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Mal

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
Yes, the thread title is accurate. My iPod (4G 20GB non-color) has just died, as far as I can tell. It begins the startup process, loads the Apple logo onto the screen for about 5-6 seconds, then clicks, goes blank, and starts over. It'll repeat this for 10 minutes or so, then shut off completely. I was hoping perhaps it would fix itself, but no luck there. I'm planning on going down to the Apple Store tomorrow, though I don't know if they'll be much help. I doubt it's quite worth repairing it, but has anyone else sent in their iPods for repair out of warranty? If it's $80 or so, I'd rather do that, but if it goes much past that it's not really worth it. Alternatively, has anyone had this problem and know what the problem is? The click makes me suspect the hard drive, it sounds like the dead hard drives I've seen in computers, except that it's just a single click instead of a repeated clicking, and it always occurs at the same point during the startup.

jW
 

Mal

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
It doesn't start up enough to connect to the computer is the problem. If I could get it to connect, I'd probably be able to do something. It doesn't get that far though. :(

jW
 

lamina

macrumors 68000
Mar 9, 2006
1,756
67
Niagara
Try putting the iPod in diagnostic mode.

While it's booting, hold down the center and left buttons at the same time. From here, you can run a HDD test as well as several other hardware tests.

While it won't be able to repair a broken HDD, it will be able to confirm that the drive is in fact broken.

Good luck.

PS: If you're going to run the full HDD test, be sure to plug your iPod in to a power source, it takes quite a while. Also, the iPod will get considerably hot, but don't worry, it's normal.
 

Mal

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
Thanks, I'm glad to see it finally do something!

Here's what it says on the screen when I hit the first option:

5 IN 1
SDRAM PASS
CHKSUM: 64718 OK
RTC: 58
USBFAIL
NOCON

Anyone know what that means? I don't use USB to connect to the computer, so is there an internal thing or does that means something else?

jW
 

Mal

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
Also, it now displays the alert folder with the support link instead of simply shutting off, after I managed to get it into disk mode with that technique (thanks again, lamina), but won't actually load any songs onto it after I restored it. I guess it looks to me like some part of the interface has been broken. I wonder if taking it in and out of a docking speaker system could do that, because I've been doing that at work and the first hint of a problem showed up when I was doing exactly that.

jW
 

feelthefire

macrumors 6502a
Jun 13, 2006
836
0
It'll be about $200-$250 for apple to fix it. That's pretty much their standard rate to fix anything out of warranty, plus $30 to ship and "handle" it.
 

sjpetry

macrumors 65816
Oct 28, 2004
1,195
0
Tamarindo, Costa Rica
feelthefire said:
It'll be about $200-$250 for apple to fix it. That's pretty much their standard rate to fix anything out of warranty, plus $30 to ship and "handle" it.
You better off using the force skywalker. Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy a knew iPod?
 

dmw007

macrumors G4
May 26, 2005
10,635
0
Working for MI-6
feelthefire said:
It'll be about $200-$250 for apple to fix it. That's pretty much their standard rate to fix anything out of warranty, plus $30 to ship and "handle" it.

At that price, I think that I would just buy a new iPod. :eek:
 

ReanimationLP

macrumors 68030
Jan 8, 2005
2,782
33
On the moon.
I had this same problem.

Pry him open, unplug the battery, unplug the HD cable from both ends, then replug it into the mobo, pushing it in as HARD as you can, reassemble.

I did this and boom, happy iPod.
 

Mal

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
Yeah, if that's the case, I will definitely just buy a new one.

jW
 

Mal

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
ReanimationLP said:
I had this same problem.

Pry him open, unplug the battery, unplug the HD cable from both ends, then replug it into the mobo, pushing it in as HARD as you can, reassemble.

I did this and boom, happy iPod.

I'll give that a try tonight, if it doesn't work, I might get the new iPod tomorrow. I'm lost without it.

jW
 

Mal

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
ReanimationLP said:
I had this same problem.

Pry him open, unplug the battery, unplug the HD cable from both ends, then replug it into the mobo, pushing it in as HARD as you can, reassemble.

I did this and boom, happy iPod.

You sir, are an angel. It works!!! (BTW, I almost managed to open it with my bare hands, I was so worried about damaging it with the screwdriver.) I just hope it continues to be so happy, and that I had my movies backed up (couple things I created that I lost the backups that were on the 'Pod). Time for a new name for it to, I think, any suggestions while I've still got the thread up?

jW
 

dmw007

macrumors G4
May 26, 2005
10,635
0
Working for MI-6
skywalker said:
You sir, are an angel. It works!!! (BTW, I almost managed to open it with my bare hands, I was so worried about damaging it with the screwdriver.) I just hope it continues to be so happy, and that I had my movies backed up (couple things I created that I lost the backups that were on the 'Pod). Time for a new name for it to, I think, any suggestions while I've still got the thread up?

jW


Glad to hear that your iPod is now working fine for you skywalker! :)
 

Mal

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
Actually, I hope I didn't speak too soon. It froze up at song 58 (of about 1900) when I tried to update, so I'm going to do it manually and see if it'll take the songs. It's working for the moment, but I hope it continues to do so...

jW
 

PlaceofDis

macrumors Core
Jan 6, 2004
19,241
6
skywalker said:
Actually, I hope I didn't speak too soon. It froze up at song 58 (of about 1900) when I tried to update, so I'm going to do it manually and see if it'll take the songs. It's working for the moment, but I hope it continues to do so...

jW

perhaps its a bad sector on the drive then?
 

Mal

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jan 6, 2002
6,252
18
Orlando
I reformatted again, and now it's taken my collection, and seems to be doing alright, so I might just avoid messing with it any more than necessary. I'll be back if it doesn't hold up, though. :eek:

jW
 

Xander562

macrumors 68000
Apr 2, 2006
1,625
0
This happened to me, what you have to do is open your ipod, yes, you do, dont worry, its not that hard and is fun, unplug the HDD (its attatched with a ribbon typ thing going into the main board, just pull on it slightly and it will come free) then plug the hdd back in and reassemble. i'm telling you this worked for me, try it if your ipod stops working again. hey, you've got nothing to loose right?
 
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