Zen Xtra with Windows 7

[bazzab]

One of my gripes with Vista was that my Zen Xtra wouldn't work with Media Source. Creative will tell you to upgrade the firmware to the 'Play 4 Sure' firmware on your player. No need to with Windows 7!
Download the XP version of the driver, the Vista version of Media Source and the Zen Xtra plugin?for Media Source.
Firstly install the driver by right clicking the driver install file.
Select the 'Troubleshoot Compatibiltiy' option. Accept the 'Recommended' option. After instal you will get 'Incompatibilte' warning. Ignore this and close the dialog box. Plug the Player into the computer when prompted. Windows will recognise the player and you can see the player in the 'Computer' window.
Install the Media Source 5 file normally, then the plugin. Restart the computer (with the player turned on and connected), start Media Source. Your Zen Xtra will bee seen as you would expect to see it in XP.
I am using it now without any problems and can transfer to the player and playback including the crossfade without any problems!
To reiterate, I am NOT using the Play 4 Sure firmware update!!

[carlobee]

thank you for this information bazzab. kudos for that!

http://storeyourpicture.com/images/s...lectronics.jpg

[Bvijlbri]

Hi Bazzab,

I've tried to follow your instructions but I get stuck at step .

When I install the driver (2.0.00 or .30.03) the set up stops at around 77% and I have to abort the set up.

Because the driver isn't installed properly Mediasource 5 won't install either...

What versions did you use exactly for:
- Driver
- Mediasource
- Plug in

Thanks in advance for your help because I've been trying to connect my Zen for over a month now.

Kind regards,

Bart

[coachop94]

Bvijlbri wrote:
Hi Bazzab,

I've tried to follow your instructions but I get stuck at step .

When I install the driver (2.0.00 or .30.03) the set up stops at around 77% and I have to abort the set up.

Because the driver isn't installed properly Mediasource 5 won't install either...

What versions did you use exactly for:
- Driver
- Mediasource
- Plug in

Thanks in advance for your help because I've been trying to connect my Zen for over a month now.

Kind regards,

Bart

Ok ,use driver 2.0.00 when it gets to the point that it has not progressed installing close it & REBOOT the computer the driver is installed. You will need install all the other software in the after that . Media Source5 (ver.5.0.38) The jukebox plug-in (ver. 5.00.22) & the Creative Nomad Explorer the link is to page scroll down & click on 2 to get the Explorer(the last one on page 2) http://support.creative.com/download...ale=033&nPage=? You can read this blog on installing your player in this manner. I know it works since I installed mine using this method on my Vista don't know about Win7 it should. http://mrinternet.wordpress.com/2007/03/0/creative-zen-nx-and-vista-working-together-finally/

[Bvijlbri]

Thank you for your reply. Of course I tried out your suggestions straight away this morning but unfortunately without any success.

Mediasource won't install, so I guess the driver (2.0.00) wasn't installed properly either...
As mentioned the set up process for the driver gets stuck at around 77% and even if I abort and reboot my PC doesn't recognise the Zen Xtra.

Perhaps you have any further suggestions? If not, thanks again for your help and I'll continue my quest :-)

Kind regards,

Bart

[bazzab]

Hello,

I used .30,03 driver and 5.00.22 plugin.
Since getting the retail version of Windows 7 I have had to do the installation again, since no upgrade path exists to go from the beta of? Windows 7 to the retail. I did exactly what I did in the beta version of Windows, and again it worked without any problems. What I did...

1. Right click the driver installation file and select 'Troubleshoot Compatibility'
2. Select the 'Recommened' option, then click the Test button. Windows will start the installation.
IMPORTANT

!!! Make sure the player is not connected at this time!
3. On the blue Creative screen a small box should appear telling you to connect the player, do so and you should get the 'Found New Hardware' notification. Make sure the Creative message isn't hidden by a Windows box!
4. You will get a message from Windows telling you an incompatible device has been installed, ignore this and close the warning box.
5. Install the latest Media Source 5.
6. Install the Zen Plugin

I should mention that I have a Creative Audigy 4 sound card, so I was able to install Media Source before the Zen driver, though that shouldn't make any difference.
Again this shouldn't stop the driver instasllation but the firmware version on my player is .20.08

I hope that somehow this has been helpful and that you can get your player working, on my computer it actually works better in 7 than it does in XP!

If you decide to go the route of upgrading the Zen to 'Play 4 Sure' firmware, don't do what so many others have done and ignore the instructions given on the Creative site! If you don't follow those instructions to the letter, the upgrade will fail!

[Bvijlbri]

Hi,

Thanks for your elaborate answer!

However, the problem persists.
I don't get a notification to connect my player during the driver set up, however when I break off the set up forcefully (ctrl alt del) I do get the message that the system is waiting for my response. I?guess that's the dialogue box asking me to connect my player.
I just can't find that dialogue box anywhere.

If I hook up my player anyway, Windows starts installing the driver and mentions that the Zen Xtra is now ready for use. However, it doesn't turn up as an external disk or something like that. And Mediasource won't install either because it keeps mentioning that it hasn't found any supporting devices.

Have you had this experience as well?

Kind regards,

Bart

[bazzab]

Hi Bart,

Sorry you cant get this to work. When you get the installation stopping, have you tried looking at the taskbar to see if there is an orange coloured icon? If there is, click on it. As you mention, Windows is waiting for your response.

?Another thing that might be worth trying is this, when the installation seems to stop, on the extreme bottom right of the screen next to the clock, there is a thin vertical bar. If you hover the mouse over this, it makes all windows fade to an outline, if you click it all windows will be minimized. Now hover the mouse over the icons?on the taskbar to produce the small 'Aero Peeks'. Is there a small box with a single line of text and a buttonIf yes, click on that picture. Hopefully its the small dialogue box you have to click OK on to finish the installation. The very first time I tried this on the beta of Windows 7, another window was hiding this small box.

As I mentioned in my last post, I have a Creative sound card in my Windows 7 computer, so I was able to install MediaScource 5 before the Zen driver. I've not tried to install it onto a Windows 7 computer that doen't have a Creative sound card. Maybe I should try to and see if I get the same problem.

Regarding the problem of Mediascource 5 refusing to install because it cant find any other Creative products, I did get this when I tried installing it first, before the driver on my sons computer. Once I put the driver on I had no trouble, but that was on XP. I wish Creative would stop this, because MediaScource is a very good media player and of course seeing as?my sons?player has the Play 4 Sure firmware he doesnt need the driver!

[coachop94]

Bvijlbri wrote:
Hi,

Thanks for your elaborate answer!

However, the problem persists.
I don't get a notification to connect my player during the driver set up, however when I break off the set up forcefully (ctrl alt del) I do get the message that the system is waiting for my response. I guess that's the dialogue box asking me to connect my player.
I just can't find that dialogue box anywhere.

If I hook up my player anyway, Windows starts installing the driver and mentions that the Zen Xtra is now ready for use. However, it doesn't turn up as an external disk or something like that. And Mediasource won't install either because it keeps mentioning that it hasn't found any supporting devices.

Have you had this experience as well?

Kind regards,

Bart

Did you read the blog of the link I posted to you? Have you tried? installing? just the Creative Nomad Explorer? http://support.creative.com/download...ownloadId=8069 without installing MediaSource? I can't really say if it will work without MediaSource since I do have that installed on my Vista machine but you could try it. I only use that program to load my player. I do not use MediaSource5 to load the older player as since I have the PFS plug-in loaded on there & because of that MediaSource does not see the Zen NX. Of course create a Restore point on just computer before doing these things. Let us know how it goes.

[Bvijlbri]

 Thanks again for your reply.

I read the blog you recommended and I have contacted the guy who manages it. I hope he can shed some light on the matter.

I'll try installing Nomad Explorer again this evening, but I?tried yesterday and it wouldn't run at all. Maybe if I try installing it in compatibility mode?

Regards,

Bart