Restore Zune 4.0’s 'missing' features

Rafael offers up a way to enable Zune features that are disabled for those outside the US or Canada.

Welcome non-US/CA readers! There’s nothing more frustrating than buying a Zune, plugging it in, and discovering the software is “broken” because of how your computer is “configured”. Features like the Marketplace and that snazzy intro video? Completely missing! Yikes.

If you’re positive you should be seeing these features, don’t panic. Microsoft spent a lot of time programming some overrides for you. Simply navigate to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Zune and create a key called FeaturesOverride. Within this key, create a DWORD for each feature you want to enable and set its value to 1.

He provides a list of features you can enable.

I was talking to him about this recently and apparently there is also a series of Registry entries related to Radio. Zune fans know that every Zune device since the original has supported some kind of radio receiver (FM and now HD Radio too in the Zune HD). But apparently Microsoft was going to (or soon will) enable Internet radio in the PC software too. I couldn't get it to appear in the UI, however.

Discuss this Article 25

Waethorn
on Sep 18, 2009
Ok, I tried this out. Is it just me or is the Zune Marketplace horribly slow to refresh on page transitions?
chessnuts
on Sep 18, 2009
OT question here: will the European version of Zune HD/software (when it comes out soon) feature DAB/DAB+ in place of HD Radio?
NoNameAtAll
on Sep 18, 2009
Eh, I don't really have anything to say about the Zune, seeing as I don't have one. No need, considering my Gen 3 iPod Nano works fine. I just stick with whatever I have for as long as I can. In any case, it does sound interesting.
gfryesc1
on Sep 18, 2009
Ah yes, the registry hacks. That'll upend the iTunes/iPod juggernaut.
robertsjoe
on Sep 18, 2009
The Zune's missing features are all in the iPods and iPhones.
gadfly10
on Sep 18, 2009
Can someone help me with my Zune? It's still squirting itself at night.
roteague
on Sep 18, 2009
Interesting..... there are several keys under Radio (107.7 The End, KEXP, National Public Radio) with entries for three internal image resources. Microsoft has something going on.
roteague
on Sep 18, 2009
BTW, the Zune 4.0 software is 64-bit. Is iTunes 64-bit also?
GabeR
on Sep 18, 2009
>> BTW, the Zune 4.0 software is 64-bit. Is iTunes 64-bit also? No, not yet. There is a 64-bit version for Windows, but only the drivers are 64-bit because Windows 64 cannot use 32-bit drivers.
roteague
on Sep 18, 2009
Thanks GabeR ... I was just curious, being a software developer, I have an interest in such things.
jctierney
on Sep 18, 2009
This is a great find for those outside of the US and Canada. Thanks goes out to Rafael (and Paul)!
daveinla
on Sep 18, 2009
"It's still squirting itself at night." LOL !!!!!!!!!!
Logjamming
on Sep 18, 2009
Can I plug a Zune in my Mac, here in Europe?? Oh, wait: you can't. It's not available for Macs and neither is it available in Europe. Which is probably a good thing. I wouldn't want a piece of copied software on OSX. Neither would I want a company that has been found guilty by the EC of abusing their monopoly, for instance by stuffing outdated browsers (which IE8 still is) down our throats, on the European market. At least iTunes and iPod Touch/iPhones work on Windows. Can you guys say 'Zune Failure'?
Barry F Larry
on Sep 18, 2009
@Logjammin(g) I guess you're using a PowerPC Mac then?
gundo
on Sep 18, 2009
A few comments: @Logjamming - I wonder how you will respond when the beloved Apple is found guilty of monopolistic behaviour. It's just business. Push push push till you are told to slow it down. Think to perhaps . . . Apple and the Google Voice issue. @RobertsJoe - I too would like to see the Zune have a phone and camera built in, however it's just business. Would you consider the iPods to be missing features since they don't have HD radio or a quality desktop software? I mean really does anyone truely love iTunes. It too has SOME great features, but it's slow and not very innovative. There are some high quality media softwares out there. Bottom line for me - Don't Hate the Zune or iPod devices. That said, the love affair with Apple needs to stop.
niekbm
on Sep 19, 2009
Works fine.
shark47
on Sep 19, 2009
@gadfly: "Can someone help me with my Zune? It's still squirting itself at night." votre Zune ne fait mal? (That's the output of Google Translate) You need to talk to your doctor about this.
rr0de74@live.com
on Sep 19, 2009
@gundo I think iTunes is great, but I use it mostly on Mac's. No software if perfect but I have never had a real problem with iTunes. I also dont care for a radio. The purpose of a media player is to play what I want, when I want commercial free. If that were not the case then you would see lots of people with transistor radios. I am not going to discount the radio all together as I am sure its probably very important to some. I would say that I think given the choice, phone or radio that phone would win 90% of the time if not more. The Zune software is very nice looking. 1000x better than version 1.0. I do fin d if kind of confined, very forced in how you do things, but for what its supposed to do its very good.
panache1023
on Sep 19, 2009
Off topic but legitimate question. Can anyone recommend Fax server software for Windows XP? I need to setup a situation for three computers where any of the computers will be capable of sending faxes (from the same line). If possible, it would be nice to email the required parties when a fax is received....either with a copy of the fax itself, or a notification that a fax has been received. Does something like this exist or is there a better suggestion to achieve what I want? All suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!
panache1023
on Sep 19, 2009
Off topic but legitimate question. Can anyone recommend Fax server software for Windows XP? I need to setup a situation for three computers where any of the computers will be capable of sending faxes (from the same line). If possible, it would be nice to email the required parties when a fax is received....either with a copy of the fax itself, or a notification that a fax has been received. Does something like this exist or is there a better suggestion to achieve what I want? All suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!
rr0de74@live.com
on Sep 19, 2009
http://www.captaris.com/rightfax/index.html http://www.gfi.com/faxmaker I have used both, right fax is more Enterprise, it can cluster and such. Both hook into Exchange, support DID etc. Both really require a brooktrout card..... http://kbase.gfi.com/showarticle.asp?id=KBID001227
Waethorn
on Sep 19, 2009
Ok, so the Zune Marketplace gives an error at the end of the option to purchase points. Whatever. There might be a workaround to purchase stuff on Zune Marketplace: use the other service that uses Microsoft Points - Xbox. I'm going to try purchasing 500 Microsoft Points from the Xbox site and see if the credit works on the Zune Marketplace. I'd really like to buy that new Doctor Who series (I'm a sci-fi buff) off of there because even big-box retailers charge about $90-120CDN for the DVD sets OF EACH SEASON (only 12-14 episodes each), as it's considered an import (even though the BBC partnered with the CBC for North American distribution). Zune has it for ~$30 per season, AND they have the extra 2-hour special episodes included in the last season too. I'll post my results.
Waethorn
on Sep 19, 2009
"Can anyone recommend Fax server software for Windows XP?" Windows XP Pro already has faxing capabilities. Share the fax printer driver and you're set, with no extra expense.
Waethorn
on Sep 19, 2009
Zune Marketplace refuses items to be purchased from outside of the US, regardless of MS point credits on the account.
evgenij
on Sep 19, 2009
I can't install Zune 4.0 on a fully updated Windows XP SP3 Pro N. It tells me that a required update is required even after all the updates are installed. Anyone know what could be causing this?

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