Topic: Media Center Crashes with iPOD (Read 7971 times)

sixrivers · « **on:** December 19, 2004, 01:08:24 pm »

Media Center is crashing each time I connect my iPOD. The problem has grown progressively worse over the last month. I was using the most current version of Media Center (10.0.173). I used to be able to sync about 100 songs before the crash. Now, it crashes each time I insert the iPOD into the dock. (Media Core has encountered a problem...)

I have performed all manner of diagnostics on the iPOD and could not detect any problems. I also uninstalled Media Center and did a fresh reinstall. It still crashes when I mount the iPOD. I am connecting through a Firewire port, but have also tried the USB port. Same results.

One interesting note : when I downloaded Media Center today, the 10.0.173 link gave me the 10.0.155 version. On my second download attempt, it gave me the 10.0.173 version. Why would this happen?

Any suggestions where I can go from here?
Rob

JimH · « **Reply #1 on:** December 19, 2004, 01:49:23 pm »

Quote from: sixrivers on December 19, 2004, 01:08:24 pm

When I downloaded Media Center today, the 10.0.173 link gave me the 10.0.155 version. On my second download attempt, it gave me the 10.0.173 version. Why would this happen?

Your browser is probably caching the latest download and not checking anything but the name.

SteveG · « **Reply #2 on:** December 20, 2004, 11:03:30 am »

sixrivers,

Do you have iTunes installed? If so, is it set to autodetect the iPod when it is connected?

Steve

sixrivers · « **Reply #3 on:** December 20, 2004, 10:42:29 pm »

iTunes has not been installed on this computer. I rebuilt it a few months ago. I have not installed any software from the original CD either. Is there something I should have installed? It is a 30 GB 3G iPOD. I am running Windows XP.

- Thanks for the reply.

sixrivers · « **Reply #4 on:** December 20, 2004, 10:52:31 pm »

Just an additional clarification on the crashing. I start up MC and then mount the iPOD in the cradle. MC seems to acknowledge the iPOD and shows it on the menu. The crash does not occur until I select the iPOD.

SteveG · « **Reply #5 on:** December 21, 2004, 09:51:09 am »

sixrivers,

Please get 11.0.157 and post if you still have issues.

Thanks,

Steve

pank2002 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 21, 2004, 02:14:19 pm »

iPod support in the recent build doesn't update the dB. At some point while transferring I'll get a memory error telling me that there's no more available memory. When it's initialized MC will think it's not coursing MC to think there won't be enough storage for transferring.

-Rasmus

sixrivers · « **Reply #7 on:** December 21, 2004, 09:36:24 pm »

Sorry to say that things have not improved. I installed version 11.0.159 (the latest...not the 157 build.) The overall install seemed fine. Importing my library was a chore. MC quickly scanned my directory, but actual importing process took several hours. The import process hung up several times for 10-15 minutes. Eventually, the process completed (I shut down the computer several times thinking it had frozen.)

Once it completed the import, I got the following pop up window: Choose a digital certificate. The web site you want to view requests identification. Please choose a certificate. I could not cancel the window, so I had to restart again. Once I did, the full library was loaded.

Now the iPOD. Seemed to have the same problems. Sometimes MC could not recognize that there was a handheld mounted. If I left the iPOD mounted when I started MC, MC would recognize the iPOD but crash if I selected it (or sometimes spontaneously.) I don't think I'm much better off. Any ideas? I'm going on about a month of not using my iPOD...help!?!

SteveG · « **Reply #8 on:** December 22, 2004, 07:57:31 am »

sixrivers,

Lets focus on the iPod issues here. Leave your iPod connected and then start MC.

1) Does iPod show in the tree?
2) What happens when you click on it?

Steve

zxsix · « **Reply #9 on:** December 22, 2004, 08:26:10 am »

My $0.02.....

I installed build 159 yesterday.
I was able to insert the ipod in it's cradle while MC was running. It synced up fine with no crashes.
I did some major reorganization of my playlists that I wanted to sync, so I decided to use the initialize ipod to clear it, then re-sync after I had everything arranged and the new files imported.
It transferred 18.2GB of files with no problems. It maintained about an 8.5MB/s transfer rate.
I had been running build 129 prior to that. I skipped a few where other users were reporting trouble with ipods.
I've got High bitrate MP3's on my desktop and transfer them as-is to the ipod. Are you converting from an uncompressed format when you sync?

SteveG · « **Reply #10 on:** December 22, 2004, 09:18:23 am »

Thanks for the post zxsix.

sixrivers,

Please get 160 which will be available later today which will also resolve some additional bugs that may cause issues.

Steve

zxsix · « **Reply #11 on:** December 22, 2004, 10:45:49 am »

Also note that initializing the ipod after installing 159 did help with the capacity issue. After first install of 159 it was showing that the ipod had 4GB free space, it wasn't seeing that the other 16GB was syncable with MC (had been previously put there by MC). So I just initialized it and then MC saw it as 20GB free as it should and let it put all the files back on. I've added a few songs and updated a handful of tags since then. Resync and it operates normally. So, if you're still having trouble, I'd say go ahead and initialize the ipod and see how it goes after that.

sixrivers · « **Reply #12 on:** December 22, 2004, 04:08:07 pm »

OK...got build 160 installed. Problems seem to persist.

Case 1 - Mount iPOD and then start MC. MC tree shows the iPOD. Select the iPOD and MC shuts down.

Case 2 - Start MC. Mount iPOD. After about 30-45 seconds, MC shuts down. iPOD is never reflected in the tree.

Regarding the initialization of the iPOD...I cannot get to the menu to perform this function. MC shuts down before I have a chance. It was last initialized using MC 10.0.173. My media is MP3 format and I am NOT converting the files when I transfer. I guess I could reload the Apple software & reinitialize it, but would that really do me any good? I seem to recall that I have to have it initialized by MC for it to work with MC.

I have had the same problem using two different computers. I have been recently using my desktop, but am going to try my laptop again. (I am using an external HD for my media, so I can switch between computers.) Once the library loads, I will let you know the results.

Thx again for all the help.

- Rob

rpalmer68 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 22, 2004, 08:40:58 pm »

Rob,

I was having a similar problem a while back;

What I discovered was that the iPod was disconnecting itself from the PC and MC would then crash because it was accessing the iPod and it suddenly vanished.

If you connect the iPod to your PC without MC loaded, does the iPod appear in explorer? If not, here is an issue to start with..if it does appear try browsing it for a couple of minutes to make sure it doesn't vanish on it's own.

Now run MC and try to access the iPod, no doubt it will crash, now go and see if the iPod is still available in explorer. With me it would have gone from explorer as well.

I can't remember exactly how I fixed the problem but I know I re-installed iTunes and made sure auto sync on connect etc were all turned off, and that windows didn't load iTunes on connection of the iPod.

You may not be having the same problem, but you just never know this may help point you closer to a solution, as I know how frustrating these problems are!

Regards
Richard

sixrivers · « **Reply #14 on:** December 23, 2004, 01:05:51 am »

I managed to get a little farther with the Laptop. But I am still not sync'ing. About half the time, MC will crash when first starting up (iPOD mounted) or when I mount the iPOD after it has been started. When it does recognize it, I get the message "No stored information for this device...Storing information". The whole process takes about 15-20 minutes before the iPOD appears in the tree.

I re-created my playlists and went to sync the iPOD. It allowed me to select playlists, but was reflecting my available size as zero (on the iPOD). Based on zxsix's previous post, I decided I would re-initialize the iPOD. No luck though. This command is not available for this device. I noticed that this thread points out an issue when this command is not present...does not think that there is an iPOD connected.

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=23894.0

So, I guess there is a problem with MC recognizing the iPOD as a real iPOD. I also checked Windows Explorer and the iPOD is NOT showing up as an available drive.

This is frustrating. I have used the combination of this laptop and external hard drive to manage my ipod for more than a year. I have varied between different programs, but each time it did work. The configuration has the external HD connected via Firewire. The iPOD is connected to the laptop through a 3rd party USB 2.0 card. In the past, I have noticed some quirkiness about the card, but it has always come through when using the iPOD.

Could there be some problem with the iPOD itself? Again it is a 30 GB 3G device. Other than the syncing issue, it appears to work fine. Last month, I performed a variety of diagnostics and could not find any problems.

Any additional advice would be appreciated.

- Rob

sixrivers · « **Reply #15 on:** December 23, 2004, 09:02:26 am »

Build 11-0-161 did not improve anything for me.

SteveG · « **Reply #16 on:** December 23, 2004, 09:50:23 am »

Rob,

Quote

So, I guess there is a problem with MC recognizing the iPOD as a real iPOD. I also checked Windows Explorer and the iPOD is NOT showing up as an available drive.

If your iPod is not showing up in Explorer, or is showing up and disappearing, this appears to be a hardware problem with either your iPod, the cable or the card. It appears that your iPod is appearing and disappearing randomly even without MC running. Under these circumstances it is not surprising MC is having trouble.

Can you consistently and successfully run any application to access your iPod?

Steve

sixrivers · « **Reply #17 on:** December 23, 2004, 11:45:01 am »

Guess I should have purchased that extended warranty. I am going to take the next few days to check different programs and trouble shoot the hardware. Over the past 3-6 months, I have had occasional hints of problems on each machine...just did not think both would "fail" at the same time. I will repost next week with the results of what I find.

BTW - any good tools available to make diagnostics for the iPOD & its associated connections? I have used some of the internal tools on the iPOD (Previous / Next / Select trick). So far, everything was fine.

Thanks again for you help and sorry if I have made you tech support for my ailing hardware.

Merry Christmas
- Rob

SteveG · « **Reply #18 on:** December 23, 2004, 11:53:18 am »

Rob,

I would focus troubleshooting on the USB card, that would be the most likely culprit. Can you go to a different PC and plugin your iPod and test there?

Also, if you have not already done so, go to www.ipodlounge.com and post/search for hardware issues there. It is a great resource.

Best of luck to you.

Steve

rpalmer68 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 23, 2004, 03:04:47 pm »

Rob,

NOt sure if it will be a hardware issues. As I said earlier I has my iPod dropping out all the time and it was something to do with iTunes and/or it's support apps that run in the background.

Install iTunes, connect your iPod and then make sure your iPod is configured to allow disk access (sorry can't remember the exact wording as I don't have iTunes up at the moment.)

Also make sure any auto sync or load iTunes on connect type options are NOT set.

[Steve - Does MC need the iPod enabled for disk access to work correctly?]

Once all settings are done, eject the iPod and close iTunes.

Now re-connect the iPod and see what happens. After about 20 - 30 seconds you should see the iPod in "My Computer". Try browsing it to make sure this works.

Also do you get any iPod icon come up in the task bar when it's connected? (I don't any more, but I'm sure when I was having issues one used to come up because iTunes was loading something in the background)

Now load MC and try to access it from within MC does it still crash? If no then YIPEEE, if yes check if the iPod is still in "My Computer".

Report back what happens and I'll see if I can help from here.

(I'm flying out to New Zealand this morning, so may not be online for a few days)

Richard

zxsix · « **Reply #20 on:** December 23, 2004, 10:27:52 pm »

Go to Start>Run and type MSCONFIG.
Check the items in the startup area and disable anything resembling itunes or ipod.

sixrivers · « **Reply #21 on:** December 24, 2004, 02:35:02 pm »

Thanks for all the advice. I am now on the road for the holidays, so I can't perform these tests until early next week. Didn't want anyone to think I had quit.

Steve - you guys are amazing with your routine updates & patches. But I hope you are going to take a break tomorrow! Happy Holidays.

- Rob

sixrivers · « **Reply #22 on:** January 07, 2005, 09:50:31 pm »

Problem solved!

I started afresh to take care of things. I used a different (1 year old) computer and started over. Initialized the iPOD using the apple tool, installed MC (11), reinitialized the iPOD using MC and started the sync process.

I took down the first computer I used and plan to rebuild it. It is now 4 years old and needed to be taken to the glue factory. Must have been a hardware issue, but I'm not going to try to figure out where the problem was. Now that this works, I also see no reason to try out the 2nd computer (laptop).

Thanks again for all the help. I'll be sending in my check for the MC 11 upgrade this week.

SteveG · « **Reply #23 on:** January 10, 2005, 08:01:09 am »

Glad it all worked out. I will close this thread.

Steve

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Author Topic: Media Center Crashes with iPOD (Read 7971 times)