Wed 3 Jan 2007
I have seen a problem with “stuck” installer files in S60 3rd Edition phones for a couple of times. The information from Application Manager shows that the applications are not installed. However, they cannot be deleted because there is no Delete menu (see screenshot below). They cannot be re-installed either because it always fails with “Unable to install” message. Those files are basically just stuck there.
From my opinion, it looks like a bug in S60 3rd Edition (not sure if this has been fixed in S60 3rd FP1). I don’t really know how to reproduce this problem, but it has happened to my phones several times. Once, I saw this problem after one application failed to install. In other occasions, I saw this problem after resetting my phone to the default factory settings.
What should we do if we have this kind of “stuck” installer files in S60 3rd Edition? One way is to delete the installer file manually via Windows Explorer. Unfortunately, we cannot use any file manager application because those files are located in a protected folder.
- Firstly, connect your phone to a PC via USB.
- Choose Data Transfer (a.k.a. Mass Storage). Do not select PC Suite because you won’t be able to browse protected folders in PC Suite mode.
- Open Windows Explorer on your PC.
- Go to \private\10202dce on the phone’s folder.
- There, you should be able to find the installer files (.sis). Just remove them using Windows Explorer.
Compatible devices: S60 3rd, Nokia Nseries, Nokia Eseries.
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January 3rd, 2007 at 9:25 pm
This comes if you install something to your memory card, then reflash (or reset) the phone. The stub of the application is left of the memory card. Your solution works, I’ve used it for some time.
January 3rd, 2007 at 9:28 pm
@John: It’s surprise to me that you’re reading my blog too…
Thanks for the clarification. I have been experiencing this problem several times, and it is quite annoying.
January 4th, 2007 at 2:35 am
Yes, Antony that happens. And most annoying is not just the fact, that your not really able to delete them (How do you delete them, when they´re on the built-in memory? You cannot access it via PC through cable-connection, can you?), but that you do not even know which application it was.
Second thing is, that some apps still seem to be installed after flashing the firmware but do refuse to work. And third thing concerning bugs around installations is that it seems to be impossible to backup any data and configs from other programms effectively. Example: All my Profimail prefs and mailboxes are just GONE after the update.
Any solutions appreciated!
January 4th, 2007 at 9:06 am
@phantomas: I agree with the first two items.
1) We cannot access file in protected folder on the phone memory. However, according to John (comment #1), this problem happens on the memory card only.
2) I notice this problem too. It seems the applications signed with self-signed certificate will not work after flashing or resetting to the factory settings.
3) Backup is actually the responsibility of developers. As developers, they can specify which files to backup. If the developers indicate “do not backup” this file, then PC Suite won’t backup them. It looks like Profimail developers do not specify prefs and mailboxes to be backed-up. So, this should not be a problem of S60, but rather on developer’s side.
January 4th, 2007 at 10:51 am
muy bueno, al fin pude sacar eso del telefono, muchas gracias!!!
January 4th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
well, it\’ happens to me before few days and i use something like you, i put my card in card reader, and delete files. i reinstall firmware with NSU on my n80 and lot of programs does not work. i use backup from memory card. thanks god that i install all programs on memory card, not on the phone. all self signed apps don\’t work. i delete files from card, and install apps again. now apps working again.
January 4th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Is someone from S60 development team reading this blog?
Will this be fixed in future S60 devices?
January 4th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
@pablo: Thanks for your comment in Spanish. I myself don’t speak Spanish, so I use Google Translator to translate it:
“very good, to the aim I could remove that from I telephone, thank you very much”
January 5th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
@antony i think the bigger problem is with s60 browser, that\\\’s why i reinstall my phone software, i have bug called \\
January 5th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
@yajtoh: I heard some bug reports on web browser, e.g. memory consumption. It seems some of the bugs have been fixed on 3rd FP1 (Nokia N95).
January 6th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
yes and next firmware update will resolve problems with (web:already in use) bug on all s60v3 phones, for that i was reinstall my software on the phone. now everything working fine!
i wait and wait firmware update, and do reinstall finally
January 15th, 2007 at 6:28 am
Antony, thanks so much for this. I think the reason why those files are there is because before doing a firmware upgrade I did a back-up of my phone to the memory card. I haven’t reset my phone or anything.
The only problem that I’m running into now is that my phone won’t go into mass storage mode because it keeps telling me that my memory card is in use by another application. Did you have that problem as well?
January 15th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
@Darla: Exactly. Sometimes, I had this problem too. What I have been doing so far is remove the memory card from the phone. Then I insert the memory card to my PC’s card reader. Do you have USB card reader on your PC?
January 16th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
@Antony: Yeah I have a card reader, but I think I found out the app that was causing the problem. Shozu is one of those apps that I have running in the background, so I uninstalled that just now and was able to connect via Mass Storage.
I did try using the card reader to find the sis files but wasn’t successful.
February 8th, 2007 at 1:22 am
Just had the same problem after updating my N93. Thanks for the tip!
Martin
February 9th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
what about files on phone memory? my 3250 phone memory is showing only 3.2 mb remaining. help me.
February 9th, 2007 at 10:59 pm
#shreyans: Normally you can free up your phone memory by deleting installed applications or images/videos.
February 27th, 2007 at 5:59 am
Awesome! But it\\\’s not working for themes…
let me share a brief story: I installed Fring. Great app! But I ran into some bugs and decided to reinstall. However, Fring installs 2 apps (APSServer and Fring). Unaware of Fring I uninstalled APSServer. As a result, I couldn\\\’t reinstall or uninstall Fring anymore. Fringing annoying. My first move was to reset the memory card (luckily I just did a massive cleaning a few hours before). It didn\\\’t work. And worst, I forgot I had some themes installed there. And now I had Fring AND the themes stuck in the system, as I also couldn\\\’t reinstall the themes, amazing themes I downloaded at Babinokia (only white_v2, only black, strongly recommended). Your post helped me a lot with Fring and other stuff - I had it running now. But I just can\\\’t seem to get the themes back again, it\\\’s the same problem: unable to install. The old themes aren\\\’t in the private. Actually, the themes aren\\\’t anywhere but the new themes I installed. Any tip? Thanks, Terence
P.S.: If this is the 3rd comment in a row, that’s wordpress fault. I misstyped the verification chars and when I typed correctly I got an error message warning that this was a dupplicate comment. And then I misstyped again.
February 27th, 2007 at 9:59 am
@Terence: Thanks for sharing your experience. I have removed your other two comments.
September 17th, 2007 at 12:28 am
im using 6120 classic and i had installed vrally3d game.it cant work and cannot be removed even after resetting.i need solutions please coz im scared its a bug or virus file.thanks
September 24th, 2007 at 8:08 am
i installed themes to my nokia 6120 classic using the advice provided by nokia ( http://europe.nokia.com/A4403097?caseid=63923 ) but now i just cant remove the .sis files! (i went to app manager but i cant see the themes that i\’ve installed.) i tried your method but it didnt work as i\’ve installed the \
September 24th, 2007 at 8:13 am
con’t…
ecpired themes in the memory card instead of the phone memory. This is frustrating.
@luqman : you may wanna try going to menu > settings > data mgr > app mgr > and u may see the game jar file. just go to options > remove and you’re done! good luck!
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:37 pm
i have an application installed on my phone but it is not detected in application manager, so please help how can i uninstall them….
October 4th, 2007 at 7:11 am
@a1g12: Note that you cannot uninstall applications that come with the phone because they are on the ROM (Read-Only Memory).
October 16th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Hello,
i tried the above for some applications (lets call them x,y,z) and it does remove the applications records from the install list but still, i can\’t reinstall them even though there is no such x,y,z apllications installed. why is that???
October 20th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
what if it still cannot install after doing the procedure posted above???? what should i do?! im getting frustrated by this.
October 20th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
If the application is in your memory card, then try to format the memory card.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:29 am
What if the application is in the phone memory. What should I do then? Plus, I have tried deleting the file in the “private” folder and it still didn’t work. PLEASE HELP,VERY DESPERATE.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:30 am
I have also tried formating the memory card as well
January 14th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
@Mark: If the application is on the phone memory, the only way to delete is by reset the phone to the factory settings. Backup your data first before resetting your phone. Check this posting to find more about reset phone to factory setting, http://www.s60tips.com/2006/04/14/some-useful-secret-codes/
August 11th, 2008 at 2:11 am
i have a n6120 phone i downloaded a themes to the phone i can\’t install it, what will i do, thanks
September 5th, 2008 at 6:29 am
i delete the private file from my phone
how can i fixed
September 9th, 2008 at 3:25 am
i cant see anything ”\private\10202dce” on my cp .. im using data transfer .. plzzzz help ………….
September 9th, 2008 at 3:27 am
i cant see anything ”\private\10202dce” on my cp .. im using data transfer .. plzzzz help …
March 8th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
“This is for hacked phones only”-
Sometimes u may find installing message at start up.And after preparing for installing a long time you will be notified that-
’some untrusted software is found in your memory card.go to application manager.’
Actually this is due to improper removal of previously installed software.if u remove softwares from menu list this occures often.so always remove it from application manager.
if u are in the trouble mentioned above,don’t worry.just go to application manager.here u will find file like this(in case of me,u wil find another name)-
20004380.sis
a000017f.sis
20021f2a.sis etc.
And below the name there is written not installed.size of these are 2-3kb only.if u try to instal it will not occure.if u re install the software concerned it wil disappear but again comes after removing that even if u do it frm app. Manager.
Just do this-
1)turn the caps off.
2)open x-plore.
3)go to E/private/10202dce folder.
4)look for the .sis file u see in app. Manager like listed above.
5)delete the .sis file.
now reboot.u will never find that msg agai.enjoy.
Tested on n73 me
v4.0736.3.2.1
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January 7th, 2010 at 1:35 am
once i hack my mobile phone with secman now my phone is unable to install or delete any file pls tell me what i can do i have already removed secman pls mail me bl_bilal@yahoo.com
February 8th, 2010 at 9:57 am
hi friends!my name is farhan.and i want some help about Nokia aps installing.when i install nimbuzz.sisx in my n80 after installing nimbuzz the nokia aps installing process start.but its not install,only processing.
please help me.
please post it on my web!or mail me.
website:www.farhan411.do.am
mail id: sobiafr@yahoo.com
thanks!
March 7th, 2010 at 3:42 am
Hello there I have a problem with my E61 device. Some specific applications do not install such as symvnc (vnc viewer for symbian devices s60 v3) and n-gage. when I try to install i get the \\