Topic: Problem with MC 11, iPod and iTunes (Read 4967 times)

mhakman · « **on:** October 15, 2005, 09:44:43 am »

Hello,

I have a problem with MC 11, iPod and iTunes. I initialize iPod using iPod Updater restore function. Then I connect iPod to iTunes and everything is ok. After that I eject iPod, close iTunes, and disconnect iPod. Then I connect iPod (no iTunes starting) and start MC 11. In MC 11 I transfer some music to iPod, eject it, close MC 11 and disconnect iPod. Now I have music on iPod which is working ok. Then I start iTunes and connect iPod. Then I get error from iTunes:

“iTunes cannot read the contents of the iPod. Use the iPod Software Updater application to restore the iPod to factory settings.”

If I do that then I’m back at the beginning of the process. What can be wrong? Is it possible to use both MC 11 and iTunes to handle iPod? Does MC 11 change iPod software or data in such a way that makes it unusable with iTunes? If so, is it a bug or an intentional feature?

Thanks/Mikael

Matt · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2005, 11:02:32 pm »

The ability to switch between MC and iTunes has been added to MC 11.1. It's in alpha now if you'd like to try it out.

Thanks,
-Matt

mhakman · « **Reply #2 on:** October 16, 2005, 07:50:30 am »

Many thanks for the answer Matt. MC 11.1.35 alpha gives the same error. This time I had a working in iTunes iPod with some 370 songs. I connected it to my computer, started MC 11.1.35 and only browsed contents of iPod in the MC tree. Then I ejected iPod, closed MC and disconnected iPod. Then I started iTunes and connected iPod. Then iTunes gave the same error message.

Thanks/Mikael

Matt · « **Reply #3 on:** October 16, 2005, 08:32:23 am »

We'll take a look.

What version of iPod and iTunes are you using?

Thanks,
-Matt

mhakman · « **Reply #4 on:** October 16, 2005, 09:51:36 am »

Ok, iPod 40GB (Click Wheel) hardware version 3.1 s/n JQ4421M2Q8V model P9268ZV format Windows. iPod software installed by iPod Updater for Windows version 2005-09-23. iTunes for Windows (and for OS X) version 6.0.0.18. There are also other problems with iPod and MC 11. Transfering of playlists does not work right (see another thread here), sometimes not all files are transferred, syncing back to MC (ratings etc) works sometimes but sometimes doesn't. Even more problems in 11.1.35 which hangs on transferring files but this is alpha version so there is nothing to complain yet.

Thanks/Mikael

SteveG · « **Reply #5 on:** October 19, 2005, 10:29:43 am »

If you can, please give 11.1.37 a shot.

mhakman · « **Reply #6 on:** October 19, 2005, 05:40:29 pm »

11.1.37 results:

1. Start with working in iTunes iPod with some 370 songs. Some songs are very short (few seconds) – these are DTMF codes. Some other songs do not have Album filled in.
2. Start MC 11.1.37, connect iPod, wait, close MC, and disconnect iPod.
3. Start iTunes, connect iPod – everything works ok.
4. Close iTunes, disconnect iPod.
5. Start MC, connect iPod, wait, expand Drives & Devices in MC, answer questions, wait, iPod’s name in tree is “iPod” not the name seen in iTunes (volume name, e.g. Mikes iPod), close MC, disconnect iPod.
6. Start iTunes, connect iPod – ERROR as before.
7. Close iTunes, disconnect iPod.
8. iPod itself still working.
9. Start MC, connect iPod, expand Drives & Devices, select iPod in tree.
10. All files appear in iPod subtree in MC.
11. Expand iPod in tree, expand Playlists in iPod tree, new unknown list appear with name that is iPod’s name, e.g. Mikes iPod – this list contains all files in iPod.
12. Other iPod lists are all right. 2 of the lists are Smartlists and 3rd is normal list, all established earlier in iTunes directly on iPod subtree in iTunes. Note that there is no such possibility in MC at all.
13. Select Media Library in MC tree. The library is empty as it should after new installation.
14. Drag a file in MC from read-only network share – file appears correctly in MC.
15 Select Handheld in Actions, drag above file from MC to Handheld action box.
16. Check Handheld options (manual transfer), check queued files – the new file appears as queued in list.
17. Transfer – seems to work ok but the file does not appear in iPod list in MC.
18. Close MC, disconnect iPod.
19. Check directly on iPod device – the new file is not there but there is a new Playlist named e.g. Mikes iPod (see above).
20. Start MC, connect iPod, select iPod in tree – the new file is list view now.
21. Observe file path for the new file in MC, go to Windows Explorer, and check for file in Mikes iPod drive, the file is there.
22. Go back to MC, remove original file in MC, select iPod in MC tree, play the new file now only on the iPod – plays ok.
23. Close MC, disconnect iPod.
24. Check again on iPod device itself – no such file!
25. ?

Thanks/Mikael

SteveG · « **Reply #7 on:** October 20, 2005, 04:33:49 pm »

Thanks for the post. 11.1.38 will affect this, we will need to recheck it here with 11.1.38.

Steve

mhakman · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2005, 09:54:55 am »

I didn’t catch you on 11.1.38. Here are 11.1.39 results:

1. Start with working in iTunes iPod.
2. Start MC 11.1.39, connect iPod, wait, answer questions about handheld (manual transfer), close MC, and disconnect iPod.
3. Start iTunes, connect iPod, wait, ERROR as before.

I can see that you have changed, since 11.1.37, the way that MC handles iPod because now I get questions about handheld after connecting it. In 11.1.37 I got these questions only when I tried to expand Drives & Devices node. Obviously MC writes something to iPod that iTunes perceives as error. However, iPod itself works ok. Because I select manual transfer in the initial handheld dialog in MC I don’t understand what and why does MC write to iPod at all at this stage.

Thanks/Mikael

Mr ChriZ · « **Reply #9 on:** November 03, 2005, 06:02:41 pm »

Just tried Gf's IPod again with 11.1.49
and i'm getting the same error mentioned above, with same steps as Mhakman.

I had backed up by copying files this time and pasted them
all back and it worked again.
?

SteveG · « **Reply #10 on:** November 04, 2005, 10:10:14 am »

I cannot replicate this with 11.1.49. What iPod are you using?

Quote

5. Start MC, connect iPod, wait, expand Drives & Devices in MC, answer questions, wait, iPod’s name in tree is “iPod” not the name seen in iTunes (volume name, e.g. Mikes iPod), close MC, disconnect iPod.

You should not be asked questions as if MC has never seen the iPod before at this point. Try resetting devices under Tools->Options->Handhelds, let MC detect iPod and then you should not see that set of dialogues again no matter how often you disconnect and reconnect.

Mr ChriZ · « **Reply #11 on:** November 04, 2005, 11:06:28 am »

Quote from: SteveG on November 04, 2005, 10:10:14 am

I cannot replicate this with 11.1.49. What iPod are you using?

You should not be asked questions as if MC has never seen the iPod before at this point. Try resetting devices under Tools->Options->Handhelds, let MC detect iPod and then you should not see that set of dialogues again no matter how often you disconnect and reconnect.

Apologies I refer to mhakman's most recent post with these 3 steps

1. Start with working in iTunes iPod.
2. Start MC 11.1.39 (or in this case 11.1.49), connect iPod, wait, answer questions about handheld (manual transfer), close MC, and disconnect iPod.
3. Start iTunes, connect iPod, wait, ERROR as before. (msg box along lines of please reformat)

The Ipod in Question is a Mini (I incorrectly Identified it as a nano in my post entitled 'messed up gf's Ipod')

I don't have the device here at present but I do have the files that I backed up.

I'm not sure if this helps but I've taken the following out of a file called SysInfo from the back up.
______________________________
BoardHwName: iPod Q22B
pszSerialNumber: JQ53618JS4E
ModelNumStr: P9802
FirewireGuid: 0x000A270014769A4F
HddFirmwareRev: DP4AC42D
RegionCode: B(0x000C)
PolicyFlags: 0x00000001
buildID: 0x02608000 (2.6)
visibleBuildID: 0x01408000 (1.4)
boardHwRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
boardHwSwInterfaceRev: 0x00070002 (0.0.7 2)
bootLoaderImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
diskModeImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
diagImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
osImageRev: 0x00000000 (0.0 0)
iPodFamily: 0x00000003
updaterFamily: 0x00000006
__________________________

I'm also using the most recent version of Itunes (6.0.1.3)

Mr ChriZ · « **Reply #12 on:** November 04, 2005, 06:29:56 pm »

I done some more experimenting tonight, and diffed the results.
The only file that changes in content is iTunesDB which gets smaller.
It's a meaningless binary file to me, but i'll happily
place the working one, and the Media Centered one in a zip
and send it along if it will help at all..

SteveG · « **Reply #13 on:** November 06, 2005, 05:51:22 pm »

That file (iTunesDB) is all important for communication with the iPod. Go ahead and email them to me at steve @ jriver.com and I can take a look.

Thanks,
Steve

Mr ChriZ · « **Reply #14 on:** November 09, 2005, 05:52:14 pm »

Just for reference I tested with 11.1.53 tonight.
Still the same problem.
Hopefully you should have received my email the other day
with the db files.

The only difference I got tonight was that It didn't ask me any questions this time,
although this time i started MC with the ipod already in place.
Took a look at the files through MC, then closed MC.
Brought up Itunes and was requested to reformat again.

SteveG · « **Reply #15 on:** November 10, 2005, 02:37:15 pm »

Mr. ChriZ,

I did receive your email, but unfortunately it did not give me any information that could help. Try 154, that includes changes that can definitely affect this. Especially if you have customized the name of your iPod in iTunes.

Steve

Mr ChriZ · « **Reply #16 on:** November 30, 2005, 06:33:24 pm »

Not had a chance to try again with this till today
So just tried the Ipod with 11.1.66

And.... drum roll.....

It worked :-)
Perfect!
Cheers Guys!

SteveG · « **Reply #17 on:** December 01, 2005, 01:29:27 pm »

Fantastic. Thanks for the update.

Steve

butchnsf · « **Reply #18 on:** December 14, 2005, 01:23:49 am »

I have a similar problem with my iPod not being recognized as an iPod in 11.0.314 . The first time I connect the iPod to MC following a Restore after it was returned from Apple factory (for this very problem), I connected it to MC and perfection - I saw the word iPod in my tree under Disks and Device and I was able to load 34GB of music on my iPod 40GB photo. I ejected the iPod and turned of the pc.

A couple days later after ripping more songs to my pc, I decide to reattach the iPod to the pc and manually add new songs using MC (iTunes is not installed on my pc, nor was it when I restored the iPod 2 days ago). Now however, I do not see the iPod in my Disks and Device tree. If I explode My Computer, I see "removable disk" as on letter K: where I saw "iPod" 2 days ago. Clicking on K: sends MC off with hourglass for a few minutes but returns with nothing listing in the right panel where songs of device files should be listed. I tried the options> handheld device > reset devices option which "recognized and iPod detached" and asked if I wanted to make it a media device. Clicked 'OK' but still nothing. K: still read "Removable Disk" under My Computer under the Disks and Device tree in MC. Clicking the Handheld Player icon in the Action Window gave a message indicating no handheld was attached.

I can't imagine what else to check, can someone please help? Are these newer releases of MC 11 (e.g. 11.1.66) potential fixes for my situation? How can I try them; I "Check for Updates" regularly but my version is still 11.0.314 according to Help > About.

Thanks in advance for ANY insights; at my wits end with this after 8 months of these kind of challenges....

JimH · « **Reply #19 on:** December 14, 2005, 03:31:21 pm »

If you're having trouble with 11.0, please switch to 11.1. Handheld support is much improved there. It's in a thread near the top of the MC board here.

SteveG · « **Reply #20 on:** December 15, 2005, 01:24:49 pm »

11.1 is a great recommendation for you. What OS do you have?

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Author Topic: Problem with MC 11, iPod and iTunes (Read 4967 times)