updating a windows formatted iPod on Mac

Yeah, I know it's not possible. At least that's what it says on iTunes.

First off, is there really any advantage to updating your iPod? I mean I use my nano for one thing... music. I don't care about any other features as long as I can listen to music.

But I just want to know, is there a way for me to update my windows formatted ipod on my mac? If I "restore to default settings" or whatever that option is, will that allow me to format my iPod for my Mac computer?

thanks for your help, as always.

relapse said:

Yeah, I know it's not possible. At least that's what it says on iTunes.

First off, is there really any advantage to updating your iPod? I mean I use my nano for one thing... music. I don't care about any other features as long as I can listen to music.

But I just want to know, is there a way for me to update my windows formatted ipod on my mac? If I "restore to default settings" or whatever that option is, will that allow me to format my iPod for my Mac computer?

thanks for your help, as always.

Click to expand...

G'day relapse,

"Update" simply updates the software that controls iPod and does not affect the songs and files stored on iPod.

You just need to decide whether or not you will be using your iPod more with a PC or with a Mac.

A PC formatted iPod will always be recognised on a Mac but if your iPod is Mac formatted then I think the Mac file system wouldn't be recognised by a Microsoft PC.

This means you can't update a PC formatted iPod while it's connected to a Mac unless you allow the Mac to reformat the iPod.

So if you connect your Mac formatted iPod to a PC it will straight away try to format the iPod.

It's your decision, it's good to get the recent updates, which can include bug-fixes and software improvements, but you need to decide which OS you will be using primarily.

Hope this helps you.

I went through the same thing a few months back.

As you say, relapse, it's not possible to update the firmware of a Windows formatted iPod on the Mac directly. You need to reformat the iPod to Mac format and then apply the firmware update.

I backed up my iTunes library first but as it happens didn't need to use the backup. All that you need to do is to reset your iPod, as you say, and select Mac format at that point. Note that this WILL delete all your music library as it's just like formatting a hard disk!

When it's complete the iPod will reconnect to iTunes and (I can't remember the sequence) but I think iTunes detects that a firmware upgrade is required. It'll go off and do the upgrade and restart the iPod again. You will then be able to synchronise it with your existing iTunes catalog to get back to where you were before the reset.

It's fairly painless, takes a while if you have a lot of songs to transfer but is a safe enough process although I would advise anyone to take a backup just in case!

I think it's worth making the change as you'll probably want to upgrade firmware at some stage and now's as good a time as any