Error message on your Zune device: "The item is missing or can't be played"

When you play a file on your Zune device, you receive the following error message:

This issue can occur if the following conditions are true:

• The file transfer was interrupted, and the file was not transferred successfully.
• The file is larger than 4 gigabytes (GB).
• The device software is not operating correctly.

To resolve this issue, try one or more of the following methods.

Method 1: Restart the device

Method 2: Verify the size of the file that you are syncing to the device

1. Open the Zune software, and then locate the file in your Collection.
2. Right-click the file, and then click Properties.
3. Make sure that the file size is equal to or less than 4.0 GB.

Method 3: Sync the file again

1. Open the Zune software, and then click Device.
2. Locate and right-click the file, and then select Delete from device name.
3. Click Collection, and then locate the file.
4. Right-click the file, and then select Sync with device name.

Method 4: If the file was sent to you from another Zune device, re-obtain the file

1. Select the file in the Inbox, and then select Remove from Inbox.
2. Have the person who sent you the file resend the file.

Method 5: Update the device

Connect the Zune device to a computer that has the current Zune software installed, and then update the device to the current device software. For more information about how to update the software on a Zune device, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Method 6: Erase the device and sync your content again

1. Start the Zune software on the computer.
2. Connect your Zune device by using the Zune Sync Cable.
3. Click Settings, and then click device.
4. Click SYNC OPTIONS, and then click ERASE ALL CONTENT.
5. When you receive the following message, click YES:
   Please Confirm. Are you sure you want to remove all content from this device?
6. After the device has been erased, sync your content back to the device. If you have lots of content to sync, you may want to disconnect the device after several files have been synced to make sure that the files have been transferred successfully.

If you continue to receive the error, try the next method.

Method 7: Restore the device and sync your content again

As a last resort, try restoring the Zune device software. When you restore your Zune device software, all content and the device software are removed. For more information about how to restore the Zune device software, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: After you restore the device software, again sync the content.