Intel comments on iPhone sync glitch

Intel on Monday said it is investigating a glitch that prevents an Apple iPhone from synching with certain PCs that use a new Intel chipset.

"Our leading theory is a BIOS or system configuration issue, but we are still investigating," Intel said Monday. The BIOS, or basic input/output system, is the initial code that runs when a PC is powered on. The BIOS identifies and initializes system devices such as the chipset, graphics card, and hard disk drive. Makers of PC circuit boards, aka motherboards, typically offer their own BIOS.

The problem is thought to be tied to the Intel P55 chipset and desktop motherboards from certain manufacturers, according to a report in The Register.

The Intel P55 Express chipset supports the Intel Core i7-800 and Core i5-700 series processors, according to Intel. The chipset is new and has only been available since summer.

As depicted in an "Apple Discussions" thread, on certain PCs or motherboards with the P55 chipset, Apple iTunes 9 for Windows will recognize the iPhone, but when a sync is attempted, an "error 0xE8000065" is generated, indicating an iPhone connection failure. Windows 7 is also cited as a common problem, particularly the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

"Microsoft has not seen this particular question posed in the Microsoft Answers for Windows 7 community forum, nor in any of our call centers," Microsoft told the The Register on Friday. "If we determine this to be a problem specific to Windows 7, we will post an update on the Microsoft Answers site."

The Apple Discussions thread proposes a number of possible solutions.

Apple could not immediately be reached for comment.

[ikramerica--2008]

Windows 7 is easier. Devices just work now. That's what all the press is being paid to say, right? But somehow, the most popular single phone in the USA, when paired with Windows 7 and the best processors available, no longer works.

As long as BIOS exists, Windows 7 will never "just work."

It's archaic to rely on fourth party BIOS to allow your shiny new OS to function properly...

[Gold_Storm_Mac]

yea, unlike win, os x and linux have 3rd party device drivers built-in

[DrtyDogg]

good nugget gold storm to bad you are 100% incorrect, and irkamerica, Windows 7 can and does boot from EFI just as Vista before it and XP before it, and 2000 before it. Not sure what you are hinting at there.

[streamline35]

ikramerica -- maybe apple should fix their broken windows bloatware instead of blaming MS. If that $30 service pack you call osx 10.6 broke MS Office, I guarantee you would be running all over cnet blaming MS.

[cary1]

Or you could put it this way: All other phone are working fine on Windows 7 - only iPhone is having trouble.

PS. iTunes sucks

[Gold_Storm_Mac]

@streamline35
explain how 10.6 was a service pack.

[ikramerica--2008]

We don't know that "all other phones are working with Windows 7". Can you provide ANY proof of that? All we know is that the most popular model, with a large enough sample to register, is not working with the latest Intel BIOS and the latest OS.

Windows 7, we were told, was tested for so long, that it would work. iPhones are not new. And the P55 is not new (just "withheld" by Intel from the spring, but available for testing for a LONG time).

Apple didn't alter ITunes or the iPhone in the last month, and the synching mechanism has been pretty standard for years, other than tweaking the USB ID thing to lock out the Pre, so it's interesting that one tries to blame the existing peripheral with established interface for the problem, not the new OS...

[ikramerica--2008]

BTW - when I upgraded to 10.6 I expected these kinds of synching problems with things like the Logitech remotes. And to my happy surprise, no such problems. The first time the Logitech software tried to connect, it failed, but after that, it's been fine. All other devices have worked. One expects obscure ones to fail, but not mainstream things like iPhones and Harmony remotes...

[Gold_Storm_Mac]

apple has updated itunes recently.

[lazycat202]

ikramerica:
my HTC TouchPro2 works fine with Win7 64bit. :P Just don't run around all Cnet and blame on MS. By the way, I've not using iTune since its birthday.

[DrtyDogg]

@irkamerica: my palm pre works on w7 64 bit. Also considering the fact that the problem has started since the 9.02 update (hint they where trying to break the pre's ability to sync, and they probably broke the iPhones as well.)

[Perry_Clease]

ASL, any comments?

[AppleSuxLeo]

It`s an Apple product...it just works...LOL

[Seaspray0]

I would suspect a driver issue since it seems to be related to specific hardware. I know intel writes their drivers for windows 7. Do you know who writes them for the mac? Intel or apple?

[lazycat202]

szzz! AppleLeo
there will a whole army of Apple solders hunt you down.

[SactoGuy018]

It could be an iTunes 9.0.x related problem. If that's the case, Apple could do a code update to iTunes that should fix the problem, since it is VERY specific to the iPhone and iTunes on this new Intel chipset.

[DrtyDogg]

on the Apple thread some people are claiming downgrading to 9.0 from 9.1.8 makes it work again.

[SactoGuy018]

I'm using iTunes 9.0.1 (yet to upgrade to 9.0.2) for Windows. I still think it appears to be a possible iTunes problem, and expect Apple to release iTunes 9.0.3 to specifically address this issue.

[jarofclay73]

I have an i7 900 series computer. I haven't received my Win 7 upgrade but I should be okay?

[slickuser]

Oh no! You are deep s^&t!!!

[streamline35]

You'll be fine - no doubt apple will have soon a new version of itunes out that breaks the palm pre again and fixes the iphone.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Apple was asleep at the wheel , and Schmidt got all the insider info he needed being on Apple`s board.
Now the Android Avalanche has started , and Apple is caught with it`s pants down.

[ckh1272]

So if someone at Apple had inside info. on Google, what your opinion be?? Based on your comment above, I guess it would be okay to have another's company's "inside info." In the real world, it is unethical and (in some cases) illegal. The only asleep the wheel is you. Your comment over the years show only one thing. You turn more than a $2 hooker when it comes to anything anti-apple. Different companies, same BS statements (Windows, Pre, Google, etc). This list goes on and on.

[ckh1272]

Sorry, I was in a rush. What I meant to say was "The only one asleep behind the wheel is you".

[ikramerica--2008]

What does Android have to do with Intel P55 and Windows 7 again?

TROLL

[alt117]

why does a 3g phone with wifi have to sync? if you must sync, do it over the wireless network or put it in disk mode and drag and drop.
What, you mean you have to use a cable, special software, and it is tied to a single computer? How 20th century.

[ckh1272]

That "cable" is faster than WiFi BTW. However a WiFi transfer option would be the next logical step for the iPhone and Touch for people that want that option.

[anilsudh]

Try syncing 32GB over wireless!! You must be a windows user who has never sync'd anything more than a text file

[lazycat202]

cable is faster.
why the heck you want to sync 32GB to your phone? that's a lot of songs!! you think you could listen to everyone of them? heck!! my phone has only 10 albums max. When i'm done with them, just delete them and get another 10 favorite cds

[Ilgaz]

Just seeing BIOS mentioned in freaking 2009 should really make people think.

[filipiak]

+1

[alt117]

what is it that you are syncing? Email? Contacts, calendar? don't those sync OTA constantly? apps? don't you download those OTA? music? movies? data? don't you just drag and drop what you want onto the device?

Do you really "sync" 32 gb often?

does the iphone not already have wifi file transfer?

[samiup]

iTunes notoriety of being the most incompatible and useless software ever maid is still growing fast.

with the millions of softwares out there, the only one who seems to be having trouble doing basic connectivity is iTunes.
it even gives macBook users hard time, how ridiculous can it get?

[tremethickt]

Have to agree, Itunes and any "I" suck outside MAC. Ipods are inferior pieces if crap, iphones don;t work with everything other phone format, itouches don't play anything other than apple. What Apple is outstanding at is marketing. Now it that area of hype there is no match. They are brilliant, but their products are overpriced and known to have massive profit margins.

[katiescholar]

But still, we should keep in mind that iphone is so flexible and we shouldnt expect more. There will always be some upgrades no matter what the product is

Cheers
http://www.iphonecases.org

[stor]

I discovered the hard way that all the new HP quad core laptops (dv6t quad, dv7t quad, dv8t quad, and envy 15) are affected by this. But I cannot get anyone at HP to acknowledge this or provide any ETA on a fix (the OEM provides the BIOS update, right?). I am not looking for an insta-fix, but an acknowledgement from HP that they are aware of the issue and are working on it... but even at escalation level all I get is a shrug.
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/psg/board/message?board.id=General&message.id=7108