DonationCoder.com Forum
DonationCoder.com Software => Coding Snacks => Post New Requests Here => Topic started by: Josh on January 07, 2006, 02:11 PM
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Very simple idea really. Since getting my zen touch 40GB mp3 player, I've found it would probably be FAR MORE convenient to access the device via a drive letter. Would it be possible for someone to create an app that maps the mp3 player as a drive letter? Thanks in advance!
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what OperationSystem do you use?
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Windows XP Pro
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Not sure about the Zen Touch, but the Zen Micro appears in "MyComputer" as a "drive" although it doesn't have a drive letter. You can certainly play MP3s directly from the device via Windows Explorer.
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Yes, you can, but I always use start - run to access my drives, and I hate having to scroll up to the my computer listing and then use the mouse to select the zen, if I could simply enter X: into the run prompt, it would be SOOOO Much easier
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Create a shortcut to the player icon (right click on it in MyComputer), rename it to Zen (or anything else you like), copy it to C:\Windows and you can simply type the shortcut name into Start/Run
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Um....
if I could simply enter X: into the run prompt, it would be SOOOO Much easier
-Josh
You can... Start>Run C:
Or am I missing something...
PhilKC
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You can... Start>Run C:
Or am I missing something...
-PhilKC
Only a bit ;)
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Um....
if I could simply enter X: into the run prompt, it would be SOOOO Much easier
-Josh
You can... Start>Run C:
Or am I missing something...
PhilKC
-PhilKC
Yes you are :) I want to assign a drive letter to the zen touch so that I can access it like any other drive via start - run
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Create a shortcut to the player icon (right click on it in MyComputer), rename it to Zen (or anything else you like), copy it to C:\Windows and you can simply type the shortcut name into Start/Run
-Carol Haynes
Wont work, there is no "Create shortcut" link on the right click context menu for any of the zen player icons.
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Try dragging them to the desktop. It won't let you so it should offer to make a shortcut.
Alternatively try right clicking on the desktop and choose New / Create Shortcut. You may be able to select the Zen device from the browse feature.
Strange my Zen icons have create shortcut?
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Wont work either :-/ Any ideas on if my idea is do-able?
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Kidz these days...(https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/esmileys/gen0/Medium/hello.gif) why back in my day, everyone knew abust SUBST... of course we had other problems then..(https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/esmileys/gen0/Small/blue_screen.gif)
What you want to do is this:
Start|Run "cmd"
at the friendly CMD Prompt type:
subst m: c:\long or short path\to huge selection\of MP3s\
You'll need to put that in bat file and add it to startup if you want it to map the drive everytime you boot.
Enjoy.
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Again, you misread what I am asking to be done. I know the subst command well. The problem is not gaining quick drive letter access to my mp3 folder, its getting quick access to my ZEN TOUCH DEVICE. I dont need my mp3 folder mapped since its relatively painless to type d:\mp3 in the start - run prompt. Thanks thou :)`
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Josh, have you checked the Zen manual for any notice of the "mode" it works in? Some digital cameras (and probably mp3 players as well) can work either in "you need our crappy drivers" or "I'll just show up as a drive letter" modes. My Creative MuVo^2 shows up as a drive letter, so it would be weird if they've reverted back to just "our crappy drivers" (unless it has to do with their crappy DRM). Perhaps check Creative's site for firmware updates as well?
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Have you checked the Creative website for updates? There is now an automatic detect and update service on the site which works a lot better than their old download and hope approach. You may find that there is a PlayForSure firmware update there which means that it works natively within Windows XP - certainly the Zen Micro has this firmware update but they didn't ship it as standard because not all Windows versions support PlayForSure technology. Worth checking out if it is possible, and then I think you will find the shortcut method works for you.
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Already using latest firmware, also checked manual. No mention of associating a drive letter with my player. It all makes reference to using the listing under my computer, which is a pain in the butt as I am a very keyboard oriented person and that makes for wasted time in my books.
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So, any takers please? I am desperate :(
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Josh, does the drive appear in the Disk Management MMC Snap-In? If so, you should be able to right click it there and assign a drive letter.
To get to the Disk Management Snap-In:
- Right Click on "My Computer"
- Select "Manage"
- Select "Disk Management" under "Storage"
Also, according to this Creative Zen Micro FAQ (http://www.ntg.com.sa/newsletter/Creative%20Zen%20Micro%20Ext%20FAQ-final.pdf), you can do this by enabling "Removable Disk Mode" under the "Extras" setting. However, it may not show up the same in the Windows music player. You can go to Creative support and look at Solution #6617 and do some Googling for more information.
Otherwise, I think your request may be quite difficult, especially without a Zen Micro of my own.
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Wont work under the zen touch 40GB
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Neither works??
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nope, the zen micro is a totally different monster from the zen touch
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My bad, I got mixed up with Carol's post above. Still, if it's a bulk transfer type device, it should still show up in Disk Management. Have you looked?
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Yep, sure have, its not installed into windows as a disk device, thats why it doesnt show up there. That is why I was wondering if someone here would take up the project of making a way to interface it like a disk drive in windows :)
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While checking out old posts, I came across this one in which I was having the same problem. My Insignia MP3 player would slow down to a crawl transferring files when in USB mode. I like to copy my MP3 files the old fashion way without any additional software but the standard file system did not recognize the drive when it was in "Portable Media Device Mode" wanting to use "Media Transfer Protocal".
I came across this fix and wa lah! everything is coming up roses. :P
crws
09.29.2008 at 08:25AM PDT, ID: 22597349
I don't believe this question was answered, so here is the solution:
Right click "My Computer", select properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager. You will see something in the nature of "Portable Media Device" listed in the device tree. Double click or right click your corresponding item. Select Driver -> Update Driver -> Install from List -> Don't Search -> Show compatible hardware. In the selection options should be "USB Mass Storage Device" (The inf file for this is usbstor.inf). This method will install your MP3 player with a drive letter, and skip the preconfigured Windows Media assignments...
Hope this helps someone else.
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that's very interesting wetsmellydog, as someone who generally does not like these fancy custom media player drivers, this is something i might want to check out.
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it would be interesting to see whether it can be used for other devices as well (nice find BTW, many thanks!!)
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I came across this fix and wa lah! everything is coming up roses. :P
-wetsmellydog
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/voil%C3%A0 8)
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I came across this fix and wa lah! everything is coming up roses. :P
-wetsmellydog
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/voil%C3%A0 8)
-brotherS
Should I say, "pardon my French"?!? ;)
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Maybe... and let me give you some Freedom Fries. ;D
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I think I understand what is happening and how to solve it.
It may be that your Zen is appearing in Windows as an MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) device instead of MSC (Mass Storage). MSC device is what makes USB drives appear as a drive in Windows, and you can use the same in most MP3 Players.
Some MP3 Players offer an option in their configuration if they should appear as an MTP device or an MSC device. Others don't.
If you have Windows Media Player 10 or newer installed, then your player will probably show up as an MTP device, and not an MSC device. Therefore, no drive letter for it.
But that can be changed quite easily. You must enter Windows' Device Manager (Control Panel / System), select your MP3 Player, chose to update the driver, and choose the new driver manually. MSC will likely show up in the "Compatible Drivers" list. Select MSC driver for it, and there you are: your MP3 Player now shows up as a drive.
I use that when I need to for my Sansa Express, although most times I leave it as MTP and use it in Winamp.
Anyway, full details here: AnythingButIpod.com (http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum/showpost.php?p=99024&postcount=3). Jump straight to post #3 for the easy solution I mentioned above.
I recommend you search that site for things specifically for the Zen, and also read the handbook.
You probably don't need special software to achieve what you want.
Regards,
Mickets