Firmware - please explain
 

hi, i've read a lot about firmware and about upgrading and downloading and repairing etc but i've never had an mp3 player until a few weeks ago and i a bit overwhelmed by a lot of what is on this site.

questions are, do i need to update it for any reason and is there any benefit in doing so. under what circumstances could my player become corrupt or dead. and is there any risk at downloading any files from online to the player.

thanks for any input and if there's anything else i should know please feel free to suggest it.

Firmware:

(1) The scourge of all mankind.
(2) An 8 letter form of the 4 letter 'F' word.

Forget everything you have heard or read about this terrible word because it's something that should always be left alone. It's a beastly thing with razor sharp claws and teeth that can tear a person limb from limb...

Ok enough with the dramatics... :lol:

First rule, if your mp3/4 player is working fine then it doesn't need to be 'updated' with anything.

The truth is you can't magically gain any extra features by this so called 'updating of firmware'.
So many people think that an 'update' will make thier players perform better or wake them up in the morning with fresh coffee and french toast.

The firmware is there to play all the music and movies it was intended to and was specifically written for that player only. Too many times i've seen or heard of people killing thier players due to flashing a foriegn firmware file to it under the delusion that they are getting something better.
While it is true on rare occasions a manufacturer will release an actual update for a specific player, it is usually a minor update that may improve it's overall performance. The firmware files on this site are only for recovering players that have died and shouldn't be used for any other purpose. The whole 'updating' thing is really a crock of 'you know what'

The basic rule of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" should apply to this.

Most of the time a player should perform without too much of a drama. Again occasionally you do get the odd 'lemon' thats going to be a pain in the butt. Problems can occur in any number of situations. Mainly because some players are poorly constructed, sometimes with below average components.

General care... cleaning, formatting, keeping it from extreme temperatures (although cold seems to have some benefit) and avoid dropping them should be all you have to do.
Also be careful with online content. Make sure you have a good anti-virus program running and keep it up to date.

There are a ton of other hints and tips for proper care on this forum. Take a good look around and you'll be sure to find them.

Enjoy.

Re: Firmware - please explain
 

cool, that's pretty much what i thought.

Thanks a lot for clarifying that.

apologies for double posting but it submitted my previous reply twice...

But a new question, formatting, how and why?
(my player came with badly translated instructions where even the english is hard to understand)

Re: Firmware - please explain
 

There is a very good tutorial on formatting in the howto section of this site. It is very detailed and walks you thru the process step by step with descriptions and pictures.If you are having problems with corrupted files and suspect you have a hacked player would be about the only reason I can think of to do the format. After formatting, your player will show the true size of the memory chip. Once again though: If it ain't broke don't fix it still applies. Hope this helps.

Re: Firmware - please explain
 

ok great help, thank's guys.