How to wipe out iPod and start from scratch? Duplicates!

[Kremlar]

For some reason, I ended up with duplicate song entries in my iPod library and I'm trying to clear that up, because it's taking up excessive space on my iPod.

I can clear the library on iTunes and refind all my music, which seems to clear the duplicates, but when I drop the iPod back in the cradle it syncs up again and the duplicates return.

So, I guess once I clear up my iTunes library, how do I clear my iPod so that when I sync up it doesn't send iTunes back any of it's duplicates?

Thanks!

[shaz]

Use the firmware update tool on http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/ and use the RESET function..

[toothpaste]

Originally posted by Kremlar
For some reason, I ended up with duplicate song entries in my iPod library and I'm trying to clear that up, because it's taking up excessive space on my iPod.

I can clear the library on iTunes and refind all my music, which seems to clear the duplicates, but when I drop the iPod back in the cradle it syncs up again and the duplicates return.

So, I guess once I clear up my iTunes library, how do I clear my iPod so that when I sync up it doesn't send iTunes back any of it's duplicates?

Thanks!

1. if you clear your itunes library and then add music to it, you are re-adding the duplicates AGAIN.
2. itunes 4.7 has a "find duplicates" feature, use it
3. once you find the duplicates remove them from you itunes library
4. update your ipod, and duplicates will be gone.
5. worse case scenario, use the updater to restore your ipod and start from scratch

[Doug Gilmour]

Originally posted by shaz
Use the firmware update tool on http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/ and use the RESET function..

That would be the "Restore" function.

In the updater you should see two options:

Update
Restore

Clicking restore will whipe the iPod clean and return it to a fresh slate...

-Dan

[Kremlar]

1. if you clear your itunes library and then add music to it, you are re-adding the duplicates AGAIN.

Actually, I don't appear to have duplicates on my hard drive MP3 folder, just listed in iTunes and my iPod. There aren't any duplicates until I sync with my iPod.



I'll give resetting my iPod a shot.

Thanks guys!

[AndyH]

The "duplicates" may actually just be different spellings of an artist's name, or spaces at the end of the artist's name. This would be a tagging issue, and can be easily fixed in iTunes by editing the "Artists" tag for the songs that are duplicated on your iPod.