Waitberry Forum

BlackBerry Downgrade, ROM Mod & .BAR Installer Script

This is a tutorial on how to downgrade a BlackBerry, make modifications to ROMs, and includes my custom .BAR installation script.

IMPORTANT

QuoteThis requires autoloading your device, which will RESET IT TO FACTORY SETTINGS.

Note on Signed Files:
You can get your Signed Files with Darcy BB Tools, which allows you to pull an autoloader and extract the .Signed files to use in this tutorial.
This whole tutorial is also included in the package as a README.md file.

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Downloads

http://ferreirapablo.com/files/impersonation_patcher_v4.zip

The patch contains everything you need to have a ROM that includes:

• No Bloatware
• ExFAT Driver included
• Impersonation for Privilege Elevation
• Downgrading script to install any older version of BB10

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Requirements

• The Signed File from your device-specific AUTOLOADER.
  
• CRITICAL: Make sure to use one that is from a version that is the SAME OR HIGHER than your current OS version.
  
• Correct drivers to flash your device installed on your computer (BlackBerry Link drivers or BlackBerry Desktop Software).

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How to use

• Extract your IFS Signed File and RADIO Signed File from your device specific AUTOLOADER.
  
• Place the extracted files into the "signed" folder. Name them OS.Signed and Radio.Signed respectively.
  
• Run the blackberrysystempacker.exe executable.
  
• Wait for the program to finish. You will see a file called Autoloader.exe in the "output" folder. This is your patched Autoloader.
  
• Flash the Autoloader.exe file using the same method you would use to flash a normal autoloader.
  
• Enjoy your patched autoloader with the new radio and OS files.

Linux Users:
It is currently not possible to generate an autoloader on Linux. However, you can still use bb10_mt to flash the generated signed files using your original Radio.Signed and the generated OS.Signed in the output folder.

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Notes

• This tool includes the mod-nvram binary created by @Oleksandr. It is located in
  
  Code Select Expand
  /accounts/1000/shared/documents/mod-nvram after flashing.
  
• This tool installs the EXFAT Driver, required to read/write to exFAT formatted SD cards.
  
• This tool preinstalls term49, a terminal emulator for BlackBerry 10.
  
• IMPORTANT: The impersonation patch is only applied on the first boot after flashing the autoloader. If you want to keep the impersonation patch, follow the instructions below.
  

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Downgrading

After patching and flashing the autoloader, you can downgrade your device to a previous OS version if you wish.
NOTE: YOU CAN ONLY DO THIS ON THE FIRST BOOT AFTER FLASHING THE AUTOLOADER.

• Open Term49 (the terminal emulator installed by the patched autoloader).
  
• Go to the documents directory by typing:

cd /accounts/1000/shared/documents

• Use the NTO Group impersonation by running:

/q/g_nto

• Run the mod-nvram binary:

./mod-nvram -d
[/list]

This will clear the blocked OS versions, allowing you to run any older Autoloader.
If you want to revert back to the original autoloader, just flash the original autoloader again.

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Keeping the Impersonation Patch on the Next Boot

If you want to keep the impersonation patch, follow these steps:

• After flashing the patched autoloader, go to Term49.
  
• Go to the installer directory by typing:

cd /accounts/1000/shared/.installer

• Execute the installer by typing:

./run.sh
[/list]

This will set the impersonation patch to be reinstalled on the next boot, and will also install any .bar files located in the downloads/documents directory. Running this program on every boot will ensure that the impersonation patch is always available.

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How this works

There are a couple of files with different responsibilities in the patch:

• blackberrysystempacker.exe: The main program that packs the signed files into an autoloader and applies the changes.
  
• patch.txt: Defines a series of instructions that the packer will follow to apply the changes.
  
• config.json: Defines the configuration for the packer program (paths to signed files, output directory, etc).
  

Greetings,
Silly question: using the DBBT tool, I've been able to easily extract the Radio Signed File from my device's autolader as there is a button for that, but I haven't figured out how to get the IFS Signed File (OS.Signed)...
What am I missing?
Thank you for any help...

Well, I figured that the "Split Autoloader" button in DBBTool allowed to extract the OS.Signed file...
So now, on to try the impersonation patcher.

Progressing, but not there yet  :'( ...
I have taken the "Debloated ROM for Blackberry" autoloader, extracted the Radio and OS .signed files and repackaged it.
When I run the new Autoloader.EXE, it uploads properly into my BlackBerry Classic (Q20), but then when it tries to reboot, I get the boot animation until it hits 100% and then it freezes at "Finalizing device setup" and never moves on past that point.
I can then reflash the original "Debloated ROM for Blackberry", and this one boots fine...
Any suggestions on how to proceed?
Thanks

Quote from: le.zap on Dec 27, 2025, 09:45 PMProgressing, but not there yet  :'( ...
I have taken the "Debloated ROM for Blackberry" autoloader, extracted the Radio and OS .signed files and repackaged it.
When I run the new Autoloader.EXE, it uploads properly into my BlackBerry Classic (Q20), but then when it tries to reboot, I get the boot animation until it hits 100% and then it freezes at "Finalizing device setup" and never moves on past that point.
I can then reflash the original "Debloated ROM for Blackberry", and this one boots fine...
Any suggestions on how to proceed?
Thanks

You need to use an ORIGINAL AUTOLOADER, not the debloated one. The patcher does everything, from debloating to installing the impersonation. DO NOT USE A Debloated Autoloader which has already been patched.

OK, understood.  I'll try again with a regular Autoloader file.
Thanks for the advice!