iPod Help! iPod will not update or Restore - Tried Everything

[drb6]

Hi everyone,
Once again I turn to MR to help me out. I hope someone can, I've searched the forums and feel like I've tried everything from apple's support site.

So I have a 4th gen ipod photo 20gb. It hadn't been synced to any computer for about a year now (long story having to do with my ibook being stolen a year back). Recently I connected it to my new MBP to update. The plan was to have everything on the ipod be erased and replaced with the new library. When I did connect, the ipod was erased and itunes began downloading the files, starting with the podcasts. But it never got past the first podcast and just kinda froze. Since then I've been trying to connect to iTunes and I get the dreaded Unknown Error 1418

It does not restore at all, giving me a message about the iPod being corrupt. So next I tried it on my Windows laptop to see if I could reformat or something. Went through everything on this site (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304508) including updating the .dll files and updating/reinstalling the drivers. Nothing. I don't know what else to do. The ipod is way past its one year warranty so I can't really go to apple.

If anyone has suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks for reading the message at least!

 

[rockthecasbah]

That's very odd since you have tried both Mac and Windows, i know that iPods can be flakey if you hook it to the opposite compatibility to reformat, but you tried both which leads me to think it is a hardware issue. Does it get any errors when being played?


Honestly it sounds like you may need to take it to an Apple Store, are there any around you? If you go that route, i would first explain the issue and see if they can resolve it themselves rather than taking it in to examine it for repairs.

 

[drb6]

That's very odd since you have tried both Mac and Windows, i know that iPods can be flakey if you hook it to the opposite compatibility to reformat, but you tried both which leads me to think it is a hardware issue. Does it get any errors when being played?


Honestly it sounds like you may need to take it to an Apple Store, are there any around you? If you go that route, i would first explain the issue and see if they can resolve it themselves rather than taking it in to examine it for repairs.

thanks for the response!

When there was music on it before syncing it to my MBP, I had no problems. Now everything has been erased and when i turn it on i see a folder with a ! sign next to it. Below the folder is the URL for apple's support site. Then it turns itself off.

Yes, I think the only thing left to do is see a Genius. So are you saying that they will charge only if they take it for repairs? If they do, is there any way of finding out how much it will be before they start work? I wouldn't want to get it back with a big fat bill, only to realize I that it cost so much I might as well have gone for a new ipod!

 

[Nukemkb]

If you have one near you - take it on in to them. There is no charge if you don't authorize it. though recently when I dropped off for repairs, I did sign a form saying them doing diagnostics on it could be up to $100.00 something to the effect of " if you do not authorize service, a diagnostics fee up to $100 can be charged" blah-blah. But that's ONLY when shipping it off for repairs!
Anyone have different experience?

 

[drb6]

If you have one near you - take it on in to them. There is no charge if you don't authorize it. though recently when I dropped off for repairs, I did sign a form saying them doing diagnostics on it could be up to $100.00 something to the effect of " if you do not authorize service, a diagnostics fee up to $100 can be charged" blah-blah. But that's ONLY when shipping it off for repairs!
Anyone have different experience?

thanks for the tip! I guess to the apple store I go...Will update with results for the benefit of future cases