iPod Folder And Exclamation Mark

[ryanthestark]

We'll I've been trying to find out how to fix the folder with the exclamation mark and the clicking hard drive on my 4G for a while now, but have had no luck. I found a company in San Diego California called We Buy Ipods (where I live), when I spoke to the guy he said they pay $25-50 depending on the condition to buy it, or $150 to fix it Sad . Guess it beats apples $250 or whatever they said to send me out a refurbished one. He said sometimes they could even save the songs. I hate apple. If anyone has any suggestions let me know, otherwise I'll probably just sell it and put it toward one of the new versions, maybe they won't have the same problem.
Well thanks for letting me let off some steam.

Oh yea, if anyone wants to contact that company they'r email is webuyipods@yahoo.com , I can probably get their phone number if anyone wants it.

L8ter

 

[CoMpX]

Why do you want to get rid of it? This is a problem that can be easily fixed. Does your computer recognize the iPod when you plug it in? If so, open iPod updater and restore the iPod.

 

[mad jew]

Very sound advice CoMpX however the clicking implies that the drive has failed meaning that a restore will only go so far. I don't bother flogging dead horses, I just buy new iPods (Flash-based preferably).

 

[ryanthestark]

yea unfortunatly already tried the restore, nada. Tried everything on that web site that lists everything to do when you get the icon. Nothin, and from what I found when I was looking I'm not the only one who tried the restore, ect. with no luck. Appreciate the idead though. The new ipods are on flash drives? Which version is that?

 

[mad jew]

It's the nano and the Shuffle that use Flash. The regular Video iPod is still regular ol' hard drive based. From my experience, hard drives were not designed for portable music players. I kill them every six months or so because I take them jogging. I'm using a nano now and it's fine. It doesn't skip or freeze.

By the sounds of things, you've killed the hard drive and the only remedy is replacement. It's difficult and quite expensive to replace an iPod hard drive which is why I recommend just buying a new one outright.

 

[ryanthestark]

Thanks

Good advice Mad Jew. I doubt I'd ever be able to install a harddrive myself, and I did a little research on most of these repair companies like ipodresq charge $30 for a diagnostic, and i think hard drives are around $50, and we havent even got into labor yet. And it sounds like you no stranger to apples out of warranty repair. Do they just charge the same price regardless of the problem and mail you out a refurbished one? I mean realy, $260 to repair?!? That pretty much a brand new one. Oh well.

Anyways, looks like I'll dump this one and be $50 closer to a new one.

But keep em comin, maybe someone has some cool tricks in their bag