[grimey]

figured it out.. nm

[Soapm]

Can someone please slide me a blank policy file? I would like to change my themes...

[Soapm]

Please...

[MobileRC]

Good steps or you could just cradle it up on someones workstation on a BES that doesnt not have hardcore IT policies on it and within seconds the old policy is overwritten

[Soapm]

My problem is the only ones I know with a BB are at the job. They are not a big item among my friends etc...

[jibi]

Was the IT Policy enabled by your company you're currently working with? If it was, I wouldn't try to skirt around their implemented policy. Assuming you are on the BES there, it would be pushed back down to you immediately (assuming they have it set to push down at an interval).

[Soapm]

I WAS on BES but since our company was using BES 3.6 with no date of going to 4.0 I couldn't get all the things I wanted like OTA contact synchro so I had myself removed. I don't care to see my mail when I'm not on the clock cuz I need seperation. I will go back on when or if we get 4.0.

There are only two things I can't seem to do after being removed from our BES, turn off the firewall (I can careless about this since everything works) and change my themes. I want to change to a theme that will get rid of the ribbons on the home screen and make the BB mine... Got my eyes on the TMO one.

Because I don't understand this policy thing, if I change my theme then go back onto the BES will it move me back to the default theme or just not let me change it again (stuck with what I have)?

[jibi]

To be honest, I'm not aware of a policy that limits the ability to change the theme. Perhaps the ability to load third party applications? Attached is a zip file with a full-screen layout of the IT Policy options. I believe the Administration Guide (PDF available on RIM's website under Product Documentation) will spell out which each option does when enabled.

If you are unable to download third-party applications via local install, then you may want to try over-the-air download (I wrote a HOWTO in the 7100 forum (its a sticky) on how to do this, although you will need to have a web-server handy (an XP machine on the internet can serve as this)).

Actually I was a wee bit incorrect earlier with my statement, as there is a bit of a loop-hole with going back to a BES with a policy in place. One of the instructions above is to do a security wipe of the handheld. This same theory applies to you going back to a BES with a defaulted blank policy on your handheld. When/if you rejoin the BES, you will not download their policy - it will fail. This is a security enhancement. Your handheld will have to be wiped. Since your company does have IT Policy enabled, I would imagine that they would monitor whether or not your policy was applied successfully or failed (it is written in black and white, literally).

[Soapm]

Wow, you blew me away with this. It answered other questions I had while on BES like why I could only get to intranet sites via BES browsing but could still use my carriers APN to go anywhere else I wanted. Thanks!

What are those Desktop settings third from the bottom? Could that be locking my theme? i can add applications via DTM or OTA no problem so I don't think the limitation is there.

[tgray]

I really wanted to avoid doing this, but I am asking for the default policy.bin be sent to me as well. I've tried finding a copy, but it doesn't look like anyone wants to post it. Please email it zipped to .

Thanks.

[grimey]

I had my previous employer pass one down to me, it wasn't that hard.

I'm starting to think that most of these request are bogus, and am glad it(bin file) is not posted.

[Soapm]

In my case, we have some outsourced HP guys in Canada that do our tesh support. All they are capable of doing is what our company allowed them to do. To get the policy sent i would have to get to the company guys that actually run the BES. In the past I could have went to the guys in the local LAN room and they would have known who to call but they were all laid off and we now have outsourced HP guys there also.

I opened several trouble tickets and asked to have it escalated but my device is considered a personal device and is not supported by the company so they immediately close my tickets. Sounds typical for our company, they'll let you activate your personal device but not deactivate. That won't happen until an exec tries to remove their personal device then we'll get a procedure and a memo.

On a different note, when I bought my 7290 the company BB were only being issued at the exec. level. I still have a company two way text pager that I forward to my BB. Word is they will soon reach issueing BB's at my level and so my choices will be I can take the company BB that is SUPPOSED to be used for company business only or I can reactivate my personal BB on the companies BES and they will let me T&A the data portion of my TMO bill. I don't know how they enforce the personal use only clause but I think I'll reactivate my personal BB on the BES.

[kindkris]

Originally Posted by grimey

I had my previous employer pass one down to me, it wasn't that hard.

I'm starting to think that most of these request are bogus, and am glad it(bin file) is not posted.

Based on my experience, I have to disagree that most of these requests are bogus. This "feature" of locking an IT Policy on a device for life is not one that seems to be widely understood. I did not leave my company but simply switched from Verizon to T-Mobile and, therefore from a 7250 to the 7100t, and without understanding the ramifications of this ITPolicy trap, I disconnected the old phone from the BES, ported my phone number to T-Mobile and cancelled my account with Verizon without resetting the default policy. Once I realized there problem, it was too late. After countless hours on the phone with my company's IT support, as well as Verizon Wireless, I realized that this is not a well understood issue (I've had to re-explain the situation to every level of support, all of whom asked me the same questions, "Did you try wiping it, or typing an incorrect password 10 times and reloading the apps?"). There is also no common understanding of the solution and if it weren't for these threads, I'd probably be rubbing magnets on the back of it by now.

Thankfully, with great persistence I was finally able to get a BES Admin to assist me in resolving this (using the procedures outlined in this thread), but they still did not seem to really have an understanding of this issue. They only sent me the file to get me off of their backs.

I'm in agreement that posting the bin file for public consumption is not a good idea. However, I think it's ridiculous that the phone companies don't have a way to reset the devices (at least not Verizon). So long as all data is wiped out simultaneously, I'm not sure I understand the security risks to an organization. They are selling these devices to their customers and it seems only sensible they should have a method of cleaning them up to their original factory settings.

[Soapm]

Originally Posted by kindkris

I'm in agreement that posting the bin file for public consumption is not a good idea. However, I think it's ridiculous that the phone companies don't have a way to reset the devices (at least not Verizon). So long as all data is wiped out simultaneously, I'm not sure I understand the security risks to an organization. They are selling these devices to their customers and it seems only sensible they should have a method of cleaning them up to their original factory settings.

You make an interesting point, what does a carrier do when a BB is RMA'd and they find the problem was just cosmetic or never had a problem at all? They should be able to get it back to factory setting prior to reissue or someone will get a reconditioned unit never knowing the policy existed.

i believe RIM is at fault for not making the wipe remove this policy also. To quote kindkris, "So long as all data is wiped out simultaneously, I'm not sure I understand the security risks to an organization."

[miami]

I am a medical resident and am finishing up residency at the end of the month and going out into the "real world". I bought my 7100t back in October and had it activated on the hospital's BES server. Now that I am graduating, the IT people at the hospital have no idea how to take off the policy. Thet also don't know how to let me take the $100 CAL that I payed to blackberry to use on their BES with me - but that's another issue! Could someone please email me the policy file? I would greatly appreciate it. I promise not to send it out or use until I leave. My email is below. Thank You!

[jibi]

Originally Posted by miami

I am a medical resident and am finishing up residency at the end of the month and going out into the "real world". I bought my 7100t back in October and had it activated on the hospital's BES server. Now that I am graduating, the IT people at the hospital have no idea how to take off the policy. Thet also don't know how to let me take the $100 CAL that I payed to blackberry to use on their BES with me - but that's another issue! Could someone please email me the policy file? I would greatly appreciate it. I promise not to send it out or use until I leave. My email is below. Thank You!

Tell the IT staff to open Blackberry Manager on the BES and go into IT Policy. If they do not have a blank policy already (i.e-they altered the Default policy rather than adding a new one), then tell them to create a new policy and leave it blank. They need to add you to it. That should clear up your policy issues.

Secondly, the CAL they added for you is listed in the BlackBerry Manager. These are listed in the BlackBerry Enterprise Server properties. They will need to write down the one you have (if you have it already, then thats good) and remove it from their BES. I do not believe there is an issue with actually using a CAL when its already being used on another BES, but this is just minor legal points. Do not let them keep the CAL. If they do, then bill them for it, as they have a legal obligation to account for any financial transactions (and if that means them keeping a $100 CAL, then that is their obligation to pay for it).

[miami]

Thank you jibi! I appreciate the help on both issues! Unfortunately, the IT people at the hospital are a little brain-dead when it comes to blackberry issues, but I will forward this in an email and see what they say. Thanks again
-AV

[cbandler]

Originally Posted by Soapm

Me also, I bought my own BB and my company added it to the BES. Fortunately, my only limitations were SMS and no aps through MDS but with the latest OS I can send that traffic vie APN just fine.

My situation is I purchased my own 7100g before my division approved BB as a company supplied phone. Being a large global coporation, we had a BES in place for others divisions. I have since left the company and wish to use IM and other things, but can not get rid of the darn policy from my previous employer.

[JCT]

Originally Posted by grimey

I had my previous employer pass one down to me, it wasn't that hard.

I'm starting to think that most of these request are bogus, and am glad it(bin file) is not posted.

Speaking as a beneficiary of someones kindness in helping me out, I would like to add my comments here. I used to work for a large investment bank (one that has just been in the press a lot recently!). Their European BB policy is that you buy the blackberry - and they pay for the ongoing cost.

This is FACT not fiction, and so I think there are a lot of people who validly need the policy.

[marius]

Could a kind soul please PM me or email me a blank policy file? Thanks!!!!