The iPhone "..." could not be synced because the sync session failed to start

If you'll reset the lockdown folder it works perfectly and I haven't had an issue yet.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2529

Isn't the lockdown folder a Windows feature? Is there an equivalent in OS X?

The answer to that, Bob, is actually in the link. :)

Yes and yes.

Read the link for precise OSX instructions.

Thank you Thank you terryp33, your solution of repairing the Apple Mobile Device Support worked on 2 of our IPhones!

Thanks! removing the temporary files from the lockdown folder solved the problem for me with both my iPhone and iPad!

Thanks a lot,

Just restarting my Mac and my iPad solved the problem too!!!

i got everything updated both my itunes and iphone is upto date still it saying ... sync session failed to start.. 😟

Greenhut,

My issue sounds exactly like the one you described. Around the time my syncing stopped working and I got that error message, I had 8,000 inadvertent playlists added via iTunes Match to all my devices.

I manually deleted each one (yes, all 8,000) of these from my devices one at a time, but even after that I am still getting the error. I suppose it is the possible that the playlists are still in iCloud and it's causing my iTunes syncing to choke. Is it possible that you can send me that script that worked for you?

Windows Vista sp2, iPhone 4, iTunes 10.5.3.3

Thanks,

Booldude

Booldude,

The script is used to delete the playlists from itunes. There is one available for WIndows and Mac. If you already deleted all playlists from itunes, I have found that ittakes some time, but eventually syncs the deletes to other devices. Also, once rid of the playlists in itunes, you have no need for the script. If after all playlists are gone, you still cant sync, do a full iOS software restore of your iphone and I think you'll be ok.

Good luck. I still have not had one sync problem once cleaning up the many thousands of duplicate playlists.

jeff

Hey Jeff,

Thanks for your quick response. It kind of figures about the script. After I posted that, I realized that I have probably already done what the script would have anyway. My method was the old fashoned way of putting a few coins over the delete key to weigh it down and just letting it go.

Anyway, this is reassuring that the restore will probably work. I've noticed after reading this board that about half the people have had problems restoring it, but with the other half it seems to have worked. I am pretty much down to that last option of restoring, as I haven't tried to do it yet (for obvious reasons). Also, I have both an iPad 2 and iPhone 4 where the sync wasn't working, so I was thinking a restore would be counted out since it is unlikely there is a problem with both devices. But I understand now, that it is probably because of the iTunes Match thing that happened to us that a restore is probably necessary.

It is great to hear that you have not had any sync problems after cleaning up the playlists 🙂. Hopefully the same will happen for me.

All the Best,

Dan

Dan,

Have all the playlists disappeared from the iphone and ipad? This took a while for me. May have gone faster by leaving the music app in the foreground. If they have disappeared, and you still cant sync, I would do the restore. If they havent disappeared, you may want to give them a chance.

Also, be sure you leave itunes running for a little while after you are done deleting as all the deletes need to sync to iCloud. If you exitted itunes soon after all the deletes completed, and havent let it run for a while since, this could be why the playlists remain on the device.

Good luck!

jeff

Hey Jeff,

All the playlists have dissappeared from my devices. I had turned off iTunes Match on all my devices, manually deleted alk the playlists from iTunes on my computer, turned iTunes match on from the computer, then turned on iTunes match on my devices and it seemed to get rid of everything.

I'll go for a complete restore on my iPad back to factory settings. Do you recommend doing the same to the iPhone simultaneously as I'm doing this? The risk I run would be losing movies and synced over photo albums. Everything else would be moved over from iCloud.

Thanks,

Dan

Dan,

It's good that all the playlists are gone. I would restore the devices one at a time. Assuming it works on the first, then do the second. I have never used the restore all settings as I am in the developer program and do a shift restore in itunes, and chose the appropriate ipsw file. Hopefully the restore all settings will do the trick. If not, I'll bet you can download the appropriate ipsw online somewhere for your specific devices.

Good luck!

jeff

Jeff,

Thanks for the advice on how to restore. That should be fine about restoring all settings. The funny thing is that my devices actually back up with the cord (which I think is the ipsw file you mention) -- they just didn't sync. So I'll give the restore a try.

Best Regards,

Dan