# iPod not recognized by iTunes



## plejon

I've had an iPod photo since last year. It always worked perfectly, but now I can't sync anymore. 

In iTunes, the iPod is no longer visible and I can't sync it. When I put the iPod in the docking station, I get a message saying i have to update the system software. Next, I get into the Updater screen. The Update button is greyed out, I can only choose Repair. When I click repair, the updater loads software on the IPod; It then instructs me to take the ipod out of the docking station, and connect it directly to the power adapter. I then see the apple logo and a progress bar, after a while I can choose the language and I have an empty updated ipod. However, when I insert the ipod back in the docking station, it is still not recognized bij itunes. Instead, the whole process starts all over. I get a message that I have to update the ipod, the updater starts, etc. This just repeats endlessly. 

I've installed the latest versions of itunes and the ipod updater but no luck. I can see in the about box of the ipod that the latest software version was loaded, but it still isn't recognized by itunes.

The ipod is detected by XP and by the ipod updater. The updater shows the correct serial number on the screen, which I assume it retrieved from the ipod unit.


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## eddie5659

Hiya

I've moved this to Multimedia for more response 

Have you seen this:

If your Windows PC does not recognize iPod when you connect it to the computer's FireWire or USB port, follow these steps

Regards

eddie


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## plejon

Yep, I saw that one. The ipod is recognized by windows, when the updater starts, a new version of the OS is actually loaded on the ipod.

The big problem is that every time I reconnect the ipod, the updater software runs again so I get into an endless loop of updating the ipod.

I'll have to try another pc, I'm pretty sure the unit is OK and this is just a software glitch.


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## eddie5659

Let us know if it works okay on the other pc, and I'll dig around for you 

eddie


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## plejon

OK, tried the iPod on my laptop, nothing wrong there. iPod is recognized by iTunes, I can sync and copy music to the iPod, so nothing is wrong with the unit itself.

Must be a software issue on my desktop then. I'll try an uninstall/reinstall of iTunes to see if that makes a difference


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## eddie5659

It may just be a corrupt file in the iTunes. Let us know if that doesn't solve it.

eddie


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## plejon

Sorry for the late reply, the ipod and desktop belong to a nephew I don't see every day.

Anyway, I tried an uninstall of itunes, the ipod updater and ipod drivers on the desktop; then, I re-installed the latest versions of the ipod updater and itunes, but no luck. On the desktop, I get the same symptoms as before. The ipod icon doesn't appear in itunes, and I get a message saying that i have to update the ipod. Same ipod on my laptop works like a charm. 

So that didn't get me anywhere. Eddie, you mentioned a corrupt file before. Maybe I could do the uninstall again, and manually remove some additional files? Any idea what I should be looking for?


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## eddie5659

That's okay, my hard drive went, and only just managed to get back myself 

Which version of Windows is the desktop running? As for the corrupt files, this is a good way to start.

Uninstall the software as before. Then, go to Windows explorer, and navigate to c:\Windows\Program Files and look for your folder for the uninstalled software, eg Ipod or Itunes. Make sure you've uninstalled the software via AddRemove, or whatever you used before. Then, delete the folder(s) to the recycle bin. 

Re-boot just to be safe, then reinstall the software again, so it re-creates the folders with fresh, new files inside.

eddie


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## FauxITGuy

had an unrecognized iPod on what was a usb 2.0 port - before I upgraded to XP SP2. There were some driver problems during the update. Search Microsoft for: WindowsXP-KB884020-x86-enu.exe

It worked perfectly.


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