Wasn't too sure where to put this, but it's hacking devices, so I figured it'd go here. Anyways, my Zen Micro crapped out on me a while ago, and I recently acquired an iPod Mini, and since I dislike apple stuff, I ripped it apart and low and behold, they have the same type of HD in them, except the Zen is made by Seagate and the iPod is by Hitachi. So I did the transplant no problem, however, now I seem to be having trouble getting the firmware to install on the drive. Mainly because as soon as I power it up, WMP gobbles it up and starts trying to sync with it and therefore I can't access it's Recovery panel to click reload firmware. I did manage to get to that, but when I did it, the firmware update on the comp didn't seem to want to recognize the player :S Any advice? I'd really like to refurbish this little guy without paying a penny
plug it in and dont use any program to sync it, go to the desktop and right click on my computer/manage/disk manager then format it. should rid the hd of the apple firmware and let you put the zen stuff on
Thanks for replying, Sadly WMP instantly takes charge of it, and it doesn't show in Disk Management nor Removable Storage =\
try linux? should appear there. (you ripped apart an apple ipod mini to fix your creative player? i have to question your sanity there. as far as companies go, creative is down there with sony in terms of crapness as a company...)
did the same with my sisters zen micro, i used a normal cf card for cameras didnt use the software from creative self. you might want to plug the hd in a normal cardreader furst and format it to a fat partition. put it back in the zen then download the firmware for the zen as an .exe, en run the .exe worked for me. you can download the firmware here http://us.creative.com/local/1/firmware/zenmicro/eula.asp
I actually like Creative better then Apple My Zen has lasted longer then most of my friend's iPods, I'm just prone to smashing it against things by accident I shall try that then Thanks for the replies
on the same type of subject. i have a Zen micro that wont hold a charge. so I was thinking of using it as a portable hard drive but the default software wont let me reserve the full size for file storage. Does anyone know of a site/ OS /hack that would let use it as a drag/drop HDD?
Offcoarse you can but then you won't be able to use the Zen normally cause it needs the software to operate. Then it just becomes external HDD in a fancy housing
You can reserve up to 4.5Gbs of it as storage (assuming you have the 5Gbs version). Mine could, though you'd be better off buying a Corsair Flash Voyager methinks if you want portable storage
I am trying to recycle dead/dying equipment. like I said it takes for ever to charge and dies really quickly when its not plugged in. I would really love it if I didnt have to install any zen software for windows to see the drive.
Hmm.. Well, if you'd been here bout 3 months ago, I coulda sent you one of my 3 spare batteries (still in their packaging)
it's the ipod partitioning that is the problem. It's been reported on various mp3player forums, that when used in ipod, the 30GB ZIF iPod video disk cannot be transplanted to other player anymore - ipod creates one partition in the "beginning of the drive" for firmware (approx 30mb large) and then another partition for user data. It is however possible to use this drive, you need disk plug to ide adapter, plug it into windows, and format is as one partition, fat drive and it should work in any player then. Lack of zif-ide adapter is the reason why ipod video drives cannot be recycled
Ah, well, it's a iPod Mini drive, and it's exact same size as the Seagate drive I found in it, which is the same drive which is found in these: http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/portable/pocket_drives/
"Ipod mini drive" = Compact Flash Microdrive You need a CF to IDE adapter. As for WMP being sucky; Why the hell do you even have it installed? Use something that deosn't suck, like winamp or iTunes. Anyways, just kill the WMP process(es?). Should solve the sync issue.
Yea, it keeps rebooting itself, it's annoying. I don't use WMP, I have winamp, but it won't let me remove WMP
to remove wmp, go to add/remove programs, then add/remove windows components. hopefully that should work
Yea, says I'm not allowed. lol. I have a mini-HD reader at the bakery, so whenever I go there I think I'll try formatting from there, should work right?
