iPod Constant iPod freezes

[Scarlet Fever]

When my 3G 20GB iPod is connected to my 1.8GHz MacBook, it transfers about half a file before freezing up, and in some cases, freezing up my MacBook. Its annoying because i have a few gig of files from another computer i need to get on mine. Its formatted to Mac OS with the latest firmware for it. Any ideas?

Lee

 

[kodiak]

hmm, ive had same problem with my 3g 40gb for some time, on my existing ppc lcd imac...

(ipod locks up while i sync, had to somehow kill itunes as it also locks)

ive suspected two things...
a) bad hardware on ipod
b) something incomatible on newer itunes/osx
c) something incompatible because i also started syncing a 4g ipod, and that about when problems started


the only way ive got around it is to reinstall itunes, and factory reset ipod, then reupdate ipod.
then i can usually reinstall all tunes (about 20gb worth)
BUT (heres the bad news), some time later, the problem just reappears.


unfortunately, ive google'd lots, and can find noone else complaining of it, so i put it down to bad hardware ... even though this seems unlikely, as ipod is fine, except when i go to sync!!!

 

[mad jew]

Try using a different cable however I think it's probably a failing hard drive in which case restoring it with the latest iPod Software Updater should help for a while.

Of course, this will lose all data on the iPod so in the meantime, keep it cool as you transfer everything you need back onto your Mac. I made a small ice bucket for mine, making sure it didn't actually get wet, to keep it cool when I had a similar issue.

 

[Scarlet Fever]

how long do the iPod hard drives last? My one was still goen strong before it got kicked a few months ago.
I have all my music and current school documents on the iPod! i can't afford to lose it all!
The cable is a bit aged; the plastic coating has come off at the firewire end. Ill try with a new cable and see how it goes.

 

[mad jew]

iPod hard drives don't generally last very long if you're pretty active when you use it. I run with mine and get about one year per drive.

 

[kodiak]

iPod hard drives don't generally last very long if you're pretty active when you use it. I run with mine and get about one year per drive.

had mine 2 years, before troubles ... was rattling around in my rucksack everyday.

just tried mine again, from scratch same symptons itunes and ipod locking up,
interesting can see error in system.log

Jun 5 17:36:45 mymachine kernel[0]: /SourceCache/AppleFWOHCI/AppleFWOHCI-252.4.0/AppleFWOHCI.cpp 3539: ERROR: FireWire (OHCI) Apple ID 31 built-in: handleUnrecoverableErrorInt

this appears to block all i/o on that volume, hence the itunes, and finder lock ups
removing ipod from cradle then releases i/o and apps, with a flurry of disk errors...

anyway, dont wanna hijack this thread... so just one question to original poster... do u see same error in system.log?


UPDATE: going to open new thread, so as not to hijack, found that it would appear to be firewire issue on mobo (but will canvas views on new thread )

 

[mad jew]

this appears to block all i/o on that volume, hence the itunes, and finder lock ups

That reminds me, you can use Disk Utility on the Mac to repair the disk, sometimes with very positive results.

 

[awatiker]

Possible Solution to This Problem

I have a 20GB 3G iPod and had exactly the same problem described here. For me a solution was to purchase a generic USB/Firewire connection cable from eBay (cost was about $10 with shipping) and connect the firewire end to the charger that came with the iPod and the USB end to the Macbook. Not an ideal solution but this seemed to end the constant freezing.