Connection problems with Win2K Server

[SpideyPod]

OS - Win2K Server SP4
Firewire Card - Belkin 3 Port PCI card purchased at Best Buy
IPods- 2nd Gen 20 gig (1.3), 3rd Gen 15 gig (2.0.1)

Problem:
1.) IPod is not assigned a drive letter unless it is plugged into the firewire card as the system boots up.
2.) Once it is assigned a drive letter I am unable to properly unplug/eject the IPod.

- This behavior occurs with both the 2nd and 3rd gen models mentioned above
- If I use utilities such as IPod manager or IPodremove.exe I do get the ok to disconnect message on the IPod but Windows OS still sees the IPod as being connected to the machine and leaves the drive letter assigned to it. This is only corrected by rebooting.
- Once the IPod is attached and has a drive letter assigned to it I am able to transfer to them without a problem. If I use IPod manager to un-mount I get the "ok to disconnect message on the 'Pod, but if I plug the IPod back in without rebooting and try and browse to that drive letter in Windows explorer I get the message that the drive is inaccessible because it has been moved or removed
-I have attempted to uninstall entirely the IPod manager and MM software to no avail.
- If I attempt to un-mount the IPod using the OS internal hardware management (little green arrow in the task bar) it is unresponsive.

Has anyone seen or experienced these issues before? Any suggestions on how to fix.

BTW - I originally reported this problem in the Ephpod forum (http://www.ipodlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9693) but it was more me listing out things i have tried. I have narrowed down the above two points to being at the root of the problem.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[playa_wun]

Have you checked your event log? If you've got any entries in there it should point you in the right direction...

I had a whole bunch of problems with mine, and the Event log helped me narrow it down.

Post back with your results.

 

[SpideyPod]

AHHHH!!!!


I am sorry I just had to that. Two minutes ago with the help of the Microsoft Knowledge Base and after extensive test, tricks, gimmicks, doo hickeys over the last 7 days I finally figured out the problem.

Despite my description of my setup to give everyone an idea of what I was working with, which is necessary in figuring out problems, I left out the one factor that proved to be the cause of the difficulty.

This is my server that I am using to sync up my IPod with (being that all my music resides there and it has a firewire card, it made sense to me). But the fact is my server is my 4th machine. My main two machines sit on my very large Ikea desk with dual monitors. So as you can imagine space is at a premium.

In the interest of conserving space and since the server is only for F&P, and of course syncing with my 'Pod, I do not have a monitor, keyboard or mouse hooked up to the server. That?s right; everything is done through Terminal server. Well in customary Microsoft "flaky" ness there are a number of problems when using Terminal services and accessing removable drives. Not the least of which is when a drive is ejected or "hot-swapped" and then plugged back in on the same terminal services session the drive letter either does not appear or often appears as a question mark (the answer to part 1 of my problem exactly).

So now after un-mounting the drive and then re-mounting I have to log off of that TS session and immediately reconnect. The drive is present and accessible. Its not perfect but it is a thousand times better than rebooting a box I use to store just about everything.

Now bear in mind this does not answer why I cannot "eject" the IPod through the "safely remove hardware" interface. But by going into system properties disabling the IPod, re-enabling it. Logging off my TS and logging back on the drive is right there again.

Now that may seem like many steps but not even close to what I had to do before.

Man do I hate Windows more and more everyday.

If you are interested here is the link to the KB article with the problem and fix.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;232276&Product=win2000

 

[ashawley]

hehe, all that and it's one tiny thing.

You need a Belkin OmniView Pro. I've got a 4 port one at home that works great...just the click of a button and I'm on that other PC.

Adam

 

[SpideyPod]

I actually have an 8 port switch box in the closet. My girlfriend has begun to take issue with the sheer amount of equipment and cables and "crap" as she puts it in the house. So in the effort of being neat, and appeasing her of course, I opted to use terminal service which works quite well actually. Well it did anyway...................the last 7 days it was the bane of my existence. But alls well that ends well.

Thanks again for the help!