itunesdb issue

[mciocco]

So I'm running Ubuntu Dapper and installed Amarok 1.3.9 (the one that's installed by default).  When I attached my 30 GB iPod Video, 3/4 of my files disappeared.  Judging by filesize and free space, they're still on the iPod, but I can't see them.  I was able to eject the ipod fine, but it only has 256 songs on it (and they show up under videos as well).  All podcasts, videos, and most songs won't show up.

This appears to have happened before:
http://amarok.kde.org/forum/index.php/topic,9127.0.html

However, in that thread, everyone says that they can use gtkpod to restore their iPod and I can't figure out how to do this.  When I bring up gtkpod, I'm still not seeing the appropriate files and I don't see any obvious way to repair the itunesdb (and I don't want to screw things up further).  If I attach this to a windows machine with iTunes, will that be able to repair it?

The thread also mentions that this was fixed in Amarok 1.4, but I can't seem to find that in the Ubuntu app managers.  I don't really understand the directions to upgrade, and don't currently have the time to devote more than I have to resolving this. Quite frankly, I'm just hoping to cut my losses and get my ipod working again.  Is there any way to do this quickly that doesn't involve stuff that's baffling to a linux noob?

I'd love to use Amarok (it looks like a great app!), but I have to admit that this problem and the amount of time it's taking me to resolve it is quite distressing...  any help would be appreciated:)

[Scott M. Likens]

So I'm running Ubuntu Dapper and installed Amarok 1.3.9 (the one that's installed by default).  When I attached my 30 GB iPod Video, 3/4 of my files disappeared.  Judging by filesize and free space, they're still on the iPod, but I can't see them.  I was able to eject the ipod fine, but it only has 256 songs on it (and they show up under videos as well).  All podcasts, videos, and most songs won't show up.

This appears to have happened before:
http://amarok.kde.org/forum/index.php/topic,9127.0.html

However, in that thread, everyone says that they can use gtkpod to restore their iPod and I can't figure out how to do this.  When I bring up gtkpod, I'm still not seeing the appropriate files and I don't see any obvious way to repair the itunesdb (and I don't want to screw things up further).  If I attach this to a windows machine with iTunes, will that be able to repair it?

The thread also mentions that this was fixed in Amarok 1.4, but I can't seem to find that in the Ubuntu app managers.  What's the deal?

I'd love to use Amarok (it looks like a great app!), but I have to admit that this problem and the amount of time it's taking me to resolve it is quite distressing...  any help would be appreciated:)

That's quite an old bug, might I suggest upgrading to 1.4.3

I once ran into it, it actually was related to a firmware update with the ipod, I reverted my firmware version until gtkpod could be corrected at the time.

*NOTE* amarok does use libgpod which is based off of gtkpod. 

But you more then likely need to update libgpod and amarok.

if you'd like to find out where, I might suggest reading

http://amarok.kde.org/wiki/Download:Kubuntu

However that won't correct your problem, you have alot of orphaned files now.  I might suggest regular itunes 7 to recover it, or just wipe and re-start if you can live with it.

[Seb Ruiz]

Install 1.4.3, and you can add all ophaned files back to the database

[Martin Aumueller]

For upgrading Amarok, you should add the lines

deb http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-backports main restricted universe
deb-src http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-backports main restricted universe

to your /etc/apt/sources.list file. After that, do the following commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install amarok

[mciocco]

Thanks everyone for the very quick responses to what I'm sure is an annoying post.  Using iTunes on a windows box just crashes iTunes when I connect the iPod.  Will have to upgrade Amarok when I get a chance.

[mciocco]

UPDATE:  Following Martin Aumueller's steps, I was able to install version 1.4.3.  However, I'm now having a problem accessing my iPod.  When I try to connect, I get the following error:

Media Device: iPod mounted at /media/ipod already locked! If you are sure that this is an error, then remove the file /media/ipod/iPod_Control/iTunes/iTunesLock and try again.

There are two buttons on the dialog, one of which is "remove."  I tried selecting that once, and the list loaded.  However, when I tried to "Repair" the ipod by finding orphaned files, etc..., the computer chugs along and Amarok eats up more and more memory until it crashes.  I'm assuming that the "Remove" button is not really working and that the iPod is in read only mode or something.

This thread seems to be about the same issue:
http://amarok.kde.org/forum/index.php/topic,12278.0.html

It looks like he was able to resolve the issue, but I'm not sure I understand how or why.  Something about using dosfsck.  Apparently his filesystem was corrupt?  Does this mean I have to delete all the data on my iPod and start over?

I feel like I'm in way over my head here.  Any additional help would be great.  Thanks again for all your help so far...

ANOTHER UPDATE: When I try to exit from Amarok, I get this error:

During the previous startup, KNotify crashed while instantiating KNotify. Do you want to try again or disable aRts sound output?
If you choose to disable aRts output now, you can re-enable it later or select an alternate sound player in the System Notifications control panel.

No idea what this means...

[mciocco]

YET ANOTHER UPDATE: Things are going somewhat better.  At last check I was at 480 songs (up from 256).  I'm able to read and write to the iPod without incident.  However, I still can't use the "repair" functionality in Amarok.  It just eats up memory until there's none lefft, then it just shuts down.  In any case, I'm using gtkpod to recover my orphaned files, and it appears to be working (though it's taking a looooong time to scan through the ipod).

Hopefully that will be it.  Thanks again for all your help!

[marshalle]

In case it's related, when songs are deleted in Amarok, they go into KDE's trash bin.  Each drive (of which I presume an ipod would be one) has it's own trash bin folder.  Have a look on the device for a .kde folder and see if anything is in there, it couldn't hurt.  Also if you are using Gnome instead of KDE, the kde trash contents won't show up in Gnomes trash bin, which can also throw you a bit.

[nick.seifert]

Hey,
I'm just 5 days young with Kubuntu, so bear with me.

My Ipod (5g) was working fine for a bit, but now has the problem described above: my files are gone from Amarok, gtkpod, and apparently the ipod.  The disk space is still taken.

I can't repair in Amarok, or in Gtkpod, both freeze.

Nor can i delete files as root from the /mnt/ipod/... directories.

I tried to run dosfsck and got:


sudo dosfsck -a /dev/sda2
dosfsck 2.11, 12 Mar 2005, FAT32, LFN
Wrong checksum for long file name "iTunesDB".
  (Short name FSCK0000.REN may have changed without updating the long name)
  Not auto-correcting this.
/dev/sda2: 812 files, 246989/1824490 clusters



I don't care if i have to format, though i'd rather not.  Please help!

[Martin Aumueller]

Hi Nick,

it appears that something has corrupted the file system on your ipod. The only solution will probably be to reformat it. If you are lucky, you will still be able to copy most of your music off of your ipod before doing this.

[nick.seifert]

Martin,

So my two questions are then:
1. what is the best way to copy the files off.  Can i just straight up copy the Music folder, then put it back on later?

2. How do i format it?

Thanks.


Update:
After messing around for quite some time i've gotten some odd things to happen.  I don't know what they mean though...

I did get sudo dosfsck -a /dev/sda2 to work, though i had to delete the file called FSCK0000.REN.  (Perhaps this explains what i'm now seeing?)

Now when i use gtkpod to try and help my orphaned files it will sometimes get as many as 30 files found, then crash.  The funny thing is, that the reason it seems to be crashing is because the ipod decides do eject itself, and remount in a different spot. Normally it would be sda2, it might decide to switch itself to sdb2, or sdc2.

Any help would be appriciated. Otherwise i'm just going to format it (if someone can tell me how).

[Martin Aumueller]

Just copying the Music folder should save your music. Just re-add it later. However, podcasts will not be stored as such on your ipod then.

The symptoms you describe might be due to some flaky usb (cable, ...).

I always formatted my ipod with the ipod firmware updater on a windows system.