Rescue songs from crushed MP3 player - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Thad Herring
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 12, 2014, 11:21:55 pm
content: This may be the wrong place to ask, but I am hoping someone knowledgeable will point me in the right direction.Two of my daughter's most cherished possessions, her phone and her MP3 player, were always with her, where ever she went. Three years ago, she was walking home, and was killed by a hit and run driver. The phone was scattered down the road in pieces, but the MP3 player, a Creative Zen, was still in her pocket. The display was cracked and the case was just barely bent. I had hoped to be able to download her music, or at least get a record of the songs and artists she had been listening to - her last chance to introduce me to something new - but it wouldn't come on. No flicker of life no matter what I tried. I contacted Creative, and they were polite and sympathetic, but not helpful. I put it away with other mementos and tried to move on.I was listening to music and thinking of her today, and it occurred to me that perhaps there was an online community that might be able to help. I searched for a forum of electronic tinkerers, and found you. Can anyone suggest how or where I should start?

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2014, 11:27:21 pm
content: Thad, very sorry to hear. Please fill out your location, perhaps someone in your area could take a look at it.

author: Thad Herring
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 12, 2014, 11:28:45 pm
content: I live in Arlington, Texas.

author: fluxcapacitor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2014, 11:43:48 pm
content: There may be some corrosion on the contacts and the battery may need replacing.Try plugging it into a pc via transfer cable/usb cable if it has one .Can you tell us what the model number is.

author: Thad Herring
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 12:34:49 am
content: I tried attaching it to my PC immediately after I got it back. The device did not react in any way (the led charge light did not come on), nor did the computer. The battery is not designed to be user replaceable and I have not attempted to open the device. I don't have immediate access to the device, but I believe the model number is DVP-FL0001. This is a picture I pulled from the web.https://www.dropbox.com/s/1qpfr8v3lhzo4cq/B000UV4EU6-4.jpg

author: fluxcapacitor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 12:58:19 am
content: you can replace the battery.Theres a couple of disassembly videos on youtube :I dont recommend using any sort of knife though,use spudgers/pry tools ,you`ll get them from ebay .Also take a look at the usb socket if its loose solder it back or replace the socket.

author: kolonelkadat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 01:28:48 am
content: Im not sure Im not retarded, so keep that in mind as you read my words.there could be any amount of damage to components and internal pcb layers. Since the data seems to be what youre after, maybe the easiest thing would be to buy a working mp3 player of the same make and model, then switch out the memory modules.

author: ConnorGames
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 02:40:57 am
content: If it is really that valuable to you, don't take chances trying to do it yourself. Send it to a data recovery company.

author: fluxcapacitor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 02:49:07 am
content: Quote from: kolonelkadat on May 13, 2014, 01:28:48 amIts not that simple i`m afraid.You need a nand reader and software to recover it properly.This is what the data recovery companies usehttp://flash-extractor.com/http://www.pc-3000flash.com/eng/index.php

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 04:11:57 am
content: What year is the Zen? I've had one since they came out. Converted to flash drive and use several I bought dead on eBay just because it is my favorite mp3 player.I have many I scrapped to weasle off say a headphone jack and the like.If it is old enough, like mine that have a spinning hard drive, (I converted to ssd). I am very familiar with those and could help.JhEdit: never mind, yours is a lot newer. Wonder if though, you get the Zen format mp3 files off it and put them in similar player or even one like mine. Mine uses certain formats That generally won't play on say, VLC, unless you jump hoops.Try to make forensic copy of the flash memory or whatever media is on there and work from that copy. Or make more forensic copies to send out.Forensic drive copy is what I would do first, Google it, or ask here.

author: Jonny
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 08:34:53 am
content: Can I play devils advocate and just ask, is there an SD card in the SD card slot that you can pull out and read via a card reader (many newer computers/laptops have build in card slots).

author: Towger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 09:33:07 am
content: I have two the same model as the photo, at least it looks the same. The have a SD slot and built in memory, I am sure the OP has tried the SD card, if there was one. The songs are just standard mp3s files, copied over from a computer. It does not come with a charger, you connect it via USB to a computer and it mounts like a flash drive and charges. There is special software for it, but there is no need to use it, unlike an Apple device.They have lithium ion battery and if let run down, the device will not respond/charge when first connected to a computer.OP, try connecting it to a computer and leaving it 'charging' for several hours, then disconnect and reconnect it and it may then come to life and mount as an additional drive etc.

author: Yago
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 11:52:01 am
content: A very sad story ThadI wish you best of luck with this.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 11:59:35 am
content: It occurs to me that you don't need strictly need to extract the music itself, just the list of artists and song titles. Once you have those, the music itself is almost certain to be readily available commercially.Does that simplify the data recovery task?

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 12:52:54 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on May 13, 2014, 11:59:35 amPerhaps, if getting the device to function proves impossible then dumping the flash memory chip itself might yield the ID3 tags in easy to spot ASCII.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 01:13:51 pm
content: Get an image of the flash. Unless it's been subject to electrical abuse or physically damaged, NAND flash is pretty robust. It will likely contain both a firmware partition and a filesystem partition, you're interested in the contents of the latter.I've played around with MP3 players beforebut not your model, so I can't say that much more about the filesystem partition layout.The page athttp://www.rockbox.org/wiki/CreativeZENsuggests it's standard TSOP type flash, which is not difficult to read.(You could also pay a data recovery company to do this for you. Depends on how much you think it's worth.)

author: jlmoon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 03:49:56 pm
content: Thad,Sorry for your loss! Have you considered the idea of contacting Creative Labs Engineering Division to see if they could help? I'm sure they would jump to the occasion if your explained the circumstances, I wouldn't trust a data recovery service unless they are Golden in what they do. Best of Luck to you!JLMoonTexas

author: AKM
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 03:54:51 pm
content: I think the easiest way would be just to repair the player.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2014, 04:16:10 pm
content: Very sorry to hear of your loss.I have one of these players that I would be able to transfer the damaged units memory chips into, but the problem is the transportation to the UK of a damaged device that contains a lithium battery....it is not permitted under IATA to transport it by air. transportation.IMHO, the ZEN should be treated in the same way as a hard disk with damaged controller board. Buy another ZEN unit on the used market and ask a qualified tech to transfer the memory chips into the newly aquired unit where it may be read. Another thought....the files in the ZEN got in there somehow.... is a back-up or 'ZEN' upload collection present on your daughters computer ? It may be worth looking to see if she had an MP3 transfer file for her ZEN. It would be a lot simpler than trying to resurrect the damaged ZEN.Please be VERY careful if trying to recharge the unit. A damaged or punctured lithium polymer battery can cause a serious fire.Kind RegardsFraser