iPod (Video 30gb) crashing iTunes / restarting itself

[yinsan]

Hey Guys,

I just found my old iPod Video in a corner (long story) and tried to get it working again and update the songs on the iPod.

Now connecting it to my computer results in one of two possible things:
a) iTunes instantly crashes making it impossible to do anything with it or
b) the iPod displays the red crossed circle saying that I should not disconnect the cable and then restarts with a loud "click", over and over again.

I really can't say when and why a) or b) occurs.
I have a few other iPods (nano, nano, iPod Video 20gb, iPod Touch 32gb and iPhone 32gb) which ALL do work with iTunes flawlessly. So the problem must be the iPod itself.

I tried the following already:
- http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1923
(didnt work, didnt help sadly, even installed it for the first time on another computer)
- http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1339
(can't work since it requires me to use iTunes which - clearly - doesn't work)

I also tried to get into the disc mode and connected it to my computer afterwards - again resulting in the same issue.

Now I managed to get into that diagnostics mode to see whether or not there's a reset option and at least to check it - it seems to be perfectly okay and there is no reset option as far as I could see.
It also plays music just fine.

Any ideas how to fix that iPod? I don't care about the data on it - I just need it to work again.

Regards,
Yin

[saxon48]

You might have a hard drive problem on your hands there.

[yinsan]

Thank you for your reply.

Are you talking about the iPod HD or my computers HD?

If you're referring to the iPod HD then I ran the diagnostics and the system said: everything alright so far.

My computers HD can't be the problem I think since I've checked with two computers and both display the same issue while every other iPod works flawlessly - and with "all other" I am talking about 4 other iPods which don't care for the issues of my iPod Video 30gb.

Any other ideas maybe?

[saxon48]

I meant your iPod's HD. Don't always stand by what the diagnostic test says though, it's not foolproof.

[yinsan]

Yes that might be the case since it clicks very loud when it restarts in that situation and as far as I know - loud clicking noises from a mechanical hard drive is not good - ever.

I tried finding info on that one but is there no way of resetting the iPod to factory settings without using iTunes software?