# Struggling to export photos from iPod 5th gen



## NSTurtle (Jun 16, 2010)

(I've left a TL;DR below!!!) I have an Apple iPod 5th generation (A1136 - 2065), with 80 GB and video (if it helps, my iTunes is updated to the version 12.5.5.5 the latest one to date).

It's obviously quite old, but I've tried to take care of it, and it still stores all my music, videos, etc., from music libraries that I no longer have access to (from old computers and so on). I've since managed (without using any software, just regular Windows Explorer) to copy the music and video files from the iPod to keep as a backup on my computer in case the device grows too old and fails, but I've had NO luck whatsoever with the Photos 

The reason this is so important to me is that it has old personal photos of a very dear loved one who is now late, and my (now also getting on in years) mother recently asked me if she could have them to keep. Now you can view them on the iPod itself, of course in their compressed/low-res versions, but I can't manually extract them. I have enabled disk use on the iPod, and have even tried to view the 'hidden files and folders' through Windows Explorer, but all I have access to is the 'Thumbs' files and folder which I can't seem to do anything with 

It also seems that when the pictures were originally imported into the iPod (when I was an inexperienced teenager), I did not upload them with the 'Full resolution' option checked. I don't know if this means anything, but I can't seem to manually check this now retroactively (when I attempt to do so, iTunes only asks if I'd like to sync the photos which is to delete them from the device). I'm still pretty sure I could at least be able to access and export/transfer/copy the low-res ones, since they can't exist on the iPod like floating images without any actual presence on the device, right? Like, they're still actual files, stored somewhere. I just can't seem to get to them.

(QUICK UPDATE: I have since searched in some of my old backups from five or six years ago and found I ended up with a folder called 'iPod Photo Cache' - this has no photos in it, only the usual 'F00/F01/etc' photos with the .ithmb files in them that I can't do anything with - so I'm not sure if there's a solution in converting these files yet, but thought I'd add it)

I feel very uncomfortable downloading software or programs online, and so I'd really be grateful for a solution that didn't require any downloaded third-party software, but if you have any free and safe (_very _free and _very _safe!) software you've personally found successful. easy to use, and can recommend, I'd also be thankful. If there's also a solution to be had by connecting the iPod to a Mac laptop, please also let me know as I have access to one! I haven't yet had any trouble when connecting my device to other computers (to charge and so forth).

*TL;DR*: I am having trouble getting the pictures off my iPod 5th Gen, onto the computer I now own (not the same one where the photos were originally imported from), and would like to do so, preferably without downloading software. Thank you!!!

I really hope I came to the right forum as opposed to posting in Multimedia (please tell me if I'm wrong and I will happily re-post this there and, if I can figure it out, delete this one haha), but I've been having so much trouble with this and hope someone can help! Thank you all in advance for reading this (or at least reading the request below) I have also omitted to paste my system info on here because I've already typed so much and didn't want to annoy anyone with more, but if you do need it, I'll paste it right away (I use Windows 7 Home, though)


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## Oddba11 (May 13, 2011)

You can't simply copy them off (that I'm aware of). You need to use iTunes or a third part app to access the device. This is the price you pay for using Apple hardware.


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## NSTurtle (Jun 16, 2010)

Oddba11 said:


> You can't simply copy them off (that I'm aware of). You need to use iTunes or a third part app to access the device. This is the price you pay for using Apple hardware.


I know what you mean,Jim/Odba11 (and if you knew me IRL you'd know I'm incredibly boring when I go on theoretically about my feelings about open/closed technology haha) but I am still really hoping for a solution, even a workaround. I suppose I should've clarified that I've tried my best to do it through iTunes first, many times (as explained above, although I'm not very tech-smart so there's likely more I could do), and of course if there's no other way, I'd gladly accept recommendations for third-party software. Do you have any you've used that you can recommend? Ideally free (I have no way of paying for anything online at the moment  sorry about that, haha...)

I should actually mention again that I *did* manage to copy all my music and videos without using iTunes _or _a third-party program, simply by using Windows Explorer and treating them as plain old files, so it can be done, and I feel like there just has to be a way to do this also with the Photos, since they're also 'on' the same device. I don't know. I just can't seem to access the pictures on the device at all, so I haven't figured it out.

The 'cache' folder I mentioned earlier that I had somehow saved in a backup a few years ago, only had about 10-20% of the photos I can see on the iPod, but I thought I'd try with what little I was able to find. Since last updating on here, I tried to do the obvious thing and 'open' an .ithmb file, and ask Windows to recommend a program that can open it. It directed me to a Microsoft-affiliated, third-party software called CompuClever Ultra File Opener, which frustratingly, holds a watermark over each picture in the trial, but I'm just so utterly relieved I can finally see them! That's a very good start for me.

But the issue remains that these photos/files were not taken from the device (and that they are nowhere near the full set), only from this folder that I confess I don't remember creating/how I did so, so I still haven't solved my problem  My iTunes automatically syncs devices, although this is an old device so for some reason it doesn't actually sync, and I am terrified of trying to click 'Sync photos' for fear it will erase what I've got on the device, because when I look under the other options, it only shows the videos I've downloaded since using this current PC :/)

So TL;DR questions - is there a way you know of (or can recommend?) for me to extract or at least copy the files as they exist on the device (using Windows Explorer or iTunes _or _free online tools or third-party software)? Or, do you know how I can create this 'iPod Photo Cache' again, and work from there? I am not very good at this sort of thing but I try my best to follow instructions haha.

Thanks again for taking the time to write in, hope you have any other advice!!


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## NSTurtle (Jun 16, 2010)

PS I am not sure if I'm allowed to hyperlink to software websites on here (apologies if not!!), but Jim, would you recommend using this program? I found it online - it seems the only limitation given when using it in its free version is there's a watermark on the pictures, but if it can help me recover what's on the device?? I hope you won't decide to give up on this thread because of my rambling on and on haha, I'll understand if so! I'll be up for a couple more hours to try and figure this out 

(EDIT: That _isn't_ the limitation issue with the free version - it will happily convert the images into your chosen file type and so on (and it's got such a friendly interface), except about 20 minutes into the conversion I noticed 90% of the images are actually 'locked' with 'demo only'  :'( On a more positive note, I did find out I was able to at least 'view' the images on the program I mentioned earlier, and while it's a little complicated to search for them through their own invisible sub-categories, it seems there are over 4,000 pictures (!). Unless I find a solution, I'll have to just keep it to look through them all... manually... *sigh*)


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## Oddba11 (May 13, 2011)

Let me start by saying that I haven't used an iPod in quite awhile. When I was, I was simply annoyed by iTunes and having to have it installed to manage my music on the device. I ended up using a third party application (can't remember the name) to move files to/from the device. From what I recall, the reason for software in the first place is because Apple doesn't store the files on the device in their native format. The software will convert how the files are stored on the device to what is seen by Windows (ie: mp3 files stored on an iPod don't show up as mp3 files). The same applies to your photos as they are likely jpg (or another common image format) and not ".ithmb" files.

I will add, that if iTunes itself isn't capable of viewing/showing all of the files, they likely don't exist. Actual files are NOT stored in the "cache" folder. Cache is a temp folder. So it would appear that at some point, the files/folder was removed/deleted/corrupted.

In any case, I've used CopyTrans in the past, and a couple of others that I don't recall.

Reference here: https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/297...s-to-itunes-10-for-easily-managing-your-ipod/


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## NSTurtle (Jun 16, 2010)

Oddba11 said:


> Let me start by saying that I haven't used an iPod in quite awhile. When I was, I was simply annoyed by iTunes and having to have it installed to manage my music on the device. I ended up using a third party application (can't remember the name) to move files to/from the device. From what I recall, the reason for software in the first place is because Apple doesn't store the files on the device in their native format. The software will convert how the files are stored on the device to what is seen by Windows (ie: mp3 files stored on an iPod don't show up as mp3 files). The same applies to your photos as they are likely jpg (or another common image format) and not ".ithmb" files.
> 
> I will add, that if iTunes itself isn't capable of viewing/showing all of the files, they likely don't exist. Actual files are NOT stored in the "cache" folder. Cache is a temp folder. So it would appear that at some point, the files/folder was removed/deleted/corrupted.
> 
> ...


Wow, thanks so much for this Oddba11/Jim - I know what you mean about the frustration of using Apple devices - I am a bit of an anxiously loyal hoarder of objects (like I won't buy new or different devices until there's no other way), and since this is an old device/given to me second-hand, I try to keep it running and use it, instead of using something new, and end up sticking to using iTunes to add new songs and things.

Also, I'm so sorry I wasn't clear when explaining where I got the 'cache' folder - these were folders I'd found separate from the device, on an old backup I had of my old laptop (i.e. _not_ taken from the device) - I am using the most updated version of iTunes, and it doesn't allow you to view the photos that are saved on an iPod this old ahaha, which is incredibly frustrating and upsetting (especially because they are in fact there - when I managed to copy the music and videos, they were in fact already .mp3, or .mp4, .avi files on the device, and I am probably mistaken but I have a feeling the problem might have arisen when the images were uploaded on to the device in the first place, storing only the 'display-size' images and not the 'full resolution' files, which I can't retroactively activate. Thanks to the .ithmb viewer I came across, I was just relieved to be able to view them (in full-size image), so at least they were there and I could see them!

But I'm so grateful now for your recommendation of CopyTrans and also the HowtoGeek article! I've bookmarked these to read up more carefully and see what the best options are for me (that I'll know how to use haha). I guess it's all part of figuring out the best way to keep and maintain the device that happens to have stored all this stuff for me ahaha - I really appreciate your coming back to share this with me


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