iPod Service Module Error

You may have seen the earlier entry on this blog posting suggested solutions to the dreaded iPod Service Module Error. Since this was originally suggested (sadly not be me but by a blog reader) I've received many positive comments saying this soultuion has worked for others.

If you're looking at this and the earlier, longer, set of instructions and for any reason you having a problem I'd suggest you look at the responses to the posts. These don't automatically appear and one of the comments suggests an alternative location at which one of the instruction steps can be located. Best of luck with this.

Oh, and in answer to another post, I don't think there is a "simple" solution to the curse of the iPod Service Module Error.

iPod Service Module Close Error - Solved?

In an earlier post I mentioned how several www.podserve.co.uk clients had run up against this problem. Despite helpful suggestions we were unable to find a solution. The best I could offer was a workround using a product such as Xplay (now up to version 3 by the way).

Well, fingers crossed, iPod and iTunes users could have a solution thanks to an authorative reply which I think deserves prominence. Here it is in full:-

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."

My thanks to CGBRI, wish I knew more about you so I could credit you properly.

iPod Service Module Error

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.