# Getting my iPod Nano working! [SOLVED]

## Napalm Llama

Hi.  I've got a shiny new iPod Nano, but it won't sync.

It mounts OK, and gtkpod makes the directories.  However, there's no iTunesDB file (apparently that's important) and I can't find any way of making one.  Also, gtkpod is unintuitive enough that I don't know whether I'm pressing the wrong command, or I'm pressing the right command and it isn't working.

I've Googled about all over the place, but I can't find anything useful.

Can anybody help me out?

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## TheRAt

You might like to take a look at HARDWARE Using an iPod and HOWTO iPod Shuffle at the Gentoo Wiki

The second link (shuffle) talks a bit about a python script to build the iTunesDB.. Might be useful..

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## Napalm Llama

Gah, foiled by gtkpod's foolish UI.

Thanks for replying - I'd checked gentoo-wiki anyway - but to everyone else out there in my shoes, I'd like to record my experiences:

AmaroK won't work until there's a valid iTunesDB.

To make an iTunesDB, emerge gtkpod, open it, and copy a song across to the "gtkpod" playlist - this represents your iPod.

It's working now, for me - thanks anyway!

[edit: <2006.05.21 01:00 BST> ]

This workaround applies only to amaroK 1.3.8.  As far as I can tell, amaroK 1.4.0 is able to initialise an iPod by itself, without any intervention by gtkpod or anything else.

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## Napalm Llama

OK, may as well re-use this topic since I started it so recently.

I've just emerged the latest amaroK (1.4.0-r1), and it seems to have lost the ability to write to my iPod since 1.3.8.

I get this message when I plug the Nano in:

 *Quote:*   

> Media Device: iPod mounted at /mnt/ipod already locked! If you are sure that this is an error, then remove the file /mnt/ipod/iPod_Control/iTunes/iTunesLock and try again.

 

And this message when I try to make any changes, for example adding or deleting a song, and also when I press Disconnect:

 *Quote:*   

> Media device: failed to write iPod database

 

I emerged amaroK with "ipod" in the USE flags, and I'm on the latest version of libgpod (0.3.2-r1).  gtkpod still works, but I hate it.  What could be going on?

[edit:]

I just tried downgrading to the latest +arch version of libgpod, but it made no difference.  Considering that gtkpod works, it looks like it's a problem with amaroK itself.

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## chrismortimore

 *Napalm Llama wrote:*   

> Media Device: iPod mounted at /mnt/ipod already locked! If you are sure that this is an error, then remove the file /mnt/ipod/iPod_Control/iTunes/iTunesLock and try again.

 Did you try doing what it told you?

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## Napalm Llama

Yup.  When I press Connect it asks me if I want to remove it, so I say Yes.

I guess it's just ignoring me, or lying about having actually removed the file.

You see, the message appears when I plug it in - not when I press press Connect.  If I connect with gtkpod instead it works fine.  It's only when I connect with amaroK that it doesn't work.

[edit:]

OK, after some experimenting I've found this:

iTunesLock is indeed there.

amaroK doesn't delete it when I tell it to.

Manually deleting it before connecting in amaroK doesn't make the least bit of difference.

gtkpod doesn't mind that it's there - it just connects anyway.

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## chrismortimore

Have you tried connecting your ipod, deleting the file, then opening amarok and connecting?

Note: I'm taking stabs in the dark here, having never owned an iPod  :Wink: 

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## Napalm Llama

No such luck.  Obviously the initial message doesn't appear when I plug it in - but if I leave it mounted, start amaroK, and try and transfer a file, I get the same "failed to write iPod database" as before.

If I unmount it before starting amaroK it behaves the same way, except the iTunesLock error appears as soon as amaroK starts.

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## beatryder

Do you have a windows computer you can use? I had trouble with mine as well, I ended up just setting it up on a windows machine with iTunes and then moving along

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## chrismortimore

I use Windows running under VMware for my NetMD just now.  Saves me having a Windows partition  :Smile: 

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## Napalm Llama

 *beatryder wrote:*   

> Do you have a windows computer you can use?

 

No, I converted them all a long time ago.

It's not a Windows/Linux issue - amaroK 1.3.8 worked fine, and if all else fails I'll downgrade back to it.  But I like 1.4, and apparently it has greatly improved support for iPods - if I can just get it working.

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## chrismortimore

 *Napalm Llama wrote:*   

> It's not a Windows/Linux issue - amaroK 1.3.8 worked fine, and if all else fails I'll downgrade back to it.  But I like 1.4, and apparently it has greatly improved support for iPods - if I can just get it working.

 Remember that 1.4 is still ~x86 in Gentoo, so don't expect it to work too well.  It does seem like it is an amarok problem, so I would recommend getting in touch with the amarok devs/mailing lists and asking what their view on it is.

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## Napalm Llama

Will do.

I'll post back here if I get any resolution.

Cheers, all!

[edit: <2006.05.21 00:54 BST> ]

OK, it's sorted.

Here's my post in the amaroK forum

I figured it out by myself in the end, though.

To quote from my summary at the end of the linked thread:

 *Napalm Llama wrote:*   

> I think the problems were caused jointly by the upgrade from 1.3.8 to 1.4.0 and the fact that my iPod's filesystem had somehow become corrupted.  If you're experiencing problems like these, I suggest you backup your iPod's filesystem, run a full dosfsck and then delete:
> 
> a) all the superfluous files at /mnt/ipod
> 
> b) /mnt/ipod/iPod_Control/iTunes/*
> ...

 

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