Cretive zen 4gb reload firmware

You will have to download new firmware onto your player. You can download it from here and if you scroll down, it will give you instructions on how to do it correctly: http://drivers.softpedia.com/get/FIRMWARE/Creative/Creative-ZEN-V-Plus-Firmware-1-32-01e.shtml

I had the same problem as your and it stopped working yesterday. After search for helps and now it is working again after I reloaded the firmware. But unfortunately everything is gone. You have to reload your musics again. You can try this out: 1) go to creative labs website to download the "Recovery Tool". 2) at Recovery Mode of your zen there are options: Clean Up, Format All, Reload Firmware, and Reboot. Try out Clean Up first if it still not working then try to Format All. After that try the Reload Firmware. After you done the Reload Firmware. 3) Shut down your Zen and try to connect it to your computer. Now your Zen will automaticlly power On and computer will recognize it as a drive. 4) Open the Recovery Tool you have downloaded at creative labs website. This tool will detect your Zen and follow it's instructions: It works with my windows Vista. Well, it works for me, I think it will work for your too. Good Luck!
May God bless.

Get the Recovery Tool from Creative's website

You will need to put the Zen into recovery mode and erase the firmware, then reload the firmware. Follow these steps:

To Erase the Firmware:

1. Get a paperclip and straighten it out.

2. Hold down the Play/Pause button, and put the paperclip through the reset hole. Release the paperclip while continuing to press the Play/Pause button until you see the screen change.

3. Select "Reload Firmware."

To Load the new Firmware:

Go to www.Creative.com/support --> downloads. Click through the navigation and download the latest Zen Touch firmware. Reboot your computer, then plug in your Zen via USB cable. Double-click the firmware icon and then click upgrade.

http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10960

go here

If it won't exit recovery mode and you know the hard drive is good, then you've got to reload the firmware. Do you know the hard drive is okay?

Be careful, though -- you can NOT reload the firmware on an XP machine that has WMP11 installed. It HAS to be WMP10. If you search on Zen firmware, you'll find dozens of articles on the subject.

Detach your player from the PC if it is connected, and turn off the player.
If the player stops responding, you can reset the player. To reset the player, gently
insert a thin object into the Reset hole located below the power switch.

2. Press and hold the Play button while powering on your player.

3. When the player displays the Creative logo, release the Play button.
It will display the following options:
Clean Up
Scans the player and removes invalid links from its music library.
Does not affect music files themselves.
Format (All)
Caution! Erases all content!
Save a copy of your player's content before formatting.
Reload OS/ Firmware
Caution! Erases your player's firmware.
DO NOT select the Reload Firmware option unless you have access to a PC and you have downloaded the necessary firmware to install.
Reboot Reboots the device.

Detach your player from the PC if it is connected, and turn off the player.

If the player stops responding, you can reset the player. To reset the player, gently

insert a thin object into the Reset hole located below the power switch.

2. Press and hold the Play button while powering on your player.

3. When the player displays the Creative logo, release the Play button.



It will display the following options:

Clean Up


Scans the player and removes invalid links from its music library.

Does not affect music files themselves.
Format (All)

Caution! Erases all content!

Save a copy of your player's content before formatting.
Reload OS/ Firmware

Caution! Erases your player's firmware.

DO NOT select the Reload Firmware option unless you have access to a PC and you have downloaded the necessary firmware to install.
Reboot Reboots the device.

hard drive sounds bad. has it been dropped?
try to do a cleanup

1. Detach the Zen player from your PC , and ensure that the Zen Sleek is turned off.

2. Connect the power supply to the player.
3. Hold down the Play/Pause button while inserting a paper clip into the Reset hole
underneath your player, beside the data/power connector. Keep on holding the
Play/Pause button while you release the Reset button. The Rescue Mode screen will
then appear.
4. After the recovery mode has started, release the Play/Pause button

It will display the following options.
Clean Up Scans the player and removes invalid links from its music library.
Does not affect music files themselves.
Format (All) Caution! Erases all content!
Save a copy of your player's content before formatting.
Reload OS/ Firmware Caution! Erases your player's firmware.
DO NOT select the Reload Firmware option unless you have access to a PC and you have downloaded the necessary firmware to install.
Reboot Reboots the device.

hard disk is bad.
can you format?

1. Detach the Zen player from your PC , and ensure that the Zen Sleek is turned off.

2. Connect the power supply to the player.
3. Hold down the Play/Pause button while inserting a paper clip into the Reset hole
underneath your player, beside the data/power connector. Keep on holding the
Play/Pause button while you release the Reset button. The Rescue Mode screen will
then appear.
4. After the recovery mode has started, release the Play/Pause button

It will display the following options.
Clean Up Scans the player and removes invalid links from its music library.
Does not affect music files themselves.
Format (All) Caution! Erases all content!
Save a copy of your player's content before formatting.
Reload OS/ Firmware Caution! Erases your player's firmware.
DO NOT select the Reload Firmware option unless you have access to a PC and you have downloaded the necessary firmware to install.
Reboot Reboots the device.