I figured this might be helpful for those "How do you install a hybrid?! I've read all the guides and they don't make any sense!" posts. This was something I typed up a while ago... I stole some text from a post of driphter's about the device switch wizard trick because I didn't feel like re-typing it. Feel free to use this as a template and tweak as you wish. Also, if I missed anything, or need corrections, or something should be added, CALL IT OUT! Let's make this the best it possibly can be so we can just copy and paste it to a user who needs a detailed walk through....
First and foremost, I need you to uninstall any old OS from your computer. It is just easiest to start clean and fresh. This can be done in the add/remove programs option in your control panel. The only Blackberry software you should have installed is Desktop Manager. Then go to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files and make sure there are no folders in there. If there is still an old OS folder in there, remove it.
At this time it is a good idea to run
CCleaner on your computer. Use the main feature to clean the junk out of your computer and then use the registry function to clean out the registry. This will help ensure a clean install and that there will be no interference from past installs.
I need you to go and download the base OS that you are loading over (unless you already have it). Once you download this OS, then install in on your computer. Important to remember that OS's are device specific, so please be sure your downloaded the proper OS.
Next download The hybrid that you are trying to install. Once you download it, run the installer and it will install over the base OS you have on your PC already. Be sure to confirm that the installer is pointing to the correct directory. Sometimes hybrids for cross-platform devices have different default loader folders depending on the OS installed. Once you exit the installer it will start the
"Shrink-a-OS" program. Please don't exit it, just minimize it.
Once you have these steps done you are almost ready to Load. Now let's prep your phone. Go in to Desktop Manager and back up your databases using the backup function of DM. Once the back up is complete, we are going to back up your third party apps. We're going to use DM though, and not BBSAK. Go to device switch wizard, switch blackberry devices. In the bottom right select only 3rd party apps. Now click switch. When it prompts to plug in the next device, do not click anything, just minimize the screen and go to C:\users\(your computer name)\app data\local\temp\(your pin number), or just go to start, run, %temp%.
Make sure that you have your computer set to show hidden files in the advanced search options. The APP DATA folder is a HIDDEN FOLDER. Once you navigate to your pin number folder, drag it to your desktop. Every time you do this technique it will make a new folder at this location. Now that you have this folder on your desktop go ahead and exit from the DM by canceling the switch and closing DM. If you open the folder on your desktop it has an alx file and all your cod's for 3rd party apps.
If you prefer to back up your apps using
BBSAK, that is fine as well. Either way will work. In fact, it's not a bad idea to do both!
Now we are going to get ready to load before we wipe, maximize Shrink-a-OS. Then select all the things you do NOT want to load. Once you are satisfied, click Shrink my OS! Then leave it for the moment.
DO NOT SHRINK OUT DEFAULT THEMES or FONTS.Two options, you can load over existing OS, or wipe your device and start clean. I recommend wiping, but loading over is easier and more convenient for some beginner users.
1) WIPING -- Now that you have everything backed up on your device, it's time to start clean. Remember, no matter what happens here, you can ALWAYS restore since you backed everything up! Open BBSAK and connect to your device. Click wipe device. Let it try to boot up you will get a 507 error. Once that comes up, wipe it again through BBSAK. After you wipe it the second time, when the red light comes on, click "Launch Loader" in Shrink-a-OS (SAOS). It will say PIN: UNKNOWN, click next, put in your password if you have one, then get to the part where you select what to load.... You should click any stock games you are interested in keeping, password keeper, memopad, tasks, etc. If you see third party apps in there, leave them go until we restore them later. When you click next, it should start the loading process.
Once the load is finished and it boots back up, it is time to restore everything. Open DM and click backup/restore. Do a full restore of the most recent back up that you created earlier.
Now we're going to get your apps back. Go to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\AppLoader and run loader.exe. You will have to put in the password, etc. Once you get to the point where you can browse/open your app backup that you created and should be on your desktop. load the .alx file that's in the folder with your PIN in the title. Finish through with the rest of the loading process and voila!
Once these steps are complete, be sure to give it a couple battery pulls to help the new OS settle in. The first day or so you will get bad battery results and lagging performance, but give it some time, you will be thoroughly impressed. The browser should be blazing fast, as well as the overall OS.
2) NOT WIPING -- If you choose not to wipe, skip the BBSAK step and after you shrink your OS, just click the launch loader button. You will be asked at some point if you want loader to automatically back up your apps and data and restore them. You can just click YES and it will do that whole process for you so you don't need to do the manual restores like in the previous instructions.
Follow same procedure of battery pulls after install and helping the device settle in.
If you are prompted about a downgrade, it is important to select the bottom option of "replacing the device software with older versions provided by DM", otherwise, nothing new will be installed on your device. While it says "downgrade", trust me! This is definitely an upgrade!
As with anything, there are multiple ways to do things. So by no means is this the ONLY way to install a new OS. If you have your own shortcuts or different methods, don't hesitate to use them if they've never failed you before!
I hope these instructions helped, please let me know if you need any additional assistance or clarifications. If you like my work or like the hybrid, please check out
www.driphter.com. We have tons of great resources there and I think that you will find everything that you are looking for!
