How to (finally) sync your IPhone, or IPod touch with Ubuntu 9.10!!!

I have been trying to sync my IPhone with Ubuntu, since I've had the stupid thing :). There is finally a way to do it!!

I am testing this with Ubuntu 9.10, supposedly it will be built into 10.04. The IPhone firmware is 3.1.2, it is jailbroken, but this method works on a non-jailbroken IPhone/IPod as well.

1. Add the repository

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pmcenery/ppa

2. Update apt

sudo apt-get update

3. Install the necessary packages

sudo apt-get install gvfs gvfs-backends gvfs-bin gvfs-fuse libgvfscommon0 ifuse libgpod-dev libgpod-common libimobiledevice-utils libimobiledevice0 python-imobiledevice libplist++1 libplist-utils python-plist libusb-1.0-0 libusb-1.0-0-dev libusbmuxd1 usbmuxd

4. One of the Packages you just installed was IFuse. It allows you to mount an IPhone/IPod touch with a USB cable. We are going to edit the IFuse configuration file now.

gksudo gedit /etc/fuse.conf

5. There is a line at the very bottom that looks like this:

#user_allow_other

6. Remove the #, so it looks like this:

user_allow_other

7. Save the file, and exit Gedit



8. Add yourself to the "Fuse" group by going to “System” -> “Administration” -> “Users and Groups”, Unlock it so you can make changes, select your username, then click on "Manage Groups"

Find the "fuse" group, and double click it. Tick the checkbox next to your name, then click on OK, and close "Users and Groups". You are now a part of the "fuse" group




9. Plug in your device. (do not make a mount point with your device unplugged. If you already did, delete the directory) First you need to make a mount point for your IPhone/IPod touch. You can name this either, I will use "IPhone"

sudo mkdir /media/IPhone

10. Give yourself the correct permissions

sudo chmod 777 /media/IPhone

Mount your device

ifuse /media/IPhone/

if you get an error saying

"No device found, is it connected?
If it is make sure that your user has permissions to access the raw usb device.
If you're still having issues try unplugging the device and reconnecting it.
"

unplug your device, plug it back in, and try again.


11. You need to get the UUID with this command.

lsusb -v | grep -i iSerial

I highlighted my UUID in the screenshot below. Yours should be 40 characters long, hightlight it, right click, and select copy

type this command, replace "YOUR UUID" with your UUID that you just copied in the last step. Run the command.

ipod-read-sysinfo-extended YOUR UUID /media/IPhone

12. Unmount the IPhone.

fusermount -u /media/IPhone

13. Reboot, Plug in your IPhone/IPod touch, and it will now be seen as a camera and a media device!!

Add songs with Rhythmbox. I'm sure it works with Banshee, and others, but I have not tested them. Enjoy!!



I learned how to do this here: http://www.taranfx.com/sync-iphone-linux