Windows won't format my iPod classic 160 GB

Hi, I’m having trouble formatting my iPod classic 160GB.
It started after I plugged it into a computer I don’t really use to put some new music on it, and then when I went to use the iPod the next morning I had to choose language and everything was gone. It worked fine the night before with both the new music and the old, but now it says in the settings of the iPod that I have 0 KB free, even though there’s nothing on it (all the space is filled with “other”, and I don’t know what that means).
When I connect it to the computer it says I have to format it to use it, but when I try to do so Windows can’t finish formatting. It also just shows up as “portable disc (E:)” instead of the name I’ve given it. I’ve tried putting it in disk mode and then it shows up with the correct name, saying I have 117 GB out of 148 GB left to use. Which is correct, but windows still won’t format it, or scan it for errors in error checking. If I try checking for errors when it’s not in disk mode a window pops up saying that they can’t access the disk.
I bought this iPod last year so it’s not old. I really have no clue what do to from here and I would appreciate help so much!!

Hello BigDan1106,
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
For more information, take a look at:
Updating iPod
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1483
Have a nice day,
Mario

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It could be an indication or a damaged or dying hard drive. I would recommend doing a disk diagnostic on the iPod's HD using the instructions given by turingtest2 in this older thread. He also covers what the resulting numbers indicate.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3784647?start=0&tstart=0
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Toggle the Hold switch till you dont see the red mark.
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See this Apple support Article on the 5Rs.
http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs/classic/
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http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1372
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Thanks for your help Jim
I found some info in other threads and read that some people had re-downloaded, re-installed and were now working OK. Unfortunately some others went through that pain and still had the issue.
I found a reference to deleting the file 'iTunes Library.itl' and copying back the previous version of that file.
I tried this and when I fired up iTunes I noticed there was a window pop up saying iTunes was updating the database to version 11. I then re-imported the CD and now the songs are there in iTunes, the artwork is there and song titles etc. The songs play and everything appears normal again.
It would appear that my issue was the database was not correctly upgraded correctly durting the original upgrade, this theory is to some extent supported by the fact some people have had success re-installing version 11. This also suggests the upgrade process may be a little flaky.
Anyway thank you to the person suggesting downgrading the 'iTunes Library.itl' file, sorry I did not take a note of your name.

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Is there a way to import my extensive cd collection (at least 160GB worth) to my ipod classic 160 using a laptop that has only 30GB? Can I somehow use my 1TB external drive to help get all the music onto my ipod? So far everything I import to itunes goes directly on my laptop which has been quickly overloaded. Can anyone give me an idea of what to do here. This was so easy using non apple mp3. There must be a way!

First, there is no need to convert mp3 files to AAC, iTunes and iPod support mp3 just fine. So, you can rip your CDs in iTunes in the mp3 or AAC format, or any of the formats supported by iTunes.
Second, it sounds like you’re interested in moving your library off of your laptop and onto your external drive, no problem! That makes it easier to help if that is your ultimate goal. But just to make it clear, there are a few considerations you need to be aware of:
a- iTunes has a “Consolidate Library” utility that lets you port all your music files to a new location. Doing this leaves the original music files in place and creates copies in the new location. So, you need to decide if you want to keep the originals or delete them once they are all copied to the external drive. You can make that choice later.
b- When you consolidate your library to your external drive, iTunes will have to manage the organization of the files and folders. So, if you’re using your own way of filing your mp3 files and not letting iTunes manage it, then consolidating your library will copy all your files into the iTunes organization on the external drive (but your original files will remain where they were).
c- Having an iTunes library on an external drive works just fine but there can be a few quirks. If you have a PC, sometimes Windows decides to change the drive letter of your external drive for no apparent reason. Also, if you start iTunes and it can’t find the external drive (disconnected, power off, new drive letter, etc.) then iTunes will open with a default library, which it expects to be on the C:\...\My Music\iTunes location. If you don’t have a library file in that location, then iTunes will create one and open up with a blank library. However, both of these risks can be handled easily and are recoverable.
d- You can have multiple iTunes libraries, such as the one on your external drive and perhaps the original library on your laptop. However, all libraries are independent so when you change one there is no change to the others. If you manage multiple libraries, you need to decide up front which will be your primary library. Since you have a capacity limitation on your laptop, your primary would be the external drive. The reason to decide this is so that (1) if you auto-sync your iPod, you want it to reflect what’s in the primary library, which may be different from the one on your laptop, and (2) when you add new music, make tag changes, make new playlists, etc., you make sure you’re doing that to your primary library so that the changes get put onto your iPod. So, if you decide to keep the original library on your laptop as an auxiliary library, then you should not auto-sync your iPod with that library open since over time it will differ from your primary library on your external drive. Also, when adding new music, do that with your primary library open, not the one kept on your laptop. With some experience, you can learn how to add new music to your external drive, then also add it to your laptop, but I won’t get into that now.
So, if you’re ready to go through with this, follow these steps:
1- Make a backup copy of your "iTunes Library.itl" file. By default, this is located in your C:\...\My Music\iTunes. Keep a copy of this file in a safe place just in case something goes wrong with the consolidation (see step 9 for recovery). You should make a habit of backing this file up anyway since it contains all your playlists, song ratings, and play history.
2- Create a folder on your external drive where you’re going to put your music files. If you have some music already on the external, I don’t recommend putting your new library there, create a separate folder (e.g. E:\iTunes Music). If you already have some music on the external drive that you want in iTunes, you will add those at the end of this process.
3- Start iTunes and go to your iTunes preferences (Edit/Preferences, then click on the Advanced tab). Next to the “iTunes Music folder location” window, click on the “Change” button and navigate to the folder you created in step 2. iTunes will put up a message indicating something like “updating library” but that doesn’t actually move your library.
4- While still looking at your iTunes preferences, make sure these two options are selected: "Keep iTunes music folder organized" and "Copy files to iTunes music folder when adding to library". Close the preferences dialog.
5- Select the iTunes command Advanced/Consolidate Library. iTunes will warn you that this is a big change, so let it rip if you're ready. iTunes will copy all your laptop’s library to the new location on your external drive. This may take awhile if you have a large library.
6- When the consolidation is complete, right-click on any song and select Get Info. Check to see that iTunes has the native file stored in the new location on the external drive.
7- This step is optional, but I recommend doing it to help prevent problems with drive letter changes, and it makes your iTunes library completely portable to other Windows PCs running the same version of iTunes as your laptop. Close iTunes and go to the C:\...\My Music\iTunes folder. Move (don’t copy) the "iTunes Library.itl" and "iTunes Music Library.xml" files to your external drive. You can put them anywhere but I recommend a folder that is easy to see and understand (e.g. E:\iTunes Library Files). Now, hold the Shift key while you start iTunes – keep holding the Shift key until you are prompted to “Choose Library” or “Create Library”. Select “Choose Library” and navigate to you put the "iTunes Library.itl" file on the external drive. iTunes will start up as usual. Note that holding the Shift key while you start iTunes is how you toggle between libraries, and how you can create a new (blank) library. Also, iTunes remembers the location of the last library it opened, so you don’t need to use the Shift key to re-open the library you last used.
8- If you had music on the external drive that you want to add to iTunes (now that you have extra capacity on the external drive), then simply drag and drop these files directly into your iTunes library. iTunes will make copies of these songs and organize them in the new folder structure you’ve set up – you can delete the original copies of these songs once you confirm that they’re new location in iTunes is set.
9- If any of the above steps got messed up, or you’re not happy with the results, then simply restore the copy of the "iTunes Library.itl" file you backed up in step 1 (put it back in the same location), then hold the Shift key while you start iTunes and navigate to the original "iTunes Library.itl" file location on your C: drive.
10- If all is well and you don’t want the original files on your laptop, then delete away. If you decide to keep the original files as an alternate library, then do the same as in step 9 to restore the original library. You can then toggle between libraries by holding the Shift key while starting iTunes and selecting the appropriate "iTunes Library.itl" file. Note that to change from one library to another, you need to close iTunes and restart it with the Shift key being held – you cannot change from one library to another with iTunes open. Also, sometimes it helps to put something in each library so that you can easily tell which one you have open. Maybe create a folder in the iTunes source column called "Primary" or "Secondary" so you can tell when you open one library vs. the other.
11- If you launch iTunes expecting it to open the library on your external drive and it comes up with an empty library, or the original library, that may mean that your external drive is not being recognized by your laptop. Check to make sure it is active, then re-start iTunes with the Shift key and select the "iTunes Library.itl" file on the external drive to return to your primary library.
12- If you have other PCs with the same version of iTunes, you can connect your external drive to them and use the Shift key as you launch iTunes to select your library. This makes your library portable to other computers – cool huh?

IPod classic displays 'No music' after sync, HDD problem? Geschiedenis • Verwijder So recently I synced my iPod Classic 160 GB like I did so many times and when I wanted to play some music afterwards it couldn't find any files on the iPod anymore. H

So recently I synced my iPod Classic 160 GB like I did so many times and when I wanted to play some music afterwards it couldn’t find any files on the iPod anymore. However when you look in the settings it displays that ~roughly 90 GB free space is available. Seen the fact that I had about 60 gigs of music this doesn’t seem like a coincidence and I think my music is still somewhere on the ipod but the HDD isn’t recognizing it anymore.
I’ve tried resetting it, and resetting it to factory settings, which didn’t work. When connected to a desktop it won’t be recognized by iTunes, it displays an error message that the iPod cannot be read and that I have to reset it to factory settings.
I’ve spent some time researching this problem yesterday and I ran into a myriad of vaguely similar problems didn’t really offer any help. Currently I’m thinking that formatting the iPod might work, and restoring the software afterwards. However this is a rather bold strategy so I’d like to consult you here first.
Thanks in advance!

Hi turingtest2,
Thank you for the info, with formatting my iPod I managed to connect it to iTunes again.
However..in the page you linked to there is a section about how transferring large amounts of data can dump your library. That seems to be the problem in this case. It won't even allow me to transfer more than 2 gigabytes of music per sync, if I go higher it will dump everything again. Having over >60 GB of music in my library, this is disastrous to say the least.
Do you think that there is any other solution besides the method you mentioned involving Smart Playlists?

Ipod classic 160 gb says something on it but nothing on it and when i connect to computer itunes freezes

So i have an ipod classic 160 gb i have it already 2 years.
When i look at my ipod it says there is 7 gb free but there is nothing on it!
I have already restore it but when i have to choose my language it blocks.
Also when i format it true windows, it doesn't help.
When i connect my ipod to my computer my itunes can't find my ipod and my itunes freezes even windows can not find my ipod, only when i hold my middle button and menu button then i can format it. but it says synchronizing on the screen but i don't see annything on itunes happening.
hopefully you can help me!u

Thanks Yes, I just found it ( at http://osxdaily.com/2010/11/24/fix-for-no-content-on-iphone-ipod-after-ios-4-2-1 -update/ ) right before I saw your suggestion to look for that fix. But thanks. And yes, it did work. Weird bug, but simple fix, thanks be.
--B-bob

IPod classic 160 last effort before returning it...

After my Archos PMA400 packed in - it was merely 5 years old... sigh ... I made the horrible mistake to replace it with an iPod classic 160. Guess what...
After updating iTunes and the iPod firmware to the latest releases, it still won't sync more than 20 songs in a sync.
Turned off covers, turned off mountable volumes, but it made things worse..
Anything else I have to try before leaving the Apple universe once and for all?
Honestly, I am deeply disappointed. Visited the London Apple Shop only to be told I need an appointment for talking to an enginner... well London is a two hour trip for me and being treated like that is a PITA...!
Apple, get this sorted out!

Here is possibly a strange solution for you....
I noticed that when I first tried to sync my 160 I had some issues...
Upon looking at the device, I noticed the clock never set itself.... Since you have 2 smart devices talking to one another, some times they do need to know they have the correct time etc to communicate...
After manually setting my iPod Classic's date and time things have been a cinch and no issues...
Give that a try or see what the clock says in your ipod... Also note that I had to restore after setting the clock because the first syncs really crapped out and windows was always complaining about possibly bad items on the disc...
Good Luck Man!

Ipod classic 160 , iMac tiger 10.4.11 , itunes 9.1 not syncing & freezes up

Im ready to yank my freakin hair out. I have called and talked with itunes support and got nowhere. I have downloaded , upgraded , restored and even returned 2 ipod classics to see if they were the problem.
When I sync it gets to about 1-3 gb and freezes everything (ipod , itunes , computer) I have put up with everyone acting like its something Im doing. It always ends up saying ( cant read or write to the ipod ) This is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!! I have 15,500 songs and cant use them mobile at all, this *** after my girlfriend spending $280.
What is going on?????? , and is there going to be an itunes up date for this sooner than later or should I return it before its to late? A Best Buy saleman said something about many complaints about this and that I should be able to expect an update soon... so I have a new 160 sitting in a box Im afraid to open.

I'm not sure that if this is exactly the same problem you're having but it sounds similiar...
I have just purchased a new ipod classic 160, and have attempted to sync it with my itunes 9.1 library. It managed to sync about 3 Gb and then an error message came up saying "Attempting to copy to the disk "iPod" failed. The disk could not be read from or written to." I then tried manually transferring the music and was successful with some of the music, but with other tracks the same error message came up. I performed a restore on the iPod, as I initially formatted it on a PC, not my Mac, and thought this might be the problem. Unfortunately this didn't fix it. As far as I can see there is no pattern to the tracks that it won't load on (well not to my eyes anyway). I would be grateful for any suggestions as I'm off traveling in a few days time without my laptop and can't imagine myself without my music collection!

My Ipod Classic 160 GB will charge but is not recognized on my macbook or in itunes. Just began suddenly

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Have you updated your iPod and iTunes sofware?
most cases, iTunes can play these high quality songs, which is meant for newer mobile devices like iPhones, iPod Touch, nano and iPad, which the older iPod cant play, but only playable with iPod classic sofware version 2.0.4
most likely it is an incompatible song format, read this Apple support article.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1334?viewlocale=en_USet
If your iPod software is version 1.1.2, then you have to use lower quality format.
Can you select the problematic song, and Advance -> create iPod version

Ipod classic 160 usb not recognized

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Howdy spacecraft24,
Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
From what I gather, your iPod classic isn’t recognized by iTunes on your PC. Take a look at the article linked below and try running through the troubleshooting suggestions that it provides.
iPhone, iPad, or iPod not recognized in iTunes for Windows - Apple Support
Take care,
-Jason

Windows won't format my iPod classic 160 GB

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