Syncing with new computer, still wants old one?

Question

Syncing with new computer, still wants old one?

I bought a new Mac Mini to replace the old. Migrated iTunes. Sync'ed iPhone to new iTunes/library/etc. Everything seems fine, except...

Everytime iTunes lists the iPhone as a device, it tries to find the old Mac Mini on the network and I get a "server cannot be found" error.

The syncs still work fine, the library and iTunes works fine. If I have the iPhone turned off, or not on Wifi, iTunes behaves fine. It's only when it's on the network and iTunes recognizes a device that it also tries to connect to the old computer.

How does iTunes and the iPhone know about the old computer? What is it still remembering? How can I get rid of it? As it is, I'm repeatedly presented with the server connect issue while I'm using my computer unless I make sure none of my devices are on the network.

Help?

-Dan

Posted on Feb 7, 2013 8:55 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 7, 2013 9:11 PM in response to Daniel Perez1

Hi Dan,

If your iTunes is on your new Mac, and it is recognizing your device, then the error is related to something else. It is not, however trying to find the old Mac Mini. It knows nothing about any computer except the one you are running on....

Do you have a 3rd party security software package installed on your new Mac? If so, then click on the link below to troubleshoot that problem:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3125

Otherwise, I would say take a look at the general iTunes troubleshooting page to see if there are any other articles refrencing your issue. If it cannot find the server, it is indicating that there is a connection problem between your computer and the iTunes store....

Here is the link to iTunes troubleshooting:

http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/troubleshooting/

If all else fails, contact iTunes Support to get help:

https://expresslane.apple.com/Issues.action

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 2

Feb 23, 2013 12:15 PM in response to gail from maine

Thanks for the info and reply, but this simply isn't the case...

I can leave my computer on for weeks with iTunes closed and there's no attempt to connect to the old computer.

I can have iTunes open with no devices (iPads, iPhones, etc.) and there's no attempt to connect to the old computer.

The moment a device is added to the network iTunes brings up the devices button, the wheel starts spinning, and then there's an error message that "The server MacMini (2) is not available... please try to reconnect..." (MacMini (2) is what the original Mini was called by the network during my data migration due to the temporary identical name of the new machine.)

I still have the old computer, though the name has changed. If I turn this computer on and it's on the network then the error does not show.

So, iTunes specifically is looking for my old computer only when one of my devices is on the network or connected via USB (this will also trigger the connection error).

I've been able to monitor the Console as a device is connected and I can see the connection error. But, I have no idea what it's trying to find, what it does find when the computer is connected, or how to get it to "forget" about the old machine.

-Dan

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Answer 3

Feb 23, 2013 1:11 PM in response to Daniel Perez1

Oh, OK, your last response puts a bit of a different light on things....Have you authorized your new Mac Mini to iTunes? If not, and if the other one was the only one authorized, then it would make sense that iTunes would be looking for that one.

To authorize:

Open iTunes
From the Store menu, choose Authorize This Computer. (In earlier versions of iTunes, access this option from the Advanced menu).
When prompted, enter your Apple ID and password, then click Authorize.

I hope that this is the issue!

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 4

Feb 23, 2013 4:05 PM in response to gail from maine

Unfortunately, that's not it either. The new machine is authorized and the old is deauthorized. I wish I could at least figure out what it's trying to access and why.

-Dan

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Answer 5

Feb 23, 2013 4:23 PM in response to Daniel Perez1

Did you follow these instructions exactly when moving your iTunes library?

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Answer 6

Feb 23, 2013 4:29 PM in response to Daniel Perez1

Bummer!!! 😢

GB

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Answer 7

Feb 23, 2013 5:17 PM in response to gail from maine

Ok, it looks like I found it. It was the SyncServices and doing a command line reset did the trick. I had previously wiped out the plist items manually and that didn't work, so I thought they weren't at fault. But, I found a kb article on the command line reset and that seems to have worked.

Thanks Gail for all of the responses.

-Dan

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