PC Suite installs ok, but "operation failed" on si...

Question

PC Suite installed fine, no error messages. Previously, I had no troubles.
A day or two ago, the version of  Nokia Software Updater was itself updated, to 1.4.98EN
Now, whenever I attempt to install a sis or sisx file, from Windows, I get an "operation failed" error, from Nokia Application Installer. This happens whether or not I have PC Suite configured to install apps to either the phone or to its memory card.
Also, When I connect my phone to my PC, I can no longer browse either the phone's memory card, from Windows. Windows Explorer can detect the presence of the memory card but, when I select the memory card, Nokia Phone Browser gives me the error  "The operation could not be completed".
However, Nokia Phone Browser can access the phone's memory, just fine.
Has anyone else encoutered this, particularly after Nokia's updater was updated? Is there a solution?
Windows Vistax64 Ultimate edition SP2 v.113
PC Suite version 7.1.18.0
Cable connection
Nokia Software Updater ver 1.4.98EN

Answer 1

Good catch, cricfancy. I missed the PC Connectivity solution. This time, I sorted the installed applications by Publisher and found all that were from Nokia, including the PC Connectivity Solution.
I uninstalled all of these:
Nokia Software Updater
Nokia Photos
Nokia PC Suite
Nokia Flashing Cable Driver
Nokia Connectivity Cable Driver
PC Connectivity solution
Rebooted PC
Ran CCleaner Registry Cleaner
Rebooted PC
Reinstalled Nokia PC Suite 7.1.18.0
Nokia PC Suite requested direct cable connection to the E71 phone
During the Nokia PC Suite installation, Windows Media Player spiked an error (I didn't realize any portion of WMP was even running). That's been happing a lot, recently.
Windows installed the connectivity drivers and Nokia PC Suite indicates the phone is connected.
PC requested a reboot.
All the USB drivers Windows was unable to install, the last time around, are now installed correctly.
And the result is:
I still cannot browse the phone's memory card, from Vista. Phone's memory is visible to the PC, just fine. Interestingly, the Settings for Nokia PC Suite (destinations for music, video, installs, etc.) defaulted to folders on the phone's memory card. When I drag and drop media, on to Nokia PC Suite's Windows desktop app, the files transfer just fine to the phone's memory card. But, this does not work for text or MS Office files (Excel, Word, etc.). Those spike a "unable to copy the file on the phone" message, from Nokia PC Suite.
It appears, for the time being, that my only alternative is the use Mass Storage as a way to access the phone's memory card, from Windows Explorer, in order to transfer data files that aren't media.
And, "operation failed" is still what comes up, from Windows, when I attempt to install .sis files with a double-click in WIndows Explorer.The workaround, though, is to drag-and-drop the .sis file, from Windows Explorer, on to the Nokia PC Suite desktop app.I can live with that.
I'm going to consider this problem to be more-or-less closed. I mean, I understand the workarounds needed.