UPDATE: 27" iMac i5 issue with iTunes on external drive = Bad USB Port

[HawaiiMacAddict]

Aloha everyone,

I recently purchased the 27" iMac i5 and everything is working perfectly, with one exception. I host my iTunes and iPhoto libraries on an external drive, so that I can take everything with me while traveling. I was able to use both iTunes and iPhoto on my two primary Macs, my old iMac and my MacBook Pro with no issues, as they were both pointed to the appropriate libraries on the external drive. Enter the new iMac ...

I held down the option key and pointed iTunes (on the new iMac) to the iTunes library on my external drive, after which I plugged in my iPhone. Initially, before plugging in my iPhone, all content appeared as it did on my MacBook Pro. Once my iPhone was plugged in, however, I was presented with a window stating that my iPhone was unable to be synced. On subsequent attempts, my iPhone was either not recognized, or I was presented with that same window.

Yesterday, I decided to attempt a sync with my MacBook Pro, so I ejected the external drive from my new iMac, mounted it on my MacBook Pro, fired up iTunes, and attempted an iPhone sync, with worked perfectly! I am forced, at this time, to use my MacBook Pro to sync my daily podcasts and such, instead of my new iMac.

My new iMac has the latest version of iTunes, so this is a rather vexing issue for me at this time. I am considering conducting a clean install of Snow Leopard, using the install discs, but I may end up with the same result. The only other option, if a clean install is indeed the correct course of action, is to use my Snow Leopard disc for the install, but that would install Mac OS X 10.6.0, not 10.6.2, which may not be possible.

Has anyone else experienced this issue, and if so, how was it resolved? I have Thanksgiving weekend to sort this out, and as a former Windows user, have no qualms with respect to conducting a "nuke and burn", but I was also wondering if any other options could be pursued. I appreciate and welcome any and all suggestions and/or comments on this issue.

 

[Goldie009]

This maaay not solve your problem but have you considered it...

Itunes libraries can only be accessed across 5 computers are they not?

I know that the i5 would be computer number 5 and should work but if you have in the passed authorized another computer to use that library then you might not be able to use it until you deauthorize the other computer....

Just a thought.

 

[plinden]

I held down the option key and pointed iTunes (on the new iMac) to the iTunes library on my external drive, after which I plugged in my iPhone. Initially, before plugging in my iPhone, all content appeared as it did on my MacBook Pro. Once my iPhone was plugged in, however, I was presented with a window stating that my iPhone was unable to be synced. On subsequent attempts, my iPhone was either not recognized, or I was presented with that same window.

Sounds more like a iPhone connection issue than the external library. Can you listen to music etc via iTunes on the iMac? Do you get the same errors when running with the iTunes library on the internal drive (just start up iTunes with the external disconnected and use the normal location - you can connect the iPhone and it won't sync unless you tell it to). Does the same thing happen when connecting to the other USB ports on the iMac?

 

[HawaiiMacAddict]

Aloha again,

Thanks for the replies; I'll have to wait until after I get home to try out your suggestions. I'll post the results as soon as I can. I really would rather avoid the whole clean install idea, but some people have indicated issues that, subsequent to a clean install, have yet to reappear.

 

[HawaiiMacAddict]

Aloha again,

I get the same response, even after both authorizing my new iMac with the iTunes library on the external drive, as well as with a newly-created iTunes library on my new iMac. Other than my iPhone, everything seems to work perfectly.

For the life of me, I can't seem to understand why my iPhone syncs perfectly with my MacBook Pro, but my iMac is asking that I restore it.

 

[HawaiiMacAddict]

Update

Aloha again everyone,

It appears that I have a bad USB port on the back on my iMac. I tried another port and my iPhone syncs seamlessly. I will now have to take it back and get another iMac. This is the first Apple product I've had to take back due to defective parts. Oh well, the same Apple Store is open today, but I don't know if they have any more Core i5 models in the store.