I had this issue today! I googled "sansa clip won't respond" and found a page where someone said to hold the on/off slider in the up position (as if you were turning it on) for about 15 seconds. Then turn it on like normal. Apparently it's a soft reset which returns the player to the last successful shutdown. SO helpful! I'm SO glad, I was worried that it was broken!

My Sansa Fuze won't turn on, either. However, when I plug it in, my computer recognizes the thing. So even though there's no screen or blue light, I can move files around and add music to the device.

When I unplug it, the screen and light still won't turn on. I've tried doing resets a million different ways (with the home button, without the home button, to a count of 15, 20 or 60, etc.), but nothing has happened. It seems hopeless! :( Another Sansa bites the dust! What should I do? I'm so tired of having to replace these things after four months (this is the third time!)

I had the same problem with my 4GB clip. The restart trick was pure genious. I had just bought it today and really was hoping I would not have to return the thing. Thanks folks!

My 8GB sansa clip would not turn on at all after putting a 4GB card into it.
The widely-diseminated 'hold down the power/reset for 15 seconds' achieved nothing.

Holding down volume + and pressing power/reset made it turn on straight away. It displayed the logo for 40 seconds, then continued playing the previous track where it left off.

I know what you mean, Roi. My clip had a dead battery so when I did the reset thing I didn't think it was working. I finally did the reset then plugged it directly into my computer...finally it came on.

My Clip 8GB (only 2 months old) died on me four days ago, while I was listening to it. It had a full charge. Wouldn't power on or respond at all. Resetting did not work. No activity from plugging into PC or standard wall charger. For all I could tell it was completely dead.

Yesterday, I picked it up and slid the power switch up, and it came back on. The power was completely drained and it turned off again a moment later, but when I connected it to my PC it started charging normally. It seems to be working just fine now.

All I can imagine is that something was happening internally, which slowly drained the battery, even though the screen and buttons weren't lighting up. When the battery finally ran out, it seemed to come out of a trance and was back to normal.

This is the second 8GB Clip I've had. I liked the first one so much that I bought it again when it came up on Woot (it was wearing out, audio plug starting to go bad, clip was broken off). I remember this happening a few times with the first one too, though I didn't make the connection until now.

So, if all else fails, just let it sit for a few days (not charging). Maybe it's just taking a temporary leave from sanity.

Please see my comment below, I didn't realize it posted twice.

i have a sansa 4GB it wouldnt turn on after i slept on it (by mistake)i held the power button who knows how long and it finally turned on. but when i tried to shut it off it stays on the good bye sign. so i held it again for a while and it finally turned off, but when i tred to plug it into the computer or turn it on its stays on the flower thing image . is there another to fix it.

Dead as a rock! Started staying on with the logo and nothing else, tried the rest trick mentioned here, it worked for a few minutes. I left it charging and now it will not come on, no matter what combination of buttons I use. This si a big disappoinment. It is my second SANSA since I gave away the previous one. Not sure I wil buy another.

zoe said: hey, ive had my sansa clip 2gb for nearly a year now and the other day i turned it off and now it wont turn back on, ive had it connected to the computer and its charging and connected, but as soon as i disconnect it stops working, will not turn on at all. ive tried the soft reset and nothing is happening. i have no idea what to do. Any suggestions... Thanks

I'd suggest trying the same thing that I did... just leave it alone for a few days, don't put it on the charger or connect to your PC.  After a few days once the battery has completely discharged, it might come on.  Then you can charge it up and hopefully it will be fine.

BTW, I accidentally left my Clip out in a heavy rainstorm last night... got completely drenched.  It's sitting in a bowl of instant rice in a warm oven today, hopefully this will dry it out...  :-P

Jim

Similar issue with my 8GB Clip. 15 second soft reset did the trick for me. Thank you.

my 4 GB sansa mp3 kept sayin ''CONNECT DEVICE AND RECOVER FAT'' i have no idea what does that mean.