How to read IPD files from your BlackBerry
Ever find yourself needing to recover emails, contacts, texts, or other data stored in your BlackBerry's IPD backup file?
Here's a short guide on how to extract the information stored in IPD backup files by BlackBerry Desktop Manager, using the BlackBerry Backup Extractor in four simple steps.
Step 1: download free BlackBerry Backup Extractor
First, download the free version of Reincubate's BlackBerry Backup Extractor.
Step 2: run the BlackBerry Backup Extractor
Next, open the zip file you downloaded, and run the "BlackBerryBackupExtractor.exe" file contained inside it.
Step 3: open your IPD backup file
Click the “Open backup...” button to load your IPD backup file into the software. You'll see that the BlackBerry Backup Extractor automatically knows where to look for your files, so you should see your IPD files presented straightaway.
Your computer doesn't need to have a copy of BlackBerry Desktop Manager to use the BlackBerry Backup Extractor: it is possible to open an IPD file from a Flash drive, email download, or even another computer.
Step 4: choose where to extract your data
Once the backup has been opened, you'll see the extractor reports on how much of the backup it has read, and how many databases of information it has found.
Now, let's take a look at the data you've recovered. You will see something like this:
See how it managed to extract all of the data in less than a second? You should see the following types of extracted file available:
Sent and received emails, and saved email drafts
Your BlackBerry's emails will be extracted in “.eml” format, which can be easily read by Microsoft Outlook and a number of other email clients. Note that the BlackBerry Desktop Manager will rarely save email attachments in its IPD backups. This means the extractor will rarely recover them.
Contacts and address book
The contacts and address book in the BlackBerry IPD file are extracted in a variety of formats: simple CSV for easy use, and as a big VCF file for import into a variety of webmail platforms. In addition, each individual contact is exported to a VCF file for easy import into Microsoft Outlook or the Windows Address Book.
Phone call history
The backup's phone call history will be exported into an easy to read CSV file.
SMS and text messages
SMS and text messages from the BlackBerry backup file will be saved into a nice, simple CSV file.
Calendar appointments
All calendar appointments included in the IPD file will be exported into a simple CSV, and also into an ICS/ICal file for easy import into your email or calendar client.
Tasks and memos (notes)
The tasks and memos (notes) are extracted into CSV files, and tasks are also extracted into a handy ICS/ICal format for import into most email or calendar software.
Other data from the BlackBerry backup
All other parts of data stored in the BlackBerry backup will be extracted into a neat “other” folder.
In the example backup used here, this recovered the following data entries:
- Address Book - Last Used Hints
- AP Mobile News Settings
- Application Permissions
- Attachment Data
- Attachment Options
- AutoText
- BBGroups
- BlackBerry Messenger
- Bluetooth Options
- Browser Bookmarks
- Browser Data Cache
- Browser Folders
- Browser Options
- Browser Push Options
- Browser Urls
- Calendar Options
- Camera Options
- Categories
- Certificate Summary Data
- Clock Options
- Code Module Group Properties
- Configuration Channel
- CustomWordsCollection
- Default Service Selector
- DocsToGoCommonPrefs
- Email Filters - All
- Email Settings - All
- Firewall Options
- Folders
- Handheld Agent
- Handheld Key Store
- KeyStoreManager
- Mailbox Icon Management Options
- Map Locations
- Map Settings
- Message List Options
- Messenger Options (GoogleTalk)
- Messenger Options (WLM)
- Options
- Phone History
- Phone Options
- Policy
- Purged Messages
- Quick Contacts
- Random Pool
- Recipient Cache
- RMS Databases
- Searches
- Secure Email Decision Maker
- Service Book
- Sounds
- Theme Settings
- Time Zones
- Trusted Key Store
- Unknown
- VideoRecorder Options
- WLAN Profiles
We wish you good luck in recovering your data soon!
Post a comment
I have already purchased your program. Are the BlackBerry messages saved in the backup procedure and if so how can I see them using your program
@Terrance, yes they are. You can find related BBM files in these folders:
- \BBM Conversations\conversations.csv
- \Content Store\home\user\im\BlackBerry Messenger\322E5CD6\backup\
Andy 20/03/2012The Blackberry Backup Extractor software also opens .BBB extension files on Windows and Mac OSX. So this includes the new BBB v2 backups created in DM7 (BlackBerry Desktop Software 7.0)
jay 15/05/2012sorry, one other question. HELP please!!! i am using desktop manager 4.6.0 on a 3 yr old 8310 curve. (i know, both old.) i had numerous critical "saved as draft" emails that were not actually sent. are these recoverable from my files? i think my phone memory was low and something happened a week or so ago and i lost alot of my email file (and others)on the phone that i had been backing up to bbm. thanks!
@Jay; When extracting from you backup the BlackBerry Backup Extractor should save these in a folder called "Emails Saved". If not these were not saved to the backup, it's probably better to ask this sort of question in support.