Erroneous file ordering on M250

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I bought an M250 about a year ago (V 3.2.8A - original firmware with the unit and is also the most recent).  I use it to listen to audio books uploaded from MP3 CDs or ripped from regular CDs and converted to MP3 files.  Some of these books have in excess of 200 MP3 files in them.  When uploading this many files to the M250 (MSC mode), everything goes as expected and all the files are there when browsed in Windows explorer.  The ID3 tags are correctly formed.

If I attempt to upload more than approx 100 files, from the same artist/album, the M250 classifies some of them as an unknown artist or album and will NOT play them in proper ID3 order.  From any paricular set, it is always the same files that get mis-ID’d.  Filenames are also chosen so that they are in proper order.

If I upload less than ~100 files or delete enough from the M250 to get below 100, from the same set, the mis-ID’d files become CORRECTLY identified and play in order.  If I then add more files, from the same set, those same files get dumped back into the unknown group again.

I have tried redoing the ID3 tags in a simpler format and also renaming the files and the M250 keeps messing with them putting some into the unknown group.  The mis-ID’d files are different from the previously mis-ID’d files when I try this method but once it decides which ones to mess up, they then stay the same.  I have also tried storing them in their own folders on the M250 with the same results.  I have tried ensuring that the date/time stamps on the files are in chronological order and that doesn’t work either

I have talked to Sandisk tech support and their attempts at fixing this were unsuccessful.  I also noticed there were a couple other threads here that outlined a problem similar to this (when using a MAC as the host computer) but I didn’t see any solution in those threads.

Has anyone run into this and (hopefully) found a fix or work-around?  It’s frustrating when sections of chapters get moved out of the proper queue.

This sure ain’t rocket science and there ought to be an upgrade that makes things work correctly.

Edit:  I also wanted to know why the M250 recognizes files with the .M3U extension as playlists when you go to the play by playlist selection in the menu but then says “No files” when you try to execute them.

Message Edited by Kurt on 10-20-2007 05:27 PM

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whats the firmware version?

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I use my m250 for audiobooks as well…that firmware version has some definite limitations.

The m250 with that firmware version can only organize 99 files for any grouping type…ie artist, album etc.  It also has an upper limit on the total number of files it can organize and access to play.

If an audio book’s file number exceeds 99, then the file (track) organization within each group type will go something like 1-10; 100-109; 11; 110-119; 12; 120-129…etc etc.  Doesn’t have the ability to organize the tracks into 3 digits.  The files are all there…they’re just skewed and mixed up.

As mentioned above, if you fill your m250 to capacity with audio books, you will probably find there’ll be portions or possibly an entire book you won’t be able to view with your player…because of the upper limit of total files that firmware version can handle.

What is the fix?  There is none…Sandisk customer service was not helpful to me either.

What is the work-around?  Rip the entire CD as a single file to contain the book into just a handfull of files…OR failing that access your entire string of loaded books through the mass “play all” option, rather than accessing individual books through a grouping.  Oddly enough, the files will be organized but each book will have to be accessed in a serial manner. 

I recently bought another m250 (they’re less than $50) for my wife and her’s came with firmware v4.1.07.  This firmware version fixed the above limitations…it was great to have this player work with audiobooks the way its supposed to.  I hate to admit it, but I put my old m250 in the wife’s player’s new packaging and went back to the store to swap it for another new m250 to replace mine with the old firmware.

My elation however, was short lived…I have the firmware updater installed on my PC.  I had installed it in hopes I could update the firmware in my old m250.  Well, when you hook up to the PC…the updater automatically comes on and I allowed it to update the firmware on both my new m250s…should’ve left well enough alone.  Even though the new firmware still organizes book files properly, with v4.1.08, bookmarking is lost after about the 1st 20% of the file is played.  When you try to scroll to the place within the file to which you last listened past the 1st 20%, the player advances to the next file not allowing access to the unlistened remainder of the file.

I hope all this makes sense…it probably does as your going through the same thing I did.  If your player is not too beat up, you might do what I did and buy a new one with v4.1.07 and return your old one in the new packaging for a refund.  Sandisk was absolutely NO help resolving firmware issues with my old player.  I’m going to contact customer service to see if I can flash my players back to v4.1.07…v4.1.08 has its own set of problems for audio books.

email me if you like:  jjrphs@chartertn.net

Message Edited by jjrphs on 10-30-2007 05:49 PM

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I have this same thing happening. Did you ever find a fix?

Beating head against brick wall.

Eileen in WI

>>My elation however, was short lived…I have the firmware updater installed on my PC.  I had installed it in hopes I could update the firmware in my old m250.  Well, when you hook up to the PC…the updater automatically comes on and I allowed it to update the firmware on both my new m250s…should’ve left well enough alone.  Even though the new firmware still organizes book files properly, with v4.1.08, bookmarking is lost after about the 1st 20% of the file is played.  When you try to scroll to the place within the file to which you last listened past the 1st 20%, the player advances to the next file not allowing access to the unlistened remainder of the file.<<<