[SOLVED] Recovering my collection. HELP!

[Zerglingleader]

I know this has been noted in the past but I figure that we could make an end-all be-all thread that ends with a solid, definitive answer. Like many others I lost my collection on my hard drive, and now it only exists on my Zune. It was a collection that I'd like to get back. so Im going to ask the question.

How do I get my music from my zune, back to my PC???

I'm getting pretty understandably frustrated. "Copy to my collection" does absolutely nothing. flat out jack. I don't even know why the option is still there if it does NOTHING.

I run Zune 3.1. I tried the HDD patch. It said the patch failed, but it didn't... to an extent. I can see the Zune on "my computer," but when I try to copy music I get what everyone else has been getting. "Error, Access Denied." I just want something very simple. Something that an off-brand MP3 would give me without question.

How do I get back my collection? Is it even possible? Help me please!

[Charge]

the HDD patch doesnt work with 3.1 and that is a definitive answer to that one. It only works 2.5 and below. The only way to downgrade is to wipe your zune, which defeats the point. Try installing the software onto another computer and connecting your Zune as a guest, and copying music that way.

You want a definitive answer? There isn't one. Copy to Collection usually works. If it doesnt god knows what the problem is

The HDD hack is definitely not the answer, i can tell you that.

[Zerglingleader]

wow. I discovered something. I realize what I was doing wrong. When I moved my collection to my hard drive I had to re-sync it from it's new location. Before that all the songs and albums were still listed, but none of them would play because their location had changed. All of my music was on my Hard Drive when it was stolen, so everything was still listed on my zune software. I had to delete it from the collection section, then attach my zune and copy to collection. The listings were giving the program the illusion that my collection was all accounted for. I guess it took me posting my problem to figure it out myself. Sorry everyone...

[Charge]

No that's fine, it gives a solution to other people.

There are many Solutions to this. Thank you for giving us one!

[eppey1]

uhhh... 1 problem... i did exactly this.
formatted my hard drive, reinstalled zune. all my media was on my zune device. now, when i connect the device and/or sync my songs back to my collection, there is no album art. the art does show up on the device, but it shows the gray square with a white zune symbol instead on the software. it would be royally annoying to have to go to google and find each album art.

[Charge]

Right click the albums and click find album info.