billfromstittsville

Q: iTunes 10 kills Personal Hotspot via USB?

I've been using Personal Hotspot via USB every workday for more than a year.  Today, the USB connection dropped in mid-use. I can't reestablish it - OSX says that the cable isn't plugged in or the iPhone is not configured for tethering.

 

iTunes sees the phone over the USB connection - syncing works correctly.  The phone charges up over the USB cable.

 

Bluetooth works, but I prefer not to broadcast in an office environment.

 

This happened immediately after downloading & installing iTunes 10 (over the USB link!)

 

Reboot of the mac and/or iPhone doesn't help

 

Tech specs: Macbook Pro 8,2 with OSX 10.6.8 and my iPhone 4 (not "S"), iOS 5.1.1. USB cable was supplied with phone. I tried a different cable: no effect.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011), Mac OS X (10.6.8), iPhone 4, 5.1.1, iTunes 10

Posted on Sep 17, 2012 10:24 AM

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Q: iTunes 10 kills Personal Hotspot via USB?

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  • by KC7GNM,

    KC7GNM KC7GNM Sep 17, 2012 10:29 AM in response to billfromstittsville
    Level 4 (2,893 points)
    Sep 17, 2012 10:29 AM in response to billfromstittsville

    Since you are still running snow leopard I really can't help you there. I know with ML (10.8) it works fine.

  • by billfromstittsville,

    billfromstittsville billfromstittsville Sep 17, 2012 10:45 AM in response to billfromstittsville
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 17, 2012 10:45 AM in response to billfromstittsville

    Missing detail:   iTunes update was actually 10.7

  • by billfromstittsville,Solvedanswer

    billfromstittsville billfromstittsville Sep 17, 2012 3:07 PM in response to billfromstittsville
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 17, 2012 3:07 PM in response to billfromstittsville

    Found this post in the discussions:

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/message/17788766#17788766

     

    It identifies the file /System/Library/Extensions/AppleUSBEthernetHost.kext as the source of a similar problem.

     

    Tried the connection once more, just to verify the problem still existed.

    Restored the file from my Time Machine backup (an effortless task) and presto - problem solved.

     

    Interesting note: file size, and creation and modification dates,  had not changed - but the restore worked. 

     

    Why iTunes 10.7 affected this file is a question for an iTunes guru.

     

    Vote of thanks to David Empson for the research!

  • by alancylai,

    alancylai alancylai Sep 21, 2012 12:25 PM in response to billfromstittsville
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 21, 2012 12:25 PM in response to billfromstittsville

    I am using OS X Snow Leopard (10.6.8) and just applied the latest security updates for the OS and iTunes 10.7. After I have installed iTunes 10.7 I can no longer use USB tethering.

     

    I have tried to follow the steps here and in https://discussions.apple.com/message/17788766#17788766 to reinstall the "right" AppleUSBEthernetHost.ktext with the universal binary 2.3.0 so that I can have my USB tethering back.

     

    Even though I could take a copy of that from Time Machine, it turns out that I couldn't install it because iTunes 10.7 uses a higher AppleUSBEthernetHost.kext version called 2.3.6for Intel binary only (as iTunes 10.7 only supports Intel machines). This meant my effort of fixing this has failed, even worse I have deleted the iPhone connection option on Network Preferences so I can not even test whether I can connect through USB tethering!

  • by jiijiim,

    jiijiim jiijiim Sep 23, 2012 11:38 AM in response to alancylai
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 23, 2012 11:38 AM in response to alancylai

    I'm on Snow Leopard (10.6.8) and iTunes 10.7. Tethering didn't work on my iPhone 3GS with iTunes 10.7 or the previous version installed. After trying every possible thing I could find in the forums, including deleting AppleUSBEthernetHost.kext and reinstalling iTunes, to no avail, I finally simply replaced the file AppleUSBEthernetHost.kext with version 2.2.0 using Time Machine, which seems to have fixed the problem.

  • by tuliovargas,

    tuliovargas tuliovargas Sep 27, 2012 5:49 AM in response to billfromstittsville
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 27, 2012 5:49 AM in response to billfromstittsville

    Hello guys,

    I am facing same problem with my:

    • Mac BookPro - iOS 10.6.8;
    • iPhone 4 - iOS 6
    • iTunes 10.7

    Does someone can help me?

  • by andreafromspringfield gardens,

    andreafromspringfield gardens andreafromspringfield gardens Sep 28, 2012 1:33 AM in response to jiijiim
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 28, 2012 1:33 AM in response to jiijiim

    Jiijiim...?  You're saying you used 2.2.0 instead of (written by someone above you) 2.3.0 and it worked? Or is the .2 a typo that should be .3?

     

    I couldn't find 2.2.0.  The 2.3.0 made my iphone show up in network connections again, but still would not recognize the phone (usb will power the phone, and itunes sees it, but not for tethering).  Seems there should be an easy solution, but still haven't found it.

  • by jiijiim,

    jiijiim jiijiim Sep 28, 2012 3:32 AM in response to andreafromspringfield gardens
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 28, 2012 3:32 AM in response to andreafromspringfield gardens

    2.2.0 is correct. I tried 2.3.0 as well but that didn't work. Here's another thread on the subject with a slightly different angle:

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3725328?start=0&tstart=0

     

    Seems different things work for different people with the apparent same problem. If you want to try with 2.2.0, you can download it here:

     

    https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7dhswy4wdkxw7ic/ZRNjTMPDJ9

  • by kildadevil,

    kildadevil kildadevil Oct 1, 2012 12:38 AM in response to tuliovargas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 1, 2012 12:38 AM in response to tuliovargas

    we have the same laptop , cellphone and same problem:

     

    try this:

     

    -download the itunes 10.6.3

    -delete the itunes (10.7)

         location: Macintosh HD\Applications\"iTunes"<--delete this (10.7 version)

    -delete the AppleUSBEthernetHost.kext

         location: Macintosh HD\System\Library\Extensions\"AppleUSBEthernetHost.kext"<--delete this (2.3.6)

    delete the "iTunes Library.itl"

         location: Admin\Music\iTunes\"iTunes Library.itl"<--this will trigger loading the file on your fone

    then install the itunes 10.6.3 and restart...

     

    then try to plug in your device for USB tethering...

     

    "WORKS FOR ME!"

  • by Krunch66,

    Krunch66 Krunch66 Oct 1, 2012 12:59 AM in response to jiijiim
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 1, 2012 12:59 AM in response to jiijiim

    jiijiim solution worked nicely (where reinstalling didn't...)

    i used AppleUSBEthernetHost.kext 2.3.0 (taken from timemachine) in replacement of existing one

    (macbook pro 2011, OSX 10.6.8, iphone 3GS, iOS 5.1)