How do I delete unwanted items on my ipod

If it is deleted from your iTunes library, it should be deleted from your iPod when you sync.

No it was not deleted from my itunes library

The previous iTunes version removed the item from the iPod when deleted from the library. The new iTunes version deletes the file from the library but doesn't remove it from the iPod. It simply complains about not being able to find the library file when syncing. Deleting the file in the iPod window of iTunes doesn't appear to do anything. Clearly, the new version of iTunes is hosed.

The logical way to remove a song from an iPod Classic is to ste the iPod to Sync only ticked songs and videos. After that is set (that only needs to be done once) one then to unticks the song in the iTunes Library and then Sync the iPod with iTunes. As far as I know (since I don't have anything I dislike so much that I wish to delete it), CaliforniaHighwaysGuy's method still works.

That removes a song from the iPod. Then, if required, delete it from iTunes.

Of course, if you use iTunes Match and iCloud, then there's a bit more involved. Presumably when designing iCloud, Apple didn't realise that people would actually want to delete music - forever!

ampersand88 wrote:

The previous iTunes version removed the item from the iPod when deleted from the library. The new iTunes version deletes the file from the library but doesn't remove it from the iPod. It simply complains about not being able to find the library file when syncing. Deleting the file in the iPod window of iTunes doesn't appear to do anything. Clearly, the new version of iTunes is hosed.

If iTunes complains that it cannot find a file when syncing then you have removed the physical file, but not the entry for it in the library. With an iPod classic the corresponding tracks will be left on the device and you will see an error during syncing (which can be suppressed). If you sync your iPod you cannot manually remove individual tracks from the iPod's view of them. Use the controls on the music tab to change what is synced, or delete the files from your library, uncheck them, or change tags so that they no longer qualify for syncing to your device.

tt2

The files (podcasts) that are reported as "missing" are not currently being shown in the library and are not shown in "On This iPod". Even after a full iPod "restore", which removed all but one of the unwanted podcasts, iTunes is still trying to find the other five files. I tried re-downloading the sixth one so I could "unsync" it and then delete it, but now I have two orphaned copies if it. There must be some other file list somewhere that iTunes keeps.

This is an iPod classic, yes?

A restore of an iPod classic should wipe all content from it, iTunes doesn't backup the device so the only things that can be put back on it is content that is in your library.

Are these mystery items podcasts or music?

tt2

This is an iPod Nano and the rogue items are podcasts. I explored the .XML file in the iTunes database directory and the unwanted podcasts are still shown and are linked to playlist entries although they don't show up in the iTunes library view. I am reluctant to edit the XML file for fear of corrupting it. The process of unchecking the items, then syncing, then deleting works fine going forward, but I would like to clean up the old stuff. I've worked with computers for over 50 years and their complexity has gotten unreasonable.

The earlier advice applies equally well to the iPod nano.

Editing the .xml won't help. The library is stored in the .itl file.

Try creating a smart playlist that matches with a detail in a file you want to remove. Assuming that works select it, then press Ctrl+Shift+Delete to remove it from your library.

tt2