NW-A3000 Slow When Heavily Loaded

[Count Zero]

Has anyone else experienced problems with really slow operation on the NWA 3000 when ?

I’ve got a lot of music on there – 4500 songs, filling up over 16Gb (all ATRAC132, all fields automatically populated by gracenote).

When I select some of the menu options, it can take 15-20 seconds to move from one menu to another. In some of the lists it can take 15 seconds to move from one track/artist to the next.The unit looks and sounds great, but this makes it really hard, and frustrating to use.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received (even if it’s just confirmation that with this kind of loading, the unit is normally this slow!).

I’ve had a number of Sony products in the past, and always loved them. Right now I wish I’d bought a Creative…

[Ishiyoshi]

Some users have managed to resolve this issue by defragging the device. Please refer to this thread for further info.

[Count Zero]

Thanks for the suggestion, Ishiyoshi.

Looked at the drive using Windows Disk Defragmenter, and it advised that the drive didn't need a defrag. I could try it anyway i suppose.

I was wondering if the reason for slow navigation was down to the number of tracks (if so how would it deal with 13,000!) or to the fact that 88% of the free disk space is utilised.

Anyone experienced the same thing?

[Beethovenian]

Defragmenting helps, even if the Defrag program says it's not necessary or there's not enough space to do it. It's slow not because of the amount of music you have. It happens even with more free space available. It's just some mistake in the firmware and the way the database file is placed, I believe.

[zepnut]

I had exactly the same problem. 20-30secs between lists and scrolling down them.

This thing has been driving me nuts. Software updates, firmware updates.....

Anyway i did the defrag from my pc. took a while even though it said it was only 1% fragmented.

It is now superquick and i have about 1800 songs on it.

Try it it worked for me. Now smooth as you like.

Still slow in places when it's playing but overall very useable

[dura_]

It's probably not the space, but the unmber of songs. My 3000 is filled except for 300Mb, but with 256Ks, so half, and it's not at all as slow as you describe (but slower then my NW-HD1 with exactly the same songs on it).

[Count Zero]

Thanks Zepnut.

The Defrag worked, despite the program stating that I didn't need to and it wouldn't work with so little free space. Took a long time (30 minutes or so), but it now works like a charm. IN fact it's working faster than it ever has done before.

I'm in love with my NW-A3000 again.

[rwt1005]

I have had the same problem with my A3000 but I think it all started when I upgraded to SonicStage 4.0. When I was on previous versions the player was much quicker. I have been thinking of trying to install version. 3.4 again but do not have the confidence!

I'll try the defrag suggestion and see if it makes any difference.

[JSP62]

I...... I have been thinking of trying to install version. 3.4 again but do not have the confidence!.....

I would suggest doing it , but just remember your gonna be starting from scratch again. If you do, back up all your tracks with GYM.

[Nick Van Howen]

I had the same problem when updating from Connect Player to SonicStage CP.

Back to Connect Player again, no more problem. Never try to defrag.