[sracer]

Various Zune-related forums have posted partial and obsolete versions of downgrade instructions. Those versions can cause confusion for people who aren't very comfortable with using a command prompt. Here's the complete and most up-to-date process.

DOWNGRADE INSTRUCTIONS
2.x to 1.x Firmware/Software
(Last Updated Jan 3, 2008)

DISCLAIMER: proceed at your own risk. I and many, many others have successfully downgraded. However if you have decided to downgrade your Zune 30, you are doing so knowing that this process is NOT endorsed nor supported by Microsoft. You are responsible for what you do to your Zune.

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NOTE: These steps are for the Zune 30 ONLY.

NOTE: Once you downgrade the software, you will no longer have access to the Zune Marketplace.

WARNING: DO NOT downgrade if you have purchased tracks from the Zune Marketplace.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to my fellow ZuneScene members: "Weexy" for clarifying the web loopback portion of the instructions and "Zanitos" for identifying the necessary changes/additions to the downgrade process to support Vista systems.
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To Downgrade the Zune Desktop Software

1.Install old software from CD.

• Uninstall 2.0.
  
• Disconnect your computer from the internet.
  
• Install 1.1 (or 1.0) from the original CD. (WinXP only, if you are running Vista the you MUST download the software from the link below)

2. If you don't have the original CD (or are running Windows Vista), download 1.3 version of desktop software from:

• [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

NOTE: Wipe out the Zune's database and allow it to rebuild. At this point the current database has been touched by the 2.1 software. We don't know what exactly it did, but we know it isn't good. Delete the files in:
(WinXP Users) C:\Documents and Settings\user_account\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Zune
(Vista Users) C:\Users\user_account\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Zune


To Downgrade the Firmware
(WARNING: THIS WILL WIPE OUT THE CONTENTS OF YOUR ZUNE DEVICE)

• Download Zune.RE.zip - [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] or [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
• Download Java Runtime 6 (if you don't already have it) [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
• Download Zune Firmware 1.4 - [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
  or [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
• Create a temp directory: C:\temp
• Place firmware 1.4 into the temp directory.
• Rename the firmware file to: Zune01050485.cab
• Place the ZuneFirm.jar file from Zune.RE.zip into the temp directory.
• Start -> run... -> cmd
• c: (press the enter key)
• cd \temp (press the enter key)
• dir Zune01050485.cab (press the enter key) Make sure that it shows up in the list. (At least one person accidentally renamed the file to Zune01050485.cab.cab)
• java -jar ZuneFirm.jar (press the enter key)
• At this point that command window should look like:
  
• Go to your network setting, open up TCP/IP and change your DNS to 165.132.120.124. Then in another cmd, ping go.microsoft.com to check if it's directed to yourself (127.0.0.1). NOTE: if you cannot ping go.microsoft.com successfully and you are using a router, then connect your computer directly to your cable modem. This is the crucial step... if you cannot get a ping of go.microsoft.com to return 127.0.0.1 then do not proceed until you can!
• (Ensure that the Zune is being directly attached to a USB port on the computer... NO hubs!!!)
• Next, turn your Zune on and reset it by pressing back+up for a few seconds. When the Zune logo appears, press back+left+center for a few seconds to format the hard drive. After you format, it will ask you to connect to a computer. Connect it. Open the Zune software, and something like "update time" and "Zune 1.5 firmware" will appear. (If it doesn't load automatically start "Check for zune device update")

NOTE: Occasionally the Zune device successfully completes the downgrade (as is evident by the old 1.x menu being displayed) but the desktop software remains "WAITING FOR DEVICE TO UPDATE". When that happens, simply disconnect the Zune from the USB port, close the software, reattach the Zune, restart the software.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Once the process is complete, you can close the Java window and you can restore your DNS setting back to its original state (typically "obtain automatically")

If you use this process and it worked for you, please take a moment to pop in and post here... thanks!

IMPORTANT NOTE: If at any step in the process you encounter a message or problem that is not documented here, *STOP* and post the symptoms in this thread. It is easier to correct a step than to undo something that was done incorrectly.

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR TEMPORARILY MODIFYING DNS
(If you don't know how to modify your DNS, you probably shouldn't be attempting this, but if you are really determined to downgrade your firmware here are some more details to help)

NOTE: Make sure that you have performed the java -jar ZuneFirm.jar step first.


1a. Start -> RMB (right mouse button click) Network Places -> Properties
1b. Select Local Area Network (or which ever is your network connection) RMB -> Properties



2. Click on Internet Protocol
3. Click on Properties


4. Type in 165.132.120.124 for the IP address of primary DNS server
5. Click OK

6. Click OK again (on the "Local Area Connection Properties" dialog)
7. Select Local Area Network (or which ever is your network connection) RMB -> Disable
(wait for status column to indicate that connection is Disabled)
8. Select Local Area Network (or which ever is your network connection) RMB -> Enable

To test if the change "took", Start -> Run... -> CMD (Press Enter key), then in the command window, type ping go.microsoft.com (Press Enter key)
The ping command should report back an address of: 127.0.0.1

If you followed the steps and you don't get the 127.0.0.1, then try rebooting your system, re-running the java command and then the ping command.

[vicky]

hey nice tutorial. hope people will have a better understanding of this than previous tutorials.

oh yeah and this thread has been moved to the appropriate section.

[hannibal]

how incompetent do the people responsible for version 2.0 have to be if users are going out of their way to downgrade their programs?

[Zunesi]

Originally Posted by hannibal

how incompetent do the people responsible for version 2.0 have to be if users are going out of their way to downgrade their programs?

They're not incompetent, 2.0 is excellent and by my opinion much better than 1.0/1.1 etc.
Though some people just feel as though they prefer the old firmware, or for various reasons that are nothing to do with their opinion on the firmware they have to downgrade.
They are not incompetent, they are very competent programmers, there will always be the few people who want to go back to the old way, whatever the reason is.

[Alex w]

yh. especially if they are much more familiar with the old sftware than the new one. it sometimes is easier for people to do stuff on the old software. also if they have a load of hacks and stuff 4 the old software, they might not want to lose it all.

[sracer]

Originally Posted by Zunesi

They're not incompetent, 2.0 is excellent and by my opinion much better than 1.0/1.1 etc.
Though some people just feel as though they prefer the old firmware, or for various reasons that are nothing to do with their opinion on the firmware they have to downgrade.
They are not incompetent, they are very competent programmers, there will always be the few people who want to go back to the old way, whatever the reason is.

Sorry, but I've worked quite a bit with the UIX Framework code of the new Zune 2.x software. Those Zune developers ARE incompetent.