Your “good” image shows attributes, though. If you click the Advanced button in the “bad” image do you also see the “Archive” bit set (checked)? The Archive bit is set by default every time a file is written to. This bit is for backup utilities to use - they clear this flag (remove the checkmark) when the file is backed up.
I would expect your “good” image is using the older FAT file system, and the “bad” is using NTFS. NTFS supports compression and encryption, which means extra options, so the Archive, Compress and Encrypt options are all put behind an “Advanced…” button.
Presumably the MP3 players can’t cope with compression or encryption. Click that Advanced button to find out if there is compression or encryption on the files. Or perhaps the players can’t cope with NTFS, but I think that unlikely.
Gale
Long story short… I spoke with local IT guys and they told me that whenever I copy a file onto external media it gets encrypted. This is to prevent data theft company wide. This is why they won’t play.
I’d like to thank Audacity, Koz, Gale and all of you for your support.
I think in the last post Gale pretty much nailed it.
I have to use my home laptop to save music.
I assume then that the “bad Dell” is at your workplace and this is company IT policy. I’ll close this later, unless you have any directly relevant follow-up questions.
Gale
You are correct once again. 
The funny thing is that if I email a file from my work laptop it does not get encrypted. Go figure.
Yeah, I think the issue is completely resolved.
Plays perfectly here.
Just a few observations:
- The file name is preceded by “i%27”. Of course that translates to i’. Is that produced by uploading?
- The file has been produced by “Freecorder 4 - WVAT”, and that is a known adware carrier. Could be your “bad” Dell is infected, unless you didn’t record these songs yourself.
May I humbly interject that I’ve asked you some posts ago if encryption were enabled?
Robert
You may. But I guess because it wasn’t encryption that nipo turned on himself, it looked like it wasn’t the problem.
It also raises the question if the MP3’s were NTFS-compressed whether the MP3 player would play them. I think yes, because Windows should handle the expansion, but I suppose it’s a possible a misdesigned MP3 player might not play them.
Gale
Robert, you were also on the right track. Sorry.
Cyrano: Ooohhh. Yes. It will play. The idea behind the protection is that if some sneaky thief gets close to my laptop and copies the files onto a memory stick they will be encrypted and he will be screwed. However, if he uploads my files or emails them they will not be encrypted. Please don’t tell anyone.