USB mp3 player problem - help!

Hi guys, wonder if anyone can help out? I've a cheapie USB 256Mb flash-type mp3 player that I bought in the States. After some initial driver hassles, I got it working OK with the computer — appeared in Windows Explorer as a "Removable disk", drive H:\ — and I was able to drag-and-drop files back and forth.

Then one day I accidentally dragged across a bunch of .mp3 files that exceeded the 256Mb capacity, but instead of simply telling me that the disk hadn't enough space on it, the thing froze up completely. Now, when I turn the player on, the LCD reads "Memory full" and then starts scrolling gibberish across the screen...

Is there any application that'd allow me to flash/wipe/format the memory in the player through the USB cable? I can't just right-click format it in Windows Explorer, 'cause although the computer still "sees" the drive, if I try to view the contents (or format it) it tells me to "please insert a disk in drive H:"... The other Windows utilities (scandisk, defrag, etc) won't work on it either, and if I right-click and choose properties. it just tells me that it's full but that "the device is working properly"...!

— So, is it a bin-job?

Thanks in advance for any tips you can offer...

Dr. M.

Any idea of make/model?

Somebody might have a whacky idea of waving a magnet over it or leaving it in a freezer.

Sorry to look for the simple things first. Has the MP3 player it's own power supply? Have you tried removing the batteries and tried after that? Has it got one of those little reset holes which you access using a straightened paperclip? Perhaps I'm gone off on the wrong track altogether but maybe...

@Hansov — Yep, by an AAA battery.
When I take out the battery it draws power from the USB connection.
But all the symptoms are exactly the same.
And I know there's nothing wrong with the USB cable or connection, 'cause I use it for my camera too, and there's never a problem...

[broken link removed] is the player. Shows up in properties as a "Sunplus Multimedia USB disk". I've tried emailing the eBay seller, visualland.com and Sunplus (who in fairness only manufacture the chip!) — but all they've been able to do is send me the same drivers I already have...

It only came with a 30-day warranty, and anyway it would cost nearly as much as I paid for it to send it back to the U.S...

USB Problem

Try and format it from a command prompt?

Re: USB Problem

I tried run "format /q/u <H>" & a black DOS screen flashed for a second, but no change...

USB Problem

Try to Format from a command prompt (DOS Box) not the run box. Typing CMD in the Run box will give you a DOS box, then type your Format command..........and see what happens.

Re: USB Problem

Anything useful here? In particular using the Windows Disk Management administrative console or trying it under Linux (e.g. a live bootable CD version such as [broken link removed])? Worst case scenario is that the flash memory part has been damaged somehow! :|

Re: USB Problem

Thanks, guys — I've handed it over to one of our friendly "techies" for a quick look, so can't do anything 'til he comes back to me. If he draws a blank, I'll try Fingalian's suggestion first and then yours, Clubman...

As I said, I bought it cheap (like a budgie!) and got 6 or 8 months out of it, so... :\

If it turns out to be a bin job, might get myself one of these for Christmas (my camera uses xD cards and I have a spare 256Mb one that spends its time just sitting in the camera case as backup...)

Cheers again,

Dr. M.

Sunplus Multimedia USB disk

or before formatting, could you perhaps trying at the command prompt - erase *.* and see if a simple erase of all files will work?