HOW TO... Fix Your **** iPod's Connectivity to PC

Question

Okay, Windows XP user?
Do you have the following symptoms:
1) The iTunes and iPod Updater do not recognise the iPod. You've tried the 4 R's, but NONE OF them work?
2) The 5th R "Restore" will not work because iPod Updater hangs on Initialize and does not recognise your iPod?
3) Does your iPod appear in 'My Computer' as 'Removable Disk', but upon clicking that, it hangs and crashes?
4) Does your iPod not eject properly from PC and simply hangs?
5 Does this happen on every computer you connect that iPod too, regardless of the connecting wire?
I've racked my brains about this for a while [12 hours] and I know alot of you are having these same troubles, especially Windows XP users.
What I've come to realise is that the iPod's data has become currupted somehow. The only way to get around this is to reformat it. Yes folks, you're gonna have to LOSE ALL YOUR FILES ON THE IPOD.
I was very adament at first, but if you've exhausted the entire Support Troubleshooting pages and none work... this is the only way.
To DELETE ALL DATA and REFORMAT, do this:
Make sure the iPod is not connected to PC.
Uninstall iPod and iTunes programs on your PC.
Make sure any non essential system utilities like anti-virus, IE, Firewall, Internet connectivity, MSN, AIM, whatever is OFF.
Make sure any existing iPod and iTunes services are off by CTRLALTDELETE and clicking Processes. End Task 'iTunesHelpers', 'iTunes', 'ipod service'.
On the iPod, press and hold the 'Menu' and 'Centre' buttons for longer than 6 seconds. The Apple Logo will appear.
Then press and hold 'Play Pause' and 'Menu' buttons for longer than 6 seconds to go into 'Disk Mode'
Now plug your iPod into your USB.
Wait for the computer to load profiles, this may take awhile so do not do anything until its finished. It may seem like its hanging but bear with me.
Right Click 'My Computer'> Manage > Disk Management
You'll see your iPod Volume there. Again it may hang but let it work its magic.
Right click the iPod drive [absolutely make sure it's the iPod and not your PC hard drives!] and click 'Format'
Ignore the 'Volume Label' and 'Allocation unit size'
Change File system to "FAT 32".
Make sure 'Perform a quick format' and 'Enable file and folder compression' are unticked.
Then click OK.
This may take a long time to reformat on USB 2.0. Roughly an hour.
When the Status is 100%, you will notice in 'My Computer' that you can access the thing and it will not hang or crash.
Eject the iPod.
Now restart the PC.
Install iPod Updater and restart again. Don't install iTunes.
Now plug the iPod back in the PC.
Open the iPod Updater software and it will actually recognise the iPod this time.
Click on 'Update' to update the firmware. This will take 5 minutes, you can see after 2 minutes the Apple logo on the iPod and a progressive bar. YOU MUST NOT DISCONNECT, EJECT, TURN OFF PC, OR CRASH THE IPOD EVER AT THIS POINT OR YOU WILL **** UP ROYALLY.
When the 'Update' is complete, click on 'Restore' to restore it to factory settings. This will take a few mins.
VOILA, YOUR IPOD IS NOW FULLY WORKING AND UPDATED BACK TO HOW IT WAS WHEN YOU BOUGHT IT [IF NOT BETTER]
Now re-install your iTunes or whatever programs and refill it
Be wreary about what you put on it though, maybe it was something dodgy before that could trigger the fault again.
Good luck
Any problems just PM me, or ask me on my email BANDANADAN__@___REMOVE___UNDERSCORES____ETC___hotmail.com
Daniel
  Windows XP  

Answer 1

Hi just wanted to let you know I solved most of my XP problems with my new IPOD. It won't recognise the IPOD or driver and froze and locked up and then the battery died. After hours of trying different things here is what I did. I completly closed computer down. Waited 15 minutes turned on and reloaded everything. I put the usb cable in but not hooked up to IPOD. I turned off Mcaffee (all of it). After my computer came on. I then went and closed everything I didn't need in the bottom toolbar. (taskbar). I then reloaded the software and waited. Took forever to reload and I don't know why but whatever it worked but I DID NOT HOOK UP THE IPOD LIKE IT SAID! I instead shut down the computer after loading the software and waited 5 minutes and turned it back on. I again waited and shut of mcaffee. It loaded everything fine this time and said new hard ware and drivers detected. I plugged my IPOD in and YES I WAS UP AND RUNNING (THIS IS AFTER 6 HOURS OF PLAYING WITH OTHER THINGS!) I am able to load and play, burn, watch movies, see pictures and everything your suppose too! The only thing I see different than the instructions is I left my usb cable plugged in and when it said to eject the disk I didn't. I also didn't plug in the IPOD (5th Gen) and then I shut down waited and then restarted the computer. I hope this helps others because I know the feeling of wanting to return something you paid dearly for and worked hard at saving money to buy one and it doesn't work. My only thing I dislike about apple is they didn't supply a ac adapter for the IPOD and the instructions say to plug it up when trying to charge battery. DUHHHHHH, ya can't do that if ya don't have one and stores are closed and won' open until Monday! But at least I am up and running. I just hate having to plug up IPOD to computer daily to charge the battery which only last a half a day1