Sansa Clip Zip Firmware 01.01.17

Sure. Download the firmware you want to go back to, copy it to the player, then unplug the USB.

This is a new Clip Zip.  There has only been one firmware update that I am aware of… what would take it back to factory, pre- Firmware 01.01.17?

And thanks for your help :slight_smile:

I just googled and theres a bunch of older firmware versions you can download, so I don’t think 1.0.1.17 is the first firmware update.

Link please??

Nevermind… found one.  I thought this most recent update was the first.

Thanks :slight_smile:

I found two files with old firmware in the board search function: 01.01.15 and 01.01.12. The older firmware was on my Zip when I bought it.

A good firmware repository is available at anythingbutipod.comhttp://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64931

having a problem downloading firmware to my Mac…it doesn’t recognize the exe extention…

The firmware file doesn’t end in .exe, so you probably downloaded the sandisk windows software rather then the firmware file.

Yes it is rocket science if you don’t know where the root directory is or how to open the “bin” file. I have been trying to get more help on how to manually update my Sansa clip zip from CS but all I get in reply is a repeat of the information on their on-line instruction page. Unfortunately some of us need more help with this. I am one. My “new” zip has the 01.01.15A version. I use it for listening to books and need the updated version.

@weaverjude wrote:

Yes it is rocket science if you don’t know where the root directory is or how to open the “bin” file. I have been trying to get more help on how to manually update my Sansa clip zip from CS but all I get in reply is a repeat of the information on their on-line instruction page. Unfortunately some of us need more help with this. I am one. My “new” zip has the 01.01.15A version. I use it for listening to books and need the updated version.

Plug in the player into your USB port.  (Assuming you’re using a Windows OS) open Windows Explorer or “My Computer”.  Double click on the player’s icon.  You *must" have the player in MSC mode (mass storage class, makes it look like a USB stick to your PC).  If it’s in MTP mode (music transfer protocol), ie it shows up as a music player in Windows Explorer, switch it to MTP mode.  To do this, go to “Settings” - “System Settings” - “USB Mode” and select “MSC”.

Once you’re in MSC mode and then plugged into your PC, double click to open the Sandisk player.  That will be the root directory.  Download the updated player firmware in the links provided earlier and use any unzip program to open the file.  Drag/drop the firmware to your desktop in the zip file (it’s the .bin file).  Then just drag/drop the .bin file that’s the new firmware onto the player.  Do not put it in any of the folders you see, just make sure it’s just dragged/dropped at the top level so you can see the file.  Make sure it’s completed the transfer, remove the player from the USB cable and it’ll detect the new firmware is installed.  Let the player do it’s thing; it’ll install, turn off and restart itself.

That’s all it takes.  If you want a less manual version, use the Sandisk firmware updater program.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I am using a MacBook Air so the only option is to manually update.

tnmats,

I appreciate the time you took to help me with this. Before reading your message I had already opened the sansa player with “finder” using my mac. I dragged & dropped “clpza” into the player but not opened it. It is not in a folder of its own but  just listed with contents of the player. To “unzip” ,do I just double click on it in the player or will this screw things up?

(I am a senior who has owned many computers dating back to the commodor and learned lots but have never taken any lessons.)

@weaverjude wrote:

tnmats,

I appreciate the time you took to help me with this. Before reading your message I had already opened the sansa player with “finder” using my mac. I dragged & dropped “clpza” into the player but not opened it. It is not in a folder of its own but  just listed with contents of the player. To “unzip” ,do I just double click on it in the player or will this screw things up?

 

 

Download and unzip the file on your computer first. Then copy the .bin file over to the player.

And with a Mac, you must use MSC mode. Manually set your player to this; don’t rely on the Auto Defect setting.

@weaverjude wrote:

tnmats,

I appreciate the time you took to help me with this. Before reading your message I had already opened the sansa player with “finder” using my mac. I dragged & dropped “clpza” into the player but not opened it. It is not in a folder of its own but  just listed with contents of the player. To “unzip” ,do I just double click on it in the player or will this screw things up?

 

(I am a senior who has owned many computers dating back to the commodor and learned lots but have never taken any lessons.)

 

 

Yes, the “clipza.bin” file is the one you want.  You likely have the file type hidde on your mac but that’s the name of the file.

Drag/drop that file at the top level directory of the clip zip.  Make sure first you switched the player to MSC mode as I described earlier.  That makes the CZ look like a USB thumb drive to your computer.

Sounds like you did the right thing, just unplug it from your pc and let it do it’s thing.  The CZ will detect the new update, install it, reboot and start up fresh.  It should act like you just got it out of the box, asking for the first time things like where you’re located (for settting up the FM tuner) and other such things.  After that you’re good to go.  You will loose any settings though, like the FM radio presets.  Kind of a pain, one reason I don’t update the firmware unless something fixes a big bug or there’s some big new feature I just have to have.

Make sure you do what Tapeworm and I suggested earlier, drag/drop it first into a folder on your mac (like on the desktop, so it’s easy to find) THEN drag/drop that extracted file onto the Clip.  That makes sure the  file was properly decompressed before being put in the root directory of the clip.  Just unplug after you’re done, and the CZ will do it’s thing.

Thanks for trying to help but it is beyond me. I have followed all of your advice very carefully but I still have too many questions. I can’t imagine drag & dropping this huge file that looks like hieroglyphics after opening it. Something is amiss and I don’t want to damage the player. It already has a lot of files on it that weren’t there when I started all this. 

ps. (I did have the player in MSC setting ) .

^^^ The firmware is full of machine code. You’re not a machine, you’re not supposed to open it. You’re supposed to put it on the Clip, which will then use the code to update itself. Basically: Download > Unzip > move to player.

And it’s not a ‘huge’ file either.

@weaverjude wrote:

Thanks for trying to help but it is beyond me. I have followed all of your advice very carefully but I still have too many questions. I can’t imagine drag & dropping this huge file that looks like hieroglyphics after opening it. Something is amiss and I don’t want to damage the player. It already has a lot of files on it that weren’t there when I started all this. 

 

ps. (I did have the player in MSC setting ) .

I think you’re making it more difficult than it is.

  • Plug the Clip Zip to your USB port with the included USB cable.

  • Download the firmware file found on pg. 1 of this thread.  It’s the link that’s for manual download.  Save the file somewhere you can easily find it.  I find that saving to the desktop works easiest since I won’t keep the file for long.

  • Double click on the saved file you just downloaded.

  • A folder should open.  There should be only 1 file in there.  It’s called ‘clipza.bin’.  If you hid extension names, it’ll just be named “clipza”.  The file is around 15MB in size when unzipped.  Don’t bother opening it, you don’t need to look at what’s in there.  It’s binary code, you can’t read it.  It’s gibberish to a human without the proper software tools.  You just need to install it on your Clip.

  • Use your computer’s file folder  tool, open your clip like you would a USB key.  Drag/drop that ‘clipza’ file directly into the top level directory of your Clip Zip.  Just move it over to the Clip like you would copy a picture or something to a USB key you would use with your Mac.  It’s literally no different.

That’s it.  When you unplug the device the Clip will do it’s thing.  It’ll overwrite the old firmware, install the new, erase the file you just installed and you’ll be good to go.  It’s no harder than copying a document to a USB thumb drive and works just the same.

Otherwise, find a friend or family member that’s more Apple savvy than I am.  I’ve used mainly Linux and Windoze machines and they work pretty much the same way with their graphical user interfaces.   I’m guessing Macs work pretty much the same way when writing a file to a thumb drive but if not have a friend/family member give you a hand.  Or else, search on Google for how to write to a thumb drive with the Mac and do the same thing with the binary file (unzipped) dropped directly on the top level of the Clip’s directory.  When you figure it out you’ll kick yourself that there wasn’t that much to it.  :smiley: