Sony Mp3 Player Problem


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fishybawb

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Hello,

I've got a Sony NWZ-B143 MP3 player that I've broken spectacularly by mistaking it for a USB stick and reformatting it :( Predictably, it's now not working. Powering it on gives a Walkman logo with the loading bars for a while, then it turns off.

I know it's a long shot, but does anyone know how to fix it? Maybe someone will have stronger Google-fu than me, I'm drawing a blank. One manual I found references some kind of recovery procedure, but then doesn't seem to include it. The factory reset button does sweet fuck all.

Thanks!
 
fishybawb said:
Hello,

I've got a Sony NWZ-B143 MP3 player that I've broken spectacularly by mistaking it for a USB stick and reformatting it :( Predictably, it's now not working. Powering it on gives a Walkman logo with the loading bars for a while, then it turns off.

I know it's a long shot, but does anyone know how to fix it? Maybe someone will have stronger Google-fu than me, I'm drawing a blank. One manual I found references some kind of recovery procedure, but then doesn't seem to include it. The factory reset button does sweet fuck all.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Have you tried formatting it to a different format? FAT, FAT32, xFAT, etc.? It's possible it uses one of those filesystems by default and you've just formatted it to the wrong one?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
As per stupid design, you've probably deleted the OS of the stick. You'll need to contact Sony for a better answer, but thats about it.If the stick is at all recognized when hooked to a computer it should be reversible.
B!
 
Sony's website calls it "NWZB143F" for the model, when you type in NWZ-B143. That might help.

Edit: Actually I'm almost entirely certain formatting it to the proper filesystem is the problem. Try formatting it to FAT/FAT16 or FAT32, as those are the mose likely filesystems it should be. The device SHOULD work if formatted correctly, as according to what I've read it's just an MTP device.
 
Not having one, it Might be that i was tricked by the manual, but it clearly states that you should not format the unit from a PC, but rather use the integrated tools for that. From experience with Sony's devices i know that may mean that the drive actually boots of a set of files on the flash it self, and formating it means your kinda messed up. Usually it still gets detected and you simply have to provide a working set of files for the OS on the darn thing, and then it's all good again. With any luck thats not the issue here, but as i said, the easy, and fast way to get an answer is to ask Sony. Thats what i did when i ran across the unit that gave me these nightmares.

Hooking it to a USB port, leaving it for 5 mins, and then going through the reset procedure without disconnecting it should get it fired up, if it's just the file system. If it does, my first action would be to format the device from the menu.

B!
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys, a lot more than I was expecting :)

I'd formatted it before as FAT32, this time I deleted/recreated the partition (it complained about something to do with the starting sector, but I ignored that), then formatted it again. It still wouldn't work, but I remembered that there were originally folders on there for music and such, so tried creating one called MUSIC and stuck a couple of MP3s in it. Success!

Virtual beers all round :D
 
fishybawb said:
Thanks for the suggestions guys, a lot more than I was expecting :)

I'd formatted it before as FAT32, this time I deleted/recreated the partition (it complained about something to do with the starting sector, but I ignored that), then formatted it again. It still wouldn't work, but I remembered that there were originally folders on there for music and such, so tried creating one called MUSIC and stuck a couple of MP3s in it. Success!

Virtual beers all round :D
Click to expand...

Talk about poor software design on sony's part.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
W00t! Now fire up Avast!/Clamshell AV in case of rootkits :lol:
 
b1ueskycomp1ex said:
Jourdy288 said:
W00t! Now fire up Avast!/Clamshell AV in case of rootkits :lol:
Click to expand...


....... On an mp3 player?
Click to expand...
No, silly, on your PC :lol:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_BMG_CD_copy_protection_scandal
 
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