Device software for BlackBerry®

[ebridges]

We are in the process of switching carriers and were having problems with the new devices.  The carrier recommended upgrading the devices to OS 4.5 to fix some the problems which is fine since T-Mobile released the new OS yesterday. We upgraded a few devices without any issues (seems to fix the problems we were having with UMA); however, I now have 70 more Blackberry's with the old OS!  Is there a systematic way to upgrade this many phones?  We are on BES with the latest sevice packs (6 was the last one if I remember correctly).  I don't think it matters, but all of the devices are 8320's.  As it is, I am looking at 1 hour per phone which would be 70 hours!  I really need to get this down to a couple of days.

Thanks for any help! 

[jmrmb80]

Assumming they all have access to the same network location you can setup the desktop manager and device OS software on said network location. Check out this KB Article: http://www.blackberry.com/btsc/KB04510

[ebridges]

Thanks for the tip.  I did try this for one device just to see the experience.  It works well, but I believe this would be best suited in an environment where the individual user it upgrading their own device.  Unfortunately, that is not an option in my situation.  We are working with the carrier to see if they can provide a solutions.  They rumored that RIM has a software program (or something) that could upgrade up to 5 devices at once.  I am curious what they come back with about that.

[jmrmb80]

OK. I was also going to suggest using the web blackberry web desktop manager in a similiar fashion, but that requires some user interaction as well. I think I remember seeing something about using the BlackBerry Manager on a BES to update 5 devices at once, but that required having all 5 devices connected to the computer you're accessing the Manager from.

If they do offer you a solution I'd be interested in hearing about it. Good luck

[Xandrex]

I agre with jmrmb80, I did read something about that
please look for that message somewhere in the "Blackberry Enterprise Solution" board.

[ebridges]

They directed me to KB04538 "Install BlackBerry device software using the BlackBerry Handheld Configuration Tool".  From what I have read, that tools is included in the latest Blackberry Enterprise Manager.  I tried it that way by setting up a software configuration which initially appears like it is going to do the trick, but it ends up failing once I kicked off the second one.  It didn't actually throw an error, it ended up hanging up Enterprise Manager and both devices stopped with the error 200 on the screen.  I think this tools is designed for basic software installs and not OS upgrades.  It seems like it gets confused which device it was working on when the devices reboot?

Anyways, we ended up doing it the "old fasion way" by setting up several machines to do the upgrades.  So far we have about 20% of them upgraded, but have a system down so the rest should go must faster.

I tried your tip from a few posts back with the shared folder.  That works, but it should be noted that it will try to setup the device for the current MAPI profile of the logged in user.  I was wondering why I stopped receiving emails on my BB !

[jmrmb80]

Hmm. Seems like it would work. I've never done it myself so I can't comment on it. I'm sure others that a regulars in the Enterprise Solution board will be able to help you figure out why it froze.