“ Originally Posted by egalitarian 
”
Also, I should mention I get a 206 connection error in the RUU if I've soft reset back to WM and established an ActiveSync connection per its instructions (after the disconnect/reconnect step) after the progress bar comes up because the RUU puts it into bootloader mode and ActiveSync loses its connection (and I get that Windows XP Hardware Manager attempting to install "Microsoft USB Sync").
So I get RUU error 206 when:
1) I don't soft reset and leave it in the temporary bootloader mode the command prompt scripts puts the device in [the RUU wizard won't even get to the progress bar here; when it goes to retrieve the ROM image version from the phone, it gives me this error and forces an exit of the RUU]
2) I soft reset to get back into WM so that ActiveSync will recognize the device. Then it does communicate with the advice to get its current ROM image version, but when I click next and it brings up the progress bar after a minute or two and the RUU puts the device in bootloader mode (and I get Windows XP hardware manager attempting to install "Microsoft USB Sync") and then the 206 error that forces the exit from the RUU.
Help, please?
sounds like there is something on your computer missing that it wants to install... install the file that it is asking for than reboot your computer and see what that does for you. also try to hard reset your phone before you flash and that could make a difference also.