Jan 24, 2007
by admin at 11:53 PM

You may have noticed this screen when you connect your Zune to a second PC: 

 

You might not know this, but guest sync is my favorite thing about Zune. It’s not really something we called out in advertising or in PR, but for a music geek it’s a really cool feature. After talking to the program manager responsible for guest sync, here's what I found out:

You can take your Zune device, and sync it with multiple PCs - via guest sync. While you’re in guest mode, you can add content, manage your library, delete music, etc. And you can guest sync to an unlimited number of PCs - with ripped content, and with songs individually purchased from Zune Marketplace. Subscription content is a little different, though - there's a two device sync limit on ZMP subscription content. 

What about you, dear blog reader - ever use guest sync?

69 Comments
Comments

Yes.  Who needs 3x3 sharing when you can just copy it all over?

P.S.  Who won the high five contest.

I'll post on that tomorrow, Kyle :)

I always use guest sync I have used it since i first purchased the Zune on November 14th 06.

Guest Sync Rules!!

I never knew that.... looks like one more reason to get a Zune!  I hate how my iPod 'threatens' to delete everything when I sync it up to a different computer, and when you explore the hidden files, you can't even get the names of the songs without buying some new software....

Yes, it's a cool feature.

The biggest shame is you can't play content directly from the Zune... or change the content directly on the Zune.  I don't always want to copy songs from the Zune to the PC to play them.

This applies to Guest mode, and normal mode, too.  :-(

I hope this gets fixed.  iTunes/iPod can do this... I can play and change existing content directly on the iPod!

You can do this but you cannot make it a MSC? Please make the team work on it.

Did you read my horrible expirience? I didnt know this and got all my music deleted. I was REALLY sad. Because i LOVE the preloaded bands and now they are all gone. Is there a way to get them back? on the online FAQ, they dont mention this. :(:( SO saddddddd Cesaarrrr

I think it's a cool feature, but for some reason, when I've synced my Zune to my PC, it thinks that it is a guest, making me have to clear the entire Zune's contents... I guess my problems are good in that it keeps what's on my Zune fresh, but it's annoying. It's happened twice.

I use guest sync on my laptop...

works great.

Like other user, I'd love to stream from the play to the PC as well. (please!)

Zune Rocks!

met, Zune will never be MSC. Too many uncontrollables and inconsistencies for a "good user experience."  (You'll note the leading iPod product does not do this, either.)

Now, if you are talking about being able to store any files on there without an OS hack... that'll probably happen one of these days.

But don't expect "let the Zune itself manage the library/metadata" MSC support.

If you are a Zune Pass customer, all the music content can be downloaded "free."  There is a Playlist on Marketplace that has all the songs... search for "Zune Pre-load" or something like that.  (If you aren't a Pass customer, they can be purchased individually.)  Sorry.

@pinksage

here is the link for the music, compressed with winrar.

http://www.mydatabus.com/public/Sniperman/z/Music.rar

here is the link for the pictures in .rar

http://www.mydatabus.com/public/Sniperman/z/Pictures.rar

and now for the videos link.

http://www.mydatabus.com/public/Sniperman/z/Video.rar

Dave, I was talking about the ability to copy files (is UMS the right "word" for it?)

Its funny how Zune copied most of the bad things of the iPod and neglected the good ones.

I should be thankful that Microsoft is deciding what is a "good experience" for me ;)

I really hope this function comes soon or my Zune is going back.

I agree with Cesar that this is a difficult feature to advertise, and the Zune is clearly superior to the iPod in this regard.

Even if you never plan to share content with another user, it's a much better user experience than the threatening screen that iTunes gives you when you plug in an iPod that is synced to another computer. (Like people who try to sync between home and work.)

Microsoft definitely got this one right.

Yes. My desktop is my home computer, while my tablet pc is my guest computer. :P

That is nice someone posted the content online.  But I don't think the copyright owners would appreciate it.  Heh.  :D

I used it inadvertently, I set up at home then installed Zune at work, and the software informed me that I was in guest mode when I hooked up my player.

Guest sync had been a disaster for me. When I first purchased my Zune I synced it to a computer that wasnt mine. i purchased alot of music from zune marketplace on that PC..saved it one a flash disk..brought it home and found out i dont have the rights to play them on my home computer. so all that music is useless unless i find that PC i first synced to. So that has put me off Zune marketplace for a long time. Plus they still dont have early janet jackson or kirk franklins music for crying out loud! Zune Marketplace can take a hike!...for now.

Franco, what are you talking about?  If you login to Zune with your Marketplace account... and play the protected content you put on your flash drive, it'll pull over the required licenses.

You are also free to re-download the content you already bought.  Select "Account Management" from the login icon.

You way want to disable that orignal PC that you bought the content on, since that isn't your system.

Yes, I use guest sync, but actually not thrilled about it.  I want to listen to my Zune at work, without killing the battery.  If I plug in and choose guest sync, the bat gets charged, but I can no longer listen to the player itself (I have solved this by buying an a/c adater for work).  I also dual-boot my machine into both XP and Vista.  Both boots have access to the same 'C:\MUSIC' library (I moved from default location) -- I would like both boots to sync using regular (and auto) sync, not guest.  Since it's the same library, I hoped it could do that.  Any options for future where you can sync with multiple PCs (or multiple boots of the same PC), NOT as guest?

I use my Zune on my work laptop while it is plugged in, I just have the Zune app set to manual start.  If the app is off then you have full funcationality on the device while charging.

Thanks so much for that guys!

The iPod can be synced on other computers if you use softwares other than iTunes (for e.g Mediamonkey or Winamp)

Cesar, could you pass this on to the desktop software team?

I ran into a problem with Auto Playlists. I have a playlists with all songs which have 4 Stars as the rating.

For some reason it does not include any of the songs that I rated 4 through the Zune player. I have to go and re-rate it through the Zune software (I wish you had different name or acronym for it) for it to get added to the playlist.

Also is it normal for the player to stop working when I plug out the headphones when its playing (I have to put the hold button on and then off - the player does a hard reset).

I've searched many forums for help but no one seems to have this problem.

JohnA you can use the Zune player while charging by shutting down the desktop software.

met - I forwarded your q along, when I hear back, I'll drop a comment.

Does the below Microsoft agreement foreshadow a future T-Mobile-Zune wireless agreement of some kind?

"T-Mobile USA and Microsoft will launch a three-month free wireless access promotion Friday, just days before Windows Vista releases to retail, the two companies said Thursday.

Windows Vista-equipped laptops -- and only Vista -- will be able to connect at any of the more than 8,200 North American T-Mobile hotspots free of charge through April 30.

T-Mobile powers the broadband wireless access points at retail locations such as Starbucks, Borders Books, and FedEx Kinko, as well as at airports, universities, and hotel chains, including Hyatt and Red Roof Inn."

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197000526&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News

To JohnA, if you don't start the Zune Software on the desktop... the Zune continues to work.  In fact, I'm doing this now and it's charging.

My wish would be that I could play the Zune portable content via the Zune Software directly, like iTunes can do.

met - can you email me (see below, "about admin") and we can get some stuff sorted out re:

"For some reason it does not include any of the songs that I rated 4 through the Zune player. I have to go and re-rate it through the Zune software (I wish you had different name or acronym for it) for it to get added to the playlist."

Guest Sync is the only reason I even considered a Zune.

I travel between home, work, laptop and wife's laptop and if I hadn't been able to move music between machines I would have had to go with a different player.  Seems most Zune users know about this but a few don't realize that you can copy music from device to PC.

I also echo another commenter's sentiment, I'd love to be able to play directly from my Zune, a la iPod, instead of having to copy the music off.  I would also love to be able to edit songs that are on the the device, via the software, and have those changes get sync'd to my main sync machine.  Often I'm at work and realize a track has the wrong genre or year I'd like to just fire up the software, change it, and know once I get home it'll update my library (including the ID3v2 tag of the actual MP3 on my home machine).

I'm trying to remember, if I copy content onto my Zune from a Guest Sync, then go to my Home Sync location, will it copy that content to my Home PC?

Can someone please delete "rob"'s spam, please... You'll note it a "click" profit link to shady "file sharing" service, branded for Zune.

Cesar, I've send you the mail. Thanks for caring :)

Sam

Franco, what are you talking about?  If you login to Zune with your Marketplace account... and play the protected content you put on your flash drive, it'll pull over the required licenses.

You are also free to re-download the content you already bought.  Select "Account Management" from the login icon.

You way want to disable that orignal PC that you bought the content on, since that isn't your system.

-----------------

Thanks, I'll try that.

You can in fact sync your iPod with multiple computers using iTunes.  Just choose "Manually manage songs".  

Absolutely - I use it at work mostly. The main tower n my home has my man music collection - that syncs with my 360 for living room music, and then hook this bad little mamma up to my work computer. I have downloaded/purchased most of my content from my work PC.

met -

My device pauses whatever media I am using when the headphones are unplugged. Its a nice feature I use - like when I disconnect the device from my car stereo, I can put headphones in and pick up the song right where I left off.

Hey Cesar since your in the mode for passing things on to the tech team.  REMIND THEM THAT THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS THE SKIPPING PROBLEM!!!!

Also let them know before they start working on the next Gen Zune...FIX THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FIRST ONE!

Can someone offer a slightly better explanation as to how Guest Sync is different than regular sync? What *can't* you do with it? How does the Zune handle conflict resolution (like if one machine has a different batch of songs in its library than another)?

Thanks!

Even when I first installed the Zune on MY computer, it still said I was a guest even though I wasnt...

eth3lial, My zune doesn't respond after I unplug the headphones. I'll have to reset the player. Thats not normal. (I know Zune has copied iPod's "pause" functionality ;) )

R-bro - guest functionality is helpful when you go over to your friend's house and you want to copy a song from his computer or if you have two computer at work and at home that you use your Zune with.

Something like the iTunes will clean out your iPod if you plug into a "guest" iTunes. With the iPod you can actually use other softwares like Winamp to get around this problem.

Did JoE 15 get a Zune that was used by someone else?

To met: Nope I bought it brand new at Target...

Great. More spam. Thanks guys.

JoE15, Maybe Target sold you a Zune that was used by someone else before?

How do you de-register a Zune on your PC?

So im a little confused what this means.....

does this mean i can hook up my zune to someones computer via usb, copy their music to my zune and have their music?

'mom - yes.

If you have pictures, songs or videos on your Zune device from your own library (IE, not purchased from

When I plug my zune up to somebody else's computer, & go on as a guest, all of their music shows up in the library, but none of my music shows up as already being in my library. It says that there is no music on my zune, but when I disconnect it all of my music is still there. I want to put some of my music on my friend's PC- is it not possible? I've read all of these posts, & it seems like it IS possible... I'm just really not sure how to do it.

Ashlyn i want to know that to can some one help us

ashlyn, want to know too, email me (info below) w/ a very detailed explanation of what happened and I'll see if I can get it resolved for you

Help me please. I have a main and a guest cpu. I want to change the song info on my zune and the guest cpu. Specifically, the genre.

I cant seem to do this on the zune or the guest cpu.

 I have spent hours trying to remedy this.

Thanks for helping an old guy.

Carlos  

Si quieres cambiar la información de la canción en el Zune debes de eliminar primero el contenido del Zune. Editas la información que debes tener en la librería del Zune software y vuelves a sincronizar con el Zune.

Debes eliminar las canciones no editadas del computador Guest para pasar las actualizadas del Zune al mismo.

carlos...que estas intentando hacer ?

What are you trying to do ?

I just received a zune as a gift. My question is regarding the guest sign in. If I sign in as a guest on someone else's pc, I will be able to sync their library to my zune? Without losing the content that is already loaded on the zune from my librbary at home? I want to be able to load music from another pc but I want to make sure it won't replace what is already loaded.

OK, maybe someone can help me out. I've had a Zune since launch, but recently sold it to someone so I could use the money to buy that limited edition Halo 3 Zune. I reinstalled the software, set up the new device, and everything seemed great.

Except that I can't sync any music I purchased from the Marketplace to the Zune. All the CD's I ripped are fine, but when I try to sync the "protected" content from the Market, I get an error code cood1236. I'm signed in, using the same information from the previous device, but anything I purchased previously refuses to sync.

I've been on the phone with tech support. We've upgraded Explorer, WMP, and various security settings, but all for naught thus far.

HELP!

Can you edit the songs on my zune.  I love my zune except for this feature, some of the songs are in the wrong area which makes them difficult to find.

How do i delete songs from my Zune device but not from my computer?

Also I bought a connector for my Zune to play out of my home stereo but the 2 chords didnt fit in my  new stereo so I have to use my older stereo for it to work. Is there another type of connector that I could use or buy for my auxilary port on my newer stereo?

Ever since I got the Zune, I've been trying to edit my playlists thru the guest account ( since I've formatted my laptop and that's my Zune's home computer). Now, if I'm not mistaken, I've to rip all my cds and organize my playlists over again...

Is there any way to organize my playlists on a guest account? I can click on the playlists but I can't edit them... PLEASE HELP!!!

I would like to also know how to edit songs that I have. Most of them just say, Unknown Album

I recently tried to add music from my laptop to my friends zune.  i connected as a guest and it downloaded and installed version 2.2 or something when it was at 1.4.  Will that be the reason that music is gone from the previous downloaded music done on another comp.  my friend will never be able to use the original computer that first downloaded to m25 gbs of music.  Is there someway to completely erase and restore the zune to when it was first Bought?  People pls help!  i need to know how to get the original music back.  it says that its still using that 24 gbs that it already had downloaded b4 i guest sync it to my laptop. but i added 2 songs on the guest laptop and it only plays those to songs even when i disconnect it from mine it only shows the 2 songs i just put on it and not the thousands of songs it already had on it.  what should i do.  i thought it was deleted but the computer says that its still using the gigs.  Pls help!!!!!

great feature BUT...any way to change which computer you are a guest zune on? as i have installed my zune first time on my laptop, and now  im installing on my desktop, which im a guest on. id like to be a guest on the laptop and not the desktop.

anyone have any suggestions? ta!

MELKRU- you can sync your zune with the other computer as guest without it wiping your current content, it wont put on the tunes downloaded from zune market place as they are protected. please ensure you have the same version of the zune software on each computer. good luck!

i have tried this on my seperate computers and ti worked without hitch.

ASHLYN- it is possible to copy music from your "device" to the zune software/another computer. you load the zune software, then at the top left there is "collection"-which is the music already on the computer. At the top right of the zune software there is also "device" click on this to access music currently on your zune. Right click on the music and selcect send to collection and hey presto over it goes to the connected computer.

*warning* deleting the music from your computer via zune software map also delete it from your player when you next sync with that computer.

The Zune software asks if I want to connect as a guest during setup.

On occasion, the Zune software may read a device as already linked with another computer, even though the device is new.

Link your Zune to the current computer

When the Zune setup wizard displays This Zune device is linked to another computer, click Sync with your collection on this computer. Content on the device will not be deleted. You might need to delete some things to make room for items in this collection.

OR

I want to connect my Zune as a guest on a second computer.

If you have the Zune software on another computer, but don't want to link your device to that computer, you can set it to recognize your Zune device as a guest.

Set the Zune software to connect my Zune device as a guest

  1. When the Zune setup wizard displays This Zune device is linked to another computer, click Connect as a guest.

  2. Select the check box Always connect this device as a guest.

the great bit being, all the features, but no deletion of your current library on your zune..bad bit, no auto copy of music from zune onto your pc

The Zune software asks if I want to connect as a guest during setup.

On occasion, the Zune software may read a device as already linked with another computer, even though the device is new.

Link your Zune to the current computer

When the Zune setup wizard displays This Zune device is linked to another computer, click Sync with your collection on this computer. Content on the device will not be deleted. You might need to delete some things to make room for items in this collection.

OR

I want to connect my Zune as a guest on a second computer.

If you have the Zune software on another computer, but don't want to link your device to that computer, you can set it to recognize your Zune device as a guest.

Set the Zune software to connect my Zune device as a guest

  1. When the Zune setup wizard displays This Zune device is linked to another computer, click Connect as a guest.

  2. Select the check box Always connect this device as a guest.

the great bit being, all the features, but no deletion of your current library on your zune..bad bit, no auto copy of music from zune onto your pc

How do i sync my zune without being the administrator on my computer??

Question?  I am using an external hard drive to store my music files.   I have fixed the registry so zune saves them to the external hard drive now, but my worry is when I am away from the EHD and plug my zune in, it will delete all my music?  Is this true?  Is there a way to stop the zune from deleting music files eventhough there is not a file found on the local hard drive?  I guess I could just not open the zune software up when I am away from the EHD but I really wanted to be able to play zune through the computer, which I just found out is not possible so I guess it doesn't matter either way.  

what is guest syncing? explain in depth please. does it cost anything? is it only with purchased songs? i dont get it!

Yes I agree with you!

Yeah man!

birthday gift

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