The Portable Player Isn't Recognized When Connected to a Computer

Follow the steps in this article if the software below doesn't recognize your portable player:

• Windows® Media Player
• Content Transfer
• Media Go™ Software

Before You Start

• If the New Hardware Wizard appears and is prompting for a location of the driver, point to the following directory: C:/WINDOWS/INF.
• To function properly, the computer must recognize your Walkman® player as a Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) device. If the portable player was connected to the computer and recognized as a Mass Storage Class (MSC) device it will not function properly. In this case, a different procedure is available  to correct this issue.
• For some models, it may take up to five minutes for it to be recognized or start charging for the following reasons:
• • It is the first time using the portable player.
  • If the player wasn't used for a long time.
  • Battery is drained.
• On models with a display, the display will remain blank. If the player isn't recognized or doesn't begin to charge after waiting five minutes, press the reset button to reset the player.

Solution

Follow the steps below if this isn't the first time using your player and it was working properly with your computer at previously with no major changes performed, such as restoring the operating system or replacing a hard drive. Check the connection status after each step.

1. Connect the portable player to the computer using the supplied USB cable.
   IMPORTANT: The NWZ-W252 model uses a unique USB cable and will not work properly if used with any other USB cable available on the market including those supplied with similar products with USB connections. You must use the cable that was included with this model.

2. Disconnect the USB cable from the portable player and then reconnect it .

   • Note: For the NWZ-W262 and W263: The OPR lamp will light red, indicating that battery is starting to charge, even if the connection wasn't made properly. In this case, disconnect the player from your computer and then reconnect it.

3. Set the portable player to USB Connection Mode .
   • This setting is only available on the NWZ X series and some NWZ E series Walkman players.
4. (Skip this step if your player isn't recognized by any software). Check for available space  on the player using Windows Media® Player, Media Go™, or My Computer.
5. If the issue still occurs after trying the steps above, you can try a reset on your player. A soft reset procedure will close all open or running applications and services, and then restart the Walkman player. No data is erased and no applications are removed.
   1. Disconnect the player from your computer
   2. Locate the reset slot on your player.
   3. Insert a small paperclip into the slot and press gently to restart the player.
   4. Once the player restarts, reconnect it to your computer.
6. If the player is still isn't recognized, restart the computer.
7. Check that the USB cable is firmly connected to the computer and the player.
8. If the player is connected to a USB hub, disconnect it and connect it directly to the computer with a dedicated USB cable.
9. Disconnect all devices connected to the computer with a USB connection and then restart the computer.
   • After the computer restarts, connect only the player and test the connection again.
10. Try a different USB port.
11. Under the Common settings menu of the player, format the player using the built-in Format utility.
12. If possible, try a different computer and verify the current operating system.
    • If it is an upgraded operating system, contact the computer manufacturer for updated drivers to upgrade it to the latest version.
    • If you are running the Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system, make sure you are running Service Pack 2 (SP2) or later.
13. If you are still can't transfer music to your player and haven't yet uninstalled and reinstalled the driver follow the procedure to confirm that the computer recognizes your player as an MTP device .