Hello all,

Problem: itunes doesn't recognize an iPod daisychained to an external
firewire drive.

I've got a biggish music collection housed on an external firewire drive
(Lacie 200gb). My powerbook sees it no problem.
I also have a 20gb iPod.
My powerbook sees that no problem, IF it is plugged directly into the
Mac's firewire port.

The problem of course is I need to access both at the same time.
Theoretically I should be able to plug the drive into the Mac and the iPod
into the drive - daisychaining. The trouble is that although both get
mounted on the desktop,and botha re accessible to the finder, iTunes
doesn't recognize that an iPod is attached, so it remains inaccessible.

It's not a power problem because a) the Lacie drive is powered and b) both
drives ARE readable and writeable via finder.

So it must be a bug in iTUnes.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to fix it?

I've tried reinstalilng iPod software ... no joy.

I suppose I could try Audion, but I'd rather stick with iTunes if poss.

regards

m

In article <pan.2003.10.10.07.36.27.810139********.com>, moll <max********.com> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> Problem: itunes doesn't recognize an iPod daisychained to an external
> firewire drive.
>
> I've got a biggish music collection housed on an external firewire drive
> (Lacie 200gb). My powerbook sees it no problem.
> I also have a 20gb iPod.
> My powerbook sees that no problem, IF it is plugged directly into the
> Mac's firewire port.
>
> The problem of course is I need to access both at the same time.
> Theoretically I should be able to plug the drive into the Mac and the iPod
> into the drive - daisychaining. The trouble is that although both get
> mounted on the desktop,and botha re accessible to the finder, iTunes
> doesn't recognize that an iPod is attached, so it remains inaccessible.
>
> It's not a power problem because a) the Lacie drive is powered and b) both
> drives ARE readable and writeable via finder.
>
> So it must be a bug in iTUnes.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to fix it?

Sounds like a reasonable deduction, given you can mount the iPod when it's
daisy-chained...

> I've tried reinstalilng iPod software ... no joy.

You don't mention what version of MacOS you're using?

"moll" <max********.com> wrote in message
news:pan.2003.10.10.07.36.27.810139********.com...

> I've tried reinstalilng iPod software ... no joy.
>
> I suppose I could try Audion, but I'd rather stick with iTunes if poss.

Have you tried deleting the preference file? Maybe something as drastic and
deleting the iTunesMusic Library file and then re-importing all your files?

--Greg

moll wrote in message ...
>Hello all,
>
>Problem: itunes doesn't recognize an iPod daisychained to an external
>firewire drive.
>

You might try an external firewire hub. There are some things that don't
work well daisy chained that might work with a hub.

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 09:08:17 -0500, Greg Skluzacek wrote:

snip
>
> Have you tried deleting the preference file? Maybe something as drastic and
> deleting the iTunesMusic Library file and then re-importing all your files?
>
> --Greg


thanks for the thought, but yes I've tried that.
I also created a new blank user and tried her iTunes... no joy

hmm...
m

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 17:47:57 +1000, Jason wrote:

snip
..
>
> You don't mention what version of MacOS you're using?

10.2.8

I've reported it a a bug to Mac.

I'm amazed that it's not known about as a common problem. After all quite
a few people must keep biggish music collections on external firewire
drives.

m

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 10:51:06 -0600, Jeff Price wrote:

snip
>
> You might try an external firewire hub. There are some things that don't
> work well daisy chained that might work with a hub.

I think that may be my only recourse. I'm actually trying to get hold of
an 800=>400 firewire cable so I can use the 800 port (it being a lovely
NEW powerbook and all!!)

here's hoping


m

In article <pan.2003.10.11.00.24.17.932211********.com>, moll <max********.com> wrote:

> On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 17:47:57 +1000, Jason wrote:
>
> snip
> .
> >
> > You don't mention what version of MacOS you're using?
>
> 10.2.8
>
> I've reported it a a bug to Mac.
>
> I'm amazed that it's not known about as a common problem. After all quite
> a few people must keep biggish music collections on external firewire
> drives.

Is that the updated 10.2.8? :)

It might be a problem with the powerbook..

Try getting a hub...

On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 11:31:03 +1000, Jason wrote:

snip
> Is that the updated 10.2.8? :)
>
yes it is

> It might be a problem with the powerbook..

off to get 800=>400 cable so I can use the second powerbook firewire port.
That SHOULD be even more likely to work than a hub.


I'll keep you posted.

m

On 11/10/03 1:24, in article pan.2003.10.11.00.24.17.932211********.com,
"moll" <max********.com> wrote:

> 10.2.8
>
> I've reported it a a bug to Mac.
>
> I'm amazed that it's not known about as a common problem. After all quite
> a few people must keep biggish music collections on external firewire
> drives.

I would wonder if its a bug in the firewire bridge board used in the
Firewire drive, not the OS.

I've seen some very weird things with older external FW drives.

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 15:36:27 +0800, moll wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> Problem: itunes doesn't recognize an iPod daisychained to an external
> firewire drive.
>
> I've got a biggish music collection housed on an external firewire drive
> (Lacie 200gb). My powerbook sees it no problem.
> I also have a 20gb iPod.
> My powerbook sees that no problem, IF it is plugged directly into the
> Mac's firewire port.
>
> The problem of course is I need to access both at the same time.
> Theoretically I should be able to plug the drive into the Mac and the iPod
> into the drive - daisychaining. The trouble is that although both get
> mounted on the desktop,and botha re accessible to the finder, iTunes
> doesn't recognize that an iPod is attached, so it remains inaccessible.
>
> It's not a power problem because a) the Lacie drive is powered and b) both
> drives ARE readable and writeable via finder.
>
> So it must be a bug in iTUnes.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to fix it?
>
> I've tried reinstalilng iPod software ... no joy.
>
> I suppose I could try Audion, but I'd rather stick with iTunes if poss.
>
> regards
>
> m


.... and for some totally unfathomable reason it's suddenly started
working. I haven't changed anything. And it certainly wasn't working
before. The ONLY thing I've done is open Apple System Profiler and looked
at the info on the devices etc. Following a reboot suddenly my iPod sprang
to life.

Very strange.

but hey :)

m

Jason <matreya_nospam@currawong.net> wrote:
> > The problem of course is I need to access both at the same time.
> > Theoretically I should be able to plug the drive into the Mac and the iPod
> > into the drive - daisychaining. The trouble is that although both get
> > mounted on the desktop,and botha re accessible to the finder, iTunes
> > doesn't recognize that an iPod is attached, so it remains inaccessible.
> >
> > It's not a power problem because a) the Lacie drive is powered and b) both
> > drives ARE readable and writeable via finder.
> >
> > So it must be a bug in iTUnes.

Can't suggest much but just to say, it's not an iTunes bug because I
have EXACTLY that setup here and it's working just fine.

In fact, the ipod has been chained through the external drive from day
one, it's never been connected directly.

Keith

>
>
> ... and for some totally unfathomable reason it's suddenly started
> working. I haven't changed anything. And it certainly wasn't working
> before. The ONLY thing I've done is open Apple System Profiler and looked
> at the info on the devices etc. Following a reboot suddenly my iPod sprang
> to life.
>
> Very strange.
>
> but hey :)
>
> m


... and now it has stopped working again. Bugger. I'm pretty sure its the
pass-through on the Lacie drive. Still looking for an 800=>400 cable...

m

"moll" <max********.com> writes:
>
> .. and now it has stopped working again. Bugger. I'm pretty sure
> its the pass-through on the Lacie drive. Still looking for an
> 800=>400 cable...

Hmmm...

By any chance, does the iPod go unavailable when the LaCie drive goes
into a power-saving mode (after a period of idle time)?

I seem to remember reading that some drives have this problem - where
the pass-through port becomes inactive whenever the drive is asleep.

See if the iPod works when hooked directly up to the Mac. If it has
no problems in that situation, you might want to consider a FireWire
hub instead of the external drive's pass-through port.

-- David

On Tue, 14 Oct 2003 01:59:34 +0000, David C. wrote:

> "moll" <max********.com> writes:
>>
>> .. and now it has stopped working again. Bugger. I'm pretty sure
>> its the pass-through on the Lacie drive. Still looking for an
>> 800=>400 cable...
>
> Hmmm...
>
> By any chance, does the iPod go unavailable when the LaCie drive goes
> into a power-saving mode (after a period of idle time)?
>
> I seem to remember reading that some drives have this problem - where
> the pass-through port becomes inactive whenever the drive is asleep.
>
> See if the iPod works when hooked directly up to the Mac. If it has
> no problems in that situation, you might want to consider a FireWire
> hub instead of the external drive's pass-through port.
>
> -- David


thanks for the suggestion... I'm sure it IS sth like that. I'll keep you
posted. But it is also quite complicated because I can't discern an
obvious pattern. I'm putting off the expense of a hub for the time being.


(it's working again btw!!)