SanDisk Sansa Fuze problems with XP and likely 2000

[RJARRRPCGP]

And XP also shows a drive "F:" and when clicked, Windows always displays "Please insert a disk into drive F:" (or similar)

SanDisk says XP don't require drivers for it.

I get 2 drives listed in Windows Explorer for my SanDisk Sanza Fuze, one drive looks normal, except my music files aren't there at all and the other one, shows up as a removable drive with nothing inserted!

I have the feeling it will work OK when used with Vista and later! Even when SanDisk says that XP is OK!

Edited November 29, 2011 by RJARRRPCGP

[allen2]

The second is for the microSD card reader.

The files should be in the first and you need at least windows media player 10 to get it working on XP.

Did you read the manual ?

[RJARRRPCGP]

Actually, I never had this problem with Vista and later.

And I don't have the "+" version.

Edited December 10, 2011 by RJARRRPCGP

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

And XP also shows a drive "F:" and when clicked, Windows always displays "Please insert a disk into drive F:" (or similar)

SanDisk says XP don't require drivers for it.

I get 2 drives listed in Windows Explorer for my SanDisk Sanza Fuze, one drive looks normal, except my music files aren't there at all and the other one, shows up as a removable drive with nothing inserted!

I have the feeling it will work OK when used with Vista and later! Even when SanDisk says that XP is OK!

You should not need any drivers for this on XP. Maybe the CD that comes with it is for Win9x (but I don't know). I have always just plugged them in and then wait a bit for the computer's USB detection to finish completely.

On the Sansa, look in the menu (with Sansa unplugged from the computer) under Settings > USB Mode. There should be at least three of them in the list: MTP, MSC, Auto. Try each of them.

What probably happened is that the computer configured the USB device from one setting and then the setting changed (under Auto this can happen).

I forget which is which with MTP and MSC, but one represents the Sansa as a mass storage device (the mp3 files are seen in Windows like any filelist) and the other presents it as a music device and the files are invisible.

NOTE: If you change the Sansa firmware and bootloader using a 3rd party custom (very popular on these) and then change back to the original, then these quirky USB problems might be explained. I still have one that I have yet to be able to restore to original config. Never should have installed that Rockbox.

[RJARRRPCGP]

And XP also shows a drive "F:" and when clicked, Windows always displays "Please insert a disk into drive F:" (or similar)

SanDisk says XP don't require drivers for it.

I get 2 drives listed in Windows Explorer for my SanDisk Sanza Fuze, one drive looks normal, except my music files aren't there at all and the other one, shows up as a removable drive with nothing inserted!

I have the feeling it will work OK when used with Vista and later! Even when SanDisk says that XP is OK!

You should not need any drivers for this on XP. Maybe the CD that comes with it is for Win9x (but I don't know). I have always just plugged them in and then wait a bit for the computer's USB detection to finish completely.

On the Sansa, look in the menu (with Sansa unplugged from the computer) under Settings > USB Mode. There should be at least three of them in the list: MTP, MSC, Auto. Try each of them.

What probably happened is that the computer configured the USB device from one setting and then the setting changed (under Auto this can happen).

I forget which is which with MTP and MSC, but one represents the Sansa as a mass storage device (the mp3 files are seen in Windows like any filelist) and the other presents it as a music device and the files are invisible.

NOTE: If you change the Sansa firmware and bootloader using a 3rd party custom (very popular on these) and then change back to the original, then these quirky USB problems might be explained. I still have one that I have yet to be able to restore to original config. Never should have installed that Rockbox.

That's even when I didn't change the firmware lol. Got this one on April 30, 2010 at BestBuy.

And the above was with MSC. (The USB mass storage device mode)

And Device Manager complains about there not even being a driver, when in MTP mode.

"Auto" makes Windows act up.

Edited December 13, 2011 by RJARRRPCGP

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

That's even when I didn't change the firmware lol. Got this one on April 30, 2010 at BestBuy. And the above was with MSC. (The USB mass storage device mode)

And Device Manager complains about there not even being a driver, when in MTP mode.

"Auto" makes Windows act up.

Since I couldn't quite remember which is which, I just ran an experiment with a Sansa Clip.

Set to MSC mode ...

- Autorun appears (selected Explorer)

- SysTray 'Safely Remove' appears

- UsbDeview shows 'USB Mass Storage' connected.

- Explorer shows the root folder with all the SYS firmware files and subfolders

- Doubleclick 'MUSIC' subfolder, it is shown as empty.

Set to MTP mode ...

- Autorun appears (selected Explorer)

- SysTray 'Portable Device' icon appears and then disappears

- UsbDeview shows 'Unknown' connected.

- Explorer shows an object called 'Internal Memory'

- Doubleclick 'Internal Memory' shows folders and one single file.

- Doubleclick 'MUSIC' subfolder, it correctly shows MP3 files.

Set to Auto Detect ...

(exactly the same as MTP Mode

It would seem that MTP mode is the most useful, at least for adding and deleting songs.

If I were you I would probably start over now. Get the program mentioned above from Nirsoft: UsbDeview and delete the Sansa references (Sansa unplugged). You will probably see at least two.

Also, if you know how, boot once in Safe Mode (Sansa unplugged) and go to Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager; click 'View' and 'Show Hidden Devices'. Look for and delete any Sansa references.

Then after you reboot to normal mode, plug in the Sansa (Settings set to MTP). Then wait for the thing to finish configuring. Now remove it. Now insert it again. Now try to recreate what I did above under Set to MTP mode .... This is how I would access the MP3 files and add or delete them.

I'm wondering if perhaps you still have the default settings for Explorer in place? You know, Control Panel > Folder Options > View. SHOW Hidden Files. Uncheck Hide Protected OS Files. And so on. Those are the first things I change.

It is possible that the firmware changed in the Fuze, and it might require drivers after all, but at least try the above first. And I believe you're right, in Vista/7 this is probably a moot issue since they did seem to get the USB connectivity correct.

Edited December 13, 2011 by CharlotteTheHarlot