My Ipod Classic Won't Sync to My Itunes Library

Hi MuzzyBW,

This just happened to me and it was the silliest thing ever: check you have the "Sync music" checkbox marked in iPod > [Settings] Music.

I had this checkbox unmarked because I was trying to sync with my new Library (got new HD), and the iPod was last synced to the old Library (old HD).

Just an idea! :-)

Regards,

Awlo.

Hi MuzzyBW,

If you are having difficulties syncing your iPod classic, you may want to follow the directions given in its User Guide -

iPod classic User Guide

http://manuals.info.apple.com/MANUALS/1000/MA1195/en_US/iPod_classic_160GB_User_ Guide.pdf

See chapter 7, specifically -

The 5 Rs: Reset, Retry, Restart, Reinstall, Restore

Remember these five basic suggestions if you have a problem with iPod classic. Try these steps one at a time until your issue is resolved. If one of the following doesn’t help, read on for solutions to specific problems.

• Reset iPod classic. See General suggestions, below.
• Retry with a different USB port if you cannot see iPod classic in iTunes.
• Restart your computer, and make sure you have the latest software updates installed.
• Reinstall iTunes software from the latest version on the web.
• Restore iPod classic. See Updating and restoring iPod software on page 52.

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.

Best,

Brett L

Where EXACTLY is this sync option, I can't find it!!! iTunes 12.3 on a Mac and iPod Classic 160 GB.

I'm getting sick and tired of the same problem. I have an ipod Classic 6th Gen (120gb) and today tried syncing to itunes 12.0.1 after years of hassle free use. itunes is now crashing, causing errors, partially syncing in both auto and manual transfer settings and is generally dysfunctional.

I've restored the ipod to factory settings (obviously thus wiping my device library), I've uninstalled and reinstalled itunes. I've tried all the various suggestions online. Still I keep coming up with a variety of 'unknown error' messages; 69, 53, 163 etc.

Is there any fix - can taking it in to a store even resolve this? I am loathe to buy a new device when the device is fine and I'm p*ssed off with Apple for releasing a new version of itunes when there are still so many people using older versions of their devices - it comes across as cynical marketeering that requires us all to buy the latest hardware to keep pace with the software....

Please help!

Apple is keeping this low profile and it's because iTunes 12 is incompatible and will not sync with the iPod Classic. An Apple tech confirmed this with me today. They simply made the decision to no longer support the iPod Classic. Just like that. So essentially if you have a Windows 10 PC (I don't know what the Mac equivalent) you cannot run iTunes 11 or earlier and you're out of luck. Thanks Apple, glad I dropped $250 on that iPod.

i got the same exact problem restored and it will not re sync with computer so lost 4500 msongs off ipod which are still on computer

My God ur a genius. I wish i saw this link before i spoke to those idiots at Apple. I reset the ipod and lost all my music. Everything. I had changed my laptop nd dont have it on my itunes either....But i am glad i found this link. Thanks a million

Hi Awlo,

I have a iPod classic 120b I've been using it for like for almost 5 years until last year my iPod skip songs and wont play other songs. I reset my iPod did everything, install the new software iTunes and plugged in my ipod to my computer, first it detect my iPod and when I open iTunes my Computer is stocked and crashed. I redo over again and I got the same result. iTunes wont let open my iPod and crashed..Can you please help me..Thanks..

Not true. I have a 1st gen iPod from 2001, and it still syncs fine with the latest iTunes; that one connects using FireWire! My 4th gen iPod from 2004 also has no problem. I have some other iPods too... An iPod classic is practically brand new compared to my iPods. And there are plenty of folks here, who use iPod classic models with the latest iTunes.

If you're having issues using iTunes with Windows 10, try this procedure to completely remove iTunes and related software components

Remove and reinstall iTunes and related software components for Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 - Apple Support

Be sure to remove the components of an iTunes installation in the exact order described.

Thank you on the information, I try every procedure I made some progress after the restore from the iTunes still, iTunes stop working and did not detect my iPod, And when i try to format my ipod there is no option for fat32 only exFat and NTS..now im stock. Any Idea

What are the numbers? You can should be able to perform a quick format to wipe the data without changing the current structure, but if you have to specify then exFat is probably OK. Use the DFU restores method and iTunes should fix the format if it doesn't like it.

tt2

Hey Thanks to you man, my ipod now is working after 2 years..What I did is I used the DFU restore method in the middle of restoring the ipod, itunes stopped working and my computer freeze I don't know what happen..The other is used mac to format the ipod to ms-dos (fat) and restore using the mac itune.. after that its working good its like brand new ipod...thanks a lot man..

Why, of why, would Apple make a critical setting like "Sync Music" that is so hard to find and then uncheck it by default? You mean MOST people, by default, D'ONT want to sync their music to their music player? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

I, too, spent hours trying to solve this idiotic problem and wrecked all my ITunes customization in the process, which will take me more time to fix. And all of this started with a problem that the latest version of ITunes caused in the first place (album ratings that destroy smart playlists)

Ziatron wrote:

I am loathe to buy a new device when the device is fine

There is no replacement for the iPod classic. You can still buy them on Amazon for around $700.

Or, if you live near an Apple store (as I am lucky enough to), you might inquire about a trade-in... that's how I went from my old 30gb classic to my 160gb classic in May 2014. I was talking with an Apple store employee about fixes versus buying new, and he mentioned the possibility of trading in. He checked as to whether or not my 30gb was still under warranty (he said it was, but I know for a fact that it was two years out... but who am I to argue?), and he said I could upgrade for $65. Thought about it, and the next day I went back and traded up.

I have a 3rd generation ipod that I just bought and got it to sync with my laptop but it only worked once, I tried to add more songs to it but the firewire port wasn't detecting it and thus I couldn't get it to sync again, I came to this forum and could not find anything useful. Long story short I got three sets of ipod cables and one of them is a dual USB/Firewire so I tried this programming cable but instead of using the firewire side of it I used the USB and to my surprise it worked!!!!

I still don't understand it since the ipod was originally programmed with firewire just a week ago and now it only works with USB. Plus it is my understanding that ipods 3rd generation are designed to work with firewire only.

I guess is one of those mysteries of electronics...

Try a USB programming cable instead of firewire and see if it works.