The following is a lesson in why you should back up your BlackBerry as frequently as possible. At some point you’re going to run into a problem — and I’ve run into my share — where the only feasible option is to wipe the device and start over. If that happens you want to have a recent backup so that you don’t have to start over and send out text messages asking for people’s numbers and new BBM requests. Now that I’ve gotten the idea of backing up your Berry into your head, onto today’s issue. A reader wrote in yesterday to ask about an error message, Reload Software: 552.” This is a serious issue, one that could cost you all of your BlackBerry data. Hopefully you never see it, but if you do, here’s the recovery process.
Most likely, you’ll have to completely wipe your device using JL_Cmder. Yes, it’s sad, but if you backed up your BlackBerry recently it shouldn’t be a huge issue. You’ll just have to restore it once you’re done. If you haven’t backed it up, well, it’s a teachable moment. I had mine when my BlackBerry completely fried back in October. Hopefully you can learn from my mistake.
On your PC — and yes, you’ll need a PC — you’ll need the latest version of BlackBerry Desktop Manager and, for good measure, the latest operating system for your device, which you can find at this link. Plus, of course, JL_Cmder.
But, before you go wipe your BlackBerry, you might want to try a basic USB connection first. Plug in your Berry and instead of running Desktop Manager, run App Loader. There’s a chance the device will connect, and at that point you can root around in the device’s files. I’d recommend deleting any recently installed applications, plus any unused theme files — even your current theme, just to be sure. For some reason, third party themes can cause problems. Also, if you can upgrade your OS through App Loader, try that too. Once you do that, disconnect the device and see what’s up. If it still doesn’t work, onto the device wipe.
To do the full wipe, you can follow the written instructions here, or you can watch the following video.
Again, I hope it doesn’t come to this. But if you’re dealing with an error like 552, which completely cripples your device. Anyone with any first-hand war stories with this error? Did you find an easier way to fix it?
