Friday 28 September 2012

How to Flash Original Firmware to Nokia Phones Using Phoenix

Some days ago I wrote a guide on flashing custom firmware on Symbian Touch devices by Nokia. While some people are adventurous enough to try various custom firmwares available on the web, some people  remain satisfied with the official firmware. Most of them even know  nothing about a firmware update, custom or original one. They buy a brand new phone and forget about it. It is always a good thing to know certain things about your mobile device. By updating the firmware of your device to the latest version, you can make most of it. It can give you more free space, more RAM, better battery life, user interface tweaks, new apps and lots more.

Compatibility:

Note that this guide is valid only for the S60v5, S^1, and S^3 devices manufactured by Nokia. If you have any other Symbian device manufactured by Samsung or Sony Ericsson, please do not follow this guide. But if you have any of the devices listed below, you can proceed.
  • Nokia 5228
  • Nokia 5230 Nuron
  • Nokia 5233
  • Nokia 5530
  • Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition
  • Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
  • Nokia C6
  • Nokia N97
  • Nokia N97 Mini
  • Nokia X6 (incl 8GB and 16GB)
  • Nokia N8
  • Nokia X7

Warning: Be Careful:

While upgrading the firmware of your device manually has many advantages, it is a risky procedure too. That is why many people shirk from it thinking it would turn their device into a costly paper-weight. And this fear is not without reasons. The chances of bricking a device during flashing a firmware onto a phone might be 100 percent, or none in millions. It is all about being careful in following the procedure. The more cautious you are, the more would be the chances of your success.
One more thing, keep it in mind that the firmware version you want to flash is greater than the current one. Downgrading the firmware will make your phone unusable. For example, if the current software version of your phone is RM504 -39.0.003_001, it should be something like RM504 -40.0.003_001.  To check the software version of your device, dial *#0000# on your phone’s keypad.

Preparations Before Flashing CFW:

  • First of all, you need to install Nokia Ovi Suite on your PC, so that your device can communicate well with  your PC. If you do not install the Ovi Suite, the Phoenix Tool would not detect your device.
  • Then it’s always better to backup the settings and data like messages, contacts, images, etc. before you proceed. You could create a backup in two ways, either via the Ovi Suite or the file manager on your phone.
  • Put your device in charging mode. The device should not go off in the middle of things due to low battery.
  • Download the latest version of Navifirm and save to you computer: Download
  • Using the Navifirm, download the firmware files according to the RM number of your device. Dial *0000# on your device to find the RM number /Product Code and firmware version. 
  • Alternatively, you can also download the latest firmware from here:

    Latest Original Firmware for Your Phone

    The files would look like this:
    RM-559_40.0.002_prd.core.C00 (112.91 MB)
    RM-559_40.0.002_prd.rofs2.V22 (31.69 MB)
    RM-559_40.0.002_C01_prd.rofs3.fpsx (4.97 MB)
    RM-559_32.0.002_001_000_U001.uda.fpsx (7.81 MB)
    CCC_Alvin_pi191_CMT_for_Size_0578301_v1.bin (0.34 kB)
    HWT_Alvin_pi191_CMT_for_Size_0578301_v1.bin (0.21 kB)
    RM559_0578301_40.0.002_001.dcp (29.26 kB)
    RM559_0578301_40.0.002_001_signature.bin (1.16 kB)
    RM559_0578301_40.0.002_001.vpl (4.61 kB)
  • Download Phoenix_Service_Software_2011.08.003.45122.exe 99 MB and install it to your computer.
  • In case you want to return to the original firmware from a CFW, you will need the CFW files during the procedure.
  • Your next step towards the procedure is to format the concerned device. It will delete all data and apps from your device. Since most of CFWs shift some of the system files on the memory card to give you more space on phone’s internal memory, it will be a good thing to format your memory card too. Format your memory card and mass storage memory before flashing the phone. If you do not want to format the memory card,  at least delete everything in E:/sys, E:/private, E:/resource, F:/sys, F:/resource and F:/private folders by connecting the phone to PC in ‘Mass Storage mode’, or via a memory card reader.  You can also do it on your device. Go to: File Manager / E: Memory Card / Click on Options button / Memory card option / Format.
  • Note that you device must not be connected to the computer as we proceed to the flashing steps given below. Connect it as directed in Step N. 6 in the instructions.

Flashing the Firmware:

  1. I presume that you have already installed the Phoenix Tool during the preparatory steps. If not, install it now and launch it. Now go to ‘Tools’ tab and select ‘Data Package Download’. See the image: 
  2. Now go to C:/Program Files/Nokia Packages/ (see above) and create a new folder there. Rename the folder as ‘RM-XXX‘. Here XXX means the RM number, ‘RM-559‘ for example. You will have to write the number of your device.
  3. Then go to this path on your computer C:/Program Files/Nokia/Phoenix/Products, and another folder with the same name as in step 1. It should look something like this:
  4. Now copy the original firmware files that you downloaded earlier to C:/Program Files/Nokia Packages/ RM-XXX, and to C:/Program Files/Nokia/Phoenix/Products/RM-XXX folders that you created in step 1 & 2.
  5. Let’s now come back to the Phoenix Tool and click on the ‘File’ tab, then select ‘Open Product’. Look at the images below and follow the instructions on them:
  6. Switch off your device.
  7. Now it’s time to flash the firmware to your device. Just as you see the ‘Firmware Update’ prompt as shown in the image above, connect the device via an USB cable and click on OK button in the Phoenix prompt (as in the image above).
  8. As soon as the Phoenix Tool detects the mobile device, it would start flashing the firmware to your phone.
  9. Wait for the process to complete. It won’t take much time, just be patient and do not disturb either the Phoenix or the device. When it is done, your device would roboot automatically.
  10. You can now disconnect the device and enjoy the new firmware on it.

Happy to Help:

Do not forget to share with us how it went for you. Or, if you encounter a problem, drop a comment. I would be happy to help. However, before you ask me for a solution, please take a look at the following fast aids:
  1. Format your device. To do this, type *#7370# on the keypad (the default security code is 12345).
  2. If you still face the problem, try a hard reset. Here is the method:
    • Switch off your phone.
    • Then press and hold 3 hardware keys (Green + Red + Camera) of your device simultaneously.
    • While the three keys still pressed, press the Power button.
    • Keep holding these 3 keys until you see Nokia’s standard hand shake animation on screen.
    • Now release the 3 keys. Your phone should execute hard reset process.
  3. Still not solved? Do not panic and repeat the flashing procedure: Step 1 to 10.

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