Why won't my transferred tracks play on my device, and what does this "synchronize" or "sync notice" error message mean?
If you're getting an error that asks you to "sync" or "synchronize" your device even after connecting it to your computer and signing into Rhapsody, please try the following solutions. You don't need to try them all! After each one, try playing tracks on your device again, and if it doesn't work, then go on to the next solution:
- Check the date and time on the PC and the device
- Reauthorize your computer
- Transfer a new track
- License your device
- Reset the device's secure clock
- Format the device per the manufacturer's recommendations and ensure the latest firmware version is installed
1. Check the date and time
on the PC
and the device
If the date and
time on the device or the computer is off, the track licenses can expire
prematurely.
To check the date and time on your computer:
- Double left-click on the time (usually in the bottom-right of the screen).
- This should bring up a Date & Time Properties window.
- Verify that the month, date, and year are all correct on your computer.
While it's different for every device, here's how to check the date and time on a Sansa device. (Steps should follow the same logical order on other devices.)
- Press the Menu button.
- Go to Settings.
- Go to Date and Time.
- Verify the date and time shown are correct.
- Sign in to Rhapsody.
- Click the My Account menu.
- Select Deauthorize Computer.
- You should get a prompt that says you have successfully deauthorized your machine.
- Click the My Account menu.
- Select Authorize Computer.
- You should get a prompt that says you have successfully authorized your computer.
To make sure the authorization was successful:
- Click the My Account menu.
- Select Manage My Account.
- Sign in.
- Click Authorizations.
- Make sure your computer shows up as authorized.
If your machine does not show up as
authorized or your received an error message when trying to authorize,
please
see the following articles:
3. Transfer a new track
Rhapsody should
automatically transfer the licenses as a part of device detection. If it
doesn't, you can force the database on the device to be rebuilt by
transferring
a new track to it. Simply transfer a new track from the Rhapsody Music
Guide
that has not been on the device before.
4. License
your device
Licensing your
device updates the subscription content on it. To license your device,
right-click in Rhapsody on the device and select License.
Note: Not all devices will have
this feature in the
right-click menu. If you do not see this option, or if you are not sure
if it
worked, click Tools in the toolbar at the top of the Rhapsody
window, then select Device Compatibility Report.

In the window that pops
up, click the Update Track Licenses
button.
5.
Reset the device's secure clock
Most devices will have a secure clock. Not all devices support the Reset
SecureClock feature in Rhapsody.
- Open Rhapsody.
- Connect your device.
- Hold down the CTRL and SHIFT key while right-clicking on your device.
- Select Reset SecureClock.
6. Format the device per
the manufacturer's recommendations and ensure the latest firmware
version is
installed
Note: Formatting a device will erase all of the content on it.
This includes, but is not limited to,
music from Rhapsody as well as other sources, photos, videos and
personal data.
If your device contains data you don't want to lose, you should make a
backup
of this data if you have not already done so.
Prior to formatting, you should also check to make sure that the latest
firmware of the device is installed.
Click
here for formatting instructions
for specific devices (BlackBerry, Sansa, Philips, Insignia).
If none of these steps resolve this issue (and you still have an active
subscription), please contact Rhapsody
Customer Support.
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2010 All Media Guide, LLC. © 1999-2010 Rhapsody International Inc