According to A2-DB3150 Flashing - Page 7 - Top Sony Forums it should be ok connecting the phone without a sim card in the phone.

I've installed the sony ericsson drivers and the gordon gecko stuff. I turn the phone on and when the insert sim message appears i connect the cable. The phone seems to be correctly identified by winXP but Sony Ericsson PC Suite says my phone isnt connected and a message in the taskbar(?) says that a cable isnt connected. Obviously this also means that A2Uploader isnt working either. Everything looks ok in device manager except from my VIA ethernet adapter thats deactivated on purpose.

What am i doing wrong?

/#LOUDmouth#