iPod Ipod mini troubles and questions

[Old Man McGuggins]

I got an ipod mini to play the parachute game a few years ago and it mainly didn't do anything but sit around. But I dug it back up and I have a few questions now.

1: are any other ipod batteries cross compatible with the mini?

2: what's the best technique to open a mini?

3: the mini has no drive size inscribed on the back, is this like a prototype or a mistake or something? All the pictures I see have the drive size enscribed but Mines completely blank. Just the apple logo, "iPod", then enturely blank, then the serial and all that junk below.

4: Will a mini run with no battery?

And 5: Will a SanDisk extreme yellow 64 GB CF work? That's the one I got.

Many thanks for helping me revive this ipod.

 

[philden]

I believe the first generation minis did not have the capacity on the back, they were all 4GB. It would also have grey control icons on the click wheel. The second generation has icon colors that match the case, and the capacity on the back. I haven't taken a mini apart yet, but there are instructions here - https://www.instructables.com/Upgrade-Your-iPod-Mini-With-Flash-Memory---No-More/
Most iPods seem to cope with up to 128GB of flash storage. It might run with no battery in a firewire cradle, I believe some iPods will.

 

[Old Man McGuggins]

I believe the first generation minis did not have the capacity on the back, they were all 4GB. It would also have grey control icons on the click wheel. The second generation has icon colors that match the case, and the capacity on the back. I haven't taken a mini apart yet, but there are instructions here - https://www.instructables.com/Upgrade-Your-iPod-Mini-With-Flash-Memory---No-More/
Most iPods seem to cope with up to 128GB of flash storage. It might run with no battery in a firewire cradle, I believe some iPods will.

I tried swapping drives with a SanDisk 64 gb cf, straight from the box, and after putting the battery in and trying it it won't boot when connected to a pc and shows the same dead hard drive image. What did I do wrong?

 

[philden]

I tried swapping drives with a SanDisk 64 gb cf, straight from the box, and after putting the battery in and trying it it won't boot when connected to a pc and shows the same dead hard drive image. What did I do wrong?

My best guess is that there is a problem with either the ribbon cable to the drive, or the way that it is connected.

 

[kge420]

I tried swapping drives with a SanDisk 64 gb cf, straight from the box, and after putting the battery in and trying it it won't boot when connected to a pc and shows the same dead hard drive image. What did I do wrong?

Did you format the drive?
If so try restoring it via iTunes.
I built one up for my sister exactly like yours and it went without a hitch.

 

[Old Man McGuggins]

My best guess is that there is a problem with either the ribbon cable to the drive, or the way that it is connected.

Oh no. Could it be upside down? Would accidentally putting it upside down damage anything?

Did you format the drive?
If so try restoring it via iTunes.
I built one up for my sister exactly like yours and it went without a hitch.

How do I format it? I did not do that.

 

[kge420]

Oh no. Could it be upside down? Would accidentally putting it upside down damage anything?

How do I format it? I did not do that.

Regarding the first reply I don’t recall a ribbon cable. The connector is also keyed so it only goes in one way. I have one in parts if you need a look.
Second reply, remove the card and install it in a card reader, use disk utility or on a windows machine right click and choose format. Either way format the card to fat32.

 

[Old Man McGuggins]

Regarding the first reply I don’t recall a ribbon cable. The connector is also keyed so it only goes in one way. I have one in parts if you need a look.
Second reply, remove the card and install it in a card reader, use disk utility or on a windows machine right click and choose format. Either way format the card to fat32.

The ribbon is fine, but I don't specifically remember it being keyed. I think it was just pins. The actual cf reader on my pc, however, is keyed and only goes one way, and I definitely understand now why it wasn't working.

It's still in ntfs. I forgot to format it.

I will format it when I can get back to it.

 

[kge420]

I was wrong regarding the ribbon cable. Hope I didn’t cause any confusion.

 

[1rottenapple]

The ribbon is fine, but I don't specifically remember it being keyed. I think it was just pins. The actual cf reader on my pc, however, is keyed and only goes one way, and I definitely understand now why it wasn't working.

It's still in ntfs. I forgot to format it.

I will format it when I can get back to it.

I had the same issue with my DIY upgrade. I ended sending it to someone on eBay and upgraded the microsd from 16 to 128.