Just upgraded iPhone 15 Plus to iOS 17.2 and am unable to sync music from Mac Mini also just updated to Sonoma 14.2. Operation seems to stall out at Step 2 of 4 “Preparing to Sync”. No further progress even after 3 hours. Shut down iPhone and restarted, then tried sync using cable, then re-tried sync using Wi Fi without success. Any ideas?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iPhone 15 Plus
Hello,
I have the problem since iOS17 (still with iPhone 13 Pro) and Watch OS 10 (Ultra2).
The change to the iPhone 15 Pro and a complete reinstallation of the iPhone did not bring any improvement. The strange thing was that the "fresh" iPhone (without any apps installed, no backup installed) could initially be synchronized just as easily as an iPhone SE, an iPhone SE3 and an iPad Pro 11 3rd. This actually made it clear that the problem could not be due to my computer configuration, especially since it also occurred on another notebook and with another Windows user. Nevertheless, I have gone through all these options together with Apple support.
When I had only installed my most essential apps on my iPhone and paired it again with my Ultra 2, the synchronization went wrong again. Out of sheer desperation, I tried to decouple my Ultra 2 again and, lo and behold, the synchronization ran completely smoothly and all data (including diagnostic data) was synchronized again. As soon as I had paired the Ultra 2 again, the same mishap. This morning, Apple support also confirmed to me that there is a problem that is being worked on in this context.
My workaround to the solution:
My explanation: After every restart of iTunes, iTunes apparently tries to load the diagnostic data onto the PC during the first sync operation of a device. This obviously does not work (for me) with paired Ultra 2. Therefore, the "killing" of the mdcrashreport tool in the task manager leads to the continuation of the sync. It seems as though access to the diagnostic data is blocked by pairing the Apple Watch. (Just a hypothesis)
Why do I prefer to disconnect the cable instead of using the task manager? When killing the tool in the task manager, the current sync continues to run, but the next sync runs back into the same problem because iTunes does not transfer the diagnostic data or the mdcrashreporttool does not register as performed. If, on the other hand, you pull the cable, iTunes seems to regard the mdcrashreporttool as performed and does not try to pull the diagnostic data from the iPhone again at the next sync. I.e. As long as I don't close iTunes, I can always sync my iPhone without any problems. If I close iTunes, the sh… starts all over again.
Which way you choose is, of course, a matter of taste. A fast solution would be very desirable.
fantaisie-impromptu wrote:
Hopefully, there is a fix soon. Since, ya know, syncing and backing up devices to a Mac is pretty important.
I suggest you tell Apple how important it is, I have.
bwadma wrote:
One option to get Apple to react might be to report here:
Feedback - macOS - Apple
If all people that looked at this thread would do that (currently more than 5.000), there is a chance ...
Likely everyone here would like Apple to take action. Unfortunately, this issue appeared around 2009, perhaps earlier, and has persisted on and off since then. It is somewhat disturbing it has not been given priority at some time over the years.
For a summary of the issue (shameless plug to follow), I've compiled info from multiple message threads into a single post: Summary of Issues: MDCrashReportTool, Backup, Sync, Preparing to Sync
-R.
I think the iOS 17.2 and 17.2.1 updates created some issues including Prepare To Sync getting stuck, Transparency mode in AirPods Pro disconnecting, Siri random calling from the contact list without asking Siri, etc. So, Apple developers have some work to do, and not just fix this topic issue.
Whoever came up with quitting "MDCrashReportTool" is a genius!
Girshon Rutstein wrote:
Whoever came up with quitting "MDCrashReportTool" is a genius!
This is the earliest reference I can find to this tool causing problems. From 2008!
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1668150?sortBy=best
Does this tool hold the record for the longest unresolved bug.? Over 15 years.
A crash reporter that crashes or hangs must be a really knotty problem …….. don’t hold your breath.
The thread has basically narrowed it down to it being an AppleWatch issue. However, people shouldn't have to give up using their AppleWatch or stopping system processes to use the sync feature. I have an S6 so it seems that this has to do with multiple AppleWatch models.
fantaisie-impromptu wrote:
The thread has basically narrowed it down to it being an AppleWatch issue. However, people shouldn't have to give up using their AppleWatch or stopping system processes to use the sync feature. I have an S6 so it seems that this has to do with multiple AppleWatch models.
Hi fantaisie... I am not certain I would call this an Apple Watch issue due to the number of reports of issues by non-watch owners. However, let's say you are correct and it is due to Apple Watch sync issues. Would you agree there are really two issues? The first is the sync between devices that raised an error. The second is the error reporting tool (MSCrashReportTool) that stalls when trying to report the error to Apple Developers.
-R.
And Ron,
There was this advice from Apple Support, posted by santTX earlier in this thread:
Allow the syncing to run overnight to allow enough time to remove the logs
Overnight?! How much log data is there? Sounds like Support does know something about log data issues.
Had the same issue. Experimented and found the MDcrashtool.exe file along with a MDcrashtool.dll.
I renamed the file to MDcrashtoolx.exe, added x at the end of the name, did NOT delete it. There is also a MDCrashTool.dll file, I did not touch it at all.
Tried Sync again and it went through flawlessly.
The file was in MY: C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support
It may be different for others but you dont find it just start in your root directory and do a search for MDCrashTool and look for the .exe file and just simply rename it.
HOPE it works for everyone until Apple can do something.
If you can, file a report with them. I also use music all the time, and the more people that talk about this, the more likely it is to get fixed. I hope this gets fixed soon, because I have a brand new iPhone 15 Pro I can't sync my music to right now.
Could people maybe read through this entire thread before offering solutions about Apple Watch? This is not exclusively an Apple Watch problem. It's a problem with MDCrashReportTool. Unpairing your Apple watch might not invoke MDCrashReportTool or whatever, and fix it for you. I am personally NOT unpairing my Apple Watch every time I sync.
PLEASE report this to Apple. This thread is getting clouded with individual-use cases and becoming potentially confusing. MDCrashReportTool is the problem.
fantaisie-impromptu wrote:
Having said that, on another note, respectfully, I don’t think it’s wise to have the thread be split off.
I haven’t suggested the thread be split off, and I don’t think Robert did either. He said it was getting clouded and potentially confusing . I pointed him to another thread in an effort to help clear any confusion he might have. The issue of the MDCrashreporttool has appeared in multiple threads over the years.
In any case, I’m not sure anyone exercises such control over threads. The moderators edit or delete posts as they see fit. Threads run their course and any user can start a new one . I agree the volume of posts and “me too”s should focus Apple’s attention.
Back to your new IPhone. Have you failed to get any songs loaded, by any of the suggested workarounds that you’ve tried?
I haven’t unpaired my Watch, but disconnecting and reconnecting the USB cable has worked - mostly. Manual media management certainly works and especially appropriate if you want your entire music library on your phone. (I’m not a fan of ForceQuit nor renaming system processes).
Hello, and thank you for your response. Unfortunately, manual media management seems to not be working for me. A lot of people focus on music syncing on this thread, but as someone else mentioned, it's also about movies, podcasts, books, backups, etc, if my memory serves me right.
I can, however, plug in my iPhone and eject it as long as I don't hit the sync button. I tried the plugging and unplugging method, but it is extremely unreliable. There is also the worry that that may somehow cause more damage since users don't really know what is going on behind the scenes in terms of software.
If there is any consolation though, I did chat with Apple Support about this issue and sent them this thread. They do say that Apple Engineers do read them (Evidently, probably, not all of them), and that Apple is aware of this issue, but the more interaction the thread has, the better. I really, really hope that this gets fixed soon.
The only thing I would say is if people contact Apple on this issue, send them this thread. I've been sent to Apple Engineers for other issues, so if they see that a lot of people are having this issue, they may also pass it up in the chain.
I am on macOS Sonoma 14.2.1.
When I go to my iPhone on the sidebar in Finder it gives me the options of (the names may be slightly different since my Mac is set to French) manually syncing music, films, TV Series, Podcasts, Audio Books, Books, Photos (Which has no available settings because I am using iCloud Photos), files on the iPhone (but they are view only), and an information tab (which has no available settings since I sync my contacts and calendars with iCloud).
These settings are even available on my MacBook Pro running Monterey. My iPhone does equally show up on the sidebar of the Music and Photos apps. My settings are set to not have my iPhone sync over wifi or to sync automatically when plugged in.
I would also like to sync the play count on my music. Whether I choose backup or sync it prompts the five steps. If I skip the backup it skips that step but gets stuck on "Preparing to Sync".
In order to troubleshoot, I have reset my iPhone multiple times, and my new MacBook Pro. However, the issue is present on both. I believe the issue started after an IOS update, after that my iPhone would no longer sync and backup like before. I would disconnect my AppleWatch to see if that ameliorates or even solves the issue, but it wouldn't really be solving the issue since then I can't use my AppleWatch :/
SideNote: This thread is up to 15K views and those numbers are significantly higher on the Music on IOS tab of the forum than any other thread. Apple has to notice eventually right?
This is the article I read. It should redirect you to the English version. Whenever I try to load the English version it takes me right back to the fr version (probably some browser setting).
Synchroniser la musique entre le Mac et un iPhone, iPad ou iPod touch - Assistance Apple (FR)
Edit: That is apparently, Apple's official way of syncing music from Mac to iPhone.
fantaisie-impromptu wrote:
This is the article I read. It should redirect you to the English version. Whenever I try to load the English version it takes me right back to the fr version (probably some browser setting).
Synchroniser la musique entre le Mac et un iPhone, iPad ou iPod touch - Assistance Apple (FR)
Edit: That is apparently, Apple's official way of syncing music from Mac to iPhone.
Fantaisie-impromptu, could this be the English version?
Sync content between your Mac and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support (English)
-R.
iPhone 15 Plus stuck in “Preparing To Sync"
