How to use your Zune for external storage

(Updated )
How to use your Zune for external storage

While looking around for a Zune SDK this evening I found a way to use your Zune as an external storage device. I haven't yet tested this, so I can't guarantee it works yet.

Be sure to backup your registry before playing around with it.

  1. Make sure your Zune is not plugged in and your Zune software isn’t running
  2. open up regedit by going to the start menu and selecting “run”. Type regedt32 and hit “OK”
  3. Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet001\Enum\USB\
  4. Search for “PortableDeviceNameSpace”. This should be contained in the Vid_####&Pid_####\########_-_########_-_########_-_########\Device Parameters within the above …\USB\ The ##’s listed here will be numbers and letters specific to your Zune
  5. Change the following values:
    1. EnableLegacySupport to 1
    2. PortableDeviceNameSpaceExcludeFromShell to 0
    3. ShowInShell to 1
  6. Plug in your Zune, and make sure the Zune Software starts up.
  7. Hopefully at this point you can open up “My Computer” and browse your device, though it does NOT show up as a drive letter

I found the information on ZuneBoards.com and Phaleux.com while looking around.

Still no word on when the Zune software will work with Vista.

Posted from weblogs.asp.net/christoc
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Recent Comments

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Humm. So it doesn't pop-up in the My Computer as a Removable Device by default?
Posted By: Anonymous on Jan 2007
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Yes, this works. Thanks - now to start getting rid of the garbage that comes loaded on the Zune and start using it as the player /storage that I'd prefer.

Posted By: Ikyoto Jin on Feb 2008

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Chris Hammond

Chris Hammond is a father, husband, leader, software developer, photographer and car guy. Chris focuses on the latest in technology including artificial intelligence (AI) and has spent decades becoming an expert in ASP.NET and DotNetNuke (DNN) development. You will find a variety of posts relating to those topics here on the website. For more information check out the about Chris Hammond page.

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