More iPod nano Wonkiness

Just got my 4GB nano and I get this error all the time. When I plug in my nano to USB itunes opens and it syns and l's all my music and what not, but after its done I cannot update my nano again without disconnecting it first and plugging it back in, I just get that error when trying. It will update after I disconnect it and reconnect it automatically. Using itunes 6 obviously.

It seems that Joystiq , TUAW and Engadget are overlapping in content more and more. It also stinks a bit when the general readership is slapped down and told not to dare ask for help but yet the columnists themselves continue looking for it.. sheesh...

Mike here with a public service announcement to C.K. Thank you for your tips. I love them. However, the odd obscure problem that is plaguing your iPod nano that you cannot find information on anywhere on the Internet isn't a tip. It's a request for tech support. We here in your readership -- while remaining sympathetic to your plight -- are not your Tech Support. Find someone you work with or know who is a bonafide Mac guru and either offer to pay him / her or treat him / her to dinner in exchange for help with your system. Search MacFixIt for help. Search Mac OS X Hints. Search Google. If you are near an Apple Store, make an appointment with a Mac Genius. If you are not near an Apple Store, check out Apple's Support site for more information on the myriad of tech support options available to you. You will not find your readership listed there. Thank you for your time and consideration. ;-)

Could be a bad memory block. I had a 1Gig Shuffle that was acting weird and the Apple Store ran some tests on it and said it had a bad chip and replaced it. Since the nano is solid state, it could be that you have a bad byte somewhere in the memory.

With my 40GB iPod I get the "Could not be written to" error, any time I have to make big changes to my iPod. Such as when I have added a lot of music, or overhauled the tags on many of the songs. This only happens when I use the USB2 connection on my Dual G5. With firewire, (even when I daisy chain it behind 2 other external hard drives), I never get this error. When I called Support about this, without any hesitation the support person told me to use Firewire. She told it me its has always been much more reliable. This of course was when they were giving out firewire and USB with iPods. Now that this has changed I have no idea what a call to support would be like.

I get the exact same error pop up on me using a 3.gen 30gb iPod with firewire on my tiBook. Although it only seems to happen randomly, and it didn't happen before I updated to iTunes 5.

Not that this helps, but doesn't it seem odd that the computer can't READ or write to the disk, yet it knows the iPod's name?

The big problem is that both the trackpad and the bluetooth piggy back off of one of the USB ports on the 15" and as a result the iPod connection can be a bit dodgy. I've had the same problem with a nano and a 30GB photo. Just use the other USB port and see if that sorts it out. Also the point about the low power was right as I have the same problem with a Lacie Porsche mobile HD. If you wiggle the USB plug in the port that can sort it out. Oh and yes old firewire cables do work with the new 60GB photo as long as they have the dock connection on the end or you have a send station.

Yeah, I really liked firewire MUCH better than USB2. Sad. Oh well. Does anyone know if the newer 60gb colors can even use the old firewire cables, i'd sure as hell buy one if it did. On the topic of being pissed at the author, lighten up people.

So are you saying that its not a common problem? I mean I've heard stories of people with the same problem.