Microsoft Releases iPod Eject Fix for Vista

When Windows Vista shipped, Apple took it on the chin for iPods getting wiped out by ejecting or "safely removing" their iPod. Now Microsoft has released a fix.

When Windows Vista shipped, Apple took some flak for advising its Windows-using iPod customer to hold off on the operating system for a while until some kinks were worked out. Although Apple eventually released an iTunes update which addressed many issues, one nagging—and crucial—problem remained: using Vista’s “Safely Remove Hardware” feature or the Eject button in Windows Explorer to disconnect one’s iPod could corrupt the whole thing. Apple didn’t exactly jump up and down pointing a finger at Microsoft, they did quietly point to a Microsoft support article in which the Redmond company took responsibility for the problem.

Now, Microsoft has come through with a fix, offering a patch for x86 and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista which claims to address the problem. iPod users looking to try out the fix would be well-advised to make sure their music and media are backed up before giving the fix a test run, but the patch would seem to resolve one of the most serious issues in using the popular media players with Windows Vista. Of course, users can continue to safely eject their iPods from within the iTunes application.

Now, if Apple would get around to supporting iTunes on 64-bit versions of Windows….