Troubleshooting Zune sign-in issues

1. Check for service outages. To do this, follow these steps:
   • Zune:
     1. Visit http://zune.net/support (http://zune.net/support) .
     2. View the Zune Service Status display.
   • Windows Live:
     1. Visit http://support.msn.com/networkstatus.aspx (http://support.msn.com/networkstatus.aspx) .
     2. Click Windows Live ID to view the service status.
   If there is an outage, this is the reason that you cannot sign in to Zune. If there are no outages, go to the next step.
2. Validate that the user name and password you are using to sign into Zune are entered correctly. If you forgot your password, please view the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   935255  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935255/ ) How to change or reset the password for your Windows Live ID
   If you are using the correct user name and password to sign in, go to the next step.
3. If you are using your personal e-mail (other than a Hotmail, MSN or Windows Live) as your Windows Live ID, make sure that you have activated your account. For more information about problems that you may encounter when you try to use your Windows Live ID, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   932723  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932723/ ) When you use your Windows Live ID to sign in to your Zune account, you receive a message that states that your Windows Live ID is invalid, incorrect, or does not exist
   932723   (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932723/ ) When you use your Windows Live ID to sign in to your Zune account, you receive a message that states that your Windows Live ID is invalid, incorrect, or does not exist
4. Validate that the date and time settings are accurate on your computer. To do this, follow these steps, depending on the version of Windows that you are running.
   
   Windows XP
   1. Click Start, click Run, type timedate.cpl, and then click OK.
   2. On the Date & Time tab, verify that the correct date and the correct time appear.
   3. Make any necessary adjustments, and then click OK.
   Windows Vista
   1. Click Start, type timedate.cpl in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
   2. On the Date & Time tab, verify that the correct date and the correct time appear.
   3. To make any necessary adjustments, click Change date and time, or click Change Time Zone, as appropriate.
      
      Notes
      • A User Account Control window may appear after you click Change date and time. If this occurs, click Continue.
      • To change the date and time settings, you may be required to have the administrator password.
   4. If you make any adjustments, click OK to close the Date and Time Settings window or the Time Zone Settings window.
   5. Click OK to close the Date and Time window.
   If these steps did not resolve the issue, go to Step 5.
5. Do you have another computer that you can use to try to sign in to the Zune Marketplace?
   • If yes, go to Step 6.
   • If no, go to Step 7.
6. Can you successfully sign in to Zune Marketplace on this computer?
   • If yes, go to Computer Troubleshooting troubleshoot the problem computer.
   • If no, go to Step 7.
7. Verify your Internet connection. Also verify that you are using the correct Windows Live ID (WLID) credentials (user name and password). To do this, visit account.live.com (http://account.live.com) , and then try to sign in.
8. If you can successfully sign in, follow these steps:
   1. Validate that all Personal Identification and Information (PII) and Billing information is accurate and complete.
   2. Verify that there are no spaces in front of PII and billing information.
   3. Visit Zune.net (http://Zune.net) , and then try to sign in.
   4. Were you successful signing in?
      • If yes, go back to the Zune Software, and try to sign in to Zune Marketplace. If you can successfully sign in, the issue is resolved.
      • If no, the issue might be computer-related. Go to Computer Troubleshooting.

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Computer troubleshooting

1. Are you on a corporate network or on a personal home computer?
   • Corporate Network
     1. We recommend that you follow up with your Network Administrator to make sure that you have the appropriate proxy settings.
     2. Try to sign in to the Zune Marketplace or to Zune.net (http://Zune.net) . Were you successful?
        • If yes, the issue is resolved.
        • If no, go to step 2b.
   • Personal home computer
     1. Disable any third-party software that always runs when you have an Internet connection. For example: pop-up blockers, antivirus programs, firewalls, and Internet security programs.
     2. Restart the computer.
     3. Go to step 2
2. Try to sign in to the Zune Marketplace or Zune.net (http://Zune.net) . Were you successful?
   • If yes, the issue might be caused by third-party software. We recommend that you further troubleshoot to determine which third-party program is the source of the conflict.
   • If no, follow these steps.
     
     Note Try to sign in to the Zune marketplace or to Zune.net (http://Zune.net) after each step to see whether the issue is resolved:
     1. Make sure that Zune.net (http://Zune.net) is listed as a trusted site. To do this, follow these step:
        1. Click Tools. Then, click Internet Options.
        2. On the General tab, click Delete under Browsing History. Then, click Delete All.
        3. Click the Security tab, click Trusted Sites, and then click the Sites button.
        4. In the Search box, type *.Zune.net, click Add, and then click Close.
        5. Under the Security tab, click Custom Level.
        6. Under Reset custom settings, select Low, and then click Reset.
        7. Click OK.
        8. Click the Privacy tab.
        9. Click the Sites button.
        10. In the Search box, type *.Zune.net, and then click Allow.
        11. Click OK.
        12. Click Apply.
        13. Close all browser windows.
     2. Verify that the Zune software appears in the Allow list in the Windows firewall.
        • Windows XP
          1. Click Start, click Run, type firewall.cpl, and then click OK.
          2. Click the Exceptions tab.
          3. Click Add Program.
          4. Click Browse.
          5. Locate and select Zune.exe, and then click Open.
             
             Note By default, Zune is installed in the following location:
             C:\Program Files\Zune\
          6. Click OK two times.
        • Windows Vista
          1. Click Start
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             , type firewall.cpl in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
          2. Click Allow a program through Windows Firewall.
             
             
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             If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
          3. Click Add program.
          4. Click Browse.
          5. Locate Zune, and then click Open.
             Note By default, Zune is installed in the following location:

             C:\Program Files\Zune\
          6. Click OK two times.
        • Windows Live OneCare
          1. Start Windows Live OneCare.
          2. Click Change OneCare settings.
          3. Click the Firewall tab.
          4. Click Advanced settings.
          5. Scroll through the list of programs to determine whether Zune appears in the list.
             • If Zune appears, make sure that the firewall setting for Zune is to allow and not to block.
             • If Zune does not appear, follow these steps:
               1. Click Add.
               2. Locate Zune, and then click Open.
                  Note By default, Zune is installed in the following location:

                  C:\Program Files\Zune\
               3. Click OK two times.
3. Try to sign in to Zune Marketplace or to Zune.net (http://Zune.net) .

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