Messed Up iPod Touch, NEED HELP!

[Ferrari904]

Hey there, I work at an apple reseller store, someone returned an iPod touch that was having problems. Of course after asking a few questions they had not used iTunes to set it up and as far as I could tell ruined most of the software on it. It is recognized in iTunes but when I try to restore, iTunes downloads the software and extracts it, but when it tries to install I end up with an error. Here is a screen shot of how the iPod looks in iTunes. So I was wondering if there is anything at all that I can do to restore this iPod back to normal or is it just scrap metal?

[RevK]

Hey there, I work at an apple reseller store, someone returned an iPod touch that was having problems. Of course after asking a few questions they had not used iTunes to set it up and as far as I could tell ruined most of the software on it. It is recognized in iTunes but when I try to restore, iTunes downloads the software and extracts it, but when it tries to install I end up with an error. Here is a screen shot of how the iPod looks in iTunes. So I was wondering if there is anything at all that I can do to restore this iPod back to normal or is it just scrap metal?

Screenshot?

[Ferrari904]

yeah I'm trying to upload it just a sec

[Ferrari904]

That should do it.

[RevK]

That should do it.

You might try downloading the 1.1.5 firmware from here (http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPod/SBML/osx/bundles/061-4841.20080714.bgy8O/iPod1,1_1.1.5_4B1_Restore.ipsw) and holding down the Shift key and clicking on Restore and selecting the downloaded IPSW file.

[Ferrari904]

Alright I will give that a try.

[Ferrari904]

I'm afraid that did not work. It began extracting the software but as soon as it finished that I ended up with the following error.

[ewilson6]

log on to your computer with a different user
then try restoring it from itunes.

[Ferrari904]

Okay, lets see what happens.

[Ferrari904]

Nope, I created a new account, started up iTunes, plugged in the iPod. The software downloaded, extracted and then prepared to install but then failed in an error. Screen shot should be at the bottom. Any other suggestions?

[RevK]

Try consulting these support article:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1275?viewlocale=en_US

[Ferrari904]

Okay, I'll be sure to read through that. Though I know there is nothing wrong with my iTunes. I know my other iPod and iPhone sync just fine so could it really be a problem with the program itself?

[SaSaSushi]

Bumps are not permitted here and besides that, doing so repeatedly within short periods of time is going to turn people off from offering you any assistance they may have to give anyway.

Have you tried restoring on a different computer? That is among the many suggestions on the link at Apple you were pointed to by RevK above. iTunes is only one of the potential problems.

[Ferrari904]

I'm sorry about the bumping, I didn't know. Yes I have tried restoring it on other computers. I think it is probably a hardware problem instead of software. Is there any sort of diagnostic software that I can run that will determine this?

[Link2999]

I'm sorry about the bumping, I didn't know. Yes I have tried restoring it on other computers. I think it is probably a hardware problem instead of software. Is there any sort of diagnostic software that I can run that will determine this?

Try Disk Utility. Pre-installed on your Mac inside of Applications > Utilities. Click repair and then try. I've had this same error but after a few hours of tinkering got it fixed. Just try everything you can. BTW they needed to set it up via iTunes, if they didn't then the iPod is brand new and hasn't been set up.

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Just put the iPod into DFU mode and install the firmware by holding the shift key (as suggested earlier)

to put the iPod in DFU mode plug it into a computer and launch iTunes. Then hold the home and sleep/wake button until the iPod turns off, then let go of the sleep/wake button. The screen on the iPod should not come on, after about 10 seconds iTunes should recognize that the iPod is in DFU mode. Then restore from the firmware you downloaded earlier.

[Ferrari904]

Thats just the thing. They didn't set it up in iTunes. They used some other god for say-kin program. Though I will try disk utility first.

[Ferrari904]

Well the iPod doesn't show up in disk utility and I have tried forcing it into recovery mode, and are you sure it is the shift key? I am using the option when I click the restore button to select the firmware I want to install? Am I doing this the right way?

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Thats just the thing. They didn't set it up in iTunes. They used some other god for say-kin program. Though I will try disk utility first.

The iPod won't work, you absolutely can't do a single thing with the iPod, until it's set up with iTunes. There is no hack, no work around, nothing that will set up an iPod touch besides iTunes. Especially since only iTunes can even read an iPod touch, the finder and windows explorer cannot read an iPod touch or iPhone.


EDIT: Just follow my instructions in my previous post. Whatever they did will be remedied by DFU mode.

[Ferrari904]

I see. Well it may just be that the customer who returned it ended some how damaging the hardware. I'm sorry could you clarify how to hold down the shift key when installing the iPod firmware? I would like to give it one more try.

[TuffLuffJimmy]

I see. Well it may just be that the customer who returned it ended some how damaging the hardware. I'm sorry could you clarify how to hold down the shift key when installing the iPod firmware? I would like to give it one more try.

make sure to put it in DFU mode, you don't have to do the 'select a firmware' way. No need to hold the shift key, just use the firmware that iTunes downloaded.

[Ferrari904]

No success, it got to the point where it said " preparing iPod for restore" then it failed in the following error message. I'm starting to get the feeling this iPod is toast. Is this possible from just messing around with it or is it just rotten apple that has fallen from the tree?

[Night Spring]

Why not just take it back to Apple? All iPod Touches are still under warranty, and when I took back mine, they didn't ask for proof or purchase or anything.

[SaSaSushi]

Why not just take it back to Apple? All iPod Touches are still under warranty, and when I took back mine, they didn't ask for proof or purchase or anything.

An excellent point. It hadn't occurred to me that the first Touch launch was in September, 2007, so why bother messing around with it at all? Send it back to Apple while you can and let them fix or replace it for free.

[mixmacface]

everything that i would have suggested has been suggested.
and why would he take it back to the apple store? he said he works at an apple retailer. .

but honestly, have you tried what tuffluffjimmy has said?

[Night Spring]

everything that i would have suggested has been suggested.
and why would he take it back to the apple store? he said he works at an apple retailer.

If he works at an Apple retailer, even more reason to just send it back to Apple!

[Ferrari904]

Yes I have done all of the suggestions that have been posted. I thank everyone for taking there time to give me your advice. I honestly think at this point it is bad hardware and I will be sending back to apple. Thanks once again for your time.