Walker News » N73

How To Reset Nokia N73 Lock Code Or Security Code?

Walker — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:10:41 +0000

What will you do if you forget your Nokia N73 lock code (a.k.a. security code)? Well, if money is not a matter, just throw it to recycle bin.

Otherwise, pay the capable Nokia BB5 locksmith to unlock it or search the web for a way to crack it at your pace (save some bucks for paying phone bill).

If that really happen to you, read and follow this little “trick” to unlock the Nokia BB5 smart phone (such as Nokia N73) at your own risk, because I’d sold the N73 last month to buy a touch touch baby (Nokia 5800).

So, I couldn’t prove the trick and I’ve no idea what will happen after completing the steps suggested by a Chinese blogger. Personally, I will try it anyway and I don’t believe this trick will corrupt the phone firmware or something bad.

But then again, I warn you and don’t blame me if it doesn’t work:

Unlock Nokia N73 or Nokia BB5 smart phones – Reset the security/lock code

According to the China site, there are two ways to format Nokia N73 or smart phone running Symbian OS S60 3rd Edition UI. These two ways are known as “soft reset” and “hard reset”.

A “soft reset” is triggered by pressing the *#7370# secret code while the phone is unlock and power on. This secret code will format N73 phone memory (all user data files are deleted) and restore settings to factory default (thus the lock code will be reset to 12345 again).

However, Symbian OS will ask for a valid lock code (even the phone is unlocked) before proceed to format the phone memory :-(

On the other hand, a “hard reset” (which I didn’t test while owning the N73) is said able to force Symbian to format phone memory and restore settings to factory default without asking for a valid lock code.

Again, a “hard reset” requires a secret code. Although there is no technical skill required to trigger a “hard reset”, you might need another hand to help (if it’s too tough to complete the steps at your own):

First, backup the user data (contacts, messages or SMS, notes, calendar entries, etc) if you’re able to (i.e. the phone is not locked).

Next, the core steps to trigger a “hard reset” via secret code:

1) Power off the phone.

2) Press these 3 keys simultaneously: CALL key, ASTERISK key (i.e. *), THREE key.

3) Don’t release that 3 keys until I say so.

4) Press the POWER button to power on the phone again and wait.

5) After the NOKIA logo appears, the “Formatting…” keyword will appear after couple of minutes. Now, you’re safe to release that 3 keys.

Finally, the N73 should have been formatted (hard reset) and ready to configure the phone as if it’s just out of the box (suppose the “hard reset” secret code really works).

So, if you’re kind, just drop me a comment to tell me the truth. (Syed Omer left a reply about this trick on last April, but I didn’t take it seriously. Sorry, dude).

Nokia N73 Unable Activate N73 Mass Storage Mode?

Walker — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:02:20 +0000

When you connect the Nokia N73 to computer USB port via Pop-Port interface cable (CA-53), the data cable connection mode pops up and you make a decision to use Mass Storage mode (i.e. to use Nokia N73 memory card as a USB drive directly, without accessing the Nokia PC Suite).

After a while, another message printed on screen, suggested that N73 is “Unable to activate mass storage mode. Memory card is in use by Messaging application. Change the selected memory in Messaging settings first.”

Now, what you could do? Well, the message printed includes error (the reason of failure) and solution to fix the error reported.

If you have configured N73 to use Mini SD memory card as storage media for its Messaging application (e.g. SMS, MMS, Email, etc), you have to temporarily reset it back to phone memory and retry the Mass Storage mode:

Click the Menu key to access Menu screen and then access to Messag.
While in Messaging screen, click the Options menu followed by Settings menu
In Settings screen, scroll through the list of menu to access Other option
Go to Memory In Use and change the Messaging storage media form memory card (e.g. N73SD, the memory card description I’ve set) to Phone Memory. Click OK to save the change.

^{How to configure N73 to use phone memory or external memory card as Messaging storage media?}

How To Instantly Access Nokia N73 Memory Card As USB Drive?

Walker — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:14:09 +0000

If you simply want to copy files to or from the memory card in Nokia N73, there are two ways to do it but both methods do not require installation of Nokia PC Suite.

The first and simple way is by removing the Mini SD card from Nokia N73 and access the memory card via a card reader. Some modern laptops built with such card reader that normally support multiple flash memory card formats.

As one of the expensive Nokia NSeries smart phone, N73 allows add / remove memory card in online mode. To remove memory card while N73 powered on, press the power button and select “Remove Mem. Card” option from the quick menu.

Alternatively, press the Menu key, go to Tools and then Memory. While in Memory Card screen, go to Options and select “Remove Mem. Card”.

Wait for the Remove Memory Card and press “OK” message printed on screen, then you may proceed to remove the Mini SD card and then only press OK. Once you’ve done with the memory card, simply insert it back to N73 Mini SD card slot gently (without needs of power it off).

If there is no card reader to access the Mini SD card, what you could do? Well, the N73 itself is a ready card reader. Indeed, N73 supports USB mass storage mode.

So long as the OS supports USB mass storage device (e.g. Windows Vista SP1 on my home Desktop and Dell Latitude; supposing that most modern OSes such Mac OS X, RHEL, etc, is able to detect and access it as normal), the Mini SD memory card in Nokia N73 will appears as a USB drive, to allow files copy easily without needs of installing additional device driver or application.

Although the Nokia PC Suite is not a must-have program to access N73 USB mass storage function, an optimized driver ensures achieving USB 2.0 full speed file transfer via Nokia proprietary Port-Port interface.

How to configure Nokia N73 mass storage mode to access memory card as USB drive?

Click the menu key, access to Tools and then Data Cbl. While in Data Cable screen, make sure Data Cable Mode is either set to Mass Storage or Ask On Connection.

Then, connect the phone to a computer USB port via CA-53 cable. N73 will prompt you to select mode of connection if the Data Cable Mode is set to “Ask On Connection”.

This is extremely useful when I’ve to copy files to or from the “expensive” Nokia phone I ever own (so far) with a computer that has not yet installed with Nokia PC Suite application, but there must be a card reader OR CA-53 cable AND a computer that supports USB mass storage device (both hardware and software). The bulky Nokia PC Suite, is not a must-have program in either cases.

How To Use Infrared To Send Files From Windows Vista To Nokia N73?

Walker — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 18:29:14 +0000

As with most Nokia NSeries models, my bloody old Nokia N73 can send and receive files over USB, Bluetooth, or Infrared connection.

Although the USB connection is faster than the Bluetooth or Infrared connection, it’s troublesome (for me) to bring along the proprietary Nokia CA-53 cable on every working days.
So, I’ve to rely on either Bluetooth or Infrared to transfer files between Windows Vista SP1 and N73 (while I’m at outside/office with Dell Latitute that supports Bluetooth and Infrared too).

Now the Bluetooth in Dell Latitute is breakdown, I’ve to be more patient with Infrared connection that transferring data at 115200 bps (or 14.0625 KBps) :-(

How to send files from Windows Vista SP1 computer/laptop to Nokia N73 over an Infrared connection?

The answer is not difficult, but required few simple steps to complete it:

On Nokia N73, press the Menu key (refer to Symbian S60 UI Shortcut Key, the key labelled “A”), navigate to Tools, and finally click the Infrared icon to activate Nokia N73 infrared function.
Face the Nokia N73 Infrared port to Dell Latitute Infrared port, as near as possible, i.e. to make sure Infrared ports at both end are in range and no obstacles blocking in between. (Besides the slow connection speed, this is another downside of Infrared connection).
Note: Don’t look at the activated infrared port that might hurt your pretty eyes!
Keep your eyes on Windows System Tray (normally, it’s on bottom-right corner). Soon, the Windows Infrared icon (first icon next to the “EN” in the screenshot below) appears in System Tray (a.k.a. Notification Area in Windows Vista), with tooltips indicate a new device called N73 is in range.
^{How to use an Infrared connection to send files from Windows Vista to Nokia N73?}

Next, you’ll see the message says “Another computer is nearby. Click here to send files to the computer N73″.
Now, you can just click the Infrared icon or right click on it and select Transfer Files option to open up Infrared’s Send File dialog box. Browse to the target folder, select one or multiple files and click Send.
Back to Nokia N73. You will likely get a prompt to accept connection or immediately getting files transfer status bar on screen. A SMS notification received whenever Windows Vista completes sending a file to Nokia N73, i.e. the file transferred to Nokia N73 kept as SMS (instead of storing to a folder as file). To retrieve the file, just open the SMS as usual.

P/S: You might need to configure Nokia N73 Messaging to use memory card instead of phone memory, if you are about to send a large file size to N73. (Refer to Sending Big Movie File To N73 for this configuration.)

Of course phone memory is nothing wrong, if free memory space is big enough to keep the file (so as memory card).

Nokia Software Updater: Upgrade Nokia Phone Firmware At Home!

Walker — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:13:12 +0000

Nokia has released the latest Nokia Software Updater version 1.4.49 that is fully compatible with Windows Vista. (While waiting for the fixes, I almost wanted to install Windows XP…)

For the sake of performance and new software feature, you should upgrade the Nokia phone firmware whenever there is a new release for the phone model.

And with the Nokia Software Updater (a.k.a. NSU), you don’t have to update the firmware at authorised service centre. Indeed, NSU allows Nokia phone users to easily upgrade the phone firmware in a simple click-next-continue graphical user interface, at your own pace!

How difficult is to upgrade Nokia phone firmware with Nokia Software Updater?

Don’t worry, there is no complexity! All you need is a Windows PC (Windows XP/Vista) with broadband Internet connection and USB-2.0 interface port for NSU to function (at optimized state):

Make a backup of phone data (contact, email, SMS, picture, to-do-list, etc):
- To backup to your memory card:
  1. Select Tools > Memory from the main menu
  2. Select Options > Backup phone mem.
- To restore data to phone memory:
  1. Select Tools > Memory from the main menu
  2. Select Options > Restore from card
- For complete phone data backup, please consider the latest Nokia PC Suite (another great value added freeware)
Charge the battery to full
Run NSU and follow the instructions. There are only three major steps to go through.

As shown here, I’ve just upgraded the N73 firmware version 4.0812.4.2.1 for my NSeries, which includes Mobile TV application (to use with external SU-33W receiver), Express Mail clients, improved Nokia Maps software and better Java support. (Personally, I notice the battery last longer now, even if I’ve forgotten to properly close the open applications / games).

^{Nokia Software Updater or NSU is a useful value added freeware used to upgrade Nokia phone firmware to latest release. NSU version 1.4.49 is compatible with Windows Vista.}

So, what are you waiting for? Download Nokia Software Updater and do it now! If you’re not convinced, take few minutes to vet through the useful NSU FAQ or leave a comment.

Trust me; it’s a not complicated process. The NSU on-screen instructions are easy to understand and simple to follow.

Download Nokia Video Manager To Convert Movie In H.264 MP4 Format

Walker — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:32:49 +0000

I wrote about Nokia Video Manager last year. That was version 1.1 and no official statement mentioned that video converter was compatible with NSeries smart phone.

So, I went to Xilisoft Video Converter for video conversion and play them on the ageing Nokia N73…

Now, you should back to it, the Nokia Video Manager is rock!

If not because of upgrading N73 firmware to latest version 4.0812.4.2.1, probably I won’t give Nokia PC Suite another try and so won’t realize how wonderful is the latest Nokia Video Manager.

Nokia Video Manager v1.7.0 supports NSeries and many other smart phone models than the v1.1 released last year.

Although it’s not as powerful as Xilisoft Video Converter, this Nokia freeware can automatically convert supported video file to H.264/MPEG-4 AVC (.mp4) video format in suitable screen resolution and bit-rates that is highly compatible to playback on Nokia phone.

Currently, NVM v1.7.0 supports video conversion for high quality mp4 movie from MOV/QT (QuickTime movie file format), WMV (Windows Media Video), AVI, and MPEG video file format.

^{Nokia Video Manager is a value added software used to convert video file to high definition mp4 movie for playback on selected Nokia smart phone models.}

There is no explicit menu option to direct convert movie into MP4 format. The conversion starts automatically for those supported video file formats (e.g. MOV/QT, AVI, MPEG, and WMV). The converted video in MP4 format can be found in the user home directory, in “Videos\Nokia Video Manager” folder:

%userprofile%\videos\"Nokia Video Manager"

As shown in these screenshots, the 700MB AVI file format of a horrible action movie “The Condemned” was successfully converted to H.264/MP4 format with 320×240 playback resolution and AAC 48KHz stereo audio.

I believe that latest N73 firmware v4.0812.4.2.1 worth some credits, because there is no “Operation failed! Not enough memory!” kind of error message when playing the 252MB video file!

Besides, the video playback is incredible slick, even in some heavy action footages! I kinda like it!

One final note, I suggest you to download latest Nokia PC Suite 7.0.7.0 that bundle Nokia Video Manager v1.7.0 (this is what I used to convert movie for my ageing N73).

Nokia Software Updater Cannot Detects N73 In Vista

Walker — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:22:16 +0000

I almost wanted to give up after an hour, trying to have Nokia Software Updater (NSU) detecting my Nokia N73 ME in Windows Vista Ultimate!

But, without the working NSU, it seems that I’ve no other way to upgrade N73 firmware to v4.0736.3.2.1 (except sending it to a service centre).
Although the latest Nokia PC Suite v6.85.14.1 has no problem to detect and work perfectly with my phone, the latest NSU v1.4.23 kept on fail to detect the N73 ME connected via USB cable!

I supposed that if Nokia PC Suite detected N73, the Windows Vista should have the drivers installed. So, NSU should be working well too. But, that was not the case, as shown in the Vista Device Manager:

The problem was not resolved even by rebooting Windows Vista, uninstalled followed by reinstalled the Nokia PC Suite and NSU.

When I was about to give up, I thought of the last try – to uninstall all the Nokia software from Vista, reboot the PC, install the Nokia Cable Driver (for Windows 2000, XP and Vista) followed with Nokia Software Updater. Only then, the NSU finally detected my N73 ME in Windows Vista!

If your NSU also failed to detect Nokia N73 (or other Nokia smart phone), try my way:

Uninstall all Nokia software from Windows,
Download and install the latest Nokia Cable Driver for Windows 2000, XP and Vista (e.g. Nokia_Connectivity_Cable_Driver_rel_6_85_10_0_eng.msi)

Although Nokia website outline similar statement of the following,

Important for Windows 2000 or XP or Vista users: Drivers for the Nokia DKE-2, DKU-2, CA-42, CA-53, CA-70, and CA-101 cables are now integrated into PC Suite. Instead of downloading the cable driver separately, we recommend you download PC Suite.

I’ve no luck at all with this version of Nokia PC Suite/NSU – it keeps on fails to detect my Nokia N73 ME in Windows Vista, until I’ve installed this driver!
Install the latest Nokia Software Updater (NSU) for your Nokia smart phone model (e.g. NSU for Nokia N73 ME)

By now, the NSU should be ready to detect and deliver the latest Nokia firmware for the connected smart phone.