troubleshooting/tutorials/security
05/25/2004, 7:00pm, EDT
Tuesday, May 25th
Readers: iPod/iTunes 4.5 problems
A MacNN reader let us know about a widespread problem for many iPod users with iTunes 4.5. The update is apparently causing some users' iPods to fail to connect to the computer. The problem has been reported by multiple readers.
The anonymous reader writes:
"My daughter showed me that her 1st generation iPod would not
show up in iTunes.... just an 'OK to disconnect' message on the iPod (nothing
in the iTunes window or desktop upon connection).
Upon investigation I discovered that this is a rather common problem now since
the iTunes 4.5 update ... there are a dozen or more threads at the Apple
discussion boards on this issue spanning all generations of iPods..... there is
definitely something wrong with iTunes 4.5. [See large discussion on the issue]
Many people now have iPods which cannot be used with iTunes, or even in disk
mode. When reading the threads I saw a lot of desperation - P ram reboots,
reinstall of 4.5, deletion of library elements.... and as usual the Apple
'geniuses' dismissing the problem.
I hope that Apple get onto this, but given that the stakes are so high for
iTunes and the music shop, I susupect that the very last thing they would do is
admit to a problem openly."
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hey you stupid *%&#?, go buy a dell if you're not happy
Doesn't sound like a "problem" to me. How many of these people have run diagnostic software to check for and repair disk errors?
If your iPod cannot be used as an external hard drive, that sounds more like a disk error than an iTunes 4.5 problem. Almost every time I've had problems with my iPod, DiskWarrior fixed the problems. On only one occasion did I have to do a complete reset with the iPod utility.
Before blaming Apple, how about trying to fix the problem yourself? If it IS a serious falw in the software, fine. But do some diagnostics first and make sure it's not simple disk corruption.
I would guess that sometimes the iTunes installer doesn't properly replace the driver file with the updated one.
If it's got a hard drive, it can be corrupted. It's happened to me many times. DW works 99.9% of the time in correcting even major errors, and that one .1% was the time I had to run the iPod restore software.
If you still can't fix it, is there an Apple store nearby, or do you have a friend with a Mac? Take it in and see if it'll mount on any of the machines there. Maybe the people there can give you some assistance as well.
Hope you get it working again!