Any way to get old laptop with USB2 adapter to recognize clip+?

Robert, thank you. I think this will do it and will buy a cable to see. 

But, do you mean external to the player or to the laptop?

Do I need a Y cable with one mini B male connector and 2 A male connectors? 

Or a powered USB hub or other source of power that’s external to the laptop?

(You probably mean the Y cable I described, but I want to be sure.) 

Conversionbox: I’m running WMP 10 and yes, I did search the forum and knowledge base, 

and google, and other forums, and called SanDisk.

Miikerman: I was using MSC mode.  Tried MTP too, but neither worked.

Thanks very much for your help, everyone.

Ellen