iPod: Software Updater Stops Responding in Mac OS X 10.3
Versions of the iPod Software Updater older than 1.3.1 or 2.1 do not work with Mac OS X 10.3.
Always use the latest version of the iPod Software Updater utility. It's available from the iPod website (http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/).
If you use an older version, it may stop responding ("crash" or "freeze") in Mac OS 10.3 or later. If this happens, choose Force Quit from the Apple menu, select the utility from the list of applications, then click Force Quit. Download the latest iPod updater for your iPod and try again.