Sansa Fuze folder & file structure PC vs stand-alone

The folder and file structure is different when viewed via PC (Win 7) connection than when disconnected.  Also same files are stored in multiple folders in stand alone mode. In stand-alone the folders I set up when connected to the PC do not show up. Weird and confusing. Tech support no help.

The Fuze sorts and displays by ID3 tags, not by folder/file heriarchy.

Unless you have updated the firmware and go to the bottom of the Music menu where you’ll find . . .

Folders.

@pearsonjw wrote:

The folder and file structure is different when viewed via PC (Win 7) connection than when disconnected.  Also same files are stored in multiple folders in stand alone mode. In stand-alone the folders I set up when connected to the PC do not show up. Weird and confusing. Tech support no help.

If you’re getting alot of “unknown” in folder view on the player, you can use an excellent, free tagging program like MP3Tag to view and change/add in any tags, such as artist, album, song title, etc. 

Be sure to “save” any changes that are made in MP3Tag, otherwise, you’ll be back to where you started from. 

In my Fuze’s menu, I scroll down to the bottom and see “Folders”.  I click on over to “Internal Memory”, then click the right arrow and I see “MTP Mode” listed and underneath that,  two music folders.   I’m not sure how they got there and I dont’ really know how to get folders there.  I could simply continue to use Playlists as I don’t have a problem doing that but it seems that a lot of folks like or prefer working with Folders. Any FAQ or tutorial on this site (or elsewhere) on working with Folders and the Fuze, since this is a relatively new addition to the player? 

What you are seeing on the Fuze display (Album, Artist) are lists of information contained in ID3 tags, electronic labels that are part of the mp3 files. It actually helps you find a particular song or album even if you don’t remember your exact folder hierarchy, because it looks at ID3 tags wherever it finds an mp3 file.

But if you want folders, that’s easy enough. You just have to tell the Fuze how it should look to your computer. Go to Settings/System Settings and choose MSC. That makes the Fuze look like a hard drive when your computer sees it.

Your computer only sees one mode at a time. If you sent music over via MTP, and you change the Fuze to MSC mode, then your computer won’t see the music sent via MTP. But the Fuze itself will find it regardless.

MTP mode, which is what you have been using, is controlled by Windows Media Player, which does goofy things on its own, like renaming your album folders so it can catalog them faster. It’s confusing.

I would suggest that as long as you have all your music elsewhere, that you Format the player (Settings/System Settings/Format) to clean it off. Put it in MSC mode. Put the folders in as you please, go to Folders (remember whether you put the music on internal memory or the microSD card), and have a joyful life experience.

Thanks - very helpful info, B.R.