Ask Jacob
My iPod Will Not Sync!
Thursday, January 8, 2009 / iPod / iTunes
I have a Windows laptop, also where my iTunes library is. I have a 1st generation shuffle that at some point, after upgrading iTunes and or Windows, it stopped synching, so now I’m stuck w/ old songs. I thought it was a 1st gen problem. I just got the new shuffle 2gig, 2nd gen, but same issue. I’ve read forums and tried suggested methods and it makes no difference. (yes I have the latest iTunes version)
Problem: I plug it in, and it’s recognized as a device, all is well, so I drag & drop songs over…it starts syncing and then I get the message: (after a lag in time)
“The IPod cannot be synced! The required disk cannot be found”
I hear it’s a USB problem possibly, but not sure…can you please help… I’m dying here… need this thing for work-outs!
I would agree that it sounds like a USB problem. There are several things to try to resolve the problem. The first would be to see if there are updated USB drivers for your laptop. Most PC manufacturers will have Support section containing a list of drivers for your particular computer, and any available updates. This is separate from the Windows Update mechanism, so you should probably start there because I would bet there is at least one update you will need. After you have the drives updated, then see if the iPods are working again. If not, the next step is to uninstall iTunes completely and then reinstall. This is a common fix for Windows versions of iTunes with iPod connection issues.
If all the above fails you should look at the USB port. It could be that there is an intermittent short in the USB port. You can try a different plug or get a USB 2.0 expansion card for your laptop. Depending on what options your laptop came with, you could use PCMCIA (AKA a PC Card) or an Express Card to USB 2.0 adapter. This may provide a more stable connection to the iPod than the built-in USB port.
June 6th, 2009 at 2:27 am
I’ve found that doing a Scan For Hardware Changes in Device Manager allows the iPod to be recognised & at least 1 sync! Painful process but works for 1st Gen iPod Shuffle. Hope this helps a bit!