Solution to my "iPhone/iPod cannot be synced" problem

My MacBook Pro has been giving me the following error when syncing both my 80Gb video iPod and my iPhone for a while now:
The iPhone|iPod "..." cannot be synced. The disk
could not be read from or written to.
I worked around it on the iPod by not syncing any podcasts but I wasn't so lucky (if you can call it that) with the iPhone - I couldn't sync iPhoto at all.
After one visit to the Genius Bar on Fifth Avenue and a further 18 hours of trying different things, I fixed the problem. It seems to have been some kind of file corruption in the iPhoto library. This procedure worked for me:
1. Move my iPhoto Library folder to the desktop
2. Open iPhoto and let it recreate its folder and default files
3. Copy my backed up picture folders to the folder iPhoto created
4. Copy the backed up AlbumData.xml file to the folder iPhoto created
5. Overwrite all files created by iPhoto in the new folder with my backed up ones
I don't know where the corruption was but the above sequence fixed my problem. The Genius Bar advice was to create a new user account on my Mac and then copy or move all my data files to the new account. That was painful, time-consuming and ultimately it didn't work. I don't think this is good advice to be giving anyone but hardcore computer users.
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.10)

The sync issue I found with photos (and it was strictly hit or miss as the error message details nothing) is that I had to break them up into smaller folders of roughly 200 photos or less. A large folder will cause any number of sync errors.
The list of elaborate workarounds for basic functionality in every application is beginning to get on my nerves. The only thing I haven't been told so far is to jump up and down while singing Yankee Doodle Dandy if I want this thing to do what it's supposed to.

Similar Messages

When I drag music onto my ipod I get: "The ipod cannot be synced. An unknown error occurred (13019)." Solution?

When I drag a song/album/playlist onto my ipod I get the message "The ipod cannot be synced. An unknown error occurred (13019)."
I then restored my ipod and synced it to the backup. The error came again, and I did the same. 3 times.
After that, thinking there may be something bad on the ipod or whatever, I restored it again. This time i DIDN'T sync it to the back-up. It was retuned to factory settings.
But, hey, here I am now, with the same problem.
If anyone has any suggestions? Please.
Details:
16GB ipod touch 2nd generation
     -currently 8.8GB of music
     -currently .01GB of apps
     -currently .22GB of other
Software Version: 4.2.1 (up to date, according to itunes)
Set to "manually manage music and videos"
iTunes 10.5.3 (current version)

Type "13019" into the search bar at the top of this page by "Support" and read the resulting help articles.

6th Gen/osx10.7/iTunes 11.0 'The ipod cannot be synced because it cannot be found.'

Hi,
I sure do hope someone has some great ideas here - because I'm stumped. I'm trying to sync up my husband's ipod. Gee whiz - who knew it would be so difficult.
Products:
I have a 6th Gen. ipod, syncing to a Macbook Pro using OS X 10.7 on iTunes 11.0.1. I have been successfully syncing this ipod for a few years now with no trouble - mostly music & photos.
I updated iTunes to the latest version 11.0.1 and synced the ipod. (It should be noted that I had such a screwed up library from iTunes that I deleted the entire library and reloaded it and regenerate playlists, etc.. I was able to sync up about 1,100 songs to the ipod with no problems and only used up about 6GB of space out of a total of 16GB.)
Issue:
The trouble began when I tried to upload additional music and I received the following error... 'the ipod cannot be synced because it cannot be found'. Which is weird since my Mac & iTunes both 'saw' the device and I was able to view uploaded content 'on this ipod' in iTunes. It doesn't matter how much data, or what kind of data I'm trying to sync - I get the same error message.
The device reads, ''Connected - Eject before disconnecting'. So I tried to eject the from iTunes, which shows it's disconnected there - but the icon remains on my desktop and still shows it's connected on the device. Then I tried ejecting from my desktop - no change. The only way to remove the device is to completely MANUALLY shut down my laptop (it hangs when I try to relaunch Finder, restart or shut down within OS).
Troubleshooting Conducted:
I have restarted and reset the device - problem persists. Device is fully charged. Has the latest OS. USB ports are operating without issue with other peripherals (external HDDs/speakers). This does not appear to be a hardware issue (laptop and device) since both appear to be functioning properly (the device with existing content and the laptop with everything else.)
I've searched through Apple's support pages as well as community discussions and was unable to really find anything similar - please forgive me if I've overlooked something. I'm happy to go to existing solutions.
Also of note - both my son's and my iPhones have synced with this version of iTunes remotely without any problems.
Hope I've given enough info. I hope even more that someone may have a solution for me.
Thank you for your time.

Have you looked at the previous discussions listed on the right side of this page under the heading "More Like This"?

Receive error message, The iPod cannot be synced. The required disk cannot be found. iPod nano 6th Gen, all latest updates, Macbook Pro, with OS 10.6.7

Receive error message, "The iPod cannot be synced. The required disk cannot be found. This is a iPod nano 6th Gen, all updates on iTunes and iPod, Macbook Pro OS 10.6.7. This is getting frustrating. I have changed USB ports, cables, reset, restored and was able to sync one time in parts, not all songs at once. I have seen a lot of this same issue, will Apple please find a solution, nothing works, I think I wasted my money with this iPod. I have the iPod touch, iPod shuffle, 4th gen iPod nano, iPhone and iPad. This is the only device that has this issue.

I was actually able to investigate and solve the problem myself. After readng many posts, I found that someone else's tips worked for me:
Re: 30gb 5th gen. Probs syncing.
Posted: Oct 13, 2009 8:48 AM in response to: johnnyfrommars
Try running a disk check out the iPod using the tools provided by windows.
To do this:
1. Plug in your iPod and close iTunes.
2. Go to "My Computer". Click on the iPod drive once. Go to File, and then click Properties.
3. Go to the Tools tab. Under "Error Checking", click Check Now.
4. Check both boxes. One says "Automatically fix file system errors" and the other says "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors". Place a check mark next to each of these options and hit Start.
The scan may take several minutes or more to complete, but once it has, go ahead and restart iTunes, and try re-syncing files to your iPod.
B-rock

IPod cannot be synced the required disc cannot be found

Hello i dont know if someone already posted about this, i couldnt find something like it.
My iPod is a Shuffle first generation
When i connect my ipod to my computer it detects its as normal (Driver F or G), then itunes opens and then says "ipod has been succesfully synced" as it always does, but now when i try to put a song in it it stays for like 5 minutes with "Syncing iPod do not disconnect" after those 5 minutes a message appears:
"The iPod "IPOD" cannot be synced. The required disc cannot be found."
I tried restoring it but i couldnt it said something about error in iPod so it erased all files in the iPod including the ones in iPod control hidden folder. The weird thing is that i connected it to 5 iMacs from my school and there iTunes had no problem syncing music to my iPod and i could listen to it and everything but when i returned home the old problem came back, i dont want to go to my school to sync my iPod everytime i want to erase or put another song in it.
Please i need to solve this ive had my iPod for 1 1/2 years and it worked perfect until recently and i live in mexico i cant order a replacement or anything. i think this happened after an itunes upgrade i think it was 7.4, my ipod has the latest version for ipod shuffle first generation 7.5

I have the same problems with 2 different ipod shuffles (1 is a 1st Generation, the other a 2nd generation). I have tried them on several different PCs with the same error. I followed the apple document listed in this disussion an none of the solutions work for me. I ended up using the Apple reset tool to get them working, only to have the problem come back when I trying syncing with pcs that have I-Tunes 7.3.x or 7.4.x. After resetting it again, I found a PC that hadn't been updated for a while and had I-Tunes 7.1.x. That worked as I expected and I was able to sync multiple times without any issues. I would be willing to go back to that version except the I-tunes backup I have is 6 months old and missing alot of music purchased since then and the current libraries don't work on the older version. Any suggestion on what is going on with the 7.3 and 7.4 versions of I-Tunes and the shuffles and how I can resolve the problem?

Ipod cannot be synced. File or directory is corrupted and unreadable.

After I tried reconnecting my ipod to my computer, the message "The iPod cannot be synced. The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable." popped up in iTunes and it wouldn't let me access any of the songs on my ipod. I ejected it and checked the ipod, and all of my songs were still on there, but whenever I try and connect it to iTunes the same message pops up and when I go to the music list, nothing is there, though it states 3 GBs of space is being taken up (the amount of space my songs use).
I figured the problem might lay in iTunes and not my iPod, but while there was a problem and I did manage to fix it, the newly downloaded iTunes still gave me the same message as before.
I figure I could try reformatting the iPod, since it looks like that might solve the problem, but I don't have any of the songs on my iPod backed up, so I was hoping someone might be able to offer another solution. =/
*To sum things up: songs are still on my iPod and I can listen to them after ejecting, but syncing up to iTunes is no longer possible (so no new music ;_; ). Problem most likely isn't with iTunes and I'd prefer not to reformat the iPod.*

I have just managed to connect my ipod through itunes to restore it. However when I tried to connect it to the wall socket to complete the update nothing happens. I have checked the fuse in the plug and that is okay, but the ipod does nothing, not even a light on the display when connected. It seems to have locked up. If I hold it close to my ear I can hear a gentle hum. Also the ipod is not showing up in windows explorer.
Any suggestions ?
Thanks

Ipod cannot be synced. The required file cannot be found

Up until recently, the only thing there was wrong with my Ipod was the occasionally "100% freeze that only could be solved by draining the Ipod from battery", which it did less than three times a month. Then this sunday, when I was going to work (nightshift) I took the bus as usually, and listened to music on my Ipod for about half an hour.
I hear music and podcasts from my ipod when I work, I connect my ipod to a jackstick and connect it to the radio of the wagon I drive around in. And then it started acting weird. The sound seemed to freeze up, but after 1 min or so, it played a fraction of a second and seemed to freeze up again. So I held down the toggle button and menu button, which did restart it as it should.
I chose the same podcast and it started playing as if nothing were wrong. But then it did the same thing, and on the display where the name etc. of the item I was playing were supposed to slide from one side of the ipod to the other, was moving a bit and then coming to a complete stop, and then it would move a bit again.
So I drained it from battery, and recharged it, when I got home from work. When I woke up I tried to play the same podcast, without listening to it, though, it did play, but the timer moved awkwardly, the seconds moved in a funny way.
Then I tried using the restore function, in Itunes, thinking it would perhaps erase some bad software and installing it all over. But now When I try to synchronize the ipod with my itunes library, it synchronizes a few songs and then the red circle that comes with 'do not disconnect' disappears from the ipod and itunes says "the ipod 'name of ipod' cannot be synced. The required file cannot be found."
After that the picture with the red circle and the'do not disconnect' freezes up, and the only way to turn it back on is to hold down the menu and toggle buttons, as if trying to get the ipod to go into disk mode. Also, Itunes can't see the ipod anymore.
I went to the shop yesterday and said there was something wrong with it prior to my restoring it, but the guy in the shop made it sound like it was my fault for pressing the restore button, and that it would most likely start working if the software on it were updated.
The software on my ipod is up to date, and I've tried removing and reinstalling the newest version og Itunes.
I'm sorry for the wall of text that just hit you headon, but I hope that telling all the details might shed some light on my problem.
I hope someone out there can help me, or refer me to another topic with a solution. I just realized how addicted I am to that little piece of hardware.
Thanks in advance

UPDATE:
I've just made an interesting discovery (at least I'd like to think so myself:).
When I got home from the gym today I plugged my ipod in the computer to recharge the battery (I had without any incidents heard around 60 songs). When Itunes detected my ipod it didn't recognise the library on my ipod and it wanted to restore the ipod and copy it's current library onto the ipod. Fine, I thought since it's completely indifferent. Only Itunes started with error 69 again.
So I thought, to heck with it.
I deleted my library 100 %, and I've just finished the hard work of sorting out my new library and my new playlists. I only added music, about 1600 tracks and synced - WITHOUT any errors occuring. I tried then to add the podcasts, of which there are 61 and Itunes was able to sync 55 of these before getting the error 69, the last 5 being podcasts of older date, which it hasn't had any problems with earlier.
So right now, I'm thinking can the podcasts interfere with me syncing songs? or something far out like that?
btw. itunes recognises the library on the ipod, so I don't think that's a problem anymore.

When I try to transfer songs to my ipod touch or my friends ipod nano in which both have manually managed music, I get error 13019 "Ipod cannot be synced". This problem started to occur all of a sudden. Any ideas other than the resyncing?

When I try to transfer songs to my ipod touch or my friends ipod nano, I get error 13019 "Ipod cannot be synced". Everything was working fine and transferring successfully and then this problem started to occur all of a sudden. My music is managed manually and always has. I looked online for a solution and they all involve resyncing the library and unchecking voice memos. Is there a way to resolve this issue without having to resync my music or reinstall itunes?

Have you powered off and then back on the router?
Have you done anything to the router recently like changed a setting?
Have you tried:
- Resetting the iPod. Nothing will be lost.
Reset iPod touch: Hold down the On/Off button and the Home button at the same time for at
least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
- Resetting network settings: Settings>GeneralReset>Reset Network SettingsTo me the error sounds like a network/router problem vice aan iPod problem.

FIX: Ipod cannot be synced. An unknown error occurred (-48)

Hey everybody,
I just wanted to share with you a solution that my friend and I have used to eliminate the "iPod cannot be synced. An unknown error occurred (-48)" error. I have a iPod Photo 60 gig that has not had this error before....until 3 days ago. I tried to drop a few songs onto my iPod and it gave me this error. After talking with my friend, I realized that a few things had happened that I didn't think were variables at first. For one thing, I had just updated my iTunes to version 7.4.1.2. That same day, I also had a new update to Windows XP sp2. When I restarted my computer (to complete my iTunes update), both install were now active.
I tried to add new songs to my iPod and I kept getting this Cannot Sync error. The songs would get onto my iPod and I could play them from the iPod via iTunes. Once I disconnected my iPod and tried to play them, the songs were gone. iTunes was failing to save the songs on the iPod.
Resolution: I connected my iPod to a 3rd party interface (to replace iTunes) and it worked. The interface is called Yamipod and this is where you get it from:
http://www.yamipod.com/main/modules/downloads/
When I connected it to my iPod, it identified some bad file and corrected (or replaced) it with a good file. I added songs via Yamipod and they were correctly synced to my iPod. And the best part is, after I used Yamipod my iTunes was now working correctly. I told my friend at work to try this out and it worked for her too. She mentioned that she used Yamipod and then updated her version of Quicktime before everything started working.
All I have to say is that the latest release of iTunes was probably incompatible with Windos XP and some file was corrupted. Like iTunes, Yamipod probably needed this file to sync correctly...so it just overwrote the file, compared to iTunes, which just compained about being broken.
One more thing, Yamipod is a free tool that you can use to extrasct songs from your iPod to your computer. That is the main reason why I use it, but now I realise it's more stable than iTunes too!
Good luck out there, it ***** to have an iPod that you can't add songs to.
Italian.Dude3

First off, have you tried these five iPod troubleshooting steps?:
The Five Rs
If you have, then let's move onto a few general possible troubleshooting fixes, since the solution to a -48 error on a PC is somewhat unknown or various.
See if assigning your iPod a different drive letter helps, following the instructions from this article:
Windows confuses iPod with network drive or hard drive
Try reformatting your iPod to FAT32, through your computer. Then, we'll restore it in iTunes afterward. To do that, see these steps:
1 - Connect your iPod to your computer.
2 - When iTunes has finished syncing with your iPod, open "My Computer".
3 - Right-click on your iPod, and click on "Format". (If your iPod is not showing in My Computer, make sure that disk use is enabled in iTunes).
4 - Here, verify that your formatting settings are "Default", with the format type set for FAT32. Also, make sure that "Quick Scan" is not selected.
5 - Then, click on "OK" to begin the formatting process.
6 - When this is complete (it might take a while), make sure to restore your iPod in iTunes again, so as to properly reload the firmware back onto it again.
Finally, this could be caused by digital signing issues on your computer. See the "Solution 1" section of this article for help regarding that possible cause:
iTunes displays a -50 error when syncing iPod
Any success with any of those things, or do you still have the error?
-Kylene

I keep getting a message when I try to sync music onto my ipod that says "iPod cannot be synced. An unknown error has occured (13019)"

I've never ever had this problem before; it's only been the last few days. Every time I try to take music from my library and put it on my iPod, the message always comes up that says, "iPod cannot be synced. An unknown error has occured (13019). What should I do? This has never happened before!

Did you already try to restore your device? Restoring iPod to factory settings
Other solutions for this errror are mentioned here: iTunes: Error 13019 during sync

"the ipod cannot be synced. An Unknown error occured (13019)

when ever i try to put music on my ipod a message that says "the ipod cannot be synced. An Unknown error occured (13019)" what can i do so i can put music on it??

Check this thread for a possible solution : https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2046768?start=0&tstart=0

TS3694 We were trying to backup an Ipod touch and received an error message, "This Ipod cannot be synced. An unknown error occurred(13014).

The error message was, "This ipod cannot be synced. An unknown error message occurred(13014).
Any suggestions?

Hi there packbirdieman,
You may find the troubleshooting steps in the article below helpful.
iPhone and iPod touch: An unknown error (13014), (13136), or (13213) may occur after updating to iTunes 8.0.1 or later
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2380
-Griff W.

The iPod cannot be synced. The required file not found"

The iPod cannot be synced. The required file not found" is this something i can fix? i have tried everything.

Hi,
here's a work around for the "the required file cannot be found" problem when syncing
go to your 'iphoto library' in pictures,
locate your 'originals' folder
ctrl click it and select 'create alias'
drag your 'originals alias' folder to your 'pictures' folder.
go to itunes with your ipod/iphone attached
click your ipod/iphone
select the 'photos' tab
next to 'sync photos from' click the drop down menu
click 'choose folder'
find your 'originals alias' folder
select the photos you want.
now your ipod/iphone will now sync your photos.
enjoy

Itunes says 'the ipod cannot be synced A duplicate file name was specified?

it says this - 'the ipod cannot be synced. A duplicate file name was specified' every time i plug in my ipod, i have not downloaded a new itunes recently, nor do I have a new ipod, this came from completely out of the blue.

The solution i found to this problem is have windows hard drive recovery tool scan and repair the hard drive on you ipod. To do this, you need to configure itunes so it does not open when you plug in you ipod. Next, plug in your ipod, for windows 7 user a pop up should come up asking to scan and fix device. click yes and give it some time. after the tool in complete unplug you ipod, open itunes, plug your ipod in. if you still get the message, click restore, and start this process on more time. If you do not have windows seven or this pop-up does not appear manually go to you hard recover tool and have it scan your ipod. then follow the rest of the process.

Ipod cannot be synced internal device error

This has been very aggravating for me for a while now. I've been trying to sync music on my ipod touch, but I keep getting a message that says "ipod cannot be synced internal device error". I tried to restore my touch and I even downloaded the latest updates ..but no use. Every time i try to sync.. I get the same message..I'm starting to give up hope. I've searched everywhere and can't find a solution. My ipod touch syncs on my desktop.. but not on my laptop(contains all my music). If I can get a solution, it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Welcome to the discussions,
did you check your security software settings? http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3125
Did you restore "as new ipod" without using the backup to restore afterwards?

Solution to my "iPhone/iPod cannot be synced" problem

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