iPod iPod Classic not recognized in Big Sur?

[Strangedream]

Hi all,

I have a problem with Big Sur, my computer doesn't seem to recognize my 6th generation 120GB Apple Classic anymore. When I go into system report, the iPod is there in the USB list, however Music app and Disk Utilities fail to see the device altogether.

I tried restarting the iPod, restarting the computer, alas with no success. Any ideas on what I could do?

Thanks!

 

[dauber]

Sorry for the late reply, but I just discovered an app called Retroactive, which will install any of a handful of Apple apps that didn't run starting with Catalina. I got a new iMac last week and upgraded my 2015 MBP to Big Sur, and it works like a charm with my 5th-gen. Use iTunes this way and you'll be in good shape.

GitHub - cormiertyshawn895/Retroactive: Retroactive only receives limited support. Run Aperture, iPhoto, and iTunes on macOS Sonoma, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina. Xcode 11.7 on macOS Mojave. Final Cut Pro 7, Logic

Retroactive only receives limited support. Run Aperture, iPhoto, and iTunes on macOS Sonoma, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina. Xcode 11.7 on macOS Mojave. Final Cut ...

github.com

 

[chinchillas]

Sorry for the late reply, but I just discovered an app called Retroactive, which will install any of a handful of Apple apps that didn't run starting with Catalina. I got a new iMac last week and upgraded my 2015 MBP to Big Sur, and it works like a charm with my 5th-gen. Use iTunes this way and you'll be in good shape.

GitHub - cormiertyshawn895/Retroactive: Retroactive only receives limited support. Run Aperture, iPhoto, and iTunes on macOS Sonoma, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina. Xcode 11.7 on macOS Mojave. Final Cut Pro 7, Logic

Retroactive only receives limited support. Run Aperture, iPhoto, and iTunes on macOS Sonoma, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina. Xcode 11.7 on macOS Mojave. Final Cut ...

github.com

.

 

[Auggie]

Sorry for the late reply, but I just discovered an app called Retroactive, which will install any of a handful of Apple apps that didn't run starting with Catalina. I got a new iMac last week and upgraded my 2015 MBP to Big Sur, and it works like a charm with my 5th-gen. Use iTunes this way and you'll be in good shape.

GitHub - cormiertyshawn895/Retroactive: Retroactive only receives limited support. Run Aperture, iPhoto, and iTunes on macOS Sonoma, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina. Xcode 11.7 on macOS Mojave. Final Cut Pro 7, Logic

Retroactive only receives limited support. Run Aperture, iPhoto, and iTunes on macOS Sonoma, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina. Xcode 11.7 on macOS Mojave. Final Cut ...

github.com

I tried Retroactive but both iTunes and sometimes the Finder reports that another app has control of my iPod Classic and therefore neither iTunes, nor of course, Music/Finder, will sync my Classic.

How did you get it to sync?

 

[chinchillas]

Sorry for the late reply, but I just discovered an app called Retroactive, which will install any of a handful of Apple apps that didn't run starting with Catalina. I got a new iMac last week and upgraded my 2015 MBP to Big Sur, and it works like a charm with my 5th-gen. Use iTunes this way and you'll be in good shape.

GitHub - cormiertyshawn895/Retroactive: Retroactive only receives limited support. Run Aperture, iPhoto, and iTunes on macOS Sonoma, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina. Xcode 11.7 on macOS Mojave. Final Cut Pro 7, Logic

Retroactive only receives limited support. Run Aperture, iPhoto, and iTunes on macOS Sonoma, macOS Ventura, macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, and macOS Catalina. Xcode 11.7 on macOS Mojave. Final Cut ...

github.com

It doesn't recognize my 5th gen iPod. This iPod is formatted as fat, as it was first used in a Windows machine. I don't want to format it by clicking restore. Any ideas?

 

[chinchillas]

It doesn't recognize my 5th gen iPod. This iPod is formatted as fat, as it was first used in a Windows machine. I don't want to format it by clicking restore. Any ideas?

Update. I'm able to drag and drop files via the Finder, but iTunes is not reading it and Music app ejects it.

 

[GMShadow]

In Big Sur you have to use the Finder to sync iPods, not Music.app. The Finder will show the classic iPod management screen.

 

[chinchillas]

In Big Sur you have to use the Finder to sync iPods, not Music.app. The Finder will show the classic iPod management screen.

Yes, I just did that to send a file to the iPod. But I want to use a software for my iPod in Big Sur. Retroactive-iTunes isn't recognizing my iPod. I just tried Strawberry and it doesn't work. VLC doesn't recognize the files.

 

[Capeto]

You could give iMazing a try, although I'm not sure what limitations the free version might have.

 

[chinchillas]

About the iTunes version (from github) for Big Sur. It didn't recognize my iPod, but it did recognize my iPhone. The problem is it left a mess after the sync. Each song was sent separately, not as part of an album. I checked the ID of the songs on my computer and they have the same album info. What am I doing wrong? Also the synced albums aren't listed on the phone. It's ridiculous that I have to unpack my 2006 super old Macbook to sync music. ?

 

[Auggie]

UPDATE: I recently bought a 2019 Mac Pro and my iPod Classic syncs with it just fine. So it appears the issue is with cMP's and whatever method allowed Big Sur to install in them...

 

[chinchillas]

UPDATE: I recently bought a 2019 Mac Pro and my iPod Classic syncs with it just fine. So it appears the issue is with cMP's and whatever method allowed Big Sur to install in them...

What are cMP's?

 

[MarkC426]

What are cMP's?

Classic Mac Pro or 'cheesegrater' (2006-2012)....

 

[lopezrain]

Hi all,

I have a problem with Big Sur, my computer doesn't seem to recognize my 6th generation 120GB Apple Classic anymore. When I go into system report, the iPod is there in the USB list, however Music app and Disk Utilities fail to see the device altogether.

I tried restarting the iPod, restarting the computer, alas with no success. Any ideas on what I could do?

Thanks!

 

[lopezrain]

Well, this something of a reply: I was just informed this afternoon by apple "support" that my ipod Classic has been jettisoned from any support and can nolonger be synced with my iMac. I can still make new playlists in iMac but so what? my iPod classic is now frozenin time and and playlists I create in Music or any CDs I buy and import to Music can no longer be put on my iPod. What am I supposed to do now? In my iTunes/Music library I have about 3,000 tracks of which maybe 15 are songs I downloaded form the app store over the years.

A quick search of devices to replace the iPod turn up only devices are focused on streaming services. Not interested. I'm starting to think there are no replacements for the iPod in terms of making playlists for myself from CDs I buy and arrange in playlists. It's all streaming now. What do I do? It seems Apple is holding my library hostage and I have to
$120 a year to listen to playlists of CDs I've had for decades. Why does this setup appeal to people?

 

[GMShadow]

You don't sync it through Music.app, you sync it through the Finder. It will appear on the left column just like a flash drive. Click it, and it will bring up the familiar sync window.

Well, this something of a reply: I was just informed this afternoon by apple "support" that my ipod Classic has been jettisoned from any support and can nolonger be synced with my iMac. I can still make new playlists in iMac but so what? my iPod classic is now frozenin time and and playlists I create in Music or any CDs I buy and import to Music can no longer be put on my iPod. What am I supposed to do now? In my iTunes/Music library I have about 3,000 tracks of which maybe 15 are songs I downloaded form the app store over the years.

A quick search of devices to replace the iPod turn up only devices are focused on streaming services. Not interested. I'm starting to think there are no replacements for the iPod in terms of making playlists for myself from CDs I buy and arrange in playlists. It's all streaming now. What do I do? It seems Apple is holding my library hostage and I have to
$120 a year to listen to playlists of CDs I've had for decades. Why does this setup appeal to people?

 

[lopezrain]

Hello GM Shadow, thank you so much for your reply. I tried your approach and it works fine, just like before. Not 100% intuitive but I was able to figure it out. Thank you very much. I go t completely wrong info from the person I talked to at Apple Support. She was mainly focused on informing me that the iPod Classic was an orphan and Apple would no longer provide support. Oh well! Seems like it works fine now! Thanks again.

 

[GMShadow]

It's not the most intuitive thing, and at this point, yes, I suspect Apple Support isn't very well trained on iPods. Glad it worked.