ipod shuffle not syncing

Make sure the plug that goes into the headphones jack is pushed in all the way. You should feel a click when fully seated.

If you have something like a USB flash drive, connect it to the USB port you are using for the shuffle, to make sure the port is working properly.

When you connect it, look at for a light on the side of the shuffle. It should initially start blinking, if it is getting power and connecting.

If that does not help, shut down your computer and disconnect all USB devices, including hub. Start it up with only standard keyboard and mouse connected (if normally used). Do this to Reset the shuffle

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1655

Run iTunes and connect the shuffle to a direct USB port. If it still does not work, please post back with details about what happened when you did the above.

I don't have mind-reading powers, so I can't know what you tried unless you state it... 🙂

This is a USER forum. I'm just another user answering questions, so all this "melodrama" doesn't really help. If you want to be hysterical with someone who works for Apple, you need to use the Contact Us link at the bottom right corner of this web page.

That "new USB cable" is the one that came with your shuffle, correct?

That's not a problem... 🙂

That "new USB cable" is the one that came with your shuffle, correct? A third-party USB cable that is for a 2nd gen shuffle will fit, but the connector is different, so it will not work.

You did not tell me what happens regarding the light on the side of the shuffle when you connect it. Does it come on? Does it blink continously? If there is no light at all, there is no power connection.

To rule out a problem with the USB port, connect something else to that port, preferably something similar, such as a USB flash drive, to confirm it is working properly.

The other shuffle you mentioned, owned by your colleague... Is it also the same 4th gen model? If it's 2nd gen, it does not work with your USB cable, so that is not a good test. If it's a 4th gen or 3rd gen, and it also does not work with your connection point, that is a good test.

Once you have confirmed your USB port is fine, and another shuffle that is known to work fine does not work with your connection point, then it is more likely that a faulty USB cable is the cause.

There is no way to test your shuffle for a problem, if your cable is bad (and you don't have another known good cable to try). The shuffle was basically never tried.

Does the place where this shuffle was purchased have a return policy? The cable is covered by the same warranty as the shuffle itself.

If the light is blinking, I think Windows is actually seeing the iPod, because blinking light means DO NOT DISCONNECT - the shuffle's "disk" is "in use" (mounted by the system). So it's kind of odd that iTunes does not react in any way to the shuffle being connected... The blinking light makes it seem like the cable is good.

If the light was simply ON (not blinking), that just means it is getting power to charge, like when it is connected to a power adapter, but the shuffle's disk is not mounted by the system. That could mean a bad cable. If there was no light, then the cable is definitely bad, because it's not even getting power to the shuffle.

You have a lot of Apple devices. I thought the issue described in this following article only applied to Window XP, but you can take a look

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1493

So how does it work when you have a lot of Apple devices...? Does each one get assigned a different drive letter? If so, could that be a problem because you have so many devices? Is the shuffle one too many, and Windows is getting confused? I'm not an everyday WIndows user...

If you got it directly from Apple, the Apple Store should be able to take care of it.

Well, that's all I've got... Good luck at the Apple Store. 🙂 If the cable is bad, that should be easy for them to confirm.