Help me save an ipod!!! Please!
Mar 22, 2006 at 4:11 AM Post #18 of 49
Quote:

Originally Posted by KenW
No go. iTunes still doesn't see the ipod regardless of whether or not iTunes is open when the ipod is connected. Windows Explorer sees it as a removable drive but I can't access that drive. Guess I'll try it on another pc and see if that's the solution but my daughter was given a new ipod video player for her birthday and I'm worried that it will have the same problem if it turns out that the issue is the pc. Can't imagine how that can be since I reformatted the HD and did a totally fresh install of XP.

Thanks for the try and if you or someone gets another idea, I'd love to hear it.



Hello, your symptoms are exactly the same as what happened to me except I have a shuffle.

I reinstalled my operating system and decided to get the latest itunes and my shuffle refused to be recognized. Windows would see it as a removable drive but I couldn't access it [no filesystem detected]. Not even the firmware updater could see the shuffle so restoring it was impossible. I spent half a day reinstalling old versions of itunes and the ipod firmware updater but no go.

Before I exchanged it, I tried plugging in the old shuffle to another computer (with no itunes installed whatsoever) and it also refused to be read although it shows up as a removable drive. So somewhere somehow the hardware was broken when I plugged it into the latest iTunes.

I tried everything and got an exchange from Apple (arrived the next day). iTunes detects the new shuffle except now it ejects the shuffle after transferring 3 songs. The shuffle would literally appear and disappear over and over again in iTunes. I am contemplating exchanging it again but what are the chances of a new replacement arriving broken? It must be the software somehow. Also, the disappearing problem doesn't manifest itself when I am just dragging in files from windows explorer, only in iTunes.

I am probably going to be exchanging my new shuffle again. Before I first plug it in next time, I will probably reformat and install an old version of itunes just to make sure.
 
Mar 22, 2006 at 4:48 AM Post #19 of 49
Meh, it's prob. the iPod's way of saying "i just pulled an Apple on you; time to upgrade!"
 
Mar 22, 2006 at 8:02 AM Post #20 of 49
Hmm this happened to me for a while with my 4G. I don't know what caused it and I don't know what fixed it. I just used it purely for playback for a while and next time I connected it to the computer it mounted fine. Weird.
 
Mar 22, 2006 at 12:51 PM Post #22 of 49
Quote:

CookieFactory wrote: Start Menu -> Run -> Type in msconfig.exe and click OK -> Startup Tab -> Make sure iTunesHelper is checked -> Restart Computer -> Now try the iPod.


Checked that. It's selected.

Quote:

ArcTeryx wrote: If it's not a software configuration, take it back to an apple store (not just any store) and they'll give you a new one on the spot if they determine it's defective.


This 4G is 15 months old. Out of warranty and there's no Apple store within an hour and a half of my location.

Quote:

Podman wrote: Hello, your symptoms are exactly the same as what happened to me except I have a shuffle.

I reinstalled my operating system and decided to get the latest itunes and my shuffle refused to be recognized. Windows would see it as a removable drive but I couldn't access it [no filesystem detected]. Not even the firmware updater could see the shuffle so restoring it was impossible. I spent half a day reinstalling old versions of itunes and the ipod firmware updater but no go.

Before I exchanged it, I tried plugging in the old shuffle to another computer (with no itunes installed whatsoever) and it also refused to be read although it shows up as a removable drive. So somewhere somehow the hardware was broken when I plugged it into the latest iTunes.

I tried everything and got an exchange from Apple (arrived the next day). iTunes detects the new shuffle except now it ejects the shuffle after transferring 3 songs. The shuffle would literally appear and disappear over and over again in iTunes. I am contemplating exchanging it again but what are the chances of a new replacement arriving broken? It must be the software somehow. Also, the disappearing problem doesn't manifest itself when I am just dragging in files from windows explorer, only in iTunes.

I am probably going to be exchanging my new shuffle again. Before I first plug it in next time, I will probably reformat and install an old version of itunes just to make sure.


Basically the bad, bad news I suspected. When a piece of software can basically nuke your player, that's garbage. Then to charge ~$260 for out of warranty replacement really stinks.

Quote:

AtheisticFreedom wrote: Meh, it's prob. the iPod's way of saying "i just pulled an Apple on you; time to upgrade!"


Apple can kiss my.....anyway, if anyone hears of a class action suit addressing this I'M IN!!!
mad.gif


Quote:

BavariaBarbarian wrote: Hmm... Sounds weird.

If you really want to reinstall the ipod firmware you can always download ipodwizard
and use it to "downgrade" your firmware.
This just writes a lower version number to the ipod, so you can then use the ipod updater.

Good luck!


I've tried other versions of iTunes and a few updater versions with no success. I'm a bit hesitant to throw another monkey wrench into the works. Guess I'll keep googling and pray for some sort of miracle.

Wonder if there's any other form of super duper reset other than pushing the menu+select? The software has obviously done something to the player and it seems there should be a way to totally wipe the slate clean.
confused.gif
 
Mar 22, 2006 at 3:34 PM Post #23 of 49
Quote:

Originally Posted by KenW
Funny but the ipod updater software will allow me to 'restore' which erases everything but I can't use the 'update' feature of that software.....it's restore only.
I'm stumped.


That's because, the installed firmware is up-to-date.
Ipodwizard can change that version number, so "update" gets enabled.
But, anyway I had only small hopes, that re-installing the firmware would fix it. You just seemed intent on it.

I've read somewhere, that unplugging the battery causes a "hardware-reset". I did that for a different reason once but haven't noticed any difference from the "soft-reset".
But since you're out of warranty anyway, you might give it a try.

Have you tried rockboxing it?
At least that's always a last resort to keep the ipod useable.

You also could run diagnostic mode.
I don't really think it's a hardware problem, but something might turn up.

... good luck...
 
Mar 22, 2006 at 4:49 PM Post #24 of 49
Quote:

Originally Posted by BavariaBarbarian
That's because, the installed firmware is up-to-date.
Ipodwizard can change that version number, so "update" gets enabled.
But, anyway I had only small hopes, that re-installing the firmware would fix it. You just seemed intent on it.

I've read somewhere, that unplugging the battery causes a "hardware-reset". I did that for a different reason once but haven't noticed any difference from the "soft-reset".
But since you're out of warranty anyway, you might give it a try.

Have you tried rockboxing it?
At least that's always a last resort to keep the ipod useable.

You also could run diagnostic mode.
I don't really think it's a hardware problem, but something might turn up.

... good luck...



Thanks for all the help. I'll give those last two a try and see how she goes. As for Rockboxing, that sounds like a real option. I'll see if I can do a search and see what that involves.
 
Mar 22, 2006 at 6:29 PM Post #25 of 49
i think i have some kind of idea of whats going on, when itunes opens, go to preferences, ipod, then select use for disk use. Should work, this happened to me a while ago, seems to be a problem with the 4G
 
Mar 22, 2006 at 6:37 PM Post #26 of 49
Quote:

Originally Posted by KenW
Yeah, I tried reinstalling the itunes from the original disc that came with the unit but that was a no go as well.


If your able to see the iPod in explorer, you should be able to use iPodwizzard to downgrade the firmware, and then you can use the ipod updater/restorer to update the iPod. There is also that hp software I have heard about which you should be able to use (might be on www.ipodlounge.com) or may need a google.
 
Mar 22, 2006 at 7:35 PM Post #27 of 49
Quote:

Originally Posted by JaGWiRE
If your able to see the iPod in explorer, you should be able to use iPodwizzard to downgrade the firmware, and then you can use the ipod updater/restorer to update the iPod. There is also that hp software I have heard about which you should be able to use (might be on www.ipodlounge.com) or may need a google.


ipodwizzard? What's that? Link?
 
Mar 22, 2006 at 7:36 PM Post #28 of 49
Quote:

Originally Posted by juzmister
i think i have some kind of idea of whats going on, when itunes opens, go to preferences, ipod, then select use for disk use. Should work, this happened to me a while ago, seems to be a problem with the 4G


When I go to that section, it says no ipod connected but the "removable drive I:" is present in windows explorer. I'm stumped.
 
Mar 22, 2006 at 8:06 PM Post #29 of 49
Quote:

Originally Posted by KenW
ipodwizzard? What's that? Link?


rolleyes.gif

See post #21.
Or google.
Or just type www.ipodwizard.net.

wink.gif


Another suggestion: Foopod.
It's a plugin for putting files on your ipod from foobar2k and has an option to "force ipod to mount".
This mounts the ipod when you have ejected the ipod in itunes but haven't yet disconnected it, which is a somewhat similar situation to yours.
I'm sorry, I don't remember the link for this, the adress was somwhat cryptic... But I googled it on first try.

That's it, my last straw, I really hope you get it working again...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top