[Rcbjr]

Since the original instructions thread is getting extremely long and hard to read. I have created a straight line list of the steps required to activate hidden Vendor themes. As I can’t test this on the 8130 and there have been reports of errors being generated when the original instructions are followed, be carefull about using this one on the 8130.
Here is the legend for the

• A = HandHeld VendorID
• B = Platform Version Number
• C = Application Version Number
• D = Release Package Number
• E = HandHeld Device Model Number.

1. Determine your Vendor ID and Operating System Version
   1. On your BB, Open the Help Me Screen, (Press and Hold the ALT key while typing EACE
   2. Record the Vendor Id, and Version informaton (Items marked A, B, C, and D in Figure 1)
      Figure 1.
      
2. Connect your BB to your PCOpen your Desktop Manager (DM), select BackUp and Restore
   
3. Select Backup and complete the process.
4. Disconnect your BB from the PC, but be sure the backup has finished.
5. Now Open the DM Help/Device Software Screen and verify that there is an entry in the list where B and C as indicated in figure 2 below, match B and C above (figure 1) and E matches your BB Device Type.
   Figure 2.
   
   1. If you don’t have a listing for your current device, or the listing in figure 2 is a lower version (B and C) than the one(s) from Figure 1., Download the appropriate file from the RIM Downloads pages, BlackBerry Desktop and Device Software Download Sites and install it by executing the downloaded file.
   2. The File to download should have a filename similar to this format,
      EM_PBr4.2.2_relD_PLB_AC_AT&T.exe , where E, B, C, and D match those shown in figures 1. and 2. There may be other items in your filename, just make sure the Device type and version numberes match.
6. Use Windows Explorer to find the folder indicated in figure 3 below, again match B, C and E, to the ones above.
   
7. Edit the file named blackberry.alx using a text editor to add your vendor code to the list of numbers following the themes your want. If you use Word or other wordprocessor progagam, be sure to save the file in text format after editing.
   • Figure 4 illustrates how to add the number. This particular example is the O2 320x240 device Today Theme. You want to add your Vendor ID (A) followed by the “|” character to the front of the list. It is not necessary to add to the list if it is already included.
     
     Figure 4.
     
8. Again use Windows Explorer to find the folder containing the vendor.xml file.
   C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\AppLoader and delete or remove the file from the folder. It should be the last file in the list if it is sorted by filename assending.
   
9. Next, Return to Desktop manager and close the Help Page.
10. Connect your BB to your desktop, once it is connected, if you have done everything listed above, Desktop Manager should let you know that updated versions for your BlackBerry X.x Core Applicatons are available.
11. Click Update Now and complete the installation.

Note: if in the second to last step, you don't get the warning, just proceed to open Application Loader and continue with the update.

And do be patient when the Blackberry is rebooting. It can take several minutes, up to 20 or more, depending so don't panic.

Post here if you have problems using this process

Rcbjr

[brooke03]

Nice instructions... this should make it easier for those who got confused by the previous thread!

[ckitchens]

I do have one question... After you edit the blackberry.alx file, do you save it back as an .alx file in addition to the .txt. file or just save it as .txt file?

Thanks for the detailed instructions. It made it so much easier for people like me.

[Rcbjr]

If you use a text editor, it should save it as blackberry.alx in text format, unless you intentionally change the format. Just don't save it in any other format than text. If you open it in word, sometimes it will add the Word Document formatting and save that with the file without changing the file name. It should be saved as blackberry.alx, I don't believe I said anything about changing the extension to .txt.
Rcbjr.

[BStark]

I used this. Found it a lot easier than the last one. Actually worked for me. :D

Thanks Rcbjr.

[Rcbjr]

Glad we finally got you going.

Rcbjr.

[sjb4]

Very simple and easy to follow. I'll have to try it out.

[sjb4]

Very strange finding. When I go to the appropriate file in Windows Explorer, I only get a java file that contains the PTT extensions that I altered to remove it from my phone. I can't locate any other files in there (blackberry.alx or otherwise). I searched the C: drive for the blackberry.alx and only found the one I DL'ed a while back for the other hidden theme unlock method, but I never used it.

Any ideas where my other files might have gone?

[Rcbjr]

If you open the DM/Help/About DM/Device software, what is listed? Are you looking in this folder?

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\AppLoader?

What folders are listed when you go to this folder
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files?

Rcbjr.

[sjb4]

If you open the DM/Help/About DM/Device software, what is listed?
It just says Software, with and w/o BB connected.

Are you looking in this folder? nope, I was looking in the one just below:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\AppLoader?
CE.dll
device
loader
loaderres1028.dll and others w/ different #'s
mailservermapi.dll
mailservernotes.dll
rimprogram.dll

What folders are listed when you go to this folder
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files?
8100-v4.2.1.96_P2.3.0.78
- Java
-- net_rim_bb_phone_ptt_app.old (I changed .cod to .old to remove PTT)
-- all the various languages associated w/ PTT

[Rcbjr]

Open the folder C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files\8100-v4.2.1.96_P2.3.0.78. Do you not see the blackberry.alx file?

If you open the DM/Help/About DM/Device software, what is listed?
It just says Software, with and w/o BB connected.

It doesn't show the v4.2.1.96 (Platform 2.3.0.78) Software for the Blackberry 8100 . . .?

Richard

[sjb4]

Originally Posted by Rcbjr Open the folder C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files\8100-v4.2.1.96_P2.3.0.78. Do you not see the blackberry.alx file? If you open the DM/Help/About DM/Device software, what is listed? It just says Software, with and w/o BB connected. It doesn't show the v4.2.1.96 (Platform 2.3.0.78) Software for the Blackberry 8100 . . .? Richard

No blackberry.alx file, just the Java folder containing the PTT .cod files I altered. Nothing else.

DM/help/about DM/device software just says Software. No version number.

I had been using DM 4.2.2 and upgraded this morning to 4.3 in the hope that the missing items would return. This may or may not be related, but ever since I upgraded to 4.2.2 back in September I lost the ability to view all pre-installed applications when using App Loader. All that shows up are apps I added myself.

Now I am wondering if the "missing" info somehow got deleted when I upgraded to 4.2.2. The phone itself works fine, and I can add and delete apps w/o issue, as long as they aren't factory-installed things. Would reinstalling the OS bring back the missing info?

[Rcbjr]

I suggest you use the control panel Add/Remove programs to remove the handheld software from your PC, and reinstall it. Apparently you missed step 5A in the process above.

Richard

[sjb4]

Originally Posted by Rcbjr I suggest you use the control panel Add/Remove programs to remove the handheld software from your PC, and reinstall it. Apparently you missed step 5A in the process above. Richard

Apparently I don't have a handheld OS installed. Nothing listed in the Add/Remove Programs list. Guess I can start from scratch and upload a new OS.

Thanks for your assistance.

[jonnyxedge]

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~great idea guys. Thanks for the heads up.

[gkg3059]

Thanks for clearing things up.

[hayden]

awesome info. Thanks Richard.

[daveyboi]

thanks for the updated thread!!

[carmover]

Is there any way to remove unlocked vendor themes from the device? I went through and unlocked them and got them to my 8310 now I want to get rid of some of them because of memory conservation. I unlocked all of them to see which ones I would like, now that I know I would like to free up some memory on my device.

[Rcbjr]

Easy, just repeat the process above, with one slight change. Where the above process says to add your VendorID followed by an "|" for the ones you want to add (Step 7), the new process should say delete your VendorID and the "|" that is in front of the list of VendorIDs

Hope this helps
Rcjbr.

[carmover]

Thanks Rcjbr,

Kinda figured that but wanted to confirm first.

[allen4all]

Hello everyone,

I have a 8800 and my service provider is Airtel (vendor code 149)

Platform - 2.3.0.54
App Version - 4.2.1.68

I edited the bb.alx file and changed the following.

<!-- AT&T US filesets -->
<fileset Colour="True" Java="1.0" series="8800|8300" _vendorID="149">
<files>
net_rim_theme_102a_icon_320x240_b.cod
</files>
</fileset>

But when I use the app launcher, it says no additional applications found to install. I did an erase, selected the backup and restore option. Even then the Theme for AT&T is not showing up. Am I making a mistake by doing a restore? Should I just do a fresh installation?

My BB desktop application version is 4.2.2.14. Please help!!!

Thanks
Allen

[carmover]

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~
Did you go through the whole App Loader process? What I mean is when the box comes up with the list of apps on uyour BB did you click next or just cancel because you didn't see any new apps? If you click next it should show you the list of new themes it will install.

[allen4all]

Hi Carmover,

I went through the entire app loader process. Under installed applications, it shows the following 3 applications

Google maps
Google Talk
TimezoneOtapatcher

When I click next, it says "No Actions Required" and completes the app loader wizard. Here there is an advanced button where I have the Erase HH options.

Thanks
Allen

[allen4all]

Hey Carmover,

I deleted the vendor.xml file and tried the process again and it worked. Not sure what mistake I made during the first try.

Thanks for your help. The theme is now loaded on the HH.

Regards,
Allen

[Rcbjr]

The mistake you made the first try was not deleting the vendor.xml file. If your updating the blackberry.alx file for a previously installed OSl, deleting the vendor.xml file is required, thus the reason it didn't work the first time.

Rcbjr.

[inc188]

Awesome... Thanks

[kofman13]

i think i did it wrong..... i edited the .alx, deleted vendor file... i connected phone it said new update available or w/e and i clicked update now. app loader started but said no further actions required when i clicked next... i wanna try again but there is no NEW vendor file in apploader folder... so i cant delete it again. whats wrong

[Rcbjr]

Welcome to PinStack kofman13.

What carrier are you using? What Blackberry? What is the vendor ID you found in step B?

Let us know if there is anything else we can do to help with this problem or your BB.

Rcbjr

[tdgossett]

WOW. I tried this. Was skeptical (I'm skeptical by nature) and WOW...it unlocked all kinds of cool new themes. New Backgrounds, New Home Page Layouts. Who knew that all this was available and just needed to be unlocked?

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I only tried a few new themes and now I want to go back and add them all.


You people are cool!

tdg