Whirlpool

I finally got round to reformatting my 30gig ipod for mac but now when I connect it to my pc laptop to transfer files it asks me to reformat. Is there anyway I can access the HD without reformatting as I'm away on holidays and can't get to a mac.

Thanks & have a Happy New Year

i don't know any work arounds, but i would of recommended leaving your ipod windows formatted, that way both pc and macs can access the ipod.

From ilounge at www.ilounge.com/index.ph...ds-as-hard-disks:

You’ll need to bear in mind how your iPod is formatted. If your iPod is formatted for a Windows computer, you’ll be able to access its contents on both Macs and PCs. However, if it’s formatted for use on a Mac, you’ll only be able to use it on Macs. Mac users also need to be aware that they cannot copy some files to Windows-formatted iPods, or to iPod shuffles (which are all formatted for Windows, using FAT32 formatting).

I think you might be out of luck till you get back to your music collection...

Google 'Macdrive'.

Jerome

Macdrive works a treat!

 Topher1976  writes...

Macdrive

Is there a free version?

BiKuTa writes...

Is there a free version?

no but there is a trial version, for me its a no brainier to purchase it because its peaty cheap

jeromeyfied writes...

Google 'Macdrive'.

Brillant and thanks Jerome, that worked without any problems, I've got the 5 day trial but it seems like a solid investment.

millsE writes...

I would of recommended leaving your ipod windows formatted

I would find that sound advice (excuse pun, unintended). Then why would Apple ship them with Mac formatting? This happened to my nephew. Its his Christmas present. Its presents a serious hassle for them. They have no Macs in the house and won't have.

As stop gap, I filled his iPod from my iBook. But he only has a little of "his" preferred music. (We just copied one of his CD's to the iBook, after wasting a lot of time trying to use the PC to load the iPod.)

Particularly it seems silly as they should be encouraging our PC friends to use iPods, not making them wonder why they purchased the Apple branded MP3 player.

swiftos writes...

Then why would Apple ship them with Mac formatting?

Um, cos it's an Apple product?

(We just copied one of his CD's to the iBook, after wasting a lot of time trying to use the PC to load the iPod.)

Apple also offers SAMBA (Windows networking, which can be very convenient in situations such as above..

swiftos writes...

Then why would Apple ship them with Mac formatting? This happened to my nephew. Its his Christmas present. Its presents a serious hassle for them. They have no Macs in the house and won't have.

Umm, you can reformat it on a Windows PC running iTunes, can't you? AFAIK, iTunes will do it automatically once you connect the iPod. I'm actually not sure whether iPods ship with NTFS/FAT32 formatting by default or not, but it's dead easy to convert them to whatever format you need...

Achtung Baby  writes...

Umm, you can reformat it on a Windows PC running iTunes, can't you? AFAIK, iTunes will do it automatically once you connect the iPod. I'm actually not sure whether iPods ship with NTFS/FAT32 formatting by default or not, but it's dead easy to convert them to whatever format you need...

It sure does. Something along the lines of "Windows can't read this iPod, would you like to reformat?".

One curious thing, I'm pretty sure the new Nano's are actually formatted for windows by default. (Work at an applecentre btw, and the few that I've demonstrated for customers have been). It does make alot of sense, as 7-8/10 people who buy iPods will be using with their PC's.

Jerome

It sure does. Something along the lines of "Windows can't read this iPod, would you like to reformat?".

Hi, iTunes didn't do this. We were stuck with Mac formatting.

The help referred to a CD that came with his Nano. There of course wasn't any such CD.

So either his was "old" new unit or it just got formatted wrong at the factory?

For the record get yourself a good linux distro ... it cant mount and read mac/ntfs/fat whateva....

swiftos writes...

We were stuck with Mac formatting.

Hi swiftos. I confess I don't own an iPod yet: my Minister for War & Finance won't let me splurge. I'm waiting for MacWorld before I push the issue and try to get one in this New Year. But, I'm enjoying reading the Apple forum and learning.

I did some searching on the iLounge site, and it seems that iPods can be purchased in Apple or PC flavours. (Tell me if this is right guys.)

Anyway, this link says they can be changed one to the other: www.ilounge.com/index.ph...od-or-vice-versa. That links in turn to the Apple support site. I guess the best long-term solution for your nephew would be to convert his Pod using this software.

I've run my 60g Ipod in both windows and mac format (it's currently in Mac format) and i have to say, it runs a lot faster and i haven't had any skips or stalls since converting to mac format. Sure, i'd love to be able to use it to easily swap files between mac and pc, but it is a music player, and first and foremost i want it to perform such duties at it's best.

Lowie writes...

have to say, it runs a lot faster and i haven't had any skips or stalls since converting to mac format.

Which when you think about it is quite understandable, it's Apple's native format.

This is important to remember: "Performing a conversion may violate your iPod’s warranty and/or Apple will not give you any support for your iPod after having converted it."

(audioboffin) writes...

This is important to remember: "Performing a conversion may violate your iPod’s warranty and/or Apple will not give you any support for your iPod after having converted it."

So then I'll recommend his Mum returns it to the store as "not fit for purpose" and demands an immediate replacement with a Windows formatted unit.

Much thanks for that, as I would have otherwise done the formatting recommended earlier in this discussion.

Again Apple is trying hard to inconvenience their customers. Either their software works or it doesn't. Why supply it otherwise. Sorry for another rant. I guess my idealism expects more from Apple than M$.

swiftos writes...

Hi, iTunes didn't do this.

Newer versions of iTunes do (at least on Mac).. for older versions of iTunes (and maybe the latest ones on Windows) you'll need to use the iPod software update to do a reset of the iPod. Either way, it will do it, and on a nano too.

Audio boffin that sounds like crap, how can this void your warranty when they make a pc version of iTunes that cant read mac formatted iPods ?

mark writes...

Audio boffin that sounds like crap, how can this void your warranty when they make a pc version of iTunes that cant read mac formatted iPods ?

mark writes...

Audio boffin that sounds like crap, how can this void your warranty when they make a pc version of iTunes that cant read mac formatted iPods ?

mark you don't like the sound of that huh? Sorry, it might sound like crap, but dig into the fine print. Also "Using an iPod formatted for Macintosh on a Windows computer is not supported. Using an iPod formatted for Windows on a Macintosh computer is not supported. To determine your iPod's hard disk format see "iPod: How to determine iPod's hard disk format." To change the iPod format you will need to restore iPod using iTunes. For more information on the how to restore iPod with iTunes see "Restoring iPod to factory settings."

swiftos writes...

Again Apple is trying hard to inconvenience their customers. Either their software works or it doesn't. Why supply it otherwise. Sorry for another rant. I guess my idealism expects more from Apple than M$.

This has got nothing to do with Apple vs. MS. If you're looking for someone to blame, you can blame the people who sold the iPod to you (heaven knows why you would though). I really don't understand why you're making such a big deal out of it, since it's trivial to convert an iPod from Windows to Mac using iTunes, I've done it many times, it's been possible to do this for years now.

It's completely irrelevant what format the iPod comes in from the factory, because the first thing you need to do is install iTunes 7 (or higher) and let it setup the iPod. Follow the user instructions that come with the iPod nano.

(audioboffin) writes...

This is important to remember: "Performing a conversion may violate your iPod’s warranty and/or Apple will not give you any support for your iPod after having converted it."

you probably don't mean anything sinister by this... but this sounds like BS and FUD.

Since when does Apple say that converting an iPod from Mac to Windows or vice versa will void the warranty? People should stop making up ridiculously untrue statements and passing them off as coming straight from Apple's mouth.

Achtung Baby  writes...

People should stop making up ridiculously untrue statements and passing them off as coming straight from Apple's mouth.

www.ilounge.com/index.ph...od-or-vice-versa which originated from a document in the Apple TIL.

(audioboffin) writes...

which originated from a document in the Apple TIL.

while the article does have some merit its date is 03

during this time the iPod came in 2 versions the "windows" version and the "Mac" version, both were the 2G iPod with a different set of CD's (iirc it was musicmatch for windows and iTunes for Mac) ect but most importantly the iPod was formated in a different file system for the different OS the unit was made for, at the time it WAS voiding the warenty because the product was used for something it was not ment for

HOWEVER

since the 3G iPod was introduced and the "for Mac & PC" printed on the box's this was no longer the issue, converting your iPod format does NOT void your warenty anymore,

note: i may have lost of the plot and none of this is right (have been very sick)

*circlan*Nick  writes...

HOWEVER

since the 3G iPod was introduced and the "for Mac & PC" printed on the box's this was no longer the issue, converting your iPod format does NOT void your warenty anymore

Thanks for the clarification, this does make good sense.

Now it finally makes sense. I will work with my nephew using my iBook to change it to Windows. That's what he has at home. And their new computer (planned) will also be a Windoze machine.

Glad we have it all settled. Thanks to all for helping me, to help them.