iTunes freezes iMac while loading audiobooks to iPod shuffle 4G

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1003kapolei Author

Level 1

9 points

iTunes freezes iMac while loading audiobooks to iPod shuffle 4G

Please help me resolve an issue with my iMac freezing while downloading audiobooks via iTunes to my iPod Shuffle 4G.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Aug 2, 2013 11:42 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 3, 2013 12:12 AM in response to 1003kapolei

So the entire Mac becomes locked up and unresponsive? Or is it just iTunes? How to you recover?

This only happens with audiobooks? What about other types of media, such as songs or podcasts?

Do you use automatic syncing to load content? Or do you use the manual method (drag items to the shuffle in iTunes)?

Is the shuffle connected to a direct USB port on the Mac? A USB "hub" should work, as long as it is self-powered (meaning it has its own power supply). However, if you are using a USB hub, I would try a direct connection to rule that out as the cause of your issue.

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Answer 2

1003kapolei Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 3, 2013 12:42 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Thanks for your response, Kenichi.

My entire iMac becomes locked up. I use Finder to force quit iTunes but the iMac remains unresponsive. I have to use the power button to turn off, then turn on the iMac.

I have not experienced this issue with other media because I load only audiobooks onto my iPod shuffle 4G.

I select the audiobooks that I want to download to the iPod then click the Sync button at the bottom. The normal outcome is that iTunes downlosds all of the parts of the audiobooks selected. The ABNORMAL outcome is that the download stops and a warning notice appears stating that the iPod was not correctly ejected and must be ejected correctly and another attempt made. The notice also states that iTunes should be uninstalled and reinstalled if this problem continues. I have not tried this because I'm afraid of losing all of the audiobooks I have in the iTures library if I uninstalled iTurnes. Would you advise trying this and risk losing all of my audiobooks in the iTunes library?

The iPod shuffle is connected directly to a USB port on the iMac.

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Answer 3

Aug 3, 2013 12:57 AM in response to 1003kapolei

If you have not done so recently, you should first shut down (power off) the iMac, not just restart. Then turn it on. Run iTunes, connect the shuffle, and try the action again that causes this problem.

If that does not help (or you already did that), since the problem occurs during the data transfer, and you get the error message suggesting a problem with the USB connection between the iMac and the shuffle's storage, I would do a Restore on the shuffle.

The Restore button is on the shuffle's Summary screen in iTunes. This will erase the iPod, reinstall its software, and set it to default settings. If the cause is data corruption on the iPod's storage (that is not due to a hardware fault), the Restore should fix it.

If the problem is not resolved, one additional question. When the problem does occur, does it seem to occur at random times during the data transfer, or do you see anything that is a pattern (such as a particular audiobook being loaded).

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Answer 4

1003kapolei Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 3, 2013 1:46 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Thanks, Kenichi.

I did as you suggested: powered off normally and powered on with the power button; opened iTunes and connected the iPod shuffle. iTunes immediately started data transfer of my previously selected audiobooks and froze at a different point than the previous freeze. I recorded the warning notice this time--different than I had to,ld you earlier. "This disk was not ejected properly. If possible, always eject a disk before unplugging or turning it off. To eject a disk, select it in Finder and chose File > Eject. The next time you connect the disk, Mac OS X will attempt to repair any damage to the information on the disk."

I tried to select it in Finder, but when I chose File, the Eject option was not available (highlighted). However, I was able to again Force Quit iTunes because I could NOT eject the iPod.

Because whenever I connect the iPod to iTunes, it always starts to transfer data for the audiobooks previously selected. Therefore, I cannot attempt to Restore as you suggest because I cannot get to the iPod Summary screen in iTunes.

The problem occurs at random times during every data transfer attempt. There is no discernible pattern that I can observe.

On previous occasions when I experienced this same issue, I would disconnect the iPod, turn it off and on, perform the lock/unlock operation and reconnect it. After two or three attempts, the data completely transfers and the iPod and be ejected normally. This has not happened today, hence my request for your assistance.

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Answer 5

1003kapolei Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 3, 2013 2:14 AM in response to 1003kapolei

Kenichi,

After performing my solution noted above, the data transferred completely. So I followed you suggestion to Restore the iPod which completed successfully. I then selected and trasferred to audiobooks again that I had previously selected and the data transfer completed without any further problems. I will give you a green check for giving me the correct answer to my problem.

Thank you very much!

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Answer 6

Aug 3, 2013 12:46 PM in response to 1003kapolei

Glad to hear it's working. 🙂

As an FYI, if you ever need to reinstall iTunes, there is no risk of losing your iTunes content (unless there is a general problem with your computer's drive).

The iTunes application is stored in the Applications folder, and that's what gets reinstalled. Your iTunes Library files are stored at

<startup disk>/Users/<your home folder>/Music/iTunes/

Those files keep track of what is in your iTunes library, including related data such as playlists, playcounts, ratings, etc. They remain when you reinstall iTunes; the reinstalled iTunes should start up and use the same files.

Your actual iTunes content files (such as your audiobooks and songs) are at

<startup disk>/Users/<your home folder>/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/

unless you changed the default settings (in iTunes Preferences Advanced pane). Those files are not touched when you reinstall iTunes. Even if you had a problem with your iTunes Library and needed to "start fresh" with a new (empty) iTunes library for some reason, your content files are still there in the iTunes Media folder. You just need to add them to the iTunes library again.

If you don't back up your iMac's entire drive (as you should), to an external drive, using the built-in Time Machine, you should. If you use Time Machine, then even if your entire iMac fails and you need to replace it, you can restore all of your user data easily (including your iTunes data) from the Time Machine archive, to within one hour of the failure.

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