unknown error [-50]

Question

Level 1

4 points

unknown error [-50]

I've been getting this error quite often lately. I had thought this was an indicator that the disk in the iPod was failing (its a few years old now). However, I am now seeing this with my 4GB Nano which is <1 year old. This seems less likely to be a windows issue as the Nano uses USB and the 5G uses my firewire ports. So now I'm starting to believe that perhaps my iTunes database is somehow corrupt.

Another observation is that in the past I would have cases where my iPod would skip songs, often several at a time. The iTunes suggestion is that the computer disk file was corrupt and suggested ripping the song again. I found that the computer disk file was fine and that it was the data on the iPod that was corrupt. I verified this by simply removing the songs from the iPod list, syncing, re-adding the songs, and syncing again. Often this would resolve the problem.

So is there anyway to re-build or verify the iTunes DB? Any other suggestions as to what is wrong with my setup?

I originally chose an iPod over a Zen player because I could not get the Zen software to sync properly. The situation now is that I can only sync my iPod by doing a restore and downloading all songs again - this is really painful on a 20GB unit. Thanks.<br>
X86 Windows XP Pro

X86, Windows XP Pro

Posted on Sep 20, 2006 11:49 AM

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Answer 1

Pdj79

Level 1

0 points

Sep 20, 2006 12:35 PM in response to ajahearn

I've been getting this message ever since I upgraded to iTunes 7 and iPod software 1.2. I think I've pinpointed the problem. It seems that whenever I start iTunes (either clicking on the icon or plugging in my iPod), it starts up normally and goes through the normal syncing just fine. But what I've noticed is that all of a sudden, now whenever its done syncing, it seems to close the connection between iTunes and my iPod, to the point that on the iPod it goes from the "Do Not Disconnect" screen to the main menu. My computer recognizes that iPod is attached, and running the Diagnostic shows its connected, but for some reason I can't get iTunes to communicate with my iPod without first disconnecting the iPod and reconnecting, to which it goes through the normal syncing again and then disconnects. This is getting really old now. Any ideas guys?

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Answer 2

Sep 21, 2006 12:10 PM in response to Pdj79

@ Pdj79
This is exactly the same problem I am currently having. Does anyone know a solution to this?

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Answer 3

Sep 21, 2006 12:13 PM in response to hypnotizd

From:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3153235&#3153235
da devil suggests to deauthorize/authorize your computer once. I think I'll give this a try tonight and report back.

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Answer 4

Sep 21, 2006 3:40 PM in response to hypnotizd

Well I just realized I do not even have an Apple Store account.. login yes, account no. So I am unable to authorize/deauthorize my computer. The search for the answer continues...

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Answer 5

ajahearn Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 21, 2006 5:48 PM in response to hypnotizd

That seems to have worked for me.

I have to say I was a bit worried at first. I deauthorized my computer, restarted iTunes, authorized it, and then connected my ipod. After a minute or so I got a dialog box saying "Itunes cannot read the contents of the iPod "my IPOD". Go to the Summary tab in iPod references and click Restore to restore this iPod to factory settings. Clicking OK just disconnected my ipod. I thought just great.

My iPod sat with the screen saying "do not disconnect" for at least a few minutes. I gave up and physically disconnected it -figuring that I've done it before and it always survived. Eventually it came back and none of my songs/playlists were missing. I reconnected and this time it came up just fine. Sat for quite awhile doing some kind of sync'ing but no files transferred (at least none visible). Then iTunes reported "iPod update is complete".

To really make sure I changed something that would force a sync. The iPod updated like it is supposed to. So for now I'm a happy camper again. I've disconnected a few times and everything is working. I have not tried hooking one of my other iPods up to see if they are still functional though.

Thanks to the person who posted the link and thanks to the guy who figured it out.

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Answer 6

Sep 21, 2006 8:25 PM in response to ajahearn

I have this problem too I have a 2gb iPod nano and its only one month old. It says unknown error -49. What does this mean? I just started after I downloaded itunes 7.

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Answer 7

Gigamesh

Level 1

10 points

Sep 21, 2006 9:39 PM in response to ajahearn

just a point about the can't re sync thing, once it finishes syncing in itunes u cant go look at the file in computer hard disc space either. it just vanishes. this is what i think some of those people are having with not being able to update it can't update because it cant find it.

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Answer 8

Sep 22, 2006 12:48 PM in response to Gigamesh

The iPod shows in iTunes. It does not show in My Computer. The iPod itself acts like it has been "ejected" where it will now show the charging screen and I can scroll thorough my songs etc.

This is how my iPod was when I first installed it and I could resync just fine. Not sure what has changed, but I really would like to find out.

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Answer 9

Sep 22, 2006 9:57 PM in response to Pdj79

I've been getting this message ever since I upgraded
to iTunes 7 and iPod software 1.2. I think I've
pinpointed the problem. It seems that whenever I
start iTunes (either clicking on the icon or plugging
in my iPod), it starts up normally and goes through
the normal syncing just fine. But what I've noticed
is that all of a sudden, now whenever its done
syncing, it seems to close the connection between
iTunes and my iPod, to the point that on the iPod it
goes from the "Do Not Disconnect" screen to the main
menu. My computer recognizes that iPod is attached,
and running the Diagnostic shows its connected, but
for some reason I can't get iTunes to communicate
with my iPod without first disconnecting the iPod and
reconnecting, to which it goes through the normal
syncing again and then disconnects. This is getting
really old now. Any ideas guys?

This is very interesting to me in that I have not been getting this error code until I upgraded to itunes 7.0, but I have been having the symptoms described. My twist is that Disk-Use is not enabled and I can get it enabled. I'm quite curious to see where this goes. Help!

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Answer 10

Pdj79

Level 1

0 points

Sep 23, 2006 7:54 AM in response to hypnotizd

IT WORKED!!!! I followed ajahearn's method (except I didn't need to restore my iPod) and its doing what its supposed to do now. Hurray!!! Now if only the search function was available I'd be all set.

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Answer 11

ajahearn Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 23, 2006 9:33 AM in response to ajahearn

Just to clarify - its not my solution - someone else posted it.

And I'm sorry to report that the error has returned for me. The good news is that it seems benign as the iPod went ahead synced properly. The error only came up the first time I connected and a subsequent dialog box said something about being unable to mount the iPod. But I verified that the sync did occur properly which is what I really needed to happen.

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Answer 12

Tuxedo

Level 1

9 points

Sep 29, 2006 11:44 AM in response to hypnotizd

Just got the newest Itunes update today (7.0.1.8) and my Ipod updated to 1.2 with no problems. Guess Apple fixed it.

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Answer 13

Oct 14, 2006 4:54 PM in response to ajahearn

I have this exact problem. I don't have an Apple Account so I'm not exactly sure how I'm supposed to deauthorize and authorize my files. I have the latest version of iTunes and I still get this -50 error stuff. I hope someone finds a solution for people who just rip their CDs as opposed to using the apple store. If anyone knows the answer please post. Thanks.

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Answer 14

Oct 26, 2006 11:07 AM in response to travelerbird

I had this issue and I tried de-auth and re-auth and it did not work. I was about to restore when I decided to try enabling disk user. Voila, it worked. no restore, just checked the enabled disk use box.

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Answer 15

ajahearn Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 27, 2006 8:34 AM in response to Andrew Bediz

There does appear to be some relationship with enabling disk use. I often see my IPOD show up on the disk list even though I have NOT enabled disk use. I wonder if the "unknown error" is simply that it doesn't expect the disk to be mounted. Thanks for the note.

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