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iPod Using ipod while charging via USB???

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dezigNergy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 18, 2005
23
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Hey everyone. I recently purchased a 2ndGen iPod mini 6GB and am wondering if it is at all possible to use/ listen to music while charging it via USB? Right now i can't access it. It just displays "Do not disconnect" on the screen. If there's a way of doing it please tell me how.

Thanks.

:)
 
As far as I can tell, no you can't listen to music through the iPod while charging it connected to a computer as the computer see's it as a hard disk while it's pluged in.
Is there some reason you can't just listen to the music through iTunes? I mean it should be exactly the same, and even if it isn't if you manualy keep the iPod updated, you should be able to click on the iPod in iTunes and listen to songs that way.
 
My 60GB iPod photo, while paired with my Powerbook, will let me use it while it's charging -- but only after it does a sync.

If Disk Mode is enabled, I'm pretty sure that using it while it's charging is not an option.
 
ChrisBrightwell said:
My 60GB iPod photo, while paired with my Powerbook, will let me use it while it's charging -- but only after it does a sync.

If Disk Mode is enabled, I'm pretty sure that using it while it's charging is not an option.
Click to expand...

I think your probabily right, I've actually never used my iPod without having disk mode enabled. I'd try turning it off and see what happens.
 
With my 40gb 4th gen if i eject the iPod but leave it plugged in, it'll go to a screen showing a large battery being charged, at which point pressing the menu button will let me use the 'Pod.
 
Yes, you can listen to the iPod while it's charging. You don't need to disable Disk mode either. When you plug in the iPod, it'll mount as a disk. Just unmount the disk and they you'll have access to your menus and can listen to your music.

If you're listening to your music and you plug the iPod into the computer, the music will stop. I'm guessing if you plug it into the wall charger, it'll just charge and the music will keep playing.
 
Pismo said:
Yes, you can listen to the iPod while it's charging. You don't need to disable Disk mode either. When you plug in the iPod, it'll mount as a disk. Just unmount the disk and they you'll have access to your menus and can listen to your music.

If you're listening to your music and you plug the iPod into the computer, the music will stop. I'm guessing if you plug it into the wall charger, it'll just charge and the music will keep playing.
Click to expand...

Just as a side note, this does not seem to work on Windows. I use my PC at work to charge my iPod if I forget to plug it in at home, and if I plug it into my work PC then I get the "Do Not Disconnect" and it charges. Mind you my iPod is Mac so I can't use it as a disk but it still shows up as an iPod in the "Removable Media" icon on the task bar. However if I eject it there I get the iPod menu back but charging stops. I don't know if it's because I have a Mac iPod or if it's a flaw in windows, but just thought I'd mention it.
 
Disable hardware

You can listen to your iPod while charging through USB. Simply go to the system tray located to the left off your computers clock. Find the icon that adds/removes hardware and double click it. A window will come up with possible USB devices connected to your computer. Select iPod in that list and 'stop' the device. As soon as you stop the iPod, the 'please do not disconnect' screen will dissapear and your iPod will show the last screen you visited. Enjoy your iPod!

:cool:
 
BABarockus said:
You can listen to your iPod while charging through USB. Simply go to the system tray located to the left off your computers clock. Find the icon that adds/removes hardware and double click it. A window will come up with possible USB devices connected to your computer. Select iPod in that list and 'stop' the device. As soon as you stop the iPod, the 'please do not disconnect' screen will dissapear and your iPod will show the last screen you visited. Enjoy your iPod!

:cool:
Click to expand...


Nourozo is right. I just checked my iPod and it is not charging so I guess you cannot.

Sorry iPod users, better go and get a $30 powerblock!

:(
 
You can do this in windows as well, so save your money on that USB charger

we already notice that if you go to the little green disconnect thing by the clock and stop your ipod then it also stops charging.

instead of doing that, right click your ipod in my computer, drive E: or whatever and press eject. also come out of itunes.#

This way windows will dismount your ipod letting you play your music, and in my case (5th gen) it still keeps charging.
 
Just go into iTunes and eject the iPod. You can then use it without a problem while its charging on the USB cradle.

Although I have a question: Why not listen to your music on the computer its charging from?
 
jessep28 said:
Just go into iTunes and eject the iPod. You can then use it without a problem while its charging on the USB cradle.

Although I have a question: Why not listen to your music on the computer its charging from?
Click to expand...

sadly you're making the same terrible assumption that apple seem to have made - that the computer that your ipod is plugged into is the computer that your itunes are on. Like one of the posters above i use my work computer to recharge my ipod - as such i dont want to install itunes or have my song library installed on multiple computers
 
chipchidster said:
sadly you're making the same terrible assumption that apple seem to have made - that the computer that your ipod is plugged into is the computer that your itunes are on. Like one of the posters above i use my work computer to recharge my ipod - as such i dont want to install itunes or have my song library installed on multiple computers
Click to expand...

it will still charge. at least it does for my iPhone, so i'm sure it'll work with an ipod.
 
Yes, You Can!

Just today I had the same issue. I needed to charge my iPod at work (on PC), but wanted to continue listening. After reading one of the answers on this post, I figured it out.

Plug in your iPod. Windows will recognize it. Choose to "take no action". Then open My Computer, right click on the ipod drive, and select "Eject." That will release the drive, and let you listen to your music while charging it.

Good Luck!
 
Indeed - ejecting the drive works, using the "safely remove hardware" systray icon stops it charging.
 
This thread is over three and half years old. I'm going to close it because things have changed since then.
 
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