: Install BlackBerry Desktop Software (Link/Blend) first to ensure your computer has the necessary USB drivers. Run Autoloader : Open the downloaded .exe file on your PC.

Using an autoloader will wipe all data from your device. Back up your files using a cloud service or SD card, as BlackBerry Link's restore functions may be unreliable since the service shutdown. Download Links for STL100-2 Autoloader

The is more than a nostalgic exercise. For collectors, security researchers, or minimalists wanting an email/text/call device with unmatched physical gestures, the Z10 on 10.3.3 is a reliable time capsule. It will never receive another update, but it also cannot be hacked by modern mobile malware (due to its obscure architecture and end-of-life status).

– Connect your powered-off Z10 to the PC, then double-click the autoloader file. A command window will appear, and the phone will show a red/green LED and eventually a progress bar.

That is correct. That driver is the bootrom interface. Do not force a Blackberry driver; let the autoloader use the Qualcomm COM port.

: Turn off your device, run the downloaded .exe file on a Windows PC, and connect your Z10 to the computer when prompted with "Connecting to Bootrom".