U727 SPRINT firmware vicious cycle

susandennis · EVDO Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 2

Novatel U727
Sprint
Windows XP

I updated as requested when I plugged the modem in this morning. It updated the SmartView software to version 2.25.0046

Now, whenever I plug it in and fire up SmartView, while it's taking it's usual for.freakin'.ever to open up, I get the following message:

"Sprint SmartView has received a firmware update for Novatel Wireless Incorporated U727 SPRINT. If you choose "Apply Now" Sprint SmartView will close, run the installation, then restart after the installation is complete." The choices are "Apply Now" and "Prompt Later"

If I choose "Apply Now" SmartView does, indeed shut down slowly and even more slowly then comes up again and I get the message again. I can do this over and over and over again.

If I choose "Prompt Later" I can use the modem but it unplugs itself about ever couple of hours (may or may not be related) and I have to start all over again. It's making me a little crazy.

Anyone seen this? Anyone have a solution? The software is so annoying that bringing it up once is painful enough!

Susan

p.s. I just noticed that the tools info includes a firmware version number of 112.

susandennis · EVDO Newbie Joined: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 2

Since no answer, I decided to try an experiment.

On a completely different computer - one running Windows 7RC where I had an older version of SmartView already installed, I installed Novatel Connection Manager for Windows® from the http://www.nextel.com/en/software_downloads/mobile_broadband/novatel_ovation_u727.shtml (the xp/2000 version).

It installed nicely and when I fired it up, it told me about the firmware but this time when I clicked OK, I got a nice Novatel status window. It gave me lots of status info and finished without errors.

It seems like a much nicer piece of software than Smartview.

Anyway back to the xp and repeated the process. No issues at all - fired right up fast with no errors.

Now my question is - why SmartView? Who would use that and why? What does it give me that the Connection Manager does not?

Baylink · Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2009 4:01 pm Post subject:

I suspect -- a lot -- that the answer is "a nice yellow Sprint logo, and lots of things missing that make their support load cheaper".

Who, me? Cynical?? :-)