Can I have my 80gb iPod fixed?

*Scottish*Lass*

Hi all :wave:

I bought an 80gb iPod (classic I think?) in April 2008. In July last year it stopped working, for no reason at all! It had been fully charged the night before & usually a full charge would easily last me a full weekend at work which is 8 hours.

I used it on the Saturday (which is a 6 hour shift), switched it off when I was finished and put it in my bag. The next morning I went into work, took it out of my bag & it wouldn't switch on. I though maybe I hadn't switched it off properly and the battery had run out so when I came home from work I plugged it in to my mains charger so it'd be ready for work the next day.
Later that evening I unplugged it to put it in my bag and wondered why it didn't switch on, as it normally would when I unplugged it. I tried switching it on and off but it didn't go on at all.
I though perhaps there was something wrong with the mains charger so I plugged it into my PC but nothing happened. Normally it would open up iTunes and sync, as well as showing as charging on the iPod screen.
I have an iPod dock on my alarm clock so I stuck it on there to see - but still nothing.

I was pretty gutted and put it in my bag thinking I would look online for somewhere to have it fixed, but I never found anything. I have a 2gb iPod that i had before I bought the bigger one so I've been using that but it seems such a waste!!
It wasn't under warranty so I can't send it to be fixed for free and as I don't know what's wrong with it I can't figure out on the Apple site how much it'd cost to be fixed. Does anyone have any ideas what it might be or how I can fix it?

TIA

bingo_bango

Could be just that the battery has died, and that's quite cheap and simple to fix yourself.

It could be another component, but they're all quite cheap and easy to fix (as long as you don't send them off to an internet company).

Are there any signs of life? Does the hard drive make a clicking sound when you try to power on? Does it try to spin up but die immediately? Are there any messages on the screen? If none of the above, then it might be worth spending a few quid for a new battery on eBay. It won't break the bank and will at least rule the most likely option out.

It could of course just be a loose cable (there are 3 main connectors in the ipod. 1. battery 2. screen 3. logic board) but the only way to find out is to open it.

I've so far fixed 3 different ipods with different issues. None took more than 10 minutes to repair (once I'd figured out what was wrong :rolleyes:).

EDITED: Of course there is a further connection in the ipod, for the hard drive :cool: It doesn't appear that that is the issue here, but you never know!

*Scottish*Lass*

Hi Bingo Bango, thanks for your reply. I'd be happy to give fixing it myself a go, I fixed my N95 with the help of a bit from eBay & a youtube video lol I guess I couldn't make it any worse than it already it is!

Nothing happens at all when I try switching it on or off. What would you say is the most likely problem? Is there a well known fault ie battery/screen etc? Also, how easy is it to get the back off the iPod? It looks pretty secure to me! lol

I'm away to have a look on ebay for screen & battery prices. Thanks again!!

bingo_bango

Very easy to get the back off. When you buy a battery they should supply the tools to do it (like a small plastic screwdriver). There is a video guide I have used in the past which is on a free blog somewhere.

I would buy one component at a time rather than trying to replace everything in one go. You may not need a screen. As for well known faults, the only real one is the fact that ipod batteries are carp! It will do no harm to replace it even if that isn't the main cause.

*Scottish*Lass*

Ok doke, thanks very much, I'll give the battery a go 1st then!! Wish I'd come here sooner!! lol

Zuzzie

Are you sure you havn't accidentally locked it??? There is a little weeeny weeny switch on the bottom edge of the ipod which just clicks from one side to the other. If you have accidentally flicked it to the other side then it will seem as it has completely died as it will not respond until the switch is flicked over to the other side. Check it out.

deferred_pensioner

Hi I had exactly the same problem as you over Christmas. New year

I had been using my IPod (classic 60gb) to show photographs on the TV which uses a lot of power and I did notice on switch off that the battery was completely drained in fact I may have interrupted it mid picture to turn it off.

I left it on charge overnight and then like you it was dead the following day and I could do nothing with it.

Tried all the usual stuff but nothing worked and had come to the conclusion that the battery had snuffed it.

However, I was staying with friends in Bath for new year and they told me to take it into a Ipod shop in Bath (I know that’s a long way from Scotland) which I did.

I looked for the youngest geekiest assistant and played my not used to technology pensioner card and low and behold with a couple of flicks of his thumb he brought up a diagnostic screen which I had never seen or heard of before and told me my battery was fine but completely drained.

He said that the pod had got “confused” his words not mine and reset it placed it on charge for two minutes whilst I quizzed him about an I phone and gave it back to me in a state I could recognise .

Took it home recharged it and everything was fine. I hope you get the same result.

Anyway the point of this long ramble is take it to a shop with staff who know what they are doing and you mightn’t be OK avoid the cost of a new battery and the risk of messing up your pod.

I didn’t see how he got the diagnostic screen up and stupidly did not ask.

No charge was made and the service was fantastic

kevsan

Hold menu and Action buttons together to restart iPod, then quickly hold Action and back button to start the diagnostic mode.

*Scottish*Lass*

Zuzzie wrote: »

Are you sure you havn't accidentally locked it??? There is a little weeeny weeny switch on the bottom edge of the ipod which just clicks from one side to the other.

Do you mean the hold button? I can't see a switch on the bottom? only the charger port. If you mean the hold button then it's def not that, on the 80gb its at the top, pretty big & has an orange sticker-type thing under it so you know if its locked or not. It's not that thats the problem. If thats not what you mean then where abouts exactly is the other button?

*Scottish*Lass*

deferred pensioner - thanks for your advice. I had a look online when it first happened to see if I could find an apple/ipod shop but there's nothing even remotely close to me. Thanks though

Dreamnine

I take it you've tried resetting it? http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-reset-or-unfreeze-an-ipod-nano-ipod-touch-ipod-classic-or-ipod-shuffle/

If you're ever in Edinburgh, Amp3 at Ocean Terminal offers a rehab service for ipods - they clean them, replace the battery etc.