I meant no external installation required.

I had tried all previous recommendations to get my N800 to update I was left even more lost and frustrated than I was before. BUT-I was able to find my own solution. (Just a disclaimer, this worked for ME, no guarantee it'll work for you =P I take no responsibility if this bricks your device or furthers the impossibility of you ever updating your device) Here's what I did-

I followed the directions the Updater gives but got the usual "Device Not Found" message. I closed the Updater as usual and took a trip to Device Manager. Here I found my N800, but unusually it said the device was disabled. When I enabled it, it said it needed drivers, so naturally I hit Update Driver. It said it was unable to update due to "this device cannot start" or something along those lines. I then proceeded to uninstall the N800 from Device Manager. Mind you my N800 was still plugged in and on with the USB indicator in the top right corner the ENTIRE time I was doing this.

Afterwards, I unplugged my device, went back to the updater and followed the directions yet again to no avail, only to receive the infamous "Device Not Found" message yet again. I took another trip back to Device Manager and saw "Nokia N800 (Update Mode) now under "Other Devices." I again tried to update the device. This time, however, it updated with an odd named driver, something along the lines of "Generic Nokia USB Phone Patent." After it installed, another "Found New Hardware" Box appeared, trying to install "Unknown." I said to hell with it and installed that too. That installed successfully with another group of gibberish drivers.

I then unplugged my device, restarted it, and followed the Updater directions yet again...and it worked right away! I am now running the stable release version of OS2008.

I hope this helps. Again, I take no responsibility if your device gets bricked or this furthers the impossibility of you ever updating your device. I took the risk and it worked-hopefully it will work for you!

Evan A

Same problem as above. Device manager indicates

Other Devices
--Unknown device

General: This device is not configured correctly. (Code 1)

To reinstall the drivers for this device, click Reinstall Driver.

Details: NMWCD\VID_0421&PID_0105&IF_OTH\6&7EED797&0&00
This is indicated as "Device Instance ID"

Pfft I'm gonna update this thing at home on my Mac.

I've never run into an installation program that was so difficult. Imagine if you had to go thru this whenever you had to reboot your computer! (Oops, I didn't time my release of the button right. Time to try to reboot again!)

Some of the people above seem to have hardware problems meaning that the computer doesn't see the usb device correctly. I can't help that.

But, I have a comment on the timing.

Someone wrote:

1. Turn off the N800
2. Connect the USB to the PC.
3. Use your left finger to Hold down the HOME button while pressing down the ON/OFF button with other right finger. ( DO NOT LET GO YOUR FINGERS YET )
4. When your PC found the device, you can let go both fingers.
5. The Update Wizard will begin.

I disagree slightly. Letting go of both fingers is the wrong approach, in my experience. What I do is let go the power button THE MOMENT IT BECOME CLEAR THAT THE TABLET WILL BOOT. Then I let go of the home button THE MOMENT THE SCREEN SAYS DEVICE FOUND.

If the screen never says device found, the process didn't work for whatever reason. Time to try again, or eventually to give up.

When I use my method, which is very close to the numbered method listed above, I get about a 50% success rate, maybe higher.

Some people never hold down the home button AT ALL. It seems to work for them. It worked for me a few times. But I returned to the recommended method for some reason.

If you have problems not covered by this, the first thing to do is try another usb port, on the computer you're at, or on another computer.

I had the same issue!

The problem was that i didnt use the USB cable that came with my n800.

Do you use the original n800 USB cable?

I don't know that I've ever used the cable that came with my N800. I have an assortment of USB cables that came with various digital cameras and other peripherals, and I use whichever one is handy. All of them work.

Well, I'm one of those people. 100% success rate (on the ~4 times I've had occasion to try it) by starting the flasher software first (get it to where it says "Device not found. ... Try again.") and then just rebooting the device while it was plugged in. It always gets it, in my experience. The home button allows you to get it in USB-flashing mode without having the PC software ready, but that seems pointless.Definitely; as always with USB devices, if you think you're having trouble with the USB connection itself, skip intervening hubs, extensions, etc.; usually the problem isn't with the connection, in fact, but it's easy, and has allowed me to duck a couple problems with dodgy cables that I could make no progress with otherwise.

I was able to view mmc's contents with any cable, but i couldn't update the n800 with them! Very strange, i know! Nokia cable saved me!

I'm having a similar problem trying to update the N810 from Windows XP.

Using the latest Nokia Interface Tablet Software Update Wizard, I follow its instructions to turn the N810 off, then hold the swap key while powering on. The USB logo appears, Windows makes the "device plugged in" sound, and I get Found New Hardware for the N810 update. But then Windows makes the "device unplugged" sound, the popup changes to "Problem installing the software for your device" or something like that. The N810 goes ahead and boots normally.

I followed the Tips and Troubleshooting popup at http://europe.nokia.com/A4678158 and uninstalled the Wizard and also the Nokia Connectivity Cable Driver (and for good measure, the Nokia Flashing Cable Driver).

On reinstalling the Wizard, there is now only the Flashing Cable Driver, not a Connectivity Cable Driver. And now it doesn't even give the Found New Hardware balloon. It just shows the USB symbol for a second, does the "device plugged" and the "device unplugged" sounds, and the N810 boots normally.

Any suggestions?