New tool helps make installing the Windows Phone 7.8 update slightly easier

Update: Files have been updated to make the app more stable and reliable and indeed it does piece of work amend now. (5PM ET)

Windows Phone Hacker has released a new "wrapper" tool called 'Seven-Eighter' that reportedly makes manually installing the 7.viii update less cumbersome than downloading all the files yourself. The app comes in x86 and x64 and is a simple executable that you run on your PC (you'll need to give it permission in Windows 8).

In theory, it'south the same method we detailed in our CAB file post yesterday---you specify the languages on your device and then it fetches the files for you lot, all through a progress-bar UI.

Since Windows Phone Bone updates are cumulative just iterative in the procedure, yous'll have to go up through Tango before proceeding to 7.8 meaning there will be a few cycles of updates.

Testing it out

We gave the app a spin on our Windows 8 machine and ran into a few issues. Nosotros tried to do the update on our T-Mobile HTC Radar and had the app throw an "exception" during the process. In addition, information technology did not appear to have all of the language packs that were installed on our device, which would too cause a problem (having to manually check each language as opposed to 'select all' was also tedious).

Nosotros next tried on our Sprint HTC Arrive and had the same exception thrown. Granted, the app stayed "working" with the installing Tango screen in a permanent progression but for all intents and purposes, it had crashed.

Interestingly, not selecting any languages does seem to get the process started merely we don't recommend that. At least on HTC Go far, we're unable to even access our Nearly screen anymore, telling usa something went awry with the update (spoiler alert: incorrect language packs).

Looking over on comments on Windows Telephone Hacker, we tin encounter mixed results from users—some are having success subsequently a few attempts, some required that the correct languages were supported while some are reporting failure. In other words, your mileage may vary.

Language, Languages, Languages

The key to doing these transmission upgrades is choosing the correct language packs. Doing that is easy but it'due south very crucial to the process.

Settings –> Keyboard
Make note of all of the languages installed
Download the 7.8 linguistic communication packs that are on your device

Some phones merely come up with a handful of languages installed, while others (including those in the US) come with every single language pack on board. If the latter, you must download all the CABs with those languages for the update.

If you don't do this, information technology'south non the end of the world. You may have some Live Tiles that expect odd (People Hub) and you lot won't exist able to get further updates, including device specific firmware should it become available subsequently on. You can e'er reinstall the OS with the proper language packs to correct the fault, so long as you are even aware of it.

Our communication

You should beginning try the Wi-Fi force update method. That will requite you the official Os and firmware update for your phone, assuming that there is one. For some of you, your device volition never become this update making this method nothing and void. For the balance, this is the ideal method.

Next you tin try 'Seven-Eighter' by Windows Phone Hacker as detailed here. It's a little flake easier than doing it yourself, though as we discussed your success rate seems to be about fifty/50.

Finally, you tin can always just practise the manual CAB update for the OS. Assuming you pick the right language packs, this instance will e'er piece of work.

Read more than on 'Seven-Eighter', including download link, at Windows Phone Hacker.

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