iTunes doesn't recognize iPod

I have the exact problem. Many time rebooting the computer will temporarily fix it. Sometimes it will say that some other user is alreadly logged on (my wife has another identity in XP).

I have tried the USB and the firewire. Everybody said the firewire would solve it, and it helps...but this is a hassle.

Welcome to Apple Discussions.

Is this a new iPod? If so you need to restore it before it can be recognized. Download the latest iPod software updater, install it, and run it. Connect the iPod when told (but not before) and choose to restore.

Per your recommendation, I installed the software updater and ran it. It never told me to connect the ipod...it just said it was finished intalling. Also, it never gave me an option to restore.

Ipod still launches a new drive when connected.

I just had the exact same problem. see "20/60GB XP USB Firewire...AAARRGGHH" from 8-7-05....here is the fix I used.
First get a piece of firewire, with the wire plugged into computer, but iPOd not plugged in, download & reinstall/repair latest ipod software, and then itunes. Restart computer, then plug in iPod. It will then prompt you to name the iPod, and you are good from there.

Good Luck

Did you have to install all of your songs again?

I had an idea. Since an Ipod comes with one free technical support call, I used it for this. The woman walked me through several things:

-change the drive letter to I: in Control Panel(I am not sure why.)
-Disable disk use in the Ipod preference

I'll report whether all of this worked.

Ah, that's good. Enjoy your iPod.

-change the drive letter to I: in Control Panel(I am not sure why.)

!!!! This worked perfectly for me, I don't understand why either, but i have been trying for WEEKS to get this thing working and I finally got it, I recomend you ALL try this before calling apple support, it seems itunes looks for drive I...mine was C because my default drive is F, so I guess iTunes thinks drive C can't be the iPod since it is "normally" the default...if you don't know how to change your drive letter, i just wrote up a tutorial here:
http://www.runusa.com/oddstuff/extech/forum/viewtopic.php?p=19#19

Welcome to Apple Discussions, Steve.

You are right. The iPod will not work properly when its drive letter C. This is the well-known "Drive Letter C" problem here.

Good to hear that you solved your problem. Enjoy the iPod.

Thanks very much! i wish i had known this earlier!!!

Is there a reason why this happens? does the itunes software automaticly reject the drive letter c because it is "usually" the default drive? I'd be interested to here the logic behind this problem!

Also why isn't this problem addressed on the support section of apples website? it should be added here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61711

Is there someone I can contact to have this issue added, as I think it will fix a lot of peoples problems!

I'm having a very similar problem to you....

My iPod (20GB Colour V1.2 firmware) is fine when using just USB 2.0. But when I connect it using the combined Firewire and USB I get the sort of problem you have been having.

My problem in detail:

I uninstalled everything,

Plugged in firewire & usb cable to PC running XP Pro SP2

Installed iPod software, this program correctly picks up the iPod connected via Firewire & USB. All ok so far.

Install iTunes 4.9

Then I plug in iPod to the dock connector firewire & usb cable.

Windows makes a couple of ding dongs and two drives are shown up in My Computer "i:" & "j:" the later being a USB removable drive.

iTunes does not pick the iPod up.....

I unplug it and go back to the single USB cable..... All fine and dandy.... BUT I WANT TO USE FIREWIRE....!!!!

What can I do......!!!

Please......

I was curious about the eject button next to my iPod's name so I clicked on it. My iPod disappeared and i can't get it back. iTunes can not update my iPod!! iTunes says there is no iPod connected. I've tried reinstalling it. And disconnecting and reconnecting it. And even tried an update nothing has worked help!!

Welcome to Apple Discussions, Stuart.

Did you connect both the USB and Firewire end of the cable to the computer at the same time?

When you use the USB2/Firewire cable, make sure you plug only one end to the computer. Do not connect both ends to the computer at the same time.

Are you running it using USB? Try buying a Firewire card and a firewire/USB combo connector. See the post in this forum called "The Solution to all Connection issues on Windows", it should help you out quite a bit.