Solution!!! (for iTunes not recognizing Nano)

I've written this as a reply to the thread below as well - but as it seems more than just our friend below has this problem I've also posted this as a separate post
Hi everybody,
I have - like many of you, suffered through this frustrating process of Windows recognizing the Nano and yet iTunes not recognizing it, and after some research I think I may have found a solution (perhaps not THE solution).
Just so you are aware, I just want to warn you that I'm not some computer science expert or anything, and this is a pretty old article (written May 2006, http://pluralsight.com/blogs/keith/archive/2006/05/26/25476.aspx), BUT I think this works on iTunes 7.0 because it is now detecting my nano. Basically I think what the problem is that the Nano is supposed to be formatted as FAT32 to work with iTunes but for many of us outdated Nano users the Nano is still formatted as FAT.
So like the blog author has written, we need to go and run the Windows disk management tool (if you are not a computer person like I really am not, just go to Windows help and search "disk management" and it'll give you a link that brings you directly there). The disk management tool will probably show the C drive and then the iPod as well as any extraneous hardware. RIGHT CLICK on the iPod (it should be there since all of you are saying that XP recognizes it), format it to FAT32 (it will warn you that info on your ipod may be erased, but this doesn't matter since it's just info on your ipod and your music is on your C drive anyway). I didn't re-run the iPod updater like the blogger did (especially since the iPod updater is apparently included in iTunes 7.0 now and the latest one, which I believe is iPod updater 6-28-06..is now outdated and invalid)...but the next time I ran iTunes, it recognized the iPod!!!!!! HORRAY
So in simple instruction form,
- Open Windows disk management window (Control Panel --> Administrative Tools --> Computer Management)
- Once you have this window open, click on Disk Management (under Storage)
- If like you say, your XP recognizes your iPod (but iTunes doesn't), then your iPod should be listed under that window along with your C drive (and maybe others). Under File System, it might say FAT.
- If it does, RIGHT CLICK your iPOD and choose Format
- Change the Format from FAT to FAT32. (It will warn you that everything will be erased but that's ok)
Btw I also restored the nano (to factory settings).
I hope this helps...was glad to find there were other people suffering through the same thing. Misery loves company! Please let me know if it worked for you and if you have questions

I too am a victim of upgrading to iTunes 7.0 I reformatted my nano per instructions, even though it already was FAT32. I reset the nano as well, still no joy. What's interesting is that if I restart the computer with the nano plugged in, it recognizes it and tells me that I need to update to 1.2. As soon as I do this, however, it says that it's updating, but the ipod goes from 'do not disconnect' to the normal menu. iTunes says it’s updating, but it never does. I need to kill the process through task manager to get it to quit.
Additionally, if I choose not to update, the nano shows up in iTunes just fine and I can move songs to the nano. (I have it set to manually update the nano as I have more songs in my library than the nano can hold.)
However, as soon as I ‘eject’ the nano, reconnecting it does not show the nano, whether I stay in iTunes or close iTunes and then unplug and plug in the nano. The nano shows ‘do not disconnect’, and windows sees the nano, but still no joy in iTunes.
FYI, I have also uninstalled and reinstalled the software and tried all the directions at:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93716
Which I was directed to when doing the diagnostics on the iPod through iTunes.
This is a total crock. Some upgrade.

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SOLUTION to iTunes not recognizing iPod

I was having a problem with itunes not loading my ipod under the source list...and it wasn't even in the preferences..it would say "no ipod connected" and I noticed NUMEROUS other people were having the SAME problem!
I was so frustrated after hours and hours of trying different things..and uninstalling and reinstalling the programs NUMEROUS times..
While filling out the service form I decided to try ONE MORE THING...it worked...
here's how I did it..(make sure your ipod is attached to your computer)
- open itunes
- go to file
- then, export song list or library (either one)
- find "my computer"
- find the drive that ipod is in....it won't say..but mine was "J"
- select the drive.
- it'll say that it needs to be formatted
- allow it to format..
and BAM! the ipod showed up in the source list on itunes RIGHT AWAY...
Hopefully this works for others like it worked for me! that would be great!
Windows XP

4georgia: allow it to format; I'm pretty sure it's just giving you a heads up that if you had anything stored on our ipod, that it would erase it.
abbottg: glad to hear it was a success!
as for the other two posts: Did you try it anyway to see if it was on one of your drives? Because after a couple of times I would plug my iPod into my computer, the computer would not recognize it anymore. But it still would work. If not; then good luck! I know how frustrating it is
Windows XP

Possible solution for "iPhone not recognized by iTunes" issue (Vista/7)

This solution is intended for those Vista/Windows 7 users:
- whose iPhone will not show up as a device in iTunes (usually after upgrading to iTunes 10);
- whose iPhone is successfully connected to the PC (appears as a device in Windows Explorer);
- particularly those experiencing the issue where fully uninstalling/reinstalling iTunes will allow it to recognize the iPhone once -- and once only -- but disconnecting the iPhone will cause iTunes to ignore it again (until the next full uninstall/reinstall).
I know there are plenty of people who fit those criteria, as I've been monitoring the forums for a fix for this for weeks.
The solution's pretty straight forward:
1. Disconnect all iPhone/iPod devices and close iTunes
2. Open Windows Explorer
3. Navigate to the folder: *C:\ProgramData\Apple Computer\iTunes*
4. Delete the file: iPodDevices.xml +(I recommend you copy it to the Desktop first, for peace of mind)+
5. Reconnect your iPhone to the PC and fire up iTunes
Fingers crossed, your iPhone should now show up as a device in iTunes after a short pause.
The XML file is recreated each time the iPhone is connected to the PC, so you will need to repeat the file deletion each time you want to sync your phone. So this isn't a permanent fix -- that's up to Apple to fix their buggy application -- only a workaround, but it's a **** sight faster than uninstalling every piece of iTunes-related software each time. (You could even set up a batch file to delete iPodDevices.xml automatically and save the folder navigation.)
Windows XP users: unfortunately, the ProgramData folder only exists in Windows Vista/7. I don't have a copy of XP to hand to locate it myself, but it's a good bet that the same iPodDevices.xml file exists somewhere on your PC (most likely somewhere under Program Files or Local Settings) and is the culprit if you're experiencing the same problems under XP.
So far, deleting that file before connecting my phone hasn't failed to work for me (iPhone 3GS, iOS4.1, iTunes 10.0.1.22). YMMV, but go ahead and reply if it works for you too -- it'll help me get a more detailed and coherent bug report to Apple.

I should also mention: this solution should not be a first step in troubleshooting.
If you haven't already, try the following steps first -- they're more basic and/or more likely to provide a permanent fix for you:
1) Try a different USB port. (One on the PC itself; not on a USB hub.)
2) Try a different USB cable.
3) Reboot the PC. (Sure you've already tried this, but still...)
4) Fully uninstall & reinstall iTunes and related software: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1923
5) Restart the Apple Mobile Device Service : http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1567
6) Reinstall/update the Apple Mobile Device Driver: http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1538
Reinstalling iTunes fully (4) works for many people so be sure to try that, following the sequence on the instruction page. If you're seeing the issue where reinstallation will allow you a one-time sync before iTunes screws up again, I'm pretty confident that following the solution in the first post will work for you.
PS: Mac users... sorry, I know some of you are seeing the same issue but I don't have the first clue about how iTunes is structured on a Mac. Best case, iPodDevices.xml exists somewhere on your Mac and you can try the same fix... good luck!

Solution for XP not recognizing USB device ...

Hope this helps ... here's how I got my XP machine to recognize the IPod.
1) Un-installed all the software (not sure if this was critical, but it is part of the order of events I followed).
2) Next, I unplugged the IPod from my desktop and unplugged the USB cable from the IPod. Then --- I plugged the USB cable into my desktop FIRST and then plugged it into the IPod.
TBy plugging in the USB to the desktop first, I seemed to jiggle XP into recognizing the IPod. Now I can just connect and disconnect the IPod like any other USB device.

I had the same problem. Try this. If you've recently done the uninstall/reinstall software phase, don't bother again. The problem, at least for me was NOT the computer, it was the nano.
Reset the nano. Push the hold button till you see orange and then back again, lay it on the table and press the center of the circle (select) and the Menu at the same time, hold it 6 to 10 seconds until you see the apple.
Then, plug your cable into the computer first, wait a minute, then plug it into the apple and WAIT (if you are so inclined, this is a good time to say a quick prayer).
It worked for me, hope it works for you.
ipod nano 4gb - dell XPS laptop Windows XP

ITunes Not Recognizing Nano

First I have no idea whether I have a 1st or 2nd gen Nano. I have recently received a replacement model since my original froze on me before even learning how to connect to iTunes. Now I have preformed the R's and disintalled QuickTime and iTunes and reinstalled 3x's and am still receiving the message "The software required for communicating with the iPod is not installed correctly. Please reinstall iTunes to install the iPods software."
Please help I need my iPod for a wedding reception next week! Thanks

i also remember clicking yes to manually add songs, that might help some of yall..

Itunes not recognizing Nano maybe?

Just got this nano, and im somewhat familiar with Itunes.. i JUST donwloaded the latest version, and ive made a new playlist and ive got all the songs i want on my ipod on that playlist.. i try to click update, but my ipod already says do not disconnect and the update ipod is not able to click under the file part.. what do i do? its been hooked up about 45 minutes and im only trying to add 17 songs.. please help..
earlier, itunes added songs to my ipod ( the ones that were up there when i dowloaded itunes ) right when i hooked it up.. i deleted all of those songs and my ones.. now ive made a new playlist and it wont recognize anything.. when i hook the ipod up my computer recognizes it because it says you can hook it up to another usb port or something.. but when i open itunes it just has my songs and i cant figure out how to get them to load.. please help.. my aim is- CustomX006 or you can post back here

i also remember clicking yes to manually add songs, that might help some of yall..

Folder for iTunes -- not recognized path

I cannot get iTunes to find my music --- I have ! for every song --- There must be a way to automatically direct iTunes to my folder ---without doing every 3,000 songs MANUALLY to find it!
HELP!!!!!

I only just now had my Mac Genius appointment tonight, but yes, all seems finally fixed. Here is what I learned. They had been experiencing a lot of appointments related to this recently, and if you have all your music on an external drive as it seems most of us do, you greatly increase your odds of having this issue. They didn't reveal WHY iTunes is so crappy at seeing/remembering where you've put stuff. I had lost all my playlists, AND couldn't get iTunes to find/read my music. It was an either/or fix, meaning they couldn't seem to fix these issues together. The long fix was this:
(1) (a) Import "previous library" to get your playlists (under Music / iTunes / select the most recently dated iTunes database file; this lived on my local computer's drive, which may or may not be the best place for it -- if your computer dies, you lose your playlists if you haven't been backing them up); this should open your old playlists in iTunes; (b) export each individual playlist to save them
(2) THEN hold down "option" as you open iTunes; this will prompt you to "select library"; navigate to direct it to open your actual music files (more than likely on your external hard drive if you're like me experiencing this problem).
(3) File/Library/Import Library for each of your previously saved playlists
In other words, I couldn't have my old playlists AND my music. Even another Mac genius agreed on this fix, and that he'd manually directed his computer to find each of 5,000 tracks individually, in order to have the playlists AND the music. (Does this make sense?) The second Mac Genius that I worked with somehow magically went under File/Library/Consolidate Library to be able to marry these two things w/o having to back up my playlists (avoiding steps 1b and 3 as described above). He seemed surprised that this really worked and that we didn't have to do everything described above. So if you can figure out how he did the "consolidate library" thing, then GREAT (none of the other Mac Geniuses knew about how to do this, and I don't know how he did it either)... but if not, maybe try the 1-2-3 steps above... or just go see your local Mac Genius I am finally sooooo pleased this issue has been resolved, but it took 3 diff. appointments.

Partial solution for iTunes not playing songs or playing partial songs

Like a lot of other people, my iTunes (latest version 6.0.3.5 as well as previous versions), would refuse to play certain songs, or, would play only the first X seconds of a song.
I had been thinking all along that the song was encoded correctly and now iTunes would not play it.
Well it turns out that the iPod will not play it either, meaning that PLAYBACK was not the issue, but ENCODING.
I have another computer on our home network...I encoded a CD with that computer (same version of iTunes), then transfered the files to the "broken" computer...with the newly encoded files from the other computer, the "broken" computer plays the songs perfectly.
So anyway, the problem is with ENCODING, not PLAYBACK.
Now I have to go back and re-encode about 30 CD's...the number of CD's I've encoded on the broken computer since the no-playback/partial-palyback issue first surfaced.
We all still have a big problem here in figuring how to get the broken computers to encode correctly.
Hope this helps.

You might check and see what codecs are installed on your PC...
Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Hardware tab
Audio Codecs > Properties
here is something similar
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1886581?

Itunes not recognizing 1st gen nano?

itunes not recognizing 1st gen nano?

1. Update iTunes to the latest version. Plug in your iPod. If iTunes still can't recognize it, then in iTunes in the top left corner click help> run diagnostics. On the box that comes up, check the last two things. Click next and it should identify your iPod.
2. Click on your windows start menu. Type in "services". Click on it and when it pops up, on the bottom of it click on "standard". Now Scroll down to find "Apple Mobile Device" Right click it when you see it and click on "Start". When it has started, close iTunes and replug in your iPod and it should show up.
3. Check the USB cable
4. Verify that Apple Mobile Device Support is installed
5. Restart the Apple Mobile Device Service and verify that the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver is installed.
6. If you just want to add some photos, songs and movies from computer to your devices, you can use an iTunes alternative to do the job.
7. Check for third-party software conflicts.
<Link Edited By Host>

ITunes Not Recognizing/Reading iPod

Hello!
I've recently had trouble with iTunes not recognizing/reading my iPod. I've plugged it in, but iTunes fails to recognize that it's been plugged in. It does charge, but that's it. I've been trying to sync my iPod, but I'm now unable to. This problem only began a few weeks ago, rather suddenly, and has not yet worked since then. I'm hoping I don't have reinstall iTunes, as I've purchased some new songs and those are what I'm trying to copy over, and I don't wish to lose those.
I'm currently running Windows Vista, and I'm not sure which versions of iTunes I'm using. I know I was using 7 at some point, but I don't remember if I've updated beyond that. I'm also using a 2nd Generation iPod Nano.
Any suggestions as to why this is happening and/or what I can do to fix it will be eagerly waited for!
Thank you.

Unfortunately, there is no one ‘Silver Bullet’ answer for this issue. Many things can contribute to the problem. Here are various ‘generic’ solutions that you can try in an effort to correct your problem. One should work. These are listed in simplest to more involved order (usually). Read through them all, and see if one specifically matches your observed issue(s).
First, make sure that the iPod is fully charged.
Try Resetting Your iPod while it's connected to the computer.
Hold down the Menu and Select buttons until you see the Apple logo (or Menu & Play/Pause in older models).
This will often get it recognized. However, it may take several attempts.
Try closing and re-starting iTunes. There have been cases where iTunes refuses to see an iPod, but after re-starting, it works again.
Also try re-booting the entire computer. Especially if the PC has been operating for a long time &/or many programs have been opened and closed, repeatedly.
Other USB connected peripherals may be the cause as well. Try removing all connected USB items and attaching the iPod. If you have a USB keyboard, it may be worth a try using the adapter to convert it to non-USB. If the iPod connects, continue plugging things back in until you have the problem return. You may have then isolated the issue. Sometimes it could be a printer, camera, Flash Card reader, or other attached device causing a conflict.
Your iPod may be conflicting with other USB peripherals or network drives. If your iPod shows up in Explorer under 'my computer' try changing the drive letter:
-- Click on Start=>Control Panel=>Admin Tools=>Computer Management=>Disk Management
-- Right-Click on the iPod and select “change drive letter”
-- Choose something further along in the alphabet that is unused (Usually, “M”, “N”, “O” or something similar)
-- Safely eject the iPod
-- Reboot the PC
-- Open iTunes &/or Connect the iPod
If you do find that your Device Manager is blank, you should probably check up on this issue first: No Items Appear in the Device Manager List When You Open It
If that doesn't work, Put Your iPod into Disk Mode then plug it in and you should be able to Restore the iPod
Your PC may have difficulty with the USB2 protocol and the iPod. See this Article for a possible solution: iPod not Recognized Correctly
Also try these hints (and the other suggestions above) from any other USB port you may have on the PC. Sometimes switching USB ports can make all the difference.
Try using another PC if you have access to one. Even a Mac may help. Try Restoring it on the other computer and moving it back to yours.
Also See:
Your Windows PC doesn't recognize iPod
iPod does not appear in iTunes or on the desktop
iPod appears in Windows Explorer but does not appear in iTunes
“Strange iPod Behavior within Windows”

ITunes not recognizing iPhone 5 iO7 on Windows 7

I have exhausted myself dealing with this problem. My iTunes will not recognize my iPhone 5. I am running Windows 7 64 bit and my computer recognizes the phone when i plug it in, however, my iTunes does not so I am not able to sync any music. I have tried practically everything I have found on the internet to fix this problem and even the people at the Apple store could not help me with my problem. I have uninstalled and installed all Apple related programs, I have insured that the Apple Mobile Device USB Driver is working correctly but nothing seems to fix the problem. I just don't know what to do anymore because nothing seems to work. I have followed the suggestions contained in the following discussions but nothing seems to work. Thank you for your help.
Referenced discussions:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3121604?start=0&tstart=0
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1538

golds04
Re: iTunes not recognizing iPhone 5
Feb 16, 2014 7:45 AM (in response to oryyx)
Had this problem this morning.
Once in the past had to erase my iphone and reload it.That was unpleasant.
This morning had the problem,too.
Plugged in my iphone directly into the Imac (not hub) then clicked shut down on the imac.
Pressed the button in the back while the iphone was still plugged in-and when rebooted iphone was visable in itunes.
Hope this helps.
Thanks so much for your suggestion. I'm using a MacBook Air and I just tried this with my laptop - shutting down the computer all the say (not restarting it) and then booting it back up with the phone plugged in. It didn't work but it was worth a shot! Thank you!
Jen912 wrote:
I had this exact same problem and just figured out how to fix it. I had to reload the driver on the iphone5 in order for itunes to recognize the device. Follow the steps here to see if you might need to do the same thing. Once I reinstalled the driver, everything works fine and I'm now able to sync with itunes again.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1538
Thanks for the suggestion, I have seen a TON of posts like mine where this is the solution. Unfortunately, I am on a Mac not Windows so the driver isn't the problem.

ITunes Not Recognizing my iPod Touch after Upgrading from Tiger to Leopard

After upgrading from Tiger (10.4.x) to Leopard (10.5.0=>10.5.6), my iPod Touch is no longer recognized by iTunes 8.0.2. The iPod Touch no longer appears in iTunes' "source list" (left side pane in iTunes' GUI).
Immediately prior to that upgrade, my iPod Touch was working great with Tiger (10.4.x). iTunes 8.0.2 recognized it (listed it in sources) and always synchronized with it successfully.''
My iPod Touch is also not shown in the Finder. However, it does show up as recognized in iPhoto.
Any ideas on how to get the iPod recognized again in iTunes under Leopard?

Thanks to a posting by Jim in a different Apple Discussions (forum), my problem is now resolved. Read on for the details.
iPods & Finder. Some other postings incorrectly lead me to believe that the iPod would show up in the "Finder". Jim's posting set me straight on this.
iTunes Not Recognizing iPod Touch. Prior to Jim's posting, I had already read the article that Jim referenced (to remove and reinstall the Apple Mobile Device Service per article "http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1747").
Prior to Jim's posting, I had also read other articles in various "Apple Discussions" (forums) that suggested this recognition problem could be resolved by uninstalling/re-installing iTunes 8.0.2. Some implied that you could just re-install iTunes 8.0.2 right over the currently installed one without bothering to uninstall it.
Based on those postings, I "gambled" last night and simply downloaded and re-installed iTunes 8.0.2 (without uninstalling it first). I noticed during the installation that the Apple Mobile Device agent was also re-installed. Well, my gamble paid off! After the installation (and a reboot?), iTunes onces again RECOGNIZED my iPod Touch.

When I plug in my ipod to my laptop instead of my desktop, nothing pops up to sync my ipod. Has anyone had a problem with itunes not recognizing an ipod?

When I plug in my ipod to my laptop instead of my desktop, nothing pops up to sync it. Has anone had any problems with itunes not recognizing an ipod?

Hi sarahdavis0_o,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!
If neither your iPod or iPhone are being recognized by iTunes when connected, I would recommend the steps in the following article.
iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for Windows
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1538
Have a great day,
Joe

ITunes not recognizing original IPod touch after new one installed

I tried to set up new IPod touch but itunes wouldn't recognize it. Downloaded latest version of itunes. Was able to set up new IPod touch but now old touch not being recognized by itunes. Went through the troubleshooting guide with no positive results. Old (unreconized) touch is fully charged. Restarted computer. Restarted itunes. Changes usb ports. Nothing working. Any ideas?

Hi Jim,
Thank you for your reply to my posting about iTunes not recognizing my iPod Touch after upgrading to Leopard.
iPods & Finder. Some other postings incorrectly lead me to believe that the iPod would show up in the "Finder". Thanks for setting me straight on this.
iTunes Not Recognizing iPod Touch. Prior to your posting, I had already read the article you referenced (to remove and reinstall the Apple Mobile Device Service per article "http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1747").
Prior to your posting, I had also read other articles in various "Apple Discussions" (forums) that suggested this recognition problem could be resolved by uninstalling/re-installing iTunes 8.0.2. Some implied that you could just re-install iTunes 8.0.2 right over the currently installed one without bothering to uninstall it.
Based on those postings, I "gambled" last night and simply downloaded and re-installed iTunes 8.0.2 (without uninstalling it first). I noticed during the installation that the Apple Mobile Device agent you referenced was also re-installed. Well, my gamble paid off! After the installation (and a reboot?), iTunes onces again RECOGNIZED my iPod Touch.

Itunes not recognizing my ipod after restoring it

My ipod decided to go crazy on me, so I followed the 5 r's. After restoring the ipod it is no longer being recognized. I have restarted my computer, downloaded the latest software, used different usb ports but to no avail.
There is no icon in devices that pops up. When i run a diagnostic is states that an ipod is connected.
Any helps?

Hi Jim,
Thank you for your reply to my posting about iTunes not recognizing my iPod Touch after upgrading to Leopard.
iPods & Finder. Some other postings incorrectly lead me to believe that the iPod would show up in the "Finder". Thanks for setting me straight on this.
iTunes Not Recognizing iPod Touch. Prior to your posting, I had already read the article you referenced (to remove and reinstall the Apple Mobile Device Service per article "http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1747").
Prior to your posting, I had also read other articles in various "Apple Discussions" (forums) that suggested this recognition problem could be resolved by uninstalling/re-installing iTunes 8.0.2. Some implied that you could just re-install iTunes 8.0.2 right over the currently installed one without bothering to uninstall it.
Based on those postings, I "gambled" last night and simply downloaded and re-installed iTunes 8.0.2 (without uninstalling it first). I noticed during the installation that the Apple Mobile Device agent you referenced was also re-installed. Well, my gamble paid off! After the installation (and a reboot?), iTunes onces again RECOGNIZED my iPod Touch.

Solution!!! (for iTunes not recognizing Nano)

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