# need iPod help...

## Phr34K

I just got a 15Gb 3rd gen. iPod (vfat).

here's my problem: 

whenever I open gtkpod i get this error:

```
Could not open "iTunesDB.ext" for reading extended info.

Extended info will not be used.
```

I followed the howto on Gentoo-Wiki, and everything seems to be in order, but I can only view the stuff on the iPod through the console.  

Another thing, when I try to 'create ipod's directories' in gtkpod, I get another error: 'Problem creating iPod directories /mnt/ipod'

the directory does exist.  

Any ideas where I went wrong ??

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## paneb

i get teh exact same thing..it used to work without problems..but now gtkpod doesn't want to do anything..i just reformatted the ipod, so its all clean, but gtkpod does nothing..weird this is that i do see the folders, and can write to the device, but not gtkpod

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## deadaim

 *Phr34K wrote:*   

> Another thing, when I try to 'create ipod's directories' in gtkpod, I get another error: 'Problem creating iPod directories /mnt/ipod'
> 
> the directory does exist.

 

```
mkdir /mnt/ipod
```

Give that a try.

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## Phr34K

I have everything set up for the iPod, all the mount points and any modules that I need to mount the device, 'sbp2' etc... 

I don't think the fs on the iPod, vfat, likes the idea of hidden folders.  /.gnupod when I try gnupod.  gtkpod doesn't work for some reason, and I can't figure out why.  

I just reformatted the iPod in a windows environment, and still no luck..

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## machinelou

I just bought an ipod mini the other day and I'm having the exact same problem with gtkpod... 

I can definately mount, browse directories, and even see the some of the mp3 files using a shell but gtkpod complains about not being able to find the itunesdb.

Some other information: 

gtkpod seems to be able to correctly report the amount of freespace.

     I thought that I successfully copied some songs onto it at one point using gtkpod (the freespace decreased after I tried) however they never actually showed up on the ipod itself.

     I couldn't get any sort of listing of the current songs.

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## nickeh

Have everyone created the gtkpod directories on their ipod? 

"File->Create iPod's directories"

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## Phr34K

when attempting to do that, I get an error that says there was a problem creating the directory structure.

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## machinelou

Yea.. When running "gnupod_INIT.pl -m /mnt/ipod", I get the following error when it tried to create the directory tree:

```

Could not create /mnt/ipod/iPod_Control/.gnupod (Read-only file system)

```

Before you ask, I the hold button is set to off (orange is not showing).  Here's my mount and fstab output:

```

#mount

/dev/hda3 on / type reiserfs (rw,noatime)

none on /dev type devfs (rw)

none on /proc type proc (rw)

none on /sys type sysfs (rw)

none on /dev/pts type devpts (rw)

none on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)

none on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)

none on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)

/dev/sda on /mnt/ipod type hfsplus (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)

fstab:

/dev/sda                /mnt/ipod       hfsplus         noauto,user,rw  0 0

```

Why does it say that the filesystem is read only??  I'm using usb and have hfsplus compiled into the kernel.

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## machinelou

Frell!!!  I just tried to use hpmount from the hfsplusutils and now my ipod doesn't work. When I turn it on a folder icon appears with an exclamation point after it and then it turns back off..  When I try to mount it says wrong fs type.  I'll try to reformat it.  Until then, whatever you do, don't use hpmount!

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## sfcfagwdse

Phr34k: 

I have a mini and it did the same thing both with hfs and vfat.  The problem was after I restored it I plugged it back into itunes.  I think itunes messes it up because when I used gtkpod after a restore it would give that same error.  Eventually I got it working by not using itunes at all and plugging it into gtkpod right after the firmware is reset.  hope that helps.

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## machinelou

Okay, I think I've figured out most of the problems.

Originally, before I had setup my kernel correctly, I plugged in the ipod and received the "Do not disconnect" message.  At the time I didn't think to umount and eject /dev/sda so I just unplugged it.  Subsequent mounts were forced to be read-only as reported by dmesg output.

So, I tried to fix the partition tables using hpmount which totally screwed up my ipod.  In order to fix it and make sure that it was still mac-formatted, I needed to run the iPod software updater on a mac.  This resulted in my ipod being reset to factory default settings (and cleared the memory).

Now, I am able to mount it using mount /dev/sda /mnt/ipod -t hfsplus and I am able to search and add to the playlist using gnupod, and then convert the gnupod database to itunes format when logged in as root.  However, I cannot add songs when logged in as a user.  I chown'd /mnt/ipod to my user, but that didn't seem to help.  I suspect this is why gtkpod isn't working (because I can't run it while logged into x as a user).

Actually, I just figured it out.  I simply went into the ipodcontrol directory from /mnt/ipod and chown'd that too and anything else that I could find and that fixed it.  Kinda akward but oh well.. Maybe this information can help somebody.

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## maigret

 *Phr34K wrote:*   

> I just got a 15Gb 3rd gen. iPod (vfat).
> 
> here's my problem: 
> 
> whenever I open gtkpod i get this error:
> ...

 

I'm a little late to answer, but do you have the really last version of gtkpod? I've had this type of conflict when using a old (0.94) gtkpod against a new firmware (1.4). Using gtkpod testing version (.99) solved the problem.

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