Sansa Clip+ shuts down when lock function is activated

SanDisk MP3 players Sansa® Clip | Sansa® Clip+
1

Hello everybody,

after some days of reviewing different MP3 players, I bought a Sansa Clip+ yesterday. I had a very good first impression… until I activated the lock function and the player shut down after a couple of seconds this morning. I was able to start it again through pressing the power button for a while, and apart from that it seems to be working properly; nevertheless, an unsuable lock function is a turn off.

Does anyone know what to do? Google couldn’t help me…

Thank you very much and best regards,

Erik

2

Does it happen every time, or did it occur only once? If it’s consistent, return it and get another one; it’s likely defective. If it happened just the one time, I wouldn’t worry about it. Most of these players at some point in their early life will require a reset (holding power button down for 20-30 secs.). Don’t know why, but most do. After the initial reset, they rarely need it again.

3

Does it happen every time, or did it occur only once? If it’s consistent, return it and get another one; it’s likely defective. If it happened just the one time, I wouldn’t worry about it. Most of these players at some point in their early life will require a reset (holding power button down for 20-30 secs.). Don’t know why, but most do. After the initial reset, they rarely need it again.

You are long-pressing the HOME button to activate the locking function, aren’t you? Some models use the power button (short-press) to lock it, but not this one.

4

Thank you very much for your answer.

I bought the home button version.

And it unfortunately happens (almost) all the time, which means that I can reproduce the error (relative) reliably. Either the music stopps and it goes back to the regular song-menu, or it shuts down completely and I have to press the power button for a while.

I think I have to return it.

5

Yes, it definitely sounds hardware-related. Returning it and getting another one is a good idea.

6

Okay, it’s getting absurd: the new player has the same problems. Major turn off! I think this time I just want my money back.

7

Although it is possible, it is highly unlikely 2 different players would have the same exact fault. Unless of course, you returned it to a store and got another one from the same manufacturing batch; that’s possible but again highly unlikely. If it were common issue with the player, we certainly would have heard of this here on the forum before. We haven’t.

Not trying to be condescending, but when you say it shuts off within a few seconds of engaging the LOCK (pressing the HOME button for a few seconds), you aren’t confusing the fact that the screen shuts off (conserving power) with the player itself shutting off, are you?

Withe the player locked and after the screen shuts off, what happens if you press any key? You should get a LOCKED icon and a message that scrolls indicating to Press and hold the Home button to unlock. If you get absolutely no response this way something is not right, and I suggest you call SanDisk Tech Support. If it’s determined to be a defect, they can (and will) replace the unit. This would get you a replacement not from the same shipment or batch as the one you get replaced at the store, so it’s mathmatically impossible for you to get another one with the same problem.

Another thought . . . what time is your Power Saver set to? Maybe it’s shutting off due to that? This setting can be found in Settings > System Settings > Power Saver. Mine is set to 10 minutes, but just now in trying to duplicate your problem, I noticed it did in fact shut down earlier than 10 minutes. Try setting yours to a longer setting, or even OFF and see if that changes anything.

8

Tapeworm, thank you very much for your answers, I really appreciate your efforts to help me!

I know that it’s unlikely and maybe it’s a very rare issue, but fact is that the two players both had the same annoying defect! This happens when I press the lock button while listening to a song:

–> The lock symbol appears with the " Press and hold the Home button to unlock" message.

–> The screen shuts off to conserve power.

–> Music keeps playing for ca. 10 seconds.

–> Music stopps playing.
–> Sansa lettering and logo appear.

–> Song continues, buttons are not locked.

When I then press the lock/home button for a second time this happens:

–> The lock symbol appears with the " Press and hold the Home button to unlock" message.

–> The screen shuts off to conserve power.

–> Music keeps playing for ca. 10 seconds.

–> Player shuts down completely, i.e. I have to press the power button for a while to switch it back on.

–> When I switch it on the song continues, buttons unlocked.

When I lock it and press a button while the song is still running the lock symbol appears. And I can also unlock it again within the 10 seconds timeframe.

… oh, and while I was playing with the player to give you all the details above, I got a frozen screen with the Sansa lettering such that I had to hold the power button…

Finally, here are some of my system setting:

  • Blacklight: 5 seconds

  • Power Saver: off

  • Sleep: off

9

Freaky . . . . :frowning: Telephone SanDisk for a replacement?

10

Try switching you Backlight to a longer setting (like 15 secs.) and see if the issue repeats.

What firmware version are you using?

11

It’s a restarting issue. Looks like a firmware problem or botched files. In my case, problem ceased after starting to use rockbox. But it probably would invalidate guarantee in your case. But this 10 seconds look suspicious. Is it the same file?

12

I don’t recall if you’ve done it, but I would reinstall the latest firmware (see the firmware upgrade sticky thread at the top of the forum), in case it’s a firmware glitch, which can happen.

13

Thank you all very much for your help. I had the problem with all my files, and I had firmware 17a installed.

But since it was too much of a hussle for me, I returned it and got my money back.

Fazit: forum top, player flop.

14

Looks like this issue is related to the backlight setting. If the backlight is set to less than 15 sec it will freeze if the key lock is engaged. Work around is leave the backlight setting to at least 15 sec and you should not see the issue. I reported this to sandisk tech support. 

15

@tapeworm earlier wrote:

 

Try switching you Backlight to a longer setting (like 15 secs.) and see if the issue repeats.

 

@Then drlucky wrote:

Looks like this issue is related to the backlight setting. If the backlight is set to less than 15 sec it will freeze if the key lock is engaged. Work around is leave the backlight setting to at least 15 sec and you should not see the issue. I reported this to sandisk tech support. 

I think I’m in the wrong line of work . . .

Maybe I should give out my phone # and charge "$3.99 a minute".

Worked for Dionne. And I already know the way to San Jose. :stuck_out_tongue: :laughing:

16

I reported this issue to the technical support back in September and I received an offer to exchange my player. I haven’t replaced it because it would take a long time (sending it abroad and waiting for a replacement). As for now, I have the backlight set to 15 sec and am hoping that Sandisk will sort it out some day with a firmware upgrade.

17

In the meanwhile, good to have a solution in hand!

18

Sigh! I have the same problem one year later with firmware update v. 01.02.18P. The backlight 15 seconds trick solves the issue.