iPhone Music Disappears, Disk Space Shows as Other
Twice now, I’ve gone into my iPhone expecting to show people music and seeing … nothing. When I get back home that night to synchronize, the sync goofs up, and all the disk space being used on the iPhone shows as “Other”. A new sync fails, of course, because I’m syncing a music library set larger than the spare space.
Restoring the iPhone and re-synchronizing it after the restore worked last time, and I expect that’s what I’ll do tonight. But man … this is frustrating. As Jeff said at lunch, “Ahh, the joys of a 1.0 product.”
A few minutes later: Now the amount of “Other” disk space is far smaller, on the order of the size of calendars and contacts, and the music can be re-sync’d. Perhaps my “let me not sync music twice, then pray” trick worked.
Perhaps the reality distortion field is messing with the electronics?
July 20th, 2007 at 08:11I’ll distort your reality field!
July 20th, 2007 at 11:55Same thing happened to me. Try rebooting the iPhone- solved it. (Hold power and menu buttons down together for 15-30 secs)
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:31Yeah, I’m experiencing the same symptoms for the 2nd time now. Stumbled over your blog via a google search. Sadly, rebooting (holding both buttons) didn’t help. Now I’m going to try syncing a few times, see what happens.
Just out of curiosity, do you sync your iPhone with more than one Mac? I sync everything at home, but also sync my calendar and contacts at work. I’m wondering if that’s part of what’s causing my trouble. Thanks! /Aaron
July 22nd, 2007 at 19:38Aaron: No, I’m only syncing with one source at this point.
July 22nd, 2007 at 19:39I did a reset through the General preferences panel, then restored Services.plist. Not sure if either/both were needed, but basically got it to the point where I can sync my settings without having to do a full restore.
September 2nd, 2007 at 03:11If you can access the phone via ssh, then do this:
cd /var/root/Media
ls
You should see 1 directory for iTunes which is iTunes_Control. I had iTunes_Control_2 as well which was the problem. I have to delete the directory to fix it.
rm -Rvf iTunes_Control_2
I am not sure if you can remove iTunes_Control and rename iTunes_Control_2 to iTunes_Control to save all of your music. Anyhow, after I deleted the directory; I got all capacity back and then I could resync all my music back. All are good.
Hays P.
November 1st, 2007 at 12:56I don’t hack mine.
November 9th, 2007 at 12:59I saw the file directory through iphonebrowser but I only see only one iTunes_control folder. I have the same problem. my music dissappeared and now its coming under “other”. What to do..help me out
June 24th, 2008 at 13:40i encountered the same problem but the cure was simple. i had installed a third party app called “SwapTunes” to sync with iTunes other than the one on which i do the syncing regularly.
August 5th, 2008 at 00:22If u guys have that software installed and coming across this problem with disc space then click on that software again and reconnect your iPhone with your computer. It did the trick for me. hope it works for you guys as well.
Akhil : I has the same EXACT problem, same search, and same solution. Now all is good again!!!
August 6th, 2008 at 17:56akhil your the man, was dreading doing a restore again and your solution fixed it. Thx alot
August 14th, 2008 at 23:30same problem!!!!!!!
males me sick restoring all the time…
it makes me crazy it changes its behavior, even it is the same custom firmware!!!
cannot it be i am using diferent carrier as the one that is selected for my country????
August 26th, 2008 at 09:46Hays and Akhil, thank you both for a quick and easy solution. Also glad I didn’t have to restore.
August 27th, 2008 at 17:41THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANKS !
September 9th, 2008 at 20:22I’m so thankful !
This is fantastic advice… Swap Tunes is the culprit again in my case… played around with it, then did an uninstall and hey – presto, I have all my space back. Its been doing my head in for months now… as I had lost 5Gb and no one could tell me why! My ipod feature is back & I love it! I was unsure if it was the way the phone had been unlocked but no!…
September 10th, 2008 at 06:06Best damn invention yet these phones…
Wow! thank you very much Akhil!. You helped me avoid that dreadful restore. I dont think swaptunes is that important to stay in my iphone. I’ll better uninstall it.
September 11th, 2008 at 22:57Thanks again. I got my “other” space back…
I don’t have the swaptunes, but still facing teh same problem. I have around 3.8GB used space by “other”. I had unlocked my phone. My only wory is that if I restore, I’ll have to unlock once again. Any advice?
October 31st, 2008 at 21:47I had the same problem, but I have 2.1, I fix it deleting a folder called iTunes_Control_2, you need to ssh you iphone and go to private/var/mobile/media and you will see a folder names iTunes_Control and other named iTunes_Control_2, you need to delete the folder iTunes_Control_2. I hope i can help somebody.
November 1st, 2008 at 14:49I do not have swaptunes, nor do I have iTunes_Control_2 app installed, and yet I also have 4GB of ‘other space’ now that my 4GB of music AND video, have all disappeared. The music and video is visible in iTunes library but any attempt to sync does not work, nothing gets transferred (pleanty of space for it). So removed all muci form library and uoloaded new music files and they sync fine. But still have 4GB of ‘other’ space.
December 17th, 2008 at 21:47IPHONE 2.2 FIRMWARE:
1. Delete any “iTunes_Control” folders located at User >> Media >> iTunes_Control
December 24th, 2008 at 03:032. Hook up your phone to iTunes again. It will ask you to set up as a new phone or do a restore.
3. Select set up as new phone. Re-sync your music and videos. All your apps and settings will stay.
THANK YOU, MikeF! You saved me from mega frustration! Worked like a charm! Wasnt really looking forward to a complete restore after recently upgrading and jb’ing again!
December 28th, 2008 at 14:59Just wanted to say, worked a treat, got rid of the ‘other’ 6GB. Thanks.
January 19th, 2009 at 03:04MikeF, does setting it up as a new phone only resync pictures and music?
I am worried it will make me loose my contacts, sms, settings etc aswell?
January 29th, 2009 at 18:19MikeF you are a LEGend!!!
February 25th, 2009 at 17:33Any idea why does this happen????
March 18th, 2009 at 17:53MikeF you rock! I had over 5GB in other and was almost completely out of space. You saved me hours for not having to restore, jb and re-applying all my custom settings. Thank you!!!!
May 28th, 2009 at 01:51MWInk or MikeF:
I am having the same problem described above on my office computer which is running Windows XP. Where do I find the “iTunes_control” folders? Thanks for any help you might give me.
June 3rd, 2009 at 19:43Akhil, THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!
June 24th, 2009 at 04:30You’re solution to the whole music gone thingy was perfect. I’ve been searching the web for the past 6 hours and found myself here reading your comment. God bless u and thanks again for taking the time to help us in need.
Hi all regarding the solution proposed by Mike F
IPHONE 2.2 FIRMWARE:
1. Delete any “iTunes_Control” folders located at User >> Media >> iTunes_Control
2. Hook up your phone to iTunes again. It will ask you to set up as a new phone or do a restore.
3. Select set up as new phone. Re-sync your music and videos. All your apps and settings will stay.
hOW DO i find this user menu? thanks for your feedback
June 30th, 2009 at 12:18MikeF
July 1st, 2009 at 12:07You are amaziing….
i got all 5gb of my storage space back