iPad No iPad Home Screens on iTunes

[mXb]

I've being having a problem when my iPad Mini retina is plugged into iTunes on my pc. Sometimes the iPad's home screens display on the pc iTunes under the Apps tab ok, but increasing where they are supposed to display is just blank ?

I've seen posts on forums for this problem, but with no definitive answer.

Anybody had this problem and found how to resolve it ?

[DuskyRose]

Have you made sure you've got the latest iTunes installed? Also, I'd try and restart the Mini. Turn it completely off then back on.

Otherwise, I don't have any other ideas. I haven't seen that happen on mine.

[Jessica Lares]

There are home screen issues with the jailbreak, mostly icons moving around, the springboard crashing, etc. I know you aren't jailbroken, but most jailbreak issues carry on from original iOS issues to begin with which is why I brought it up.

iTunes depends on a few files to read the device and show the information. When it can't find something, like the .plist for the icon layout on the home screen, that would explain the blank area. It most likely is a permission issue.

And when you have an issue like that, it's most likely that your backups will have the same problem too. So a total reset is better.

The small Over-The-Air updates will cause minor issues like this.

That is just my educated guess.

[mXb]

Originally Posted by DuskyRose

Have you made sure you've got the latest iTunes installed? Also, I'd try and restart the Mini. Turn it completely off then back on.

Otherwise, I don't have any other ideas. I haven't seen that happen on mine.

I had it up-to-date until the issues with the latest update and haven't downloaded that yet as I don't want to go from slightly bad to much worse at the moment.

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

There are home screen issues with the jailbreak, mostly icons moving around, the springboard crashing, etc. I know you aren't jailbroken, but most jailbreak issues carry on from original iOS issues to begin with which is why I brought it up.

iTunes depends on a few files to read the device and show the information. When it can't find something, like the .plist for the icon layout on the home screen, that would explain the blank area. It most likely is a permission issue.

And when you have an issue like that, it's most likely that your backups will have the same problem too. So a total reset is better.

The small Over-The-Air updates will cause minor issues like this.

That is just my educated guess.

Yes you're right I haven't delved into Jailbreaking.

Last night it refused to show the home screens in iTunes even after 3 or 4 attempts at ejecting the iPad (should that be unmounting in Apple terminology ?). Restarting iTunes and plugging the iPad back in. Also plugging in the iPad first then starting iTunes. All to no avail.

It's not a major problem as I can still install apps from iTunes to iPad, but it is an annoyance !

Usually I let my iPad go to sleep via the magnet in the case. So last night I switched it off by holding down the power button until the red bar shows and swiping that.

Then I restarted iTunes, and plugged in my iPad still switched off.

iPad started automatically, showing the white screen and large Apple logo, and eventually when it showed the iPad in iTunes the home screens were there !

Is this a resolution to the problem ?....I don't know only time will tell.

Once I've loaded up my iPad with the apps I want, I'll probably (?) only be downloading the occasional free/cheap app, so if this problem isn't resolved it won't cause me much grief...

[Jessica Lares]

Yeah. it DOES sound like the problem I said as when you reboot it recreates the file if it isn't there. iOS 7.1 should be out in a few weeks. It's supposed to be very solid, so that problem *MIGHT* be one of the fixes hopefully.

[HarryT]

What does Apple Support have to say about it?

[mXb]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What does Apple Support have to say about it?

If you're asking me, I haven't bothered trying to get a personal answer from them.

I found an apparent answer to this problem at

https://discussions.apple.com/message/24273861#24273861

...but wondered what other people had tried and what was successful.

[HarryT]

Doing a reboot is the first thing to try after any problem.

[mXb]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Doing a reboot is the first thing to try after any problem.

Indeed it is, and I did try a power down as I said.

However I was looking to see if anyone had found some reason for this happening and had found a better way of getting it to work properly rather than having to power it off each time !

Maybe I was doing something wrong in the procedure of connecting it to my pc and opening up iTunes ?

....after all discussing common problems with our devices is one of the reasons for this forum.......certainly seemed to be when I used to scan the Kobo posts !

[HarryT]

It certainly doesn't sound as if you're doing anything wrong. I connect my Mini to my PC switched on, switched off, with and without iTunes running, and it all seems fine. Hopefully just a quirk for you that won't recur.