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Updating the Nokia N73's software

Phones these days are like computers, and like computers, they need an operating system to run. and like PC operating systems, bugs are found, in fact surprisingly often. An example of this is when the Nokia 6233 was released and it had so many bugs that a lot of people sent them back and opted to wait until Nokia had made a software update available.

Now once the software update is available for a particular handset, how do you install the software update on your phone? Not too long ago, you had to take the phone into a dealer who specializes in updating the software on phones. The process of updating or reinstalling a phone's software is known as 'flashing' a phone, and it involves rewriting the software program to a phone's ROM chip, and now if you are lucky enough to own a Nokia phone that has been released in the last year or so such as a Nokia 6131 or a 6233 or an N series phone, such as the N70, N73, N80 or N91, then when software updates become available for that particular handset, you can plug your phone in to your PC and download the software update to your phone.

I will detail how to update the Nokia N73's software, although the process should be similar for other models, in fact the Nokia Software Updater program should guide you through the complicated parts so do not worry.

Follow these instructions at your own risk. I cannot be held responsible for any loss of data and/or damage to equipment caused by following these instructions. Before continuing, please take a look at the relevant pages on Nokia's web-site before upgrading your phone's software.

To perform the software upgrade, you will need:

- A PC running Windows 2000 SP4 or Windows XP SP 1 (Service Pack 2 is highly recommended).
- A broadband internet connection (My download file was 65MB in size)
- A DKU-2 Data cable (This should come in the N73's box, but for other phones, you may have to purchase this seperately. You should be able to pick them up for around £10 from a local phone dealer. They are about £30 from the high street retailers such as The Carphone Warehouse or Phones 4U)
- A memory card (For the Nokia N73, you need a Mini-SD card. Check your phone's user manual for information on what memory to purchase. Aim for at least 128MB, although more is better).

Before starting with the upgrade, make sure that your phone is fully charged (so that the power doesn't go out while the upgrade is taking place) and that there is a SIM card in the phone (This is the little bit that tells your phone what network you are on, e.g. O2, Vodafone, etc.

Once that is done, click here to go to Nokia's UK Software Update page. You should see a list of phones. Select your phone and click Update Via PC. You should now be taken through a wizard explaining what to do. Download the file when instructed to do so, and run the installer. When you install Nokia Software Updater, make sure that your phone is disconnected from your PC as it has to install a cable connectivity driver.

Once the cable connectivity driver is installed, follow the on-screen instructions to install Nokia Software Updater. Once installed, launch it but just leave your PC for a couple of minutes.

On your phone press the menu key, then go to Tools, then Memory. The memory card screen will give you information about your memory card, for example how big it is, how much space has been used and how much is left. Press Options, then select Backup Phone Mem. The phone will back up your contacts and phone settings to the memory card.

Once your phone's data is backed up, it is time to start the software upgrade. Allow an hour to do this, and make sure you have no phone calls to make during this time as you will not be able to use your phone during this time, not even to make emergency phone calls, so it is also advisable to have a second phone handy, be it a landline or mobile.

Connect your phone to your PC And follow the instructions on-screen to start the software update. You will need to be connected to the internet to check for software upgrades, and if there is one available, to download the software update. I am using a Vodafone branded Nokia N73 and the software upgrade for my phone was 65.9MB in size, which is quite a lot, even on a 1Mbps broadband connection. The file will download and then the software upgrade will take place. during this time, your phone screen will go off. Be absolutely sure to not switch your phone off or remove the cable as this will interrupt the installation and it will severely damage your phone and it could stop it from working altogether. Not the best idea.

If you are using Windows XP, towards the end of the upgrade, you will find that your computer makes the hardware connect/disconnect noises a couple of times (The one you hear when you plug your phone into the computer) before the upgrade is complete. Do not be alarmed, this is perfectly normal. A dialog box should appear saying that the upgrade is complete and that you can start using the phone again.

Click OK and disconnect the phone. The phone will restart, and if you have set a PIN Code on the SIM card you will be asked to enter this as normal. Next you will be asked for the city where you are. If you live in the UK, select London, or type it in the search box. Click OK.

You will find that the phone has set the theme and the home screen image back to the factory defaults, i.e. back to what they were when you bought the phone. Don't worry because the theme settings will have been recorded to the memory card, so go to Menu > Tools > Memory and select Options > Restore Phone Mem. This will restore all the settings, your text messages and contacts list on your phone, after which it will restart. That's it, the upgrade is complete. Keep using the Nokia Software Updater to check for software upgrades. If you later have problems with your phone, you can reinstall the software using the Nokia Software Updater.