Nokia is earning bad reputation almost every day. It’s unfortunate, but it’s true. Recently Nokia published some minor OTA software updates for Symbian ^3 devices, Nokia N8 and C7.
The updates are named as follows:
- Phone apps update (important)
- Apps update 1.0
- Nokia DAB Radio
- Videos
For some users updates are failing without any apparent reason, this includes me, and I’ve been following the discussions on official forums.
Users have tried changing the dates, soft-rebooting and hard-rebooting (8 secs power button) their devices, even some already tried factory-rest without any luck, this also includes me. All four updates failed every time, even it felt like the software updater not even trying to make a connection to internet to retry the download.
Now lets get back to the solution, which worked for me. As I mentioned, I also own a Nokia N8, and it was happening to me as well. Since it’s my secondary device, I am using it without SIM for emails, news and keeping an eye on Facebook and Twitter activity.
I found an old prepaid Tchibo SIM bought from Germany, I just popped in this SIM and did a soft-reboot. After the reboot when device was responsive again, I tried the updater. This time all four updates installed successfully, one by one. Yay!
So, the root cause seems to be with the SIM a folder located in Mass Storage “E:Private20019119”. You can try with the following:
Working Solution Update:
Big thanks to user “Unick” on Nokia Support Forums, who posted a working solution to the problem, and there are couple of successful installs reported from the solution.
Today I deleted folder E:Private20019119. Aftar that I run update and it finished successful. Maybe current version on Nokia server is correct.
The simple steps would be:
- Connect your Nokia N8/C7 in Mass Storage mode to PC via USB cable
- Locate and delete folder named “20019119” under Private folder of Mass Storage
- That’s all.
- Unplug the device from PC, and retry again. It should work.
- If you have installed a SIM in your N8/C7, and update is failing. Remove the SIM, do a soft-reboot. Then try the updater without SIM. If it’s successful, reinstall the SIM and do a soft-reboot.
- If you are using it SIM-less, like me, just put any SIM into device, do a soft-reboot. Try the updater.
- If updater is failing with your current SIM and without SIM, you can borrow a SIM from your friend or family member, but remember, it should be from different operator than yours. Try the updater after soft-reboot.
I hope my findings will help others with the same issue. And also let me know if it worked for you as well, and which method you used.
I hope Nokia engineers are already working on a permanent solution, and they will be more careful with the updates in future.
// chall3ng3r //
it works…thks…
Hello ive tryed everything you mentioned, still doesnt work for me!
Hmm, strange. For me it certainly looked like the issue with the SIM.
It’s unfortunate that there’s no official reply from Nokia until now on this issue, and it’s been already many days users are complaining.
Maybe their update servers are too busy. You can wait a bit, and retry again after few hours or tomorrow.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Faisal Iqbal, karannnnnnnnnnn3. karannnnnnnnnnn3 said: Nokia N8 or C7 Software Updates Failing? Try This: Nokia is earning bad reputation almost every day. It’s unfort… http://bit.ly/hqbHex […]
if you have a pc, update from ovi suite, it always works, even if the ota has jammed.
Seriously? Nokia gaining bad reputation because a couple of users (5 actually) who can’t even spell “Ovi Suite” complain that the install failed for them? How about the millions of other customers who were able to install the updates without problems?
I’m sick and tired of this level of commentary. Not to mention the half backed solution proposed above, based on your personal experience, without any trace of logical investigation of the issue and without any confirmation from Nokia or a 3rd party.
The only thing that makes sense in your comment is the need for having a SIM card in the phone. Believe it or not that’s how a smartphone is supposed to exist in the wild, in active use and with a SIM in. If that’s not how you use the phone then you must be smarter than most and should be able to recognize when a SIM is needed.
It is not Nokia’s engineers that have a problem, it is the way too many concerned smart-asses with access to a blog. Nothing personal of course.
@giorgos, I tried that as well, not only one time.
@John, no need to get emotional. It’s a small glitch, and as a long time Nokia smartphone user, it happened for the first time with me.
The solution I suggested worked for me, after trying almost all other options continually for few days.
BTW, the best thing about smartphones is, they can be used without SIM, for emails, web, FB, twitter, VOIP (Skype/Fring) etc. Nokia N8 is my first Nokia Symbian device which won’t let me use Social app and setup personal emails without a SIM. And now updates as well?
I am a mobile developer, and I have many other smartphones which I use without SIM.
Thanks for the post! With the steps mentioned i finally was able to get this update downloaded and installed.
This worked for me with my Nokia C6-01. The folder described in the post contained three temp files with zero kb size. I deleted these and then retried the update on the phone and they all worked perfectly. Thanks to this blog I now love my phone again!
you’re welcome Toby. Credit goes to the original poster on Nokia Discussions for posting working solution :)
// chall3ng3r //
It works! thanks – also to the original poster on Nokia Support Forums!
m8 ur advice worked a treat i went on the private fie deleted the folder and bobs your uncle
hi there! thanx to your hints…but unfortunately it does’nt work..i have a no brand italian n8 and i dunno how to fix it..please help!still i see the app update 1.0 but it says update failed!
Maybe you can take a look on linked topics of Nokia Forums in post, there are more users discussing about this issue. There could be more options you might like to try to get the update working.
// chall3ng3r //
Nokia announced two new Symbian devices, the Nokia E6 and the Nokia X7. With the new smart phones, Nokia also introduced its latest software update, known as Symbian Anna.
Nokia will soon make the Symbian Anna software update available to existing users of the Nokia N8, Nokia C7, Nokia C6 and Nokia E7 via OTA downloads. Running on devices powered by the Qt framework, developers can create applications for these smart phones using Qt SDK 1.1.
For details on the news check this: http://blogs.forum.nokia.com/blog/nokia-developer-news/2011/04/12/symbian-anna-software-and-2-new-devices
Thanks Rohan. Yes I know it. I hope and wish they roll out the new Symbian Anna update soon :)
// chall3ng3r //
thankx mate :)
I tried to update my nokia C7 using NOKIA OVI SUITE and my phone failed to make the update. The biggest problem is I’m not able to switch on my phone … pls help!
Hi i have a nokia n8
it told me to install required update for ovi store
3.30.018
it downloads perfectly but when it installs it say update failed retry
please assist
ha a, didnt work for me,been struggling updating my nokia n8,and it keeps on saying “Refreshing failed.Try again later”
Hey, this doesn’t work for me!
Dina, Nokia’s servers serving these updates are long offline after merger with MS. And new Nokia phones are Android based. You got to live with whatever version you have :)