Downgrading the OS on my Blackberry Pearl
about a week ago, i decided i should probably update the blackberry enterprise server at work. it was a little out of date but i was a bit afraid to update it due to simply not being familiar with the process. fortunately it was pretty straightforward (being able to snapshot it before the updating does wonders for your confidence) and everything went well. it was done in the middle of the night and, as far as i know, no one even noticed (notification wasn’t sent out to the users).
about the same time, i decided i’d go ahead and update the operating system software on my blackberry pearl. i went to t-mobile‘s “blackberry upgrade” site and grabbed their latest version, v4.2.1.107. after about 45 minutes downstairs in the cold (where the windows xp machines live), it was done and everything was working.
until i responded to a text message, that is.
my pearl exhibited signs of what i can only refer to as a “repeating character” bug. namely, i’d hit the “1″ key quickly twice to generate “r” but would instead end up with “ee” (it was all of the characters, not just that key) and it was a real pain in the ass — sometimes it worked as it should, sometimes it didn’t.
playing around with the “key rate” setting under options -> screen/keyboard didn’t help. it was extremely annoying as i often compose complete emails and text messages without even looking down at the phone (i usually use multi-tap, but am now trying to switch to suretype — we’ll see how that goes), especially when i’m driving. it’s real annoying to have to go back and make 30 corrections before hitting send.
last night i was out drinking with some friends and sending a lot of sms’s and finally got pissed off enough to convince myself to get it straightened out. since the problem started occuring immediately after upgrading the os, i figured that must be where the problem lied. i submitted an e-mail to support through t-mobile’s web site asking for a link to the previous versions of the software and directions for downgrading (if anything special was required).
after sending the query, i got an auto-response that said that responses would usually arrive within 24 hours. i didn’t want to wait 24 hours, so i got to work googling.
in my search for an answer, i found out some interesting things. the most interesting was that i could use the software from any carrier; i didn’t have to use the one from t-mobile. in addition, i learned how to unlock the themes from all of the other vendors.
i finally scored a copy of v4.2.0.67 from o
then, a few hours later, i got a response from “tariq m, 2743192″, a “technical care specialist” with t-mobile who tells me that “there is no way to downgrade the software“. here’s his response (with some comments inline):
From: Customer Care <customercare@t-mobilesupport.com>
Date: Sunday, 24 Feb 2008 15:39:42 -0500
To: <me@domain.edu>
Subject: Re: Phones and Accessories.FeaturesAndSpecifications (CASE_NUMBER)Dear <MY NAME>,
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to write to us. My name is Tariq, and it is my pleasure to be of assistance in providing you with a resolution.
I understand you have performed a software upgrade on your Blackberry 8100 and since then you are running into a few small issues. You would like to know how to get back to the old software version.
yes. yes, i would.
I know how upsetting it must be when things don’t work, as they should. It is definitely aggravating when you cannot use your phone according to your expectations. I can see how eager you must be to receive this information <MY NAME>.
i am, can we get on with it?
Please be assured that I will make it my honor to assist you today.
great, let’s go!
<MY NAME>, I regret to inform you that there is no way to downgrade the software back to old version your Blackberry 8100 had before. We would be able to better assist you if you please let us know the followings:
“no way”? but i just did it!
- What was the initial issue with your Blackberry?
- Are you sure you clicked on the right software upgrade link available for Blackberry 8100?
- What is the issue with the device after software upgrade?
- Are you able to see anything or the screen has become blank?
- Have you been able to successfully complete the software upgrade or it broke in middle of it?
- Does your Blackberry have any power?
I offer my apologies for the short delay this will cause in getting your issue addressed, however; I am confident that your concerns will be processed in a timely manner. I once again apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, and thank you for your patience and understanding.
Did you know you might change your signature on the Blackberry when sending emails? Simply follow these steps:
yes i knew that, thanks.
[SNIPPED A WHOLE BUNCH OF CRAP ABOUT HOW TO CHANGE MY SIGNATURE]
Have a safe and wonderful day!
Sincerely,
Tariq M, 2743192
Technical Care Specialist
T-Mobile USA
by the time i got this e-mail, i was already back to v4.2.0.67 and my device was working like it used to. i figured that email came from the “first level” support, so i decided to call up support and get the blackberry/pda department, thinking one of the folks there might know more.
i got ahold of alex, who was actually extremely helpful (though he sounded kinda “new”). alex had a blackberry pearl himself and was familiar with the issue i described, even telling me later that it was a known issue and should be fixed with rim‘s next update.
unfortunately, the knowledge base (or whatever alex was getting his information from) wasn’t quite correct. alex said it might have been possible to revert back if the apploader had saved a copy of the old software on my pc but i checked and it hadn’t. i let it go at that, told him thanks, and asked to speak to a supervisor.
after a few minutes on hold i got to talk to ben. i let him know that alex was a tremendous help and that i wasn’t calling to complain (usually that’s the only reason people ask for supervisors)! i told ben that i’d gotten a copy of the software from o
ben let me know (kinda harshly, actually) that, as far as t-mobile was concerned, i no longer had a “t-mobile device” and that, were i a “my faves” customer, i would be having “some weird billing issues” (no idea if that’s right or not, i can’t confirm — but since i can easily add that feature myself from their web site, i’m not sure i believe that). ben also said they don’t keep older versions of the software on their web site since they don’t want “average users trying to do that” (somewhat understandable).
from everything i’ve read, the software is the same across carriers. i’m inclined to believe that as otherwise my pearl probably wouldn’t be working right now. i imagine my account is now “flagged” and i’ll be asked what version i’m running the next time i call. ;)
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I just upgraded as I was having an issue where the email and phone logs on the Pearl would just ‘disappear’ all of a sudden. Also, my corporate account get getting ‘invalidated’, which required me to go to the email set up screen and validate the account, then send service books to fix. So anyway, i decided to upgrade and now the display on the phone will only work if it is plugged in to my laptop via the USB cable. Works fine in that capacity, but as soon as I unplug, the screen goes black, the red light flashes, and it tries to reboot every 5 minutes or so. It gets to the ‘security verficiation process successfully and then goes black and starts rebooting all over again. Can anyone fix this? And, since you installed the 02 version in February, have you had the billing issues foretold by the jack@ss supervisor?
First of all, I want to say that I am so glad I found this website. I have a Blackberry Pearl 8100 and the v4.2.1.107 or whatever software, the newest one where text messaging sucks. I never pressed the delete key so much in my life. I don’t even text when im in class now because it doesnt do me any justice, it just gets me more aggrivated haha . however, i didnt try to use the UK’s version because I am, in fact, a my-faves user and I can’t afford a “weird billing issue” haha. Did you or anyone find out if I WOULD get a billing issue? or was that not true? .. I hope not, because im five seconds away from downgrading..lol .. and by the way, whoever made this website, you are hilarious and should be a writer because it’s 1:38am and I sat here and enjoyed reading this haha =) well done.
@JJ:
the “disappearing” call logs and email would occasionally happen to me as well. i came to the conclusion that it happened when the device basically ran out of memory (though i was never really able to confirm that). when it did it, i’d just reactivate it and everything would be fine.
i haven’t experienced the display issue that you have. i think i’d think it in to a retail store and see about getting it replaced.
@Danita:
i am still running the “downgraded” version and have not had any issues with t-mobile and/or billing. i’ve heard from a few issues that have downgraded as well and have not experienced any issues.