Q: After iTunes 9 upgrade iPod Classic is corrupt without ability to restore

I recovered my iPod Classic from this snafu with iTunes 9.0.2

Uninstalled iTunes 9.0.2
Reinstalled iTunes 9.0.2
Reset the iPod.
Restored the iPod.
Resynched the iPod with my iTunes audio files.

So far so good.

I have tried the same thing as Maverick5876 (above) with no success. I'm caught in a restore loop, where iTunes will seem to restore the iPod and then continue to try to restore it over and over. I am using iTunes 9.0.2.25. Question to Maverick5876: see if your solution actually works or if your iPod starts acting up again. If it works, then why is it working for you and not me or others?

Still so far so good…

Just so you know, I used the iPod Reset and Restore procedure described here:
http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs/classic/
(I did not have to use the procedure to put it into Disk Mode.)

I have also gone and turned automatic resyncing back on:
iTunes iPod Device Summary Tab:
Uncheck Box for “Manually manage music and videos”
iTunes Edit->Preferences Devices Tab:
Uncheck Box for “Prevent iPods and iPhones from synching automatically”

I have reconnected, resynced and disconnected my iPod multiple times now with no apparent ill effects… so far.

Finally, when I disconnect the iPod from my computer I have been both “Ejecting” the iPod from iTunes, and using the Windows “Safely Remove Hardware” tool.

First use the iTunes “Eject” button and waiting for the iPod to say, “Ejecting”, then “OK to disconnect”, then complete its progress bar, then displaying my iPod Music menu. (Note to Apple: DON’T display “OK to disconnect” until AFTER the progress bar is complete!)

Then use the Windows “Safely Remove Hardware” tool, before unplugging the iPod cable from the USB port.

I never used to have to use the Windows “Safely Remove Hardware” tool for the iPod. The iTunes “Eject” button always seemed to work.
But iTunes 9 seems to run slower, takes longer to shut down, sometimes doesn’t shut down completely, and even after the iTunes “Eject”, the Windows “Safely Remove Hardware’ tool still shows the Apple iPod device sitting out there on the USB.

Since this is an iTunes/iPod corruption problem and since unplugging a USB device, before it is completely closed, can cause corruption, I’m suspecting this is the cause of the corruption. Of course recovery from the corruption may depend on what was, and what wasn’t, corrupted.

…so far so good…

Maverick5876: when you uninstalled iTunes 9 as you described a few posts above, did you merely uninstall iTunes 9, or did you uninstall everything: iTunes 9, QuickTime, Apple Software Update, Apple Mobile Device Suppport, Bonjour, and Apple Application Support as described in http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1923 ...?

I suppose it doesn't hurt to try it again, although I've already tried this. Has anyone else tried this and it worked permanently for them? My iPod Classic is from 2007; Maverick's is from 2009. I wonder if that's the difference.

In other iPod Classic news, there is a separate discussion going on at http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1713172&tstart=0 . That discussion is about how the iPod Classic randomly skipping songs.

Is the iPod Classic a flawed piece of machinery? Is Apple going to listen to us? What's going on?

Hey Mike,

Even though I'm not affected many of the apple support documents and such for any apple software issue on a Windows based platform does suggest that all components be removed (including items like bonjour, quicktime, mobile device support, iTunes, Quicktime, iphone configuraiton, and so forth.)

I believe that this KB article describes that process the best:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1923

Once done then I'd try doing the other steps above.... As the last piece about the iPodUpdater is critical in this instance!

Best Regards and Happy Holidays!

My 80gb classic is still dead after updating to V9.

I've tried every suggestion so far with no success.

Last attempt was to reformat the ipod and then connect it to a brand new computer (never had i-tunes on it before today)with V8 installed. It crashed itunes and the computer every time i connected the ipod.

Is V9 permanently corrupting the firmware on Classics? Apples silence reeks of planned obsolescence.

After downloading v 9.0.2 to try and fix whatever it was that was wiping my music off my hard drive, now my 40g is dead and the music got wiped off my hard drive again. I hope Apple reads these and offers a solution to us. I lived and breathed that thing, and no money to replace it now.

Hi all,

This may help some of you.

I had the same problem, my iPod classic was just ejecting after installing the new itunes 9. I got it to recognise it again by following these steps.

1. you must have a copy of the old iTune 8 or any other that worked.
2. Take a copy if the iTunes library file founf in your iTunes folder.
3. Then delete the original
4. Uninstall iTunes 9
5. Install iTunes 8
6. Open iTunes 8 and connect your iPod. It should recognise it and show it in iTunes. If not then I can't help any further. Sorry.
7. Do not disconnect the iPod. Do not switch it off or anything else.
8. Close iTunes 8.
9. Your iPod should still be connected. Again if not can't help. Try following the steps again.
10. Uninstall iTune 8.
11. Install iTunes 9.
12. Open iTunes 9.
13. Your iPod should show in iTunes 9.
14. Copy the iTunes library file created in the original itunes 9 back into the iTunes folder overwriting the new iTune 9 library file.
15. All should be hunky dory.

Good luck.

Top tip!! Keep a back up of all the files you think could be useful, incase youhave to reverse everything.

Im having the same problem with my iPod Classic 120G after update to ver 9.0.2 (2.5).
What a shame! Apple should be better than this.

It seems like there are possibly several issues being grouped together in this thread.

There are plenty of folks finding solutions for their problems, while the same solution does not work for others.

For folks that continue to have issues after you have tried uninstalling and reinstalling iTunes, let me suggest you look for other things on your system that might be causing an issue.

First, make sure you are connecting your iPod directly into your system - NOT through a hub. Many hubs do not supply enough (or any) power to items connected to it.

Connect to a USB port on the back of your computer. The convenience USB ports on the front often have lower power going to them.

Check that you don't have any utilities or programs installed that might be preventing the iPod and/or iTunes from working correctly. This could be anti-viral software or anything else you have installed over time. Check your system tray on a windows machine to see what all you have running. Try turning as much of that off before connecting the iPod. If you are able to work normally, turn these items back on one at a time and work with the iPod again till you find the one that causes an issue.

When troubleshooting, start with the things that are easiest to do first. The place to start would be Apples suggested troubleshooting tips found here:

http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs/classic/

Next, if the time comes that you are going to uninstall and reinstall iTunes - make sure and do it right and completely. Use this info:

For Windows:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1925

For Mac:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1224

If you have access to a different machine and it works ok on that one, then you need to take a close look at what is going on with the system where the iPod has the problem. The odds are the problem lies with the system, rather than the iPod.

Finally, through all of this, be patient. If you connect and iTunes opens but does not show the iPod right away, wait a bit to see what iTunes does. If you see the twirling beach ball on the Mac side, you know iTunes is working on something, let it finish. Don't disconnect the iPod too quickly. Wait for it to fully eject before disconnecting it.

Hope that helps,
i

Thanks, hopefully this will help some of the issues people are having.

Unfortunately I tried my ipod with a brand new computer with minimal programs and no peripherals connected. Every time the ipod was connected it crashed itunes and the computer.

I've also tried installing V8 (after completely uninstalling V9) but it says my library was created with a later version and immediately closes itunes down. Is there a way to go back to V8, as I don't want to kill my girlfriends as well.

I had absolutely no issues until I upgraded to V9.

to whisperer...i have 2 laptops, and one desktop all running xp. The one laptop was only loaded with itunes9 it did read the ipod(80g) at first, let me rename it, then said to restore it through itunes. so i did. then its stopped reading it. So i went to our desktop updated to 9, not realizing thats where the problem was (Dumb on my part) same thing happened. then itunes crashed. so i did a sys restore on desktop. Tried my other ipod(which is also an 80gig) and it read that one just fine. So I figured hey, i will plug the other one in...and poof right back to restore ipod.. itunes stops responding..doesnt see the ipod yet the cpu does.

While I appreciate iPod Whisperer's post a few messages above about possible fixes and solutions, there is a larger point here.

First of all, none of those solutions have worked for me or many others.

Secondly, what appears to be true is that something in iTunes 9 has corrupted the firmware on iPod Classics from 2007 and 2008. The 2009 iPod Classics are apparently working better with iTunes 9. My own iPod Classic is from 2007.

I've tried everything on this message board with no results. I even went to a different computer with a brand-new, wiped-clean hard drive with NO versions of iTunes on it. Windows would not read my corrupted iPod. I then loaded iTunes 7. No dice. Then I loaded iTunes 8. No dice. Then iTunes 9. No dice.

To reiterate: my iPod Classic was working GREAT until iTunes 9. Now it's effectively dead. The only thing I haven't done yet is go to an Apple store/Genius bar and have them try to restore it. I've heard from users on this message board that the Genius bar might be able to do this, but don't go back to iTunes 9.

The REAL solution is for Apple to issue an update that makes iTunes 9 play nice with iPod Classics from 2007 and 2008. My fear is that iTunes 9 permanently damaged my iPod and Apple will never take responsibility for it.

Dear iPod Whisperer,

It's too much of a "coincidence" to have all those issues happening at once, I'm sorry. You just HAVE to look at this from our points of view. I don't know if you're a fellow designer or just a mere collector of everything Apple (because it's Apple, I guess?), but e.g. take my point of view - another iPod would literally be unaffordable for me. So, I consider this to be demagogy. It would be incredible that everyone has all those issues at once.

I just can't go out there and get another iPod just because I feel like it or get an iMac so I could charge my iPod. This is Serbia. I assume it ain't much different for people in the "richer" world, though; it's the holiday season and people will be spending too much, anyway!

And for the first time in my life I had an iPod that didn't die after a year and now it's being forced to die after a year and half.

Guess I shouldn't complain that much as mine still plays, compared to many others and it deletes stuff off itself only randomly (and takes 4 hours away from my busy web designer life each time I fill it up again, again and again), but still...this is not fair to us.

Message was edited by: Rustling Ragazza

... surely Apple would have extensively tested V9 before releasing it to the unsuspecting public.