Can't see mp3 files in Windows 7!

I am new to this forum, so forgive me if this issue has been addressed before. I have a Sansa c240 mp3 player that is loaded to capacity with mp3s. The mp3s play just fine, but I want to delete a few of them. The problem is that I cannot see any of the files when I hook it up to my Win 7 64-bit PC. I can see all of the folders on the device, but the folders appear empty! I have tried to go into the device Settings, as some have suggested, to change the “USB mode.” But there is no such option in the Settings for this device. How can I fix this issue?

Thanks for any and all replies!

If you have a v2 model, you can use the following instructions to ‘force’ MSC mode.

To force the c200v2 in to MSC mode:

  1. Make sure the player is off (if necessary, hold down the power button for 20 seconds to turn it off)
  2. Move the hold switch to ON (move to the right towards the record button).
  3. Hold the rewind button (Left Key)
  4. Connect the player to the computer.
  5. Keep holding the rewind button till the “Sansa C200 (E)*” comes up, then realease the record button.  If the removable disk does not automatically launch, open “My Computer” and check for any additional drives.
  6.  Now you should have a Sansa C200 with a drive letter assigned to it.

Thank you for your response! I did as you suggested, but I still cannot see any of the mp3s on the device. The problem is not assignment of a drive letter, etc. The drive is clearly listed in Explorer, and I can see all of the folders on the device. The problem is that the folders all appear to be empty–I cannot see any of the mp3s event hough the drive is loaded to near capacity.

Any other suggestions would be appreciatged!

The reason I suggested forcing MSC mode is that files loaded in one mode cannot be seen while connected in the other mode (MTP). I thought this would make them visible to you.

However, there’s somethiing else that may be at play here. The older Sansa machines had their Music folder (and files) ‘hidden’, so you have to change the setting in Windows to “show hidden files and folders”. Maybe this is preventing you from seeing your files?

Yeah, I thought of that too. When I check the Properties of the Music folder on the device, <Read Only> is checked, <Hidden> is NOT checked. I try to un-check <Read Only> but it stays checked no matter what…

So you’re saying you can see the Music folder on the player, but when you double-click to open it, there’s nothing inside? Yet you do have music on the player?

That’s extremely weird. The music files aren’t in another folder by any chance, are they?

Nope. The mp3s are in the Music folder. Besides, in Windows 7 ALL the folders on the Sansa device are showing <NO FILES>…

Still can’t see my mp3s. If anyone else has any ideas I’d be happy to entertain them…

OK, I plugged the Sansa c250 into a cheesy work computer running Windows XP and Voila! I can see all of my mp3s on the device just fine in Explorer. But when I plug the device into the USB2 port of my Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit cutting edge laptop, I STILL CAN’T SEE ANY OF THE MP3s! What the heck is going on here and how do I fix it? I need to be able to edit these files on my laptop…

Not having Win 7 I’m shooting in the dark here, but is there a comapatibilty mode you can run for devices and/or programs that simulates XP?

That’s a great suggestion. There is compatibility mode for program executables in Windows 7. But I don’t see any obvious way to apply that to the Sansa device itself.

Have you tried updating the firmware? The early firmware for the C200 series didn’t have a “USB Mode” setting, it was added in an update. If you can set it to MSC easily, you should be able to use it with any OS you can throw at it.

I tried running the firmware updater program but got the error message <server not available> or something like that. However, I think I have solved the problem. I hooked the Sansa c250 to an XP computer, and I was able to see aall the mp3s. Then I moved all the mp3s from the Sansa c250 to a USB flash drive. Then, I plugged both the Sansa c250 AND the flash drive into my WIndows 7 PC, and moved the mp3s back to the Sansa c250 from the flash drive, and VOILA! I can now see the mp3s on the Sansa device from my Windows 7 PC.

Thanks for all the assistance here!

Oh my goodness I totally forgot about the Sansa Media Converter. I had it installed on my last computer and forgot when I set this one up. I happened across the name when I was cleaning up some files. Just search for “Sansa Media Converter” which should take you to SanDisk and follow the installation instructions. It works to set up Windows Media Player to work with your device. It took maybe 10 minutes total and I’m back up and running.

i got an error in trying to install the sansa media converter

i am excellent with windows – 

i having problems with the music files displaying in the folder when

the sansa mp3 player (several years old) is connected to windows 7 or windows xp

i have tried ‘3’ computers…

i have checked all ‘file association type’ settings… ‘show hidden folders, etc’

no matter what i do, the folders all are ‘empty’

but the mp3 player works great

i need to add and copy my music files

so … help!

i have the same issue as you do

i got the same error…

i tried my old win xp – but i still do not see my music files in the folder in win xp or win 7

any ideas, please?

I’ve been using Handbrake for media conversion, and working like a charm . . . .