iPod classic not recognized by Music or iTunes

[Johnny Calvara]

I have an iPod classic 7th gen model MC297LL. On the 'About' screen it shows the version as 2.0.4. When the hard drive failed I replaced it with an iFlash Quad. The iPod has been freezing and cutting off songs, and a hard reset wouldn't help for long. I did a restore using disk utility on my MacBook Air M1, which the format being MacOS Etended (Journaled). Now Finder will recognize the iPod as an external drive, but Music won't recognize the iPod at all. I hooked it up to an old MacBook Pro with iTunes 12.8.3.1. At first iTunes wouldn't recognize the iPod, then it did. I synced some music to the iPod and ejected it. When I disconnected the iPod it showed signs of a hard reset, asked me to set the language, then showed that it contains no music files. I tried to connect it to Music and it is still not recognized. It is no longer recognized by iTunes, either. All recommendations are welcome.

 

[ferrarr]

I think you need to use iTunes to reset and format it. When you connected it to the old MBP, did it want to set it up as new for you?

 

[Johnny Calvara]

Yes, it wanted to set it up as new. But then, after proceeding to the sync, it ended up as I said above.

 

[ferrarr]

Do you have access to a winOS PC that has iTunes installed?

 

[Johnny Calvara]

No access to a WinPC with iTunes.

 

[Johnny Calvara]

After repeated attempts, my old MacBook Pro running iTunes recognised the iPod and restored it. I was able to put music on the iPod with iTunes and play the music back on the iPod. But I cannot put music onto the iPod from my MacBook Air as it is only showing up as a drive with four folders (Calendars, Contacts, Notes, Recordings) in Finder. In Finder I don't get the screen for syncing music, etc. It does not show up in Music. In Finder I can drag and drop a music folder into the iPod, but it doesn't show up as music when I disconnect the iPod from the MacBook Air.

 

[Johnny Calvara]

The iPod went back to not being recognized by either of my computers. When I connect it to a MacBook, the iPod knows that it's connected but it doesn't show up on the computer. But it still managed to make Music become unresponsive, even though Music didn't show that the iPod was connected. Ferrar, you had asked me if I have access to a windows PC with iTunes on it. If I can track one down, is there something you know of that I can try?

 

[ferrarr]

If I can track one down, is there something you know of that I can try?

I remember being able to format the iPod using iTunes on Windows and then connect it to my Mac and it would work again.

Something like this,

Set up iPod as a hard disk in iTunes on PC

In iTunes on PC, set up your iPod to store files and act as an external hard disk.

support.apple.com

 

[Johnny Calvara]

I’ll try to track down an appropriate device and give it a go. Thanks

 

[pm-r]

I’ll try to track down an appropriate device and give it a go. Thanks

I wonder if there are any hits with some good constructive advice and a solution among this list:

iPod classic not recognized by Music or iTunes - Google Search

I'm sorry I do not have a good answer for you, and Apple's iTunes and all the changes it would do used to drive me crazy.

I eventually got it sorted out by removing all but about two songs I had purchased from the Apple iTunes Store, all other music and such is from other sites.



- Patrick
=======

 

[Johnny Calvara]

I wonder if there are any hits with some good constructive advice and a solution among this list:

iPod classic not recognized by Music or iTunes - Google Search

I'm sorry I do not have a good answer for you, and Apple's iTunes and all the changes it would do used to drive me crazy.

I eventually got it sorted out by removing all but about two songs I had purchased from the Apple iTunes Store, all other music and such is from other sites.



- Patrick
=======

I only have Songs of Innocence from iTunes. In fact I've become curious about Rockbox, but first I'll take a look at the list you sent.

 

[mcforman]

I have an iPod classic 7th gen model MC297LL. On the 'About' screen it shows the version as 2.0.4. When the hard drive failed I replaced it with an iFlash Quad. The iPod has been freezing and cutting off songs, and a hard reset wouldn't help for long. I did a restore using disk utility on my MacBook Air M1, which the format being MacOS Etended (Journaled). Now Finder will recognize the iPod as an external drive, but Music won't recognize the iPod at all. I hooked it up to an old MacBook Pro with iTunes 12.8.3.1. At first iTunes wouldn't recognize the iPod, then it did. I synced some music to the iPod and ejected it. When I disconnected the iPod it showed signs of a hard reset, asked me to set the language, then showed that it contains no music files. I tried to connect it to Music and it is still not recognized. It is no longer recognized by iTunes, either. All recommendations are welcome.

Hey there -
I was having a similar issue (the iPod would show up as an "external drive" in my finder, but the named iPod (in my case - Michael's iPod) would not show up. Hence, I could not sync anything with it using the finder window (how we used to do it in iTunes before the change.). It's such a simple fix but took me forever to figure it out:
For me, it was as simple as
1) open Finder settings
2) click on sidebar
3) under the locations section, I had to "re-check" the box marked "CDs/DVDs, and IOS Devices"

Once I did this, the iPod reappeared with the familiar sync function for choosing Music, Movies, etc.

Hope this helps!

 

[Johnny Calvara]

Hey there -
I was having a similar issue (the iPod would show up as an "external drive" in my finder, but the named iPod (in my case - Michael's iPod) would not show up. Hence, I could not sync anything with it using the finder window (how we used to do it in iTunes before the change.). It's such a simple fix but took me forever to figure it out:
For me, it was as simple as
1) open Finder settings
2) click on sidebar
3) under the locations section, I had to "re-check" the box marked "CDs/DVDs, and IOS Devices"

Once I did this, the iPod reappeared with the familiar sync function for choosing Music, Movies, etc.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the tip. After days of working on the problem, during which the iPod would occasionally accept music from the computer, then subsequently stop working again, I found an identical used iPod, hooked it up to the computer, and everything went smoothly with the ‘new’ one. I think the old one is corrupted.

 

[Dinghello]

Hey there -
I was having a similar issue (the iPod would show up as an "external drive" in my finder, but the named iPod (in my case - Michael's iPod) would not show up. Hence, I could not sync anything with it using the finder window (how we used to do it in iTunes before the change.). It's such a simple fix but took me forever to figure it out:
For me, it was as simple as
1) open Finder settings
2) click on sidebar
3) under the locations section, I had to "re-check" the box marked "CDs/DVDs, and IOS Devices"

Once I did this, the iPod reappeared with the familiar sync function for choosing Music, Movies, etc.

Hope this helps!

Thank you VERY much for '3) under the locations section, I had to "re-check" the box marked "CDs/DVDs, and IOS Devices".' It was loading the iPod image in the sidebar as standard until I somehow synced my c. 20k song iPod classic to... nothing, and wiped the lot. Since then only the hard drive icon appears. The above sorts it and I can now delete songs again - it's incredibly crude compared to editing in iTunes in the past, but at least it works (I tend to play anything I want to delete first so that it lists in order on 'Last Accessed'. V grateful, anyway.

 

[Johnny Calvara]

Thanks, I’ll check that out when I’m reunited with my iPod in September

 

[banrions]

Hey there -
I was having a similar issue (the iPod would show up as an "external drive" in my finder, but the named iPod (in my case - Michael's iPod) would not show up. Hence, I could not sync anything with it using the finder window (how we used to do it in iTunes before the change.). It's such a simple fix but took me forever to figure it out:
For me, it was as simple as
1) open Finder settings
2) click on sidebar
3) under the locations section, I had to "re-check" the box marked "CDs/DVDs, and IOS Devices"

Once I did this, the iPod reappeared with the familiar sync function for choosing Music, Movies, etc.

Hope this helps!

thank you SO MUCH for this. my old ipod from high school died (dropped it in the toilet) and i bought a new one, realized it wasn't restored and it got totally messed up/stuck in the restore and i had to use my parents old one to restore it, but then my new m2 air wouldn't show up as an option to sync (long story short, i was trying to use my old macbook pro to put my old music at least on it, but that is very nearly dying) and this fINALLY after months, taking it to a repair shop and asking them for help (absolutely useless, told me "well apple wants ppl to pay for apple music" basically) your advice FINALLY has fixed the problem. thank you sO SO SO much.