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.

Paul Thurrott

September 18, 2009

1 Min Read
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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 HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftZune 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.

About the Author

Paul Thurrott

Paul Thurrott is senior technical analyst for Windows IT Pro. He writes the SuperSite for Windows, a weekly editorial for Windows IT Pro UPDATE, and a daily Windows news and information newsletter called WinInfo Daily UPDATE.

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