Formatting Failure

Question

Level 1

30 points

Formatting Failure

Basically I recently bought an iPod off eBay and it had songs on it that I dont like so obviously I want to get rid of them. So I connect my iPod to the computer and the "Do Not Disconnect" sign comes up and ocassionally has the spinning circle up on the top left but that is rare coming up and only for about a second.

I open Updater and it says "Initialising" for ages and then freezes so I close it. Then the box comes up saying "iPod not readable" and says I need to reformat it for the use of my PC. I click "Update" and it comes up with the "Initialising" and then allows me to click Restore, so I do click it but just as its about to start it says "Disk Write Error" and "Formatting Failure".

Please help me!

Posted on Sep 4, 2005 5:07 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 4, 2005 6:21 PM in response to Adam Barnes

Start the Updater and connect the iPod only when the Updater prompts you to do so (and not before!).

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Answer 2

Adam Barnes Author

Level 1

30 points

Sep 6, 2005 11:56 AM in response to Bill Chapman

Ive tried that, ive tried reinstalling all the software numerous times. It has come up in my tray saying new hardware found and that it is installed but when its says it need to be reformatted, I load up the updater to restore it and after about 15-20 seconds of so it just says "Formatting Failure. Disk Write Error"

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Answer 3

Sep 6, 2005 12:45 PM in response to Adam Barnes

Perhaps it is a hardware problem. If you are near and apple store I'd take it in for them to take a look at, if not you may need to send it to apple.

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Answer 4

Otto42

Level 6

9,070 points

Sep 6, 2005 1:13 PM in response to Adam Barnes

Adam: Do it again, but before clicking the Restore button, load up the Computer Management Control Panel and select Disk Manager. Use that to format the iPod drive (not a quick format, but a full format). After it's done, close the program, then click the Restore button. See if that helps.

If you can't do a normal windows format, then you have a connection problem or a driver issue or a busted iPod.

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Answer 5

Adam Barnes Author

Level 1

30 points

Sep 6, 2005 1:21 PM in response to Otto42

Ive tried the computer management thing but it doesnt come up, it shows it as a removeable storage device and when I go to Device Manager is shows it as an Apple iPod it doesnt show on the Computer Management thing.

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Answer 6

Adam Barnes Author

Level 1

30 points

Sep 6, 2005 1:25 PM in response to Adam Barnes

Ok, it has come up but with no "format" just eject or free.

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Answer 7

Otto42

Level 6

9,070 points

Sep 6, 2005 1:35 PM in response to Adam Barnes

Reset the iPod, shutdown the computer and restart it, then reconnect it. This happened to me once with my iPod. Resetting everything fixed the problem. Don't know what the deal was.

If it still doesn't show up as an actual drive that you can properly format, reinstall Windows.

Alternatively, a lot of people have had luck in these sorts of cases by getting the Adaptec 4300 firewire card. I have not tried these cards myself, but it might be worth considering.

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Answer 8

Adam Barnes Author

Level 1

30 points

Sep 6, 2005 1:40 PM in response to Otto42

Well I tried my friends iPod today and that worked fine on it but I may need to reformat my own one. Its annoying that the only way to format it is with the updater, all I want to do is take the songs off and put some on lol.

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Answer 9

Otto42

Level 6

9,070 points

Sep 6, 2005 1:52 PM in response to Adam Barnes

If your friend's iPod worked okay, then that eliminates the computer and the cable as the problem, at least. Reset the iPod using the special key sequence (hold menu and play on 3G models, dunno what it is for newer models). This will likely fix the problem and allow you to Restore it okay.

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Answer 10

Adam Barnes Author

Level 1

30 points

Sep 6, 2005 1:55 PM in response to Otto42

So while it is plugge into the computer reset it? It comes up in the Computer management thing but with nothing about formatting just about ejecting it, is there any other way apart from the updater because all I get is the same message.

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Answer 11

Otto42

Level 6

9,070 points

Sep 6, 2005 2:05 PM in response to Adam Barnes

No, not while it's connected to the computer. Just Reset the iPod. Reboot it. Make it start again and show the Apple logo. Then connect it to the PC.

It should go to the Do Not Disconnect screen and stay there. And the drive should show up in disk manager. It should allow you to format it there as well.

If it doesn't work, then you may just have a broken iPod. I've got no further tips for you. I don't know what specifically causes this, just that it happened to me and resetting everything fixed the issue. But if you can't get the option to format, then you won't be able to restore. Simple as that, really.

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Answer 12

Alp Eren

Level 1

0 points

Sep 6, 2005 6:33 PM in response to Adam Barnes

hey Adam did u find a solution to this problem?! I have same problem, I am getting crazy!!! if u find something fine, please let me know! I tried the other advices but they didn't work!!

ALP

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Answer 13

Adam Barnes Author

Level 1

30 points

Sep 7, 2005 3:00 AM in response to Alp Eren

Hey. No I havent and I have been on many forums. Does your music still play on yours? I have music on mine and I can listen to about 90% of it so I think the hard drive is f*cked but Im going to take the iPod apart from fiddle about and tell you if I can help.

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Answer 14

Alp Eren

Level 1

0 points

Sep 7, 2005 4:49 PM in response to Adam Barnes

I tried to format it,I tried everthing but it didn't work. before I tried, I had been listening.but now, I can't turn on.it shows a folder and says www.apple/support/ipod. I don't know what happened,I can't format. now I can't listen:(

ALP

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