iPod shows "no music" after sync & eject

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iPod shows "no music" after sync & eject

Hi, my iPod Classic 120Gb is syncing fine since I updated to iTunes 9.0.2, but as soon as I eject, all data will turn into "other" organge, all audio files/audiobooks are displayed as "no music, playlists seem to survive but contain "no music" and cannot be played 😟
I have tried to reset, restore iPod, completely uninstalled iTunes and reinstallld iTunes, without any other result. When I tried to use an older version (8.2.1), I was met by the error message my iTunes library could not be read as it had been updated by a more recent iTunes version. The iPod is roughly 9 months old and worked fine until just this issue.

Any advise is greatly appreciated.

Message was edited by: kajboe

iPod classic 120 GB, Windows Vista, iPod shows "no music" after sync & eject

Posted on Nov 17, 2009 11:46 AM

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Answer 1

Lyssa

Level 8

41,405 points

Nov 17, 2009 1:47 PM in response to kajboe

Sounds to me like the hard drive could be failing or there's just some corruption on the drive.

Do you have another computer you could try restoring with?

Restore the iPod once more, and if that doesn't help, bring the iPod to an Apple store and ask the folks there to take a look.

~Lyssa

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Answer 2

kajboe Author

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8 points

Dec 26, 2009 2:46 AM in response to murpj02

I managed to get help from Apple support after some time of fumbling around. was referred to the URL http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1925 for detailed instructions how to remove itunes completely (I had obviously missed out on one step) and - voilá - it worked. A pain though to re-import my entire library, but since then, things work painlessly.

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Answer 3

kajboe Author

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8 points

Dec 31, 2009 4:17 AM in response to Zahan

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1925.
[www.apple.com, support,iPod & iTunes [more], iTunes, installing and removing iTunes]
The direct URL was given to me by Apple support, it shows detailed instructions on how to remove iTunes properly from the computer for re-install for various OS. As iTunes nestles in pretty much everywhere, it is important to remove even the tiniest scrap of it.

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Answer 4

kajboe Author

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8 points

Nov 19, 2009 10:16 PM in response to Lyssa

Hi Lyssa, I thought so as well, the data source is the same (ethernet drive). No diagnostics returned a hardware error. Just for the fun game: after a complete reinstall of itunes (this time I used the 8.2.1 version which worked fine on the other PC), several hours of library hassle I synced the pod and ..... NO MUSIC 😟.
So, itunes versions on both PC's are the same, pc's are basically the same, data source is the same, iPod several times restored and also completely formatted. Sync works on one PC (painfully slow as the hardware is old approx. 0,5 GB/hr), but not on the other. I am at my wit's end and at apple I was told there was nothing they could do "A factory restore should solve all those problems"

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Answer 5

kajboe Author

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8 points

Nov 20, 2009 8:29 AM in response to Lyssa

yes, no errors :)and the files are on an external disk which feeds fine into the second PC. Funny enough I noticed that the "main PC" syncs to ipod, but using the diagnostics in itunes show there is no ipod connected when checking the sync diagnotsic (but shows OK when checking the connection to ipod). I am to loan an all-brand new never used ipod from a friend to see if I can eliminate yet another questionmark.

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Answer 6

turingtest2

Level 10

278,263 points

Nov 20, 2009 12:21 PM in response to kajboe

Having just recycled this extract from an ancient post of mine in another thread I thought I'd offer it for consideration here too...

All the significant data about where your data is stored on the iPod is held in the file \iPod_Control\iTunes\iTunes.db. If this file is lost or damaged the iPod won't be able to find your tunes, even though the data is on the harddrive. Sometimes it is possible to rename a temp copy of the database, presumably made just before the last update, but these are not always present.

I wonder if there's a dodgy area of the drive just where the new library would be written out which is why it's happening every time. If you can get to see the hidden files on your iPod you might have a temporary file you could rename, or you might find adding in some dummy data helps.

tt2

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Answer 7

turingtest2

Level 10

278,263 points

Nov 20, 2009 12:44 PM in response to turingtest2

Of course it might help if I read the thread fully first... I've only just picked up on the fact that one PC will succeed while another fails, using the self same library. I think you might be being bitten by a "write-behind" caching issue where Windows is reporting a file transfer as having taken place while the hardware is still thinking about it. Do you have "Enable disk use" selected already, if not it might make a difference. What happens if after syncing, you close iTunes (without using the iTunes eject button), then use the Windows *Safely Remove Hardware* tool to eject the drive?

tt2

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Answer 8

kajboe Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 21, 2009 12:47 AM in response to turingtest2

Hi turingtest,
That is an intersting lead.
I cannot see any iTunes.db in the given location (or anywhere else), only an extras.itdb.
Shutting down iTunes and using the safely remove hardware option did not do the trick 😟

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Answer 9

turingtest2

Level 10

278,263 points

Nov 21, 2009 2:59 AM in response to kajboe

Boo. I take it you've tried changing the drive letter assigned to the iPod and using different ports. What other differences are there between the systems? Anti-virus for example? If possible this should be excluded from scanning the iPod.

tt2

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Answer 10

kajboe Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 21, 2009 4:32 AM in response to turingtest2

the laptop is about 6 years old and runs a wobbly windows XP pro on 1,5 GB RAM (transfer speed is 0,5 GB/hr, not really an option) and the main PC runs Vista 64 4GB RAM.
Same version of the same antivirus program, both are set to scan ipod only on demand. Exchange of drive letter did not make any difference.
Neither port change or exchange of cable did make any difference until the latest itunes update everything worked fine (no other updates made around that time).
After a complete deinstall and reinstall of an older version of iTunes - no change.
Complete format of ipod and "let itunes find ipod to restore" - no change.
Checked all involved drives and media - no errors - no change.
Restore Pod on laptop and move over to main PC - no change.
I'm getting rather frustrated as I simply cannot figure out what is the problem.

The most bugging part is I use mostly audiobooks (audible format) so Songbird is not an option either as very few other programs have aa/aax plugins (which is the only reason I'm using iTunes). Last time I used the pod, I simply wanted to sync the library, no errors, no hiccups, eject and ... no audiobooks, no music, but 111 GB of other.

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Answer 11

murpj02

Level 1

0 points

Nov 30, 2009 9:48 PM in response to kajboe

I appear to be having he same problem. Music on Ipod Classic disappeared after syncing shortly after downloading Itunes update a couple weeks ago. Have an older Dell running on Windows XP Pro. Have tried restoring multiple times, uninstall/reinstalled itunes, changed drive letter...nothing has yet to fix problem.

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Answer 12

kajboe Author

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8 points

Nov 18, 2009 8:23 AM in response to Lyssa

Hi Lyssa,

Sync seems to work with an older version (8.2.1) on another PC, seems like I have new plans for the weekend 🙂

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Answer 13

Lyssa

Level 8

41,405 points

Nov 19, 2009 1:33 AM in response to kajboe

For paranoia's sake, I'd check the hard drive on the original computer for errors; perhaps that would cause the issue?

Good luck getting it sorted; let me know what progress you make!

~Lyssa

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Answer 14

Nov 19, 2009 1:20 PM in response to Lyssa

Boo! Hiss! Sounds like another case of Customer Support refusing to take ownership of problem.

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Answer 15

Lyssa

Level 8

41,405 points

Nov 19, 2009 8:38 PM in response to Maverick5876

Might I ask why you directed your reply to me?

~Lyssa

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