Never buy a MP3 player from China with built in memory. Only buy them if you can put in your own flash (SD) memory.

 Any version of this player is what is being discussed below.

The user lidongyun2008 who has apparently changed his Ebay ID to ldy2009 to avert detection is claiming to sell 8GB MP3 devices which are NOT 8GB devices. They are 2GB devices whacked to represent 8GB. Once you load more than 2GB of data on it, you will get all kinds of filesystem errors. If you open up the device you will see a code on the chip. Research that code that you see on the chip.
Mine said Hynix HY27UU08AG5A which is a 16 gigabit flash memory chip. 16 Gigabits = 2 Gigabytes. The documentation on the Hynix site even verifies this.
http://www.hynix.com/inc/pdfDownload.jsp?path=/upload/products/gl/products/dram/down/NAND Flash.pdf

You can see for yourself by viewing the document above and translating what the product code means. "AG" in my code means 2 Gigabytes. These guys hack the formatting of the flash memory to make it "look" like 8GB when its not. Just do not buy from this guy at all.

Other people have contacted me stating they had a Samsung chip K9LAG08U0M. These are also 2Gigabyte (16Gigabit) chips as seen in the document below (indicated by the "AG").
samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/products/flash/downloads/Nand_Flash.pdf

Formatting the chip with windows explorer (after fixing the SD chip) will show you that it is 2GB. BUT windows explorer wont actually format it (until its "fixed") because it has been corrupted by their stupid hacking. Here's what you need to do to "fix" the chip first: use the utility that comes on the CD with the MP3 player that formats the SD chip. DiskTool was located in folder \98Dirver\mp3Set1_45 (yes, 98Dirver is spelled wrong on CD) and the program to execute is MSIen.msi. Once you do this, you will see that it is 2GB. And after using this official (and correct) utility (called "Disk Tool") on the CD, then Windows explorer will also let you you format it (now that it is "fixed" and at its correct capacity). In Disk Tool, Choose "quick" format on the first tab and on the second tab, slide the encryption setting to zero then click "start". Then use windows explorer to format the disk as "FAT" (FAT is FAT16 not "FAT32") doing a "full" format. The worst case scenario is at least you will have a genuine 2GB player after fixing it. Hopefully you didn't pay too much for an 8GB player to end up being a 2GB player.

If you did not get a CD with your player, you can download the official tools from www.s1mp3.org . Click on their "tools" link on the left and when you get to the tools page, look for "MP3 Player Utilities" and look under "Standard S1mp3" and find the version you need (mine was 1.45 for example). If you dont know which version you need just start with the latest version under "Standard S1mp3" and then try others if they dont work for you. I dont think the version matters if just using the "DiskTool" program that comes in this archive. Also they are zipped in 7-zip format which can be found at 7-zip.org

He also said he offered free shipping but when you go to check out he has the insurance as "required" even though its not what his ad says and then comes up with all kinds of excuses why you need it.

I was researching and saw another user, honesttop88, with mp3 players. He had negative comments indicating questionable conduct in his feedback so i didnt buy from him. But this other guy lidongyun2008 didnt and I still got screwed. They might all be the same person. Who knows.

These people will most likely say something like, "so sorry. it had 8GB when I sent it out. You can send it back for a refund". Putting an 8GB sticker on an item and modifying its internal contents to resemble that portrayal of an 8GB model when it only has a capacity of 2GB is counterfeiting. Sending it back for a refund of course costs YOU and also is ILLEGAL since you cannot ship counterfeit items in/out of the country. Your best option is to file a counterfeit claim with Paypal.

So my advice to people buying MP3 players from China: Just dont do it at all. What "should be safe" however, is if you can insert your own personal SD card. That kind of MP3 Player should at least not be a rip off.

lidongyun eventually did give a refund. He explained to me that he was a "victim" too. That his supplier was shipping him fake devices without his knowledge. I'm surprised at this becuase all you have to do is open it up and look at the chip OR just use the damn thing and watch it disintigrate as you reach the REAL capacity of these things. I reminded him of Ebay's requirement of holding certificate of authenticity for all items and the consequences of selling counterfeit items. He only offered me half the refund if i didnt ship it back or all the refund if I did ship it back and to give him a pos feedback. I explained to him that it is illegal to ship such items and i left it to him to decide what to refund me and I would decide what kind of feedback to leave and if he didnt refund me anything then I would let Paypal decide if he was selling counterfeit items. At that point he refunded total and asked me to give him a positive feedback.

This guy is very sleazy OR just very stupid at best. I would like to believe him but I am almost positive he is still selling these as I write this. Nothing has probobly changed at all. I could buy one again and prove it but I would rather spend my time warning people to just stay away from this guy. I can understand if you buy something from someone after you did all your research and read all the feedback and it looks to be genuine items but these guys from China just cannot be trusted. I did see a few cancelled transactions but never connected the two until now. A cancelled transaction means he ran into trouble and gave a refund and asked buyer to cancel transaction as he did with me. So now I know to stay away from those too. But, in practice, I am just going to stay away from China all together. And I hate to say that becuase I have bought items from china that were cheap (very low quality) yes, but still were good for the price I paid. I would just never spend more than $20 for a product from China at all though becuase the problem of returning something to China and hoping they arent so corrupt as to give you a refund is too great. I saw a guy once return something and they claimed it was broken when they got it so no refund. Just stay away from China. Period.

I hope I have helped someone from my own ignorance in this transaction and that is why I am taking the time to do all this.

************ The conversation is below:

**** From Buyer - 3/3/2009 05:28 EST
Now I am really angry. Not only did you scam me on the supposed "optional" insurance, you sent me a fake 8GB mp3 player. The player you sent me is a 2GB player. After adding more than 2GB of files the files on the flash drive got corrupted and it became unusable so I re-formatted using the tool on the CD. It was then 2GB after using that program called "Disk Tool". The chip HY27UU08AG5A in the device is a 16Gbit (2GByte) chip. Verified on Hynix site as well:

http://www.hynix.com/inc/pdfDownload.jsp?path=/upload/products/gl/products/dram/down/NAND Flash.pdf

Look up the code - 2Gigabytes. I can supply a photo of the chip inside with the code above that you sent me. Clearly you, being the seller, are smart enough to open these items and check the authenticity of what you are selling. In fact, Ebay REQUIRES that you can guarantee the authenticity of what you are selling (read the rules for selling items on Ebay regarding authenticity disclaimers for all items sold)

I hope also, that you are aware that it is illegal to send counterfeit items in/out of USA therefore I cannot return the item to you as I am sure you will suggest.

I expect a refund within 24-48 hours. That is my offer.

**** From Seller - 3/4/2009 03:02 EST
dear buyer

I am so sorry for the unpleasant I brint to you . I know you feel that you have been cheated, but it is not what I want.and I hope that when I sell products to you, it can bring happiness to you . But unfortunately, I was cheated by my suppliers too. I am a small seller, my item are supplied by my supplier. at the beginning, He gave us the goods which are true 8G, customers also reflect that 8G is true, so I have always maintained that it is true 8G ,But recently, many customers have said that my item is 2G, after investigation we found that there are a few false 8G doping in the true 2G. We have now replaced the suppliers to ensure that it is true 8G. i am so sorry about it, i have not test it before i send it to out to you. sorry for the unpleasant I brint to you, can you sent item back to me, so I can test it ? if the item is 2GB, I can request my supplier to refund me . also I can refund you. And If you feel it is so trouble, don't like to sent it back to me, I can refund you half of money. It is ok??pls forgive me, hoping to get your understanding. In this case, we are victims too, and I hope you can understand me.I guarantee that the similar problems will never be happened again.

have a nice day!

**** From Buyer - 3/4/2009 20:20 EST
As I already told, it is illegal to send conterfeit items through the mail. So I have no other choice but to accept your offer of half the money. Just so that I am clear, what is half the money? Half the $16.40 or half the $22.39? In other words, how much are you saying that you will refund me? How much is half the amount?

**** From Seller - 3/4/2009 22:51 EST
i will refund you 11.2USD, it is ok? please update this dispute and ask me refund you 11.2USD , so i can refund you. best wishes

**** From Seller - 3/4/2009 22:54 EST
i will refund you 11.2USD, it is ok? please update this dispute and ask me refund you 11.2USD , so i can refund you. best wishes.

can you help me don't leave any negative or neutral feedback after you receive my refund? thank you very much. best wishes

**** From Buyer - 3/5/2009 17:04 EST
You can either refund the 11.20 USD and get a negative or neutral feedback or you can refund 22.39 and get a positive feedback. Either way it is your choice. You have already acknowledged that you are sending out items from your supplier that should be 8GB but are only 2GB. I would like to believe that what you are saying is true but you don't seem to be wanting to help too much from the insurance shipping scam or the fake 8GB MP3 player. I cannot send it back becuase it is counterfeit and i am not going to jail for you.

You have 3 choices:

1) Be a responsible retailer and refund the $22.39 and get positive feedback for being a responsible retailer

2) You can refund 11.20USD and get negative or neutral feedback for not resolving the issue properly

3) You can not refund anything and I can escalate this to Paypal investigations and let them decide if you are selling counterfeit items or not.

It is all your choice. you chose to sell counterfeit items and now you can choose be responsible and refund my money or not.

Thank You

**** From Seller - 3/5/2009 22:22 EST
dear buyer

i have refund you all money , please leave a positive feedback to me. thanks

A Refund was issued.
3/5/2009 22:23 EST

**** UPDATE 03-17-09 **** 
I had received an email from this seller asking to leave feedback on 3-16-09. I thought, "He must be crazy. He really wants me to leave feedback?!?" ... OK ... So I left negative feedback pointing out that they were fake items. After leaving the feedback, today I get an email from the seller offering me $40.00 USD more which is above and beyond the money returned to me for the fake MP3 player. His only request was to change the negative feedback. Now this looks like hush money to me. 

dear buyer
i am sorry about it happen, i receive your negative feedback today. can you give me a chance to solve it? if i sent 40USD to you as my decompensation, can you help me to change my feedback ?? wait for your reply. thanks a lot
************************

I reported the bribe to Ebay and they said there was not enough evidence to prove he bribed me to remove negative feedback. HUH?!?!?! I gave them the email... Thinking they misunderstood my report, I told them to look in my ebay inbox and SEE the email FOR THEMSELVES. They responded back that it still wasnt enough evidence (the policy is that you can be banned for trying to mainpulate feedback). So this just proves that Ebay apparently values the listing fees from these crooks more than trying to protect buyers. I am not sure at this point what it would take to get Ebay to enforce its own policies.

Just because you do not see alot of negative feedback on a profile, do not assume its OK. Apparently there are people out there paying LOTS of money to make sure they dont have negative feedback when they are selling fake or counterfeited items. I have done lots of research on why ebay doesnt seem to curtail this activity. I reported him to ebay but they dont care. Apparently they get more money from his and other people's counterfeit listings than is worth it to shut them down. That is my only conclusion since I have heard no response from Ebay and he is still operating with NEW feedback indicating he is still selling fake items.

YOUR BEST BET BEFORE BUYING ANYTHING ON EBAY:

1) Search for the users or items in the Reviews & Guides (reviews.ebay.com) which is where you are right now
2) Use the utility at   toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs   Enter in the user ID and hit "Received By" and wow...watch what happens

lovehuangfeifei2008 zhanghulili521 hym2012 waiying268