repair" process, to be helpful in some situations

3) Get a fresh download of the RIM Desktop Software:

• http://us.blackberry.com/apps-software/desktop/

4) Download (to your PC) a fresh copy of your BlackBerry Device Software package from your carrier -- it must be the version that your BlackBerry is already running (otherwise, the Desktop Software will attempt to change the version that is running on your BlackBerry):

• http://na.blackberry.com/eng/support/downloads/download_sites.jsp
• KB23393 How to check the model number and version of installed BlackBerry device software on a BlackBerry smartphone

5) Install the Desktop Software to your PC -- do not allow it to start

6) Install (also to your PC), the BlackBerry Device Software package -- do not allow it to start the Desktop Software

• If the package came from a carrier other than that for which your BlackBerry was originally manufactured, then after this install step completes, you must delete, from your PC, at least one copy, and possibly two, of VENDOR.XML.
• One will for sure be here (or something quite similar, depending on your Windows OS):
• c:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Research In Motion\AppLoader
• The other might be here:
• c:\Users\<insert your user name>\AppData\Roaming\Research In Motion\BlackBerry\Loader XML

7) Start the Desktop Software and connect your BlackBerry to your PC (USB) when prompted.

8) OPTIONAL -- if you truly want a clean start over AND you are 100% sure that the data in your PC Desktop Organizer (e.g., Outlook) is accurate, then, at this point, you can clear the BlackBerry of all Organizer data so that you can start over fresh, using your PC Organizer data as master:

• KB10167 How to clear the user content databases from the BlackBerry smartphone

9) Start the organizer configuration over:

• KB03315 How to synchronize organizer data (calendar, task list, memo list, and contact list) using the BlackBerry Desktop Software
• If you are using Outlook AND multiple profiles, be sure to click the "Configure" button, inside of the Configure screen for each organizer app...that is how you select the proper profile for EACH Organizer component you are configuring.

Hopefully that will get things going again.

Good luck and let us know!

[cwils02]

Seriously Mr Guru III.

The desktop 7.1 installed easily for me and it was able to sync.  Therein lies the problem.  I noticed problems on the very 1st sync, but wasn't totally concerned.  Then the 2nd sync required that I delete 25 items from my Outlook Calendar in order to add 5 critical items to my device's calendar.  No way to do one or the other like I could under Intellisync.

I am dealing in getting info to doctors about a terminbally ill cancer patient.  I can't have RIM screwing up my history & keeping me from getting info on to my device to have available for medical personnel.

How can I get back to the very last software before the 7.??? debacle?  The Sprint Link only has 7.0 & 7.1.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Peter_Jones]

Never update something that works without backing it up. That's my normal creed, but last week I didn't do that when updating my perfectly working BlackBerry Desktop Software - what an **bleep**! Needless to say, I couldn't get my BB and PC to sync after the update. I tried many times to resolve this including removing and reinstalling the software and installing a version from a disc that came with my partner's (identical) BB. Nothing worked so I used this page to try again. Everything went well until I tried to Sync. The Outlook Contacts appear to Sync fine, but the Outlook Calendar returns this message - "Synchronisation Error. MAPI Logon Failed. Please run Outlook with the profile 'Outlook' selected and try again."

I don't know what this means or what I should do. I use Outlook through Connector with a hotmail e mail account. If anyone can help that would be great.

[castlehill]

I am having the same problem syncing aftre having downloaded the new Desktop Manager and have tried most things.  Seem ridiculous that this amount of time needs to be wasted just because BB releases a new version before it is ready.

[sdgardne]

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cwils02 wrote:

The desktop 7.1 installed easily for me and it was able to sync. 

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Only one problem with that...there is no production Desktop 7.1...

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cwils02 wrote:

How can I get back to the very last software before the 7.??? debacle?  The Sprint Link only has 7.0 & 7.1. 

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I don't know of links to any older Deskop Software versions. But, if you downloaded it in the past and kept the download file, then you already have it. I've not spent the time digging through the Download Portal to see what carriers might still have what versions.

I don't promise that the above will work for everyone...it might work, it might not. I know for sure that it has worked for some situations. It's just a way to cleanly start over with the current Desktop Software...I make no guarantees about anything. Each person chooses what they choose to adopt.

[sdgardne]

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Peter_Jones wrote:

The Outlook Contacts appear to Sync fine, but the Outlook Calendar returns this message - "Synchronisation Error. MAPI Logon Failed. Please run Outlook with the profile 'Outlook' selected and try again."

I don't know what this means or what I should do. I use Outlook through Connector with a hotmail e mail account. If anyone can help that would be great. 

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I believe there is a whole thread somewhere about that specific MAPI error. Plus, there is a KB:

• KB31838 Error "Mapi Logon Failed" when attempting to sync with BlackBerry Desktop Software

Good luck!

[sdgardne]

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castlehill wrote:

I am having the same problem syncing aftre having downloaded the new Desktop Manager and have tried most things.  Seem ridiculous that this amount of time needs to be wasted just because BB releases a new version before it is ready.

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Hello,

In the history of software, I've never seen anything released that worked in 100% of all cases. There will always be exceptions. While it's never really formally stated, what I believe happens is that the production release of any software is more technically referred to as "full field testing", and not every situation will function according to plan. There are always a large amount of issues that surface right when something is released...but there are also, I believe, an equal (or larger) group of unreported "no issues" situations. So it's difficult to really judge if this was ready or not when it was released.

Cheers!

[cwils02]

Per the data that you provided for starting over:

http://btsc.webapps.blackberry.com/btsc/viewdocument.do?externalId=KB03315&sliceId=2&cmd=displayKC&d...

At the bottom of the page, it references Desktop 7.1

[cwils02]

Under number 8) OPTIONAL,

it talks about clearing all the data on the device if we are sure that we have everything in Outlook. 

The only problem with this approach, based on my last try with Desktop 7.? is that the organizer will delete data on my calendar (from the past) that I do NOT want deleted.  It gives no way to keep all the data on Outlook, but add data to the calendar on the device (Bold 9930).

[sdgardne]

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cwils02 wrote:

Per the data that you provided for starting over:

http://btsc.webapps.blackberry.com/btsc/viewdocument.do?externalId=KB03315&sliceId=2&cmd=displayKC&d...

At the bottom of the page, it references Desktop 7.1

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Oh that is interesting indeed! It would seem that RIM may have a typo in that particular KB (that happens quite a lot, sadly!). Or, it makes one wonder if they are "planning ahead" with the KBs (typically, they are "running behind")! Nevertheless, the official download portal only provides 7.0:

• http://us.blackberry.com/apps-software/desktop/?lid=us:bboftwareesktopSoftware&lpos=us:bboftware

So, anyone who actually has a 7.1 Desktop Software version has obtained it from other than the official source for the production release of the software. The governing data point will be what the person has installed on their specific system.