[ScoBe]

I'm preparing to update the firmware on my E63.  I understand that this wipes the phone memory, without touching the memory card.  I also have read on the forum here that, as I expected, even apps on the memory card need to be reinstalled. No problem.  I need to update some anyway.  Others I'm happy to do without.

I don't plan on wiping the whole memory card if I can avoid it.

BUT this means that after a FW update, I'll be left with the residue of nonfunctional programs (some of which are older versions and some of which I don't want) on my memory card.  None of the 'updating your firmware' guides I've seen address this.

Does this mean that I need to manually delete the directories associated with the apps I intend to reinstall and the apps I don't want anymore from my memory card?  This seems a bit messy, unless, unlike most other OS's, S60 apps install themselves very neatly to a single directory tree. Otherwise, I could 'uninstall' everything - one - at - a - time - from the app manager before I update.  

Is this firmware update thing really that messy?   If I don't erase the apps on my memory card, can I install same-or-newer versions 'on top' of them after I update, or should I erase the remnants first. 

And how should I erase, by manually deleting the directory tree, or by uninstalling each app?

Thanks very much for any advice you can give.

[chanchan05]

Never had a firmware upgrade wipe out any more my phone's memories (both card and onboard). However, it is a possibility due to other factors more related to your ISP and your computer over which Nokia does not have control over. If you use Ovi Backup, your entire phone and card, all files and apps will be backed up into an NBU file which is stored in your PC. The data here is recoverable at any time.

[Fender77]

The fw updates would not touch your content on the phone, but please follow Chanchan's advice about backing up first anyway. If you don't, then i most likely will go wrong - it's the way of nature (murphys law).

[ScoBe]

I appreciate the two replies so far, but the E63 is S60.3 feature pack ONE, which means it doesn't have user data preservation like many other new Nokia phones.  On these phones, firmware updates do completely erase the phone memory, so I'm told.  Hence the problem:  'junk directories of apps left on the memory card' which (apparently) won't run.  What do the rest of you do with these? 

[jjegan]

Hence the problem:  'junk directories of apps left on the memory card' which (apparently) won't run.  What do the rest of you do with these?

If that is correct then i would back up everything .

Format both memory card and phone .

Firmware update then  recover backup to phone .

     jje

[chanchan05]

As I already said, back up to Ovi Suite. The back up there will backup everything AFAIK, even your highscore in ToweBloxx. LOL.

[ScoBe · Accepted solution]

Thanks again.  I don't actually want to backup to Ovi Suite, since the reason for the re-install, besides getting new firmware, is that I hope to solve a few problems (the default browser quits as soon as it starts up, buggy network management after trying HandiWi and EasyWiFi), which people have solved only by hard-resetting and NOT restoring from backup.  So I will be doing a full re-install of my applications anyway.   Sorry I didn't make this explicit in my first post.  

It seems if I do this, I'll just have to manually uninstall the apps before the update or just delete their associated directories from the memory card before reinstalling them.   I do appreciate your attempts to help.