Read me first

DISCLAIMER! The method is not only unsupported, but may not work for you, or even damage your system or phone.

However, it worked for me, but I don't want to encourage anyone to do it. It is an unsupported, unofficial workaround, I can not stress that enough. What you do is your own responsibility, no one else but you is liable for the damage that may occur.

I've bought my P990i 2 months ago at T-Mobile (Hungary). I was using a clean Microsoft Windows XP x64 Edition with the latest Service Pack 2 and other hotfixes installed (08/29/2007).

Instructions

Before starting the installation/update process, backup all your data from your phone including your contacts, settings, installed programs and basically every valuable information you don't want to lose.

Installing Flash Player

  • If you have the latest Adobe Flash Player ActiveX control on your PC, you can skip this part. Anyway:
  • Start the 32 bit version of Internet Explorer (by default it is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE).
  • Go to that page and install Flash Player following the instructions:
    http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/
    download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash
  • After the successful installation, close Internet Explorer.

Downloading & installing the Sony Ericsson Update Service

Downloading the Sony Ericsson PC Suite for Smartphones

Extracting the driver files from the installation package

  • In Windows Explorer, locate the setup file. Extract it by right clicking on it and selecting "Extract to...". This step requires WinRAR to be installed.
  • Go to the directory where you extracted the files. Here you can find an executable, called PCSuitex64.exe, but it won't install properly.
  • Run PCSuitex64.exe, wait while it extracts the setup files and says "Welcom to the InstallShield Wizard...". Don't close the setup.
  • The setup extracted a file called Sony Ericsson PC Suite for Smartphones x64.msi. We need to find it. You can use the integrated Windows Search (Start/Search/For Files or Folders, or press Win+F) to search for it, or manually dig it out: mine was here:
    C:\Documents and Settings\**windows_username**\Local Settings\Temp\{7F1674E3-EF41-408D-858F-8F3E52A3DE05}
  • When you find Sony Ericsson PC Suite for Smartphones x64.msi, copy it to a different directory (back it up). Now you can close the InstallShiled Wizard (the PC Suite setup).
  • Download Less MSIérables (or any other MSI-extracting program), run it, and extract the contents of the Sony Ericsson PC Suite for Smartphones x64.msi file to a directory.

Installing the "phone mode" drivers for your Sony Ericsson P990/P990i

  • Connect your phone with the USB cable, and select "phone mode" on the P990(i).
  • Windows will start searching for drivers, the Hardware Update Wizard will pop up. Select "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)".
  • Select "Include this location in the search", and browse for the directory where you extracted the driver files from the MSI. Click Next.
  • Windows may whine about the drivers not being signed (continue with the installation) or ask for missing files (select the same directory). For all drivers repeat the same method. Everything should be installed OK.
  • You may want to restart your computer... I know I didn't ;-)

Starting the update process using the Sony Ericsson Update Service

  • Start the Update Service, follow all the instructions.
  • When it says something about authentication, Windows may ask for some driver files again. Use the method descibed above.
  • The authentication may fail for the first time (it did for me, probably because timeout); if it does, repeat the update process. For the second time, the authentication should be successful, and the update process may begin. That's all! :-)

Conclusion

Even though I wasn't able to install the PC Suite, I was able to use the Update Service and get the latest software for my phone. I hope it will work out for you as well!

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