MSFT Zune does not work with MSFT XP

[Plunker]

I am astounded at how difficult it is to get my new Zune 30Gb to work on my HP Athalon Windows XP machine! I had to edit the registry to unscramble the Zune splash screen which was telling me that my video chain was not the latest and greatest. Fine, now past that.

I connect the Zune with the USB and the Zune software starts an says "no device connected". I wait... "please connect your Zune" or some such message.

I never had any such issues with the several iPods in our family. So, I am on the verge of returning the Zune 30Gb to Amazon and writing a scathing review unless I can figure out a simple way to get this MSFT product to work with this MSFT product!

[Plunker]

Spent a couple of hours last night re-installing and tried a different computer. Varying degrees of failure.

I can't imagine what a household without a tenacious technical geek would do with this product! A most unfriendly and, as of this moment, unusable thing. Really a waste of time - thank goodness the retailer has a return policy.

Microsoft should be ashamed!