The instruction manual would probably be the best place to start if you really don't know anything. I'm not sure you'll find someone to hand-hold you through the basics.

However, this should get you started:

What you need to do specifically depends on your 'source.' If you're buying music online, that will change things a bit. If you're ripping CDs, that's different. If you're pirating music from P2P networks (naughty, naughty).

One way or another, and to keep it simple, all the music you get needs to end up in Windows Media Player. You should run Windows Update and make sure you've got Windows Media Player 11 (assuming you're on XP). If you're on Vista, you should already have it.

To learn the basics, start by ripping a CD. Throw it in your computers CD drive and rip it with windows media player.

Once that's done, connect the Sansa Clip to the computer's USB port. Open Windows Media Player and hit the sync tab. Drag the songs you ripped from your CD to the "Sync List." Then, press "Start Sync."

The songs will be transferred to your Sansa Clip for you to enjoy. Want more music, add more music into Windows Media Player and repeat.

All the management of the Clip (like adding and removing songs) will be done on that Sync tab in Windows Media Player.

Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.

ilmbg, You first need to figure out why your computer will not recognize a CD. You should be able to put it in and listen to the songs on it. There could be several reasons why your machine 'spits' it out. If you are running Windows I would recommend you check with them first and get all that working.
Once you get that going the drag and drop is pretty easy.

You should first start with checking Windows Update for the latest files.

Tired of waiting for your device to do what you need it to?

All that wander said: There must be some where to find better instructions on how to download music/audio books. The information I have found is very poor if your an elder newbie. I managed to download a book from the library but by the time it happened I was not sure how it happened. Is there a place to pick up specific instructions to use a Sansa Clip?

Really, what I've outlined above is pretty much the procedure for getting music to a Sansa Clip. Audio books can throw a wrench into the process, since they can often be in proprietary formats or have other restrictions. I'd need to know more about your specific file.

Using and understanding Windows Media Player is the key to using any PlaysForSure MP3 player, like the Sansa Clip. I'd start by familiarizing yourself with that program. We have a guide on that here: http://www.sansacommunity.com/article/10941/Using-Windows-Media-Player-11/

Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.

afrab_null said: ILMBG: If you're still having difficulties with your Sansa Clip, finding music sources, or moving files around between your systems, please email me off-line at afrab_null (at) yahoo (dot) com <--[convert the parens to symbols; there is an underline between 'afrab' and 'null']. We can go through these things step-by-step in a private exchange, if you'd like. afrab_null [but, hey, call me 'Mark']

Not that I'm questioning your generosity, but it would be better for the community at large if you went step by step in the public thread. That way everyone benefits from your knowlede and wisdom.

Also, as a warning to any member. It's not recommended you share or give out your personal e-mail address to others. Everyone here is giving a private message inbox for exchanging messages in private without having to give your personal information to anyone.

Mind Over Matt'er - Technology musings, opinion, and more straight from TechLore's head geek.

All That Wander wrote:

Thanks for your reply. I am starting to get things working but have run into a problem ( I think) in getting the Windows program to download the security update. It will not up date and gives me an error message. This could be why the book I want doesn't want to download. I did have it downloaded to my computer at one time and could listen to it on the computer but could not get it to load to the Sansa.
As we travel in an RV full time and are continually on the move I am not the fastest thing to get things done.
if you will be patient I will get back to you with specific problems, will have to write them down as they happen.
Was able to down load another book and have listened to it, it is great to be able to do this.
Will be in touch.
All that wander.

***

To which I replied:

Okay, great! Just let me know if/when you need some specific advice. I don't 'shadow' the Sansa community forums, so if you respond back to me using either the Sansa username afrab_null or webbit, I'll be notified eventually through Yahoo mail and respond back to you, either through the forum or via Yahoo.

Let's look for a moment at your current issue. It seems the Sansa Firmware Updater program for Windows is giving you a problem. I say this because, to my knowledge, there is no 'security update' for Sansa players. So,

(1) Are you referring to an MS Windows Security Update? This is a separate issue, which we can also go over, if need be. But we'll do that separately. Your explanation was kinda marginal, so I'll need a bit more info.

The following question has nothing to do with your inability to load/copy ebooks or music onto your Clip, but I need to establish a functional baseline. So,

(2) Do you have the Sansa Updater program installed onto Windows? If not,

- in your Internet Explorer browser, go to http://www.sansa.com/download and,
- under the Sansa Clip item, click the 'Sansa Firmware Updater' button.
- You should immediately see a Windows-level 'File Download - Security Warning' window.
- Click the 'Save' button, and
- save the file 'SansaUpdaterInstall.exe' to your desktop, so you don't have to go looking for it.
- Once the installer is downloaded and on your desktop, double-click it to install in Windows.
- When the install is complete, if the application doesn't auto-start, navigate to Start-> Programs-> SanDisk-> Sansa Updater-> Sansa Updater to run the program.
- Accept the license agreement, and let the installer continue.
- Eventually, it will ask you to plug in your player, and wait until Windows recognizes it.
- Plug in your player. Barring any other indications, if you open 'My Computer' and look for the 'Sansa Fuze' item, Windows has recognized your unit.
- Click the 'Finish' button to complete the installation.
- With your Clip still plugged in, click the 'Check For Updates' button.
- You may get returns for the following (as far as I know):
(a) Firmware Update,
(b) User Manual Update, or
(c) Sansa Media Converter update.
- Select Firmware Update for now. Later (not under these instructions) you'll install/update SMC.
- Follow the Updater instructions *exactly*.

Game Over!

Please let me know if this is what you needed *at this time*, and/or how this works out. If/when you need further instructions on what to do or how to do it (see above), or advice on next steps, please let me know.

If I just did the equivalent of giving you the time by telling you how to build a watch, I need to know that, as well.

Be advised that I'm moving individual parts of these responses back into the Forums as suggested by the moderator, so that other folks might get some benefit from it. There will also be other items I'll keep private, especially when we get into the rather dicey legalities of music artifacts. I'll explain all that another time.

Regards,

afrab_null/webbit

Thanks for all the help. As we are in a RV and on the move daily it takes me a while to get the suggestions in place. Have downloaded the suggestions and will get at implimenting them in the next couple of evenngs. Will let you know the results as soon as I can get to the implimentation.
Thanks.

I'm not a complete altruist. I just bought a Clip for my mom (76yo), and I'm in the process of loading and configuring it. This'll be good practice for how I'll have to communicate this stuff with her.






http://www.zyy.com/gold/Rift-Planes-of-Telara-US-Platinum.html http://www.zyy.com/gold/Runescape-gold.html http://www.storeingame.com http://www.2joygame.com