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jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
So i had my ipod touch since it came out last year and its been doing fine but ever since i downloaded itunes 8 i been having a problem. Now every time i hook my ipod touch to my computer it saids "this ipod cannot be used because the apple mobile device service is not started" . So whats up with that? Is anyone else having this problem? It just started saying that and tomorrow im going to buy the new touch but i want all my current songs and apps sync to my computer before i get a new one. So if u know the problem i would really appreciate it . Thanks
 

ryan.stewie

macrumors regular
Jan 15, 2008
135
0
Australia
So i had my ipod touch since it came out last year and its been doing fine but ever since i downloaded itunes 8 i been having a problem. Now every time i hook my ipod touch to my computer it saids "this ipod cannot be used because the apple mobile device service is not started" . So whats up with that? Is anyone else having this problem? It just started saying that and tomorrow im going to buy the new touch but i want all my current songs and apps sync to my computer before i get a new one. So if u know the problem i would really appreciate it . Thanks

Plug-OUT your ipod and follow these steps.

I'm assuming that you use a Windows computer. If you use Windows XP, click start, then click "run". If you use Windows Vista just click start.

Then either in the Run box in XP or in the Start Search in Vista, type services.msc

Then a window will appear with a list of services, dont mess around with them. find the service called "Apple Mobile Device" then right-click on it, then a drop down menu will appear, then click which ever one of these is available either "Start" or "Restart". Then plug in your ipod and see if it works.
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
Plug-OUT your ipod and follow these steps.

I'm assuming that you use a Windows computer. If you use Windows XP, click start, then click "run". If you use Windows Vista just click start.

Then either in the Run box in XP or in the Start Search in Vista, type services.msc

Then a window will appear with a list of services, dont mess around with them. find the service called "Apple Mobile Device" then right-click on it, then a drop down menu will appear, then click which ever one of these is available either "Start" or "Restart". Then plug in your ipod and see if it works.


Where do i do this? In itunes?thanks
 

ryan.stewie

macrumors regular
Jan 15, 2008
135
0
Australia
No, the START BUTTON. The big Green button in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. You are using Windows right?

----TAKE OUT YOUR IPOD AND CLOSE ITUNES BEFORE DOING THIS----
1. Click the START button, its the button in the bottom left hand corner of the screen.
2. Click on "Run"
3. When the Run window appears type services.msc
4. When the Services window appears, find the service called "Apple Mobile Device"
5. RIGHT-click the Apple Mobile Device service so a drop down menu appears.
6. On the drop down menu either click "Start" or "Restart", whichever is available for clicking.
7. Give it a minute to start or restart the service.
8. To stop this from happening again, right click the Apple Mobile Device service again, but this time in the drop down menu click "Properties"
9. Another window will appear. In the window there should be a part that says STARTUP TYPE, and next to it is a drop down box.
10. click the drop down box and click "AUTOMATIC", only AUTOMATIC, not anything else.
11. Then click "APPLY" at the bottom of the window.
12. Then click "OK" at the bottom of the window.
13 Close the "Services" window
14. Open iTunes.
15. Plug-in your iPod and it should work.
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
No, the START BUTTON. The big Green button in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. You are using Windows right?

----TAKE OUT YOUR IPOD AND CLOSE ITUNES BEFORE DOING THIS----
1. Click the START button, its the button in the bottom left hand corner of the screen.
2. Click on "Run"
3. When the Run window appears type services.msc
4. When the Services window appears, find the service called "Apple Mobile Device"
5. RIGHT-click the Apple Mobile Device service so a drop down menu appears.
6. On the drop down menu either click "Start" or "Restart", whichever is available for clicking.
7. Give it a minute to start or restart the service.
8. To stop this from happening again, right click the Apple Mobile Device service again, but this time in the drop down menu click "Properties"
9. Another window will appear. In the window there should be a part that says STARTUP TYPE, and next to it is a drop down box.
10. click the drop down box and click "AUTOMATIC", only AUTOMATIC, not anything else.
11. Then click "APPLY" at the bottom of the window.
12. Then click "OK" at the bottom of the window.
13 Close the "Services" window
14. Open iTunes.
15. Plug-in your iPod and it should work.

I clicked run but when i did it a window popped up saying "type the name" so i typed "Apple Mobile Device" and it said cannot find. So any idea what to do now ? thanks
 

ryan.stewie

macrumors regular
Jan 15, 2008
135
0
Australia
I clicked run but when i did it a window popped up saying "type the name" so i typed "Apple Mobile Device" and it said cannot find. So any idea what to do now ? thanks

No, i wrote above that in the run box, you need to type "services.msc" (Without the quotation marks.
 

GanXta

macrumors newbie
Jul 13, 2008
26
0
A workaround was posted in the Apple discussion forums, somewhere. Engadget or gizmodo reported it. Just uninstall Itunes and the mobile device drivers. Then download a new copy of Itunes 8 from Apple. Supposedly, they repacked the setup with an older version of the mobile device drivers from Itunes 7.7.
 

ryan.stewie

macrumors regular
Jan 15, 2008
135
0
Australia
A workaround was posted in the Apple discussion forums, somewhere. Engadget or gizmodo reported it. Just uninstall Itunes and the mobile device drivers. Then download a new copy of Itunes 8 from Apple. Supposedly, they repacked the setup with an older version of the mobile device drivers from Itunes 7.7.

thanks, im sure the thread starter will prefer doing that. Has Apple fixed the driver issues that cause BSOD's in Vista, my friends having problems with it.
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
A workaround was posted in the Apple discussion forums, somewhere. Engadget or gizmodo reported it. Just uninstall Itunes and the mobile device drivers. Then download a new copy of Itunes 8 from Apple. Supposedly, they repacked the setup with an older version of the mobile device drivers from Itunes 7.7.

This sounds confusing . Where do i go to uninstall itunes 8 and the mobile device drivers? Also will i lose anything from my itunes? Thanks
 

GanXta

macrumors newbie
Jul 13, 2008
26
0
Its actually quite easy. All you have to go is go to Add/Remove Programs or if your on Vista, Programs and Features. Itunes and Apple Mobile Device Support are listed right there. Then, restart and reinstall Itunes. Right now, it apparently works for my old 1st Gen Touch. Nothing is lost from your library, btw.
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
Well i went to ad/remove and i removed from my computer now im downloading itunes again from apple so i hope this works. Im a little nervous that i will lose my stuff tho.
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
Omg guys i think i lost everything!!!!!! What should i do? I still have all my stuff on my touch but itunes stuff is all gone what should i do?
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
Hold on i think everything is there . I was nervous because it was the same process as the first time i downloaded itunes so i thought i was basically downloading itunes all over.
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
WTF it still saids mobile device is not started but i just removed itunes and restarted so what now did i do something wrong?
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
Maybe bc i didn't delete Apple Mobile Device Support? Should i just do it all over and delete Apple Mobile Device Support too ?
 

GanXta

macrumors newbie
Jul 13, 2008
26
0
Yeah, try it again but this time remove the Mobile Device Support, so setup can install the older version.
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
Yeah, try it again but this time remove the Mobile Device Support, so setup can install the older version.


Wtf i tried it again and still didn't work. Am i doing something wrong? I removed itunes and apple mobile support then restarted my computer but nothing worked. This stinks im planning on heading down to apple to buy a new ipod touch later but my old ipod touch still has some some songs and apps that i didn't sync yet to my computer so it wouldn't be on my new one .So what should i do next?
 

GanXta

macrumors newbie
Jul 13, 2008
26
0
I'd try 1,2,3 first. Maybe something else is interfering with your Ipod, although then it would have interfered with it in Itunes 7.7.1. Was the install file you used for the reinstalls the one you originally used to install Itunes 8? Or did you just download it yesterday?
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
I'd try 1,2,3 first. Maybe something else is interfering with your Ipod, although then it would have interfered with it in Itunes 7.7.1. Was the install file you used for the reinstalls the one you originally used to install Itunes 8? Or did you just download it yesterday?

I just downloaded it yesterday.
 

GanXta

macrumors newbie
Jul 13, 2008
26
0
Thats odd, it should be updated. I guess if Solutions 1,2, and 3 don't work. Download the setup again and try Solution 4. But, this time uninstall both and restart. Install with the new setup file and restart. If it still doesn't work, keep your Ipod plugged in and go to Control Panel-> System, click on the hardware tab, open Device Manager. Then expand System Devices, I think, and tell it to reinstall, the Mobile Device drivers. Or you possibly might have to click uninstall and plug your Ipod back in.

I haven't seen any other workarounds yet.
 

jrok18

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 12, 2008
183
0
Thats odd, it should be updated. I guess if Solutions 1,2, and 3 don't work. Download the setup again and try Solution 4. But, this time uninstall both and restart. Install with the new setup file and restart. If it still doesn't work, keep your Ipod plugged in and go to Control Panel-> System, click on the hardware tab, open Device Manager. Then expand System Devices, I think, and tell it to reinstall, the Mobile Device drivers. Or you possibly might have to click uninstall and plug your Ipod back in.

I haven't seen any other workarounds yet.


The Thing is this problem could of occurred month ago but i wouldn't know bc i haven't sync my ipod for while now.
 

GanXta

macrumors newbie
Jul 13, 2008
26
0
Try weeding out any USB device one by one. BTW, are you using the same USB port to sync as before? Try switching it up.
 
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