[mmagda]

Calling all experts!!!

I am at a loss for words here.

**I have spent my entire day googling/reading/searching these forums and many others. I am sure someone has to have some insight?! [Frown] And tried many things**

I love BB's always had them, but NEVER have i experienced such unreliable equipment.

I am in Canada on the Fido network, have BIS, and still functioning on my 8800 [which the 9000 was replacing]

Coles:

-Got phone, called to get unlock code; check so it is unlocked
-attempt to use phone in 3G as is with OEM AT&T 4.6 OS; negative, research reveals it will work in 2G, somehow i had the ability to switch between EDGE/3g
-> tested and it works, but i bought this phone for the 3G and multitasking ability
-Had confirmed PIN is released from AT&T this afternoon, before embarking any further.
- INSTALLED BB desktop Mgr 5.0.1 [latest one, as i always would do so when upgrading]
-Upgrade to 5.0.0.411 OS, now i have done this time and time again, and can do it blindfolded. [followed standard procedure]
-> Prior to doing this research suggests that the Denmark OS 5.0.0.411 is 'best', so i went ahead with that one first. Success! It worked, i was calling/texting/basic phone-like functions in 3G!

-Now 'data' part [called my carrier here to confirm it is just as easy as 'change device/PIN & IMEI' on the fido.blackberry.com website]

So i go ahead, feeling happy/excited to add data and retire this 8800. Fan-freakin-tastic!
"Information you have provided is not valid for this service provider."
-Respectively i was reading up on the 'service books' and how some phones will detect data with a new sim [this did not appear with initial working above since it showed up the option ONLY as BES setup, and i have BIS...]
-> Now i can't call my carrier this device is not carried by them, and they cannot guarantee it working in any case, unless it is a branded device by them - understandable.
*I forgot my p/w so i took out the SIM since it was sent to my 8800 for the password...

-I was doing something on my other phone, so i took out the SIM and into my old one, trying to figure out the data.
-Time to try it out again [*read up on the registering the BIS via the phone menus]
-> AWESOME! IT DOESN'T READ MY SIM [the same sim from 1 hour earlier...]
-3 billion hard resets, soft resets, and nothing.
-More research shows to try the Bell OS, so i do so USING the BBSAK program, gave that a whirl. Did a wipe/reinstall of the BELL 5.0.0.411
-Now the verdict; it STILL shows 'Initialization Failed' SOS/
Tried my mother's SIM to see if it would have basic function [and it is only a 1.5 year old SIM and mine is ~1 y.o.] And it claims 'invalid sim' [confirmed yet again it is unlocked and that i am not in fact seeing things here]

I am at a loss for words, i officially am super pissed and very tempted to break this thing. Amazing how it goes from working to brick in less than an hour. And the best part is that i did nothing wrong [procedure wise/damaging] or anything to provoke this strange behavior of my phone.

Anyone bother trying to share some insight?

A Bold user looking to buy an iPhone asap at this rate,
Mike

[mmagda]

SOME OTHER UPDATES/POSTS from ANOTHER FORUM... Just so ALL grounds are covered...

-Someone:
"i dont have much experience with fido. but when i tried to use my Telstra (unlocked) the first time. My SIM worked initially but ended up with the "SOS" at the end after a few hours. It turned out that AT&T married the SIM to the IMEI and PIN. Any one of those doesnt match, your phone wont work. I ended up spending 2 hours on the phone with AT&T explaining that the BOLD was a gift and it is unlocked. After AT&T did their magic, the little 3G icon and voice service worked immediately. I hope it helps."

- My reply:
When i called i specifically asked nicely and wanted to confirm that i am good to go, and sure enough they said, "of course!"

I just tried once more to work out the OS issues by re-re-reuploading it, this time with JL CMDER, and no dice as well... Strange...

At this point i am going to call at&t again to inquire about this suggestion and if not i will try a downgrade to a 'later' 4.6 OS.

I will be updating this thread as i go along, and post my discoveries. Unlike the many unanswered queries i encountered scattered all over the internet!!

[mmagda]

-Someone:
have you tried using the dummy rogers/fido IMEI? The CSR added the dummy IMEI and it works fine for me on a Rogers unlock bold on Fido.

2222222222228 <-dummy imei

BTW, i'n using like a 8+ year old sim.

Also reading that the sim card could be fried.


-Myself:
I thought about it for a second, then again my effort woudl prove useless since i currently have a phone that doesn't recognize my sim. *Okay well it does, but it does not 'connect' to the network per se. I see the bars upon startup, then 1-2 seconds later it jumps to 'initialization failed'. and 'SOS' under the bars.

That was ultimately going to be my next move, to use the dummy IMEI, but actual PIN, but like i said, i don't even have the ability to use the phone.

**SIM card is 100% FINE and it is working and active in my BB 8800 as i post this*** I was getting emails this afternoon and I am getting BBM's as well... So it is working!**

I tried the dummy IMEI in a last-second-before-I-go-to-bed attempt and this states in a caution window:

Invalid PIN or IMEI format:

Please retype your PIN and IMEI. The information you provided is incorrect.

-----------------------------------------------------

Above poster suggested calling AT&T as they sometimes associate a specific SIM with a specific IMEI, etc.

But after 30 mins on the phone [a total of one hour today] i was reassured that it is out of their hands that once it is unlocked i should turn to my provider for help. Which is weird since i only called to confirm the theory of them associating the sim to the phone. But at least this is the last call i had to make as i was guaranteed that the IMEI & PIN are [and were as the afternoon] 100% removed from the database.

[mmagda]

-Someone:
Did you do it on the phone or on a desktop computer?

See if oyu can create an account and try to add it there using a desktop

fido.blackberry.com

Under 'change device' on the left

If you want ot rsend the service books, click on 'Help' and theres a button to resend service books.

But if you cannot even get phone service...somehow i think it might be a hardware issue..my guess it's the sim.

-My reply:
Did it on my desktop. I will try the sim. Worst case scenario i will have a newer sim for my next phone i guess. Btw, it is from one of the latest batches that came out. Originally included in the box of an LG Neon.

Like i said, the SIM is working, right now in my 8800, just got an email this morning @ 7:00 am. Mind you i guess it could be older ones will work with EDGE capable phones, but not AT&T unlocked 3G bolds?

What about debranding? Anyone able to do this in order to get something similar to work?

*I would not mind doing this in either case, i dislike branded phones, the first thing i did was sand off the Rogers/fido/other logo's on most of my [old] other handsets.

[mmagda]

OKay. Well a new sim card is not the issue as it turns out.

called my useless provider, and told them the scenario. They resent the service books, but like i said 3 million times on the phone, my Bold doesn't get service...

Anyways, sure enough about 1.5 hours after my call for help to them they resent the service books... BACK to my 8800!!!

I am fuming right now... You would not want to hear what i think of this phone and RIM as a whole with this particular incident.

To make matters worse i am SOL in either case. On one hand AT&T has 'washed their hands' of this mess... by saying once you unlock it, we can't help you, go to your own carrier.

And Fido on the other hand is worthless since it doesn't even carry this phone nor know anything to begin with.

Last, RIM is worthless since they don't even have a contact number for support unless you have a credit card on hand, nor a line to contact.

-------------------------------------------------------------
Someone suggested, that i try to 're-unlock' the device, but as we all know, it happens once and that is it. So it is in fact unlocked/sim free...

Now anther suggestion was to get the device swapped for a new one, but that won't happen as i was not the original owner, and i am in the process of seeing if it has remaining warranty...

Thanks all for reading my long posts,
Mike

[jsconyers]

Welcome to the forums.

For the SOS issue, look here:
View Document

[littleman]

Wirelessly posted (bold 9000)

As I read this I don't understand why rim is at fault. You knew the phone may or may not work. Also u took the chance and have done so many things to the phone you might have caused the problem. My bold is the best phone I have ever had. Little problems that I have been able to fix. Great phone just bad carriers. Rims not at fault.

[mmagda]

Originally Posted by littleman

Wirelessly posted (bold 9000)

As I read this I don't understand why rim is at fault. You knew the phone may or may not work. Also u took the chance and have done so many things to the phone you might have caused the problem. My bold is the best phone I have ever had. Little problems that I have been able to fix. Great phone just bad carriers. Rims not at fault.

Do tell.

I bought an ATT handset cause it was cheap and in working order.

OS 4.6 DOES NOT give me 3G; so why not upgrade when countless other offered plenty of success stories all over? Hmmm?

IMO very stupid of RIM to make a phone with 3G but you can't use it. Just Google ATT customers and their experiences regarding the Bold. Look at the entire first generation of these phones, coincidence that they were all a POS? I think not. Had they engineered them properly from the start before a release many would NOT be on their 2-3-4+ replacement Bold's.

A friend of mine went through 6 in 5 months. Each with a completely different issue [On the Rogers network]

I have done absolutely NOTHING to impair or even come close to crippling the phone. And if I did PLEASE point them out to me, since unlike my post count suggests you may think you are talking to someone who is using their first BB in their life.

Trust me, i have been an avid BB user for a while now, and know my way around these very well.

Last, what do carriers have anything to do with this? The ATT was bad at first since iPhone users would harass the towers with 3G signals and the Bold users would have next to no reception.

Whereas in a country like Canada, there is not even a quarter as many subscribers as you have in the USA. And i get signal from 4 different devices in my house, in the same room, yet the BOld is the only that 'refuses' to find network or hook up to it...

But of course it is my carrier's fault for even adding such crap to their lineup.

the strange part is, that you think i hate this phone, and i do. But i had one from work as my other line for a few months and it was problem-free the whole time.

So bringing back to my previous point, RIM made a POS and it now shows with the handset i purchased, which refuses to work, after USING OFFICIAL RIM RELEASED software/products. Hmmm.... Talk about questionable quality.

Best,
Mike

[devnull]

Sorry your having such a hard time with your 9000. Mine works fine using 3G or 2G, 4.6.0.304 OS, and on AT&T. Maybe you just bought a faulty device?

Almost seems this thread should be in the "Rants and Raves" forum.

[mmagda]

Originally Posted by devnull

Sorry your having such a hard time with your 9000. Mine works fine using 3G or 2G, 4.6.0.304 OS, and on AT&T. Maybe you just bought a faulty device?

Almost seems this thread should be in the "Rants and Raves" forum.

I will try that OS as a downgrade. And it is not faulty, like i said in one of the above posts it was working for a while on my network!

Why the 'rants and raves' ? I have an issue, and i am trying to solve it. Perhaps it is my last post you are referring to?

If so, i apologize, i was psyched to get this phone and now ... So i apologize for my frustration, just seeking some advice from someone on here that may be mo knowledgeable than myself!

[mmagda]

<update>

Still no luck... F***

Anyways here is the rundown of what i did to try again:

Numerous attempts at installing 4.6.0.247 from AT&T [with and without removing the vendor.XML file]
Installing 4.6.0.303 from Rogers Wirless
Reinstalling 5.0.0.411 from Denmark.

All of these underwent using BBSAK, apploader.exe, DM 5.0.1, 4.7 & 4.6, tried to do it with CrackMem, but forgot how to use it, and figure it is just as useless as all my other attempts.

Also, i tried a friends' sim Card, on the Fido network, and upon inserting it, it stated 'Invalid Sim card'. I still have to try a Sim card from the 'Rogers' Network to try and isolate the issue with my device, since in this case if it works on one, i will be certain that it is working on at least one network and still have a chance of selling this unusable [to me] device! Oh and i tried a Bell sim, on the 5.0.0.411 OS [IIRC] and it stated 'insert sim card' meaning that it was not reading it, however i look back and i am thinking the sim was dead, i was told [tried it at my old store] it was active/demo line.

I read about this on the internet as well, a similar thread to mine on the 8220 device which a piece of paper is the fix, here it is not And one thread that remained unanswered on GSMhosting, with the same issue, but no 'fix' for the 9000 specifically...

What my options now, are to reinstall DM 5,0,1 and try it using that again [since it was the combo that initially worked] it remained 'open without a battery installed for all sorts of intervals, anywhere from 5 sec to one 24 hr period, and that master reset does nothing, neither do the soft resets on the phone.

To make things worse, the seller did not respond to two of my emails asking what is up with it and if the phone had ANY warranty remaining, of course no answer...

Oh and i did some more snooping, and someone else made a thread on different BB's that simply did the same thing EVEN though they were locked to the network they were being used on, unlocked, etc. Again models from 8100 thru [my] 9000 pretty much, shockingly no one has a 'fix' for the issue.

Remember guys any information/leads helps!

Best,
Mike

[mmagda]

Okay. Weird stuff going on here.

So my sim new one and old one worked fine, but still changed for the newer just in case.

My friend's 'older' Fido sim card said 'sim card invalid'; but the device is unlocked!? I read somewhere on net that someone had something similar happen. **his Sim card works, it is NOT a sim issue**

The Bell sim card, did the same to me, 'invalid sim', etc.

Now yesterday i tried a Rogers sim card [it is 1 year old more or less] and it gave me the 'initialization failed' as well!?!

Oh yeah, and the phone shoudl recognize a sim that works and not, since i have a dead Cingular sim at home and when i put that one in it said 'invalid sim', knowing that it was inactive.

I have no idea what is wrong with this phone. If i can get it to work by the next few days i am listing it on ebay or selling in the classifieds, in hopes that a cell phone shop can make use of it somehow.

In either case, any of you self proclaimed BB pro's care to enlighten me? Strange how everyone on here jumps on all those asking how to upload an OS but when faced with something in my case, no one has anything to post?

cheerios,
Mike

[jsconyers]

How many forums have you posted this on? It appears that you're getting help at other forums. We don't know what others are having you try and have you looked over the KB article I posted a few days ago?

[jsconyers]

Originally Posted by mmagda

Strange how everyone on here jumps on all those asking how to upload an OS but when faced with something in my case, no one has anything to post?

cheerios,
Mike

Is it strange, Mike? Everyone here, mods included, are volunteers. They help where they can. There are no escalations or priorities. Your issue is no more important than someone that needs their OS upgraded/downgraded, or simply needs to know how to wipe the device, or how to change their profile.

That statement of yours that I just quoted makes me not want to attempt to help you.

[Raptor464]

Sounds like a fried SIM reader...or even worse, a main board issue. More than likely you are SOL

[mmagda]

Originally Posted by jsconyers

How many forums have you posted this on? It appears that you're getting help at other forums. We don't know what others are having you try and have you looked over the KB article I posted a few days ago?

Three forums. No one has added anything useful on top of my posts. So yeah, that is why i am posting this here, to update my progress/process of elimination.

And if you read them, i have posted what some suggested and my actions towards said suggestion, so it does not get suggested again... Am I doing it wrong for showing what has been suggested elsewhere?

Originally Posted by jsconyers

Is it strange, Mike? Everyone here, mods included, are volunteers. They help where they can. There are no escalations or priorities. Your issue is no more important than someone that needs their OS upgraded/downgraded, or simply needs to know how to wipe the device, or how to change their profile.

That statement of yours that I just quoted makes me not want to attempt to help you.

yeah it is strange. Is your Google broken? I am sure any newb is able to read countless posters signature links/tutorials thru their posts, search the forum, or read their manuals for that matter [assuming they use the handheld wipe method]

So yes, i think this is more important since i have a funny feeling countless other Bold's out there are or have been subject to the same/similar issue, and people gave up on them. Whereas i am trying to figure things out and gladly take any suggestions made. I know you are all volunteers, high five to you!

Last, don't help, it's not like sending me a link that comes up thru Google did much anyways, and as mentioned before, i have had an extensive collection of BB's [not to brag] and know my way around them, i was more so looking for the guidance from an expert that *might* be lurking the interwebz/

This issue may be caused by one of the following:

1. The Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card is not properly inserted into the BlackBerry smartphone.
2. The SIM card is scratched or damaged.
3. The SIM card contacts are oxidized.
4. The service has been disconnected by the wireless service provider.
5. The network does not support roaming.
6. The network selection mode is set to manual and no network is selected.
7. The BlackBerry smartphone requires the latest software from the wireless service provider.

Since you are keen on referring to the article or my posts may be too long i answered:

1. Ugh, yes it is, duh *even tried a tiny paper as to make sure there is 100% contact, i barely got it out after, so contact was more than close. I even raised the little prongs a tad to again, make sure contact is made...
2. No. It was changed for a new one shortly after, of the newest series.
3. Negative, its new.
4. Nope, switching between phones [9000 & my 8800] i get emails/calls/etc just as i normally would.
5. It does, but I am not roaming. With TA&T devices on my network it tends to 'roam' on Rogers wireless, but no extra charges incur since it is the mother company of my provider. In fact my phone had 'rogers wireless' listed as the provider/network setting. Tried getting onto Fido, or finding it for that matter, but no dice, since i cannot connect, and when it was active the option was not present under 'manual network search'
6. Nope, it is on automatic, experimenting thereafter it failing was changed around, but after set again to automatic
7. Done & done, about 30 times, using AT&T, Rogers, Denmark, Bell's OS'. respectively each was installed uninstalled using BBSAK, DM 4.6, 4.7, 5.0.1, apploader.exe, JL_CMder, and CrackMem.

--------------------------

Originally Posted by Raptor464

Sounds like a fried SIM reader...or even worse, a main board issue. More than likely you are SOL

Thanks, i was thinking this as a 'last resort' worst case scenario. I will try to call AT&T and see if they can trace warranty by IMEI, as the seller has vanished, and won't reply to emails i merely inquired about remaining warranty/if it is even active/how old the device is.

And of course, i do have a mobo out of an 8320 kicking around and the sim-slot was fine, so if i am feeling ballsy i will tyr to solder this bit in. But in any case i might give my local classifieds a shot/eBay for a 200$ buy it now deal/cell phone shop special to refurb and flip for more, as the phone is 100% MINT.

Thanks all,
Mike

[mmagda]

Well here's an update for those that actually read this...

I debranded it successfully!

But my phone is still ****ed, i think this is a sign for me to stop using blackberry altogether.

Debranded with engineering screen, did it right, installed a 'more' stable OS from Rogers in canada [4.6.0.303] and nothing! Still shows "initialization failed" Should i call back to AT&T and see what the hell is wrong with this thing?!

I have just about given up, i will try and logically think of any external solutions to this phone, but other than that, if it doesn't work what the **** more can i possibly do to this phone to get it to work?

<frustrated BB user> If i cannot get this to work, well i think Apple/others might be getting my business from now on...

-Mike

[jsconyers]

Originally Posted by mmagda

Well here's an update for those that actually read this...

I debranded it successfully!

But my phone is still ****ed, i think this is a sign for me to stop using blackberry altogether.

Debranded with engineering screen, did it right, installed a 'more' stable OS from Rogers in canada [4.6.0.303] and nothing! Still shows "initialization failed" Should i call back to AT&T and see what the hell is wrong with this thing?!

I have just about given up, i will try and logically think of any external solutions to this phone, but other than that, if it doesn't work what the **** more can i possibly do to this phone to get it to work?

<frustrated BB user> If i cannot get this to work, well i think Apple/others might be getting my business from now on...

-Mike

Wait, let me get this right. You used illegally distributed software which is known to brick devices and you're blaming RIM for this?

[OzzieDog]

Originally Posted by mmagda

Well here's an update for those that actually read this...

I debranded it successfully!

But my phone is still ****ed, i think this is a sign for me to stop using blackberry altogether.

Debranded with engineering screen, did it right, installed a 'more' stable OS from Rogers in canada [4.6.0.303] and nothing! Still shows "initialization failed" Should i call back to AT&T and see what the hell is wrong with this thing?!

I have just about given up, i will try and logically think of any external solutions to this phone, but other than that, if it doesn't work what the **** more can i possibly do to this phone to get it to work?

<frustrated BB user> If i cannot get this to work, well i think Apple/others might be getting my business from now on...

-Mike

I'm not and expert, but you "debranded" and AT&T phone and now your asking if "you should call AT&T"? I'm not sure but I think somewhere in there they will tell you "sorry but they can't help you".
To some degree I know your frustration, I am on number 10 and its finally working right, I found some of the problems were the phone, others the network and finally myself, I know just enough to be dangerous.
Good luck, my two cents only.

[mmagda]

Originally Posted by OzzieDog

I'm not and expert, but you "debranded" and AT&T phone and now your asking if "you should call AT&T"? I'm not sure but I think somewhere in there they will tell you "sorry but they can't help you".
To some degree I know your frustration, I am on number 10 and its finally working right, I found some of the problems were the phone, others the network and finally myself, I know just enough to be dangerous.
Good luck, my two cents only.

I am aware of that... It is there phone, i am not going to blatantly state "FYI i debranded it", i want to get down to the bottom of the 'initiailization failed' causes, and want one of their experts to shed some light, as like i said, it is their device.

Originally Posted by jsconyers

Wait, let me get this right. You used illegally distributed software which is known to brick devices and you're blaming RIM for this?

Listen, stupid. I have no idea how you can be so dense. The debranding has nothing to do with the issue you clown. Yes, i have seen you commenting in the debranding threads, so don't play dumb, you know quite well that it is not the cause of any further issues. It removed the hideous startup image, and menus now i have nice ones

It was the more 'extreme option' and which i had no influence upon, as i want this POS to work, and guess what, RIM blows, since they clearly cannot manufacture let alone engineer a 'state of the art' device that was supposed to be as big as the second coming of Christ.

You would think the second time around they would have a half decent working most of the time device, but no. They continually have countless people getting pissed since their products are piss-poor, brushing off customers to their respective carriers for tech issues.

There is no reason three friends of mine should have went thru 2, 3 & 5 replacements in a year long period. At that point I would throw in the towel...

However stupid ME fell for it, assuming the AT&T [like the 5-6 other smartphones i had off their network, older BB's, WinMo], this one should have worked.

/Rant, due to stupid, useless comment posted.

--------

The topic at hand. What i had used was MFI multiloader 2.0.1.3, so it was the latest, followed the instruction to a T. I used the 'fail method' so now i am going to try with the 'Pass' method where i check off full erase vs. not.

I was also using BDM 4.7 for the install, well not even, i ended up using apploader.exe instead. The OS i tried to install was the 4.3 version from Rogers, so i am going to go ahead with the denmark release of 5.0 since I already have it installed just now, if not i will try out something else, like the new leaked version.

Cheerios,
Mike