iTunes is not recognizing my iPod shuffle 2nd gen

You need to use iTunes. When you connect it, it does not appear in the iTunes sidebar, under DEVICES? If the sidebar (along left side of window) is hidden, from the iTunes menu bar, under View, select Show Sidebar.

Are you using the original USB cable that came with the shuffle? The cable for the 3rd and 4th gen shufffle does not work with the 2nd gen shuffle; the connector is different.

When you connect it, does the light on the shuffle come on, either flashing or solid color?

If the light initially flashes and then becomes solid, iTunes may be seeing it.

No it does not appear under devices.

When the shuffle is the only device connected, do you see the heading DEVICES in the iTunes sidebar with nothing listed below? (The heading DEVICES should not be there, if iTunes sees no devices connected.) If the heading is there with nothing listed below, it may be toggled to hide the list of devices. Move your mouse pointer over DEVICES and Show (or Hide) appears to the right. If it says Show, the list is currently hidden, so click Show.

If that doesn't help, I would go through some basic trouble-shooting steps, if you have not already. Shut down (power off) the Mac. Disconnect all USB devices (except for standard keyboard and mouse if normally used). Do this to Reset the shuffle

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

Start up the Mac, run iTunes, and try connecting the shuffle to a direct USB port on the Mac.

If DEVICES does not appear as a heading in the sidebar, iTunes is not seeing any devices connected.

I tried resetting too. No luck

What about the other things I mentioned, such as shutting down (powering off) the Mac and disconnecting other USB devices? There could be a USB conflict that is causing the shuffle to not connect properly.

Also, try the USB port you are using on the Mac with something else, preferably something similar like a USB flash drive, to make sure it is working properly. Since you tried the shuffle and its cable with another computer, we'll assume those are working fine.

You can also connect the shuffle with iTunes NOT running. Instead, run Disk Utility. Does the shuffle's disk appear in the Disk Utility sidebar?

Found a solution in another forum http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-63733-ipod-not-detected-on-computer (a few posts down).

It was for an IPOD so you can see those details in the link.

Found how to reset a shuffle and inserted it into these instructions - did not have to follow his last steps.

- Turn off computer. - Plug Shuffle into usb.
- Then you must reset your shuffle

To reset iPod shuffle:

• Disconnect iPod shuffle from the computer (if connected).
• Move the switch on the iPod shuffle to the OFF position. Note that when iPod shuffle is off, the green stripe by the switch is not visible
• Disconnect iPod shuffle from the computer (if connected).
• Move the switch on the iPod shuffle to the OFF position. Note that when iPod shuffle is off, the green stripe by the switch is not visible.

- Start computer and it should install the usb driver for the ipod automatically. - Your i pod will say do not unplug so don't. then open itunes and it will be there.

Note: I did not have to do these thing below – did not get error message and shuffle was displayed in Itunes. / LMc Just remember to not only eject ipod from itunes but stop usb.

• Go to the program icons near the clock and right click the usb icon and "safely remove hardware" will appear and click it.
• Stop it and select "apple ipod".