Q: My macbook air will only recognize my iPod 60GB click wheel as an external hard drive and will not show any audio files. iTunes wi ... My macbook air will only recognize my iPod 60GB click wheel as an external hard drive and will not show any audio files. iTunes will not recognize it at all. What should i do? more
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Helpful answers
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by Kenichi Watanabe,Apr 16, 2016 5:56 PM in response to etotheiPiPlusONe
Kenichi Watanabe
Apr 16, 2016 5:56 PM
in response to etotheiPiPlusONe
Level 8 (38,788 points)
Mac OS XWhen you view the iPod as a storage device using Finder, you won't see any of its iTunes media files on it, because the iTunes data is hidden.
As a test, shut down the MacBook and disconnect all USB devices. Connect its power adapter so that the MacBook is not running on battery power. Do this to Reset (restart) the iPod
Learn how to reset your iPod - Apple Support (see section iPod with a click wheel)
Start up the MacBook, run iTunes, and connect iPod to a direct USB port on the MacBook, by itself. Is there any difference?
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Apr 16, 2016 8:14 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabeby etotheiPiPlusONe,No this was not helpful. Thank you though. I have exhausted all resources. The iPod will show up connected to my windows computer as an external hard drive as well. I can actually access the music on a windows computer. What can I do to allow iTunes to recognize the iPod?
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by Kenichi Watanabe,Apr 16, 2016 9:09 PM in response to etotheiPiPlusONe
Kenichi Watanabe
Apr 16, 2016 9:09 PM
in response to etotheiPiPlusONe
Level 8 (38,788 points)
Mac OS XSince the iPod appears on the Mac's desktop as a storage device, this is probably resolvable. The iPod's storage may have data corruption. Try putting the iPod into Disk Mode
Putting iPod into Disk Mode - Apple Support
Then, connect it to the Mac like before (as the only USB device). If iTunes picks it up, it may prompt you to do a Restore. If you're OK with erasing the iPod and re-syncing from your iTunes library, do the Restore.
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Apr 16, 2016 9:35 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabeby etotheiPiPlusONe,Ive tried it in disk mode, no change. Losing the music on the iPod is not an option. Im trying to save the music on the iPod.
Any suggestions on what I should do next? How can I make the music show up so I can transfer the audio files to my Mac?
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by Kenichi Watanabe,Apr 16, 2016 10:04 PM in response to etotheiPiPlusONe
Kenichi Watanabe
Apr 16, 2016 10:04 PM
in response to etotheiPiPlusONe
Level 8 (38,788 points)
Mac OS XLosing the music on the iPod is not an option. Im trying to save the music on the iPod.
Then, you should off-load the songs on the iPod first, before trouble-shooting why iTunes does not recognize it. Having your songs only stored on the iPod is risky; the iPod can break or get lost or need a Restore. All songs should be stored in your iTunes library, and you should then back up your Mac's data to an external drive using the built-in Time Machine feature (in case your Mac or its drive fails).
Question: Do you have another computer, such as your Windows computer, that has an iTunes library with the iPod's current songs. Or do you have a backup of the iTunes library that was used to sync the iPod. If you do, a better approach is to transfer or restore the complete iTunes library onto your Mac, instead of adding songs on the iPod to a new iTunes library. Please post back for more info, if this is possible. iPods are not intended to be your iTunes data backup.
BUT, if your songs are only stored on your iPod, you need to off-load them... For that task, iTunes recognizing the iPod (or not) is not critical, because iTunes syncing is generally one-way only, from iTunes library to iPod. You cannot use iTunes to transfer song files from iPod to computer, except for songs purchased from the iTunes Store. Fortunately, both your Mac and Windows PC see the iPod as a storage device. There are third-party methods and utilities that can transfer from iPod to computer. If you do an Internet search on something like "ipod music transfer," you should get some links (including an article on the topic by CNET). Once the song files are on your Mac's drive, add them to your iTunes library. At that point, the iPod's songs are "safe" and you can do additional trouble-shooting on why iTunes on the MacBook does not recognize the iPod.