How to Perform a Diagnostic Test on a BlackBerry
Why Would My BlackBerry Need A Diagnostic Test?
RIM has created the BlackBerry mobile platform to be a very stable device. Rarely do users complain of crashes, bugs or other system threats. However, with time use (and sometimes abuse) things can go wrong with a BlackBerry. It may be a third-party application or the BlackBerry itself, but running a diagnostic test can help better determine where the exact problem is or isn’t. Performing a diagnostic test can also be a helpful way to test out a used BlackBerry if you are considering purchasing one and would like to make sure it’s fully functional.
How To Perform A Diagnostic Test On A BlackBerry
To perform a diagnostic test on your BlackBerry, simply open your Options menu by either clicking on the Options icon on your home screen or, if you have disabled dialing from your keypad, you can press the “O” key to be taken direction to the Options menu. From there, select the Status option and, once in the Status screen, type the word “test” (without the quotation marks, of course). You won’t see the word test as you’re typing it, but your BlackBerry will recognize the test command and begin a diagnostic assessment. If you are a sure-type user, simply tap out the word test as you normally would.
What Will A Diagnostic Test Tell Me About My BlackBerry?
The diagnostic test will determine whether or not the hardware in your BlackBerry (or the used one you’re considering purchasing) is in passing condition. Of the functions tested will be the keyboard, trackball, light sensor, backlight, LED, LCD backlight and pixels, ring tones, speakers, handheld and headset microphone, bluetooth functions and GPS antenna to name a few.
When the diagnostic test has been completed, a full report of all of the hardware tested and of their pass or fail status will be generated and stored on the BlackBerry. Even if your BlackBerry receives a passing grade on everything, it’s helpful to perform this diagnostic test from time to time so that, in the future if anything ever does malfunction with your hardware, stored reports will help you determine the timeframe in which the malfunction occurred. For instance, if all of your hardware past a diagnostic test on September 12, but then your keyboard hardware failed on November 18, clearly you’ll know the approximate time of when the trouble began and may even be able to retrace your steps and recall any situations that may have contributed to the damaged software.
Though the BlackBerry hardware is typically very durable, it’s nice to know that there is a diagnostic tool available to help you regularly assess the condition of your hardware.
