I Cannot Get My iPod Device to Install
- 1). Update your iTunes software. If you have a new iPod but an old version of iTunes, your updating attempts may fail. Visit the iTunes download page (see Resources) to get the latest version, and then click the installer icon to install the software. If you use a Macintosh computer running OS X, you can also get the latest version of iTunes by clicking the Apple logo in the upper left corner of your screen and selecting "Software Update." If iTunes appears on the list, click it once and then click "Install."
- 2). Connect your iPod to your computer. Each iPod comes equipped with a USB cable. All iPod USB cables have a USB connector on one end to plug into a USB port on your computer. On the other end, most have a wide connector. The wide end plugs into the to the dock along the bottom of your iPod. The iPod Shuffle is the exception, as it does not contain a dock connector, but a a 3.5 mm connector that plugs into the iPod headphone port.
- 3). Verify whether or not your computer recognizes the iPod as a device. Open iTunes and look in the left column of the software window, beneath the "Devices" heading. You should see a small picture of an iPod. If no iPod appears, your problem is connection related. Try unplugging the iPod from your computer and inserting the connector into a different USB port. Your iPod uses the USB port as a power source, and if one of your ports has a power defect, your iPod will not connect. Just try the next port on your computer, and avoid using external USB hubs. If your iPod still doesn't show up, leave it connected and restart your computer.
- 4). Restore your iPod. If your iPod does connect to your computer, but no software will install, try restoring your iPod to its factory settings. This process automatically installs default software by completely wiping your iPod's memory and rebuilding its system. Click the "iPod" icon in the left column and click the "Restore" button.
