I've been having lots of problems getting my iPod to connect to my eMac, and while trying to fix the problem, I've screwed up iTunes. I've been asking for help on IGN Boards. Here's the transcript.

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Topic: My eMac isn't detecting my new iPod! PLEASE HELP!

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thealexfish: I just bought a new iPod, and I installed the software on the iPod 2.1 CD, and when I connected the iPod to my eMac using the Firewire cable, it began charging, but Finder and iTunes was never able to detect it. I followed the troubleshooting instructions in the iPod Users Guide, but none of the troubleshooting answers helped. Does anyone have any suggestions for getting my computer to detect my new iPod?

eMac specs: Mac OS X version 10.2.8, 256 MB of memory, 700MHz PowerPC processor

The ipod is a 15 gig

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User A: It's not charged yet.

Charge it up, like it says in the book. You DID read the book, right?

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thealexfish: Are u serious? I thought it said that u can skip the recharge step if ure using a mac. K, Ill wait for it to recharge, then.

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User B: Try deleting your preference file for iTunes and iSync. I had a similar problem and this solved it.

Have you tried synching it with iSync yet? If your iSync doesn't recognize your iPod then it may be a bad preference file.

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User C: Hmm, the only times i've known people to have problems with it not working 'out-of-the-box' is when they're trying to get it to work on an OS9 machine.

What i do in that instance is put on the older iPod software - and it then works.

But sometimes (and here's the point of my post) it doesn't work right away after putting on the old software - i have to re-install iTunes - then it works fine.

Perhaps you could try chucking iTunes away and downloading it again?

As far as i know, it wouldn't be down to charging - as you're connected via firewire and therefore it's charging while connected

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thealexfish: Well, the charging thing didn't work, and deleting my pref files didn't work either, so I tried deleting iTunes that was on my computer and installing the one that came with the iPod disc, butwhen I try to install it it says that I already have a newer version of iTunes 4, which is BS. Now I'm afraid that I've screwed up my computer and that there's a problem with my iPod's hard drive. I think I'm going to take it back and get it replaced today (I bought it at Best Buy, because my parents didn't want to drive 45 minutes to the Apple Store.)

I tried installing the version on Apple's website, and when I try to install that one it says, "THIS SOFTWARE CANNOT BE INSTALLED ON THIS COMPUTER." I've really screwed myself over now, haven't I?

Is there a number I can call that lats me talk to an Apple tech? I really need help to get things straitened out. I cant get any new version of iTunes on my Mac and the pod still won't work.