Support for windows 8

I’ve upgrated from windows 7 to windows 8 and now get an ugly “Sanza updater is not supported on your operating system”.

Any plans for an update to add windows 8 support?

I think most people recommend not using the sansa updater and instead just downloading the firmware files from this message board.

The Updater really is not needed–only good, really, when a new firmware comes out, and it continually is consuming PC resources until then, unnecessarily.

Instead, just check back here, in the Firmware Upgrade sticky thread at the top of the forum, every now and again to see if there is a firmware update.  

P.S.  If you found this info. helpful, feel free to give me a 1-click (free) Facebook vote in a local restaurant contest (Dec. 20-21).  The info. (posted here in the SanDisk forum):  http://forums.sandisk.com/t5/Anything-goes/Help-fellow-forum-er-out-amp-win-local-photo-contest-with-a/td-p/290426

Hi,

Thanks for the info re firmware upgrading without the updater on Win 8. I have just got the OS and can confirm that it doesn’t recognise the Sandisk Sansa app. However, the OS also does not recognise the Clip+ device either! The Clip does not show itself as an icon with the other external devices. I think the OS wants the driver first but the Sandisk website does not offer any drivers directly. They only offer the updater. Can you direct me the driver itself or suggest how to fix this?

Thanks,

Gaetano

Can you explain what you mean by “sticky thread?” I don’t see any mention of Firmware at the top of the page. I just purchased a new computer with Windows 8 and have spent 6 hours this week trying to get my Clip+ to work. The Devices>Clip>Firmware Updated doesn’t work so this seems to be the solution.

I clicked on SansaClip at the top but it just went to general questions dating back to 2009. I did a search for Firmware but they all seem to be about using the updater.

@wandaframe wrote:

Can you explain what you mean by “sticky thread?” I don’t see any mention of Firmware at the top of the page. I just purchased a new computer with Windows 8 and have spent 6 hours this week trying to get my Clip+ to work. The Devices>Clip>Firmware Updated doesn’t work so this seems to be the solution.

 

I clicked on SansaClip at the top but it just went to general questions dating back to 2009. I did a search for Firmware but they all seem to be about using the updater.

“Sticky threads” are “stuck” at the top of each board on the forum here, meaning they are always at the top to find them easily. They are shaded in grey.

But here’s a direct link to take you straight to the Firmware thread:

http://forums.sandisk.com/t5/User-guides-Firmware-Software/Sansa-Firmware-Thread/m-p/185348/highlight/true#M3629

:smiley:

Thanks for the reply but there is nothing grayed out at the top of my page. Maybe it’s something to do with Windows 8?

The threads are not “greyed out”, but merely colored grey, as opposed to the white background of all other threads. Almost all boards here have some “stickied” posts as the few few thread listings.

But regardless, if you click the the link I provided, it will take you directly to the Firmware thread, which I believe is what you were asking for.

Edit: Actually the firmware post you are looking for is the 7th down from the top of the Clip | Clip+ board main page. It’s titled Sansa Clip+ Firmware Update 01.02.18 and is the last "stickied’ or grey post.

After trying to install the firmware update, it indicates “not supported by operating system”.  Now what? We have 2 computers with Windows 8. One computer will recognize the mp3 to charge it and the other computer will not.

There is nothing to be supported by Win 8 as far as manual fimrware update goes. it is just a file you download and copy to the sansa. Make sure you are using the manual update instructions and not the sansa firmware updater instructions. It is pretty clear just take some time and read the entire post. 

1 Like

Hi,

Yes the instructions given are pretty clear. However, at least in my case, it does not provide a working solution. I am running Win8 64bit. The OS does not recognize my Sansa Clip+ because it cannot recognize the driver - “Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)”. The Unknown device Properties Details tab displays a value of “USE\DEVICE_DESCRIPTOR_FAILURE”. When I try to manually open the device the OS tells me try plugging it in again or that the device is not working properly. I have 2 Clip+ players and I get the same error message for both of them. They both were fine with Win7.

So I cannot access the device. Question: Doesn’t the OS need a “good” driver first before I attempt anything else? When I have the Sansa installer running it can’t see the Clip. I can’t even manually drop music files onto the player. Seems like a catch 22. I should clarify here that a firmware update or even syncing is not my main problem or desire. The question is why can’t the Win8 OS access this plug n play device? Shouldn’t even have to go looking for a driver. Thanks Microsoft for always breaking things with your latest upgrade.

Sorry for the rant but this is way to much fuss for such a simple thing.

Yes, any answers? I have 2 Sansa Clips and winthin a few days they both started having problems. I have a new PC running Windows 8 at home and a Mac Pro with both OSX and Windows. 7 at the office. I have downloaded Digital Downloads to the work computer for over a year, WMA files on Windows, MP3 on the Mac side. Never had problems with either Clip player. I purchased a new Dell with Win8 in October, downloaded the Overdrive software and have downloaded and transfered both file formats to both players.

then a few weeks ago I started having trouble getting the players detected, then got error messages on the players, demands for renewing licenses, FAT corrupt files, books being filed in odd files, etc. Finally I reformated one of the players wiping all data, uninstalled all the associated programs on the Mac, then reinstalled the programs and can now download and play MP3 files. Still having trouble with the Win7 side and haven’t the time or patience to mess with the Win 8 computer. 

Seems strange that both players started having trouble at the same time.

Update Alert re Win8 & Clip Device Not Recognized:

Technical detail re USB ports: They are not all equal. The easy-access USB ports on the front of my HP PC use the “Generic USB Hub” controller . The USB ports on the back of the PC use other more sophisticated controllers like “USB Composite Device” or “USB Mass Storage Device” controllers (there are others), the port switching depending on what kind of device is plugged in. Turns out the Sana Clip+ needs a controller only available from the back ports. Who knew?

Hope this helps some of you with your issues.

Regards

PS: If I have the technical bits wrong, I would be happy to learn better.

I would like to see others running windows 8 respond. I have a new Dell Vostro running Winodws 7 Professional by choice. There is no problem with my clip+. I believe I could have got this machine with windows 8 and I wouldn’t expect Dell to have made any hardware changes. Clip+ also works in the usb 3 slots.

I very recently bought a new computer…windows 8. The sansa clip seems to be unrecognized, or even recognized for a short time(!) then it is an unrecognized.

Then i transferred the sansa clip, set on MTP i think as my files are mostly these…into the usb3 port at the side, rather than the usual port which is a usb2. Now it immediately operates. The files appear, as if by magic. And, touch wood, it works and charges whereas before it did not.

This frustrating random choose a port, hit and miss procedure is time consuming and plain daft. Windows 8 should offer a response that just says, instead of troubleshoot and failing: ‘try a new port’…or ‘i have drivers but you have to guess where they are and when they work’.

The auto detect setting on the sansa clip, incidentally, seemed to show files i didnt even know existed, and none of my music.

The Auto detect mode is probably showing 5 or so tunes you didn’t know about, right?  These are free tunes put on the device by SanDisk, for your enjoyment.

As to modes, always most universal to set the USB mode of the player, under Settings, to MSC mode, where Win8 should simply see the Clip as an external device like a USB stick or hard drive.  It just tends to work. 

zaroff wrote:

The auto detect setting on the sansa clip, incidentally, seemed to show files i didnt even know existed, and none of my music.

Auto Defect (as it is lovingly referred to here) defaults to MTP mode whenever possible, but if not will connect in MSC. Files added in one mode are not visible to your computer while connected in the other.

The sample files loaded on the player from the factory are transferred in MTP mode. That is why you can see them now, connected in Auto/MTP but none of your own files which were transferred in MSC mode.

Bottom line, don’t use Auto Defect. Pick a USB connectivity mode and stick with it. Unless you need MTP for DRM-encrypted files (Rhapsody, Audible, etc.) use MSC mode. It’s must simpler and trouble-free. Your computer will see the player as any other external storage medium (like a flash drive or memory stick).

You should probably format the player (Settings > System Settings > Format) which will erase everything (all music files that is), manually set your USB mode and start over.

Hi,

Am running Win8 and having the same device-detection issue as others (unreliable or no device recognition of Sandisk player/Win8 OS).

I tried your advice and set my Sansa Clip+ player mode from Auto Detect to MSC and reconnected the player. Not recognized. Tried MTP just too compare and then again back to Auto Detect and got the same failure to recognize results.

I haven’t reformatted the player though. Is that really necessary in order to get this fixed? I can’t sync to the player now and if the reformat dosen’t fix it, I’ll be left with an empy player and no way to fill it. If this is required, then shouldn’t Sandisk put out an official notice to owners about it, along with a working fix?

Thanks

@lavigne wrote:

Hi,

Am running Win8 and having the same device-detection issue as others (unreliable or no device recognition of Sandisk player/Win8 OS).

I tried your advice and set my Sansa Clip+ player mode from Auto Detect to MSC and reconnected the player. Not recognized. Tried MTP just too compare and then again back to Auto Detect and got the same failure to recognize results.

 

So your previous post:

@lavigne wrote:

Update Alert re Win8 & Clip Device Not Recognized:

Technical detail re USB ports: They are not all equal. The easy-access USB ports on the front of my HP PC use the “Generic USB Hub” controller . The USB ports on the back of the PC use other more sophisticated controllers like “USB Composite Device” or “USB Mass Storage Device” controllers (there are others), the port switching depending on what kind of device is plugged in. Turns out the Sana Clip+ needs a controller only available from the back ports. Who knew?

implying your connectivity problems were solved was what, an error?

:confounded:

You also could try unauthorizing the Clip drive under Win8’s device manager, and see if that gets Win8 to try to establish the connection anew.