iTunes 9 and iPod classic

Firstly I have a fix, use the Open Source Songbird to sync your iPod

Anybody else out there now have a useless iPod classic after upgrading to iTunes 9.

I have restored mine to factory settings, iTunes syncs with the iPod, but when disconnected the iPod reboots and shows absolutely no media.

Apparently I am not the only one, but wanted to know if anybody else here is having the same problem.

AppleInsider | Users report iPod classic issues after iTunes 9 update

Update

I have tries going back to iTunes 8 using my Time Machine back-up. I can restore the ipod and begin syncing but it will stall halfway through. Disconnecting the iPod reboots it - again leaving me with a blank iPod.

I have downloaded Songbird 1.1, http://developer.songbirdnest.com/builds/Songbird1.1/1018/Songbird_1.1.1-1018_macosx-i686.dmg

And the correct add on for that version
http://addons.songbirdnest.com/xpis/3388?source=download

It tells me to set itunes so that it no longer auto syncs to the ipod, that done I pointed Songbird at my iTunes library and set it not to manage my folders (to keep the original iTunes structure intact). After setting up a smart playlist to add songs of specific genres, and another smart playlist for podcasts, songbird is syncing my music at least (no video).

So it looks like I'll be using Songbird to get music back on my ipod, at least until Apple fixes iTunes to work with the iPod Classic again

My iPod Classic and my 5th Gen are both fine with iTunes 9. Sounds like you have a somewhat isolated problem.

As for songbird, I found it far worse than iTunes for usability and functionality.

Agreed, Songbird is not the best solution, but it does prove that the issue is not that my ipod is broken, but that the issue is with iTunes.

It seems to effect 80 gig and above iPods, and may be something to do with the fact that the Palm Pre impersonates an iPod classic, and Pre syncing has been broken with iTunes 9

My Nano is fine with iTunes, just the 80gig classic that is broken

I have another update

Now using iTunes 8, and have managed to get some music on it by syncing 500 tracks at a time by creating a Sync playlist and adding more music each time.

The error has returned but I have about 3000 tracks on it now, so at least I have something.

Done a complete scan of the drive using Drive Genius, with no errors

The issue is that, at some stage during the sync the iPod will suddenly go out of syncing mode and revert to connected. This means iTunes cannot write any more tracks and throws up a write error, because the iPod has ceased syncing.

I have left the tracks on there for now, since the ipod works, but if you attempt another sync, iTunes will report and damaged iPod and restore it again, wiping the tracks

So I have my podcasts, and 3000 tracks for now, guess I will wait for Apple to fix the issue. It may be linked to the fact that syncing has been broken for the Palm PRE, which pretended to be an iPod classic. If that is the case then it has also messed up syncing for owners of genuine Apple iPod classics