Zune on Linux Progress

Mammlouk · 02-27-2007, 11:25 PM

Since I haven't heard much from anyone here on this front I will post my current progress. I have in no way created any mentioned programs or contributed any amazing code, this is just what I have learned/accomplished by doing everything I can on Linux to get into my Zune.

Important Software:
Amarok 1.4.5 (compiled with libmtp support)
libmtp 0.1.3
VMWare-Player with Windows XP SP2 installed

What I can Do:
View songs on Zune
Delete Songs from Zune
Sync songs from Zune to Linux PC

How:

View Songs on Zune:
All you need for this are Amarok compiled for libmtp and libmtp (only tested with 0.1.3)
In Amarok go to Settings>Configure Amarok>Media Devices
Now add an MTP Device and name it Zune
In the main Amarok window select the Media Devices tab to the left on the bottom.
Now go to the dropdown list just below where it says connect and disconnect.
Choose the Zune MTP device.
Now click the connect button.
Give it some time and your music list should populate.

Delete Songs from Zune:
Follow the directions above.
Choose a song
Right click and choose delete from device.

Sync Zune Music to Linux PC:
This one requires VMWare-Player with Windows XP.
Run your XP Virtual Machine and start the Zune software (install and configure it first

)
Now when your Zune shows "Connected" close out the VMWare-Player
- ctrl + alt to release mouse from player
- Choose the Player menu and then quit.
Your Zune should still show connected.
Now connect via amarok and this time while it is getting the music list it should say syncing.
Now the Zune will allow you to download all the music you want onto your hardrive!

I know it's not a huge accomplishment, but at least it's something!

lpxxfaintxx · 02-28-2007, 04:25 AM

Nice man, keep up the good work.

uaktags · 02-28-2007, 08:32 AM

For those Linux people out there, this is probably a nice little guide for them. It helps paving the way for more ppl to be able to use Zune, in the long run. Good Job dude.

PityOnU · 02-28-2007, 12:21 PM

Dude that's AWESOME! Are you a H&M member on another site or something?

Seriously, though. This is big stuff. Why don't you post this in the "Complete" part of this forum

I can't wait to try my Zune on my Linux PC! (frantically dashes away with Zune in hand)

Phlag · 02-28-2007, 03:05 PM

I'm not trying to lessen Mammlouk's work, but this method has been known for a while, so I wouldn't necessarily call it "big stuff." It is, however, a good guide for using the Zune through VMware.
http://www.google.com/search?q=zune+...ient=firefox-a

ZunePet · 03-06-2007, 03:20 PM

(more detailed reply lost in forum transition)
Both approaches are old news (Windows ZUNE.EXE under an emulator and Linux native libmtp).
Please see this post from last year: http://www.zune-online.com/news/zune...and-linux.html

Please keep posting your progress. Hopefully more people will get interested.

blong · 03-06-2007, 03:38 PM

can u still do all the normal zune stuf

Mitch · 03-06-2007, 07:26 PM

I hate linux...it makes me angry.

but keep working

Marshillboy · 03-07-2007, 03:40 PM

Why does linux make you angry? If it weren't for games, I would most definitely be using a nice gui-based distro right now. I find it a very amiable and most definitely plausible alternative to windows.

PityOnU · 03-07-2007, 03:51 PM

It makes you sound really smart if you use it, too

P.S. - No, of course you can't use the Zune program on Linux

Mammlouk · 03-07-2007, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blong

can u still do all the normal zune stuf

I can do all of the normal Zune stuff, but it's really just the same as anyone else using windows (I just do it through VMWare). As far as natively on Linux, not yet, but I'm trying to do as much as possible. It's gonna take time. The hard thing for me is that I work 12 hour shifts, go to school, and have a wife and child with another on the way. It's extremely hard to find enough hours in the day. If I could run linux here at work it would be great, but sadly I can't so all I can do with downtime at work is homework for school, watch the forums, and work on my gamercards.

Syco54645 · 03-14-2007, 10:22 AM

how does it work under the newest cvs version of wine? i dont have my zune yet, so i cannot check. i dont really want to throw it on my windows box as it is slow and oh yeah, i hate windows (the machine came from the dumpster and is a 1.4 amd duron. my main machine is a 2000+ athlon xp, running linux of course).

edit:
i dont have my zune yet, so i cannot test it.

Mammlouk · 03-14-2007, 06:38 PM

I haven't checked the most recent build, but in 0.9.30 it wouldn't even install. I haven't tried copying over the previously instaleed files yet, but I suspect that either way it will have issues not because of the software as much as not being able to interfac with the driver to find the Zune.

Trogdor · 04-06-2007, 01:01 PM

you can get a program that emulates windows programs to a certain extent on macs and some linuxes so who knows maybe it would work through one of those?

MajerPayne · 04-06-2007, 01:51 PM

Sounds saweet cant wait to try it out!

twistedneck · 05-01-2007, 07:38 AM

I'm trying the VMWARE method, can't get USB working. USB shows up fine under 'lsusb' in ubuntu, but in the xp vmplaer i can't get the USB's to show up.

Help! I did disable USB2.0 support in the Bios.. and the 2.0 loader did not show up (1.1 did).

Is there a way to test if 1.1 support is active?

collingall2005 · 05-01-2007, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twistedneck

I'm trying the VMWARE method, can't get USB working. USB shows up fine under 'lsusb' in ubuntu, but in the xp vmplaer i can't get the USB's to show up.

Help! I did disable USB2.0 support in the Bios.. and the 2.0 loader did not show up (1.1 did).

Is there a way to test if 1.1 support is active?

i Know that it has 1.1 support, because i installed it on an older pc that only had usb 1.1

twistedneck · 05-01-2007, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by collingall2005

i Know that it has 1.1 support, because i installed it on an older pc that only had usb 1.1

I've heard it has 1.1 support.. but i can't get anything working in usb / xp.

I'm going install vmware server to get some more config options.

I'm also going to try changing the network protocol for vmware - xp window.

collingall2005 · 05-01-2007, 12:30 PM

you might also try qemu, i've herd it has better support for usb devices

twistedneck · 05-01-2007, 01:18 PM

Fixed it! Thanks to the internet gurus..

Zune usb device now connects to Ubuntu and Vmplayer XP.

Run this command first to mount usbfs to the file system used by vmware /proc/bus/usb.

mount -t usbfs /dev/bus/usb /proc/bus/usb

Dont forget to disable usb 2.0 in the bios.

http://home.comcast.net/~jcheck10/Zune-Ubuntu.png