FAQ: Selectively Clear Data from BlackBerry Databases Using a Mac

Last week I was trying to fix a friends BlackBerry but I did not have a Windows PC anywhere. The only option was using Desktop Manager for Mac and I needed to selectively clear a specific database on his BlackBerry. He had the “Address Book –ALL” issue we mentioned before plaguing him with a hidden address book.

So I decided to do a bit of digging in RIM’s technical support center and ran across this one article titled: “How to use BlackBerry Desktop Manager on a Mac computer to clear data from the databases on the BlackBerry smartphone.” Looks like RIM has added many of the features available in the Windows version of Desktop Manager. I was shocked because I was expecting it to be one of those features that is only available from a Windows PC. Kudos to the Desktop Manager for Mac developers!

Here is the directions they give for clearing a specific database on your BlackBerry from a Mac:

1. Connect the BlackBerry smartphone by USB cable to the Mac computer.
2. If the BlackBerry Desktop Manager is not configured to open automatically when the BlackBerry smartphone is connected, open the BlackBerry Desktop Manager.
3. Once the BlackBerry smartphone appears as connected, select the Device menu at the top of the screen.
4. Select Clear Data. The following screen appears:

1. Select the data that you want to clear:
   1. To clear all data, select the All data option.
   2. To clear individual or selected databases, select the Selected data option, and then select the check box beside the databases you would like to clear.
2. A backup of the BlackBerry smartphone can be completed prior to clearing the data if necessary. To backup the data on the BlackBerry smartphone, complete the following steps:
   Note: By default, backup files are saved on your Mac computer to ~/Documents/BlackBerry Backups (Where ~ is the user’s home folder).
   1. Select the check box beside Back up data before clearing.
   2. Type the file name for the backup file in the Backup File Name field.
   3. To encrypt the data in the backup file, select the check box beside Encrypt backup file.