Help with iPod (20GB)...Formatting

[jimcat7]

I sent my 20GB iPod back to Apple for a replacement battery and got a brand-new 20GB iPod in return. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble formatting my new one with my Windows XP OS:

- When I run the Install CD I get the message: "Your iPod has been connected. Please wait while the system recognizes the device"
- After waiting 10 minutes for it to recognize the iPod, it says: "Your iPod needs to be formatted. Click 'Format' to continue.
- I click 'Format'
- I get the message: "There was an error communicating with the iPod. Please disconnect and reconnect the device."

This has occurred about a dozen times today. Is it a USB port issue or a connection cord issue?

This is extremely frustrating because my other iPod worked fine and was just sent in for routine maintainence. Apple sent me this new one and its giving me fits!

HP Pavilion 520n Windows XP

[trevor]

Try a different USB 2.0 port on your computer.

If that doesn't work, replace your iPod's USB cable.

Trevor

[jimcat7]

...we actually don't have a 2.0 USB port- we have a 1.1.

The previous iPod worked fine with that port before- would an upgrade make a difference?

[trevor]

Mmmmmm. I don't know if the problems you are seeing on Windows are related to using USB 1.1 ports. Certainly, using USB 2.0 ports will be MUCH faster, and your HP has available PCI slots, and USB 2.0 PCI cards are cheap. So, it would be easy enough to plug a USB 2.0 card into your computer and find out.

For what it's worth, my son uses his iPod nano with an older PowerMac with USB 1.1 ports with no problems (except the slowness of USB 1.1), so on the Mac this is not an issue, just an annoyance. But I can't say if it is an issue with an iPod and Windows.

Trevor

[solipsism]

I've recenty used an iPod WinXP with USB 1.1 without any issues. I'd try reinstalling the iPod Update from Apple's site, restarting your PC and starting again.

[jimcat7]

...here's an update on my issue.

I spent two hours on the phone with HP last night (mine is an HP iPod) and have advanced this far:
- When in "Disk Mode", my computer recognizes that it is an iPod. I can import songs onto it in iTunes, but when I remove the iPod from the computer and attempt to listen to the music, the iPod freezes up and won't work.
- When I'm not in "Disk Mode" and attach the iPod, my computer recognizes it as a USB Mass Storage Device or Removable Disk, but I cannot open it in iTunes.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? I've installed the last iPod updater and iTunes software...

[solipsism]

I apologize for my ignorance, but what do you mean by an HP iPod? Do you mean an HP portable music player, not an Apple iPod?

edit: NM, I just looked it up. I hadn't realized HP manufactured any iPods.

[trevor]

I hadn't realized HP manufactured any iPods.

http://www.connectedhomemag.com/Articles/Images/hp_ipod.jpg

That's Carly Fiorina and a blue-gray HP iPod. The blue-gray part never materialized--when released, the HP iPod was white. When Carly was booted from HP, the next CEO killed the HP iPod.

Trevor