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Zune Not Compatible With Windows Vista

danimrich writes "According to a report by AppleInsider and a Microsoft support document the software for the Zune player is not compatible with Windows Vista."

36 of 319 comments (clear)

  1. That's ok... by Nefarious+Wheel · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...because I'm not compatible with Vista either.

    --
    Do not mock my vision of impractical footwear
    1. Re:That's ok... by Salvance · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hehe ... apparently Steve Ballmer isn't compatible with Zune: "I want to squirt you a picture of my kids. You want to squirt me back a video of your vacation. That's [an] experience". Does he even know how the Zune works? There should be a rule against putting the word 'Squirt' in a sentence with Steve Ballmer ... ugh, nasty.

      --
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    2. Re:That's ok... by rucs_hack · · Score: 5, Funny

      steve ballmer squirting at me?

      Thanks for that mental image :-(

    3. Re:That's ok... by bobdotorg · · Score: 4, Funny

      Hehe ... apparently Steve Ballmer isn't compatible with Zune: "I want to squirt you a picture of my kids. You want to squirt me back a video of your vacation. That's [an] experience". Does he even know how the Zune works? There should be a rule against putting the word 'Squirt' in a sentence with Steve Ballmer ... ugh, nasty.

      In other news, Balmer's secretary's Zune was RMA'd today when a chair was forcefully squirted at it.

      --
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    4. Re:That's ok... by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 4, Funny

      "I want to squirt you a picture of my kids. You want to squirt me back a video of your vacation."

      That's such an odd choice of words, and really sounds forced - I'll bet this isn't random. I bet Microsoft has been trying to come up with a catchy term for the wireless sharing, in the hopes it'll make Zune seem more trendy. But c'mon - "squirt"? How much did they pay a marketing team to come up with that?

      Or am I just behind the curve? Is this a case of "Duh! We've all figured that out already!"?

      --
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    5. Re:That's ok... by Tibor+the+Hun · · Score: 4, Funny

      I know, if I was to say that i've got the Urge, and I'd like to squirt you the picture of my kids, I'd prolly get arrested. But if he says it, MSFT shares jump up 7.5%.

      --
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  2. Well... by AltGrendel · · Score: 5, Funny
    Looks like Vista will be a Zune killer app.

    Yes, i know that Vista is an OS, not an app.

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  3. wow, comes with soft porn included. by yagu · · Score: 4, Funny

    Disclaimer from the article:

    And for those wondering, the splash screen of three women in distress isn't our contributor's stab at a knee-slapper.

    Cool, Zune comes with it's own soft porn.

    All seriousness aside, I think I'd already heard Zune wouldn't work with Vista immediately. Is that really a big show stopper? I'm guessing they've laid plans to have it ready to go by the time the OEMs are rolling out Vista-installed machines. An embarrassment perhaps, but Microsoft has many bigger and better gaffes to be proud of (say Clippy, and Microsoft Bob!).

    Oh, and back to the soft porn, it must have been approved by the Ballmer himself, just look at the quote from his quoted Q&A session from Business Week in the article:

    "I want to squirt you a picture of my kids. You want to squirt me back a video of your vacation. That's [an] experience," he said.

    I think Steve's been spending a little too much time on-line.

  4. Not yet... by Armando_Mcgillicutty · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Dollars to doughnuts that there will be an upgrade for the Zune software that makes it compatable. as soon as you can actually buy Vista.

    1. Re:Not yet... by Andy_R · · Score: 4, Funny

      You'll never be able to actually buy Vista, just a very limited licence to run it.

      Not that anybody sane would want to...

      --
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    2. Re:Not yet... by VertigoAce · · Score: 5, Informative

      The first thing the Zune installer does is check to see if there is updated Zune software available. It does this before it does the OS check, so the CD installer will work as soon as Vista-compatible software is released.

      From what I read they will be releasing a beta version of the Zune software that is compatible with Vista RTM sometime relatively soon (hopefully by the Nov 30 business release). The non-beta version will be available by the time Vista is released to consumers (Jan 30)

    3. Re:Not yet... by el_gordo101 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What if I'm not online while doing the install? Methinks that this is a fairly major "oops" on Microsoft's part. Vista has been under development for how long now and they couldn't get the Zune software to work correctly? Ouch.

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  5. WTF ? by jfclavette · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Please. That might be because the OS is NOT OUT YET, and that it will be added as a supported OS when it is ?

    Yes. Of course, Microsoft won't support Zune on his next OS. Thanks Slashdot. That wins the 'biggest troll story ever' award.

  6. Why support an unreleased OS? by bheer · · Score: 5, Informative

    Especially when Zune was developed by a team with very little connection with Microsoft's OS/Office side? Also, they've said they're going to have an app update for Vista users in time for its Jan 30 general release. This is a non-story.

  7. Come on, feel the sarcasm by User+956 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Given that the Zune is also not compatible with Microsoft's own "PlaysForSure" music initiave, and its own Urge music store, could this be a trend?

    Clearly this is a visionary tactic on behalf of Microsoft, and we can only assume that they have something better and wonderful planned that will blow everything else out of the water. A paradigm shift in musical entertainment, if you will.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  8. Re:As If... by diersing · · Score: 5, Funny

    BG - OK guys, are we ready for the Zune launch?
    Lackey - yes sir
    BG - and we completed ALL of our testing?
    Lackey - yes sir
    BG - make it so
    ~~~~ 24 hours later ~~~~
    BG - WTF guys, you assured me we tested it!!
    Lackey - we did, but we test against, you know, released systems people are using
    BG - ...
    Lackey - can we work it into Vista SP1?
    BG - we'll have to, push back SP1 release to 4Q 2009

  9. XP/MCE only by richdun · · Score: 4, Informative

    *puts on flamesuit*

    So they don't "officially" support Vista. It isn't "officially" out yet. Big deal. They also aren't supporting anything other than XP SP2 and MCE 2005. ME, 2000, etc. are all left out.

    What I want to know, is whether they plan to even attempt native Mac OS X support. At least Apple supports Windows with iTunes. After all the complaining about choice, DRM that goes too far, etc., MS is doing even worse.

    But give them credit - the iPod was initially Mac-only, Firewire-only, and had no music store attached to it, and it started out fine. Sure, opening the flood gates with Windows + iTunes really propelled it, but this is the first edition.

    Linux fans, there's an article about Blizzard banning WoW Linux users down a couple more on the front page. Don't even bother with this discussion. :)

  10. Compatible with Vista by kaoshin · · Score: 4, Funny

    By the time Vista is released, the only things compatible with it will be in museums.

  11. Apparently Works with Vista RC2 - details by Jtheletter · · Score: 5, Informative

    As claimed by a blogger, you can in fact install the Zune software under Vista RC2. Here is a link to his blog, and the steps are included below to fend off karma whores and help save the guy a little bandwidth. Note, I do not have Vista RC2 or a Zune and have not tested this. Cheers.

    1. Don't let the Zune CD autorun - instead right click on it in my computer and choose open
    2. On the Zune setup .exe right click and go to properties
    3. Click on the compatibility tab, then check "run this program in compatibility mode for:" and select Windows XP SP2
    4. Hit apply, then ok and now go back to the opened Zune folder and run the Zunesetup.exe

    --
    -- I'm not a pessimist, I'm a realist. It's not my fault that life sucks so much. --
  12. Re:Come on, feel the sarcasm... for Sure (TM)? by mspohr · · Score: 5, Informative
    This week's Economist has a good article on the Zune and other things Microsoft.

    My favorite quote from the article:

    Zune is much more controversial, however, because Microsoft's pre-existing hardware and service partners are left high and dry. "I've never seen a business so blatantly screw its business partners," says Peter Sealey, a professor at Berkeley's Haas School of Business.
    Economist http://economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?sto ry_id=8142987
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  13. Steve Balmer wants to squirt you his pictures??? by Jabrwock · · Score: 5, Funny

    "I want to squirt you a picture of my kids. You want to squirt me back a video of your vacation. That's [an] experience," he said.

    I'll bet it is. I think I'll pass though. I don't want Steve Balmer squirting things at me.

    Honestly, what strange part of his brain thinks that even SOUNDS right?

    --
    Magic doesn't work in my presence. My power of disbelief is too strong.
  14. Re:The screenshot is on RC 1 by ack154 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Out of all of the people complaining that Vista "isn't out yet" ... this comment actually makes the most sense to explain the incompatibility. There have been what... 2, 3 more builds since RC1 that have been available for public download?

    That being said, it seems to be the actual Zune software that's not recognizing a supported OS - and not necessarily the OS allowing it to install. So the build of Vista may be irrelevant.

  15. Re:Come on, feel the sarcasm... for Sure (TM)? by ksheff · · Score: 4, Funny

    I guess this person hasn't been following MSFT very long.

    --
    the good ground has been paved over by suicidal maniacs
  16. Is that him wanting to be someone else? by remmelt · · Score: 5, Funny

    I always wondered if that was the sound of Steve Balmer wanting to be someone else... You know the one. He's also called Steve.

    1. Re:Is that him wanting to be someone else? by tverbeek · · Score: 4, Funny

      Ballmer wants to be Steve Irwin?

      --
      http://alternatives.rzero.com/
    2. Re:Is that him wanting to be someone else? by McFadden · · Score: 4, Funny

      Ahh - you're clearly referring to Steve Dobbs,the acclaimed horticulturalist. Wow! I never would have guessed.

    3. Re:Is that him wanting to be someone else? by Anonymous+Freak · · Score: 4, Funny
      Ah, yes...

      The king of all Geeks.

      Woz.

      --
      Another non-functioning site was "uncertainty.microsoft.com."
      The purpose of that site was not known.
  17. Re:If Zune isn't compatible... by 8127972 · · Score: 4, Informative

    From http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_beta2 _04.asp

    "Apple iTunes and QuickTime Pro 7.1
    Works: Yes (with problems)
    Notes: iTunes installs but behaves strangely. The desktop and Quick Launch toolbar icons for the application are blank and cannot be fixed. Performance is horrible, even more so that iTunes' usual problems. Both iTunes and QuickTime Pro are incompatible with the Windows Aero user interface; when they are running, Windows Vista reverts to the Windows Basic UI. (See below for more information.)"

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  18. Welcome, Economist, to our planet. by Kadin2048 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Zune is much more controversial, however, because Microsoft's pre-existing hardware and service partners are left high and dry. "I've never seen a business so blatantly screw its business partners," says Peter Sealey, a professor at Berkeley's Haas School of Business.
    Let me be the first to say: "You must be new here."

    --
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  19. FUD! by thepotoo · · Score: 4, Informative
    Fud, all fud.

    I read on digg about three seconds ago, that it in fact does work. Set the installer to XP compatibility mode, and BAM! It works!

    Now, I'd love to see vista flop, but it looks like Zune won't be it's downfall. A simple patch can fix the installer.

    Full blog at http://vistazune.blogspot.com/

    --
    Obligatory Soundbite Catchphrase
    1. Re:FUD! by jZnat · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well, Microsoft made Vista, and they made Zune, so why should you have to resort to hacks to get it working? Grandma won't know how to run an application in "Windows XP compatibility mode". Think of the poor users; not everyone is a geek.

      --
      'Yes, firefox is indeed greater than women. Can women block pops up for you? No. Can Firefox show you naked women? Yes.'
    2. Re:FUD! by jbrader · · Score: 4, Funny

      A small but hardcore minority are actually dorks.

      --
      You are so boring that when I see you my feet go to sleep.
  20. Squirt You by Foofoobar · · Score: 4, Funny

    I hope he isn't going to squirt all over the developers, developers, developers, developers.

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  21. Another slow news day by davmoo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Considering that Vista is not available for sale, and won't be until January, I fail to see how this is in any way newsworthy. The "fud" tag has been correctly applied to this story.

    If a story came out downing Linux because some device isn't compatible with a future and unreleased version of the kernel, everyone would be crying "foul!" from the highest mountain. But since its Microsoft, its okay to have a double standard.

    --
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  22. Furthermore... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Who really considers looking at pictures of someone else's kid or vacation to be an entertainment experience? Now sending goatse wirelessly to all nearby Zunes - there's an entertainment experience! It could be even more entertaining to repeat such a transmission several times during the course of an overseas flight.

  23. Re:Steve Balmer wants to squirt you his pictures?? by dreamlax · · Score: 5, Funny
    Honestly, what strange part of his brain thinks that even SOUNDS right?

    Most probably the squirting part.