Phone call asking for advice, someone's daughter away at University is having a problem with an iPod nano that can't be synched. I'm told the error message relates to iPod Service Module.
iPod Service Module? Exactly that? Are you sure? Yes, I'm told, that's exactly it. And what's the solution? Apparently sensible daughter has reinstalled iTunes, tried endlessly but iTunes will not recognise the iPod and it won't synch. Stressed parent demands an answer. Why is iTunes such rubbish?
So I try to point out - politely - that iTunes is very far from rubbish. It's a great, solid, reliable program which must by now be one of the most widely used pieces of code in the world. Actually on Windows its two programs, one iTunes itself the other a small program that runs all the time, watching and waiting for an iPod to be connected. When it detects an iPod, iPod Classic, iPod shuffle or iPod Nano it fires up its big brother and hey presto there's iTunes. If you do control/alt/delete Task Manager will show you its running processes and there you'll see it - except its called iPodService.exe. Take careful note, no space.
So I ask again, because I'd expect a genuine error message to faithfully replicate the program name - "iPodService.exe" - rather than the probably other program generated "iPod Service Error". Yes, I'm assured, the message is just as I've been told, the space is there. So being hundreds of miles from the offending PC I have to speculate and come up with an answer.
Since iPod Service Module or iPodService.exe monitors the USB ports there could be a problem there. Maybe there are too many devices attached and there isn't enough power; maybe the port has been damaged. Maybe there's a fault in the white cable causing an electrical fault. All quickly dismissed by parent (by now becoming tetchy).
What else monitors USB ports? I'd also take a look at those fierce guardians of our safety - the firewall and virus software. Daughter runs Norton. I laugh - over the years removing Norton from PCs that are playing up has been a steady source of income. So I point the finger of blame in that direction. Parent suddenly seems happy, promises to ring daughter with a shopping list of actions to tackle the issue. He promises to ring me back and let me know what works. Thus far I've heard nothing so assume it's been fixed.
Further suggestion - isolate the fault. In this case its in the iPod, the cable or the PC. Try to connect iPod to another computer, if its recognised there the problem is with your computer. Try another cable. Try another iPod with the computer, if that works you know the issue is with your iPod.
19 comments:
I have this exact issue but I'm using McAfee. The error is - iPodService Module has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience. That's it exactly. I have uninstalled and reinstalled itunes. Most recently 7.6.1. What actually happens and I've watched it happen is that ipodservice.exe does stop. I then restart it manually. Do you recommend shutting down the firewall altogether? I have also tried different ports and different cables and it happens with all three ipods in the house. The ipod is visible in "my computer" but not in itunes. Thanks for any insight you can provide!
I don't think is has anything to do with your firewall, or any other piece of software you're running. Since I published this post I've read of many, many people with the same problem. I'm tending to think now the problem is with iTunes itself. If indeed that's the case there's nothing you can do. If Apple correct this it'll be in a code update. In the meantime have you thought of XPlay 2 (www.mediafour.com) as a work around?
Hello Jeff,
With have the same iPod Service Manual issue...and nothing has worked so far.
We've reinstalled iTunes 2 or 3 times, even specifically deleting three other apple programs.
Our iPod and cable work just fine on someone elses computer. Here though it's not recognized in itunes from any usb port.
Our iTunes diagnostic turns up a problem with FireWire...
What's that?
We've even attempted to modify the registry, but to no avail. We used the administrator account, but it said no access in deleting the upper and lower filters.
We are using Norton 360..a problem?
Frustrated...
First the easy bit. Firewire is a type of interface, in may ways similar to USB. Firewire was championed by Apple and comes standard on their machines, its also popular with imaging devices because it was much faster than earlier versions of USB. I don't think its relevant to your problem.
Since my original post I have received many such emails, and seen many others on various forums. I've seen many suggested solutions, but nothing seems to work.
I have come to the conclusion that only Apple or Microsoft can actually explain and solve this issue. Sure it could be something to do with your virus catcher but if that were the cause thousands of users would have the problem.
I think for us users this is an insoluble problem.
My only slightly helpful suggestion is to try an alternative to iTunes (such as XPlay from www.mediafour.com); or use a friends PC; until such time as this is fixed.
I wish I could be more positive.
We had the exact same problem for months and found that it was an empty device driver. So check that before you read on ... Right click on your Computer, go to manage, then highlight Device Manager. If there is nothing listed, try the following options. The first possibilities are offered by MS but did not work in my circumstance as we had not recently updated to MS SP 3.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311504
and
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953791/en-us
Then I found an old posting printed below from JAZZ that was originally from Annoyances.com, AND IT WORKED! You may want to uninstall ALL iTunes related software, then reinstall.
Good Luck
CBGRI
From : http://www.softwaretipsandtricks.com/forum/windows-xp/15653-device-manager-blank.html
re: Empty Device Manager
"The issue is security permissions in the registry. I cannot tell how they are lost
but I can tell you how to fix it short of having to re-install Windows!
You must use regedt32.exe in Windows 2000/XP (as I have not seen this problem posted
for any other operating system). Be very carefull making changes in the regisrty!
You must be logged on as a local administrator to perform this task:
1. Go to "Start", "Run", and enter "regedt32"
2. Maximize the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" window.
3. Scroll down to "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum"
4. With "Enum" selected click the "Security", "Permissions" menu.
Note: At this point you will probably notice there are no permissions on this key.
5. Click "Add".
6. Add the group "Everyone" and the user "SYSTEM".
7. Select "Everyone" and check "Read" ONLY!
8. Select "SYSTEM" and check "Full Control".
9. Click the "Advanced" button at the bottom of the window.
10. On the Advanced window check "Reset permissions on all child objects..."
11. Click "OK"
12. On the warning window click "Yes"
13. Close REGEDT32
You should now be able to see everything in Device Manager, Network Places Properties,
and Printers."
CBGRI...thank you!! You have saved me. I have looked everywhere, tried registry changes, reinstalling itunes 10000 times, uninstalling norton, etc etc and nothing worked but this has fixed the problem with ease.
This is the only place online that i've found the answer. Honestly, i am so grateful, thanks! x
CBGRI: Thank you, thank you, thank you !!!
I too spent many mega-frustrating weeks trying to solve this problem and you've pointed me to the solution!
In my case I was able to follow the MS support instructions (I have SP 3 installed, although that too caused me weeks of headaches ...)
Once again, many thanks!
Dave
I can't believe that my iPod finally works.THANKK CBGRI! I've tried so many freakin things. I had all but given up and now i'm the happiest iPod user in the world right now. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU .
CBGRI: Thank you for posting this! I had tried many other fixes with no luck and then stumbled across your comment. Problem is now solved and my iPod is connecting again. Thank you! Thank you!!
Dude... When I click Enum I cant find a "Security" or "Permissions" tab. Can someone rephrase this tutorial on how to fix it :[
by the way, when i Click: "Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here that apply to child objects" and press okay, then press yes to the security warning. it gives me this popup saying:
"Registry Editors could not set security in the key currently selected, or some of its subkeys"
Damnit man, I was hoping i could fix it tonight :\
any ideas/help guys? -___-
thanks for this post after an allnighter on the net reading everything, this is the page that fixed it thanks
CBGRI, when I finish up all the steps and click "Yes" on the warning window, a popup saying:
"Registry Editors could not set security in the key currently selected, or some of its subkeys"
Help?
I can't find security or permission. Help!! :(
found it! :) its on edit
I got an error message:
"Can't reset permissions for the selected key or for one or more sub-keys"(I translated the error message, so it may not be 100% right)."
CBGRI: I love you man, you are the best!! Long time issue solved in no time. Thanks a lot. KP xx
Thank you soooo much!! This has been a problem for me for at least six months! This worked perfect!!! Feels like a just got a new present (a iPod that actually works)!! :)
A lot of people (me included) are having this problem on version 10 of iTunes, they should probably go here:
discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2565060&tstart=0
As for the post in general: The service name (if you go into Administrative Tools:Services,) does have a space in it, so it can indeed generate the error in question. I work in the final tier of tech support at my company, and while I never rule out that the user may just be stupid, I've also found that if I can get them to send me a screen shot that often time they are telling me the truth and that the problem does indeed exist as they are describing it, so I also don't rule out problems just because they don't make sense to me. Lets face it: if the problem made sense to me, I would have written it up in the database, and then the call wouldn't have every reached my level at all...
That said, people that call in on behalf of their adult children always rub me the wrong way, and so I generally tell them solutions like they need to reinstall windows. (It works 100% of the time. Or at least, they don't call back after I tell them that. :-)
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