An unknown error occurred (6). A solution, anyone?

I purchased the update July 19, and I have been through this update nightmare since then. I have spent many hours on the phone with several Apple Techs. I finally sent the ipod back to Apple hoping that it would be taken care of whenit was returned. It came back working but down graded. When I tried to syn I got an error message about the update. I downloaded the update again and once again started the nightmare. Here I am with a brick again. I paid the $20 in Jan and paid for this update also. I am totally disgusted with Apple.

Well "Apple" is right. The only way to get your Jan. update back is to get the 2.0 update.

Where you're wrong is that you do not have "to buy 3." Once you have purchased the update, it is stored on your computer and can be re-downloaded for free. That rule only applies if you did not go back an delete the 2.0 file from your computer. If you did then you would, in fact, have to buy the update again.

Your loss Grey Bird. Just take it to an Apple Store. They can fix most of these problems. They fixed mine.

Having visited my local Premium Reseller, I was advised to call Apple. Called them and was asked to try a few standard things, which I had already tried. Completely resetting the Touch, a different computer, a different cable, etc. The rep then disappeared to talk to a specialist. Came back and gave me a case number. Told me it was "a hardware issue". I could send it back to them or take it to a local store. Took it in and they accepted it. It will take a week to look at it. Asked about a replacement. "We don't have any in stock". I guess this is progress. Painfully slow. It feels like I am being made to feel guilty that it doesn't work. It's my fault it won't load. Watch this space!

Your logic doesn't track. I purchased the Jan upgrade and the file is still on my computer. So according to your logic it should reinstall, but it doesn't. If I purchase the 2.0 upgrade, there is no assurance that I won't be in the same situation when they start selling a 3.0 upgrade and an update nukes the 2.x upgrade. To clarify: I purchased an upgrade and now it won't install even though I still have the upgrade file on my computer, and Apple says the only way to get back what I paid for is to buy the next upgrade. If the pattern follows, then when there is another upgrade and the 2.x upgrade disappears from my iPod then Apple will likely tell me the same thing... Buy the new upgrade to restore the one you already paid for.

Okay.
This is going to sound REALLY STOOPID...because it was, and it worked.

I typically sync my iPod on my iMac.
Well that is where I got "bricked", error 6 and all.
(My episode began with updating 2.0.1 to 2.0.2)

I've read, several times, that to get back to the restore, I had to downgrade iTunes to 7.5.
So I downloaded 7.5 onto a USB jump drive, trashed itunes 7.7 in my Macbook Pro, installed 7.5.
Here I am now, on a totally diff. computer with a blank 7.5,(no library), in there.
Plugged in the iPod, started the process...to have the MBP tell me that I need to have the most recent version of iTunes in there in order to restore the iPod.
GEEZ.
Tried several times...no freeze, but "can't restore, need newest iTunes."

So I am ready to give up and drag down to the Apple Store this week.

Deciding that iTunes 7.5 was a waste, I re-downloaded,(via wifi at work), 7.7.
Naked, empty version of 7.7...
So I am like, "what the hey, just go ahead and try one more time since it said it wanted the new iTunes."

Restored like a champ,then it installed the 2.0.2 version onto the iPod without a single stutter.
I have named my iPod again and successfully synced TO THE MBP, without a problem, twice. Even put a movie in there.

Okay.
So, I think a couple things;
Maybe there was something in the iPod aps or files I have in my iMac that was corrupt and it couldn't get past that, I had to start with a completely clean slate.
Maybe the iTunes version has less to do with it than moving off the computer with bad data?

Maybe none of this mattered and I got lucky?

Anyway.
My questions remaining now are these;
1)What will happen if I sync back onto my iMac?
2)If I chose the same name for my iPod, will that cause a problem? Or will it be seen as a different iPod anyway?
3)Will removing the aps I had left in there from the iTunes library help prevent this from happening again?
4)Do we suppose there are still earlier versions of the iPod ware still in my iMac that could cause a problem and I should stick with using the MBP?
5)If I trash my iMac iTunes, re-download a clean version, and then re-load the library, would that work?

I feel great that I got the thing to go....I hope it's a solution for other people too....but it sure seems the long way round the horn to get something that should work seamlessly to do what it's supposed to do.
If anybody can input what I should be doing on q's 1-5, I'd sure be obliged!
THANX!
🙂

Message was edited by: hosshead

you know, I am pretty sure that you'll be fine going back to your "shiny new big" iMac, I had the same problem, the restore worked just fine on my shiny new MBP brand new so it was on a clean slate. Only I didn't sync it to my old iMac, I just clicked the box "manage music manually, to avoid any corruption's if there were any. but it could be just fine syncing, I think it was the actual updating process that was hard to get through

I have not yet been able to sync my 3G, not once. After 3 hours with phone tech support I finally got it in to a genius bar. They got me out of my "restore-can't restore error 6" loop on one of their machines. Even connected it to my machine there in the store and iTunes recognized and all seemed to be well. A week later I connected and yet again iTunes told me I needed to restore. So I restored -- at least it seemed like I did -- until that familiar "can't restore" screen came up again. I'm completely stuck now -- can't get out of the window with the sync cord pointing to the iTunes icon. I've had the phone less than a month. Totally frustrated. Any suggestions? I've done all the obvious -- dumped all Apple apps and reinstalled everything, created a new user account. When I when into Computer Management to see if I could update my USB driver it shows my phone like this: Apple Recovery (iBoot) USB driver. Is that a clue for anyone?

I see what you mean now.

Yes Apple is backtracking a little telling people to get the next update. But if you already had the failure in the 2.0, then anything further than that will have the same result.

Here by meaning that:
The same problem causing error (6) would be evident in 2.0.1 and 2.0.2. The only way to fix that would be for Apple to create a whole different update that would clear the hardrive on the iPod and then trying to reinstall the 2.0 to see the effects. Or Apple could try, which this is probably not possible right now, is to try to run the 2.0 in a different format, but the only reason that wouldn't work is because the 2.0 runs on a standard.

same here.
Don't cry
You are not alone~~~

Yet another wrinkle: I plugged in my Touch to sync it yesterday and iTunes said it was in restore mode and asked if I wanted to restore it to a saved backup or treat it as a new iPod. I unplugged it without doing a restore or sync. It still works, but now I don't want to try to sync it unless I have time to allow it to restore and possibly fiddle with it for a while to get it to work. What's with that??

Treat it as a new iPod? Choosing that would have been your best option and then tried to 2.0 update. Take it to an Apple Store. Wait for them to fix the problem (if they do) and then complain about your charges.

Probably won't work, but I'm curious to see how they react

How did you manage to get the January ugrade back? I haven't been able to do that yet. I want to update to 1.1.5 also, but would be satisfied with the January upgrade. Thanks in advance for any info you have.

After being notified that the Service centre was working on the problem, we received an email that it was ready for collection.
The solution? I was handed a new iPod Touch loaded with 1.1.5 (with January Update)!
Took it home and managed to get 2.1 loaded. But I was sooo nervous.