iPod in recovery mode?

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bnard81

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My 3rd gen. iPod is working fine independently of iTunes. It plays on the go, in the car, etc. However, once I try to hook it up to my computer, iTunes gives me a message saying, "iTunes has detected an iPod in recovery mode. You must restore the iPod before it can be used with iTunes."

It has worked fine up until yesterday. Is there anything I can do or is the dreaded restore my only option?
 

studogvetmed

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The restore should only be dreaded by someone who doesn't have their music backed up.

You could attempt to get the music off before you restore, if the iPods hard disk is still accessible another program may be able to help you get the music off, or simply dragging off the files from the iPods hidden folders, if you're lucky it may just be communication with iTunes that is hosed.

That being said if all your music is in iTunes, just restore the iPod and call it good.
 

bnard81

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I hooked up my iPod to my desktop computer which has the previous version of iTunes still loaded and it connected fine. I've not tried to connect to my laptop with iTunes 7 yet. Hopefully this problem has solved itself. Now I just need to backup my songs a little better.
 

bnard81

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Minor update:

I hooked my iPod back up to my laptop with iTunes7 and it worked fine... for two days. Now is is telling me my iPod is in recovery mode again. Is there an issue with iTunes 7 and older iPods?
 

gk17

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Did you install the firmware update already from iTunes 7? If not, do so now.
 

CosasCuevas

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iTunes 7 and 3rd gen. iPod problems

Ever since I downloaded iTunes 7.1.1 it will not recognize my 3rd gen iPod. I reset and have run a diagnostic check on it and it has checked out fine... no problems. It has to be an iTunes problem. :mad: I really hope this isn't a way of making older gen. iPod users go out and buy newer ones???????:confused: Has anyone else figured how to fix this annoying problem?
 

studogvetmed

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Well I don't think it's a ploy, I have a 3G 30 GB, 2.3 iPod and I run iTunes 7.0.2 no problems.

Please see this article for further help: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304503

the iPod in recovery mode likely needs to be restore. The article says that changing the drive letter may also help.

If the computer is not seeing the iPod, try placing it into disk mode and see if the iPod is then recognized.
 

CosasCuevas

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studogvetmed said:
Well I don't think it's a ploy, I have a 3G 30 GB, 2.3 iPod and I run iTunes 7.0.2 no problems.

Please see this article for further help: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304503

the iPod in recovery mode likely needs to be restore. The article says that changing the drive letter may also help.

If the computer is not seeing the iPod, try placing it into disk mode and see if the iPod is then recognized.

Thanks studogvetmed... I have put it in disk mode but nothing has worked. I have the 40GB, not sure what 2.3 means. What is a "drive letter" BTW?? I run an eMac and the desktop does recognize my iPod but iTunes will not. I got that o.k. check after the diagnostic run and everything works just fine except that iTunes will no longer recognize, which means I can not load my music. It sucks not to be able to have my music with me when stuck in traffic or walking around campus at school.:eek:
 

sheepdog

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Apple saying you need to restore is bogus. Two of us here at my company mysteriously had this same error pop up. Changing the drive letter fixed the issue right away. Make sure you pick one not in use by anything else.
 

gt3

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the only problem with this is if you have the problem i'm having where you can't change the drive letter because your ipod isn't formatted and itunes refuses to format it correctly :(

Everytime i plug my ipod in it says my ipod is corrupt or needs to be reformmated for windows and/or 'restored' so i do that and then it does it and immediately says it again, that it's in recovery mode and needs to be restored. ugh, nightmare.

But after 7 hours of tinkering i finally found a solution that worked:

First i updated it in disk mode like some people said but that didn't work so I took it back out of disk mode and tried it again in normal mode and then restored it in iTunes and when it said "restarting ipod..." I immediately closed down iTunes instead of letting it restart.

Then the apple logo came up on the ipod and i looked inside of its drive letter in windows explorer and it worked. I then loaded itunes again and now it lets me label the iPod and put songs on it again!

So the key is: DO NOT LET ITUNES *RESTART* the iPod after it restores it in order to break out of the endless 'recovery mode' loop of death. This worked for me anyway, when nothing else did.
 
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VicRauch

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gt3,
I just got this same situation with my iPod and iTunes. Thank you for spelling out your solution so clearly. You have saved me 6 of your 7 hours!
Thanks!!!!!
Vic
 

JRock3x8

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gt3 said:
the only problem with this is if you have the problem i'm having where you can't change the drive letter because your ipod isn't formatted and itunes refuses to format it correctly :(

Everytime i plug my ipod in it says my ipod is corrupt or needs to be reformmated for windows and/or 'restored' so i do that and then it does it and immediately says it again, that it's in recovery mode and needs to be restored. ugh, nightmare.

But after 7 hours of tinkering i finally found a solution that worked:

First i updated it in disk mode like some people said but that didn't work so I took it back out of disk mode and tried it again in normal mode and then restored it in iTunes and when it said "restarting ipod..." I immediately closed down iTunes instead of letting it restart.

Then the apple logo came up on the ipod and i looked inside of its drive letter in windows explorer and it worked. I then loaded itunes again and now it lets me label the iPod and put songs on it again!

So the key is: DO NOT LET ITUNES *RESTART* the iPod after it restores it in order to break out of the endless 'recovery mode' loop of death. This worked for me anyway, when nothing else did.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1120336&tstart=0

we had this same problem at the apple forums and came up with a different solution :

"Victory is mine! I am now putting junk back on Handi-Man. Thanks, Deggie.

JRock: Here is what I did to fix the issue after reading information from the link provided by Deggie.

1) Plug in iPod.
2) Right-click on "My Computer"
3) Select "Disk Management."

At this point, my iPod showed up as "iPod (H:)," which is bad. There is already an existing network drive under "H." I don't know how it worked previously, but it seemed to have developed a problem with that, so I...
4) Right-clicked "iPod (H:)" and selected "Change Drive Letter and Paths..."
5) Shifted it to another letter that was not being used (W:)
6) Booted up iTunes

From there it ought to be good to go, if it's the same problem as mine had. You'll have to name the iPod again and make sure it's got current software. Then you should be good to go.

Case closed, kids. Good work. "
 

superlistener

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Hi there
Earlier today, after turning my iPod on to listen to, it displayed a message telling me to plug my iPod into my computer for restoration. I Plugged my iPod into my computer, and went through the restoring process. After the ipod restored, it continuously showed the restore message, after several restorations. What should i do? :(

~J
 

DarnRobots

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studogvetmed said:
Well I don't think it's a ploy, I have a 3G 30 GB, 2.3 iPod and I run iTunes 7.0.2 no problems.

Please see this article for further help: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304503

the iPod in recovery mode likely needs to be restore. The article says that changing the drive letter may also help.

If the computer is not seeing the iPod, try placing it into disk mode and see if the iPod is then recognized.
When I access "Disk Management," I cannot see my ipod. What would it appear as on a PC and how can I "place it into disk mode?"

Thanks
 

slowpoke86

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I'm having the same issue but running a mac, so changing the drive letter will not work because there are no drive letters. Anyone else with a mac have any luck?
 

SuckMyJesus

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Hey guys, I have a similar problem to the ones that have already been remedied.

I went to add.. Well, porn, to my ipod and after I plug it into the computer and open itunes, it tells me my ipod may be corrupted and I should restore it.

So, I go against my better judgment and do what itunes told me to do. :|

And what happens?
It downloads an update, wipes all my shlt from the ipod and leaves me with the same problem most of the other guys had.

Sept the motherfxcker took it one step further.
Not only is it going around in circles when I try to restore it, it gives me absolutely no other options when I'm in itunes. I can either, restore or eject it. :/

It looks like this:


I have a PC and have tried closing it before it restarts and changing the drive but it hasn't done much.

I can open the folder labeld "ipod ( X: )" but that doesn't really do a hole lot when it's empty and unable to be formatted by windows.

So... Yeah.
Any ideas?
:/
 
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