iTunes 5.0 Special Report: iPod not recognized

CNET staff

Sept. 2, 2009 7:52 a.m. PT

2 min read

MacFixIt reader Richard reports that his iPod is no longer recognized by iTunes after the update:

"As soon as I upgraded iTunes to version 5 I was unable to upload or communicate with my iPod Mini. I have iPod OS 1.4 on the iPod. Every time I plug it in the do not disconnect symbol comes up. In iTunes the iPod does seem to exist."

In some cases this issue can be solved by re-applying the most recent iPod updater, or resetting your iPod.

In other cases, this, more involved process may be necessary:

Download Cocktail and set invisible items ( found under interface->finder tabs within Cocktail) to be visible
Navigate to the top level of the iPod.
Copy the contents of the iPod_Control folder to your local desktop
Trash the iPodPrefs and the contents of the iTunes folder but not the folder itself. Also I think I may have trashed the device/preferences file but I am not sure
Trash the contents of the Music folder which should be already be copied to your local drive.
Unmount and unplug the iPod
Reset the iPod by Toggling the Hold switch on and off. (Set it to Hold, then turn it off again.), Press and hold the Play/Pause and Menu buttons until the Apple/iPod logo appears. as per Apple Knowledge Base article #61705)
Mount the iPod on the desktop.
Startup iTunes. The iPod should appear now
copy the individual folder contents of the Music folder you copied earlier onto your iPod.
The music is back and you can start iTuning again
Do not forget to reset the finder with invisible items turned off using Cocktail.