[chrispopovic]

I've had my BlackBerry Curve 8300 for about a week now. It's been a great device.

I was surprised how good a picture the camera produced. However, I'm getting an error today that's a little troubling to say the least.

I can start the camera application but it never launches completely. After about a minute I get the message, "Could not start the camera. Close other applications and try opening the camera again."

I can close the camera application but there is a big black square (video fragment) left on the screen. The phone still functions but the only way to get rid of it is to yank the battery and reboot.

I have a couple of extra applications on the device. I'm running PocketDay from Crossriver Systems, BBerry 411, and Ascendo Datavault.

Any ideas anyone?

[cmontero7]

Can someone please advise per the above error - I am getting the exact same error message.

[cmontero7]

oh and mine is three days old and there are no add ons or outside apps installed

[adam1314]

When the camera function won't work usually it is because too many applications are running at once. Click your menu button when you are on the main screen and select "Switch Application." You will then see the applications that are still running. Select one and exit it and then you should be able to operate the camera. Usually if you just close one or two applications you should be fine.

[greggebhardt]

When is doubt, pull that battery for a minute or so and your memory will be back to normal.

I wish that someone would make a simple progrma to close all programs with a single button push!

[BigTX]

I really hope someone has some more suggestions. Before I get flamed I have searched this site, crackberry forums, google, and the RIM site for any answers and have not found any suggestions besides here.

I am having the same exact problem as above. I have not installed ANY additional apps, and have had the phone for 6 days. The camera worked for first 2 days until I tried it couple of days ago and got this message.

Phone is for personal use (for now) and is not on BES.

Problem:
I try to start the camera either through button on the side or through main menu and the app starts, sits for about 3 seconds and a popup says "Could not start the camera. Close other applications and try opening the camera again."

I have tried everything I can think of and have listed it below.

Attempts to Resolve

1. The lowest I can close out applications to is 6 (Phone, PTT, Home Screen, Browser, Blackberry Messenger, and Messages) I have file free or memory available of about 21mb or 21050347 bytes. So I am not sure how much more I can get out of it. RESULT: SAME
2. I have pulled the battery and let it sit for 30 minutes and reinserted. RESULT: SAME
3. I tried reloading the OS via the application loader however it says "The Blackberry Desktop Software does not have Blackberry Device Software for the device that you have connected to the computer. Contact your wireless service provider or system administrator." I have looked for information on performing a hard reset but only see that it says pull the battery.

I feel a bit stupid as its probably something I have not thought of. So any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Thanks.

[munera]

I have worked with Tmobile Customer Support for 2 days... after performing all the procedures mentioned in this thread, they said there will be a patch available for download (maybe a new version) next week (August 28th)

I hope this times it works.

[MarkoUd]

Hi. I have had the exact same problem as BigTx. I have tried everything and I still cannot get my camera to work. Funny, it worked for a few days aswell and then it just stopped.

Anyone know where you can download the patch that munera has referenced. The device is awesome, but this is driving me crazy.

[John Clark]

Not sure. TMobile hasn't even released the 8300 so don't know how they could release a patch for a camera problem on it.

[robert sreter]

I have had exactly the same problem!

Robert

[tricky_ott]

Were you storing your pictures taken onto an SDcard or onto the onboard memory? If using the onboard, you probably don't have enough free memory to open the camera application. Try deleting the current pictures that you have and see if that helps. The easiest way to check for low memory is to go
Options->Status and check your file free. Thats your free memory.
I don't know how much it needs to open the camera though.

[MarkoUd]

Hi. Thanks for your response. I have a 1GB media card that has 50 MB of its capacity used (i.e. ~950 free). I uninstalled Blackberry Messenger to try to decrease the number of applications that could be considered by the OS as running. Still, no luck.

Any other ideas?

I really appreciate the help

[tapc101]

I have a 2GB ultra miniSD card with enable mass storage selected... I have the photos pointing to be saved to the card....

I have at least 50 pics and it works great...

[John Clark]

Originally Posted by MarkoUd

Hi. Thanks for your response. I have a 1GB media card that has 50 MB of its capacity used (i.e. ~950 free). I uninstalled Blackberry Messenger to try to decrease the number of applications that could be considered by the OS as running. Still, no luck.

Any other ideas?

I really appreciate the help

Mark,
I suggest reloading/upgrading the OS on the device. Go to the 8300 forum and look at the top at the stickies. There should be one there for the latest OS for the Curve. Load that OS on your device using the instructions provided there. That will likely fix your issue.

[MarkoUd]

Thanks man. The link is referring to the Vodafone package. My provider is Rogers Wireless in Canada. Is there any harm to downloading and using this software rather than using the package for Rogers Wireless? My phone that is exhibiting the problems is using the latest update for Rogers Wireless customers.

Note that I downloaded my software for Rogers Wireless from the official download site on BlackBerry.

I really appreciate your assistance

[petermarksmith]

Originally Posted by MarkoUd

Thanks man. The link is referring to the Vodafone package. My provider is Rogers Wireless in Canada. Is there any harm to downloading and using this software rather than using the package for Rogers Wireless? My phone that is exhibiting the problems is using the latest update for Rogers Wireless customers.

Note that I downloaded my software for Rogers Wireless from the official download site on BlackBerry.

I really appreciate your assistance

I have a friend with a curve with the same problem - has the forum concluded that upgrading the OS fixes the problem?

[J_Sayen]

I had my IT department wipe the phone and reload the latest software....same result. I've also done everything listed in this thread and the same result.

I even took the phone apart to see if the Camera came disconnected from the board but it's fine.

WTF! Mine started doing it about a month or so after I had it.

Anyone?

[JOCK]

Hi Guys,I am new to the blackberry scene and have blackberry for dummies in the chapter for the camera it states the below and this is word for word sorry if this does not help or it basically is what you have all tried,

If you open the camera application and see "Could not start the camera",close other applications and try opening the camera again,your blackberry is running out of memory for the camera to run smoothly.One solution is to follow what the message says.Press the shift and the escape keys at the same time and a list of applications appears.The escape key is to the right of the trackball and has the curving arrow symbol.Go through these applications and close them.If this doesnt work,the all reliable reset (taking the battery out and putting it back in) is your ultimate solution.

Sorry if i am telling you how to suck eggs.

Cheers Jock

[BxMasterMind]

After trying everything from a Master Reset to Reloading the blackberry O/S, I called AT&T and they sent me a replacement device.

[mwarwick]

I have been working through the same issue on one of my user's 8100s. Device works fine otherwise. I've reloaded and restarted everything there is to do. I strongly believe there is a hardware issue causing this. I can otherwise access media on both device memory and SD memory. I did notice that there was a lot of fine particulate inside the back cover...more than normal accumulation. It's unlikely to be software as nothing changed on the device. It worked one day and didn't the next. If anyone finds the silver bullet fix for this, I'd love to hear about it. Otherwise I'm calling warranty exchange.