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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Ipod Problem
ipoduser19 - Sep 28, 2005 - 7:47 pm
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Help!!! I have done quite a bit of research now on the problem I've been having with my iPod, but must finally resort to technical support. (I am running Windows XP on my computer, so I hope that won't be a problem for you.) I re-installed Windows on my computer a while ago, then installed iTunes and added all my songs to the library. I then plugged in my iPod and as soon as it started up, it said "Do not disconnect," and refuses to go away, without showing any transfer of songs AND without iTunes recognizing it (although the iPod DOES show up when I start "My Computer," and the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon pops up also, so my computer recognizes that something is plugged in, but for some reason iTunes won't talk to it or recognize it). I tried resetting it, replugging in the firewire (6-pin) cable after completely turning off the computer, and starting iPod in disk mode. I then extensively reviewed online forums and Apple's support web site, and decided to disable other startup services and to essentially isolate the iPod so that there would be no conflicts. SAME THING - I still get the "Do not disconnect" message that doesn't go away. Everyone says that if you have this problem you should use the iPod updater (of which I downloaded the most recent version along with the most recent version of iTunes), but iPod updater doesn't recognize my iPod either. I start iPod updater, and it says it's initializing, and then it says "Plug in an iPod to update" when my iPod is already plugged in. I try taking it out and plugging it back in, and then the updater software says it "can't mount" the iPod. I just can't get any iPod software to talk to my iPod!! Thus, I can't add any songs to my iPod. This is very annoying and I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out any possible solution, but haven't had any luck. Please help me!! Thanks.
LovesMacs - Sep 28, 2005 - 9:52 pm
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HI Mark,

Ok.. Win XP and a cool iPod. I am familiar with WinXP so hopefully I can help.

Ok, the "Do not Disconnect" on the iPod display just means DO NOT disconnect the Firewire cable BEFORE Ejecting the iPod. That can seriously damage the iPod hard drive.
You can Eject the iPod from iTunes.

Mark, I see that you've really done your homework before asking for help... that helps us help you.

One thing... Have you tried Resetting your iPod? If not, try this: (I listed the Reset instructions for all the iPods not knowing which model you have. When you post back, could you indicate with one it is please? Thanks!

Resetting iPod if it appears frozen or doesn't respond
Learn how to reset or restart iPod following a freeze.

If you have an iPod shuffle, click here for reset steps.

Important: If your iPod is frozen or won't turn on, it may be because iPod is paused or the Hold switch is in the locked position. If so, a lock symbol appears on the screen. Slide the Hold switch to the unlocked position and check the screen.

If you are using your iPod as a hard drive (disk mode), it is normal for "do not disconnect" to remain on the screen until you are ready to eject the iPod in iTunes or from the Mac OS. To avoid having the iPod freeze learn how to eject and disconnect iPod from your computer. Same for Windows.

If your iPod is frozen or won't turn on, the steps to reset it vary by model. You can easily tell which iPod model you have if you're not sure.

To reset an iPod with a Click Wheel, including:

iPod mini
iPod mini (Second Generation)
iPod with color display (iPod photo)
iPod (Click Wheel)
iPod nano


Toggle the Hold switch on and off. (Slide it to Hold, then turn it off again.)
Press and hold the Menu and Select buttons until the Apple logo appears, about 6 to 10 seconds. You may need to repeat this step.
Tip: If you are having difficulty resetting your iPod, set it on a flat surface. Make sure the finger pressing the Select button is not touching any part of the click wheel. Also make sure that you are pressing the Menu button toward the outside of the click wheel, and not near the center.

If the above steps did not work, try connecting iPod to a power adapter and plug the power adapter into an electrical outlet, or connect iPod to your computer. Make sure the computer is turned on and isn't set to go to sleep.
To reset iPod, iPod (scroll wheel), iPod (touch wheel), and iPod (dock connector)



Toggle the Hold switch on and off. (Slide it to Hold, then turn it off again.)
Press and hold the Play/Pause and Menu buttons until the Apple/iPod logo appears, about 6 to 10 seconds. You may need to repeat this step.
If the above steps did not work, try connecting iPod to a power adapter and plug the power adapter into an electrical outlet, or connect iPod to your computer. Make sure the computer is turned on and isn't set to go to sleep.

If you are still unable to reset your iPod, use only one finger from one hand to press the Select button, and one finger from the other hand to press the Menu button.

When you reset iPod all your music and files are saved, but some customized settings may be lost. Date and time is preserved (unless the iPod reset itself because it had no power and then was reconnected to power). Other customized settings, such as Bookmarks, On-The-Go Playlists, Shuffle, Backlight timer, and so forth are preserved from the last time the hard drive turned on.

Do a clean boot from your Windows computer without the Ipod connected. At your Desktop.. launch iTunes. Now, connect your iPod via the Firewire cable. Your iPod icon should show up in "My Computer".

Or ...
iPod: How to Safely Disconnect
Learn how to safely disconnect iPod if it still displays the "Do not disconnect" message after you eject it from the computer.

Symptom
The "Do not disconnect" message remains on iPod after ejecting it in iTunes, the Finder, or the My Computer window.

Products affected

Any iPod

Solution
Listen to or touch iPod to see if its hard drive is spinning.
If the hard drive is not spinning, you can safely disconnect iPod from your computer.
Reset iPod as described in technical document 61705, "iPod: How to Reset". Note: When you reset iPod all your music and data are saved.

If the hard drive is spinning, quit iTunes then re-open it. See if iPod appears in the Source list. If so, eject iPod and disconnect it from the computer. If the hard drive continues to spin while displaying the "do not disconnect" message, disconnect it and reset it as described above.

Pleae post back and let me know how it's going. I'm sorry if I seem redundant regarding troubleshooting tips, you've covered so many yourself, but trying again certainly can't hurt.

Matt... have you posted on the Apple Disucssions?

I just remembered something. On your Windows computer, are you using a USB hub and connecting the Firewire cable through that? Or direct to your PC? If by chance, you're using a USB hub, disconect it and try connecting the Ipod directly to the PC.

Meantime, if in my travails in support work I read anything that might help you, I'll post back!

Carolyn :-)
ipoduser19 - Oct 2, 2005 - 12:38 pm
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Yes, resetting the iPod was the first thing I tried. I still can't get my iPod to work and I'm running out of ideas. Any help is appreciated.
LovesMacs - Oct 3, 2005 - 1:02 am
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Hi Mark,

It would help to assist you if you could indicate which iPod you have and the software version on it? The way to check your software version is to turn on your iPod. Click Settings>About>Version. I just checked the Apple site for iPod/iTunes and Windows XP... if you have Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed you might want to check out this link:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93975

Also, check out the latest iPod sofware update:
http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/

And.....
Your Windows PC doesn't recognize iPod
Note: This article is for Windows users. If you have a Mac, we have a separate article for you if your iPod doesn't appear in iTunes or on the Mac desktop.

Can't see your iPod in iTunes or Windows Explorer? Remember these five basic suggestions when you run into a problem with your iPod. If one of the following doesn’t help, read on for solutions to specific problems.

Reset, Retry, Restart, Reinstall , Restore

Reset your iPod.
Retry with a different USB port.
Restart your computer and make sure you have the latest software updates installed.
Remove iTunes software and then reinstall iPod and iTunes software from latest versions on the web.
Restore your iPod. See “Updating and Restoring iPod Software” in the user's guide.
Still can't see your iPod?

Several things could keep iPod from appearing in iTunes or Windows Explorer. The most likely causes are listed below—you'll find information for both USB and FireWire (IEEE 1394) iPod connections. Check each one starting from the top of the list to see if that is what's keeping iPod from appearing.

iPod appears in Windows Explorer but not in iTunes or iPod Updater

If your iPod shows up in My Computer, but iTunes and iPod Updater don't recognize it, there may be a software conflict, or iPod Service didn't load. You may see an "iPod Service Error" alert or a "Please Reinstall iTunes" message.

If you see either of these messages, try the solutions in this article to resolve the issue.

Laptop or portable connecting via USB?

See iPod not recognized when connected to Windows laptop over USB for more information.

Your computer doesn't meet iPod system requirements

Make sure that your computer meets the system requirements to use iPod for Windows.

Your iPod displays an exclamation point folder or sad iPod icon, or doesn't appear in iTunes or My Computer

If your iPod displays a folder with an exclamation point icon or a sad (unhappy) iPod icon on its screen, or if your iPod doesn't appear in iTunes or My Computer, follow these instructions to resolve the issue.

Your iPod isn't formatted for Windows

iPod for Windows Software only recognizes iPod for Windows. You cannot use iPod for Macintosh with a Windows PC. To see which platform your iPod is formatted for, follow these instructions.

Your iPod isn't connected to a high-power USB port

If you're connecting an iPod, iPod mini, or iPod shuffle to your Windows computer, make sure that you're connecting it to a high-power USB 2.0 port on your computer (not a low-power one such as the USB port on your keyboard or bus-powered USB hub).

Typically, USB 2.0 high-power ports are located directly on your computer. Try connecting your iPod to another USB port on the computer (or to a self-powered USB 2.0 hub that's connected to a high-power USB 2.0 port on your computer) if the computer still doesn't recognize your iPod. Alternatively, if your computer has a FireWire connection, try using that instead.

If you're connecting an iPod, iPod mini, or iPod shuffle to a Windows laptop computer through USB, connect the laptop to a power outlet before connecting your iPod.

You're not using a WHQL-certified IEEE 1394 card

If you have a FireWire (IEEE 1394) card installed in your computer and are using it to connect your iPod, make sure that the card is Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certified. If it isn't, your iPod may not be recognized, or you may not be able to send music to the iPod.

If you're not sure about your card's WHQL certification, check the inbox material that came with your FireWire card or contact the card's manufacturer. You can view a list of WHQL-certified cards on the Windows Hardware Compatibility List website. To view this:

Go to the Windows Hardware Compatibility List website.
Enter All Products in the "Search for" field.
From the Product Categories pop-up menu, choose 1394 Controller.
Click the Search Now button.
Note: Windows XP information is not listed on the initial search screen, but is listed when you click on an individual card.

You can also check the list of recommended FireWire and USB cards that have been tested by Apple with iPod and Windows XP. (Apple sells FireWire cards that are compatible with iPod at the Apple Store.)

To rule out an issue with your FireWire card, try connecting a different FireWire device to the card to see if your computer recognizes it.

Your connections aren't secure

Make sure that there is nothing in or blocking your computer's USB (or FireWire) port, and that the cable connections to your iPod and computer are secure.

Your iPod cable is faulty

Make sure that you are using the cable that came with your iPod. Some third-party cables may not work properly with iPod.
Make sure that nothing is in or blocking your computer's USB or FireWire port.
Check the connections to make sure that the cable is completely plugged in.
Try another known-good FireWire or USB through Dock Connector cable.
If swapping out your old cable for another resolves the issue, then your original cable should be replaced.

Your iPod isn't charged or getting power

Your iPod must have enough of a charge for your computer to recognize it. Connect your iPod to its power adapter or to a high-power port on your computer to charge your iPod if the battery is depleted. If you have an iPod nano, click here for more information. If your iPod is connected through FireWire but isn't getting power from the FireWire bus, your computer may not recognize it.

Your computer's port may be faulty

If another FireWire or USB port is available on your computer, try connecting your iPod to it. If you are using FireWire and have a USB cable to connect to the iPod, try using USB instead. If you are using USB and have a FireWire port and cable to connect to the iPod, try using FireWire instead.

If your computer recognizes your iPod after trying a different port, the original port could be faulty.

Note: iPod will not automatically wake up if you connect it to a 4-pin FireWire port. You must press the Select button (the wheel's center button) on the iPod to wake it from sleep.

There's a conflict in the FireWire chain

Your computer may not recognize your iPod if there's a device conflict in the FireWire chain. To see if this is the case:

Disconnect all devices from your computer's FireWire ports.
Connect your iPod to your computer's FireWire port.
If your computer recognizes your iPod, you should troubleshoot for FireWire device conflicts.

Your computer needs to be restarted

Sometimes simply restarting your computer can resolve issues.

Your FireWire card isn't recognized by Windows

Make sure that Windows recognizes your FireWire card. Follow these steps to find out if Windows sees your card.

Third-party software may be causing conflicts

Some third-party software (such as security software) may prevent your computer from recognizing your iPod. Try adjusting the settings of such software, or temporarily disabling it, to see if that resolves the issue.

Your iPod hard disk's format is damaged or was altered

If you reformatted the hard disk on your iPod, or if something has damaged or altered the disk's format, iTunes or My Computer may not recognize iPod. To resolve this issue, you may need to restore iPod.

Warning: The restore process will delete all of your songs and files on the iPod. This process cannot be undone. Always make a backup of your important data before restoring your iPod.

iPod Software needs to be installed (or reinstalled)

Make sure that you install the iPod for Windows Software from the iPod for Windows CD that came with your iPod. The iPod Watcher should appear in the system tray. If you don't see it, you will need to reinstall the iPod for Windows Software.

There may be an issue with your computer

If another computer is available, verify that the same issues happen with the other computer. If the other computer recognizes your iPod, you may want to troubleshoot for issues with your original computer.

Your iPod needs service

If after following these steps your computer still doesn't recognize iPod, see the iPod Service website to arrange for service.

After trying all of the above, and your iPod still does not work properly, the only thing I can suggest is either post on the Apple>Support>iPod Disussion forums and possible get some help there, or take the iPod back for service.

I hope you get it working Mark... I understand your frustrations!

Carolyn :-)

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