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lhotka Author

Level 1

97 points

iTunes 10 - incorrect ipod/iphone free space calculation

iTunes 10 appears to be calculating free space incorrectly on devices. This can range from 'not enough space to sync' type of messages for music, movies, and photos - even when there is plenty of space available. (like when trying to sync a 50k photograph, with 1.7 GB free).

Near as I can tell, this is caused by using the 'compress to 128-bit' option for your music. It appears that iTunes is using an incorrect estimate, or is using the full file size, to estimate what will be on the ipod, rather than looking at the ipod to see what it really reports.

The result for me is that I'm completely unable to sync photographs, and syncing movies needs at least 2-4 GB left free on the device.

Anyone else seeing similar errors or have a different theory?

Mac Book pro i7 15, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Sep 9, 2010 7:41 AM

79 replies

Jnoiv

Level 1

0 points

Apr 2, 2011 11:14 AM in response to lhotka

This is still not fixed. This essentially make ITunes useless. I really can't believe how obvious this bug is and how poor this support.

5th gen iPod, complete restore etc, trying to load cd Rez aiff to iPod using downrate conversion setting, only loads a few gigs to 30gig pod.

Maddening.

Jnoiv

Level 1

0 points

Apr 3, 2011 6:05 AM in response to Jnoiv

I think this is working now. I selected a few short playlists that would be under the limit without compression and after syncing those subsequent syncs do not appear to fail due to size estimates prior to compression. It's like the compress flag is ignored until it used in session at least once. Now the size isn't estimated which makes sense and displays the size after the files are transferred.

Apr 3, 2011 8:16 AM in response to Jnoiv

I don't understand how this equals working. If the songs are under the limit without compression, it works also with.
The problem is that is they are over the limit without compression, it says that you're over the limit even with.
For me it certainly 100% does not work.

Apr 13, 2011 9:49 PM in response to lhotka

bump...i've got two ipods with the exact same content on them & both showing different amts allocated to photos.

iphoto doesnt dependably delete photos after import, so i go in with image capture and delete the files from the camera roll...so i know they're gone. they don't show in the ipod, they're nowhere to be found...deleted as i instructed. yay.

except, after syncing, i still show over 0.5 gb of space allocated to over 200 photos, despite there only being 7 small photos (0.02 gb) actually in the album.

Apr 19, 2011 7:25 AM in response to lhotka

bump again.

issue still present with newest versions of iTunes, iPhone and iPad.

sent several feedbacks to Apple. No reaction. No cure. The "on the fly" conversion option became useless in iTunes 10.0.0...

Tones2

Level 1

21 points

Jun 16, 2011 1:12 PM in response to lhotka

This is STILL an issue in iTunes 10.3.1. Come on Apple - FIX THIS!!!

Tony

Aug 13, 2011 3:14 AM in response to Tones2

*cough*

It is not a bug, it has definitely become a feature.

"You never really know, how much memory your music uses on your device"

"be surprised if your iPod tells you, you have run out of space - still having enough space on it - be even more surprised, if you are not able to sync all the music you want on your iPod"

Think of any other brand who offers that!

Tones2

Level 1

21 points

Sep 15, 2011 8:42 AM in response to lhotka

This is STILL A SIGNFICANT ISSUE, even with iOS 5 and iTunes 10.5 beta!!! This needs to be fixed before the 10.5 release. COME ON APPLE!!

Tony

Effim

Level 1

0 points

Oct 11, 2011 6:03 PM in response to lhotka

if you are wondering how to fix the problem with itunes showing incorrect amount of space on your ipod/iphone/ipad all you have to do is go on apple.com and install itunes again do not uninstall your current itunes, all you have to do is just install it again it will fix the problem instantly....

Tones2

Level 1

21 points

Oct 12, 2011 6:59 AM in response to Effim

No way that works. I've installed iTunes updates about 10 times since this problem started, and it still persists. It even persists will yesterday's install of iTunes 10.5! I'm hoping maybe today's iOS 5 release might resolve it, but I doubt it.

Effim

Level 1

0 points

Oct 12, 2011 7:15 AM in response to Tones2

It's not installing updates its installing the program overtop your current iTunes,

Tones2

Level 1

21 points

Oct 12, 2011 9:05 AM in response to Effim

There's no difference. The update file is the same file as the full install file. There's only one file to download, and it updates if you have an existing iTunes installs and does a full install if you don't.

Tony

C.C.Kang

Level 1

4 points

Oct 20, 2011 7:43 AM in response to Tones2

I think I meet this very problem with my iOS5 + iTunes 10.5.

I always lost some picture in my album (about 8500 photos) when syncing after upgrade to iOS5/iTune10.5,

and I found that the "space used bar" in the iTunes shows not correct when syncing.

I think I meet the same problem as you all.

I only have about 4G of free space on my iPhone. I think the small available space makes this problem worse.

Right now my little walk-around method, is to sync photo to iPhone in several times.

For ex: sync first 2000 photos, and then next 2000, and so on untill all photo are sync to iPhone.

Right now this small trick works, but still stupid. And I can't believe this problem already exist for so long time.

It make me a little dissapointed...

Oct 20, 2011 8:07 AM in response to lhotka

+1 with this problem. Posted it here as well:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3415464

C.C.Kang

Level 1

4 points

Oct 20, 2011 8:48 AM in response to tim_conduit

I also initiate another thread before I found this thread:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3415325?answerId=16461344022#16461344022

iTunes 10 - incorrect ipod/iphone free space calculation