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While attempting to download and install BlackBerry Operating System (OS) version 4.5 on my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Pearl and Curve, I encountered a problem (“Error reading setup initialization file”) but found a way to overcome it. Google revealed to me I wasn’t alone, so I decided to do a lengthy Part 1 in this series to help anyone else who might experience the problem. Any reader who is a “newBBie” at downloading an OS might want to see how it’s done. It’s a fairly quick read with lots of screenshots.

Installing the OS on Your Computer

For Verizon Wireless BlackBerry owners, the download site is found at http://vzw.smithmicro.com/blackberry/. If you’re not sure where to download from, start here: http://na.blackberry.com/eng/support/downloads/download_sites.jsp.

Your first choice–Personal versus Corporate–depends on whether you are a regular owner or a corporate owner whose company uses a BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES). My choice was Personal.

I actually went through this whole process twice: once for my Pearl 8130, and again for my Curve 8330. I’ll show only screenshots for the Pearl; the Curve screens were virtually identical. For an OS download, you select the BlackBerry Device Software, not the VZAccess Manager Software.

I prefer to Save instead of Running the download, so I chose to Save.

The download’s file name is ridiculously long. Note the phone model number and the OS version number is embedded in this name.

The download can take a while based on your Internet connection’s speed. Note that the download for the Pearl is expected to be 72.9 MB.

A Problem Occurs

OK, here is where the problem occurred. After the download was completed, I attempted to run the downloaded file to install the OS on my computer (before attempting to install it on the phone–that’s how it’s done). I got the error message below.

Here’s the confusing part: I repeated the download on different computers, running different versions of Windows (WinXP and Vista), and used different Internet connections. Still, I kept getting the same error message. I was about to conclude that the file on the Verizon web site was simply corrupted.

By the way, I did not have this problem at all with the Curve download, only the Pearl download.

I thought to check the properties of the downloaded file, and lo-and-behold, it appeared to be too small–only 62.0 MB. And it was too small, and the same size, every time I downloaded it. Again, that led me to believe the original file on the Verizon web site was bad. How else to explain this?

Problem Resolved

Being stubborn, I didn’t want to accept that I couldn’t get a good download for my Pearl. So, I got this idea: try a different browser to do the download. I had been using Internet Explorer 7.0 (the one thing that did not change in all my downloads). I decided to try FireFox 3.1. Guess what? It solved my problem. See below that my download now matched the 72.9 MB size that it was expected to be.

I don’t have a good explanation for either the problem or the solution. I have used the “try another browser” trick on countless problems, often with success. BTW–I recommend every computer have a minimum of 2 browsers installed: IE and FireFox. Better to have more: I also have Opera, and  am really enjoying using Google Chrome Beta (very promising but definitely not ready for prime time).

Now, when I ran the download file, the installation process went smoothly, as the next few screenshots reveal.

In case you’re curious where the installation files go on your computer, it goes here:

WinXP: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files\

Vista: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files\

Vista-64: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files\

Conclusion

What I thought would be a simple start to my OS upgrade turned ugly (for the Pearl download). But Part 2 of this series shows and explains the installation of the OS on the phone.

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Related posts:

• Install OS 4.5 on BlackBerry Pearl or Curve, Part 2
• How and Why to Wipe Your BlackBerry (I had to do this on my Pearl before I upgraded)
• How I Upgraded My BlackBerry Operating System (upgraded 4.3.0.60 to 4.3.0.97)