Zune Firmware 1.2 Released

[Darius Wey]

<img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/wey-20060722-zune.gif" alt="" /><br /><br />Microsoft has released Firmware 1.2 for the Zune. It's a great early Christmas present, but if you were hoping to see some new features (proper podcasting support, wireless streaming - you name it), you'll be sorely disappointed. Read on for a drill down of the update experience.<br /><div style="page-break-after: always;"><span style="display: none;"> </span></div><br /><img border="1" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/wey-20061219-zunefw12a.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />We took the opportunity to update three Zune devices today. We received an update notification with one Zune, but there was no notification love to be had with the other two. Instead, the update process had to be initiated manually via the &quot;Check for Zune Device Updates&quot; menu option.<br /><br /><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/wey-20061219-zunefw12b.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><em>&quot;How about giving it a little love?&quot;</em><br /><br />If there was love, we certainly weren't feeling it. With our fingers crossed, we were hoping for a better update experience from hereon.<br /><br />Side note: Firmware 1.2 enhances the stability and performance of the Zune device. We took time out to perform a few quick tests to assess the validity of this claim, and to our delight, scrolling through content felt a lot faster than ever before.<br /><br /><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/wey-20061219-zunefw12c.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />This is the moment where our hearts skipped a few beats, hoping that nothing would go wrong.<br /><br /><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/wey-20061219-zunefw12d.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />With the newly-downloaded firmware update transferred, it was time for a bit of flashing. We counted two reboots before the Zune was successfully updated.<br /><br /><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/wey-20061219-zunefw12e.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />This window appeared after the update. Unfortunately, it was a little ugly. With one of the Zune devices, we were left staring at this &quot;finalizing device updates&quot; message for a good twenty minutes. Surely, it doesn't take that long to finalize an update, especially when there's no hard disk or internet activity.<br /><br />We took a deep breath and hit &quot;Cancel&quot; - and all was golden.<br /><br /><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/zt/2006/wey-20061219-zunefw12f.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />Cheers, Microsoft. We're thankful our Zune devices came out of this unscathed, but our stress-regulating adrenal glands aren't happy.

[enemes]

2 reboots kinda make sense:

1. update the boot loader -> reboot
2. update firmware -> reboot

Update to boot loader (if it's indeed the cause for the first reboot) can mean many things and possibly point to new features to come in the near future (keeping fingers crossed.)

[Jason Dunn]

Things are definitely faster - I've noticed now I can go into an album with 500+ images, go into full-screen mode, and press forward on the control pad as fast as I can...and I never get the "waiting" indicator. 1.1 couldn't do that. I did wonder if I had bricked one of the Zunes here though...:confused: I updated a v.1.0 devices straight to v.1.2 and it was stuck in a "connect to your PC" screen and nothing I did would get rid of it. I ended up connecting it to another PC - my laptop - instead of my normal Zune synching PC and all of a sudden the update progressed ok. So I pity the person who does a v.1.0 > v.1.2 update...:(

[djosephs]

I had the same experience. The update screen was hanging so I checked the Zune and it was disconnected so I felt comfortable hitting "cancel" just like in one of the previous posts. It is too bad it was not smoother but the performance is definitely better on my Zune. It will be interesting to see all of the updates in the coming months as Microsoft beefs up the features and performance.

[Aaron Roma]

I've got my unit updated. I had one nervous moment when the update hung for about 10 minutes. Turns out it wasn't Zune's fault though; my DSL line dropped in the middle of downloading the update. After my DSL line came back up, everything when quick and smooth, although after canceling the original update, I wasn't prompted for the update again and had to manually initiate. (Offtopic: My Verizon DSL line has been agravating the CRAP out of me for the past week. It's been completely dropping out a couple of times a day, and running at a burning 150K. Time to give Verizon a call.)

[poxtomod]

Product firmware updates for sure can fix a variety of minor and major glitches in system operations ; as well as occasionally offer up new system features. The video game systems and an upconverting DVD player I own have seen firmware upgrades issued that fix very little and bring on more restrictions to me, the end user then ever before. Sometimes the new firmware is rushed out to the public (Xbox 360) and causes more problems then it fixes. This makes me wonder why there is an update already,oh yeah it would be the second time I upgraded firmwares in 5 weeks.

Is Microsoft trying to shore up the hackability of its wifi or find other ways to secure music rights for the music industry? It already pays a royalty to one company and for sure the other companies are looking at this as well. Apple even has concerns they will be targeted next. A perfect example of hampering consumer interests is the lack of radio recording that older players incorporated but the Zune wont. Wasn't this suppose to be a feature from the start..

Without added features being added I will probably wait to upgrade my firmware for right now . I have not encountered any problems yet with my Zune and accept how the software works, at least for now anyways.

[rom]

I thought it was only me who did the "cancel" clicking thing. :D

[mrozema]

That update worked so smooth! That is, once I manually checked for updates :rolleyes:

[LPD]

My update was fast and smooth. But once again the guys at Engadget.com had all kinds of problems. Something tells me its from all the stuff the load on to their PCs that normal people don't.

[rzanology]

this update is a god send. i was having all types of issues with this thing....it was slow...freezing all over the place. now?....solid as a rock. lets hope they can focus on some new features now. and completly knock steves jobs and his clown community out the water.

[Damion Chaplin]

Mine rebooted three times for some reason. However, it took all of 4 minutes until it said update complete... Keep 'em coming, MS! :)

[David Tucker]

yeah, my update was quick and painless. Just a couple minutes.

[fem.]

I tried to install the update...it's been in the "waiitng for the device to update" status for over an hour

I'm scared to disconnect it, what should I do? :o

edit: nevermind I just disconnected it, the zune thinks its been updated to 1.2 properly at least

[enemes]

This is for the folks who were having problems installing 1.2...

Did you have it plugged in into USB Hub per chance? If not, did you plug it in through a port on the back or the front of your PC? Just curious. This might be a problem related to USB hubs.

[Darius Wey]

Did you have it plugged in into USB Hub per chance? If not, did you plug it in through a port on the back or the front of your PC? Just curious. This might be a problem related to USB hubs.

No USB hub here. My Zune was plugged into a front USB port of a Mac Pro (the power ratings of the front and back ports are the same).

Based on reports from other users, it seems like the update issues are software-related, and not so much user-related. It's a bit of a hit-and-miss, though - so some people experience said issues, some people don't.

[PHiBRELiNX]

Mine hanged for a long time because I left it while I did other things.
I came back and it says:

CONNECT TO PC
"in German"
"in French"

The Zune Software says: Updating - Do not disconnect.

I cancelled it. It didnt make sense.

When I booted the Zune back up. It had the same message:

CONNECT TO PC
"in German"
"in French"


I was like ****!. Firmware got corrupted - Time to exchange.

Before I did:

I plugged the USB Connection In the back of USB from Front USB and went all well.

:)

[Thub]

My zune refuses to update. The zune screen sits at "connected" with the lag dots never moving. the computer goes through the autodetect of the firmware, prompts me and after I get to the part where the update would actually happen, it sits for aout 15 minutes and then tells me "could not change sync settings" web help says it's not responding. I'm using the back USB port and version 1.0 is currently on there.