Installing OTA Software from your SD card

[DataCentre]

Some time ago a nifty little program was published by Blackberrysoftwarelist.net called (and I'm not making this up) the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...].

It's a single, stand alone EXE for Windows. You run it and give it the URL for the JAD OTA link for the program you want, and if it can it will create a directory based on the program's name, and download and save the JAD and all the files associated with the program (typically .COD files).



So, you ask, "What do I do now with these files? They're on my Computer, not by BlackBerry!"

Well here's what you do. Let's take one of my favorite apps - Beyond411. Fire up BlackBerry OTA and enter the link to the JAD ([Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]) file in the URL to .jad file field. Now, simply click the [Download] button, and within a few moments, a folder named beyond411 will open with the JAD file and the two .COD files needed for the program.

Now, simply copy the entire beyond411 folder to your BlackBerry's SD card. Disconnect the BlackBerry from your computer, and start the Media application on your BlackBerry. Click the [Menu] button and select Explore from the menu. Now, navigate to the beyond411 folder, and click on the file beyond411.jad.

The familiar Download browser screen will appear. Click the [Download] button, and within a few moments you'll get the familiar "Application Installed" message, and you're done!

If you keep the EXE - OTALoader.exe - on your desktop instead of using a shortcut, the folder it creates will be right on your desktop for easy dragging over to your SD Card. OR, you may prefer to have the EXE in its own folder (like BBApps), and have all the folders it creates under that. It's a matter of preference, and since the folder opens after a successful download, it's easy enough to copy anyway.

To summarize:

Setup:
1. Download the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] zip file
2. Extract OTALoader.exe from the Zip file to your preferred Location

Useage:
1. Start OTA Downloader
2. Enter the .JAD URL and click Download
3. Copy the folder to your SD card
4. Use the Media application on your BlackBerry to find the JAD file
5. Click on the JAD file to install the application

Note - unfortunately, not ALL OTA links work. For example, the OTA link for BBWeather ([Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]) uses a PHP script to retrieve the JAD file, and even the links for the COD files in it call the same PHP script. Sometimes (like this), you can manually download the JAD and COD files, but the OTA Downloader can not handle this link.

Also, sometimes you just can't get the URL for the JAD file. In those cases you could try installing the APP on your BlackBerry and then copy the COD files from your BlackBery and write your own JAD file, but that's pretty intensive and maybe the subject of another post!

Now go and download as many of the apps you MUST have on your BlackBerry and squirrel them away for the next time you wipe the device, or get a new once, and you'll be able to reinstall them in minutes!

[Rollin]

Excellent

[ariaaditia]

nice info dude

[crutchkelly]

Originally Posted by DataCentre

Some time ago a nifty little program was published by Blackberrysoftwarelist.net called (and I'm not making this up) the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...].

It's a single, stand alone EXE for Windows. You run it and give it the URL for the JAD OTA link for the program you want, and if it can it will create a directory based on the program's name, and download and save the JAD and all the files associated with the program (typically .COD files).



So, you ask, "What do I do now with these files? They're on my Computer, not by BlackBerry!"

Well here's what you do. Let's take one of my favorite apps - Beyond411. Fire up BlackBerry OTA and enter the link to the JAD ([Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]) file in the URL to .jad file field. Now, simply click the [Download] button, and within a few moments, a folder named beyond411 will open with the JAD file and the two .COD files needed for the program.

Now, simply copy the entire beyond411 folder to your BlackBerry's SD card. Disconnect the BlackBerry from your computer, and start the Media application on your BlackBerry. Click the [Menu] button and select Explore from the menu. Now, navigate to the beyond411 folder, and click on the file beyond411.jad.

The familiar Download browser screen will appear. Click the [Download] button, and within a few moments you'll get the familiar "Application Installed" message, and you're done!

If you keep the EXE - OTALoader.exe - on your desktop instead of using a shortcut, the folder it creates will be right on your desktop for easy dragging over to your SD Card. OR, you may prefer to have the EXE in its own folder (like BBApps), and have all the folders it creates under that. It's a matter of preference, and since the folder opens after a successful download, it's easy enough to copy anyway.

To summarize:

Setup:
1. Download the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] zip file
2. Extract OTALoader.exe from the Zip file to your preferred Location

Useage:
1. Start OTA Downloader
2. Enter the .JAD URL and click Download
3. Copy the folder to your SD card
4. Use the Media application on your BlackBerry to find the JAD file
5. Click on the JAD file to install the application

Note - unfortunately, not ALL OTA links work. For example, the OTA link for BBWeather ([Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]) uses a PHP script to retrieve the JAD file, and even the links for the COD files in it call the same PHP script. Sometimes (like this), you can manually download the JAD and COD files, but the OTA Downloader can not handle this link.

Also, sometimes you just can't get the URL for the JAD file. In those cases you could try installing the APP on your BlackBerry and then copy the COD files from your BlackBery and write your own JAD file, but that's pretty intensive and maybe the subject of another post!

Now go and download as many of the apps you MUST have on your BlackBerry and squirrel them away for the next time you wipe the device, or get a new once, and you'll be able to reinstall them in minutes!

Can I move and Store apps and themes to my memory card to save space. my device seems a little slower now that i have loaded new themes from Bplay?

[SirMimsta]

Would love to move themes to SD card and run them from there, is this possible?

[johnclark538]

I would love to be able to install and run apps from the SD card. My device memory is full and I don't even have that many apps on it. Is there any way to install apps to, and run them from, the external SD memory?

I've got an 8310.

[shmuwol]

There's a app that let's you download OTA directly to your sd card its called "aerize card loader" it costs like $10 but I think its worth the price.

Originally Posted by johnclark538

I would love to be able to install and run apps from the SD card. My device memory is full and I don't even have that many apps on it. Is there any way to install apps to, and run them from, the external SD memory?

I've got an 8310.

[johnclark538]

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN ABOUT!!!

I got the 7 day free trial today, and I'm moving a bunch of apps over to my SD card now!

Thanks man your a life saver, this will be the best $10 I will ever spend!

thanks again

[shawngee]

elite
G

[alchemist4533]

I just want to make sure I am getting this straight, are you able to just store apps on your SD, or can you install and run these apps from your SD card?