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Repairing a Zune
9 years ago
I've been a religious Zune user for about the past ten years.
Over the past five years, Microsoft has been slowly removing Zune from existence. Basically by stopping production of the players themselves and then onto removing functionality, the marketplace servers and disabling firmware updates online.
Sometime in April Microsoft finally disabled its servers that hosted the marketplace, and all online updates for the zune. That was effectively the final nail in the coffin for players that did not have the final firmware installed. Many players lost their ability to sync with PCs and to function properly. I was lucky and had my HD with the latest firmware but my original 30GB brick I hadn't used in a few years.
The good news is that while the servers are dead, firmware can be reinstalled if you have Windows 7 and only Windows 7.
That brings us to last December. After MFF I was running to the gym on a rainy day and right as I got there my device left my hand and shattered the screen. But the player was still usable.
And now, today also at the gym, the OLED screen on my device died. I dropped the device from my pocket and it fell flat on the carpet. I don't actually know if the screen itself just died or if the ribbon wire was knocked loose, the digitizer gave up or what the deal is. But the screen responds to touch inputs, the buttons still work and I can listen to music on shuffle. That lead me to fire up my old 30GB device today to try and format it, resync it and enjoy music again while I shop either for a replace HD device or a new screen and digitizer to repair it. Problem is because the firmware on this old device is well out of date. But it can be updated manually, on a Windows 7 device. That's something I don't have, but my Dad does. The instructions to install that firmware offline can be found, and it is up to date from April.
So I'm without a music device for a few weeks, at least until I can do the offline firmware install and get new parts or another player. So for those of you who still own a Zune, do not give up hope, they can be repaired, updated and usable again. It just isn't convenient unless you still have a PC with Windows 7.
Over the past five years, Microsoft has been slowly removing Zune from existence. Basically by stopping production of the players themselves and then onto removing functionality, the marketplace servers and disabling firmware updates online.
Sometime in April Microsoft finally disabled its servers that hosted the marketplace, and all online updates for the zune. That was effectively the final nail in the coffin for players that did not have the final firmware installed. Many players lost their ability to sync with PCs and to function properly. I was lucky and had my HD with the latest firmware but my original 30GB brick I hadn't used in a few years.
The good news is that while the servers are dead, firmware can be reinstalled if you have Windows 7 and only Windows 7.
That brings us to last December. After MFF I was running to the gym on a rainy day and right as I got there my device left my hand and shattered the screen. But the player was still usable.
And now, today also at the gym, the OLED screen on my device died. I dropped the device from my pocket and it fell flat on the carpet. I don't actually know if the screen itself just died or if the ribbon wire was knocked loose, the digitizer gave up or what the deal is. But the screen responds to touch inputs, the buttons still work and I can listen to music on shuffle. That lead me to fire up my old 30GB device today to try and format it, resync it and enjoy music again while I shop either for a replace HD device or a new screen and digitizer to repair it. Problem is because the firmware on this old device is well out of date. But it can be updated manually, on a Windows 7 device. That's something I don't have, but my Dad does. The instructions to install that firmware offline can be found, and it is up to date from April.
So I'm without a music device for a few weeks, at least until I can do the offline firmware install and get new parts or another player. So for those of you who still own a Zune, do not give up hope, they can be repaired, updated and usable again. It just isn't convenient unless you still have a PC with Windows 7.
