BlackBerry Troubleshooting

Look Familiar?

Okay, so as what I had written in my first posts, I also own a BlackBerry device, which has gone insanely booming in this country. My model is the 9800 Torch. It's not that outdated... but I kind of disappointed with RIM for cutting its life (read: software update) in less than one year (thank you OS7-equipped device!). I feel like an idiot buying the Torch after knowing that you could get a much better device for the same price a few months later!

Ah, okay... enough complaining. Anyway, I've got some tips if you encounter some problems with BB. Although secure, these things could lag like hell (before OS7, I've never tried them) if you don't treat them right. What are the tips? Find out after the break!

A Few Things Done A Day Keeps Your BlackBerry Fit All Day

1. Remember to clear out the messages. In case you don't know, all your chats, group chats, notifications, Facebook, Twitter, etc is kept in your 'Messages' app, and of course it can hog your memory if you continue to gather them. Less memory means less speed... so try to keep some holes in your memory, ok?
2. Clear out the logs. You can access your device's service logs by keep on pressing down ALT while pressing L G L G afterwards. Again, this action is related to your memory.
3. Press 'Back' button instead pressing 'Hang Up' button when you're closing down applications. The back arrow button means you're exiting it, while the red button means you're minimizing it, adding some extra bytes to the RAM usage. Some lower-end devices will have a lot of suffering due to limited amount of RAM... so I advice you to get used to doing this. For a quick explanation, RAM means how many applications your device can open simultaneously. If you fill it too much, it will impact the performance of your device severely. Some applications persist to stay, so if you want to take them out, do it manually through menu. You can access the 'Task Manager' by holding down 'BB' button.
4. Reboot regularly. Rebooting is always the best way to heal your device. You can do a soft reboot by holding down ALT+Shift+Del... or hard reboot by pulling open the battery cover, take out the battery, and put it back in after one or two minutes. Aside from clearing out problems, a reboot can also empties your RAM, getting your device back to its top shape.

Some Problems Related to BIS

Without BIS, a BlackBerry is no more than an overpriced phone, with such an outdated specs. BIS also comes and goes, depending on how strong your carrier/operator's signal is in your area.

1. Know your BIS. Look at the carrier logo. If you have an active BIS, then you'll find a BB symbol next to your signal bars, or things written in capital letters. For example, you'll have EDGE instead of edge, and 3GBB instead of 3g. As for GSM, sorry... you won't be able to send messages or browse the Internet.
2. If you ever have problem with your connection, like missing BIS or a halt in BBM (I'll refer this as pending), you can do three things:
• Call your carrier's customer service. Check if there are any disturbance or maintenance in your area, if your area is out of BIS signal range, or if RIM is doing its routine server maintenance.
• From the Advanced Settings of your device (Options -> Device -> Advanced Settings in OS6), you can go to the Host Routing Table, press the Menu button, and choose 'Register Now', the device then will try to register your device to your carrier again. Reboot your phone afterwards.
• From the same Advanced Settings section, you can also go to the Service Book, look for 'BlackBerry Internet Service 2' and delete it. Again, don't forget to reboot your phone.

Unfortunately, that's all the troubleshooting methods that I know. If you encounter a problem that can't be fixed by those tips, you can google for the fix, or you can pour it into the comments below. I'll try to search and find the fix for you. Thanks for reading! ;)