PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS POST BEFORE POSTING ON THE FORUM FOR THE FIRST TIME!
Welcome to the Creative Labs MP3 Players web forum! 
This forum is for discussing issues related to the MP3 players (digital audio players) made by Creative Labs for those in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. Although we're not going to turn away folks from other areas 
The primary language of the forum is English, and posting in English is likely to get you a quicker response.
If your question does not relate to Creative MP3 players please find another more suitable forum to post in. If you want to discuss another player, or something not covered by another forum, please use the Off Topic forum.
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CONTENTS
- How to contact support
- Hot topics
- General issues
- Before you ask your question
- When you ask your question
- After you ask your question
- Low volume issue
- Nomad Primer
- Nomadness.net FAQs
- More useful links
- Wishlist and petitions
- Suggesting changes
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1. How to Contact Support
Please note this is a peer forum and Creative's Support staff do not guarantee a reply here. If your issue is urgent, you are within your warranty period and/or you do not get a fast reply here you should contact Creative Labs Technical Support.
To contact support click the Support > Contact Customer Support link on this page.
When contacting Creative Support by email it's important to note that you must reply to the autoresponse email you first receive, as detailed in the email itself. Also make sure to check any spam trap you have on your email system if you have not received a reply.
It's also important if you feel that you have a bug or defect with your product to register that issue directly with support. Don't rely on the forum to raise awareness of an issue.
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2. Hot Topics
This is dividied into 3 sections: General, Tag based players & USB mass storage players.
Make sure to also look at Section 3, which covers some of the other General Issues.
General
Where do I get the latest software, drivers and firmware?
Click the link Support > Downloads on this page.
In general, when installing on a new PC you need to download the driver, and some software to communicate with the player e.g. MediaSource, Media Explorer. For players using the v2.xx MTP/PlayForsure firmware drivers are not necessary, but you must have Windows XP and Windows Media Player 10 (this provides the MTP driver).
Important: Even though files are described as updates, none of the software requires a previous version to install. At worst they will prompt you to connect your player to verify you own a Creative product.
Note if you are downloading MediaSource make sure to download and install the relevant MediaSource plugin for your player. If MediaSource can't detect your player this is the first thing to check. For the v1.xx PDE firmware the plugin is called the Creative Zen and NOMAD Jukebox plugin for Creative MediaSource, and for the v2 MTP/PlayForSure firmware it's called Creative MediaSource Plugin for PlaysForSure devices.
I am completely new to MP3 players, where should I start?
Have a read of my Nomad Primer, so called as Creative's MP3 player range tend to be prefixed with the word Nomad.
I think I have a bug, how can I check?
I have a wish request for the player, what can I do?
You can post it here (see the petitions listed in Section 11 of this FAQ), email it to support, and/or add it to the public wishlist I host here by emailing me (this isn't affiliated with Creative but is the only public wishlist available for all to see).
I'm having connection problems with my player
If you can, the best test is to try your player with another PC, to see if you still have the problem. This localises whether the problem is with the PC (most likely the USB) or the player. See the link below (search on "connection problems") for a lot more troubleshooting on this.
What bit-rate should I encode my music at?
Ultimately it's down to your ears what bit-rate you prefer, and you should listen for yourself to determine it. If you ask on the forum you'll get many different opinions.
Make sure to look at the "MP3 vs. WMA" link below also.
How long should my battery last?
For the Zen and Nomad Jukebox players, to get some idea of how long your battery will last for a given bit-rate look at the battery curves thread. Ultimately battery life is dependent on how you use the player, make sure to follow the "why doesn't my battery last as long as expected?" link below.
How long does an RMA take?
Typically 2 weeks. But it might take a little longer, so don't start posting if it's 15 days.
I want to know how people feel about their Zen Micro/Touch/MuVo etc.?
There's a long post titled Experience with your Creative player that has many posts from users about their players. Please search back for threads about specific players before starting a new thread.
Where can I buy online music or get legal downloads for my player?
See this thread.
My tracks don't play at the correct speed e.g. they play too slowly, why?
Chances are they are encoded in an unsupported sampling frequency. The tracks will need to be re-encoded at a supported bit-rate and/or frequency with something like Creative's MediaSource Audio Converter or dbPowerAmp.
Can a Creative player work on an Apple Mac?
It isn't officially supported, but some kind folks out there have written freeware applications to get your Creative player working with Macs. XNJB provides support for the Zen players, and requires OS X 10.3 or 10.4 (check the site for full details). MuVoHelper solves some problems with getting the MuVo to work optimally. The iTunes Zen plugin should support all Zen players. Note if the link to the plugin is broken just Google "iTunes Zen plugin" to find other sources. Also note there's no guarantee that these programs will work with the Mac, so if you have issues you should address your problems to the developer(s) of the relevant program.
Can a Creative player work on Linux?
Again it isn't officially supported, but again some kinds folks out there have written freeware applications to get your Creative player working. There's the Gnomad2 project. And don't forget the Linux forum at Nomadness.net if you are still having problems.
Tag Based Players
This section covers the players that use a hard disk and work using tags e.g. Zen Xtra, Touch, Micro, Sleek.
My Zen is not behaving properly, won't startup, or goes into rescue mode. What should I do?
If the Zen is not starting properly or not behaving correctly, first try to reset it. To reset all players except for the Zen Micro there is a small switch on the side of the player typically, that you should press using something like a bent paper clip. Don't use anything sharp. To reset the Zen Micro simply remove the battery and replace it.
If this doesn't work then access rescue mode, and try running a disk cleanup.
Next you should try reloading the firmware/OS, but beware if you are having connection problems also with your PC you may end up with a player that has no firmware and cannot be reloaded.
The last resort is to format the player. This will erase the contents from the player, including the content that ships with the player.
If none of these resolve the problem and you are under warranty you should get in contact with support to arrange replacement of the player.
If you aren't under warranty Creative will still repair the player, which you can arrange by contacting support.
How do I do a Disk Cleanup and/or access Rescue/Recovery Mode?
Refer to the sticky Rescue Mode thread. Disk Cleanup is accessed from this. Note that the MuVo players (with the exclusion of the MuVo² players) do not have Rescue Mode.
How long should a Disk Cleanup take?
It should only take a few minutes, and no longer than 30 minutes. Anything longer than this and there is a problem with the player and you need to contact Creative Support.
How long should a format take?
Only a few seconds. Anything more than a minute and there is a problem with the player and you need to contact Creative Support.
Although I can get into Rescue Mode, I can't select any option, or the options don't work?
If Rescue Mode is not working properly or commands can't be chosen the player is faulty. You need to contact Creative Support.
When are the Zen 20Gb/Neeon going to be released outside of the Asia Pacific region?
Due to popular request the Neeon is launched in the USA, but nowhere else for now. If you want the Neeon then contact your regions Customer Services to request it.
The Zen 20Gb is available from some shops in the USA and Europe e.g. Cambridge Soundworks, and Amazon.co.uk.
Is there a known issue with the Zen Micro headphone socket?
Creative Support have neither confirmed nor denied it officially. Some users have posted purported emails from Creative on the forum saying that the socket has been reinforced, but these have not been confirmed by Creative Support either. The exact incidence of the problem is unknown, but newer players seem to suffer less from it.
Should I buy the Zen Micro or Touch etc. and what colour should it be?
We can't tell you what player to get, or what colour it should be. Look at your collection size and the features of the player (see Nomadworld.com for the product pages) and decide yourself based on this.
Why does my Zen Micro battery drain so quickly?
The standby time (24 hours from turn-off) for the Zen Micro seems to use a lot more power than previous Zens. Creative have released both v1 (1.11.01+) and v2 (2.20.05+) firmware that reduces the standby time to 4 hours. Make sure to update to one of these if you have a draining problem.
Also see JazzMC's detailed page on this problem.
Why is my Zen Micro/Touch Touchpad so sensitive and/or difficult to use?
The Touchpads take some time to get used to.
continued below...
Message Edited by SSR on 12-29-2005 04:03 PM
USB Mass Storage Players
This section refers to the players that work as USB mass storage (a drive letter) e.g. MuVo, MuVo², Zen Nano, Zen Neeon etc.
My flash player is not working properly, what can I do?
The first thing to try with a misbehaving flash player is to update the firmware. Get the latest version from the download page (click the link Support > Downloads on this page) and make sure to follow the instructions that are accessed from the show details link on the download page.
I can't seem to fit any more files on my flash player yet I have free space, why?
The MuVo has a limit as to how many files will fit in the root, which is around 130 when formatted as FAT. Delete some files, create folders and use these to organise your collection.
How can I change the order of the files on my flash player?
The files are ordered alphanumerically by filename. You can use folders to store individual albums, and/or rename the files so that they are in the order you want. ReOrganize is one program that can simplify the renaming process.
Another method is to use MuVo/Zen Nano Media Explorer. Click on the folder in which you wish to reorder the tracks. This should display all the files (tracks) in that folder. Along the top of the window, fourth from the right, is an icon which looks like an A above a Z next to a downward pointing arrow. Click on this. This should bring up something called 'custom sort', a tool which lets you use arrows to sort your tracks into any order you wish. When you are done, click 'ok' and the filenames will have been changed so that they start with the relevant numbers. They should then play in this order on your player.
3. General issues
These are some general frequently asked questions on the forum that link you to the relevant part of the FAQs at Nomadness.net.
Click the links if you want information on...
... MP3 vs. WMA.
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4. Before you ask your question PLEASE...
1. Search the forum to see if your question has been asked before
2. If it is relevant, try the latest:
a. Drivers
b. Firmware
c. Application software (typically MediaSource)
All are available from Nomadworld.com downloads
Please indicate clearly that you have tried this in your post (and the versions you are using now) if the problem continues, as this will save everyone time and effort.
Also make sure to read the Nomadness FAQ for your player, the links to which are listed below.
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5. When you ask your question PLEASE...
1. Make sure to state what player you have, and the firmware version.
2. What you have tried so far to solve the problem.
3. If this is related to software or connection issues, state the software you are using, version, and the version of Windows.
4. If your problem relates to buying a product or accessory, make sure to state where you live.
5. Also add any other information that relates to the problem. The more information you give the more likely the problem will be solved quickly.
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6. After you ask your question PLEASE...
Give us feedback! If what was suggested solved your problem, or you found another solution, then tell us. This will help those who search the forum archive in the future.
continued below...
Message Edited by SSR on 12-30-2005 03:08 AM
7. Low Volume issue
See here in the Zen FAQ at Nomadness.net.
If the firmware will not apply because it says the version number is the same use the Reload OS option, access to which is described in the relevant FAQ for your player below.
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8. Nomad Primer
If you have ordered, or just bought a Nomad Jukebox, Zen, or MuVo², consider reading the Nomad Primer.
It may be worth reading even for the more experienced User.
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9. Nomadness.net FAQ's
Nomadness.net is the foremost peer site on the Web for the Nomad players on the Internet; with news, articles, web forum, download archive, and more!
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10. Some more useful links
Nomadworld.com - Creative Labs's International Nomad website (based in the USA)
Player Manuals - Downloads of digital manuals
Notmad Explorer - 3rd party software
Battery University - very good, comprehensive site on batteries
Chinese Support thread - with information on how to get chinese characters on your player
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11. Wishlists and petitions
Here are links to a number of general wishlist and petitions, so rather than starting your own you can add to those that already exist, or of course add your support for a feature you would like to see.
Also remember that the only collective public wishlist is maintained here at StainlessSteelRat.net (this is not affiliated with Creative Labs, but maintained by the author of this FAQ). There is also a bugs list here. So please mail me if you want to add to this.
Wishlists
Petitions
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12. Suggesting changes
To suggest changes to this FAQ please send me an email or post in the forum.
Thanks for reading!
Message Edited by SSR on 12-25-2005 10:13 AM
All
Please note that this thread was compiled by SSR, and not a Creative moderator or employee. The thread is stickied for convenience and does answer a lot of commonly asked questions, but does not necessarily represent the opinions of Creative Labs. Customer Support can be contacted by e-mail and phone for official Support.
Nonetheless, big kudos to SSR, I'm sure this took a lot of work to put together 
Jeremy
Hi all,
Please take note of this important information regarding subscription services.
If you are a current user of subscription services, and your MP3 player takes a long time (30 seconds or longer) to start playing back subscription content, or if transferring music store or subscription content to MTP devices dramatically slows down or fails, or if it displays error "Unable to get device certificates", please read the knowledgebase case linked above for important links to updates.
For more information on the hotfix from Microsoft, please read this page:
Cat
Admin notes: Updated the links - KokChoy
Hi,
I've included some information below on an error some people may encounter, after installing Quicktime 7:
Installshield player failed to load or Demoshield player has encountered a problem
If you receive this error message while trying to install a Creative Labs product AND you have recently installed QuickTime 7 or iTunes, follow one of these steps below:
1 - Follow these steps:
- Right click on Start, then select Explore.
- Browse to c:\windows\system32.
- Find the file quicktime.qts.
- Right click and select Rename.
- Change it to quicktime.old.
- Install the Creative software.
- After installation, browse to c:\windows\system32
- Rename the file back to quicktime.qts.
or
2 - Uninstall Quicktime 7, install the Creative software, Reinstall Quicktime 7
Apple has reported that they will be releasing version 7.03 of Quicktime in early October. This version of Quicktime will resolve the installation errors that occur while installing some products.
Cat
Admin notes: Updated the links - KokChoy
Forum Administrator
Creative Labs
The Quicktime 7.0.3 update is now available. Here is a direct link to the standalone (Quicktime only) download page:
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone
Cat
Forum Administrator
Creative Labs
Drivers for PlayForSure Zen Micro, Zen Sleek, Zen Touch or Zen Xtra on Windows98SE/Me/2000
Creating A Micro "On the Go" Playlist (With Images)
These two thread has been unpinned for now to make space, they can still be found at the above links.
Cat
Updated the links - KokChoy
Forum Administrator
Creative Labs
