[f_r_E_a_K]

So I just bought a Creative Zen 4 GB (refurb) from the Creative website, and it came in yesterday...and what a big ol' surprise, the infamous White Screen of Death appeared on my SUPPOSEDLY REFURBISHED Zen...just like the many complaints from customers on various forums and blogs said...

*kicks the Zen* It's really quite pathetic. It plays music, but it always has a WSOD. I have tried EVERY method out there -- resetting, using a paper clip, holding the play/pause button for a long time, upgrading/downgrading the firmware (and also a combination of the three tasks above), etc. etc. NOTHING EVER SHOWS UP, nothing!

Beware if you purchase a Zen! There are many complications involved right now with its firmware, and a LOT of customers have been sending in their messed up Zens back for refurbishment.

That's probably what I'll end up doing.


Any final tips/suggestions for this never-fading WSOD? Also, similar experiences w/Creative?

[la folie]

I heard that this is a quite common problem, but when I had my ZVM (which got stolen 2 years ago u_u) I never got this problem.

[awdark]

And you didn't try to send it back to get it exchanged? Or do you know its a software glitch and not a hardware issue

[jimsayskabloh]

I've had my ZVM for 3 years, and that baby still works like magic! ^ ^ Never experienced the white screen of death. (:

[f_r_E_a_K]

And you didn't try to send it back to get it exchanged? Or do you know its a software glitch and not a hardware issue

It could be a combination of both..? Some users have been saying it might be the firmware and hardware reacting poorly with each other, and that Creative needs to send this product back into the labs for more testing and such.

I'm gonna send it back real soon.

[saranghae!]

I have the creative zen and I've dropped a million times but I've never had this happen to me.

*knocks on wood*

Then again I haven't even tried updating the firmware so.....

[awdark]

Oh okay thats good. A lot of times companies don't really really refurbish things, they just test and say this is working and send it back out. So I guess you might have gotten another dud.

Theres always the chance of the ribbon to the screen, screen, or the chip that makes the video signal for the screen to go bad. You can't exactly fix that so yeah. That kind of thing can happen for almost anything including ipods but it does sound like you have glitchy firmware too which.. I find ridiculous but I guess its the modern trend, build hardware sell it and fix the software later. Sometimes they never figure it out and just discontinue it and pretend it never happened.

[kitanablade3]

definitely send that back ASAP, I hate refurbs...
my friend used to refurb cell phones, she said they didn't actually do anything to most of them...
So I guess the same would ring true for other companies...

I have the ZVM, I love it~ Creative needs to make higher gig MP3 players though, 30 isn't enough for me.

[be_mellow]

I've owned a Creative before....just not this model but the Portable Media Player and it just love to eff up on me. I sent it back to get it fixed and it still got a problem. Their firmware is never so stellar. I gave up when it died a second time and sold it to a friend.

[Gofishus]

definitely send that back ASAP, I hate refurbs...
my friend used to refurb cell phones, she said they didn't actually do anything to most of them...
So I guess the same would ring true for other companies...

I have the ZVM, I love it~ Creative needs to make higher gig MP3 players though, 30 isn't enough for me.

30 gigs of music isn't enough?

[enchanted_elf]

Ive got the same model but nothing has ever gone wrong with it that resetting wouldn't solve. a few times i thought it was broken but i just needed to charge it

[ChiSoju]

I've had no problems at all with my Zen.

None.

[``HyoKi]

worse mp3 i've ever bought =.="
once i took it outta the box, i charged it and tried to upload stuff, but it didnt work
i took it back to the store. total waste of my time.

[buzyb33]

I first bought a ZEN from best buy, and i got the WSOD after having it for 2 days. So I went back to bestbuy, exchanged it for a new one and I've had it for 1.5years. I've only had a firmware problem once which required me to format everything on it. t___t Other than that, I like my ZEN very much =)

[MrsMac7]

The Creative Zen white screen of death is caused by a slightly loose casing that prevents full contact of the LCD screen. I've tried everything tried all the 'fixes' I've found on the internet and none of them work. The one that comes closest is freezing it, although that's definitely not a long-term fix.

Last evening, I tried gently squeezing the casing - right in the middle (be very, very careful not to break the LCD screen). My Zen immediately booted up properly. I shut it off and left it for awhile, then turned it on and, again, it booted up just fine. I listened to music on the Zen all night long, then shut it off this morning. A few hours later, I turned it on again and, again, it worked just fine.

If you try the 'squeeze', you might try it around the edges of the screen first, rather than risking messing up the LCD. Anyway, my brother is an electronics expert and I described the problem to him before I told him the 'fixes' I'd tried. He knew immediately that it was a contact problem within the casing.

I should point out that you don't have to squeeze the Zen every time you turn it on. If you get it right the first time, it'll keep working...I don't know for how long, but here I am approximately 24 hrs. later and mine's still working fine.