Creative Zen NX and Vista, Working Together Finally !!

<updated 21 September 2008>

Hi Again, 

I am still heartened to hear form so many of you arond the globe. 

Keep asking (and let me know wher ein the world you are from please (what city is cool)
A question that is coming up more frequently now, is will it work with this zen device or that zen device.

Just remember, I am not using anything other than Creative’s own software to get it to work with vista.

It is just the order it is installed, that works. 

So if the software works, it is the order it is installed. 

For a faster email response you can now email me here @ big-knut@news-knut.net 

(be nice I hate spammers) 

<updated 31 July 2008>

Hello folks,

Nice to see this is still working for you long after I originally posted the blog (judging by the comments)

It still amazes me that creative blew it so bad.  I for one just bought a new mp3 player and avoided creative like the plague (but I have to confess I did look) so I could glare and dismiss them.

As some folks might be aware creative actually sued someone last year for taking what I did a step further as they actually made their own drivers for some creative products to work with Vista.

The article is here if you are interested. I think he was sued, but it would have been interesting had my plight got on their radar as nothing was tweaked just the order in which their own drivers were installed.

It is a shame that creative as great as they once were seems to be less of a player these days (no pun intended but ok). So the moral of this story is if it isn’t broke don’t fix it.

But if it is broken (or in the case here, not broken just not working)

• You should have the right as a consumer to raise hell, complain  and when all else fails find a way to get your money’s worth (and perhaps a bit more).
• My 30gb zen NX (my 3rd zen mp3 player), just got out-grown, like those before it, and with it the last likely Creative product I will ever buy.

Thanks again for the feedback (positive or otherwise).

Regards,

News-Knut  alias Mr-Internet

PS, Creative keeps moving some links around, so please let me know if you bump into any dead links and I will keep updating them.

<updated 3 January 2008>

Just a further note that  when you complete the install on vista, you should have the ‘nomad’ explorer logo showing per the image above regardless of whether or nt a device is connected.

When you click on it, it will show its state as connected or not (per the images above) and change when you connect the device(s). I also use the 3rd party ‘notmad’ product by ‘redchairsoftware’, and it requires the creative driver to be installed and working 1st.

Hope that helps .

<Updated Story 4 November 2007

I decided to give my already updated PC to my wife, and build myself a new Quad Core PC (why not).
I also decided not to install any software that came with my Zen NX to see if I could make vista work without it this time. It was harder this time but took 10 min. vs 3min last time.

Note: MAKE SURE YOUR ZEN IS NOT PLUGGED INTO YOUR PC’S USB PORT yet..!!

1) So you need to decide if you need the creative media player/converter (media source) or just the explorer program so you can sync programs.(file explorer).
2) Either way you will need the program “JB3MV2_PCWDRV_US_2_01_00.EXE”. It is on creative .com or around the globe just google it. You need to run it in windows xp compatability mode (that’s right click properties, seciurity run as xp sp2). Also run and install as administrator (right click, properties, run as admin.) This is the zen driver for your PC.

Note: If you intend to use a 3^rd part product like red chair <updated they have good ipod products also) , you also need this driver above.
Note: I have tried it not doing this way and it gives you errors.
Note: In installing it with the player plugged into the USB it killed other USB ports, that I then needed to unplug and replug into, no biggie either way.

3) On installing the jbmv2… driver it appears to hang at some number 52% say… after it is there for a while you may need to manually cancel it (do not turn off your pc). This is because the code written for XP is not written for Vista so it appears to hang when it really has not). Once you manage to kill it then it says it is in installed.
4) Depending if you want file explorer (for syncing NMEX_PCApp_3_01_10.exe) or the media source program for playing and converting (CMS_PCAPP_LB_3_30_21.exe) they should install fine now.

Note: I suggest installing media souce 1st as it works witohut rebooting, file manager for syncing required a re-boot).

5) Note: desktop shortcuts might not appear but will be under programs/creative via your start button.
6) Enjoy (or reboot and enjoy).

Original Story

A Little Tweaking and your Zen NX is now Vista Compatible..Chew On That Creative March 2007- Melbourne Australia
Not thanks to Creative Labs that ignored all contact on the subject (from me and the rest of the world) all but to say the Zen NX is not Vista Compatible Bull Sh**. So why would they say that if it wasn’t true? So you buy a new MP3 Player.. maybe.
Because they couldn’t be bothered to support a last generation MP3 Player.. maybe.
Or because they were perhaps too lazy to spend some time finding out how to do it…likely. So I have to start this quickly to say I was a Zen fan boy, from the original hi-tech 8-bit PC soundcards, other incarnations of mice, and yes MP3 players.
I started with the original NOMAD MP3 for $300 US, then when the NX came out I had heard the spec and that it had essentially a laptop battery inside…hmm what would happen if I hacked it and added a 60gb HD into it..hmm.
OH MY GOD! It worked a 60 gb Zen NX and I used to amaze my friends (the geek ones of course then). SO when I finally went to install my little friend on Vista, I was more than a bit saddened by the fact I had to use my XP machine to update my music.. But wait a minute, Vista can see the player but the drivers are pooched .. SO after a bit of trial and lots of error (days) I got it to work on my new M90 Dell laptop but I don’t know how I did it. Time to try on PC, this time it took 45 minutes to figure out how I did it, so simple I can afford the waffle on.

1) Install original software that came with nomad.
2) Sometimes it will install other times it will all run but in the end after all the software (media source) etc is installed it will see the Zen NX, but not work.
3) Reboot
4) Go to creative.com and download the lasted media source program (currently Creative MediaSource Player/Organizer 3.30.21 and is about 52mb.. I know some are going tried that..
5) Install the software (currently here ) 6) Run it, it should install (but still won’t work on the Zen NX)
7) Reboot
Go to your original software disk and under drivers run the Jukebox driver driver_JB3.exe It will say it cannot read your disk on this and windows will say this is not a legal driver. Just keep installing it, and saying yes or ignore.
9) It may ask you to reboot, if it does reboot
10) Enjoy
This should leave you with your portable device icon being live and the latest media source software. If the latter doesn’t happen you can now reinstall the latest media source (or firmware etc) and all works fine. For me it was installing Notmad Software from my friends at redchairsoftware.com/notmad.
That now also worksAny questions leave a comment on my blog here, I will answer all. Except why didn’t creative do this themselves in the 1^st place..

Updated 19 September 2007

Hi all,

I tend not to edit unhappy comments, so all comments appreciated.
I am sorry if any of you have had trouble getting this to work.
I have recently spoken to Creative Labs and Redchair Software (or at least tried).
Thus far neither are willing to offer any patches for their products to make this easier for folks to use their Zen NX.
Their view off the record, is they see the demand for a fix, not worth their time in revenue.
I can appreciate it (even though I disagree with it).

So, I note that there was a more recent release version (version 5) of the media source organiser. It did not work for me with the Zen NX. Nomad, or Zen (the orignal 10gb model) on Vista.
So to date I am still happily using the tweaked 60gb zen nx 110% with vista. If anyone needs help just ask.

Enjoy

10 Steps in install vista upgrade as full version (THE EASY WAY)

1 March 2007
Story Courtesy of  Lib Setag

Oops Microsoft, I did it again. Installed vista upgrade like a full version.

Ok, Ok I know you had read about a complicated trick, where you install vista upgrade in a funny way and wow it works.
All you want is a clean install and hey you even own a licensed copy of xp..good man (or woman).
But I accidentally did this a different and easier way and wow it really works, I duplicated it 3 times on 3 different machines (with 3 different licenses Microsoft).

 I was bound to mess up my install but what I found was even better.

 Here goes:

1) Installed your vista install as a clean full install (you can wipe your drive 1st if you like) not upgrade and go through the entire install per normal. Make sure you unclick the activate now, and untick get update boxes. Do not install your license key  yet.

2) Let it do it’s thing, reboot when asked etc. 

3) Once completed 100% then try to activate your key (it should fail) go to activiation, put in your LEGAL code.
It says this is the wrong version for your key…oops..

 4) Best install it again… install it and keep in the SAME partition.. again do NOT install your key in this part of the activation.  Keep all boxes unticked as before go through the install and reboot ready for it to work. 

5) It will say that the old version of windows will be renamed window.old..cool thanks

6)  once done rebooted and ready to roll go back to activation ent. oops says it is installed already..reboot computer..
Again… says it is being a duplicate number (DO NOT REBOOT)…do it again.. .

7)  After doing twice by accident… it worked.

Reboot

9) Delete window.old.

10) Done

 PS I called MS to ask about this after it worked  3 times and asked what I should do (being a moral citizen and everything).
There suggestion format c: reinstall xp then reinstall vista….Hmmm …not

I then escalated it and was told…we have no idea…

 Thanks Bill

Regards, Lib Setag