iTunes doesn’t recognise the Device (iPhone/iPad/iPod): how to solve the problem without restoring

It may happen that iTunes stops recognising our iDevice, so the program wants us to restore. However there’s a way to avoid the long process that lead us to download again the software, refresh the backup and finally sync all the apps and music files: hours and hours wasted just to sync our device, in hopes of a complete reset.

Those are likely examples of screens in this situation:

L'avviso di iTunes appena colleghiamo il dispositivo
The iTunes notice
L'unica possibilità che abbiamo è ripristinare
The only chance it’s to restore at this point

You should be aware that this kind of error is generated when the iTunes files that contain the device information are damaged (that’s why it’s written “zero KB” near the capacity) or when we disconnect our device while in synchronization. Now I’m going to show you a step-by-step guide in order to solve the problem without necessarily restore the device. You should mind, nevertheless, that we compulsorily need the access to inner files of the device. For this reason, if you don’t have access to them, I recommend you the jailbreak. However, before doing the jailbreak I suggest to follow the guide and try with the advised program (iFunBox).

 Preconditions

  • Any iDevice: iPhone, iPod, iPad
  • iOS5 – iOS8 (the remaining versions haven’t been tested but you can try anyway)
  • iFile o similar, for jailbroken users (available on Cydia) or iFunBox (the not- jailbroken users may try it)
  • Windows o Mac if you choose iFunBox

The Guide!

  1. Let’s download iFunBox (I recommend the Classic version for Windows) and launch it. Click on the left menu of the device where it’s written: System Raw File -> var/mobile/Media/ and let’s delete the file iTunes_Control:

    ifunbox-itunes.control
    In the picture it’s highlighted the dile you have to remove
  2. Otherwise in the jailbroken devices you can delete the file directly in iFile (without computer):

    Anche da iFile, su dispositivi jailbroken, possiamo eliminare definitivamente la cartella
    With jailbroken devices you can permanently delete the file
  3. The last thing to do is disconnect and connect again your device to iTunes. You’ ll see a Welcoming screen, like if you had just bought a new device… Don’t worry! Click on “Configurate it as new iPhone/iPod/iPad” (you won’t lose anything, nor SMS, neither telephone numbers) :

    La schermata di iTunes dopo aver eliminato la cartella "iTunes_Control"
    The screen when you delete the file “iTunes_Control”
  4. Select the music, the books and the videos like you did before and sync the device
  5. Finally I advise you to do a complete backup with iTunes and at the same time with iCloud as default backup (if you have a Wi-Fi connection at home)
    Effettuiamo un backup cliccando su "Esegui Backup", al termine clicchiamo su iCloud
    How to do the backup clicking on “Backup now”, and then on iCloud

    furthermore I advise  you to save the settings in iTunes as in the following picture:

    Settaggio consigliato
    Advised settings

    Translated by senzacca