8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Zen Micro software doesn't work with Windows 2000 - overall bad experience.
Date of Review: Apr 23, 2006
The Bottom Line: Buy the Ipod. Just do it.
I feel completely conned by Creative. Buying the Zen Micro has proved to be one of those frustrating consumer experiences where you think you are buying one thing, but you get something different, and then the manufacturer doesn't seem to care.
My PC operating system is Windows 2000. The packaging on the Zen Micro lists Windows 2000 as a compatible operating system. Wrong ! What they don't tell you is that you can't run the Creative media organizer software on Windows 2000. You need XP.
When I first installed the software and found that it could not "see" the Zen Micro I phoned the Creative helpdesk. I was told very matter-of-factly that the Creative software does not run on Windows 2000 and that I should uninstall all the Creative software from my machine. Incredible. I was speechless.
I was told to use Windows Media Player instead. Unfortunately you can't transfer playlists across such that the Zen Micro retains the playlist names. It's the songs that transfer across and if there are duplicate songs, well, hey, you end up with multiple versions of the songs. You only way of creating playlists is to do it in the Zen Micro itself.
I have tried Realplayer and Musicmatch as alternative organizers. Like WMP they can "see" the Zen Micro but they cannot be used to organise files on the Zen Micro. the only way do it is to use the Zen software itself - and if you don't run XP then you are well and truly shafted.
When you email the support desk all you get back is standard referrals to the online FAQs like I was some kind of idiot. They do not deal with the specific issue and noone has yet answered my question as to why can't I get the Zen Micro to work with Windows 2000 and why is there no warning of this on the box.
I have spent tens of hours in front of my computer "willing" my machine to connect to the Micro. Alas all in vain.
I contrast this experience with that of my wife's Ipod. It connected first time and is unbelievably easy to use. The playlists are easy to set up and transfer. If only I had listened to her and bought the Ipod instead; but no, I thought I would get better value from the Zen Micro. So that's how I came to be sitting here tearing my hair out and Creative are laughing all the way to the bank.
