Empty Disk! in Music mode but files can be read over USB

[MPeter3]

I have just bought a Chipod MP3/4 player "4GB". I initially tried loading it with files and ran into problems reading files above the 2GB boundary.

I could not remove the problem file names although they did show zero size after I tried deleteing them.

Anyway I then poked about in the Setup page and found "Online Mode" which I changed from "Multi drive" to "Normal Only". This appeared to cure my inability to load (readable) files beyond the 2GB boundary but I wanted to remove the empty unworkable (zero size) files. It wouldn't let me remove them over USB but I susccessfully removed one from the troubled directory using "Delete File" in the Chipod so I thought that "Delete All" would delete all in the current directory but I was wrong!

My player still operates and plays videos from another directory but it tells me that my Music directory is empty just after "initializing..." but I can still access and play all the music files over the USB and the total size is 2.19GB as read in the PC. If I try to add more files to the Music directory they playback fine when read over the USB but the Chipod still insists that the "Disk Empty!" (More correctly the directory appears empty.It sees and plays files in the Video directory.)

How can I persuade the Chipod that the files are still there?

The Firmware Version is:

QSD_1307
2007-08-03
9.1.52
2005-01-09

Thanks,

Peter

[lattesurf]

MPeter3 , apparently looks like your player is a hacked 2GB chip made to be 4GB. Follow the steps in the formatting guide here http://www.mympxplayer.org/how-to-re...ck-vt2400.html

You can't persuade your player that the files are there, because they are physically not in there, only the file attributes are, but not the data itself.

[MPeter3]

Hi Lattesurf,

Thanks for thinking about my problem.

I initially thought that I had a hacked 2GB player but when I selected "online mode" "normal only" I found that I could add new files beyond the 2GB boundary and ALL the files were playable so it does appear to have greater than 2GB capacity.

When I (stupidly) selected "delete all" I thought I was about to delete all the files in the current directory. In fact NONE of my downloaded files have been deleted but I appear to have deleted the system code that runs the music playing part of the player. The player still operates all its other functions including playing video files.

Whilst I, currently, can't play the music files on the Chipod I can access ALL the files that I have downloaded via the USB and play them on my PC.

Can I obtain a copy of the system code and re-load it without formatting?

Thanks,

Peter

[lattesurf]

MPeter3 , the system code you are referring to is known as the firmware. It is not possible to obtain a copy of firmware that is 100% compatible with your player. Unless you obtain it from your manufacturer. The version numbers do not mean a thing as the manufacturers do not practice proper versions control, so likely if you find a similar numbered firmware, it would not work.

What the best solution for the moment would be to format the player using MP3 Utilities Disk Tools.

Firmware flashing is only the last resort, and i would only recommend it if you are recovering a dead player, or willing to risk bricking it.

[admin]

MPeter3,

Try creating a folder in the root of your player. Try a folder named "Music" or "MP3" and put music in there and see if it works. I know some players have been configured to only read from a specific folder instead.

Where are the video files stored? Seeing that videos play on your player, I wonder if we can find a pattern.

[MPeter3]

Hi Lattesurf and Binh,

Thanks for your help. I have made modest progress.

Firstly, apologies, I got my sums wrong on the files I had added. The player does scramble anything over the 2GB boundary.

I tried to follow the format instructions in Lattesurf's link but I failed to get the "Success" message. The USB lost the connection and never regained it.

Having said that I can now power-up the player and it no longer gives me the "Disk Empty" message. The directory appeared empty on the player so I created a directory "Music" and added some files. The player bombed out whilst the files were being downloaded saying disk full but I now have a small set of music files playable on the player.

Do you think I should run the format process again?

Further to this.. I went to "online mode" and selected "multi drive". Looking
on my PC I now see a small drive where my music files are and a separate empty 2GB drive. I tried creating a "Videos" directory in there and loading a video. This works but the MP3 player does find this drive and reports "Disk Empty" in the video player.

Thanks,

Peter

[lattesurf]

Peter , perhaps try formatting with using another version of MP3 Utilities again. The thing i'm concerned about is that initially you clicked on the "delete all" function. What happens would be that the player would delete all the files you stored. However, you had stored more than 2GB, so those files above the 2GB point (scrambled files) would be somewhat written over again from the 0Gb to 2GB area, and perhaps over the firmware area.

By using the delete all function, all the files are deleted and as well those scrambled files. Which might cause the firmware to be partially corrupted (but i hope not).

Do try the format again and see if now the problem still persists.

[MPeter3]

Hi Lattesurf,

Thanks again.

It doesn't seem to matter what I do with the format sliders I always have an F: disc with 17M capacity and the player only seems to recognise this drive.

If I select online mode multi drive then I can see F: 17M and G: 2GB but I can't format the G: drive from the MP3 disc tool. It only sees F:

How can I transfer the capacity to the F: drive?

THanks,

Peter

[MPeter3]

Thanks to all for a very useful forum.

I found this thread..
http://www.mympxplayer.org/fake-4gb-...+another+drive

and I managed to get my "4GB" MP3 player to see the FULL 2GB by the same method, namely...

Using "Online Mode" "Normal Only"

1. Format the drive using Win XP format command as FAT
2. Format the drive again using HPUSBFW.exe

I just sent the following to my eBay dealer.

The "4GB" MP3/4 player I have received from you only has 2GB capacity. It's not worth me spending money posting it back to you only to receive another from the same factory with the same "hack". I'm sure you will understand that this would be fruitless. Before I leave bad feedback for you do you have any better suggestions to resolve this problem?

Thanks,

Peter

Kind regards,

Peter