Happened to me last night! THIS IS A DISASTER. I really like this
player, I can operate it with one hand, and it even gets looks. Great
for traveling.
I get it Monday, take it on a trip, go from WM9 to WM11 Wed night which causes
the updater to fire up for the first time, and I had been on this forum!
I knew! (I guess the end result will be to RMA the player back to tiger
direct and let them sort it out, and buy a new one.)
Upgraded with the 2G card in the player. I think this might be the mistake.
I have tried updating with the asia/pac and Japan firmware versions. No joy.
I think the only difference is the language support (though if the update did
touch the microSD card, then maybe a real format might do the trick.)
Formatted the 2G Kingston card in my camera. Camera can use the microSD,
but the Express still complains by not mounting it and running in super slow mode
with the microSD card in place.
Format in the Express does nothing. Though the Camera clearly is not really
formatting the card, it goes way to fast. My other camera sort of works at the
formatting (uses other types of cards.)
Tried MTP/USB Mass Storage mode. No joy. Thought in USB mode I might
be able to format the microSD card with Windows.
What is interesting is that while the player does not show the card is mounted,
it must be trying to mount it, that explains the fact the player goes into super slow
mode. Maybe the formatting is slightly off and that is the problem.
I also noticed a long of songs did not transfer correctly, the song is in the database
but the song is not present. Another issue with the new and improved firmware.
Sandisk support did respond quickly, they suggest formatting with an external card reader
FAT32. Guess I will buy an external card reader. Sandisk response does not really
fully express understanding of the issue (and why does the internal Format mode of
the Express not work? Or is that just really “delete all”?) There is a hint of it has to
be a SanDisk card in the email as the email refers to “formatting the Sandisk card”.
Off to the computer store tomorrow for an external usb card reader.
Here is the support email:
_Hello,
Thank you for contacting SanDisk Technical Support. It is our goal to make sure you have all the resources you need to get the most from your product through your recent inquiry into our product line.
For verification, does your computer have Windows Vista or Windows XP as operating system? Is it a desktop or a laptop? May we ask for the make and model of your computer (please specify if it is custom built)?
We may have to format your microSD card using a card reader if your Sansa Express cannot provide another icon to show the microSD when it is plugged to the player and the player plugged to the computer.
What we strongly suggest for cases like this is to perform a Full Format using FAT as your default file system using your reader connected directly at the back USB port of your desktop computer or a self powered USB Hub.
Caution: Formatting will erase all information on the drive. Please be sure to back up all information before proceeding to format the drive.
To format the SanDisk card on your PC, go to “My Computer” on Windows XP and lower versions or “Computer” on Windows Vista, single right click on the Removable Disk ( “”) : associated with your SanDisk card, and select “Format”. On Windows 98SE or Windows ME, we will simply single left click “Start" to begin format. On Windows 2000 and Windows XP, let us please make sure that, under “File System”, we change FAT to FAT32, and then single left click “Start". This will erase all data off the SanDisk card and correct errors on it, which should make the SanDisk card usable again.
We also recommend formatting the SanDisk card another way. Please be advised that formatting will erase all data.
If you have Windows Vista/XP/2000:
Please right click on “My Computer” on Windows XP and Windows 2000 or “Computer” on Windows Vista and select “Manage”. When “Computer Management” comes up, please click on “Disk Management” on the left hand side. After clicking on “Disk Management” you should now have a list of drives in the right side panel. On the right, look for the SanDisk card, it may show up as Disk 1, 2, 3… Removable Disk. Right click on the larger “Volume” rectangular icon to the right of the Removable disk and select “Format” choosing FAT32. If you do not have the format option, please select “New Partition” and just keep clicking next through the Wizard that appears.
After you have formatted the SanDisk card, please test it.
Please try the procedures on another computer if it fails in your computer.
For registry and warranty purposes, please provide information on the following: a viable telephone number, the original Date of Purchase, the original Place of Purchase, the product part number, color of the player, the model number (should start with SD) and the physical address. No P.O. Boxes, please.
Should you have any further assistance, inquiries or concerns, please do not hesitate to reply to this e-mail.
Best regards,
Vykmon G.
SanDisk Technical Support_
-r
My mail to them:
_This week purchased a Sansa Express 2Gbyte.
Extremely satisfied until I updated the firmware.
Now the 2GB MicroSD card is no longer recognized and
the player does not operate correctly with it installed.
I had to learn that removing the 2GB MicroSD card would
restore function from the Sandisk User Forum.
The player will not format it, and in USB mode, no
external card is detected.
The update was performed with the microSD card installed.
I assume this is the fault, and the microSD must be
formatted externally again before use. According to
an external forum.
I am badly disappointed that this problem is clearly and widely
known to both the Sandisk supported user Forums and
on other Forums, yet no steps have been taken to avoid
this problem for additional new owners by at least stopping
distributing this update.
There is a report that updating the player to the asis/pacific rim
firmware will fix the problem. It does not. Nor does
installing the Japanese firmware version. They seem to
differ in the language and default language.
Normally someone writes something like “I will never
buy another Sandisk Product ever again” at this point
… well … now maybe if sometime tomorrow this is
all resolved. A great experience turned into a frustrating
one._
