Sandisk Support Failing
(Updated 2008/06/18 18:15 - wow that was freaking fast!)
(Updated 2008/06/18 18:45 - I didn’t get to respond to this last update as it was just after dinner)
(Updated 2008/06/26 19:30 I should have had a response by 2008/06/23 13:43 even allowing for a “business day 48″ So I sent the follow up email)
(Updated 2008/07/01 7:24 Still no responses from Sandisk despite two emails to the rma address)
(Updated 2008/07/03 6:40 they called and left a message on my answering machine - no concept of what time of day it is here I guess - and left a bizarre message in my RMA inbox)
(Updated 2008/07/23) I have the new MP3 Player.
Attentive readers might remember my Sandisk Support post. I’m now doing the dance with Sansa again and this time I’m a little steamed. I filed a support request that was closed after two contacts. I’m going to post the saga in all its glory. The Sandisk is dead. Won’t power on.
This is a long post. I will add an update line to the top of the post as it progresses.
Here’s my first post:
I have two (out of four) Sansa e250 players that I need help with. The first should still be under warranty, it no longer powers on at all. The screen stays black. I have tried removing the battery and allowing it to reset (the battery shows power when I test the voltage) and a number of other techniques to get it to power on but nothing works. The player with serial # BE0710UVF was purchased late December or early January. The second player is outside of warranty and has a cracked screen and is unusable in its current state.
And their response:
(06/16/2008 01:40)Dear Patrick,
Thank you for contacting SanDisk Technical Support. It is our goal to make sure you have all the resources you need to get the most from your product.
We understand that you are having difficulty trying to use your player as it does not power on.
Please be informed that SanDisk Sansa e200 or Rhapsody e200R Series MP3 Players are only supported on Windows XP (Home and Professional Edition) and Windows Media Player (WMP) versions 10 and 11. They may or may not work with other Operating Systems and versions of WMP but we do not recommend as they are not supported. They should also work with Windows Vista.
Please answer the following questions. These will be used for product development and resolve issues with devices that may have possible conflicts with our products:
- What is the brand of the Computer?
- What is the model of the Computer?
- Are you using a laptop or desktop?
- What is the Operating System?Before going to the player’s system itself, let’s try to check if the player’s battery is making good contact. Unscrew the back cover of the player.
The battery has three gold contacts on one end of the battery, which is near the words “SanDisk sansa.” Be sure these contacts match up with the only three gold contacts on the back of the player and there are no bent pins.
Lightly push the lined up battery up against the contacts of the player until the bottom end of the battery can be pushed into place.
If the device goes directly to a black screen after unplugging it, then the battery has been replaced incorrectly. Take the back off the player once again and flip the battery around and the e200 device should work properly.
After checking the battery, please also check if the player will power on when connected to the computer even without the battery. Then, please try to charge it once again. Please make sure to connect it to the back USB port where it can get sufficient power and if it fails in your computer, please do try another computer preferably desktop running Windows XP.
For us to be able to properly process and expedite your registration under warranty, kindly verify the following information.
Model Number: (letter and number combination located at the back or at the side of the player which may start with SD)
Model Version: (Standard, Rhapsody, Version 1 or 2 located at the lower end/back of the player)
Color:
Quantity: (Number of defective identical players)
Refurbished: (Please locate letter “R” or “Refurb” anywhere in the player)
Place of Purchase: (Name of Store)Should the above steps fix or not fix the issue, please do not hesitate to let us know by sending an Email. We would be glad to be of assistance to you.
Thank you very much and have a wonderful day!
Best regards,
Lucina A.
SanDisk Technical Support
My reply:
(06/16/2008 01:40)Thanks for your quick response. - What is the brand of the Computer? - What is the model of the Computer? - Are you using a laptop or desktop? - What is the Operating System? The brand and model of the computer is irrelevant: there are two other identical players that can connect to the computer and charge. This player does not charge anymore (does not light up when connected to the USB cable) and does not turn on. It worked until last week. I use both laptops and desktop machines with all of these players. The Operating System is irrelevant. This player (out of three) does not light up when connected to the USB (the others still do) and will not turn on. Model Number: I did not see a letter and number combination on the back or side of the player. Under the battery are the following numbers: Sansa (redacted) Model Version: Standard version 1 Color: Black Quantity: 2 (one is out of warranty with a broken screen - it has no other defects that I am aware of. I am interested in a repair or replace cost for this second player) Refurbished: No Place of Purchase: Amazon.com
And then:
(06/16/2008 01:40)Dear Patrick,
Thank you again for contacting SanDisk Technical Support.
Let’s try this: Hold the “Menu/Power” button down for 20 seconds if you have to. Turn the player off, then put the “Hold” switch “On”. Now hold the “Record” button while you connect it to the computer, keep holding it until it finishes installing the new device. Now attempt to do the Firmware update again.
In Recovery mode, we can try to create FMT.file.
To create a sansa.fmt file, please follow these instructions:
Note: The sansa.fmt file only works for the e200 v1 series players.)
1. Go to “My Computer” and double click on the “Removable Disk that corresponds with the player” (it is usually labeled 16MB Format).
2. Right click anywhere in the white area.
3. Highlight “New”.
4. Select “Folder”.
5). Name the folder “sansa.fmt”.
6) Unplug the device. It will now format.Let us also verify the current Firmware that you have on the device and see what we could do.
To verify the Firmware, please put the Sansa to recovery mode then plug it in to the computer. To do the recovery mode, please access “My Computer” and then turn the player off. Please take the battery out to make sure that the Sansa is completely off. On the top of the player is a “Hold” switch, let’s move it to the right so you see orange. On the left side of the player is a “Record” button, let’s press and hold it while connecting the player to the computer. Do not let go of the record button until you see a “16MB Format” under “My Computer”.
Please access the version text file inside the 16MB format drive that would appear. Please take note of the values inside “VER.TXT” file.
Please inform us the results.
Please register the other player separately as it has a different issue. This is for us to be able to provide you with the most appropriate support.
Should the above steps fix or not fix the issue, please do not hesitate to let us know by sending an Email. We would be glad to be of assistance to you.
Thank you very much and have a wonderful day!
Best regards,
Lucina A.
SanDisk Technical Support
And then they closed it!
So my next support request starts out as follows:
Support request #2056621 was closed prematurely. The suggestions did not resolve the issue. The MP3 Player DOES NOT POWER ON. The battery is fine. Holding the buttons does nothing. I cannot format the unit if it will not power on. I cannot do anything if it will not power on.
It took well over a day to send me the following canned response:
Dear Myr,
Thanks again for contacting SanDisk Technical Support.
We received your email regarding your MP3 player that is not turning on.
Before we troubleshoot the player please provide us with the following informations.
- Please check at the back lower right portion of the player if it is (e250, e250v2, e250r)
- What is the Operating System of the computer?
- Are you using, a desktop or a laptop computer?
- What is the version of the Windows Media Player? (Open the Windows Media Player, press Alt+H on your keyboard to
view the Help Tab and select about Windows Media Player.)
- Did it work before?
- Have you tried to format or download the latest Firmware update?
- What can you see on the screen of the player when it is connected?
- What have you done so far to resolve the issue?It could be cause by data corruptions that is why the player is not turning on properly.
Please follow these instructions before connecting the player to the computer.
- Please Soft Reset the player (Press and hold the power button for about 30-45 seconds or until it poer down)
- turn it on again.If your player is E250 v2
If still not turning on do the force MSC then update the Firmeware of the player.
- Turn off the e200v2.
- On the top of the player is a Hold switch, move it to the right (toward the headphone jack) until you see the orange portion.
- On the left hand side of the player is a Left (Rewind) button, press and hold it WHILE connecting the player to the computer. Continue holding the Rewind button until you see the drive of the player under My Computer. Once you see the drive you may release the Left button. Right Click on the drive and select Format, select Start on the next message box. FOrmatting the player will erase all of the data including the errors and could possibly fix the issue that you are having with the player.
4. Click HERE to download the file, (Please select open) and drag the files to Root directory of the player to apply the fresh firmware to your player.
5. Disconnect the player and look at the screen. Several things will be displayed, and when you see Key Lock, System Shutdown, move the Hold switch on the top back to the left.
Turn the player on and watch the screen. If you’ll going to have the same problem, you will need to follow steps 1-5 again until the problem fixed. If it does not work the first time, it could take up to 3 times for it to work.
E200 Series (Please check at the back of the player, lower right part: Model e250)
please follow these instructions before connecting the player to the computer.
- Turn the player off.
- On the top of the player is a Hold switch, move it to the right (toward the headphone jack) until you see the orange portion.
- On the left hand side of the player is a Record button, press and hold it WHILE connecting the player to the computer. Continue holding the Record button until you see a new icon under My Computer called 16MB FORMAT. Once you see that icon you may release the Record button.
- Open the 16MB Format drive and open the Version.txt file. Go to File Tab then select Save As. Change the filename to sansa.fmt and the Save As Type select all Files.
- Click HERE to download the file, (Please select open) and drag the files to the 16 MB format drive.
- Disconnect the player and look at the screen. Several things will be displayed, and when you see Key Lock, System Shutdown, move the Hold switch on the top back to the left.
Turn the player on and watch the screen. If you’ll going to have the same problem, you will need to follow steps 1-5 again until the problem fixed. If it does not work the first time, it could take up to 3 times for it to work.
Should there be any further concerns or inquiries, please do not hesitate to let us know by sending an Email. We would be glad to be of assistance to you.
Thank you very much and have a wonderful day!
Best regards,
Juriel O.
SanDisk Technical Support
And they didn’t even get the right name!
But I shot this back:
Please review support request #2056621. If you need, I can cut and paste it here. Also note that the above information and suggestions have not resolved the issue. I realize that you must ask customers to go through a series of steps, but the player simply will not power on. There is NOTHING else I can do. For the remainder of your questions reread my original complaint: support request #2056621Support request #2056621 was closed prematurely. The suggestions did not resolve the issue. The MP3 Player DOES NOT POWER ON. The battery is fine. Holding the buttons does nothing. I cannot format the unit if it will not power on. I cannot do anything if it will not power on.
That was the fastest response I’ve ever gotten!
(06/18/2008 06:09)
Dear Patrick,
Thanks again for contacting SanDisk Technical Support. It is our goal to make sure you have all the resources you need to get the most from your product.
We do apologize for any inconveniece, we just need to know what happened when you tried to connect the player while it is on recovery mode. Placing the player on recovery mode is the only way that we can get the player recognized by the computer to update the firmware and also to format the player.
- When you do the recovery mode, what can you see on the screen of the player? (should say wlecome to recovery mode)
- Is it recognized by the computer while on recovery mode?You can also use this Support Request tool for contacting SanDisk in the future.
Best regards,
Juriel O.
SanDisk Technical Support
And my equally expeditious reply:
Nothing happened. The player will not power on. I have three other players that WILL work. Please review my previous support request as I have answered these questions already.
And the fast response:
(06/18/2008 06:45)
Dear Patrick,
Thank you again for contacting SanDisk Technical Support.
Since you purchased this player from Amazon.com, please send the Proof of Purchase to rma_support@sandisk.com together with the Case ID # (redacted) at the subject line. You’ll receive a response e-mail from the RMA (Return Material Authorization) Department . Please deactivate any spam blockers so that the response e-mail from the RMA Department will be in your inbox.
Upon receiving your e-mail, please allow the RMA department 24 to 48 hours to review your request. You can check the status of your request through your eBox or you may contact the RMA Department through phone number 1-866-726-3475 option 5 then 1, or through email at rma_support@sandisk.com.
Should there be any further concerns or inquiries, please do not hesitate to let us know by sending an Email. We would be glad to be of assistance to you.
Thank you very much and have a wonderful day!
Best regards,
Juriel O.
SanDisk Technical Support
I’m sending a PDF of the receipt 2008/06/19 13:43.
OpenPGP: *Attachments to this message have not been signed or encrypted*
I emailed the attached receipt for my Sansa e250 that was purchased in
December of 2007. The item has a one year warranty. To date, no one has
responded to my email despite being told that I would be contacted
within 24 to 48 hours.
This is the second time that I have encountered customer
service/warranty issues with Sandisk. At this point in time I am led to
believe that Sandisk has a habit of promising a warranty return and then
“dropping the ball” ostensibly to have a consumer to just go away.
At first I was content to just blog my experience with all of Sandisk’s
responses because the first time this happened I attributed it to human
error. This time, I received a canned response to my inquiry and the
support issue was closed. I opened a new inquiry which has now also been
closed even though I emailed the receipt from Amazon.com for the e250
(we bought two at that time) and have not received any response to my email.
I am forced to conclude that Sandisk is content with selling devices,
providing semi-responsive customer service and then ignoring its
customers all while blaming the delays on the hand off between support
and RMA divisions.
Within my household we own four Sansa e250 devices, one c100 device and
a MicroSD expansion card. While I enjoy my Sansa e250 when it’s working,
I no longer feel as if I can recommend it to my friends, colleagues or
to the readers of my blog due to this failing on the part of Sandisk.
I am copying Amazon.com on this email and I am reviewing my options
under the Arizona consumer protection and fraud laws.
I expect a response. I am even generously willing to allow your original
24 to 48 hours which means I should hear something from Sandisk by
Monday, June 30 19:22 MST.
(07/01/2008 7:24)
I have opened and you have closed two support requests regarding my Sansa e250. 2056621 was closed without any valuable information whatsoever. Request 2067520 was closed after I was advised to send my proof of purchase to rma_support@sandisk.com. I have done that. TWICE. There is no response from Sandisk which leads me to believe that you are not interested in providing customer service. I have no options other than to file a complaint with the Arizona Attorney General Office for consumer fraud. I have already given you a negative review on Amazon.com due to this apparent lack of concern on the part of your customer service division. When my e250 works I really like it. When it breaks you don’t seem to care.
You may remedy this complaint by immediately issuing an RMA return label and allowing me to return my MP3 player under warranty.
SanDisk Response: (07/03/2008 06:48)
Dear Patrick,
Thanks again for calling SanDisk Technical Support. It is our goal to make sure you have all the resources you need to get the most from your product.
Please refer to your eBox anytime to see additional resources from SanDisk.
You can also use this Support Request tool for contacting SanDisk in the future.
Best regards,
Anthony F.
SanDisk Technical Support
After a short phone call to SanDisk where I was transferred back and forth a couple of times between Support and the RMA department. I was also apologized to a few times for the delay in getting my player replaced.
I shipped the player back three day service via UPS (that’s the service that the RMA label is for) on July 3 and due to the holiday weekend it arrived there on the 9th. The turnaround from SanDisk was extremely quick. This is the second generation or second version of the Sansa. It powers up quickly and seems to be fairly responsive in comparison to the previous version. But - oops - it doesn’t run Rockbox 
.
As one of the only MP3 Players that sports and expansion slot for super micro sd cards one has to balance whether to play bubbles or stick with original firmware.
And it only took a month to get it replaced.
