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iPod ipod problem

T

TreeHugger

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 30, 2004
278
0
My ipod recently stopped working :( It will start up and only give me a folder with !. so I hard reset it, even with it plugged in to the wall outlet via firewire and it starts the whole process again. when I plug it in to my mac it recognizes an 84gb device but not the ipod. My ipod is the 20 gb 4th generation click wheel. I don't have it longer than a year so it should still be under warranty.
Any idea how to fix this? To me it seems the hard drive is damaged.

PS: i did a search but couldn't find anything...
 
well if you get the folder w/ ! that means you have to erase the pod completely.

and if after you did that and it still dosnt work then my guess is the hd is fried :(

sorry to hear about your problem.

call apple and let them know the bad news and ask if there is anything they can do. i dont think there is any hope however
 
well I cant even erase the hard drive... from where would I do that, because its not being recognized by my powerbook.

it should still be under warranty. I've had it less than a year. Do I go see the apple store for about this or the best buy where I bought it? I better start looking for that receipt...

thing is I'm at school right now and there isn't an apple store in my proximity so I can't do anything until I get home next week.
 
TreeHugger said:
well I cant even erase the hard drive... from where would I do that, because its not being recognized by my powerbook.

it should still be under warranty. I've had it less than a year. Do I go see the apple store for about this or the best buy where I bought it? I better start looking for that receipt...

thing is I'm at school right now and there isn't an apple store in my proximity so I can't do anything until I get home next week.
Click to expand...

well if you cant get to the settings to erase it completely then i really dont know anything else but to call apple and have them tell you what to do, im pretty sure the warranty isnt a year either bc i had a problem with my ipod that i bought in dec and they couldnt service it in april.

taking it to best buy wont do you any good
 
Have you tried to run the iPod restore? I've had an iPod that was otherwise inaccessible (but visible in the Disk Utility). Otherwise, it sounds like you have tried everything else I would think of. Best luck.
 
When I run the ipod restore i get a message that tells me that my ipod disk does not have the correct structure. Thing is that I can't even use disk utility to reformat it. It won't let me. Gives me some error, not to mention that my 20gb ipod turns up as a 82.6 gb external firewire disk.
right now I'm doing a hard drive scan from the ipod diagnostic mode...
 
crap I can't find my receipt anymore. I know for sure though that I have it for less than a year. The 4th gen. iPod hasn't even been out less than a year right? So technically all 4th gen. ipods would still have to be under warranty?
I bought it at best buy, but if I go to the apple store, would they try, be able to fix it or exchange it for a new / refurbished one?
 
Your iPod comes with single incident telephone support for the first 90 days and a one-year limited warranty. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan for iPod to extend your service and support to two full years. Only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides you with direct telephone support from Apple technical experts and the assurance that repairs will be handled by Apple-certified technicians using genuine Apple parts. For more information, visit Apple support or call 800-823-2775.

good luck :rolleyes:
 
TreeHugger said:
crap I can't find my receipt anymore. I know for sure though that I have it for less than a year. The 4th gen. iPod hasn't even been out less than a year right? So technically all 4th gen. ipods would still have to be under warranty?
I bought it at best buy, but if I go to the apple store, would they try, be able to fix it or exchange it for a new / refurbished one?
Click to expand...
If you can't find the receipt you might be able to prove when you purchased it if you paid by credit card. Check your credit card bills (look it up on online banking, or check your statements if you keep them, or visit your branch). If you know the month of purchase it will only take a moment to find the line detailing your purchase. Take a copy of this proof of purchase with you and Best Buy might not put up a fuss that you don't have the original receipt. Good luck!
:)
 
Raid said:
If you can't find the receipt you might be able to prove when you purchased it if you paid by credit card. Check your credit card bills (look it up on online banking, or check your statements if you keep them, or visit your branch). If you know the month of purchase it will only take a moment to find the line detailing your purchase. Take a copy of this proof of purchase with you and Best Buy might not put up a fuss that you don't have the original receipt. Good luck!
:)
Click to expand...

i checked my online banking credit card receipts but they don't have records going back to july/august of 2004.
 
TreeHugger said:
i checked my online banking credit card receipts but they don't have records going back to july/august of 2004.
Click to expand...
Call the bank, they might be able to go further back... it might take a few days though.
 
Raid said:
Call the bank, they might be able to go further back... it might take a few days though.
Click to expand...

I might give that a try when I get home from school. The way I see it, I still have some time but still would like to get my iPod fixed as soon as possible.

The hdd scan from the diagnostics mode passed, but the hdd r/w test failed...
 
Best Buy Keeps Credit Card Purchase Records

TreeHugger said:
i checked my online banking credit card receipts but they don't have records going back to july/august of 2004.
Click to expand...

Best Buy will have a record of your receipt in their computer system if you paid for your iPod with a credit card. Just go to the customer service counter and have them look it up (you'll need the credit card info, of course). There should be no need to go to the bank. I returned my previous mp3 player which had stopped working without a receipt by doing this (that was when I got my iPod).
 
Try using Disk Utility to format the iPod and zero it (write zeros to all sectors).

Then run the iPod updater.

I've had amazing luck doing this: my iPod has died on me twice (exhibiting the same symptoms as yours) but this has fixed it every time.
 
zach said:
Try using Disk Utility to format the iPod and zero it (write zeros to all sectors).

Then run the iPod updater.

I've had amazing luck doing this: my iPod has died on me twice (exhibiting the same symptoms as yours) but this has fixed it every time.
Click to expand...

think I'm going to go to the apple store tomorrow and have them take a look at it firts. I'd rather not mess with disk utility and iPod because I heard that for most people it screws it up further... If apple won't do anything I'll try it though. thanks for the input!
 
Zach, I just tried what you recommended since I couldn't wait. Unfortunately it didn't work for me. I erased my ipod disk, (mac os x journaled) did the ipod restore and synched music to it. After I disconnected it, it played a few seconds of a song and then just died again and I have the same problem as before...
 
Ok, so I went to the apple store today and Apple replaced mine with a new or refurbished ipod (I can't tell what it is) since I had pretty much every one of them stumped when my iPod wouldn't mount as an iPod but instead as an 82.6 GB external hdd.
 
I now have the same problem. started to zero my 82.6gb ipod and it failed, reconnected and it's now 114gb. zeroing again. any other advice?

would removing the HD, connecting it to one of those hd-- usb adapters then connecting it to the mac and zeroing again make any difference.

thanks
 
Beware of iPod Mechanic.

Based on a positive article I read, I shipped my iPod to iPod Mechanic for screen replacement over a month ago. I paid them via PayPal over two weeks ago. The only way to contact them is by email, and I get no response that way. BEWARE!!! Don't make the same mistake I did. Never again will I ship to any company without a phone number and without a live person to answer the phone.
 
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