Problems loading iTunes for my iPod

[1ponders] (Paul) · #1 06-11-2008, 07:26 PM

I bought my first iPod today. I feel like emailing apple and telling what they can do with their MP3 players. The damn thing didn't come with an installation disk so I had to download the 68mb of iTune (I only have a 1 gig satellite connection

) and it won't load on either my acer aspire (xp sp3), my Toshiba ThinkPad (Xp sp3) or my desktop (ancient Xp.) My Acer doesn't want to recognise the iPod with I connect it to my Acer either or if it does it takes forever.

Any iPod gurus out there that can offer some advice before I pitch the thing down the creek.

Octane (Humayun) · #2 06-11-2008, 07:37 PM

Paul,

Apple ditched selling their iPods with software a while ago.

I bought mine back in 2003, and they came with software back then.

Are you receiving any error messages when you're trying to connect it? Do you have the correct cables?

Regards,
Humayun

[1ponders] (Paul) · #3 06-11-2008, 08:40 PM

I'm using the cable and docking station that came with it Humanyan. I've managed to download iTunes 7.7 and I've gotten that to work in my ThinkPad and its recognising the iPod but I still cant load the latest 8.01 iTunes. I get the message "The installer encountered errors before iTunes could be configured."

Using 7.7 whenever I connect the iPod it tries to set it up again. Also I've managed to load a CD of songs on the iPod, but I can't play it back through the earphones. I can play it back through the iTunes though. :shrub:

I've been trying to get this thing working since about 3 oclock this afternoon. I think I'll take it back to where I got it from tomorrow and suggest they tell apple to put it where da sun don't shine.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #4 06-11-2008, 08:48 PM

Ok, just got the blue screen of death.

It's outta here

sheeny (Al) · #5 06-11-2008, 09:23 PM

G'Day Paul,

I had trouble updating to 8.0.1 too. I have stopped at 8.0.0 at the moment.

You are on satellite aren't you? I have suspicions that satellite is not as reliable as ADSL for downloads. A significant number of email attachments and downloads that I make are corrupted. The downloads this is easy to prove, by simply downloading again - it's often OK.

A 68M download of iTunes has significant room for corruption on a satellite link (yeah, I know they shouldn't... but that's what I experience).

If you can't get an install disk, get a friend on ADSL to download and burn a disk for you. I had to give up on the latest Virtual Moon Atlas: no way could I download it and get it to install... so I just ordered the disk

. With satellite hitting you for both uploads and downloads, and then downloads come through corrupted, it's just not worth the aggravation.

Al.

acropolite (Phil) · #6 06-11-2008, 09:23 PM

You have my sympathies...

FWIW I load my MP3's on to my cheapo Nokia Mobile ($99.00). A simple drag & drop from explorer to a 2G micro SD card.
The phone not only plays flawlessly but it has inbuilt FM radio and streams elegantly with no cords via bluetooth to my car stereo, all of which an Ipod can't do out of the box. An added bonus is only one item in my pocket.

None of this woosey boy itunes stuff for me....

Anyway the Ipod would make a nice emblem, imbedded in the concrete caravan slabs at your new abode.....

[1ponders] (Paul) · #7 06-11-2008, 10:41 PM

Quote:

the Ipod would make a nice emblem, imbedded in the concrete

Your not wrong there Phil

I'll be taking it back tomorrow. I only bought it to listen to when I'm on the ride on or brushcutter, but I'd rather listen to the rumble of engines through earmuffs than go through this everytime I want to listen to music.

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #8 07-11-2008, 08:48 AM

I agree Paul, take it back.
Buy yourself a generic mp3 player. All you have to do is drag and drop the files to the player then.
Even my cheapo $60 mp4 player came with a disk so I can convert movies and such.

RB (Andrew) · #9 07-11-2008, 09:36 AM

Oh I wish you had asked before buying the iPod, I would have recommended against it too.

My fav brand is the iRiver, especially the previous generation of x20.
I've bought a few for the kids and myself, they are flawless and have a user replaceable battery !!!

Take it back and check out the iRiver range Paul.

matt · #10 07-11-2008, 09:40 AM

Never had a problem with my iPod and iTunes

Sorry to hear of your troubles though, Paul.

Hope you get it sorted.

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #11 07-11-2008, 10:26 AM

Millions of people have had simple success with their iPod Paul. It ain't the most popular device in the world for no reason - they normally just work - and well. It's always nice to know that there are other brands, of course, but they are all compromises, and after owning many of the others I've always come back to the iPod. Is there something inherently wrong with your XP machines, or something that is common to all that won't allow iTunes to run as advertised? I also share the notion that you downloaded a corrupted installer - so maybe get it from somewhere else first and re-install. Persist with it, they really are a good machine and after a while you start to realise why Apple designed aspects of the total system the way they did.

Ford Prefect (James) · #12 07-11-2008, 11:35 AM

I second the last two posts, never had a problem with my iPod, and it gets abused pretty bad.

Plus, if you don't like iTunes, there's always the option of hacking it and installing Rockbox, like I have - full drag-and-drop functionality like any other player.

Install iTunes again is what I'd do.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #13 07-11-2008, 01:18 PM

I'll download iTunes at work and see what happens. It's stange though that my Acer won't even recognise it except as an external storage device.

AdrianF (Adrian) · #14 07-11-2008, 01:23 PM

Have a look at PC mags they have come with the iTunes program on CD.

Adrian

sheeny (Al) · #15 07-11-2008, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

I'll download iTunes at work and see what happens. It's stange though that my Acer won't even recognise it except as an external storage device.

Mine is the same, except through iTunes

.

There are options to set in iTunes that tell the iPOD whether or not the PC can access it as an external HDD or not (I don't think that allow access into the music files put on the iPOD by iTunes).

If you're gonna give it another go, just tell iTunes where to find your mp3 files and don't make it the default media player - it will lock all your files up so you have no access

.

Al.

JethroB76 (Jeff) · #16 09-11-2008, 12:24 AM

Although I have an Ipod, I wouldn't buy another. Probably the greatest attraction at the time of purchase was its large capacity compared to other brands, but others such as the Iriver, creative and even ol' Meizu would be better, particularly in terms of sound quality IMO..and then theres Itunes

TrevorW · #17 09-11-2008, 09:28 AM

My daughter had a number of problems with her Ipod and with Itunes, the store refused to take it back until she had exhausted all avenues including talking to a help desk in Bombay. She eventually got it sorted but she had to take it back to get fixed. I've heard a lot of people have problems with Ipods, just like Windows it takes about V6 before all the bugs are sorted. Not supplying software, local support or the ability to change a battery would negate my buying one but a lot of people have been sucked in by the hype as they have been with the Iphone.

Best of Luck

[1ponders] (Paul) · #18 09-11-2008, 09:56 AM

After downloading the iTunes at work I completely uninstalled the iPod (through device manager) and any previous earlier versions I had been trying to get to work. I then loaded the new download on two laptops and it installed fine (though very slow to install). I then reconnected the iPod. It installed and worked fine on one machine but not on the other

Oh well at least I've gotten one working (total time spent around 11 hours ) and I now have an iPod full of fabulous 60s, 70s and 80s rock and roll.

(and some blues

)

sheeny (Al) · #19 09-11-2008, 11:50 AM

Glad you got it sorted, Paul.

I'm not sure if iTunes/iPod allows the 1 iPod to connect to 2 versions of iTunes

... that may be why it will only work on one PC (probably the one you connected the iPOD to first?

)

You have good taste in music BTW.

Al.

acropolite (Phil) · #20 09-11-2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

I'm not sure if iTunes/iPod allows the 1 iPod to connect to 2 versions of iTunes

... that may be why it will only work on one PC (probably the one you connected the iPOD to first?

)

Just google for Ipod connection to multiple PC's. There are some traps apparently such as the risk of deleting everything you already have on the IPOD so read carefully.