How to fix a frozen Zune and other interesting tips.
Like almost all Thursday nights, I was out with the guys writing code for the WiX toolset. Also, like almost all Thursday nights, Jenny called me before she headed off to bed. Sadly, tonight she informed me that her Zune had frozen on her walk to work this morning.
Well, I just got home after getting the last set of build system changes in and posted. I decided to take a peek and see if I could fix the ailing music player. It was definitely frozen with its screen dimmed showing one of the menus but not responding to input.
After pressing and holding a few buttons, I decided it was time to hit the Internet. In the first page, I came across a blog entry at Zune Insider that did just the trick. Press and hold the Back button and the up on the pad for a few seconds and the Zune will reset. This fixed Jenny’s Zune and it seems quite happy, connected and charging.
Reading through the comments here are a few other key combinations that you can use on your Zune:
- On - press and hold the Play button.
- Sleep - press and hold the Play button.
- Off - press and hold the Back button plus down on the pad.
- Reset - press and hold Back button plus up on the pad.
- Erase - press and hold the Back button plus up on the pad then press then hold Back button plus right on the pad plus Play button. From KB926917.
- Format - press and hold the Back button plus up on the pad then press then hold Back button plus left on the pad plus Play button. Formatting will require you to connect your Zune back to a computer for the Zune to be useable again. From KB927001.
Update 2008-12-31: Microsoft announced that there are start up problems with any Zune 30s purchased in 2006. The Zune team has identified the problem as a bug in the Zune’s clock not handling the leap year correctly. Your Zune will fix itself after noon tomorrow. All you need to do is let the battery run all the way down and wait until after noon January 1st, 2009.
Have a happy New Year (when the Zune 30 music will play again)!