Zune hacked for USB drive use

Microsoft won't let the Zune function as an external USB drive? Fine. We'll make it function as an external USB drive our damn selves. Looks like the fine chaps over at ZuneBoards have divined a method to make the non-MSC non-MTP Zune open the hell up and act like a real drive for god's sake. They haven't yet posted the tutorial on how to do it (so as far as we know this might be a hope-shattering Thanksgiving-day hoax) but we're kind of thinking those guys wouldn't let us all down like that, so watch out here for further developments.

[Thanks, Aaron R]

[aZTEKv2 @ Nov 23rd 2006 1:00PM]

That would be GREAT!
So far it's been a great device.
For those looking to get one cheap Google $40 off $199 @ Circuit City. Print the "hacked" (Photocopies not accepted, photoshopped out) coupon.
$200.00 Zune ^_^

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Tom @ Nov 23rd 2006 1:02PM]

it also looks like they are using vista. did they get that up too, or is it just the theme?

[shadekh @ Nov 23rd 2006 2:21PM]

Nah, its just the zune theme for windows xp, which was also featured on engadget sister site downloadsquad recently, i think. An orange and black theme kinda like the royale or royale noir themes. I happen to be currently using it.

[Aaron Rooney @ Nov 23rd 2006 2:14PM]

Here is the walkthrough!

http://phaleux.com/?p=8

[Earl @ Nov 23rd 2006 1:19PM]

Can't be used as external drive??!!!?? That is just ANOTHER reason why no one should buy this crap. M$ doing a great job here. iPod killer, huh?? At least I can keep my work files on my iPod

[Mike @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:49PM]

Wow, well this just opened up a whole new can of worms. I already liked the Zune better but this would just blow Ipod away so far it's not even funny.

No restrictions on music??? that would rock...

I'm sick of Ipod's bullshit

[JK @ Nov 24th 2006 12:30AM]

Tom thats not Vista...probably just a skin. You can tell by the min/max/close icons because they do not look like that on Vista.

[sbono13 @ Nov 23rd 2006 1:49PM]

It makes sense why Microsoft took out the ability to mount Zune as an external HD. Since the actual song files aren't modified when they are received (the DRM scheme does not actually change the files themselves), they are in the file structure somewhere. It will be interesting to see if this hack allows Zune users to just pull shared files off the Zune sans DRM.

[cjrenaud @ Nov 23rd 2006 10:12PM]

Not quite. DRM is embedded in the file itself--at the least, it "wraps" the file. So even if you get to the filesystem, you would still have to strip out the DRM additions.

[Tim @ Nov 23rd 2006 2:27PM]

@Tom

That is most definitely NOT Vista. One would hope that Microsoft's next-gen OS doesn't use the same exact icons as XP (though in Beta 1 and Beta 2, they did). The theme is a black version of the Royale theme released with XP Media Center.

Furthermore, as an owner of the Zune (got it on release day), using it as an external hard drive is the one thing I feel I'm missing over my iPod. Also, not being able to use it on Vista RC2 is a bummer, but it's not that big of a hassle...yet.

[Ricardo @ Nov 23rd 2006 2:19PM]

Tom
It is the Zune theme for Windows XP.

Earl
this hack and the future update will change this. Will you complaint about any other thing ?

-------------------------------------------
Bunch of apple fanboys without a clue !!!

[Jason Guicheteau @ Nov 23rd 2006 2:18PM]

Amazon xbox sold out in less then a minute. I tried and failed.

[Hugh Jass @ Nov 23rd 2006 2:19PM]

Do you mean they've "devised" a method?

[GJP303 @ Nov 23rd 2006 2:59PM]

ive been looking all day for it (only 20 mins) but still, and excuse me for my ignorance but the theme is only for the zune software, and not the theme for the os. right?

[Eh @ Nov 23rd 2006 2:35PM]

No HDD funciton is completely ridiculous. I was actually thinking of getting a Zune to replace my 3G ipod, but I use that hdd function so often that getting a Zune is now out of the question. Way to go MS.

And thats not Vista, its the Zune windows theme you can download from their site, it looks nothing like Vista.

[shadekh @ Nov 23rd 2006 3:09PM]

actually, no, its for the OS. Its like the shiny royale theme shipped with windows media center edition (and later made downloadable), but with an orange and black color scheme and a zune wpper.

here is the downloadsquad link:

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2006/11/03/windows-xp-zune-theme/

Its a nice theme, though i prefer the original Royale.

[Infekted @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:04PM]

I've been looking for it for a long time. Nice work...

Infekted

[E71 @ Nov 23rd 2006 3:11PM]

Zune sucks anyway. Can't think of anything it excels over other daps/pmps/dvrs.

[Landincoldfire @ Nov 23rd 2006 3:40PM]

Having a Zune will only be worth it if the unit it completely hacked. Thus, allowing a user to fully take advantage of the Wifi, using the device as a DRM free music player that can second as a USB hard drive will as get the tech savy to purchase of these.

[Rob @ Nov 23rd 2006 3:55PM]

Your comments: Fake fake fake, Look at 3rd and 4th pictures. The second part of the parth hSup\storage is higher, zoom in on the image. Also Since when the hell does an external device path say My computer\ device name?
NEVER it always sayss Device Name\ folder \ folder etc

If this is true then I'll be very suprised, but looks like a publicity stunt.

Rob

[redders @ Nov 24th 2006 7:30AM]

you obviously have never used a 'mobile device' in Windows XP... This is EXACTLY how they display in explorer. Check your facts before you go and question the authenticity of an article.

[boss sauce @ Nov 23rd 2006 4:45PM]

"so watch out here for further developments."

um... no-- we should check for zuneboards.com updates at zuneboards.com.

[elgruga @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:09PM]

You BOUGHT a Zune?! Bwahahahahahaha!
I recommend stealing one - spending any cash on this piece of crap is silly.

If you dont like Apple (how childish this is) then get a Toshiba, A Sandisk, Sony - the list is endless and they are ALL way better than the Zune.
Hell get a Palm TX and put a 4 gig card in it - boom, you have a iPod nano that surfs the net and sends email plays movies, etc - huge screen!

[Earl @ Nov 23rd 2006 10:07PM]

"No restrictions on music??? that would rock..."

First off, they never said you have "no restrictions on music." What "music restrictions" does iPod have? I copy all my cds and drag the files to the iPod through iTunes. That's all I do. Only other thing I use it for is saving my files so I can work at school. iPod shows up as "removable media," no tweaks necessary.

But if you are talking about taking songs from iPod and copy to PC, there are plenty of programs that give that access.

[sbono13 @ Nov 24th 2006 10:08AM]

Common misconception, but this member of the Zune team says that the shared file is NOT modified when shared via Z2Z:

"We don�t actually �wrap all songs up in DRM:� Zune to Zune Sharing doesn�t change the DRM on a song, and it doesn�t impose DRM restrictions on any files that are unprotected. If you have a song - say that you got �free and clear� - Zune to Zune Sharing won�t apply any DRM to that song. The 3-day/3-play limitation is built into the device, and it only applies on the Zune device: when you receive a song in your Inbox, the file remains unchanged."

http://zuneinsider.com/archive/2006/09/19/980.aspx

[Hugo @ Nov 24th 2006 1:12AM]

This isn't really "HDD mode" as you might understand it on other units; you *can't* run or open files with your Zune accessed in this way - you need to copy them off first.

What it's doing it exposing the "filesystem" presented by the MS playsforsure USB protocol in an explorer style window (like Nokia's plugins do for non-USB-MSC phones). You get the same behavior with playsforsure devices and windows XP.

This means you can't use this "trick" on anything by recent MS operating systems...

[RGabo @ Nov 24th 2006 3:33AM]

The screenshot shows a folder layout of an MTP device, the *.fil files suggest that. You'd get similar on an iriver clix, for instance.

fake :)

[tekdroid @ Nov 25th 2006 7:54PM]

right, instead the Zune device itself enforces the 3-days-or-3-plays restriction, it doesn't change the file itself. So how is this good to Joe Customer? It's the same result, just done differently. The restrictions are still in place.

Good. How?

[sbono13 @ Nov 25th 2006 8:29PM]

My point is that the unblemished files might be there for the taking once the Zune is mounted in this new USB mass storage mode. Seems like that would be pretty good for any Joe Consumer bent on stealing music...

[tekdroid @ Nov 25th 2006 11:56PM]

yep, or legitimately sharing their own non-RIAA music.

[Chansinator. @ Jan 3rd 2007 9:29PM]

So I went into the registry to change those 3 things that need to be changed but they weren't there. I made sure that the zune wasn't plugged in and the software wasn't running, but even after that, the 3 things still weren't there. Anyone wanna help me out????

For the record, I'm kinda just starting to learn about computers :)