The iPod Turns 25: 25 Things That Go Wrong With a Classic iPod, and How to Fix Each One

1 Nothing responds, or a lock shows on the screen

What you notice. The wheel and buttons do nothing. A small lock symbol may sit on the screen, orange may show beside the Hold switch, or the iPod stays on the language screen. The switch may feel loose, slide without clicking into place, or stop working right after the iPod was opened for a new battery. It may only be locked.

Tell-tale signs and tests. A lock symbol on the screen means Hold is on. Apple's guides and support articles say so, and we read it the same way on every model from the 1st Gen to the 7th and on both minis. If the lock stays with the switch off, or the buttons still ignore you, the switch is most likely stuck or broken, or, on the 3rd Gen, its slider is out of line with the switch on the logic board, which often happens after the case was opened; on the 4th Gen and Photo, the jack cable comes first (below). An iPod that sits on the language screen, the screen it shows as it starts, is most likely on Hold too: the switch, the headphone jack cable, or the logic board where that cable plugs in. On the 4th Gen and Photo, a headphone jack cable that is faulty, or simply not snapped fully into the logic board or pushed fully into the headphone jack board, can keep the iPod locked whatever the switch says, so the wheel can't wake it. And if sliding Hold switches the iPod off, the switch is most likely not the problem (see the trap).

Free checks. Slide the Hold switch firmly to the unlocked position, so no orange shows beside it. If you use an iPod Remote, turn its Hold switch off too: Apple notes that the two switches don't affect each other. If the wheel and buttons ignore you right after you slid Hold off, wait about 30 seconds. Apple explains why: these iPods calibrate their touch-sensitive wheel and buttons the moment Hold is turned off, and a finger touching them at that moment throws the calibration off. (Apple's tip covers the 3rd Gen through the iPod Video, and both minis.) If they still ignore you, slide Hold on and off again without touching the wheel, then reset the iPod (entry 3). If the iPod was just opened, check that the headphone jack cable is pushed fully in and its latch closed. The mini has no cable or latch there: its jack and Hold switch sit on a small board that plugs straight onto the logic board, so check that the board is pressed fully home.

Causes, in order.

• iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen: a broken Hold switch, which is part of the headphone jack assembly; after a repair, the jack cable not fully in or its latch open; then the logic board where the jack cable plugs in.
• 4th Gen and Photo: the headphone jack cable keeping it locked comes first here, then a broken Hold switch, then the logic board where the jack cable plugs in.
• mini: a broken Hold switch on the jack board, then the logic board where that board plugs in.
• 3rd Gen: the Hold slider sits on the headphone jack assembly and moves a small switch on the logic board, so after the case has been opened the two must line up, or Hold stops working. Otherwise, a broken slider (a new jack assembly), then the logic board, which holds the small Hold switch and the jack cable's connector.

The fix. A new headphone jack assembly fixes a broken or stuck Hold switch, because the switch (on the 3rd Gen, only the slider; its electrical switch is on the logic board) is part of it; on the iPod Video the same part also fixes a loose headphone jack. On the 4th Gen and Photo, the jack's flex cable is sold as a separate part, and it's the one to try first there. If the board is damaged where the jack cable plugs in, our fix is a new logic board.

The trap. If sliding the Hold switch turns the iPod off, don't buy a new switch: on every model, that most likely points to the hard drive or its cable (entry 9). And on the iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen, a lock that asks for a combination is the separate Screen Lock, not Hold: Apple says Hold only keeps the buttons from being pressed by accident, while the combination stops other people using the iPod.

Help pages: iPod hold switch not working · Forgot the iPod screen-lock code · Stuck on hold · Hold button not working · Stuck on language screen · Reset a locked iPod · Factory reset a locked iPod

2 It won't charge, or it's stuck on "Very low battery"

What you notice. You plug it in and nothing happens. Or the screen shows a battery with an exclamation point, says "Please wait. Very low battery." and never moves on, or sits on "Charging, please wait" for hours. It may charge from one charger but not another, and a deeply drained iPod may not even show up on the computer. It may only be empty, or on the wrong charger.

Tell-tale signs and tests. On a wall charger, an iPod usually starts right away even with a completely flat battery, sometimes after restarting a couple of times. If it's dead even on the charger, it's most likely the logic board (entry 5); if it shows "Very low battery", most likely the battery. Apple says a deeply drained iPod can need up to 30 minutes on power before it starts, and the screen can stay dark the whole time, and that it needs some charge before a computer will recognize it. On the 6th/7th Gen, "Charging, Please Wait" or "Connect to Power" means just that: the battery has to charge before the iPod can talk to the computer. A lightning bolt on the battery icon means it is charging; on the Photo, Apple says no bolt or plug on the icon means the iPod may not be on a high-power USB 2.0 port. Also on the Photo, a still, gray battery icon isn't a screen fault: Apple notes some icons stay black and white even on a color display. On a model that charges over USB, if it charges from the computer but not from a wall charger, suspect the charger: some generic USB chargers don't signal to these iPods that they may charge. And if the charging port isn't working, look at its pins for signs of corrosion from liquid, and for cracked, broken or bent pins.

Free checks. Charge it for at least 30 minutes on the right charger for your model (below). For USB, that means a USB wall adapter or a USB 2.0 or 3.0 port on the computer itself, one that is on and not asleep; a keyboard's port won't do, and Apple says some hubs won't either. Push the cable in firmly, clear any debris from the ports, and try a different cable, power adapter and power source. On a model that charges over USB, if it charges from the computer but not the wall, try an Apple USB power adapter. For a 4th Gen, we strongly recommend a wall charger, such as Apple's A1070. The right charger, by model:

• 3rd Gen, and the 2001 and 2002 originals: FireWire power only. Apple's 3rd Gen manual is blunt: "You can't charge iPod using USB." Use a FireWire wall charger, or a 6-pin FireWire port on a computer that is on and awake. A USB cable, a USB charger, or a USB-powered dock or car adapter never charges these models.
• 4th Gen, Photo, iPod Video and mini: USB, from the computer or a wall adapter, or FireWire power. The 1st Gen mini came with Apple's power adapter, a FireWire cable and a USB cable; the 2nd Gen came with a USB cable only.
• 6th/7th Gen: USB, from the computer or a wall adapter; Apple's manual names an Apple USB power adapter or a "Made for iPod" one.
• Every model: a small 4-pin FireWire port, common on PCs, carries no power and never charges an iPod. And with Apple's Y-shaped cable (a FireWire plug and a USB plug on one cord), never plug both ends into the computer at once. On a 3rd Gen only the FireWire end charges it, so that end goes to a FireWire charger.

Causes, in order. On the right charger, our order is the same on every model: a worn-out battery is the most common cause, then a damaged charging port, then the charging circuit on the logic board. A "very low battery" message that stays or keeps coming back reads the same way: the battery is worn out, or the port or the board isn't letting it charge. On a 3rd Gen or an original, rule out the charger first: only FireWire power counts as "on the charger." After a battery swap, if the iPod runs on the new battery but won't charge it, try another charger and cable first. Then suspect the charging port, and the battery last, unless the trouble began with the new battery.

The fix. A worn battery: a new battery. The charging port is part of the logic board, so we fix a damaged port by replacing the whole board; a failed charging circuit means a new board too.

The trap. The 3rd Gen has the same dock connector as later iPods, so any iPod cable looks right, but a USB cable never charges it: on USB it can look dead, or seem to have a ruined battery, when all it needs is FireWire power. It can still sync over USB 2.0 (on a Mac from Mac OS X 10.3.4, or on a Windows PC), Apple's pages of the time say, but it runs on its battery the whole time unless FireWire power is connected too. And a sad face together with the low-battery message is two messages at once: the message points to the battery or the logic board, the sad face to the hard drive or its cable (entry 10).

Help pages: iPod won't charge · iPod says "Please wait, very low battery" · Sad face very low battery

3 It's frozen: the screen is stuck and no button works

What you notice. The screen stops on a song or a menu, and the wheel and buttons do nothing. Or it freezes again and again. On a 4th Gen a sync can hang partway: iTunes stops responding on a Mac, or the iPod drops off the list on Windows, and the iPod shows a low-battery icon. On a 3rd Gen, the reset you may know from later iPods isn't the right one: its buttons are different. It may only need a reset, and a reset keeps your music.

Tell-tale signs and tests. An iPod that keeps freezing most often has a failing hard drive; when the software is damaged instead, a restore fixes it. Hold it up to your ear while it tries to work: unusual clicking is a strong sign the drive is failing; then check the drive's health in Diagnostic Mode (entry 9). On the 4th Gen, Apple's first suspect for a sync that freezes iTunes, or drops the iPod from the list on Windows, is a battery without enough charge. On the Photo, a big transfer on a low battery puts the iPod into a power-saving mode and slows the transfer down. On the 6th/7th Gen, Apple says a low battery makes it sync at reduced speed to save power. A freeze on the language screen is most likely Hold (entry 1).

Free checks. Reset it. On every model, slide the Hold switch on and off first. Then:

• 4th Gen, Photo, mini, iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen: press and hold Menu and the Center button until the Apple logo appears.
• 3rd Gen: press and hold Menu and Play/Pause until the Apple logo appears. It has no power button: any button turns it on, and holding Play/Pause turns it off.
• mini with an empty battery: Apple's 2nd Gen mini guide says to connect it to your computer first, then reset it.

If the reset won't take, Apple suggests setting the iPod on a table and trying again with the finger on the Center button kept off the wheel, or using one finger from each hand. A reset doesn't erase your songs; Apple says only some custom settings may be lost. If it still won't respond, charge it for at least 30 minutes and try again. For a 4th Gen or Photo that froze during a sync, charge it first, on the power adapter or on USB without syncing, then sync again.

Causes, in order. If it keeps freezing:

• 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, Photo, iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen: a failing hard drive, then a loose or damaged drive cable, then damaged software. On the 4th Gen and Photo, rule out a low battery first if it froze during a sync; on these two, a failing drive can often be fixed without replacing it (entry 11).
• mini: its microdrive (the mini's tiny hard drive), then the drive cable, then damaged software.
• Any model, right after a repair: a loose drive cable, or a connector not seated.

The fix. Damaged software: a restore puts fresh software on it, but erases the songs, so copy them off first (see the box above). A drive that keeps freezing the iPod: a new drive or flash (entries 9 and 25).

The trap. A reset with the buttons keeps your songs; "Restore iPod" in iTunes or the Finder erases them, so use the buttons first.

Help pages: iPod frozen · How to reset an iPod · Won't turn off

4 The screen looks blank or washed out, but the music still plays

What you notice. Music plays and the buttons respond, but the screen looks blank, washed out, solid black or far too dark to read. It may only be the contrast.

Tell-tale signs and tests. The grayscale iPods, the 3rd Gen, the 4th Gen and both minis, have a contrast setting, and set too light or too dark it can make a working screen look blank. On the 3rd Gen it's common: the screen turns so dark you can hardly read it, or so light it fades, and a reset or restart doesn't bring it back. On the 4th Gen it happens now and then as a very faded screen: a contrast change fixes it, but it can return after a restart or reset. The color-screen models (the Photo, the iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen) have no contrast setting; the iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen have a brightness setting instead. To tell a dark screen from a dead light, shine a light on it: if you can faintly see the menu, the light has failed (most often the screen's own backlight, sometimes its cable or the board's power for it); if there is nothing at all, the screen has failed or isn't properly connected. On the 4th Gen, pressing and holding Menu also turns the backlight on, so the same press shows whether the light works.

Free checks.

• 3rd Gen, 4th Gen and mini: press and hold Menu for about 4 seconds. Apple says this resets a contrast that was set too light or too dark. Or, if you can still make out the menu, go to Settings > Contrast and turn it lighter or darker with the wheel.
• iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen: check Settings > Brightness. A 2005 iPod Video gets this setting with Apple's later iPod software.
• Every model: check Settings > Backlight Timer (on the Late 2009 160GB, Settings > Backlight), which sets how long the light stays on. And first make sure the iPod isn't just empty or frozen: charge it for at least 30 minutes and reset it (entries 2 and 3).

Causes, in order. If the setting isn't it, our order is the same on every model: a failed backlight (the menu shows faintly under a light), then a failed screen, then a screen that isn't properly connected to the logic board, then the logic board. On the 3rd Gen, check that the screen cable is fully inserted and its latch closed. A picture that stays faint with the contrast turned all the way up isn't the setting: it's the screen, sometimes the logic board (entry 20).

The fix. On every model the backlight is part of the screen, so a failed backlight means a new screen; if a new screen doesn't fix it, the logic board. On the mini, order the screen for your generation: the screen cable's width differs between the two.

The trap. Don't hunt for a contrast setting on a color iPod, and don't buy a screen for a grayscale one before you've held Menu for four seconds. On the iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen, a low brightness setting makes the screen dark, not white: Apple's slider only dims or brightens it, so a white screen is a different problem (entry 20).

Help pages: iPod backlight not working · Screen dark but working · Dead screen

5 It's dead, even on the charger

What you notice. No screen, no sound, no Apple logo, and no response to the buttons, a reset or the charger. In some cases the case also gets hot, or there's an odd smell.

Tell-tale signs and tests. The charger usually tells the two main causes apart. Nothing at all, even on the right charger, most likely points to the logic board, not the battery (the sure test is a known-good battery); signs of life only on the charger point to the battery, though the logic board can do that too, above all when there's corrosion on the board or on the battery connector. Static electricity can also kill a logic board outright, on every model, and it does so more often than any part breaks off a board. A battery picture that flashes for a few seconds when you press a button doesn't mean a dead iPod: Apple says an empty one shows a low-battery screen for about 3 seconds instead of starting (entry 2). In some cases a dead logic board makes the iPod hot to the touch or gives off an unusual smell; if it does, unplug it. Tilt it gently and listen: a rattle can be a part broken loose inside. On the iPod Video, it can be a small coil (an inductor) near the charging port, knocked off by a drop or a botched repair. The coil is part of the board's power supply, so with it gone the iPod may not turn on or charge. And "won't turn on" sometimes means it starts but never reaches the menu: an Apple logo, then a stop or a restart, often with the sad face (on the 6th/7th Gen, the red X), points to the hard drive or its cable (entries 10 and 12).

Free checks. Slide Hold off, and turn off an iPod Remote's Hold switch too. On the 4th Gen and Photo, look for the lock symbol: the headphone jack cable can keep these two locked so the wheel can't wake them (entry 1). Then charge it for at least 30 minutes on a charger that suits your model (entry 2), and reset it (entry 3). Apple's own guides start with:

• 4th Gen, Photo and mini 1st Gen: Apple's power adapter on a working outlet.
• iPod Video and mini 2nd Gen: the computer.
• 6th/7th Gen: a USB port on the computer itself or an Apple USB power adapter, not a keyboard port.
• 3rd Gen: FireWire power only (entry 2). Any button turns it on.

Apple's guide says to turn on a mini 1st Gen with the Center button. An older Apple support article adds a last free step for the models up to the iPod Video, and the mini: in rare cases an iPod has to drain completely before a reset works, so leave it off all power for about 24 hours, then plug it in and reset it.

Causes, in order.

• 3rd Gen, 6th/7th Gen and mini: nothing at all, even on the charger, is most likely the logic board.
• 4th Gen, Photo and iPod Video: the logic board, then a damaged charging port. On the 4th Gen and Photo, our full list for an iPod that won't turn on runs: the logic board, a worn-out or empty battery, the headphone jack cable keeping it locked, then a click wheel that can't wake it. When the board is the suspect, look for corrosion on it, especially where the click wheel cable plugs in.

Signs of life only on the charger, or it only runs plugged in: a worn-out or empty battery, then the logic board (entry 7). Dead after a drop: most likely the logic board, especially if something rattles inside or it gets hot to the touch. Dead right after a repair: a connector not seated, or a chip broken off the board by a botched repair attempt.

The fix. A dead logic board means a new logic board; an iPod that shows life only on the charger most likely needs a new battery; if a new one doesn't help, the logic board. On the 4th Gen and Photo, a jack cable that keeps it locked is a separate flex cable, and a wheel that can't wake it means a new click wheel, or else the board.

The trap. Don't buy a battery for an iPod that does nothing at all on the charger: that most likely points to the logic board. On a 3rd Gen, though, the test only counts on FireWire power. On USB, a flat 3rd Gen stays dead even if its battery is healthy.

Help pages: iPod won't turn on · How to turn on an iPod · Black screen won't turn on

6 It gets hot, beeps or smells

What you notice. It's too hot to hold while it charges or plays, hot even though it won't turn on, or hot right after it was opened. Or it beeps, or gives off an unusual smell.

Tell-tale signs and tests. Some warmth is normal: Apple says it's normal for an iPod to get warm while you use or charge it, and on the older models it's the bottom of the case that warms. The 6th/7th Gen iPod classic shuts itself down if it gets too hot. Too hot to hold, or hot while it won't even start, points to the logic board first, then the battery. In some cases a dead logic board runs hot or gives off an unusual smell. A sweet, metallic or acetone smell can also be gas escaping a swelling battery (entry 8). A beeping noise that isn't an alarm points to the logic board (Apple's alarm can be set to Beep, which sounds through the iPod's internal speaker, and Diagnostic Mode beeps as it starts). Tilt it gently and listen: a rattle can be a part broken loose inside, such as the small coil near an iPod Video's charging port (entry 5). Heat that starts right after a repair points to a pinched cable or a part pressing on the board. If it has been overheating for a while, it shows once a 4th Gen, Photo, iPod Video or 6th/7th Gen is opened: dark or melted spots on the foam pad attached to the hard drive. And if a new battery drains just as the old one did, check for a funny smell or heat: that points past the battery to the logic board.

Free checks. If it's hot or smells, unplug it, stop charging it and let it cool down. Take it out of any case or cover: Apple says not to charge an iPod inside one.

Causes, in order. Our order is the same on every model. Too hot: a logic board fault, then a failing battery, then a swollen battery (entry 8). Hot but it won't turn on: the logic board, then a failing battery. Hot right after a repair: a cable or part pinched against the board. Beeping that isn't an alarm: the logic board.

The fix. A logic board fault means a new logic board; a failing or swollen battery, a new battery. After a repair, unplug it and let it cool before you open it, then check that every cable and part sits flat in its place.

The trap. Don't pull a hot battery out yourself. Don't attempt to remove the battery from any device that is extremely hot to the touch or smells foul. Let it cool, then have it opened.

Help pages: iPod overheating · Beeping noise · Won't turn on but it gets hot

7 The battery dies fast, it shuts itself off, or it only runs plugged in

What you notice. Hours of play have become minutes. It plays fine on a charger, a dock or in the car and dies the moment you unplug it. It's empty again after a few days in a drawer. Or it switches itself off at random, shows the Apple logo and turns off again, or turns on and off while it's plugged in.

Tell-tale signs and tests. These iPods have no battery-health screen. A worn battery shows itself instead: the iPod runs out much sooner than it used to, or turns off as soon as you unplug it. Apple puts it plainly: "If your iPod charges but turns off when you unplug from power, you might need to replace the battery." Don't trust the icon: Apple calls the battery indicator "only an approximation," and an iPod can stop playing with charge still showing. Shutting off at random is another story. An iPod that keeps turning off most often has a failing hard drive (check its health in Diagnostic Mode, entry 9), and one that turns on and off while plugged in most likely does too. An Apple logo, then off again, points to the hard drive or its cable, and on every model but the 4th Gen and Photo also to a battery too weak to spin the drive up. If it turns off when you slide Hold, it's most likely the drive or its cable (entry 1); if it turns off after a set time, check the sleep timer; and the 6th/7th Gen shuts itself down if it gets too hot (entry 6).

Free checks. Time it. Apple's own test: charge it fully, set Repeat to All, turn the backlight timer (Backlight on the Late 2009 160GB) and EQ off, play an album until the iPod stops, and compare the time with Apple's music-playback rating for your model when new:

• 3rd Gen: over 8 hours.
• 4th Gen: up to 12 hours. Photo: up to 15.
• iPod Video: up to 14 hours (30GB) or 20 (60GB and 80GB).
• 6th/7th Gen: up to 30 hours (2007 80GB), 40 (2007 160GB) or 36 (2008 120GB and Late 2009 160GB).
• mini: up to 8 hours (1st Gen) or 18 (2nd Gen).

If yours dies much sooner, the battery is most likely worn out. For scale, Apple's own service test counted an iPod Video's battery as fine if it still played after 12 hours (30GB, rated up to 14) or 18 (60GB, rated up to 20).

Causes, in order. Our order holds on every model. Runs out fast, or dies when unplugged: a worn-out battery, then the logic board. Empty after a few days unused: the battery, then a fault on the logic board draining it. If even a new battery empties while the iPod sits unused, check the new battery first (a new one can be faulty), then the board. Shuts itself off at random: the hard drive most often (on the mini, its microdrive), then its cable, then a worn battery or the logic board. On the 4th Gen and Photo, a failing drive can often be fixed without replacing it (entry 11). If it keeps turning off with a good battery and a drive that checks out (entry 9), the logic board is the likely fault. Started after a battery or part swap: a connector not seated. And a new battery that drains fast is the battery first, then the logic board.

The fix. A new battery, matched to your model. The iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen take different batteries in thin and thick cases (entry 24), and on those models a 2000mAh extended-life battery fits only once the hard drive has been replaced with flash, and even then the flash adapter and the case back decide whether it fits (entry 25). The 4th Gen and Photo share one battery, and on the Photo it fits thin and thick cases alike. On the mini, be wary of batteries sold as 1300 mAh: packs sold that way measured 400 to 600 mAh on our bench.

The trap. Running it flat won't revive a worn battery. Apple says the iPod's lithium-ion battery "does not need to be conditioned," so a "calibration" cycle is no fix. And if it shuts itself off at random, check the drive (entry 9) before you buy a battery: on every model it's the first suspect.

Help pages: iPod won't hold a charge · iPod keeps turning off · Check iPod battery health · Keeps turning off (How to turn off an iPod) · Won't turn on unless plugged in · Stuck on Apple logo then turns off

8 A swollen battery: a dead center button, marks on the screen, or a case that bulges at the top

What you notice. It depends on the model. On the iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen, a swollen battery is more likely to bulge the case, usually at the top, where the seam between the front and back opens into a clear gap; on the 4th Gen, Photo, mini and 3rd Gen the case rarely shows it. Beyond that, what you notice depends on where the battery sits, and it doesn't always come with poor battery life.

Tell-tale signs and tests.

• 4th Gen and Photo: the battery sits right behind the click wheel. As it swells, the center button gets hard to press or stops working while the other buttons still respond, and the wheel can start scrolling by itself or stop altogether. Usually nothing shows from the outside, and on the 4th Gen there are no marks on the screen.
• iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen: the case can bulge, usually at the top, and the battery sits behind the screen, so it shows there too: dark pressure marks or spots, a screen that lifts or bows, and on the iPod Video it can press hard enough to crack the screen. The click wheel and the center button aren't affected on these models.
• mini: the battery sits behind the screen too, and leaves dark pressure spots on the picture. The click wheel isn't affected.
• 3rd Gen: the only check is to open it and look.

Free checks. On the 4th Gen and Photo, rule out Hold first: a locked iPod ignores every button (entry 1). On the iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen, look along the top edge for a gap or a bulge. If the case bulges, or the iPod is hot or smells, stop charging it and stop using it. Either way, the only sure check, on every model, is to open the iPod and look at the battery: unplug it first, and never press on, bend or pierce a swollen battery. If it's swollen, stop charging it and replace it. On the 4th Gen and Photo, do that before ordering a click wheel.

Causes, in order.

• 4th Gen and Photo, a center button that stops: the swollen battery first, then the click wheel assembly (on these models the center switch is part of it), then the logic board.
• iPod Video, 6th/7th Gen and mini, a dark mark or a lifted screen with no drop: a swollen battery behind the screen can cause it, so open the iPod and look at the battery before you buy a screen; if the battery isn't swollen, it's the screen (entry 20). On the mini, our list for lines on the screen runs: a damaged screen, the swollen battery, then the screen cable.

The fix. Stop charging it and replace the battery. Don't put the old one in the trash or a recycling bin: the US EPA says lithium-ion batteries "should NOT go in household garbage or recycling bins," so tape its terminals or put it in its own plastic bag, as the EPA advises to prevent fires, and take it to a battery drop-off. On the 4th Gen and Photo, test the center button again with the new battery in before you buy a click wheel; if the battery wasn't the cause, the click wheel will likely need replacing. On the mini, the pressure spots usually fade once the battery is replaced. On the iPod Video, a screen the battery has cracked needs replacing too.

The trap. Don't wait for a bulge (on the 4th Gen, Photo, mini and 3rd Gen it rarely comes), and don't buy a new center button: on the 4th Gen and Photo the button itself is mainly cosmetic, so a new one won't free a click wheel the battery is pressing on. And marks that appear right after a battery or drive swap may not be swelling at all: on the iPod Video, a thick battery or a thick (8 mm) drive in the thin 30GB case, and on the Photo an 8 mm drive under the thin back, presses on the screen and can leave dark pressure marks or lasting damage (entry 24).

Help pages: Swollen battery · iPod center button not working

9 A click, whir or grind from inside: the click of death, and the two checks that point to the drive

What you notice. A repeating click, a "click, click, whir" or a grinding sound from inside the case while the iPod tries to start, play or sync. The Apple logo may stay on the screen, or a sad face may follow (on the 6th/7th Gen iPod classic, a red X).

Tell-tale signs and tests. Repeated clicking is the click of death, and it comes from the hard drive, not the click wheel. It can happen on every hard-drive iPod, the mini's microdrive included, and whirring or grinding usually goes with it. Before you buy anything, run two checks; if it still shows up on a computer, copy your music off before either one (see the box at the top). First, the ear test: hold the iPod up to your ear while it tries to work. Unusual clicking patterns are a strong sign the drive is failing.

Second, Diagnostic Mode, a hidden test menu that Apple's user guides leave out: Apple described it only in its procedures for service technicians. On the models with a click wheel (the mini, 4th Gen, Photo, iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen), reset the iPod by holding Menu and Center until the Apple logo appears, and as soon as the logo shows, hold Center and Previous until the test menu appears. On the 3rd Gen, reset it with Menu and Play/Pause, and as it restarts, hold Previous, Next and Center together. Its touch wheel doesn't work in the test menu, so move with Previous and Next. Where the drive results sit depends on the model:

• iPod Photo, iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen: press Menu for the manual tests, then choose IO, then HardDrive, then HDSMARTData.
• mini: choose the SMRT DAT test.
• 4th Gen: press Next (the forward button) to reach the second page, then choose SMRT DAT. It shows retracts, reallocs and pending, and all three should be low.
• 3rd Gen: press Next to reach the second page, then choose HDD SCAN. It reads the whole drive and takes about 20 minutes (Apple's service procedure), so run it only once the music is safe. If it reports errors, or the iPod freezes during the test, the drive is the likely fault.

On the counts screens, read reallocs (bad sectors the drive has already moved) and pending sectors (bad sectors waiting to be moved). On a healthy drive both read zero or close to it. A high number, or numbers that rise each time you check, mean the drive is failing, and pending sectors are the sharper warning: any at all are a reason to copy your music off now. If a test stops on "HP Detect" or "Please plug FW", that alone isn't a fault: the test is waiting for headphones or a FireWire cable (Apple's own service test then expects "HP PASS" and "HOLD PASS"; if it won't pass with them plugged in, suspect the jack, the Hold switch or the port). Plug them in (or, if they're already in, unplug them) and press Menu, or go to the manual tests and run only the drive test. To leave Diagnostic Mode, choose Reset in its menu, or reset the iPod.

Free checks. Put it on the charger: that often tells a weak battery from something more serious. If the iPod still shows up on a computer, copy your music off now (see "Before anything else" at the top), because a restore erases every song.

Causes, in order.

• iPod Video, 6th/7th Gen and 3rd Gen: the failing hard drive, then a loose or damaged hard drive cable, then a battery too weak to spin the drive up, so the drive clicks and retries.
• mini: the same order, with the microdrive in place of the hard drive.
• 4th Gen and Photo: the drive, then its cable. On these two, an iPod that acts as if its battery were too weak to spin the drive often has a drive cable problem instead (entry 11).

The fix. Push the drive cable back in first: a loose or damaged cable can cause the clicking too. A failing drive is replaced with a new hard drive or with flash, which leaves nothing mechanical to click (entry 25). On the mini, the replacement is a used original microdrive or a flash card. On the 4th Gen and Photo, our Hard Drive Repair Service comes first, because the drive can often be fixed without replacing it (entry 11).

The trap. Two sounds are not the click of death. The tick you hear when you scroll is a sound the iPod plays through its internal speaker to let you know the wheel is working; it is not a fault. A beep that isn't an alarm points to the logic board (entry 6). And if the iPod starts in Diagnostic Mode every time you turn it on, a button may be stuck down: send it for a free diagnostic.

Help pages: iPod clicking sound or noise · iPod diagnostic mode

10 A sad iPod face, a folder with an exclamation point, a red X, or Apple's support address on the screen

What you notice. At start-up the Apple logo gives way to an icon, and the iPod never reaches its menu. Which icon you get depends on the model:

• 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, iPod Photo, mini and iPod Video: a sad iPod face, or a folder with an exclamation point. On the iPod Video the sad face comes with Apple's support address, www.apple.com/support/ipod.
• 6th/7th Gen iPod classic: a red X (a red circle with an X) and the same support address. Among the iPods in this guide, the red X belongs to these two alone, and it is their drive-failure screen: they don't show the sad face. A folder with an exclamation point can appear on these two as well.

Tell-tale signs and tests. The sad face and the folder are two different icons, though both often mean the drive. The sad face almost certainly does: it points to the hard drive or its cable, most often the drive (on the mini, the microdrive), and Apple's own article says that "in most cases, the sad iPod icon indicates a hardware issue." The folder can also be damaged software that a restore fixes; if the folder comes back after a restore, suspect the drive. The red X almost always means the hard drive.

A clue from repair guides helps tell the drive from its cable: if the folder appears the moment the Apple logo shows, suspect the drive's cable first; if the logo stays a few seconds before the folder, suspect the drive. A sad face together with "very low battery" is two messages at once: the face points to the drive or its cable, the battery message to the battery or the logic board. Then run the ear test and Diagnostic Mode from entry 9.

Free checks. If the iPod still shows up on a computer, copy the music off first: every restore erases it. Charge it, since Apple says a very flat iPod can need up to 30 minutes on power before it will start. Then follow Apple's steps for your icon. Folder: reset it, charge it, reset it again, then restore it. Sad face: Apple says that if the iPod still goes into Disk Mode, "it may not be a hardware issue," so restore it, and try the restore even if Disk Mode won't start, but never restore an iPod that holds your only copy of the music, on any model (4th Gen or Photo: entry 11). Red X: put it in Disk Mode and restore it.

For Disk Mode, slide the Hold switch on and off, reset the iPod (Menu and Center until the Apple logo; on the 3rd Gen, Menu and Play/Pause), and the moment the logo appears, hold Center and Play/Pause, pressing Play/Pause near the outer edge of the wheel (3rd Gen: Previous and Next), until the Disk Mode screen shows. Restore it in the Finder on a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, or in iTunes.

Causes, in order. Sad face: the hard drive, then its cable. Folder: the hard drive, its cable, then damaged software, though the free restore tests the software first. Red X: the failing hard drive; if it appeared right after a repair, the drive cable first, then a connector that isn't seated. On the 4th Gen and Photo, the drive comes first on every one of these screens, and our Hard Drive Repair Service is the best first option (entry 11).

The fix. A failing drive gets a new hard drive or flash (entry 25), and a brand-new drive or flash card has to be restored when it is first installed. On the mini, the replacement is a used original microdrive or a flash card. Songs on a failed drive are not always recoverable, which is why the copy you make while it still mounts matters.

The trap. One look-alike is harmless. While the iPod is connected to a computer as a disk, its screen says "Do not disconnect", and that is normal (Apple's own Disk Mode steps expect it), not a red X. Each model draws it its own way: a circle with one slash through it, red on the iPod Photo and iPod Video and black on the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen and mini, while the 6th/7th Gen, when simply connected, show an orange "Connected" or "Synchronizing" screen (in Disk Mode, Apple says these too display "Do not disconnect"). Eject the iPod in iTunes or the Finder before you unplug it. The red X looks different: a red ring with an X inside and Apple's web address under it, and no other words. It can appear at start-up or when you plug the iPod in, and only the 6th/7th Gen show it. Another start-up screen isn't a freeze either: on the 3rd Gen and the Photo, a disk with a magnifying glass and a progress bar is the iPod scanning its own drive, which Apple says can take 15 to 20 minutes, so leave it on power until it ends. A check mark means all is well; if it says it found and corrected problems, Apple's advice is a restore, after you copy the music off.

Help pages: Sad iPod face icon · iPod folder icon · iPod red X · How to factory reset an iPod · Sad face very low battery · Dead iPod icon

11 A 4th Gen or iPod Photo whose drive seems dead: often a dirty cable contact

What you notice. On a 4th Gen or iPod Photo: the sad face or a folder with an exclamation point, a "click, whir" from inside, an Apple logo that loops, freezing, a restore that fails, or an iPod that drops into Disk Mode on its own. Or the drive tries to spin up at the Apple logo and the iPod shuts off or restarts, sometimes in a loop, as if the battery were too weak to start the drive.

Tell-tale signs and tests. On these two models, an iPod that seems too weak to spin up its hard drive often has a hard drive cable problem. If it does the same on the charger, suspect the drive or its cable, not the battery. Two more tells point the same way: it keeps turning on and off while plugged in, or sliding the Hold switch turns it off. Then run the two checks in entry 9. In Diagnostic Mode, the 4th Gen keeps its counts on the second page under SMRT DAT (press Next to get there); on the Photo, press Menu for the manual tests and choose IO, HardDrive, HDSMARTData.

Free checks. Put it on the charger and watch: if it still clicks and restarts there, the battery is very unlikely to be the problem. Give a very flat Photo time first: Apple says one connected to USB 2.0 may charge for up to 30 minutes before you can use it. For the folder, Apple's steps are to reset it, charge it, reset it again and restore it. But a restore erases every song, and on these two our Hard Drive Repair Service can save the songs in most cases, so don't restore one whose songs exist nowhere else.

Causes, in order. The hard drive comes first on every one of these screens, then its cable; for the folder, the stuck Apple logo and freezing, damaged software comes last. An iPod that keeps turning itself off: the drive, its cable, a worn-out battery, then the logic board. The "battery too weak to spin the drive" cause that fits the other models is rarely the answer on these two: it is far more often the cable.

The fix. Our Hard Drive Repair Service is probably the best first option, and it is for these two models only. What looks like a dead drive is often a dirty hard drive cable contact, so the drive can often be fixed without replacing it, and in most cases all the songs are saved. If you open it yourself, clean the drive cable's contacts and push it back in first; if that doesn't help, it's likely a bad hard drive. A drive that is past saving gets a new hard drive or flash (entry 25).

The trap. Don't buy a battery for an iPod that seems too weak to spin its drive: on these two, it is often the cable. And don't restore it to clear a folder or a sad face if the songs exist nowhere else.

Help pages: Sad iPod face icon · iPod folder icon · iPod clicking sound or noise · iPod stuck on Apple logo · iPod frozen · iPod won't restore · iPod stuck in disk mode · iPod keeps turning off · Recover music from dead iPod

12 Stuck on the Apple logo, a restore that fails, or a restore that stops at a picture of a plug

What you notice. The Apple logo stays on the screen, or flashes on and off as the iPod restarts over and over. Or a restore stops with an error number, says the iPod appears to be corrupted, or finishes and asks for another restore, and the iPod itself may say "Use iTunes to restore". Or the restore seems to finish, but the iPod shows a picture of a power adapter and a wall outlet and goes no further.

Tell-tale signs and tests. A brief Apple logo when you wake an iPod that sat unused can be normal: Apple says the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, Photo and both minis fall into a deep sleep after about 36 hours asleep, and the iPod Video hibernates after 14 hours without use; either way, the logo shows for a moment on waking. It is a fault only if it stays. A mini 1st Gen that flashes the logo each time you connect or disconnect it, then goes to its menu, has a known quirk: Apple's remedy is iPod mini software 1.2 or later.

For restores, Apple lists errors 1415, 1417, 1418, 1428, 1429, 1430, 1436 and 1439 as an "unknown error", and every fix it gives is on the computer side. Another restore error Apple describes, "Firmware update failure. Disk write error.", is more often down to the computer's USB or FireWire card or interface than to the iPod when hardware is to blame, Apple says. If the screen says "Use iTunes to restore", restore it; Apple's manual adds that if restoring doesn't solve the problem, the iPod may need to be repaired; in our experience the hard drive is then the most likely fault. The plug picture is not a fault at all: the restore is waiting for power.

Free checks. Charge it and reset it first; a reset doesn't erase your songs. If it hasn't been used for a while, leave it on the charger while it starts, and watch whether it behaves differently there: the charger often tells a weak battery from something more serious. If it still mounts, copy the music off, then restore it. If the computer can't restore it or doesn't see it, Apple says to try Disk Mode (entry 10). When a restore fails with an error, rule out the connection: plug the iPod straight into a USB port on the computer, not a keyboard or hub, try another Apple cable and another port, unplug other USB devices, and restart the computer (on Windows, also install the latest iTunes for your version of Windows: 12.10.11 on Windows 7 or 8; entry 14); security software can get in the way too.

The 6th/7th Gen iPod classic has one more step when a normal restore keeps failing, or the computer doesn't see it at all: a deeper recovery mode called DFU. Connect it to the computer, hold Menu and Center until the iPod restarts, and keep holding until it restarts again; this time the screen stays blank. In some cases the computer now recognizes it and offers a restore, which, like any restore, erases the songs.

Causes, in order.

• iPod Video, 6th/7th Gen and 3rd Gen, stuck on the logo or restarting: the failing hard drive, its cable, a battery too weak to spin the drive, then damaged software.
• mini: the same order, with the microdrive first.
• 4th Gen and Photo: the drive (our Hard Drive Repair Service first, entry 11), its cable, then damaged software.

A restore that still fails after those computer-side checks follows one order on every model: the hard drive, its cable, then a problem with the connection during the restore.

The fix. Damaged software: a restore. A failing drive: a new hard drive or flash (entry 25); a brand-new one has to be restored when it is first installed. A restore stuck at the plug picture: disconnect the iPod from the computer's USB port and connect it to wall power (or a powered 6-pin FireWire port); the restore then completes and the iPod restarts. Which models need that step:

• 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, iPod Photo and mini 1st Gen: finish on a FireWire wall charger or a powered 6-pin FireWire port; a USB phone charger may not complete it. The 3rd Gen has to have FireWire power, because it never charges over USB.
• mini 2nd Gen, iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen: no wall-power step.

A restore done over a powered 6-pin FireWire port shouldn't stop at the plug picture at all; the small 4-pin FireWire ports on some PC laptops carry no power. No wall charger at hand? A bench trick that sometimes works: wiggle the cable slightly in and out at the computer's USB port, and the iPod can be tricked into finishing the restore without one (not on a 3rd Gen, which takes no power from USB). A FireWire wall charger is the sure way.

The trap. Every restore erases the songs, so copy them first. After a restore, every iPod starts on the language screen; if it stays there, it is most likely on Hold (entry 1). An Apple logo on a white screen is a start-up problem, not a broken screen. After a board swap on an iPod Video, check the board: only the 80GB Enhanced board runs the stock 80GB drive (entry 24).

Help pages: iPod stuck on Apple logo · iPod won't restore · How to factory reset an iPod · Frozen on Apple logo · Won't turn on past Apple logo · White screen with Apple logo · Black screen with Apple logo

13 Stuck on "Do not disconnect", or the computer doesn't see it

What you notice. The screen keeps saying "Do not disconnect" or "OK to disconnect" (on a white background it can look like a broken screen) and won't go back to the menu, or the iPod drops into Disk Mode on its own. Or you plug it in and nothing happens: iTunes or the Finder never lists it, Windows reports an unknown USB device, or it appears for a few seconds and vanishes, though it may still charge.

Tell-tale signs and tests. A screen that says "OK to disconnect" or "Do not disconnect" is the Disk Mode screen, not a screen fault, and Disk Mode is normal while the iPod is connected as a disk. "OK to disconnect" means you can unplug it: Apple says no eject is needed. If it goes into Disk Mode on its own, or comes back to it after a reset, the hard drive can be failing, and if it stays stuck on "Do not disconnect" after you eject it, unplug it and reset it, the drive is the likely problem. On the mini 1st Gen, Apple says the "OK to Disconnect" screen can stay until you unplug the cable or lift it off the dock, and iPod mini software 1.2 improved how it disconnects. On the computer side, Apple says Windows' "Unknown Device" is typically a faulty USB connection or a USB driver problem, and that if it appears on more than one computer with more than one known-good cable, the iPod may need service.

Two model notes help here. The iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen sync over USB only; on the iPod Video, FireWire charges it, but in Apple's words, "Transferring information to iPod using FireWire is not supported," so on a FireWire cable it charges and never shows up. And a nearly flat mini 2nd Gen on USB shows a large battery icon and can take up to five minutes to appear in iTunes while it charges (Apple). If a sync starts and stalls, hold the iPod to your ear: unusual clicking patterns are a strong sign of a failing drive (entry 9).

Free checks. To leave Disk Mode, eject the iPod in iTunes or the Finder if it says "Do not disconnect", unplug it, then reset it: Menu and Center until the Apple logo on the models with a click wheel, Menu and Play/Pause on the 3rd Gen. If the computer no longer shows the iPod but the message stays, you can unplug it (Apple). With "Enable disk use" turned on, Apple says you must always eject before you unplug.

If the computer doesn't see it, start with Apple's checks. Charge it: Apple says an iPod "must have enough of a charge" for the computer to recognize it. Use the iPod's own cable in a USB port on the computer itself, not a hub or a keyboard. On Windows, or a Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier, install the latest iTunes for your system (on Windows 7 or 8, that is 12.10.11; entry 14). Try another Apple cable, another port and another computer, and remember that security software can block it. On Windows, Apple's own next check is Device Manager, where the iPod can show with an exclamation or question mark, or only as an "Unknown Device"; if it shows that way on more than one computer with more than one known-good cable, Apple says it may need service.

On a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, the iPod shows in the Finder sidebar, not in an app; if the sidebar doesn't list it, turn on the Finder setting that shows CDs, DVDs and iOS devices. On Windows, if iTunes sees the iPod but can't connect to it, reinstall iTunes and restart the iPod Service, then restore it from Disk Mode. Apple's 4th Gen manual adds two rules: use a FireWire or USB 2.0 port (USB 1.1 isn't supported), and plug a laptop into the wall before you connect the iPod over USB. Still not seen? Put it in Disk Mode and restore it (entry 10), after copying the music if you can. On a 6th/7th Gen, DFU mode (entry 12) sometimes gets it recognized.

Causes, in order. Stuck in Disk Mode: the failing hard drive (on the mini, the microdrive), then its cable; right after a drive or flash swap, a brand-new drive or card that hasn't been restored yet. Not seen by any computer: the hard drive first, then its cable, then a damaged or dirty dock connector on the logic board. Not seen right after a repair: a cable not fully in, a latch left open, a drive or flash card fitted upside down, then the logic board. On the 4th Gen and Photo, the drive check starts with our Hard Drive Repair Service (entry 11).

The fix. A failing drive gets a new hard drive or flash (entry 25). If it stays stuck on "Do not disconnect", send it for a free diagnostic before you buy parts. For a damaged dock connector we fit a new logic board; on the iPod Video the connector is soldered to the board.

The trap. A Mac-formatted iPod and a Windows PC don't mix: Apple says iTunes for Windows only recognizes Windows-formatted iPods, and switching takes a restore that erases it, so copy the music on the Mac first. On the 3rd Gen, leave Disk Mode with its own reset, Menu and Play/Pause; Apple's current Disk Mode page gives Center and Menu, which fits only the models with a click wheel. And if Disk Mode won't start at all, Apple's verdict is plain: "If you can't use disk mode, you might need to take your iPod in for service."

Help pages: iPod stuck in disk mode · iPod not showing up in iTunes · Frozen on ok to disconnect · White screen OK to disconnect · Won't sync with computer

14 Syncing in 2026: songs that won't go on, and a Mac on macOS 26 or later, which has dropped FireWire

What you notice. Some songs never go across, the iPod stays empty after a sync, songs disappear after you connect it to a new computer, or the sync crawls. Or a Mac on macOS 26 or later never sees an older iPod at all.

Tell-tale signs and tests. Three of Apple's rules explain songs that never go on. "If you subscribe to Apple Music, you can't sync your saved Apple Music songs to a device." WMA files can't go on these iPods, though iTunes for Windows can convert unprotected ones to AAC or MP3. And a manually managed iPod gets only the songs you add yourself, by dragging them onto it or with iTunes' Autofill. A low battery slows syncing too: Apple's iPod Video manual says to let it charge for about an hour, then carry on.

If a sync fails or stops partway, hold the iPod to your ear: unusual clicking patterns are a strong sign of a failing drive (entry 9). The 2001 and 2002 originals connect only by FireWire, for music and for charging, and the 3rd Gen charges only from FireWire power. The 3rd Gen also syncs over USB 2.0, on a Mac (Mac OS X 10.3.4 or later) or a Windows PC (an older USB 1.1 port won't do), Apple's pages of 2004 to 2013 say (we found no test of it on today's macOS or Windows 10 and 11). It never charges from USB, so Apple's USB 2.0 + FireWire cable keeps it powered: the USB end in the computer, the FireWire end in the FireWire charger, never both ends in the same computer.

Free checks. Before you connect the iPod to a new computer, turn off automatic syncing, and click Cancel if a message offers to "Erase and Sync". On a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, you sync in the Finder: connect the iPod, open a Finder window and select it in the sidebar. Apple's Mac User Guide for macOS 27 still covers syncing an iPod classic (2007-2009), iPod nano or iPod shuffle this way; Apple's guides name only those three and say nothing either way about the older models in this guide. A Mac laptop with Apple silicon asks whether to allow the accessory: click Allow. If the Finder shows no music options, turn off Sync Library in the Music app's settings. If the Music app's Sync Settings button does nothing on macOS Tahoe, sync from the Finder instead.

On Windows 10 or 11, get iTunes from the Microsoft Store or from Apple's iTunes page. Apple's newer Windows apps get in the way, though: once the Apple Music or Apple TV app is installed, Apple says "you can only use those apps for your music," and iTunes keeps only audiobooks and podcasts, while Apple's guide says to "use iTunes on Windows 10 or later" to sync an "iPod classic, iPod nano, or iPod shuffle". Apple adds that "if you don't install Apple Music or Apple TV, you can continue to use iTunes for all your media," so sync from a PC that doesn't have them. On Windows 7 or 8, use iTunes 12.10.11, the newest iTunes Apple offers for those versions (newer iTunes needs Windows 10). Apple's iTunes 12.10 guide lists the iPod classic (2007-2009), iPod nano and iPod shuffle as supported on Windows 7, 8 and 10, and Windows 7 is our own everyday setup for syncing.

Causes, in order. Songs that never go on: Apple's rules above (Apple Music songs, WMA files, a manually managed iPod). A sync that fails or stops partway on a charged iPod: the hard drive, then its cable (on the mini, the microdrive). A Mac that never sees an older iPod: a FireWire-only model on a Mac that can no longer use FireWire.

The fix. Apple says "FireWire is not supported in macOS 26 or later," so on macOS 26 or later no adapter brings it back. An iPod that syncs only over FireWire, such as the 2001 and 2002 originals, has two routes. On a Mac, use macOS 15 Sequoia or earlier with a FireWire port, or with Apple's Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter and a FireWire 400 to 800 cable (the adapter's port is FireWire 800); a newer Mac with Thunderbolt 3 or later (USB-C) ports also needs Apple's Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter in the chain (a USB-C port without Thunderbolt won't do). Apple no longer sells its Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter, so you'll need one secondhand. On Windows, use Windows 7 or 8 with a FireWire port or card, and iTunes 12.10.11. An old Windows XP or Vista PC works too, with iTunes 12.1.3, the last iTunes for those systems; Apple no longer offers its download. The originals need its FireWire port, and the 3rd Gen needs it for power (it can sync over USB): a 6-pin port also charges them, while the small 4-pin port on many laptops syncs but gives no power.

The trap. On another computer, saying yes to "Erase and Sync" erases the songs already on the iPod and replaces them with that computer's library. And songs saved from Apple Music won't go on, however often you sync.

Help pages: iPod won't sync · iPod says "No music" · How to put music on an iPod

15 Songs skip, stop halfway, sit at 0:00, or vanish

What you notice. Songs jump to the next track, stop halfway, or sit at 0:00 and never play. Or the iPod says "No music", or its songs are gone while its storage still shows as used.

Tell-tale signs and tests. The pattern tells you where to look. The same song, or the same few songs, every time: those files are most likely damaged, or in a format the iPod doesn't play (Apple's first check for songs that won't play). Apple puts it simply: "If just one song skips when you play it, it may be damaged." Many songs, at random: the drive can't read the music in time (on the mini, the microdrive); on every model but the 4th Gen and Photo, a worn battery that can't spin the drive does it too. A song stuck at 0:00 means the drive can't read it or the file is damaged. On the iPod Video, if no song plays at all and every one stays at 0:00, the logic board is the likely fault. If the iPod stops at random and shows the Apple logo or restarts, the hard drive or the battery is the likely fault. On the iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen, a worn headphone jack or a loose plug can also stop songs: Apple's guides say unplugging the headphones pauses the song.

Apple adds that shaking the iPod while the hard drive is copying music into its memory can make songs skip. On the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen and both minis, Apple says that memory holds up to 25 minutes of music. Uncompressed songs, such as AIFF files, fill it much faster, so the drive works harder and a song is more likely to skip while you move.

Songs bought from the iTunes Store that won't play may need the computer authorized again: Apple's advice is to deauthorize the computer and authorize it again. If it says "No music" after you connected it to another computer, remember that saying yes to "Erase and Sync" erases the songs and replaces them (entry 14); after a flash upgrade, "No music" with the storage full means it needs a restore.

Free checks. Apple's checks first: the Hold switch off, the headphone plug pushed all the way in, the volume up, and Play/Pause pressed. Then work in this order. If it still shows up on a computer, copy what you can first. Check the drive in Diagnostic Mode (entry 9). If the drive looks good (low reallocs and pending sectors; on the 3rd Gen, an HDD SCAN without errors), check the song files on your computer for damage. If they are fine too, restore the iPod. If only the same few songs skip, delete them from the iPod and sync them again.

Causes, in order.

• iPod Video, 6th/7th Gen and 3rd Gen, skipping: the failing hard drive, a battery too weak to spin it, then damaged song files.
• mini, skipping: the microdrive, a battery too weak to spin it, then damaged song files.
• 4th Gen and Photo, skipping: the hard drive (our Hard Drive Repair Service first), its cable, then damaged song files.

Songs that won't play at all follow one order on every model: the drive, its cable, then damaged song files.

The fix. Damaged files: delete them and sync them again; if that doesn't help, restore the iPod and sync it back. A failing drive: a new hard drive or flash (entry 25), or on the 4th Gen and Photo, the Hard Drive Repair Service first. A restore can sometimes fix songs that won't play.

The trap. The same few songs crackling or skipping can be in the recording itself, not the iPod: play those files on the computer before you open anything.

Help pages: iPod skipping songs · iPod won't play music · iPod says "No music"

16 The center button stopped working

What you notice. The center (Select) button sinks, sticks, feels mushy, or does nothing when you press it, while the wheel may still scroll and the other buttons still work. The cause is different on almost every model.

Tell-tale signs and tests. Start with one test: if the wheel scrolls and the other buttons work, and only the center fails, the fault is under the button cap, not the cap itself: the switch, or what presses on it or holds it in place (by model, below). Then read it by model:

• iPod Video: a button that sits low, feels jammed or won't click is most often the small rubber dome under it, slid off its place on the board. If it clicks but nothing happens, the logic board.
• 6th/7th Gen iPod classic: unlike the 4th Gen and iPod Video, whose center button can stick, the button usually clicks normally but nothing happens, and a restart often brings it back; the iPod Video's dome problem doesn't exist here. The center switch sits on the logic board.
• 4th Gen and iPod Photo: usually only the center fails while the wheel's other buttons work, and usually nothing shows from the outside. The first suspect is a swollen battery pushing on the click wheel from behind. The button gets hard to press or stops, and the wheel can scroll by itself or stop too (entry 8).
• mini: the click wheel can sit slightly out of line with the housing. On the mini, as on the 4th Gen and Photo, the center switch is part of the click wheel assembly.
• 3rd Gen: the center button is touch-sensitive, like the four above the wheel, so it never clicks. A dead one points to the touch wheel cable (entry 17).

Free checks. Slide the Hold switch firmly to unlocked. Then reset the iPod (Menu and Center until the Apple logo; on the 3rd Gen, Menu and Play/Pause): on the 6th/7th Gen, a reset is the most likely fix for a center button that does nothing. Apple's tip if the reset doesn't take: set the iPod on a table, keep the finger on the Center button off the wheel, and press Menu near the outer edge of the wheel. On the mini, gently press down on the click wheel and move it just a little until it slides properly into place.

Causes, in order.

• iPod Video: the rubber dome, then the click wheel or its cable, then the logic board, where the center switch is built in.
• 6th/7th Gen: the center switch on the logic board, then the click wheel or its cable. A button that sits low is extremely rare here, and usually just out of alignment.
• 4th Gen and Photo: the swollen battery, then the click wheel assembly, then the logic board.
• mini, stuck: the click wheel out of alignment in the housing, then a broken click wheel. Not clicking: the click wheel assembly, then the logic board.
• 3rd Gen: the touch wheel cable, then the logic board.

The fix. iPod Video: open it and put the dome back in its place on the board. No part is needed: the dome almost never tears, it slips. 6th/7th Gen: if a reset doesn't bring the button back, the logic board is the likely fault, because the switch is part of it. 4th Gen and Photo: stop charging a swollen battery and replace it, then test the button again before you order anything else; if it isn't the battery, the click wheel likely needs replacing. mini: re-seat the wheel; if it is broken, fit a new click wheel for your generation, since the 1st and 2nd Gen wheels look the same but don't swap. On any model with a click wheel, if a new click wheel doesn't fix it, the logic board.

The trap. Don't buy a new center button. The button itself is mainly cosmetic, so a new one won't fix a dead or stuck button, and usually not a loose one; for a loose one, a free diagnostic is the better first step. The swollen-battery cause belongs to the 4th Gen and Photo alone, because only there does the battery sit directly behind the click wheel. And if the iPod starts in Diagnostic Mode every time, a button may be stuck down.

Help pages: iPod center button not working · Center button not working (iPod buttons not working)

17 The click wheel or the buttons don't respond

What you notice. Scrolling does nothing; Menu, Play/Pause, Next and Previous stop working; or the whole wheel is dead. It often starts right after the iPod was opened for a battery, a screen or a headphone jack. On the 3rd Gen, the touch wheel or the four buttons above it ignore your finger.

Tell-tale signs and tests. A small lock symbol on the screen means Hold is on (Apple). If the wheel and buttons go dead right after you slide Hold off, Apple's explanation is that the iPod calibrates its touch surfaces at that moment, and a finger on them throws it off. Wait about 30 seconds, then slide Hold on and off again without touching the wheel; Apple wrote this for the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, Photo, iPod Video and both minis.

Apple also says a click wheel that stops responding should recover if you leave it alone for a couple of seconds, and that the four buttons work when you press along the edge of the wheel, not near the center. The 3rd Gen's wheel and buttons are touch-sensitive and never click, so pressing harder proves nothing.

On a mini, this problem often starts after a repair: the click wheel cable is easily damaged when the iPod is taken apart. The risky step is unplugging the cable's connector head from the logic board: done carelessly, the head breaks off the board or the cable rips, so take extreme care. If a new mini click wheel seats but does nothing, suspect the wrong generation first: the 1st and 2nd Gen wheels look the same but won't work in each other's iPod, and nothing is damaged. Tell the two minis apart before you order: Apple says the 2nd Gen has its capacity engraved on the back, and its click wheel lettering matches the case color. On the 4th Gen and Photo, a wheel that scrolls by itself can be the swollen battery (entry 8).

Free checks. Apple's checks first: the Hold switch off (with an iPod Remote, its Hold switch too), then a reset with the iPod on a table and your fingers off the wheel.

Causes, in order.

• iPod Video, 6th/7th Gen, 4th Gen and Photo: the click wheel cable not fully in its connector (on the iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen, check that its latch is closed), then the click wheel, then the logic board.
• mini, after a repair: the click wheel cable damaged in the repair, then the cable not seated (it has no latch: press the plug fully onto its connector), then another connector not seated. Otherwise the click wheel, then the logic board.
• 3rd Gen: the touch wheel cable, then the front panel, which has the touch wheel and buttons built in, then the logic board. In our experience this fault is extremely rare on the 3rd Gen.

On the 4th Gen, Photo and mini, Menu, Play/Pause, Next and Previous are part of the click wheel. On the iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen they are small switches on the logic board, under the click wheel, which reads them through its cable. Either way, when one or more of them stop working, the cable and then a new click wheel are the usual fix, and the logic board comes after that.

The fix. Re-seat the cable; if the wheel still doesn't respond, fit a new click wheel; if a new click wheel doesn't fix it, the logic board. On the mini, a damaged cable means a new click wheel, because the cable is part of the wheel. Match the part to the model. The 4th Gen and Photo take the same click wheel. Any 5th Gen or Late 2006 iPod Video wheel fits either one whatever its color, and the same goes for the 6th and 7th Gen. But a 5th Gen wheel and a 6th/7th Gen wheel look alike and don't swap, even though each one's cable fits the other's iPod, and neither do the two minis' wheels. On the 3rd Gen, if a good cable doesn't help, a new front panel, then the logic board; click wheel parts don't apply, because, as Apple puts it, the 3rd Gen has a touch wheel instead of a click wheel.

The trap. If the wheel died right after a repair, open it again and check the cable before you buy a wheel: after a repair, the first suspect is a click wheel cable that isn't seated, and on the mini, one damaged in the repair.

Help pages: iPod click wheel not working · iPod buttons not working · Replaced battery now click wheel doesn't work

18 No sound from the headphones or a dock, though the song plays

What you notice. The song plays, the time counts up and the menus work, but nothing comes out of the headphones. Plug the iPod into a speaker dock, a car adapter or a stereo through the bottom (dock) port, and that's silent too. This one mainly affects the iPod Video, both the 2005 model and the Late 2006 model.

Tell-tale signs and tests. Silence from both the headphone jack and a speaker or dock on the bottom port is the clear sign. The iPod Video has a second one: in some cases, pressing on the lower-right corner of the case, just below and to the right of the click wheel, can bring the sound back for a moment. A worn headphone jack behaves differently: the sound cuts out or crackles when you move the plug, and a dock still plays normally (entry 19).

Free checks. Start with Apple's checks: the Hold switch off, the plug pushed in all the way, the volume up, and Play/Pause pressed (it may only be paused). Then wiggle the plug in the jack, and try another pair of headphones. Then play a song through a speaker dock or a car adapter that works with your model, on the bottom port: sound from the dock but not from the headphones means the headphone jack or its cable; no sound from either means the logic board. (If the headphones work and only one accessory stays silent, the accessory may simply not be compatible with your iPod.)

Causes, in order.

• iPod Video: headphones silent but the dock plays, the headphone jack. Both silent: the audio IC chip on the logic board, a common fault on this model.
• 6th/7th Gen iPod classic: silence from both also points to the logic board, but these models use a different audio chip, and the corner press is an iPod Video sign.
• 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, Photo and mini: the same split. Headphones only, the jack (on the 4th Gen and Photo, the jack board or its flex cable; entry 19). Both silent, the logic board.

The fix. The fix we offer is a new logic board. If you source a board yourself for an iPod Video, its four logic boards are interchangeable, but only the 80GB Enhanced board runs the stock 80GB hard drive (entry 24).

The trap. Don't buy a second headphone jack. If the dock is silent too, a new jack won't bring the sound back, and if you've already fitted one and it's still silent, the logic board is the likely fault. (A new jack that plays in one ear only is a different case: the replacement is likely faulty.) And the corner press is a test, not a repair: it brings the sound back only for a moment.

Help pages: iPod no sound · iPod not working in the car or dock · iPod headphone jack not working

19 Sound in one ear, crackling, or cutting out when the plug moves

What you notice. Music plays in one ear only, or it crackles or cuts out when the plug or the cable moves, while a speaker dock on the bottom port still sounds normal. Or it's simply too quiet, even at full volume.

Tell-tale signs and tests. Move the plug gently while a song plays: if the sound cuts out or crackles, the jack is worn, and static that changes when you move the plug points the same way. Static or hiss with every pair of headphones and in a speaker dock points to the logic board instead (entry 18). If only the same few songs crackle, it's quite possibly in the recording itself, or those song files are damaged: check them on your computer. On the 4th Gen and Photo, a faulty headphone jack cable can also keep the iPod locked (entry 1).

Free checks. Apple's checks first: the Hold switch off, the plug pushed in all the way, the volume up. Then wiggle the plug and try another pair of headphones; if they do the same, it's likely the headphone jack or its cable. On the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen and mini, wiggling the plug can sometimes clear it up. Lint can stop the plug going in all the way: turn the iPod off, shine a light into the jack and lift any lint out with a wooden or plastic toothpick, never metal. Distorted only when it's loud? Set the EQ to Off (Settings > EQ): some EQ presets distort loud songs. Too quiet at full volume? On every iPod Video (the 2005 model after Apple's March 2006 software update 1.1.1) and on the 6th/7th Gen iPod classic, look for a lock beside the volume bar and check Settings > Volume Limit; the older models don't have the setting. On every model, also try Settings > Sound Check off: Apple says it adjusts songs so they play at the same relative volume. Apple notes that a volume limit doesn't apply to accessories on the dock connector (the iPod Radio Remote aside), so a limit can leave the headphones quiet while a dock plays loud.

Causes, in order.

• 3rd Gen, iPod Video, 6th/7th Gen and mini: the worn or damaged headphone jack (on the mini, the jack and the Hold switch sit on one small board that plugs straight onto the logic board, with no cable and no latch). For one ear only, try another pair first; the logic board is very rarely behind one-ear sound.
• 4th Gen and Photo: the headphone jack board, then the logic board. On these two the jack sits on a small board in the back half of the case, joined to the logic board by a thin, fragile cable; that cable is the suspect when the iPod sticks on Hold (entry 1), while one ear or crackling is the jack board itself.
• After a repair, any model: the jack's cable not fully in or its latch left open (on the mini, the jack board not pressed fully onto its connector), then a faulty replacement jack.

The fix. A new headphone jack assembly, which also carries the Hold switch (on the 3rd Gen, it carries the Hold slider, which moves a small switch on the logic board). On the 4th Gen and Photo the jack's flex cable is sold as a separate part. Jacks come thin or thick to match the case, so order the one for your iPod's depth (entry 24 lists which capacities are thin and thick; a 160GB can be either); one assembly fits both minis. If the sound still comes from one ear only after a new jack, the replacement is likely faulty.

The trap. On every full-size model here, the jack in the back half of the case is joined to the board in the front by a thin ribbon, so open the case slowly: pull the halves apart and that ribbon tears, and the sound or the Hold switch stops working (entry 23). On the mini, don't pull on the jack board: its connector to the logic board is fragile, and if it tears off the board, a new jack won't help; our fix is then a new logic board. And a 6th/7th Gen jack fitted to an iPod Video of the same depth handles sound and Hold but can lose TV out through the headphone jack: the iPod Video sends video through its headphone jack, the 6th/7th Gen only through the dock connector.

Help pages: iPod headphone jack not working · iPod one ear not working · iPod static noise · iPod volume too low or stuck · iPod Video headphone jack and Hold switch · Sound not working on one side

20 The screen is white, black, dim, lined, spotted or cracked

What you notice. The iPod still plays music or shows up on the computer, but the screen is wrong. It's solid white, black, or so dim you can only make out the menu under a lamp. It's crossed by lines, marked with black spots, blots or dots, cracked, or flickering. Or, on the grayscale screens of the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen and mini, the picture has faded.

Tell-tale signs and tests. Each look points somewhere different.

White. The backlight still works, but no picture is reaching the screen. If the iPod still plays or shows up on a computer, the screen (LCD) has most often failed, and a screen that flashes white or shows lines over white points the same way. Right after a repair, its cable is usually not fully plugged in or its latch isn't closed (after a screen swap on a 6th Gen, first check that it's a 6th Gen screen: entry 24); after a drop, the cable may have been knocked loose, otherwise it's the screen. A white screen that says "OK to disconnect" or "Do not disconnect" is Disk Mode (entry 13), and one that stops at the Apple logo is a startup problem (entry 12): neither is the screen.

Black, dark or dim. Shine a light on it. If you can faintly see the menu, the light has failed (most often the screen's own backlight, sometimes its cable or the board's power for it); if there's nothing at all, the screen has failed or isn't properly connected. A screen that stays dim at full brightness also has a failing backlight. Black with no sign of life at all isn't the screen (entry 5).

Lines. Black lines tend to be damage in the screen itself, above all a steady horizontal black line or lines. Lines that move, especially when you press on the iPod, point to a faulty or loose screen cable. Other lines can be the screen, its cable or the logic board.

Spots and dots. Ink-like spots, dark patches or blots after a knock or a crack mean the screen behind the front is broken, and the ink-like spot from a crack can grow. (No knock? See the trap.) Dots that stay black or one color are dead or stuck pixels, inside the screen itself.

Cracks. Look at the picture under the crack. If it's fine, only the clear front is broken: the faceplate on the Photo, the iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen; the front panel on the 3rd and 4th Gen (on the 3rd Gen it also holds the touch wheel); the glass lens on the mini. Spots, patches or lines under the crack mean the screen is broken too.

Flicker. The screen's cable first, then the screen.

Faded. On the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen and mini, try the contrast first (entry 4). A picture that stays faint with the contrast all the way up is the screen, or sometimes the logic board.

A light that never goes off. The setting first (below); otherwise the logic board.

Free checks. First make sure it isn't just empty or frozen: charge it for at least 30 minutes and reset it. Then the settings. On the iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen iPod classic, check Settings > Brightness (a 2005 iPod Video gets this setting with Apple's later iPod software). On the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen and both minis, hold Menu for about four seconds to reset the contrast; the color screens have no contrast setting. On the models before the iPod Video, holding Menu also switches the backlight on and off. Check Settings > Backlight Timer on every model, and on the 6th/7th Gen make sure it isn't set to Always On (on the Late 2009 160GB the setting is called Backlight). If the case doesn't bulge and the screen shows no pressure marks (entry 8), press gently near the screen: lines that change point to the cable; a steady black line points to the screen itself. If the iPod has been opened before, check that the screen cable is fully inserted and its latch is closed. And scratches sit on the clear window in front of the screen, not on the screen: light scuffs on a plastic window can often be polished out, deep ones need a new front.

Causes, in order. A white screen: the screen, its cable, then the logic board. A dark screen on an iPod that still plays: the backlight, which is part of the screen on every model, then the screen itself, a screen that isn't connected, and the logic board. Lines: the screen, then its cable, except that after the iPod has been opened the cable comes first; on the mini, a swollen battery sits between the two (entry 8). Spots or cracks in the picture: the screen, then the cracked front. After water, the logic board comes before the screen (entry 21); after a fall, see entry 22; after a screen swap, entry 24.

The fix. A new screen fixes a failed screen and a dead backlight, since the backlight is built into it; if a new screen shows the same fault, the logic board is the likely fault. If only the clear front is cracked, a new faceplate, front panel or lens is enough. On the 6th/7th Gen, the small latch that clamps the screen's cable is part of the logic board: break it, and our fix is a new logic board.

The trap. Dark marks with no knock may not be a broken screen at all. On the iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen, a swollen battery sits behind the screen and can leave dark pressure marks or spots and lift or bow the screen, and on the iPod Video it can even crack it. On the mini it leaves pressure spots, which usually fade once the battery is replaced. (The 4th Gen shows no marks on its screen.) Stop charging it, and read entry 8 before you buy a screen.

Help pages: iPod white screen · iPod black screen · iPod backlight not working · iPod lines on screen · iPod broken screen · Scratched screen · Dead screen

21 It got wet

What you notice. It went into water, a drink or the washing machine. It may work at first; once corrosion develops inside, it can stop charging, stop turning on or act up, and the screen may stay dark.

Tell-tale signs and tests. If it stopped working the moment it got wet, the logic board is the most likely casualty. A screen that stays dark afterwards is most likely the logic board too, though the screen itself is possible. Look for corrosion in the dock connector first: you can see its pins without opening the iPod. Inside, it often shows on the ribbon-cable connectors where they plug into the board, such as the battery, the screen and the click wheel. If it won't charge, look at the dock connector's pins for bent, cracked or broken pins too. Inside a 4th Gen or Photo, look especially around the spot where the click wheel cable plugs into the logic board.

Free checks. Act fast. Apple's guides for the Late 2006 iPod Video and the 6th Gen iPod classic say to unplug all cables, turn the iPod off, slide the Hold switch to HOLD and let it dry thoroughly before turning it on again; Apple's earlier guides (3rd Gen, 4th Gen, Photo, both minis and the 2005 iPod Video) say only to unplug it before cleaning up a spill. Don't charge it or switch it on to see whether it works. Apple warns iPhone owners that charging with a wet connector can corrode its pins, and tells them not to put a wet phone in a bag of rice. Ideally, open the iPod right away: drying alone isn't enough, because what the water leaves behind keeps corroding the board, so with the battery disconnected, clean the board and its connectors with 90% or stronger isopropyl alcohol and let it dry completely. A bag of rice or a similar desiccant won't help: it won't remove that residue.

Causes, in order. On every model: corrosion on the logic board first, then a battery damaged by water, which no longer charges or holds a charge. A screen that stays dark: the logic board, then the screen.

The fix. A logic board that still fails after cleaning, or that corrosion has eaten into, needs replacing; a battery damaged by water is replaced.

The trap. An iPod that works again after drying isn't in the clear: what the water left behind keeps corroding the board, and it can fail later. Heat is the other hazard: Apple's guides say not to leave an iPod in a parked car, and its guide for the Late 2009 160GB model gives "left in a hot car" as an example of how one can be damaged.

Help pages: iPod got wet · Dropped in water

22 It was dropped

What you notice. After a fall it clicks or freezes, shows the sad face (on the 6th/7th Gen, the red X), the screen shows lines or goes black or white, or it shows no sign of life at all. Something may rattle inside, or it may get hot.

Tell-tale signs and tests. A drop most often damages the hard drive: clicking, a sad face (on the 6th/7th Gen, the red X) or a start-up that never finishes all point there. Apple's own handling note singles it out: the iPod "contains sensitive components, including, in some cases, a hard drive." A spinning drive is also more easily hurt than a parked one, so a fall while the drive is spinning (as it starts up, syncs or loads the next songs into memory) is the worst kind. Listen for clicking, then check the drive in Diagnostic Mode (entry 9). If it won't turn on at all, the logic board is the likely fault, especially if something rattles inside or it gets hot to the touch: tilt it gently and listen. On the iPod Video, what rattles is often a small coil (an inductor) knocked loose near the charging port; it is part of the board's power supply. On the screen, a steady horizontal black line or lines most likely mean the screen is damaged; lines that move, especially when you press on the iPod, most likely mean a faulty or loose screen cable. A white screen after a drop means the backlight still works, so the picture isn't reaching the screen: its cable may have been knocked loose; otherwise, the screen.

Free checks. If it still shows up on a computer, copy your music off first (see the box at the top). If it's hot or smells, unplug it. Then the ear test and Diagnostic Mode for the drive, and, if the case doesn't bulge (entry 8), a gentle press near the screen to see whether any lines move.

Causes, in order.

• 3rd Gen, iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen: the hard drive, the screen, the screen's cable, then a connector knocked loose inside, such as the battery or the hard drive cable.
• 4th Gen and Photo: the hard drive first (entry 11), then its cable, the screen, the screen's cable, and a connector knocked loose.
• mini: the microdrive (the mini's hard drive), the screen, the screen's cable, then a connector knocked loose.
• Dead after the fall, any model: the logic board.

The fix. A knocked-loose connector: open the iPod and push it back in, with its latch closed. A damaged drive: a new drive, or flash (entry 25); on the mini, a used original microdrive or flash. A damaged screen: a new screen. Dead after the fall: a new logic board.

The trap. If it shows no life at all, don't start with the screen or the battery: dead after a drop is most likely the logic board. And if you hear something loose inside, a part may have broken off the logic board: stop using it and have it opened.

Help pages: iPod dropped · Screen black after dropping · Dropped screen has lines

23 It broke right after a battery swap or repair

What you notice. It worked before it was opened. Now it's dead, or it has no sound, the wheel does nothing, the screen is white or blank, a sad face or folder appears, a lock symbol won't clear, the new battery won't charge or drains fast, or it gets hot.

Tell-tale signs and tests. Dead even on the charger: the logic board is the likely fault, since static during a repair can damage it. If you can hear the hard drive running, a cable not fully in or a latch left open is more likely. If it starts but won't reach the main menu: a loose hard drive cable, or the hard drive. A white screen after a screen swap is most commonly the screen cable's latch, except on the 6th/7th Gen (entry 24). Hot after the repair: a cable or part pinched. On the 4th Gen and Photo, the fragile part in a battery swap is the headphone jack cable: it easily comes out of the headphone jack when the case is first opened, and the iPod then sticks on Hold, so push it back into the jack; if the iPod stays locked or the sound cuts out afterwards, check that cable first. A part that doesn't match can look like a failed repair too: a click wheel from the other mini generation, a 7th Gen screen in a 6th Gen, or a thick battery closed into a thin case, which can damage the screen (entry 24). On the mini, the click wheel cable is easily damaged during the repair itself.

Free checks. Before you close the case after any repair, test everything you touched: Hold, every button and the wheel, the screen and its light, sound in both ears, charging, and the computer seeing it; a new part can be faulty too. If something fails, open it again and push every connector you touched fully back in, with each latch closed; on the mini, the click wheel plug and the jack board have no latch, so press them fully onto their connectors. A brand-new hard drive or flash drive must be restored when it's first installed; that's not a fault. A new battery that holds a charge but won't charge: try another charger and cable first, then the charging port, and the battery last, unless it charged fine before the new battery went in. A 3rd Gen charges only from FireWire power, new battery or not: "You can't charge iPod using USB," says Apple's manual. A new battery that drains fast: the battery first, then the logic board; if it drained like that before the swap too, check for a funny smell or heat.

Causes, in order.

• Every model: a connector not fully seated, or the replaced part's own cable not fully in or its latch open; a logic board damaged by static when it stays dead even on the charger.
• iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen: the battery connector torn off the logic board in a DIY battery swap. Its latch is delicate, and pulling too hard, or on the wrong part, can pull the whole connector off the board.
• iPod Video: a small coil (an inductor) near the charging port, knocked loose.
• mini: the board slides out of the aluminum tube, and tiny parts near the dock connector can catch on the edge and snap off, especially as it slides back in.
• 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, Photo, iPod Video and 6th/7th Gen: the jack ribbon that joins the case halves, torn as the case was opened (entry 19).
• Any model: a botched repair can break a chip off the logic board.

The fix. Re-seat first. For a torn battery connector on the iPod Video or the 6th/7th Gen, we replace the logic board, and we do the same for static damage. A torn jack ribbon means a new headphone jack (on the 4th Gen and Photo, the separate jack flex cable). A screen that shows marks the moment the case closes may have a part too thick for the case pressing on it (entry 24).

The trap. Before you open one, know where it breaks. Open the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen and Photo like a book, with the dock connector at the top, because the jack ribbon still joins the halves; for a battery swap on the 4th Gen and Photo you can leave the jack connected. On the mini, move the board from side to side as it slides, to clear the small parts. On the 3rd Gen, the Hold slider on the jack assembly has to line up with the small switch on the logic board as the case closes, or Hold stops working. And work static-safe: static from your body can damage the logic board while the iPod is open, and a static discharge can damage sensitive parts, so touch bare metal first, or better, wear a grounded anti-static wrist strap and work on an anti-static mat, and keep new parts in their bags until you fit them.

Help pages: iPod not working after a repair · iPod won't turn on · iPod no sound · iPod click wheel not working · iPod white screen · iPod black screen · Sad iPod face icon · iPod folder icon · iPod hold switch not working · iPod won't charge · iPod won't hold a charge · iPod overheating

24 The new part doesn't fit, or doesn't work

What you notice. A new battery, hard drive, headphone jack, back or dock bezel won't fit, or the back won't close over it. The screen shows dark pressure marks, or lasting damage, once the case is shut. Or a new screen looks identical to the old one but shows only white, or only black.

Tell-tale signs and tests. Two things decide whether a part works: the depth of the case and the exact model.

Depth. Every full-size line here came in a thin and a thick case (the 2008 120GB and the Late 2009 160GB are thin only), and the parts that set the depth don't cross over: a thick hard drive, back, headphone jack or set of drive bumpers won't fit a thin iPod, and on the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, Photo and iPod Video a thin jack or thin bumpers won't do in a thick one either. On the iPod Video and the 6th/7th Gen, the battery and the dock bezel come in two depths as well. Which is which:

• 3rd Gen: thin 10, 15 and 20GB; thick 30 and 40GB.
• 4th Gen: thin 20GB; thick 40GB.
• Photo: thin 20 and 30GB; thick 40 and 60GB.
• iPod Video: thin 30GB; thick 60 and 80GB (Apple lists 0.43 and 0.55 inch).
• 6th/7th Gen iPod classic: thin 80GB, 120GB and Late 2009 160GB; thick 2007 160GB (0.41 and 0.53 inch). "160GB" alone doesn't mean thick.

A thick part in a thin case does damage. On the iPod Video, a thick battery or a thick (8 mm) drive in the thin 30GB case can damage the screen; on the Photo, an 8 mm drive under the thin back presses on the screen and leaves dark pressure marks or permanent damage; and a thin 3rd Gen or 4th Gen back can't close over thick parts.

Look-alikes. Some parts look identical and still don't work:

• 6th/7th Gen screens: a 7th Gen screen in a 6th Gen, including the 2008 120GB, shows only white, though a 7th Gen runs a 6th Gen screen. All of them say A1238 on the back, so tell them apart by the capacity and depth (Free checks, below); a 6th Gen screen works in both the 6th and 7th Gen.
• iPod Video screens: the 2005 and Late 2006 screens swap (the Late 2006 one is brighter), but an iPod Video screen and a 6th/7th Gen screen look alike and don't swap.
• iPod Photo: the Mid-2005 board (820-1764-A) runs either screen, but the Late 2004 board (820-1642-A) stays black with the Mid-2005 screen. Count the bars on the panel: two for Late 2004, one for Mid-2005.
• iPod Video boards: the four logic boards are interchangeable, but only the 80GB Enhanced board runs the stock 80GB hard drive.
• 6th/7th Gen boards and drives: the 2007 and 2008 boards swap both ways, but the thin 160GB drive from a Late 2009 model runs only on its own Late 2009 board, which runs every version and its drive.
• mini: the two generations share the battery, the microdrive and its cable, the jack board, the lens, the bezels, the screws and the housing, but not the screen, the logic board or the click wheel. A screen from one won't even plug into the other's board, because the cables are different widths. And no mini part fits a full-size iPod, or the other way round.
• 4th Gen and Photo: they share the click wheel, the hard drive cable and the battery.

Free checks. Read the model number on the back: A1136 is the iPod Video, A1238 the 6th/7th Gen. Before you order, note four things: that model number, the capacity and depth (thin or thick), what Settings > About shows (Apple says it lists the model and software version), and whether the iPod has been opened or converted to flash. People call almost any iPod an "iPod classic," so a part sold for an "iPod classic" may not be for yours. On a 6th/7th Gen the model number can't tell the versions apart, so go by the capacity on the back, and on a 160GB by the depth; if the back may have been replaced, check Settings > About, which Apple says shows the model.

Causes, in order. A part made for the other depth; a look-alike part from another generation or version; a board that can't run the drive or the screen fitted to it.

The fix. Match every depth-specific part to the case, and every screen and board to the exact version. A screen already marked by a thick part may need replacing too.

The trap. A perfect fit isn't proof: a 7th Gen screen fits a 6th Gen exactly, same cable and all, and still shows only white.

Help pages: iPod not working after a repair · iPod white screen · iPod black screen · iPod broken screen

25 The fix that ends hard-drive failures: flash

What you notice. The hard drive has failed, maybe not for the first time, and you're choosing between another hard drive and flash. Or a flash build that was just fitted isn't recognized, won't restore, or says "No music" while its storage shows as full.

Tell-tale signs and tests. A flash build that says "No music" while its storage shows as full needs restoring. One the computer can't see at all points to the connections inside first. A build that loses its music or needs restoring again after a big sync most often has a fake or faulty card, the adapter maker says: test each new card in a computer card reader before you fit it. And if Diagnostic Mode's drive details show missing or garbled characters, suspect the drive ribbon.

Free checks. Restore it first. A brand-new flash drive has to be restored in iTunes or the Finder when it's first installed, before you sync any music, and on the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, Photo and mini 1st Gen that restore can stop at a picture of a plug and finish on a FireWire wall charger (entry 12). Format a card as FAT32 only if a big one misbehaves: cards of 64GB and up come formatted exFAT, and if one then syncs slowly, skips or freezes, formatting it as FAT32 on a computer and restoring again is the usual fix. If the computer doesn't see the iPod at all, check that the cable is fully in and every latch is closed, that the card or adapter isn't upside down, and that the card sits fully in its adapter.

Causes, in order. For a new flash build that won't work: not restored yet; the drive cable not fully in, or a latch left open; a drive cable that doesn't work with flash adapters (see the trap); the card or adapter upside down; a card not fully in its adapter, or one the adapter doesn't support; then the logic board.

The fix. Since the drive is the first suspect for so many symptoms, the most lasting repair isn't another hard drive. A flash conversion replaces the drive with an adapter and a memory card, so there's no mechanical drive left to click, stall or seize, and the iPod is lighter too. We sell flash mod kits, or will fit one for you by mail, for every model from the 3rd Gen to the 7th Gen and both minis: 128GB or 256GB for the 3rd Gen, 4th Gen, Photo and both minis; up to 1TB for the 5th and 7th Gen; and 128GB for the 6th Gen. On the iPod Video, the builds above 128GB are for the 60GB and 80GB models; the 30GB model has half their memory, so we build it up to 128GB. How many songs fit depends on the iPod's memory and on how much your library stores about each song (titles, artwork), not on the card: by the adapter maker's rough figures, about 20,000 on the 3rd Gen, the 4th Gen and the 30GB iPod Video, and about 50,000 on the 60GB and 80GB. Flash also uses less power than a spinning drive, so a flash build plays longer on a charge, and on the 5th, 6th and 7th Gen it frees room for a 2000mAh extended-life battery that won't fit beside a stock hard drive (with some adapters it needs a thick back: never force the case closed over it).

The trap. Four details separate a good flash build from a frustrating one. First, the cable. The iPod Video uses two hard drive cables, Toshiba and Hitachi, and they don't swap: the rarer Hitachi cable won't work with a flash adapter, the Toshiba will. The 6th Gen also uses two, one for the thin 80GB drive and one for the thick 160GB, and they don't swap either: only the 80GB cable works with flash adapters, because the 2007 160GB's own cable is made for its CE-ATA drive. Second, the limit. On the 2007 and 2008 models, Apple's own software can use only about 128GB, so a bigger card shows up as 128GB. The limit is in the software, not the logic board, and the same boards still run the thick 160GB hard drive in a thick case (that drive is formatted with larger sectors, which flash cards usually aren't). A 7th Gen fitted with a board from a 2008 120GB model (it fits) runs that board's software and stops at 128GB too; its own Late 2009 board is the one that goes to 1TB. Third, the library. A library too big for the iPod's memory brings its own faults: the adapter maker lists sudden restarts, skips and crashes on big playlists, sluggish menus, and on the iPod Video an Apple logo that stays lit; put it in Disk Mode, connect it and remove some songs. Fourth, what flash can't fix. A dead logic board, a worn click wheel or a crackling headphone jack stays broken, and no new drive, flash or hard drive, brings the old music along, so copy it off first (see the box at the top).

Help pages: iPod flash mod problems · Says no music but memory is full · iPod not showing up in iTunes · iPod won't restore