Occasionally I have an OS downgrade/upgrade on my BlackBerry that goes wrong and I need to restore a single database. This morning the lucky database was my BlackBerry Messenger settings (which also contains all of your BlackBerry Messenger contacts).
If you use the Device Switch wizard, the Desktop Manager typically does some magic (I've yet to see how this works documented anywhere) to silently inform your BB Messenger contacts of your new PIN. That's excellent (when it works), but my early morning OS upgrade left me with the stock settings. No contacts, no preferences. My contacts could presumably all see me, but I couldn't see any of them.
Restoring the Read-Only Database
Connect your device and launch Desktop Manager. Navigate to Backup and Restore, and then Advanced. Open a recent backup (.ipd) file.
You'll be greeted by the friendly message:
Databases that are unavailable in the list have been configured for wireless synchronization or wireless backup and are read-only. You cannot restore or clear them.
And of course the BlackBerry Messenger database is greyed out.
Delete the Desktop [SYNC] Service Book
The trick is to delete the Desktop [SYNC] service book. From the device home screen open Options and then drill down to Advanced Options > Service Book. Find Desktop [SYNC], open the menu and choose Delete. Don't worry, you can undo this.
Restoring a Database
Back in Desktop Manager – with your device still connected – click the Refresh button under the Device databases group.
Watch in awe as previously disabled databases suddenly allow you to backup and restore them.
CAUTION: Be careful what you do here, you can really mess up your device. Don't mess with anything like being synced with your desktop client – Address Book, Mail, Tasks – and definitely don't touch a database related to your service or enterprise activation like Service Book or Policy. Limit yourself to options for the applications – databases like Address Book Options, Tasks Options, Sounds, Profiles Options and of course BlackBerry Messenger.
From newly liberated list of databases select the databases you want and backup or restore them.
Restoring the Desktop [SYNC] Service Book
On the device open Options > Advanced Options > Service Book, and then open the menu. It doesn't matter which service book is selected. From the menu choose Undelete.
That's it – once you undelete that service book wireless sync will resume. You can refresh the Device databases list in the Deskt0p Manager if you want to see the databases greyed out again.
