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Unknown error (-54) while syncing ipod

I just got a brand 30gb video ipod. I was syncing it up but I kept getting the message "Unable to sync "my ipod" an unknown error occurred (-54)."

I have searched support website but there is no mention of this error. Does anyone know why this occurred, and what I can do to fix it? Only about 2/3 of my music library has transferred over. I have attempted to both reset and restore my ipod to no avail.

Thank you!

Apple ibook, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Aug 13, 2007 8:54 AM

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Posted on Aug 13, 2007 10:52 AM

Yeah, I've run across a similar error. No matter which of my three authorized computers I've tried, I keep getting the error message: "iPod cannot be synced. The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable." I've tried all of the troubleshooting "R's" except Restore because I have 3500 songs and really don't want to erase them all if restoring the ipod doesn't help. Can someone help me out?? Are there any other possible ways to fix this problem??
Thanks!!
29 replies

Sep 1, 2007 2:40 PM in response to geoffs11

I was having the exact same problem trying to sync my iPod.

After reading everyone's suggestions I decided to switch my iPod to manual file management (which I normally prefer anyway) and then created individual smart playlists under the condition "Artist Starts with (blank)" and went down the alphabet letter by letter.

I would then drag the playlist to my iPod and let it update.

When I got the error, I just browsed the smart playlist and dropped files onto the iPod in batches of about 50. Finally got the error message again and reduced the range to 10.

Turns out I had one file, Kill the King by Megadeth, that was locked. One file out of nearly 10,000 songs, videos and pictures. I just apple-clicked the file, clicked "open in finder" in the drop-menu and unlocked the file. Boom.

I was then able to sync my iPod like normal. (Actually, I just dragged my whole iTunes library to the iPod and let it upload the songs which were cut-off after the (-54) error.)

I also had a few DRM files my brother had downloaded to my hard disk using his iTunes account. I just deleted those.

Whole thing took about 15 minutes.

Oct 9, 2007 8:43 PM in response to Joe Eversole

When I follow the command line help I just get this

"pbd1441:~ Pat$ ~/Music/Amnesia\ Records Pat$ ls -loR | grep uchg
-bash: /Users/Pat/Music/Amnesia Records: is a directory"

I've tried so many variations and just nothing seems to happen. Oh and I've tried locker and nothing happened and the automator from apple.com isn't downloadable.

PLEASE, someone help, I'm desperate here.

(oh to clarify i have a -54 error too, and I can't update. I used to just try a few times and update anyway but now I get nothing.)

Unknown error (-54) while syncing ipod

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