New Zune Cache Injection Technique

Thanks to Zune ninja:

He has a PDF you can download here:
http://www.zuneboards.com/forums/zune-hacks-mods/43561-you-guys-going-love-zune-cache-injection-3-1-a.html

But I have converted it to HTML for easy viewing below:

How to place any file on a Zune by dressing it up as a video

(Only tested on a Zune 30GB – running the latest firmware and Zune software as of 25th of June)

What can be gained from doing this:

1. Skip the ridiculously long video transcoding process for a much faster sync

2. Save any file to the Zune - retrieved using the Zune software and then changing the file name back (or maybe not if you hide a .zip within a .wmv?)

3. Sync video to the Zune that is not compliant with the Zune software's strict format -
Could it be used to play higher resolution video on a TV via the AV out leads? Maybe something with a higher frame rate?

How to do this:

1. Prepare a very small .wmv file (something in the range of 20 seconds will do just fine)

2. Prepare your other file to be placed on the Zune (If you plan to use a video file, makeit a .wmv as these seem to play on the device, .mp4 files will not)

3. Open this folder in windows explorer: "C:\Documents and Settings\##YOURUSERNAME##\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Zune\Transcoded Files Cache" and delete any
files within, keep the window open

4. Run the Zune software and connect your Zune

5. Drag and drop your small .wmv onto the Zune device icon to sync it to your player, wait for this to finish, do not close the program

6. Return to the Zune cache folder, take note of the new file that will have appeared (in my experience it will be formatted like this: asdFG.tmp)

7. Copy the file to be injected to the cache directory, swap it for the .tmp file you found in step 6 by deleting the .tmp and then applying it's name and extension to the new file (you will not be able to delete the temp file because it is currently in use by the Zune software, this is easily fixed using a program like Unlocker - http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/)

8. Go back to your Zune software and navigate to your device, delete the small video from your Zune

9. Drag and drop your small .wmv onto the Zune device icon to sync it to your player again, wait for this to finish, do not close the program if you wish to override this file again, but feel free to disconnect/reconnect the Zune

10. That is it, your file is now accessible from your device's video menu

Step 2 - Experiment with file types/video formats and come up with your own applications for this

Step 4 - You will need to keep your Zune software running after the sync so the cache does not become irrelevant when your open it again

Step 10 - Something you will notice when you open your videos is that the injected file will have the thumbnail of the small .wmv file you replaced as well as the file name and apparent duration (e.g. it will say 20 seconds but when you play the video it will not be limited to this length)

This appears to be a sign that the Zune software sends over the video's information separately to the file. I personally use a small .wmv file who's thumbnail is white text on black saying "Injected File" because I got sick of looking at that guy from the TopGear video I had chopped up

And if you're thinking this is a bit of a pain to use, this is my plan for an command line application to speed this all up/make it easer to inject multiple videos at once:

Put all the files (videos?) you would like injected into a folder somewhere (these would be .wmv files in a format that has been tested to work by injection)

Type into the command line: injector.exe -t -##FOLDER DIRECTORY## (will generate a small base file for every video you placed in the folder you pointed to)

You would then run the Zune software and sync these base files, leaving the window open

Type into the command line: injector.exe -m -##FOLDER DIRECTORY## (will move the
files to be injected into the cache, overwriting the transcoded base files)

You would then move back to the Zune software, delete the videos from your device, then re-sync the base files

If you want this to work, someone other than me should probably write this heh.

−

zuneninja // www.zuneboards.com/forums

(PS. Redmond, please don't patch this - you really piss off your biggest
supporters

sometimes)