# Microsoft Zune

## yinkoshaumer

I searched for "Zune" and couldn't find anything helpful relating to Zune and mounting it under Linux.

There's a minor registry change that can be done in Windows to allow the Zune to be used as an external hardrive. Search the registry for "portabledevicenamespace" and then there are 4 values to change, like show in shell, and hide from shell, and what not. I realize not everyone here has a Zune, but let me know how I might be able to help getting this thing going under Linux. I'd love to be able to sync it in gentoo, rather than booting doze everytime I get a new video or song to throw on there. If you need the output of certain commands to help out w/this, let me know. Would it also be helpful to know that this is just a modified Toshiba GigaBeat?

Thanks,

Yinko

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## Captain_Loser

I wonder how the Zune talks to the kernel. What shows up in a dmesg after you plug in the zune?

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## GNUtoo

fdisk -l

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## xanas3712

lsusb

Does it show in your usb device list?

Assuming it's HID compliant you may be able to use the standard usb storage device driver (which I think is selected in default kernel config).  If this is the case the device should automatically create accessible partitions (I can't remember how my camera mounts so I can't be specific), which would just be mounted with mount -t vfat /dev/devicename /placetomountto (note I'm also assuming it's using fat32, though it might use NTFS?

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## yinkoshaumer

```
#dmesg

usb 1-5: USB disconnect, address 3

usb 1-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4

usb 1-5: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
```

```
#tail -f /var/log/messages

Nov 30 17:01:54 tuxTop usb 1-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 6

Nov 30 17:01:54 tuxTop usb 1-5: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice

Nov 30 17:01:54 tuxTop usb 1-5: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice

Nov 30 17:02:17 tuxTop usb 1-5: USB disconnect, address 6
```

```
#lsusb

Bus 001 Device 007: ID 045e:0710 Microsoft Corp. 
```

```
#fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40007761920 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4864 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System

/dev/sda1   *           1           4       32098+  83  Linux

/dev/sda2               5          66      498015   82  Linux swap / Solaris

/dev/sda3              67        4864    38539935   83  Linux
```

There's the output from the commands. As far as the Filesystem... no clue. It doesn't show up as a usual Mass Storage device (sda,sdb,etc.) I'm guessing I might have to create a dev node manually.

I hope we can try and get this thing rocking in linux. As far as syncing it, the Zune software unlocks the device for writing. It doesn't use a bizarre database like the iPod, just a directory listing and what not (from what I can tell)

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## yinkoshaumer

btt

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## GNUtoo

mabe ask the kernel developpers for zune supoprt

bugreport telling information about the zune

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## Tonglebeak

Has anything came along with this? I cannot get my zune mounted under linux either  :Sad: 

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## salahx

I believe the Zune uses the Microsoft Media Transfer Protocol, there a library for it (libmtp). You can read this too: http://www.zune-online.com/news/zune/zune-on-mac-os-x-and-linux.html.

mtp-detect will detect the Zune, but there's not much you can do it with currently; as file transfer requires some kind of authentication; see http://libmtp.sourceforge.net/index.php?page=compatibility.

There not a whole lot of effect in getting this thing working; mostly because even admitting have considered buying one is grounds for involuntary euthanasia.

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## LD

I've concidered getting a zune for the Halo stuff.  :Smile: 

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## Tonglebeak

I have libmtp .2 installed. Using amarok, I can successfully read the contents of the zune, as well as delete content off of the zune (partially. It deletes the song but the artist + album still show up on the zune, only it displays "No items to play" when you attempt to play a deleted song).

Let's see, we have read/partial write access. If only we could get things onto the zune now instead of just taking them off lol.

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## theRedEcks

i am by far no expert.. i know enough to get into trouble but not back out. 

i am thinking that your issue may not be your install but your zune...

the zune might be looking for the DRM information...

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## LD

 *theRedEcks wrote:*   

> i am by far no expert.. i know enough to get into trouble but not back out. 
> 
> i am thinking that your issue may not be your install but your zune...
> 
> the zune might be looking for the DRM information...

 

Last I checked the libMPT site they had Zune support only for device info and seeing the filesystem. The problem with file transfer has so far been the Zune asking for authentication during it's mount process.

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