WP7 Support on Samsung Update issues again

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

Seems us Samsung folk (I’m really beginning to regret leaving HTC) are still experiencing issues with the pre-NoDO update (take 2). Pulling the original release, this second attempt was meant to have fixed the teething issues, but alas there are still problems being reported. I’m just grateful we haven’t gone down the Windows Vista/7 route with displaying a notification that we have 130 updates available.

damiao_jr on Twitter has voiced more concern over the updating (through Zune) with attaching the error code that is displayed. WindowsPhoneSupport replied to the tweet with a snappy statement “we are looking into it right now”. Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident, and I truly feel for the WP7 development team right now with the serious run of problems that have been present with the first update.

I - myself - gave the update another attempt today after the miserable attempt previously when the pre-NoDo update was first pushed out. When I tried to update my Samsung Omnia 7 device the first time round it simply failed at the backup stage, and would just freeze until unplugged. The device remained unaffected, however, and strangely alerted me to the update being available every time we tried and failed - I gave my phone credit for being optimistic.

Today was an entirely different story. The update process (running the Windows Phone Connector on OS X) managed to pass through the backup stage, but all hell broke loose afterwards. Upon restarting my device and pushing the update via the cable, an error dialogue appeared stating the update failed and that a backup will now be restored. I thought “ah well, I tried and failed, at least the backup will roll me back before I ran the process”, boy was I wrong.

Instead, I received the message pop-up “the backup could not be restored”, and from that moment onwards the Windows Phone Connector software and my device remained dormant, frozen and non-responsive. Rebooting my device after unplugging it from my MacBook only brought it to the ‘please connect me to your computer’ screen, which would loop the entire process resulting in continuous fail.

Stuck at a wall, the only way to sort this issue out and break the loop was to hard-reset my phone, re-plug it into my laptop and have it return to factory defaults. It meant I have a working device I spent over £400 on, but with absolutely everything lost (contacts, music, apps, photos, saved games etc.). All in all, it was amusing reinstalling all my applications and games.

Are any of you experiencing issues with the update still?

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

26 Comments
  • My Samsung Focus is still showing no update available so I guess AT&T is blocking me from getting this update and I will have to wait for the next one.
  • i have not been shown any updates on my phone. i'm also guessing at&t has been blocking the updates
  • I was having problems at first. I freed up some space on my phone, which is widely recommended, but it didn't help.Then, I deleted my accounts (all of them except Windows Live) and suddenly it worked. Didn't even take 5 minutes.
  • I'm sure the folks at Engadget are going to be having a field day tomorrow with this news.I wish Microsoft was a little bit more transparent in how the update process works. From what I've heard nobody on AT&T has gotten the update (even the LG and HTC phones), and Twitter support keeps telling us it's a staged rollout. It seems like AT&T is blocking the update...
  • Yes they are! And you know what...they should. This is pathetic beyond belief. People freeing up 4 GB to get an update? What kind of a workaround is that? Deleting accounts? I don't recall Apple every having a problem like this.
  • I didn't have to free up space or remove accounts, my LG updated weeks ago just fine. Maybe Samsung can't get it's ROMs in order?
  • Apple has vertical control of the process top-down so the challenges Microsoft and hardware partners face are a little different. This doesn't let them off the hook though. To address your specific comparison: I've personally owned several of each generation iPhone (repeated issues with speakers) and I often had to reset my phone for updates or non-update related backups to finish at all. Though there was one instance where all I had to do was delete an app mentioned on a forum post. Still, I think the example illustrates that breakage can occur any any link in the chain. :( I just hope it is fixed soon!
  • Sorry I was not more clear...I meant yes they are in response to people on Engadget having a field day.
  • You must realise that this is specific to SAMSUNG ONLY. MSFT is trying to sort out SAMSUNGS **** Blame where blame is due.
  • On ATT and no update in sight. Too bad these issues only serve to justify the Telco's right to block OTA updates. And WP7 is taking heat when I really think it's Samsung's problem, especially considering their track record with non-WP7 updates.
  • Ok i have a Samsung Focus, WP7 is awesome. But this is getting ridiculous.
  • AT&T has blocked the update in the US, no customers on their network have received it, it sounds like T-Mobile (US) as well.The error number points to a driver update failure and is likely tied specifically to something within the Samsung hardware. At this point Sammy should be sending out a firmware update for the phones before NoDo since AT&T will be forced to offer it.
  • Im on att and have an htc and Im glad they are blocking this update. with so many issues with this pre update I dont know why anyone would rush out and try to update their phones. I dont know if these problems are a hardware problem or MS's problem but Microsoft is looking foolish with this. Sometimes they **** things up so bad that they deserve the reputation they have. Ultimately this falls on them. With all that said, I love my phone and the OS. I will tell you I wont be getting the real 1st update until I see other's with ATT/HTC are able to install it with no issue's. Copy/Paste isnt worth all the potential problems.
  • guess it's the problem with samsung. I'm doing well with my htc trophy.
  • I am on AT&T and I don't think that have anything to do with this update not being pushed out. But I think Microsoft is being too cautious. At this point how much worse can it get. Push the darn thing out to everybody and then analyze the results. At the rate they are going, it could be Christmas before they get through the first update, never mind NoDo. And I don't believe they are going to release any new updates until they are sure this one works reliably on all devices across all carriers. Sure, NoDo will include this first update for those users not glued to one of these sites the past month, but they need feedback on all devices before going though this media nightmare again. Sounds to me that this whole debacle is tied to whatever Samsung added to their phones to allow the SD card to be swapped out. Something to do with memory allocation. Even if a particular model did not permit it by physical design, the code is still in there. Microsoft should have stuck to their guns and not permitted any deviation from the original spec. Samsung SD card issues and now Samsung update issues are admittedly, the two most talked about problems regarding WP7 since launch. Thanks for that Samsung.
  • I know that AT&T always tests the **** out of updates before they release them (one reason I love them so much as a carrier). They are probably currently blocking this update because they have issues with it.
  • Just got an LG Quantum (ATT) 2 days ago and no update notification so far and I don't want it til it gets fixed. All you guys that are getting it can you state what country you're from? Would like to know where the "90%" who didn't have an issue is from..And after following WP7 for 8 months and using the Quantum for 2 days I'm hooked despite some shortcomings of the OS. Already got 2 coworkers thinking of dumping their iphones!!
  • Basically the ones with problems are samsung users, my LG updated fine the first time around a week or two weeks ago. HTC users seem to have no problems either, and if the error is a driver issue then Samsungs crappy drivers have struck again it seems.As for who's on AT&T or Tmo or w/e I dunno, I'm in Europe with an unlocked device.
  • My HTC HD 7 updated yesterday flawlessly, I'm happy. I have said it before, Samsung phones with 3rd party OS have never been an easy firmware update experience since they like to always put dome hardware or software different from other OEMs and their support sucks.MS shouldn't have let them alter the hardware that much, now their paying dearly for it.Its not the end of the world, Samsung owners just have to wait for another update like their android brethren did for months.
  • This could be a somewhat bias opinion . I sell Samsung product. Its the biggest brand we sell. By a long shot too, but its typical samsung quality. pretty poor. All of us need to stop blaming MS cause, its only a samsung problem other brands dont seem to have problem. I'm still waiting for the No-do update as i wont be getting this one. Good one telstra.
  • Another AT&T customer here and I'm PISSED that they are blocking the update and LYING about not blocking it. It's been 2 weeks now and the issue is ONLY with Samsung. T-Mobile is even worse since they only have 1 device and it's an HTC that is already updated in Europe.The US is fragmented from the rest of the world currently. This is exactly why we need XDA to break through and create custom roms.
  • Has anyone seen the update available for the Dell Venue Pro (US, T-Mobile)?
  • I have the DVP for T-Mobile US, and have not received a notification. In Zune, when I check for phone updates, it says there are none. So it looks like we're sitting tight.
  • As I said previously, NoDo has been completed since December. AT&T and the other carriers have blocked it:http://www.winsupersite.com/article/paul-thurrotts-wininfo/First-Windows...
  • I have a Samsung Focus on Rogers Canada, and the pre-NoDo update went smoothly about a week ago. The update just showed up in Zune (I didn't check it on the device).I didn't install an additional SD card, so that might be part of the issue.So right now I have no problems with my Focus (except for the Marketplace crashes), and I hope NoDo comes in time (first weeks of March, that is).
  • The saddest part about all this is the level of support and responsibility that Microsoft, Samsung, and the carriers are giving or not giving. There is one guy on Twitter right now (@james_rave), who has a bricked Samsung w/ this 2nd update. Microsoft Support on Twitter tells him to take it back to the carrier for exchange, and the carrier refuses b/c they have not been told of a global problem or recall by Samsung. So his only recourse is to contact Samsung, which will him a long time to exchange. Godspeed to all Samsung WP7 owners.