Audio file is not valid or not recognized

[ron2112]

It seems like I should have found an existing thread on this, but searching turned up nothing useful. Sorry if I overlooked it. Anyway...

I have a number of mp3s that play fine on every other device, and some of which have been on my ZVM in the past. But now when I try to transfer them to the player, I get...

"Cannot copy '[filename]': the audio file is not valid or not recognized. Do you want to skip this file?"

I see nothing unusual about these files. Normal filenames, converted with the same codec as everything else in my collection, all file properties look normal, no other software reports an issue with them. Anyone have a clue?

thanks!
Ron Moses

[CrowdAds]

[FrododorF]

what software are you trying to sync them with?

[ron2112]

I typically use Creative Media Explorer, but I've tried MediaSource Organizer as well, both of which are the current releases. My firmware is up to date as well.

Perhaps I should post one of these mystery mp3s to see if anyone else has the same issue. It will have to wait until I get home this evening, alas.

Ron Moses

[ZenChick]

Please do not post any of your MP3's.

I have a couple of questions: Do you have Windows Media Player 11 installed? If so, have you installed the update patch for Creative Media Explorer?

[ron2112]

Originally Posted by ZenChick

Please do not post any of your MP3's.

I didn't mean on the forum, I meant on my own site. Sorry for not being more clear. Would it be acceptable to post a link to a test file hosted on my site?

I have a couple of questions: Do you have Windows Media Player 11 installed? If so, have you installed the update patch for Creative Media Explorer?

I do have WMP11, but I haven't used it in quite some time. I've never used it to interface with my Zen. But I do have all the latest files available at the Creative site.

Ron Moses

[ZenChick]

You installed #5 on this list?

If so, then I would suggest trying to drag-and-drop the problem file directly onto your player (you'll find its icon in "My Computer", it will be named whatever you named your player). If the file works on your player, then the problem may well rest with the Creative software.

[ron2112]

Originally Posted by ZenChick

You installed #5 on this list?

Yep! Well, technically I grabbed it from the 60GB page, but same difference.

If so, then I would suggest trying to drag-and-drop the problem file directly onto your player (you'll find its icon in "My Computer", it will be named whatever you named your player). If the file works on your player, then the problem may well rest with the Creative software.

Isn't Creative Media Explorer just Windows Explorer with an added main page? That's where I've been dragging and dropping my files.

Ron Moses

[ZenChick]

Originally Posted by ron2112

Isn't Creative Media Explorer just Windows Explorer with an added main page? That's where I've been dragging and dropping my files.

No, not quite. It's essentially a sync manager with a drag-and-drop interface like Explorer, but it doesn't work quite the same. Try using the true Windows Explorer interface, and you'll see the difference.

[ron2112]

Hmmm... forgive me if I come off a bit thick, but it appears that if I try to open it up in Windows Explorer, I get the Media Explorer. This is what I see specifically:



I assume you're not saying to drop the files directly on to the icon labeled "Zen Vision:M Series Media Exlplorer"? Again, forgive me for being dense, but I have a feeling you're telling me to transfer the files the way I normally do, drilling down to the Music folder and dragging and dropping. Sorry if I didn't express that properly. Anyway, that's when I get the "file is not valid" message.

Thanks for the help, by the way.

Ron Moses

[ZenChick]

Yeah, there's an icon not showing up in your Explorer. Back when I was using Media Explorer, before I began beta-testing WMP11, I'd have two icons - one was labelled "Zen Vision:M Series Media Explorer" (this was the Media Explorer interface), and one labelled "Kat's Zen" (what I had named my player - this was the direct Explorer interface). I don't know why yours isn't showing up.

If you have a test MP3 that doesn't violate copyright, go ahead and post a link to it.

[ron2112]

Originally Posted by ZenChick

Yeah, there's an icon not showing up in your Explorer.

Well, that turned out to be useful info! I found an option under the properties of the player in Media Explorer that says "Show my player as a Portable Media Device in Windows Explorer." Checked that, and voila, there's the missing icon. The tracks dragged over to the player perfectly using this method.

And then I fired up the Zen and the tracks weren't listed. So I re-docked it, went into MediaSource Organizer, and there were the tracks... all listed as being untagged. Which is weird, because those tracks are definitely tagged, but I guess I'm not surprised given the weirdness of the whole situation. I tagged them through Organizer, and the tracks appeared in the player. They play with no problem, but they're missing their album art, and are showing zero length. The zero length I can live with. I'll have to find a solution to the album art problem in another thread.

I would like to have posted a link to an mp3, so maybe someone might determine what exactly is so wonky with these files, but alas they are copyrighted material. Oh well.

Thanks for all the help!!!

Ron Moses

[ZenChick]

If you get a chance, try re-ripping those songs; or use MP3 Tag Tools to strip all non-ID3 tag information from the affected files, then wipe and re-add the ID3 information.

Some metadata of some sort (possibly corrupt) in these songs is causing these bizarre issues.

[ron2112]

I had to strip all the tags, not just the non-ID3 ones, but all of the files are now being recognized just fine, even after re-tagging. Thanks so much for the help!!!

Ron Moses

[ZenChick]