iTunes giftcard

May 5, 2008 6:53 PM

I'm using Itunes v 4.0.1 on on Mac OS X v 10.3.9. The gift card I picked up last week in Starbucks doesn't seem to be working. I type in the code, and it says "Your session has timed out. Please try this operation again from the beginning." Is there any way to get by this? I've tried several times through out the day.
posted by Corduroy to technology (10 comments total)

You mean after a long wait you get the error, or right away?
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 7:00 PM on May 5, 2008

I have to wonder if there's something in the fine print about running the most up to date version of iTunes? Apple's DRM has changed a couple of times in the revisions between 4.0.1 and the current 7.x.

Sorry I don't have something better to offer. Is there a particular reason you're sticking with an older version?
posted by ZakDaddy at 7:01 PM on May 5, 2008

I'm pretty sure ZakDaddy is right. I thought the Starbucks cards they were giving out in the fall actually had written on it that you had to use iTunes 7.x. Apple's support site suggests the same thing. iTunes 4 might be throwing out the timed out message because when it was born there was no such thing as a Starbucks song promotion and it doesn't know what to do.
posted by birdherder at 7:16 PM on May 5, 2008

The error comes up right away.

I'm under the impressoin I'm using the best version my OS can handle. But I may well be wrong about that.
posted by Corduroy at 7:17 PM on May 5, 2008

I'm running iTunes 7.6.2 on Panther right now. So you should be able to upgrade. (It doesn't even require the latest version of QuickTime.)
posted by macrone at 7:26 PM on May 5, 2008

I'd have to go with what the others are saying: the version is too old. The point of the giveaway is to promote the Starbucks/Apple partnership. I'm sure it takes a later version to redeem the card.

But, you asked how to get around it. If your computer won't handle a new version of iTunes, see if a friend will let you use their's. You can authorize their computer for your account (you can authorize up to 5 computers). Once you download the files, you can move them to your computer by any number of methods.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 7:27 PM on May 5, 2008

Okay, so I downloaded the new iTunes, and it seems to work. But this time when I enter the code it says "The Gift Certificate or Prepaid Card code you entered has not been activated. Please return to the original point of purchase for assistance." The Starbucks was in Boston, so I guess that option is out. Do I need to make an account with itunes?
posted by Corduroy at 7:36 PM on May 5, 2008

Bummer! They may not have swiped it properly. You might be able to call them and have them send you another one. But that is probably not a software error.

I'm sure you will need to set up an account with iTunes, but that's probably a separate issue.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 7:44 PM on May 5, 2008

Siiiighhh... thank you for the condolences. I got the account, and it's not working. Perhaps they really just aren't initiated yet, so that some people forget about them and don't use them? I don't see a date anywhere on the card, though. I'll try again in a while, I suppose.
posted by Corduroy at 7:58 PM on May 5, 2008

Maybe you can stop by a local Starbucks and ask for help...? Long shot, but what the heck.
posted by ZakDaddy at 8:55 PM on May 7, 2008