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iPod Video iPod Will Not Update - Error 28

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Stan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2003
90
0
Using an iMac G5 1.8Ghz, 5G iPod. Whenever I attach my iPod to my Mac I get an error message, "The iPod "Video iPod" cannot be updated. An unknown error occurred (-208)"

If I select manual updating, I can add music and video. However, I cannot add any photos. Anyone any idea what this error is about, and what can be done? Many thanks.

PS I have tried this with an iPod Photo as well, and that returns the same error!
 
S

Stan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2003
90
0
6.0.2, but this was actually happening prior to upgrading to this version. I have subsequently tried the iPod in another Mac and it works just as it should, so the issue must be related to the iMac - I have tried swapping cables & usb ports all to no avail, so I guess it must be something to do with the software & maybe iPhoto (5.0.4) but I can't see how. Any idea what I can do next?
 
calculus

calculus

Guest
Dec 12, 2005
4,504
5
No sorry. I had some -208 problems but they were solved by updating iTunes. Hope you manage to solve it.
 
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codepoet80

macrumors newbie
May 4, 2005
20
0
Same error on iPod Photo

I get that exact same error with my iPod Photo, when synchronizing photos. Music, contacts, calendars all work fine, but when I check the box to sync all my photos I get an error during sync.
I have not been able to solve this problem, or to find any information about it on the Apple support sites. What I've done is to change the Photo selection from "All" to only specific photo albums. I add one album at a time, sync, and add another one, until I find the album that causes the problem. Then I just uncheck that one and go on.
However, the problem album seems to float around, and it's not always the same. I'll be able to sync fine for a few days, and then the error will pop up, and I'm back to square one trying to hunt down the problem. Eventually I just decided to only copy over 4-5 of my favourite albums, and I uncheck the rest.

I've formatted the iPod numerous times, I've updated iTunes whenever a new version came available, I've updated the OS religiously, and I even changed Macs recently(importing my iPhoto library) and the problem is still there. It just occured to me as I'm typing this, that I always use FAT (Windows Format) on my iPod, so maybe that's related. Anyone else have any ideas -- I'd love to solve this!
 
S

Stan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2003
90
0
I have tried importing different albums manually myself, but have had no success. When I click to start, the process removed the old photos in their entirety as instructed, the error only appeared when it started to try to add the photos from my library. I too am running the most up-to-date iPhoto/iTunes/iPod software - it's a headscratcher!
 
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Stan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2003
90
0
Mac formatted. I am attempting to load the photos through iTunes as normal. I would interested to see if it is was possible to load pictures another way whether there would be the same result. I suspect not. Is this possible?
 
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codepoet80

macrumors newbie
May 4, 2005
20
0
As far as I know, no. I mean you can copy photos over in disk mode, but you won't be able to see them on your iPod's screen. The only way to get them there is to sync them in, or to import them using the iPod to Digicam dongle you can buy -- which I've used successfully numerous times.

Let's compare some other factors:
- We know it occurs in both Mac and Windows format
- We know it occurs in 4G (my iPod Photo) and 5G (your iPod w/Video)
- Both machines I've used are G4s (eMac and Dual Windtunnel)
- My iPod is always in Disk Mode
- My iPod syncs on connect
- I use the Firewire cable
- I import photos from multiple digicams, and have a few photo imported by dragging them from the desktop into iPhoto

What's your configuration for the above items. Anyone think of any other factors?
 
S

Stan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2003
90
0
- We know it occurs in both Mac and Windows format
- We know it occurs in 4G (my iPod Photo) and 5G (your iPod w/Video)
- Both machines I've used are G4s (eMac and Dual Windtunnel)
- My iPod is always in Disk Mode
- My iPod syncs on connect
- I use the Firewire cable
- I import photos from multiple digicams, and have a few photo imported by dragging them from the desktop into iPhoto

What's your configuration for the above items. Anyone think of any other factors?

I use an iMac G5 1.8Ghz, but I have successfully updated my iPod Photo from my Powerbook G4 in the past (this is currently out of action!). I will try and fix it so I can test the iPod Video with it - I need to do a software restall on
 
S

Stan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2003
90
0
- We know it occurs in both Mac and Windows format
- We know it occurs in 4G (my iPod Photo) and 5G (your iPod w/Video)
- Both machines I've used are G4s (eMac and Dual Windtunnel)
- My iPod is always in Disk Mode
- My iPod syncs on connect
- I use the Firewire cable
- I import photos from multiple digicams, and have a few photo imported by dragging them from the desktop into iPhoto

What's your configuration for the above items. Anyone think of any other factors?

I use an iMac G5 1.8Ghz, but I have successfully updated my iPod Photo from my Powerbook G4 in the past (this is currently out of action!). I will try and fix it so I can test the iPod Video with it - I need to do a software restall on the Powerbook but am trying to find a way of getting the data off it with Firevault before doing this.

As for the iPod, I am using USB2 for the iPod G5, I have 2 digital cameras, and all the photos in the library are from these two cameras or my phone (Sony Ericcson K750i). I tried removing the phone pix to see if that helped - it didn't. The iPod Photo is firewire. I do not use iSync, I only attempt to update manually, although I did set iPhoto to automatic to see if that cured the problem, which it didn't!
 
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codepoet80

macrumors newbie
May 4, 2005
20
0
So here's what we know for sure:

- Occurs on both Mac and Windows formatted iPods
- Occurs in 4G and 5G iPods
- Occurs on G4 and G5 based Macs
- Occurs with both Firewire and USB2 connections
- Not related to camera input source
- Occurs with both automatic and manual syncing

Which makes for a great summary, but doesn't get us any closer to solving the problem, does it?
The only thing I can see that's left to eliminate is whether or not this happens when the iPod is NOT in disk mode. I'd test this myself, but I'm in New York and my Mac is in Canada... and will be for another 2 weeks. (And yes, I miss my wind tunnel dearly)
 
S

Stan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2003
90
0
Codepoet, I'm not sure what you mean when you say the iPod is in 'disk' mode? If you can explain how to be in disk mode and out of disk mode then I will test it on my Mac and see how it goes...
 
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codepoet80

macrumors newbie
May 4, 2005
20
0
Well, I can't tell you the exact steps without my Mac to plug my iPod into, but it's in the options for your iPod (right click on it in the source list on the left). Disk mode allows you to use your iPod as a hard drive, dragging files on and off it.
 
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Stan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2003
90
0
Tried right clicking on the iPod icon on the desktop and in iTunes and all it offered was the normal iPod preference panel, so still unsure how to put the iPod in 'disk' mode. I have it set to manual, and drag and drop all my files onto it, is this not the same?

Anyway, trailed through Apple support and the only thing I could find relating to error 28 was a definition on this page: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=9805

Error-28 Not Open Err Couldn't rd/wr/ctl/sts cause driver not opened

Which I guess we probably knew, ie a read/write error, but I am still no nearer kn owing what to do about it! Anyone?
 
C

codepoet80

macrumors newbie
May 4, 2005
20
0
There's like 4 or 5 sub-panes of iPod options. It's in their somewhere, I promise. Check your manual -- it's a pretty standard setting, not a hack or anything. One way to tell if your iPod is in disk mode, is if you have to drag it from the desktop to the trash to unmount it (manual unmount)
 
S

Stan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2003
90
0
In that case, it IS in disk mode, because that is always how I have to unmount it.
 
paddy

paddy

macrumors 6502a
Jun 25, 2005
651
0
TN
Something similar happened to my friends iPod shuffle. It wouldn't update (not sure if it was an error 28 or not) but it was solved by downloading the software update and clicking the restore to factory settings instead of update. Have you tried a restore?
 
S

Stan

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2003
90
0
Yeah, tried a restore but it made no difference. Thanks for your suggestion anyway. All ideas welcome!
 
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