Unzipping an MP3 file?? How can I get myMP3 player to recognise a zipped file

[LittlePushka]

Am a bit rubbish on all technology after the trimphone, so can anyone answer this for me: I have downloaded a couch to 5K zipped MP3 file from the NHS website onto my MP3 player. My computer says it is there, along with all my other songs BUT it looks like it is in a compressed format and my player does not seem to see it - do I have to do anything to it to unzip it??

Usually you can right click on the zipped folder, select unzip, then go through a few dialogue boxes to say where you want them unzipped to.

if this doesn't work you may need a bit of software to unzip it but try that first.

You are so kind to reply,..I have just tried right clicking on the zipped folder but there is not an option "unzip" in the dropdown menu. Am I being a bit thick...?!

What makes you think it is zipped? There is no reason to zip an mp3 file, it will only make it bigger (for reasons I won't go into here).

Not sure what "a couch to 5K zipped MP3 file" means so can't help there. Can you post a link to the file on the NHS site so we can have a look?

I think it is zipped because the little picture label next to the f ile nam eis not a little note like all my other tracks, but showsa file with a zip on it and it says zipped. Will try to post the link,.. it is week 1 I am trying to do though presumable all of the weeks will be the same.

try this
www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/couch-5K-running-plan.aspx

Think that works, thank you for your help mranchovy

I would normally have responded to this thread as it's something I can, in all honesty, give helpful answers to.

However following Mumsnet's decision to launch a campaign (www.mumsnet.com/campaigns/porn-default-filter) to filter adult material on the Internet, after having ignored countless technical responses as to why this would not only fail to work but would make our children less safe, I feel that I can no longer answer technical queries on this forum and be a part, no matter how small, of enabling Mumsnet.

I apologise that I am holding an answer back from you, but please read my reasons (www.mumsnet.com/Talk/geeky_stuff/1144717-No-more-technical-help-until-Mumsnet-listens) and if you agree with them contact Mumsnet and ask them to listen to technical advice and to do things that will protect our children.

Clicking on an individual week does bring up a zip file. You can google for "zip files" and find unzipping software - I use WinRAR, but there are others including WinZip.

Alternatively, there's the option to download the whole plan from iTunes, which might be the easier way if you use iTunes for your mp3 player.

Bit off my radar badgerspaw - as I say, I only just learned where to put my mp3 player in my laptop - so the wider issues for me will have to wait a wee while.

That is really helpful - not sure what iTunes are but I will try later on tonight and download the lot and see if that works

At this rate its gonna be the race and I will still be on the bloomin' couch!

I guess your mp3 player isn't an iPod, otherwise you'd already have iTunes on your computer.

Going back to what mranchovy said, it's daft to put up a zipped file when that doesn't make much difference in terms of file size. And anyway a straightforward mp3 file would be so much easier for everyone.

If downloading the whole plan doesn't work for you, post back here (or send me a PM in case I forget to check back). I can download the zip files, unzip them, and then we can figure out how to get the mp3 files to you (probably via my website unless others can suggest an alternative).

Right click and choose 'extract all'. That will guide you through a Wizard to unzip the files.

And Badger, while I appreciate the motivation behind your 'boycott' I think it's very obnoxious to come to a thread and say 'I would help, but I won't because I'm blah blah blah blah'.

If you're not going to help, then don't post.

Hello hugglmugly and Tee...more lovely kind people (isnt it great on here eh?). My mp3 player is not an ipod - (I rang my young nephew who sort of guffawed and said "No, Aunty Pushka,...bless you". Cheeky so and so!

So i am trying the "extract all" suggestion to see if the player will read it. It previously played fine when I opened it on my lap top, but I am struggling to keep the computer on my lap whilst running..... Will post back when it is done.

Thank you again...

Ok, so the i extracted all and it thought about life for a while. Player still cannot find it and it has turned into an unreadable adobe file. Hugglymuggly I am going to take you up on your offer to PM you.

Will sit on the couch a wee bit longer!
Thanks again lovely geeks.

I've replied to your PM.

I asked in my reply what type of mp3 player you have and what software you use to transfer mp3s from your laptop to your player - but it would be useful if you were to post that info here as well, as maybe somebody else has the same player and could come up with some ideas.

Thank you hugglymugly for your message to which I have also replied. I have a 2GB HMV (U300?) player.