BlackBerry unlock/reset

[Mark]

I've 'acquired' an old BlackBerry to temporarily replace my (lost) iPhone, but it's locked and I have no idea what the password is.

Is there any way to do a factory reset? I'd like to get rid of the password and any user data. If there was free stuff on there I might want to keep it, but since I don't know, I'm happy to never know and just blitz the lot.

I did find a MicroSD card in the back, if that's any help.

PS - Unfortunately I've no idea what model it is. BlackBerries wouldn't normally be my 'thing', but under the circumstances. :)

[jmc41]

Should be a small hole to the left side on the bottom, which I think is a reset but must admit I've never had to try it, a battery pull normally sorts anything that goes wrong but that's only been 2-3 times in the past few years.

[Mark]

Already tried the battery pull method. :(

I'll look for the hole, or take it back from whence it came and ask them to reset it.

[jmc41]

There are a fair number of posts online about potential methods of unlocking it via connecting it up to the PC, unfortunately I haven't tried any! But, if you are really stuck the blackberry or crackberry forums are pretty good.

There is one claiming that entering the wrong password 10 times wipes it. Though I thought in some phones (and somewhere lower down in that thread) that may actually block the phone. You can always contact BB direct? Or the company whose sim you are using (though if it's PAYG unlikely to get much help)

[Mark]

iPhone has an option to wipe it after ten failures. Wish I'd enabled it on mine.

There are instructions waiting for me on Monday, apparently.