Introduction: How to Make Windows Vista Recognize Your Sansa View Mp3 Player.

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Did you buy a Sansa View only to find out that Windows Vista won't recognize it? Can't update the firmware to allow Vista to recognize it? Are you stuck in a catch 22 situation? Well this instructable will help you relieve your frustrations and help you to finally use your device!

Step 1: The Sansa and Its Accesories.

First lets look in the Sansa box. They were very "generous" with all the accesories.
The content of the box is:
1 Sansa View
1 thin plastic wrap around the Sansa View
1 usb cable
1 Pair of earphones
1 Rhapsody cd
1 Sansa View quick guide
1 cardboard box

Step 2: Examining the Problem

Firstly, lets explain MSC mode and MTP mode a bit. This is the official explination of what mtp mode is from the Sandisk website:

"MSC stands for Mass Storage Class. When your player is in this mode, the computer will see it the same way it would see a flash drive, as a removable disk. It will assign it the first available drive letter, as well as one for the memory card (if applicable). This is probably the more popular of the 2 modes, and is a more "open source" type of standard. Most computers detect the player in this mode without a problem.

MTP stands for Media Transfer Protocol. It is a Microsoft standard and is Microsoft's solution to connecting digital players and cameras to a window based platform. MTP mode must be used in order to transfer ANY Digital Rights Management (DRM) protected content. Services like Rhapsody and Napster will only function in this MTP mode.

SanDisk has provided both of these modes at the users options on MOST of the entire Sansa Line mp3 players. The c200, and The View, do not have these 2 options in every version of firmware. Instead those players use an "Auto Detect" function that is suppose to Automatically use MTP mode. If MTP mode does not work for any reason, it should default to MSC mode."

The problem is that your computer can't recognize the Sansa View because its firmware cannot be updated ,and its firmware can't be updated because it's in MTP mode,and you have to switch it in MSC mode.

Step 3: Install the Sansa Firmware Updater.

Go to http://www.sandisk.com/Retail/Default.aspx?CatID=1376 and install the Sansa View firmware updater. After you install the updater you might need to restart the computer. After your restart the updater, connect the Sansa View to the computer and it might automatically recognize the Sansa View and show you your firmware and the up-to-date firmware. If that happens check the updates you want and hit the update button and you'll start to upgrade your firmware. If your computer doesn't recognize your Sansa View then you have a problem, a pretty big one. Don't worry, if you do this instructable right you might get out of this without a hitch.

Step 4: Connect the Sansa View to Pc

Start by reading the quick guide and any other materials it came with.
As you can tell, there's a slight lacking of instruction in the guides.

Then, take the Rhapsody cd and place it back in the box, you won't be needing it because it is useless.
Take the usb cable and plug the flat end into the Sansa View and the other rectangle end into a usb port into your computer. Of course the computer won't recognize it, you plugged it in before I guess. Wait a few hours until the power bar on the Sansa View is completely full.
(I heard that some people got Vista to recognize the Sansa View just by letting it charge completely.)
If it doesn't work, then:

Disconnect the Sansa View from the computer,
Turn on the Sansa and place it into hold mode before the welcome screen disappears,
Hold down the rewind button, and plug it back into the computer.

the Sansa View should be in MSC mode now. In this mode your computer sees it like a mass storage device and you can easily drag files or edit the Sansa View in this mode. You have to repeat step 3 and you'll be fine.

I hope this has saved people from the frustration of spending $150 and a mp3 player only to have it not work. If you have any problems or, you see some mistakes in the instractable, please leave a comment.