I had a problem with my 40GB 4th Generation iPod. It was giving me the sad iPod icon. I tried restoring it to factory default but it wasn't even detected. So I opened up the iPod and tried reseating all the cables. I wasn't paying attention and forced the hard drive cable in (I know, stupid thing to do especially for me). I'm usually more careful, but now the extra "pin" (maybe a ground) at the end is broken and stuck into the wrong side of the hard drive. I put it in the correct way now minus that "ground" pin at the end (which is still stuck on the other side). Is this "pin" important? Everything is running ok now after I reconnected the cables...no more sad iPod icon.

I connected the 40GB iPod to my laptop and ran iTunes. It says that it's updating the iPod...I set it not to sync with the iPod automatically but it still does this. The problem here is that after a short while it freezes my laptop. The iPod goes from the charging state to the running state (with the iPod menus). I have to push the power button on my laptop to shutdown (nothing else works). Why is it doing this? Does it matter what version of iTunes I get for it? I tried to copy songs from my Library to this iPod and it won't even go that far...says song 1 of 10 and doesn't go any further.

Thanks.

Sounds like you have just voided your warranty. Sorry, buddy, but you're pretty much on your own now. Sure, you can ask for help on the internet, but Apple is gonna turn a blind eye since you opened the iPod up.

I'm sure you knew that already, so I'll get down to it. You're probably going to want to get a new iPod.

With that said, let me try to help here. Replace your old iTunes with version 7. It might just magically see your iPod again, in which case you're good.

If that doesn't work, connect the iPod to someone else's computer (but don't clear the hard drive), using someone else's cable. This might work, meaning you've got to check up on your own computer's competence.

This is pretty much all you can do, but try slight variations (reformatting the hard drive to Mac, plugging it in at the Apple store, etc.) to see if you can salvage it.

Personally, I think the 5th generation iPod is the bomb anyways.

This iPod was out of warranty already and I just wanted to fix it since it was having problems. It's actually still working now, albeit with the louder than normal spinning sound from the hard drive.

Yeah, I got the 5G iPod Video already but wanted to fix this one up since it's still good. Will try the new iTunes 7 soon. Haven't upgraded yet because of all the problems I heard users ran into.

Also you might want to check if you can upgrade the firmware/software on the ipod itself. I'm not sure how you can do this because i don't own one personally, just a thought that usually fixes these kind of things.

-HellFire

You may want to upgrade to iTunes 7.0.2. This version is the version with the fixed bugs.

Upgrade the iPod software to the latest version (1.3 for mine). Try using a Mac to access the iPod.

Anyways, it is probably more than 4 years old for your iPod, time to replace it.

It's most likely not repairable with the firmware upgrade, but I will give it a try since I installed the new iTunes over a week ago. I'm sure it's a hardware issue since all my other iPods are not having this loud spinning issue and they are using the older firmware software.

Just have these iPods laying around for testing purposes since I repair iPods as a side hobby

I think your iPod is a dud, you have to send it to the graveyard now.

xboxrulz

My ipod is 5th generation one ( 30 GB) and its showing sad exclaimation mark
Ipod Hardware And Software Question

My ipod is 5th generation one ( 30 GB) and its showing sad exclaimation mark and cannot recognise in itunes as well and in pc drivers and tried in check disk mode also and all the ways to restore it but say that 1418 error , I think its hardware problem could you pls suggest,

Thanks.

-question by venu

re: My ipod is 5th generation one ( 30 GB) and its showing sad exclaimation mark
Ipod Hardware And Software Question

Venu,

I'm getting the same "1418 error," as you, and is driving me insane. I have already replaced the headphone/audio hardware as I was doing the auto diagnostics on the iPod itself, and was failing that part. You can run the same diagnostics on your iPod and see what else is wrong with it.

-reply by Leo

Ipod does not Turn On
Ipod Hardware And Software Question

I am having ipod(5th generation), I was watching movie in car and battery got low. I used universal ipod charger, plugged into the cigar plug and and connected it to my ipod and it shut down,I remove the charging cable and turn it on again and did the same procedure and again it suddenly shut down. After that it never turned on and also do not show the charging icon like when battery is low...I thnk there must be some chip burned because may be amperes were too high.Can you help?

-reply by Smokey