I Can't Install iPod Software

[Paula De Niro]

I have an old ipod shuffle bought in 2005 and as it still works fine, I don't want to replace it just yet.

But after reinstalling Windows XP and updating iTunes to the latest version, when I use my original CD to install the ipod software, it says "installation cannot continue" as I have a later version of iTunes!

I rang the ipod helpline and was told I'd have to reformat my ipod but he wanted £35.00 just to tell me how.

Q1. Do I have to uninstall itunes? Then try the CD again?

Q2. If so, how do I do this?

Q3. How do I reformat my ipod shuffle, please?

Thanks

Paula

[pentachris]

Unless you want to use the iTunes music store, you don't need to install the iTunes software to synch your shuffle. There are lots of other software packages that will allow you to do this, some of them are free. Media Monkey (www.mediamonkey.com) comes to mind immediately. It's a good media player with great mp3 organization and tagging features, as well. I've never used its iPod synching features, but if it does that half was well as it organizes your music library, it's worth a shot!

[Paula De Niro]

I use iTunes every day for podcasts for work, as well as to buy music. I also have hundreds of hours already organized in iTunes, so yes I need iTunes, but I didn't know you can use the ipod with other software, so thanks for that.

Paula

[saphalline]

They wanted money for that!? :eek: WTF??

This (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304319) Apple support document tells you about updating the software on the iPod Shuffle itself. According to the info, using the latest version of iTunes, simply plugging in your iPod Shuffle (with iTunes already open) should prompt an auto-update of the device. This may take a few minutes.

If not, this (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305204) Apple support document tells you how to "reset" your iPod Shuffle. "Resetting" it in this case means completely deleting everything and starting over from scratch! So only use this method if the updating doesn't work directly through iTunes.

Also note that judging from your description, I assumed you have the original 1st-gen iPod Shuffle (the tall one), thus these Apple support docs are for that one. If you have the 2nd-gen one, let me know and I'll re-do the searches.

[Paula De Niro]

Thanks a lot Saphalline,

Yes, it's the tall ipod shuffle and their reason for charging was because it is no longer in warranty!

I did already plug in the ipod whilst itunes was open and all that happened was Windows recognised it, but nothing happened in itunes.

When you say lose everything, do you mean off the ipod or the itunes library? The first doesn't matter. The latter would be catastrophic.

But when I reinstalled Windows in September (and had to reinstall itunes from scratch), I thought I'd lost my library, but I'd backed my hard drive up before, and they were all in 'My Music' so when I set itunes as the default player, they all reappeared in the library - thank heavens!

I will look at the links you gave me.

Thanks again for your trouble.

Paula

[saphalline]

No, the iPod Shuffle reset utility only wipes the iPod Shuffle, not the computer or your iTunes library. The whole purpose of the utility is to do a "clean install" of the iPod Shuffle's onboard software & firmware, thereby setting it back to a fresh state like when you first took it out of its box. After that, iTunes should detect it and be able to sync to it if that iPod Shuffle of yours still works.

[Paul Komski]

When you say lose everything, do you mean off the ipod or the itunes library?
When you utilize an iPod to access an iTunes Library in whatever installed version of iTunes is there and on whatever particular computer the main way this operates is by the software synchronizing both and when this happens the tunes on the ipod are scrubbed but the library is retained on the computer. This means you cannot use an iPod to transfer tunes from one iTunes library to another one. The normal usage (staying with all things Apple) is to only ever synchronize with your own "home" version of iTunes. The only way to transfer songs (or any other files for that matter) is by copying them to its drive in a normal format from My Computer (or with any appropriate software) and then copying them to another PC's hard drive. Similar things can happen with the native software on some of the more elaborate mobile phones.

When this is done without accessing iTunes I don't think (but not sure) that you can organise by play list in the iPod.

The other consideration, particularly with iTunes purchases, is that they may not work unless accessed via iTunes - though I believe Apple have this under review.

I think your basic problem is that the new version of iTunes doesnt contain the songs in the new version. If you can get all the tunes from one version to another updated version then formatting the iPod will resync with the new version. It is getting the files, particularly your downoaded files, into the new version that needs specific attention or help.

[Paula De Niro]

Thank you both.

I found the right advice from Saph's two links. When I tried plugging in my ipod this time, it worked! I don't know what I did wrong the first time. But it's fine now.

So thanks a lot.

Paula