Notice: iPod Updater (2006-01-10)

michaelsanford

michaelsanford

Translator, Web Developer
I just updated my iPod Photo and got a nasty surprise.

This update forces you to unplug your iPod and plug it into the wall adaptor to finish the update. It refuses to let you power it from a USB port, or at least one that recognizes the iPod, I suppose. (I just tried it with my Epson Stylus, on but not plugged into my computer, and it doens't work).

Just though I'd warn whomever else runs this updater and finds themselves utterly stuck, without their wall adaptor, and with a temporarily dead iPod.

Apple, that was a dumb move. Instead of making a crappy bug fix (obviously a workaround to a problem with the iPod being recognized mid-update by iTunes) give us something better to work with. This is unacceptable !
 
I have my iPod photo 60GB model hooked up via FireWire, and I did not need to plug it into the wall adaptor in order to complete the upgrade -- in fact, I never removed it from the cradle.

Maybe it's something specific to USB. It would be strange of Apple to require that the iPod be plugged into the wall to be updated, since a few iPod models shipped/ship without a wall adaptor and only include the ability to hook it up via USB. Maybe your USB ports don't provide enough power?
 
I have the new video 30 gig iPod and I didnt have to remove it for any reason while it was being updated.
 
If it's asking you to plug it in to the wall,
1) it's not getting enough power
2) It should have come with a wall adapter
 
I think it only asks to plug it into the wall if you're using an iPod that supports FireWire and isn't connected to your computer via FireWire.
 
I have a USB 2 iPod Photo 20 GB.

When I finished the update the message popped up "Please unplug your iPod from your computer and connect it to another power source for the update to complete".

When I try to plug it into any USB port my iPod gives me an icon of a wall outlet and the wall adaptor plugging into it ;)

Perhaps it had something to do with my iPod in particular, localization, maybe something was corrupted, who knows; just relating my experience.
 
From Apple's website:
93936_7.jpg

This icon appears on the screen during an update or restore that occurs when iPod is connected to the computer via a low or no-power connector. This can include some USB ports and 4-pin FireWire ports. When this appears, disconnect iPod from the computer and connect it to the power adapter. Then plug the power adapter into a power outlet. The update or restore will complete and iPod will restart to the main menu.
Click to expand...
Guess that settles it.
 
Indeedy. I'm surprised that my primary USB port would be low-power though. My problem of not having a power adaptor to complete the update remains, however.
 
Are you trying this on your iBook? If so, are you doing it running the iBook on battery power, or with the iBook connected to a wall adaptor?
 
I tried it on my iBook connected to the wall adaptor. I also tried it on my 17" TiBook and a tower with a beefy power supply, all failed.
 
michaelsanford said:
I just updated my iPod Photo and got a nasty surprise.

This update forces you to unplug your iPod and plug it into the wall adaptor to finish the update. It refuses to let you power it from a USB port, or at least one that recognizes the iPod, I suppose. (I just tried it with my Epson Stylus, on but not plugged into my computer, and it doens't work).

Just though I'd warn whomever else runs this updater and finds themselves utterly stuck, without their wall adaptor, and with a temporarily dead iPod.

Apple, that was a dumb move. Instead of making a crappy bug fix (obviously a workaround to a problem with the iPod being recognized mid-update by iTunes) give us something better to work with. This is unacceptable !
Click to expand...
What??? LOL No, it doesn't. I just did the iPod upate. All went smooth and fine. I didn't have to plug my iPod into the wall at all. I simply installed the update, plugged my iPod into my computer, got a message that my iPod software had been updated, I clicked "OK," it updated my iPod for me, and that was that. Works fine.
 
I don't know what you people are doing. LOL The iPod updater worked fine for me.
 
Don't iPod Photos come with power adaptors? Mine did. I've now got a 5G Video iPod that came in a tiny box (same price) with no adaptor. I now have to have my computer on in order to charge it, which is annoying, particularly if I'm listening to a song as it will be stopped as soon as I plug it in. It wouldn't cost Apple very much to include a basic wall charger, considering how much money they make from iPods. The exterior of the 5G iPods seems cheaper too, and much easier to scratch.

Anyway, back on topic:
I powered mine from the USB port on my PowerBook, installed the update and it worked fine. If you hooked it up to a machine with a beefy power supply and it still didn't work, it sounds like there's a problem with your iPod. I doubt hooking it up to a wall charger would make any difference.
 
Shookster said:
Don't iPod Photos come with power adaptors? Mine did. I've now got a 5G Video iPod that came in a tiny box (same price) with no adaptor. I now have to have my computer on in order to charge it, which is annoying, particularly if I'm listening to a song as it will be stopped as soon as I plug it in. It wouldn't cost Apple very much to include a basic wall charger, considering how much money they make from iPods. The exterior of the 5G iPods seems cheaper too, and much easier to scratch.
Click to expand...

Well they could include it but it seems like they rather make a little extra money by selling it seperately like they are doing now. Either that or it costs a lot more to produce an iPod video so they had to take out something in order to keep the price the same. You choose.
 
Amie said:
iPod Nano (2 GB).


It was connected via the adapter that came with my iPod (for the USB 2.0 port).
Click to expand...
Ah, see that's right. You have an iPod that doesn't support FireWire, so it doesn't need to be connected to the AC charger after the update. iPods that work with FW and are connected via USB require the AC charger, from what I've seen.
 
Shookster said:
Don't iPod Photos come with power adaptors? Mine did. I've now got a 5G Video iPod that came in a tiny box (same price) with no adaptor. I now have to have my computer on in order to charge it, which is annoying, particularly if I'm listening to a song as it will be stopped as soon as I plug it in. It wouldn't cost Apple very much to include a basic wall charger, considering how much money they make from iPods. The exterior of the 5G iPods seems cheaper too, and much easier to scratch.

Anyway, back on topic:
I powered mine from the USB port on my PowerBook, installed the update and it worked fine. If you hooked it up to a machine with a beefy power supply and it still didn't work, it sounds like there's a problem with your iPod. I doubt hooking it up to a wall charger would make any difference.
Click to expand...
Some iPod models come with power adaptors and some do not, unfortunately. They really *all* should come with power adaptors. It's like selling someone a car without the key. Ridiculous. Anyway, the iPod Nano doesn't come with one, so I had to buy one. Ah well.
 
kainjow said:
Ah, see that's right. You have an iPod that doesn't support FireWire, so it doesn't need to be connected to the AC charger after the update. iPods that work with FW and are connected via USB require the AC charger, from what I've seen.
Click to expand...
Ah ... I see! Well, that explains it, then. Though I'm not sure that I fullly understand the difference between connecting an iPod via USB port and connecting it via FW port. Sure, I know they're different ports, but what's the functional difference? I do iPod-syncing, adding songs, removing songs, etc. via USB. Doesn't FW basically do the same thing?
 
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