Windows Phone 7 update won't work for unofficial upgraders

Windows Phone 7 users who updated their phone using an unofficial method could well find that the latest update will not work on their handset, with Microsoft's Brandon Watson suggesting the 'rubber meets the road' today.

Microsoft has previously urged customers not to update using unofficial methods, and despite expressing some sympathy for those who are not stuck with a phone that can't get official updates, there's certainly an element of 'we told you so' about the post.

"Despite the fact that many people have claimed that an unofficial update mechanism worked fine for them, we cautioned that phones which were updated via this method were not going to be able to update past build 7390," blogged Watson.

"Unfortunately for those customers out there who acted on information from sources outside of Microsoft, the rubber meets the road today."

Unsupported

"With Windows Phone update build 7392 going out to phones via the official update mechanism, those people who have used the unsupported method of forcing 7390 onto their phones will find that their phones will not update to 7392," he added.

"With the official update process there is a requirement that the package on the phone also be official in order to update itself."

Apparently any phone without an official 'image' will now face problems – and the only answer will be to take your handset back to a retailer, unless you want to continue down the unofficial route.

"Phones updated via the unsupported method do not contain an official image and cannot be updated further at this time, added Watson.

"Due to scheduling of engineering resources, we did not anticipate having to undue (sic) the changes made to phones by these unsupported methods. While we are not ruling out having a fix in the future, for now there is no fix."

Not ideal

Accepting that this 'isn't ideal' and insisting that he feels bad for customers who were frustrated at having to wait for the roll out of an update and took things into their own hands, Watson cannot offer a quick fix.

"If you have a phone that was updated using this unofficial tool, and you attempt to update to 7392 from the Zune software, you will get the error code 80180048. Zune is the only official way to update the operating system on the phones," he said

"The mobile operators purchase Windows Phones from the manufacturers, and they are the ones who are authorized to flash phones for the mobile operator.

"The mobile operator store locations are not capable of flashing phones on-site with an original OS image, which means that you will most likely have to return to a store and submit your phone for a manufacturing return.

"However, because of this known error code, it is up to the mobile operators as to what they want to do with your phone."

So, those who want the latest software ahead of the often languorous machinations of the operators and networks be warned.