Christof
06-18-2004, 09:14 PM
Since I got my 3G 20GB iPod a few months ago, it has given me a lot of trouble, but only from time to time. I stalked these boards, Apple Discussion and others looking for answers, but nothing seemed to work. Most other posts all used different hardware and software setups, so they just weren't that relevant.
First, here's my setup. WinXP Pro on a (not very new but very well optimized) P4 1.8, lots of RAM and HDD space. I do NOT use iTunes, at all, ever. I use Winamp with the awesome ml_ipod plugin. I connect with a USB 2.0 cable.
Now here was my problem: when I connected the iPod into my USB 2.0 port, it would connect OK (Windows did the little bing-bong thing), it would show up in the system tray and my Device Manager without error and it would disconnect properly IF I didn't try to access the iPod using any software OR open an Explorer window that would list removable media (like by double-clicking on My Computer). If I started up Winamp, it would sieze up and I would have to kill the app from the Task Manager. This would then leave the iPod still connected but then I wouldn't be able to disconnect it using the system tray icon. Very frusrating. Roughly the same thing would happen if I didn't start up Winamp and just double-clicked on My Computer. The window would appear but it was blank; windows just seized up trying to list all the connected devices. If I yanked the USB cable out, Windows snapped back to attention and all was good.
I tried endless combinations of resetting the iPod, uninstalling Winamp, reinstalling USB drivers, Disk Mode, ... nothin'. And the really weird thing is, sometimes it would work perfectly. One day it's good, the next bad. Drove me nuts.
Then it hit me. I was connecting to a USB2.0 port that is located on a third-party front I/O port on my computer. I knew about the advice of not connecting the iPod to a non-powered USB hub, but it never occured to me that the I/O port was actually acting as a hub. The USB2.0 headers on my Mobo go to ports on the back of the computer, which are then redirected back into the case by the I/O port and back out the front.
So I plugged the iPod directly into the USB port on my Mobo and it worked perfectly. Winamp loved it, Windows browsed it no problem. Disconnected and plugged back into front I/O port, and Windows froze up again. So did Winamp. Managed to disconnect and plugged it back into the rear port - WORKS. Repeated this little procedure with different variations to make sure I wasn't missing something, but that was it! ADVICE--->Connect the iPod to the USB2.0 ports directly off your Mobo, or as close to possible.
It was so simple, that I feel kind of stupid posting it here, but for the number of people having connectivity problems with your iPods, I thought it might be helpful to someone else.
Sorry for the long posting. Happy Podding!
First, here's my setup. WinXP Pro on a (not very new but very well optimized) P4 1.8, lots of RAM and HDD space. I do NOT use iTunes, at all, ever. I use Winamp with the awesome ml_ipod plugin. I connect with a USB 2.0 cable.
Now here was my problem: when I connected the iPod into my USB 2.0 port, it would connect OK (Windows did the little bing-bong thing), it would show up in the system tray and my Device Manager without error and it would disconnect properly IF I didn't try to access the iPod using any software OR open an Explorer window that would list removable media (like by double-clicking on My Computer). If I started up Winamp, it would sieze up and I would have to kill the app from the Task Manager. This would then leave the iPod still connected but then I wouldn't be able to disconnect it using the system tray icon. Very frusrating. Roughly the same thing would happen if I didn't start up Winamp and just double-clicked on My Computer. The window would appear but it was blank; windows just seized up trying to list all the connected devices. If I yanked the USB cable out, Windows snapped back to attention and all was good.
I tried endless combinations of resetting the iPod, uninstalling Winamp, reinstalling USB drivers, Disk Mode, ... nothin'. And the really weird thing is, sometimes it would work perfectly. One day it's good, the next bad. Drove me nuts.
Then it hit me. I was connecting to a USB2.0 port that is located on a third-party front I/O port on my computer. I knew about the advice of not connecting the iPod to a non-powered USB hub, but it never occured to me that the I/O port was actually acting as a hub. The USB2.0 headers on my Mobo go to ports on the back of the computer, which are then redirected back into the case by the I/O port and back out the front.
So I plugged the iPod directly into the USB port on my Mobo and it worked perfectly. Winamp loved it, Windows browsed it no problem. Disconnected and plugged back into front I/O port, and Windows froze up again. So did Winamp. Managed to disconnect and plugged it back into the rear port - WORKS. Repeated this little procedure with different variations to make sure I wasn't missing something, but that was it! ADVICE--->Connect the iPod to the USB2.0 ports directly off your Mobo, or as close to possible.
It was so simple, that I feel kind of stupid posting it here, but for the number of people having connectivity problems with your iPods, I thought it might be helpful to someone else.
Sorry for the long posting. Happy Podding!