N97 Failed Boot up/Hard Reset Problem Fixed by new firmware update V21.0.045?!

Seems the numeric reversal of V12 to V21 isn’t all that was reversed. The Hard Reset problem initially appearing with V12 – for me anyways – might now be gone! Thanks firmware update team!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gYai3P92-0]

A hard reset maybe something you’ll need if you need if you need to:

• Wipe the phone memory (selling it on/sending to Nokia Care)
• Escape failed boot up (due to a number of problems)

Unfortunately, many N97 users had experienced problems with their N97/N97 mini failing to turn back on! There was one solution: The hard reset. But that meant wiping out your phone memory. A backup helped, and most content is still in mass memory, but it was annoying having to set certain things back up, such as menu folder rearrangement.

We’ve got the ever popular posts:

• How to: Hard Reset your N97 (at the time of posting, my N97 actually didn’t have failed bootup problem)
• My Nokia N97 Won’t Start!!! I don’t want to Hard Reset. (Rant)
• How to: Escaping the Nokia N97 hard-reset (tips and tricks)

Needless to say, this problem caused unecessary frustration amongst a lot of people. Myself included. I think 75% of my frustration with N97 was failed-boot-related, rather than actual annoyances with the phone or S60 5th)

I thought it was a hardware problem. But I never, ever got around to sending my N97 off to repair/swap (I just didn’t want the hassle of having to get app IMEI licences switched). I read somewhere though that it was a problem with how the music database was organized, and that it was failing to bootup because it was trying to fix it (or words to that effect).

Hero: V21.0.045

With V21, as well as other improvements, the music player was supposedly improved (I was hoping that meant a database fix). I didn’t notice the boot up being fixed because it seemed to be stuck on the Nokia logo. (Anything past 45 seconds and I assumed it needed a restart) Actually, it just turns out that instead of the previous 28–34 (v10/v11) second startup, it now takes 50 seconds.. (I was never able to make V12, and so V20 startup tests as v12 was when I encountered the failed bootup problem)

I don’t mind my N97 taking a little longer to start up, now that I know it will DEFINITELY start up.

The only thing I did notice is that my menu was reset back to the original layout. It’s early days yet to see if that will be a problem if I reorganize the menu again. Let’s just hope this is the final fix of the failed boot up/forced hard reset problems!!!

Has V21 fixed the failed bootup problem for you?

Tags: Hard, N97, Nokia, Reset

Category: 5th Edition, Nokia, Nseries, Video