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User profile for user: Enlightenment
Enlightenment Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

iPod 4th generation

I have a 4th generation iPod, from around 2004, and have always transferred music via iTunes on a MacBook G4, using the original FireWire connection supplied with the iPod.

Recently I tried to get more up to date and acquired a Windows 10 laptop (sorry to Apple purists reading this) which only has USB connectivity, so I bought a cheap "FireWire to USB" adapter, in the hope of loading music from iTunes on the PC instead. Mainly because the MacBook G4 (on OS X) can no longer get the most recent versions of iTunes.


So I tried connecting iPod to PC using this adapter, which didn't work, iTunes on PC couldn't recognise the device, even after following all the Apple Support instructions to try and remedy this (installing drivers, inspecting USB connection list, etc)


What is worse though is that the attempted connection appears to have broken something on the iPod, and it is no longer recognised by iTunes on the MacBook either. So I cannot load any more music! 🙁

(4th generation iPods have no Bluetooth connectivity of course).


Does anyone have any suggestions?

iPod Classic

Posted on Jun 12, 2019 2:52 PM

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
275,160 points

Posted on Jun 14, 2019 2:51 AM

You could try the old iPod 5rs, Apple - Support - iPod - iPod classic Troubleshooting Assistant. Resetting the iPod might make it visible again. Try connecting to the Mac with a USB to 30 pin cable.


tt2

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
275,160 points

Jun 13, 2019 6:04 AM in response to Enlightenment

You will probably have to restore the iPod. Newer "classic" iPods would be initially formatted in FAT for use with either PC or Mac, but if yours is setup for Firewire it was likely formatted in HFS+ which PCs cannot normally read. A quick scan of the IPod Classic Wiki suggests that it may be able to work with a standard USB to 30pin cable on either Windows or Mac once restored on a PC.


tt2

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iPod 4th generation

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