If you own a Blackberry device and you like to play with things, like ringtones or wallpapers, or games, or if you develop software for Blackberry devices like I do then listen up! That’s right, put your ear next to your web browser and listen! There’s a new threat for computer hardware and it effects you Blackberry users. It’s the white screen of death and it manifests as an infinite rebooting sequence. It’s scary as all heck, especially if you’re about to release Beta and have 160 manhours of testing to complete in the next day and a half and a strict policy on company issued Blackberrys that mandate you are not allowed to crack open the casing and tickle the electrons on the circuit board. (I know, what a dumb policy, right?) Here’s the solution I found while frantically scouring the web. The short answer is to use the application loader to perform a device wipe. You have to connect while the thing is on the white screen I think. However I kinda don’t think it matters because my (BB) screen went dark right after I entered my password, leaving me wondering what in the world the application loader was actually connected to since the phone was obviously dead. I would never have figured this out in a million years. I was going about it all wrong. In my dumb brain I thought, “Why not hook up to the backup and restore console in the Desktop manager? Because I wanna restore my Blackberry, right? I’m not trying to load applications, I wanna remove everything and start from scratch!” Well for what it’s worth hook up to the Desktop Manager application loader to fix a constantly rebooting Blackberry.
(Oh and here’s the best part! Right after I finally got it to start the wipe sequence a coworker asked me a question causing me to rotate my chair clockwise while the USB cord was threaded through the armrest resulting in a catastrophy that ended with the yoinking of my device from the desktop hitting the floor, and disconnecting the cable. I’m not sure what this is going to do to the restore because it’s still restoring as I update this post but I’m sure its not a good thing to disconnect the USB cord on an OS restore to an already malfunctioning device. It can’t be much better to rebound said device off of the floor.)
+10 Mobile Development Voodoo Points
By: Matt on April 29, 2008
at 12:04 pm
I think I have a fix for anyone with a completely white screen (no hourglass) and wanted to put this here because this is the first site that comes up when searching for “blackberry white screen”. I’ll explain what I did and please let me know if it works for you.
The problem: A completely, with an emphasis on completely, blank white screen. Occasionally, the phone appears slightly fuzzy, or glitchy. Also, the phone occasionally appears completely normal. The phone, in my case, worked fine despite the screen problems.
The fix: I found a thread about someone claiming that the four solder points behind the mini usb port somehow created a short behind the screen. The guide said to, first, completely disassemble your blackberry (sorry I don’t have the guide here…could look for it today and send it to anyone that requests) After disassembled down to being able to see the green motherboard with the small screen attached, slightly and carefully peel the left side of the screen (the side that contains the mini usb port) a bit upwards until you can see the four solder points. For the laymen, these solder points are simply 4 grayish/silver spots. While taking care to not lift the screen excessively and leaving the majority still attached to the motherboard, take a piece of electrical tape, or any insulator and carefully put it over those four solder points.
Then, push screen back into position, reassemble, and test.
Please let me know if this works for you. My problem was solved instantly.
As for a second major problem of blackberry owners: if your phone will not sync with your computer and you have a bad mini usb port on your blackberry, it is probably because of the mini usb female port of your phone. A replacement of the port is the only solution I know of for this problem
As for a white screen with an hourglass: I think this is probably going to, usually, be a software problem and requires a reload of the operating system using your blackberry software on cd, or software directly from blackberry.com
-Philip
By: philip on March 9, 2009
at 3:13 pm
Great tip Philip! For those who really need to go this far I posted some video tutorials on disassembly.
By: Cliff on March 15, 2009
at 9:19 am
Hello Philip,
Here’s another update on this issue. It worked for a bit, but then had the same screen after a couple of days. I tried opening it up and playing with the display connector, putting it back together, a few times and it came back up for two days, and now it is dead again.
I even tried to put take on the solder points below the audio port, but it did not help or make things worse.
I am out of warranty and out of ideas at this point, and would greatly appreciate suggestions.
Thank you.
By: gaxm26 on November 22, 2009
at 3:30 pm
Hello Philip,
That definitely brought it back to life.
I have been unscrewing the BB9000, pulling the board with the screen out, unplugging the screen connector and plugging it back, several times.
It worked a few times in the past, but would go out again. Then that stopped helping.
Putting the insulating tape on the solder points and putting it back has revived it. I hope that it stays put this time.
Thanks for your help,
Best Regards,
gaxm26.
By: gaxm26 on November 17, 2009
at 5:55 am
i’m having some trouble pulling out the screen board out? ..help please!
By: elisha on June 12, 2011
at 5:04 am
this man Philip is a genius. I am technologically challenged and useless in anything ressembling DIY – but his fix actually works! Thanks a lot.
By: Oliver on March 1, 2010
at 9:42 am
could u help me man? i’m in trouble~~
By: azzam on June 6, 2011
at 4:58 am
hi,can i get the manual?? because i couldn’t solve the probs.. plus, where is the four solder point actually? i can’t figured it out~~ i’m using bold 9700.. HELP ASAP!!
By: azzam on June 6, 2011
at 4:57 am
A word of caution for those of you bold enough to attempt to disassemble your Blackberry: I do not suggest following Phillip’s tutorial however nicely written it is. Not only does this void the warranty but its incredibly risky and I hate to feel responsible for destroyed devices. That said, you are all adults and can make your own decisions. I am leaving his comment as it does seem to help some and it is entirely relevant.
By: Cliff on July 12, 2011
at 8:03 am
[...] To Disassemble your Blackberry In response to a response to my white screen of death post I give you detailed visual directions on how to properly void your warranty, or if you have a [...]
By: How To Disassemble your Blackberry « Can’t see nothing but the source code on March 15, 2009
at 9:18 am
I removed the screen however I could not get to the circuit board there is a metal plate , how do I remove the metal plate ?
By: nick on October 26, 2009
at 8:43 pm
Thank you very much philip!!!!!!!!!
Now my bold works so great!
By: pinkmama on November 1, 2009
at 3:22 am
Hi Phillip,
I have the same problem, white screen, i can still make phone calls etc etc so the phone works but there is no screen. I followed the instruction, took everything apart but cant see the ’4 solder points’ where to attach the electrical tape. Is is on the clip that attaches to the motherboard or the bit that attaches to the screen.
Many Thanks
Tony
By: Tony Yorke on December 1, 2009
at 8:58 am
You have to remove the screen from the motherboard first.
Have you already watched these video tutorials? It’s very useful.
http://codeforfun.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/how-to-disassemble-your-blackberry/
By: pinkmama on December 3, 2009
at 1:18 am
i have my blackberry completley dissasembled. i followed the video and the screen is disconected. can someone show me a diagram or better explain where the solder points are or what the look like
By: craig lamb on March 14, 2010
at 1:52 pm
oh my god! this really works! for those who don’t know, solder point is those spiky thing near the usb port, it took me days to figure it out..i thought it’s under the LCD! my bb is working now!!!!
By: Valerine Rebecca on December 30, 2010
at 10:51 pm
hi,can i know which is the solder point?? i cant figured it out~~ i’m using bold 9700.. is the solder point are at the same places??? HELP ASAP!!!
By: azzam on June 6, 2011
at 4:39 am
hello did anyone help you fins where the solder points are?
By: jarell jarrett on December 1, 2011
at 9:02 pm
Hay, I have the same problem, but I am worry about ressembly…, becaus ei ever do that before…, I used the wipe and Up grade the OS 4.5.174, but the same problem!!
what do you think? Should I do ressembly to my BB 8100 by myself? ( same I never do this before) or not?
And If i miss some thing, could my BB never work again? because I really like my Perso. Phone
___________________________________________ Mourad, Morocco__
By: Mourad Mergaoui on January 1, 2011
at 10:23 am
MY BB SUDENLY show white screen BTW WHEN I PLUG MY BB BY USB THE BLACKBERRY DESK MANGER STOP WORKING. I GIVE MY BB TO A CELL SHOP AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE SCREEN IS DEATH
By: ZZZ on February 11, 2011
at 5:50 pm
[...] [...]
By: Blank White Screen can connect via DM - BlackBerry Forums at CrackBerry.com on March 1, 2011
at 12:52 pm
i dropp my BB all the time, but this time when i dropped it, the screen was blank, (white). i was in a call with someone, and continued talking. i can still receive and make calls, but i cant see anything.
iam not a handy person either, so i dont want to disable my BB, is there another way?!
By: julie bariali on March 30, 2011
at 2:22 am
when i turn my blackberry on it sometimes goes fuzzy and fades then leaves a blanwhite screen? the day before my sister had a magnet on it fo like 10 mins and my school teacher said it was the magnet as her son put one on her t.v and the same thing happened. but it stops doing it after a week or so
By: charlotte on July 22, 2011
at 8:40 am
I too have had the white screen. I put tape on the back of the screen and for a short while (a few days) everything worked. Then it started again. It started with a white screen that would repaint the proper screen as I moved the cursor around. Then it would stay white after removing from the cover until it had gone blank due to the screen saver and would be OK when something caused the screen to display again. Then it started staying white until it felt like displaying something again, this could be hours and removing the battery had no effect. So I took it to pieces again and it is now working again. When I took it to pieces the insulation tape on the back of the screen was still fine so I suspect this is not the real cause and the fault is temporarily fixed by taking it to pieces. I am sure someone must know what the real problem is and we are not being told.
By: Kevin on August 9, 2011
at 9:10 am
please help my blackberry is white screened (p.s i cant disemble my phone for 2 reasons 1. im a kid 2.it to preciouse. pls help
thanks
By: ellesha on December 17, 2012
at 1:59 am
Hello I have the same issue of the white screen, the fone works perfect, suddenly I get that while screen & I either have to pull my battery out or simply put it for charge which restarts my phone automaticaly.
Please help Some one !!!
By: Monissh on January 3, 2013
at 2:51 am