November 20, 2007

Downgrading Zune

Looking to downgrade Zune? Is the Zune2 upgrade not doing it for you? Here's the ZuneLuv.com guide to a Zune downgrade.

Zuneboards.com has a very simple explanation of how you go through the process. Not only do you get your Zune downgrade directions in a simple format but, … they also include links to the software you'll need. We hop the files stay up.

Is this really doable? We haven't done it ourselves (and don't really want to, we're pretty happy around here, thank you), but this thread at ZuneScene shows some happy campers with some good information.

Obviously a Zune downgrade is something you need to do at your own risk. Here's some more info to help you make a good decision:

Engadget has a piece called "Are you having Zune problems" with a lengthly batch of comments attached. Ignore the obvious Zune haters but read the rest for some good insight.

Here's another community thread, this time at Channel 9, from someone who downgraded successfully.

Are you Zune downgrading? Why would you want to? Was is successful? Do tell below …

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Filed under Deconstructing Zune, Zune, Zune 2, Zune Hack, Zune Software by Team Zune Luv

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  • QuantFreelancer
    Its features vs. simplicity. I used to see video lectures on my zune. Drag and drop feature and frequent adding/deleting to zune was possible with older things. I am not a teenager/geek who would be into my device. Audio books and video seminars is what I usually carry. Some time we video record presentation and I quickly add to the zune. and then rename or tag it.....Cannot do anything at all. And I am little more tech savvy. I loved zune for the size of screen but might have to move to creative or something else.
    To top things I upgraded software as it says its the only option I had as I lost the original CD.
    And Zune does not have any kind of tech support even by emails!!
  • zune wtf
    i dont understand how microsoft would be so open with their media player and then be so iron fist closed about their zune. the thing plays nothing but songs you get from their store. and you CAN'T (easily) downgrade to earlier versions where you could.

    expensive, complicated, owned by microsoft though they take care to remove any instances of the word microsoft. so zune remains to be looked at as some hip alternative thing but its not

    made to be resistant to all of your desires, trust me, ive spent 300$ and countless hours searching forums for help, its just not worth it

    get what people trust

    get a ipod
  • Andres
    I really thought about downgrading cause I really liked using the zune to rate my music and also rating/categorizing my music using the zune 1.0 software. This all helped me greatly in putting together some really great playlists that I enjoyed. With 2.0, I lost 90% of that functionality. Sure, I could go through and manually select the songs/albums to put on a playlist but it wasnt automatic anymore, which is the point of computers if I'm not mistaken.



    I was about to downgrade when I looked into it a bit more, I actually enjoy using the zune 2.0, just that I am amiss that it is lacking in a more mature rating/playlist system. But!, windows media player 11 is still available and still keeps all the old ratings from the zune 1.0 software. I created a playlist with WMP, imported it into zune and I was set. Iuse the Auto Playlist feature from WMP when I need to make a more automatic/general playlist and want to listen to music - but I leave the zune 2.0 software open so that I can get podcasts downloaded and download from the marketplace. It's too bad that I have to have both programs open almost all the time but it works. Two steps back when I upgraded, but 2.5 steps forward after I got used to using both programs.
  • Rob
    Too many problems with the new software... It may look nice and it does come with a wireless syncing thing (doesn't work on mine :\), but you lose all control of naming files. I tried adding an album, and the only thing it let me we was change the name of the album... but it still had "Unknown Artist" which I couldn't do anything about. Eventually I went through every single song on the album to change the artists name, and when I finally go and sync it... "Unknown Artist" appears... I even tried changing the file names but it still insists on saying Unknown Artist.



    The main problem for me is that you can't highlight all songs and edit the properties as a whole any more, which is bloody annoying. And you can no longer paste the album art straight onto the album, so you have to go through the long winding process of saving the file, then selecting it from the "My Pictures" folder.



    All in all, I can't believe Microsoft think that taking good things out of software counts as an "update"...
  • Aaron
    i like zune
  • Tim Bevil
    Okay, I was wondering when this article about downgrading would start becoming more important. Downgrading is exactly what I need. Here's why: I basically listen to my music when I'm at the gym or jogging. I like high intensity music. I can give an unlimited amount of hi intensity music if I do a search of "songs" or "album" and include the word "remix" or "mix" in the search bar. Using Zune 1.0, it produced at a minimum 36,000 hits or finds. I filled my Zune with 2,500 songs that I'm familiar with, but are mixed or remixed by the label. I tried this on Zune 2.0 and found that the search function NO LONGER searches within the parenthesis of a song title. If I want a song, it searches title only, so if the song had... (remixed) or (mix by Oakenfold), etc..it would not find it. Am I wrong? Is there away around this in 2.0? I'm fortunate that I filled my Zune using Zune 1.0 rather than starting with Zune 2.0.
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