Recently we received a message from Phi. Phi stated that they were having a problem whenever they plugged their iPod Touch into iTunes. The message that would be received said, “This ipod cannot be used because the apple mobile device service is not started.” So, just what does that mean and what exactly is the Apple mobile device anyway? Well, if you ever want to transfer files from your computer to your iPod, it’s very important because this is the device that lets you sync your iPod. So, what do you do if you receive this message and your Apple mobile device isn’t working? The steps to fix it are very simple.
First, right-click on My Computer. Then left-click Manage. Double click on Services and Applications and then choose Services by double clicking on it. Find where it says Apple Mobile Device and double click on it. Find the Startup type and choose from the drop-down box “Automatic.” If you received this message in the first place, this choice will most likely be currently set to “Disabled.” Click Apply and then click OK. Next, click Start to start the service. Find where it says iPod Service and double click on it. Once again, click Apply and then click OK. You’ll have to click Start again to start the service. Once all of this has been completed, you’ll need to shut down your computer and reboot. After that everything should be fine.
This is a very common problem with iPod Touch. It seems to be even more of a problem with users that have McAfee virus protection on their computer. When McAfee is present and security center updates are installed, it seems to be bug up the Apple Mobile Device even more so. Because of this, it’s important that anyone who runs McAfee checks their Apple Mobile Device after doing so to make sure that it hasn’t interfered at all with syncing their iPod Touch.