Question about "New hardware found" pop-up

[cc1]

A co-worker of mine is quite ill and we collected money and purchased a Sony Walkman mp3 player for him. He asked it I?d load it with some songs, which I?ve done. Of course, in that process, I connected the mpg player to my computer via the usb cable.

 

As is the case whenever a new device is connected to a computer this way, a pop-up message appeared on my pc stating ?New hardware found?.

 

Everything has been downloaded onto that mp3 player now. (Note that I did not download or install onto my computer any of the Sony Walkman software that came with it. Instead, I simply used drag and drop to copy my mp3?s onto the Walkman, and that process worked fine.)

 

Since we?re giving the Sony Walkman as a gift to the co-worker, I don?t expect to ever be connecting that unit to my computer again. My question: Given that the pop-up message ?New hardware found? appeared when I first connected the Walkman to my computer, does this mean there?s something now installed on my computer that I should delete? Again, I didn?t install any of the Walkman?s software that came with the mp3 player. All I did was to connect it to my pc via the usb cable.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Chris

[FearNothingProductions]

cc1-

 

Whenever you connect a device to your computer for the first time via USB 2.0, the device will install preliminary driver hardware that will allow it to function and communicate with your computer via the USB connection. In your case, the only hardware installed was the device drivers that allowed you computer to talk to the mp3 player. If you didn't install any software that came with the device, there's nothing you need to worry about. Small device drivers like that take up almost no space and won't adversely affect your system's function.

 

However, this does bring up a different issue. If your mp3 player needed that software to upload your mp3's to the device, it's possible that your device won't be able to play those songs. It's like trying to drop and drag files straight onto an iPod- it just doesn't work. You need iTunes in order to listen to those songs. Otherwise, your iPod is essentially functioning as a USB flash drive that is holding mp3 files.

 

I recommend that you check with your manufacturers details and confirm that dragging and dropping mp3 files straight on to the device via conventional USB connection will allow the device to function properly. If not, it sounds like you (or whoever is using the device) will need to install the software that came with the device.

 

Hope that helps! Let me know if you need any more assistance

[DennisD]

Hi Chris.

 

I've got a Sony Walkman, and it doesn't install or need any propriety software or drivers to function. Once connected it uses a generic Microsoft driver to do its stuff.

 

As mentioned by FearNothingProductions above, Windows has simply configured itself to handle the "newly found" hardware.

 

Sony deliberately built the modern Walkmans to be simply plug in and use, to get away from the much disliked restrictive methods employed by company's like Apple and itself until very recently.

 

Drag and drop is what it's designed to do, or it works well with Windows Media Player which I use.

 

One of the programs on the bundled CD is Windows Media Player 11, along with an audio conversion tool and their own Media Manager. That one I wouldn't touch, as Sony needs to know the colour of your eyes and what time you go to bed before it allows you the privilege of installing it.

 

If the new owner wants to get the best out of it with embedded artwork and tags to properly display each albums artwork and track listing, I would suggest installing MP3Tag, which is probably the best Tag Editor out there IMHO, and it's free.

 

http://www.mp3tag.de/en/

 

If you or the new owner need any more info on this Chris, give us a shout. And all the best to your co-worker.

[FearNothingProductions]

DennisD-

 

Thanks. I didn't know if Sony's mp3 players supported drop-and-drag functionality.

 

And I've never used MP3Tag, but I'm glad you mentioned it. I'm in the market for a new music player after my iPod got stolen, and the new iPod touches are just too expensive. Thanks for the info

[redhawk]

I think in all fairness most mp3 players are flash based drives with a few exceptions such as Apple and iRiver perhaps (although iRiver do provide firmware updates to make them UMS complaint).

If you still need an iPod replacement then perhaps the Cowon iAudio D2 media player with SDHC support would suit your needs.

Plenty on amazon to choose from just avoid the ones with built-in DAB they suffer from poor reception apparently.

 

Richard S.

[FearNothingProductions]

Thanks redhawk! I love finding off-brand products that have the same functionality as the big name products but have the pricetag. Thanks a lot!

[cc1]

Much thanks to all for your responses. I appreciate knowing I don't need to clean up anything from my system regarding the "New hardware found" message.

 

The tunes I dropped and dragged into the Walkman play fine (as confirmed by Dennis in his post). I even dropped and dragged the most recent Star Trek movie by using Xmedia Recode to convert the vob files to mp4 format. It worked perfectly.

 

This Walkman is a really neat player. Very simple to use with great sound. I hunted around on Amazon and finally selected it. Tempted to get one for myself.

 

Dennis, thanks for the well-wishes regarding my co-worker. He's got a tough struggle ahead and I think the Walkman will provide some fun for him.

 

I visit this forum just about every day and I don't think there's a better group of people that stand at the ready to offer help. You're all a class act.

[DennisD]

DennisD-

 

Thanks. I didn't know if Sony's mp3 players supported drop-and-drag functionality.

 

And I've never used MP3Tag, but I'm glad you mentioned it. I'm in the market for a new music player after my iPod got stolen, and the new iPod touches are just too expensive. Thanks for the info

 

You're welcome, and I did have a slight advantage over you there being a Walkman owner.

[FearNothingProductions]

You're welcome, and I did have a slight advantage over you there being a Walkman owner.

 

Yeah yeah yeah. I haven't had any problems with iPod software or performance. The price just gets a little out of hand.

[DennisD]

Yeah yeah yeah. I haven't had any problems with iPod software or performance. The price just gets a little out of hand.

 

You misunderstood what I meant by having an advantage over you.

 

I didn't mean the hardware, I meant being a Walkman owner I had an advantage in giving Chris a definitive answer to his question.

 

I never criticise other folks gear as it's all down to personal taste.

 

Just thought I'd clear that up.

[FearNothingProductions]

Oh, okay. No worries, a little ribbing never hurt anyone. Take it easy, man.

[DennisD]

Oh, okay. No worries, a little ribbing never hurt anyone. Take it easy, man.

 

Thanks, but I don't need to take it easy.

 

I thought you may have been offended when you thought I was rubbishing the iPod, so I thought I'd make sure you weren't.

 

Nothing more than that really.

[ident]

Not read every post, (as seen the threads been answered)

 

But over all any mp3 that does not allow drag and drop should be shot

 

sony ftw

[FearNothingProductions]

Thanks, but I don't need to take it easy.

 

I thought you may have been offended when you thought I was rubbishing the iPod, so I thought I'd make sure you weren't.

 

Nothing more than that really.

 

No worries. And I'm from California, so my 'Take it easy' is a laid-back goodbye, not a 'Chill out, don't get angry'.

 

Sorry for any confusion.