BlackBerry Forums Support Community

97DT · 02-28-2010, 01:29 PM

Hi,

I bought a Blackberry 8900 off eBay, and I have absolutely no idea if it's been registered on BIS before. It doesn't turn on (hoping I can fix it!), and I do not have it yet but hoping to get a little headstart on things.

If the seller doesn't know which carrier it's on (they sell lots of faulty phones so I assume they wouldn't) and there's no logo, is there anyway of finding out with it not being able to turn on?

If I need to wipe the device to get it to turn on then I guess this information would be lost. This would obviously be useful if it has been registered with BIS and not deregistered as I can then contact the carrier and beg for them to release it! :p

I don't yet know the symptoms other than it won't turn on.

O and anyone heard of a website called "deregisteryourblackberry" (.com I can't post links!) Looks like they have a call center and various other websites with that address on. Didn't think a company could do this! Is it likely to be dodgey?

Thanks for any help!(

Dubdub · 02-28-2010, 02:44 PM

If it will not turn on, I would return it to the seller immediately and get a refund. Then go to your carrier and purchase the device of your choice. If you don't know what you are doing, buying a used BB can be a problem.

Read the FAQ article on Buying a BB from eBay.

If you give the IMEI and PIN to your carrier, they can try to register it on their network. If it can be activated, you should be good to go, but with this device and your situation, I would not even do that.

the-economist · 02-28-2010, 03:35 PM

If he bought it being advertised as "faulty" "untested" or "as is" there are no grounds for a return/refund. Most items sold like that actually have a non return policy, and rightfully so. Usually they sell for peanuts.

97DT, since you had plans to repair the blackberry try to do that first. If it fires up you'll get an answer to the question if it needs to be removed from a previous reg. Usually the carrier needs to be contacted by the previous owner, in your case that might be tricky, since your seller is not the previous owner and by my understanding just sells faulty handsets in bulk.

edit: btw by reading his post a bit more carefully.. He does not have it yet. That means he purchased a faulty handset in full knowledge of the handset's condition. good luck.

somerandomguy · 02-28-2010, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97DT

and there's no logo, is there anyway of finding out with it not being able to turn on?

If I need to wipe the device to get it to turn on then I guess this information would be lost.

if there is no logo, it could be an engineering sample.

and no, wiping a device will not erase the info that brands it. A device registered to tmobile (vendor 100) that gets wiped will still be branded as belonging to vendor 100.

if the device can connect to the computer (the device has pre-boot software that allows it to do basic USB tasks w/o the OS...) then it may be possible to get the device's vendor ID and possibly fix the device.

but, of course, this assumes that the hardware is the problem and that there is only a serious software problem.

either way, good luck!

97DT · 03-01-2010, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubdub

If it will not turn on, I would return it to the seller immediately and get a refund. Then go to your carrier and purchase the device of your choice. If you don't know what you are doing, buying a used BB can be a problem.

Read the FAQ article on Buying a BB from eBay.

If you give the IMEI and PIN to your carrier, they can try to register it on their network. If it can be activated, you should be good to go, but with this device and your situation, I would not even do that.

As others have said, bought it knowingly faulty. Thought it may be a cheap way of getting a blackberry assuming I can get it working again!

Quote:

Originally Posted by somerandomguy

if there is no logo, it could be an engineering sample.

and no, wiping a device will not erase the info that brands it. A device registered to tmobile (vendor 100) that gets wiped will still be branded as belonging to vendor 100.

if the device can connect to the computer (the device has pre-boot software that allows it to do basic USB tasks w/o the OS...) then it may be possible to get the device's vendor ID and possibly fix the device.

but, of course, this assumes that the hardware is the problem and that there is only a serious software problem.

either way, good luck!

How would I find out the vendor ID if it connected via USB? Is there a way of veiwing the OS files that are on there?

I've already downloaded the most recent OS for it from Blackberry, by deleting the Vendor.XML file does that unlock the phone?

Waiting for it to turn up today, fingers crossed it will as I have bugger all to do!