Replacement 50-pin Toshiba IDE/PATA hard-drive ribbon cable for iPod 2nd Generation A1019 / iPod (Touch Wheel). Use it when the HDD ribbon or drive flex cable is torn, creased, loose, corroded, or still causes folder, clicking, grinding, restore, or recognition trouble after FireWire and drive checks.
Product Overview
This hard drive cable listing covers 50-pin Hard Drive Ribbon Cable and its own connector path on the iPod 2nd Generation.
Use Part Details for the confirmed part-number reference. Use the Compatible Variants table below to confirm capacity, color, case, or order-number fitment.
Choose this part when your iPod shows folder icon, sad iPod icon, iTunes error, or hard-drive failure; the checks below help confirm the right part before you order.
- USB will not work for any of these functions on this model.
What Is Included
Quick Buying Check
Buy this when
- hard-drive failure: Use the cable check when reseating, connector inspection, or a known-good drive points to the storage ribbon instead of the drive itself.
- The ribbon, connector, or cable is torn, creased, loose, corroded, or was disturbed during service.
- A known-good nearby part still fails through this cable connection.
Diagnose first when
- The same 50-pin hard-drive ribbon cable fits both 10GB and 20GB A1019 storage paths. Verify the cable shape and connector orientation before ordering.
- Try the simple power, cable, connector, or reset checks before ordering.
- If the problem started immediately after opening the iPod, inspect the parts that were disturbed first.
Do not buy for
- Do not use this part for: FireWire port, headphone, Hold, or Touch Wheel cable repairs.
- Check the storage cable, storage setup, battery power stability, and board connector when the symptom changes after reseating or swapping storage.
- Check the exact connector or assembly disturbed during the repair before treating the new part as failed.
- Listings that rely only on 632-0182-A without visual or SKU verification.
Specifications & Fitment
Part Details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Model Number | A1019 |
| EMC | EMC 1942 |
| Condition | Used — factory original Apple part. Normal cosmetic wear expected. |
| OEM Part | 632-0182-A |
| Variant Notes | 2G 50-pin hard-drive ribbon cable identifier |
| Interface | 50-pin Toshiba IDE/PATA |
| Type | Flat hard-drive ribbon cable |
| Fits | 10GB and 20GB A1019 storage paths |
| Part-number status | No confirmed Apple HDD-cable number published |
Compatible Variants
| Order Number | Capacity | Color | Case | Compatible | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M8737LL/A | 10GB | White | Thin / 0.72 in | Yes | — |
| M8740LL/A | 10GB | White | Thin / 0.72 in | Yes | — |
| M8738LL/A | 20GB | White | Thick / 0.78 in | Yes | — |
| M8741LL/A | 20GB | White | Thick / 0.78 in | Yes | — |
Failure Signs
Use these checks to decide whether this hard drive cable is the right part, whether a nearby part should be checked first, or whether the symptom needs more diagnosis.
Sad iPod, clicking, restore, or storage trouble
What you may see: People describe clicking, sad iPod or folder screens, restore loops, disk-mode trouble, or storage that will not behave after replacement.
- Sad iPod, folder icon, clicking drive, restore loop, or disk-mode trouble.
Check first: Listen for repeat clicking or repeated spin-up attempts before replacing storage parts.
- Check whether the iPod enters disk mode, restores cleanly, and is recognized by the computer.
- If a drive or storage device was just installed, recheck cable seating, and restore behavior before buying another part.
Most likely cause: The cable can be involved, but the drive cable, drive format, power stability, or logic-board storage path may also be responsible.
- Check storage / restore option, connector seating, and board-side damage before ordering.
- Choose this cable only when clicking, restore failure, or disk errors follow this part or its connection path.
- Choose this cable when the symptom remains isolated to this assembly, its ribbon, or its connector path after first checks.
- Replace the cable only when the storage or restore symptom is tied to this part's role in the startup path.
- Use cable, adapter, or board diagnosis first when restore behavior changes with seating, formatting, or another known-good storage device.
Look elsewhere when: Check the storage cable, storage setup, battery power stability, and board connector when the symptom changes after reseating or swapping storage.
Symptoms changed after repair or reassembly
What you may see: People describe a new problem appearing immediately after battery, storage, display, audio, or control work.
- A new symptom appeared after battery, storage, audio, display, or control work.
Check first: Reopen only as far as needed to inspect the areas touched during the repair.
- Compare the new symptom with what worked before the repair.
- Check cable seating, latch position, and part variant before replacing a second part.
Most likely cause: A post-repair symptom can involve the cable, but disturbed ribbons, latches, grounding, connector seating, or the wrong variant part are common checks before ordering again.
- Check post-repair regression, connector seating, and board-side damage before ordering.
- Choose this cable only when the part itself was torn, creased, or damaged during service.
- Correct seating, latch, or variant problems first.
- Replace the cable when the repair damaged that assembly or its flex path.
Look elsewhere when: Check the exact connector or assembly disturbed during the repair before treating the new part as failed.
Other Symptoms That May Involve This Part
| Commonly described as | What to check before ordering |
|---|---|
| click of death | A drive can make the same sound, so reseat the cable and compare against known-good storage before buying the ribbon. |
| restore error | Check 50-pin cable seating, drive formatting, and FireWire restore behavior before treating the cable as failed. |
Repair considerations
Repair specialists who work on this model consistently flag these checks before replacing the hard drive cable — they help confirm the hard drive cable is the right fix and not a nearby fault:
- Restore/format steps can erase data or indicate storage failure
- Treat ribbons, tabs, and connectors as fragile
- Use reset, Disk Mode, restore, or iTunes/Finder behavior as a software/storage check
- Check drive noise, SMART/data signs, or storage recognition
- Reseat or inspect ribbon cable and connector seating
- Inspect connector latch, socket, or clamp condition
Do Not Buy This Hard Drive Cable Yet If...
| Situation | Start here instead |
|---|---|
| Variant or capacity does not match this listing | This is a different model — check your order number and generation before ordering. |
| The problem is the Hold switch or headphone jack, not this part | Use the correct fitment listing instead. |
| A symptom points to a different part | Start with battery for power/runtime symptoms; 10GB hard drive for folder, clicking, or restore symptoms; LCD screen for display-only symptoms; FireWire port for FireWire sync or charge-port symptoms; touch wheel for touch-wheel or control symptoms; logic board for board-side damage or multi-system symptoms before buying this part. |
| You see a folder icon, clicking noise, or restore failure | Compare with a known-good storage device before replacing another cable. |
| Cable, computer, sync, or port behavior is the primary problem | Check the matching drive, cable seating, and board-side connector before ordering. |
| Recent service or connector disturbance is the main clue | Inspect and reseat the cable, latch, or connector path disturbed during service before buying another part. |
- Largest confirmed working drive on the 2G is the stock 20 GB; larger thick drives have mixed, unverified community reports.
- Important: The iPod 2nd generation requires FireWire for all updates and restore operations.
- The following Toshiba drives are compatible with the iPod 2nd generation: 8mm thick drives (for thick 2G models): - Toshiba MK8007GAH -- 80 GB, pins, 8mm - Toshiba MK6006GAH -- 60 GB, pins, 8mm - Toshiba MK4006GAH -- 40 GB, pins, 8mm 5mm thin drives (for thin 2G models): - Toshiba MK4007GAL -- 40 GB, pins, 5mm - Toshiba MK3006GAL -- 30 GB, pins, 5mm - Toshiba MK2004GAL -- 20 GB, pins, 5mm - Toshiba MK2006GAL -- 20 GB, pins, 5mm - Toshiba MK1504GAL -- 15 GB, pins, 5mm - Toshiba MK1003GAL -- 10 GB, pins, 5mm - Tos...
- FireWire is required for all updates and restores on the iPod 2nd generation -- USB will not work.
- Thick 2G models accept 8mm drives; thin 2G models accept 5mm drives.
- Thin 2G builds: the 5 mm 20 GB (MK2004GAL) is community-confirmed; larger drives are unverified on the 2G.
Install Overview
Before You Start
Turn Hold off, use the reset sequence for this generation, and confirm the model and variant before opening the iPod.
Treat case opening as the highest handling risk. Work around the seams gently and stop if the shell, clips, or internal stack resist.
Do not pull the halves apart or side-load board sockets. Reseat nearby ribbons and connectors before blaming a replacement hard drive cable.
Repair steps
Documented repair-procedure steps for replacing the hard drive cable on this model (from teardown guides; confirm against your unit before starting):
- Lift the battery up from the hard drive and lay it next the the iPod (it is still connected to the logic board).
- Lift up the end of the hard drive near the FireWire port to allow easy access to the battery connector.
- Loosen the connector by pulling the brown locking bar toward the hard drive cable using the tips of your fingers.
Repair Guide
Repair guide summary: iPod 2nd Generation Hard Drive Cable Replacement.
Show all 11 installation steps
Confirm that the hold switch is locked before you open the iPod.
Opening this iPod may take a few tries, which is normal for this case design. Slide a plastic opening tool into the seam where the white front panel meets the metal rear case. After the tool is seated, run it along the seam to release the five retaining tabs.
Slide the opening tool around the case edge until the five tabs release.
Work around the corner of the iPod and release the two tabs near the FireWire port.
Release the five tabs along the opposite side. Gently rocking the front panel back and forth can help free them.
Raise the back panel away from the device, making sure it doesn't catch on the headphone jack.
Peel up and back the metallic tape attached to the battery top.
Raise the battery away from the hard drive and set it next to the iPod; it remains connected to the logic board.
Carefully detach the orange ribbon cable from the hard drive. In this step, if the cable doesn't come free easily, it may be useful to gently wiggle the cable from side to side. Raise the hard drive out of the iPod.
For the next step, shift the locking bar only about 2 mm. Too much force or travel will damage the connector. Pull the brown locking bar toward the hard drive cable with your fingertips to loosen the connector.
Move the hard drive cable out of its connector.
After This Repair
| Check | What to do |
|---|---|
| Test the connected part | Confirm the assembly on both ends of the cable behaves normally before closing the iPod. |
| Still not working? | Inspect the latch, cable orientation, and board-side connector before replacing another part. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Use these questions to narrow the part path before ordering. They keep each answer focused on a different diagnostic or fitment decision.
How do I tell cable failure from drive failure?
Inspect the 50-pin ribbon for tears, creases, corrosion, loose seating, or symptoms that change when the cable is reseated. A known-good cable that leaves the same clicking, grinding, or restore failure points back toward the drive, battery load, or board path.
Do Error 1416, 1429, or 1439 point to this cable?
They point to the storage or restore path, not one guaranteed part. Check the 50-pin cable, drive seating, FireWire cable, FireWire host, and iTunes/Finder restore path before replacing the cable.
Is the hard-drive cable the same for thin and thick Toshiba drives?
Yes. The same 50-pin hard-drive ribbon fits both 10GB thin and 20GB thick A1019 storage paths; the drive and rear case depth are what change.
What should I check before replacing this hard drive cable?
Reseat the storage ribbon squarely and confirm the latch is closed before replacing the storage device again. Check case clearance, and capacity/format expectations when using a flash path. Choose this hard-drive cable only when the storage path remains isolated after ribbon and fitment details. Check the cable and storage connector path first when the symptom started immediately after a storage swap.
Can power symptoms make storage diagnosis misleading?
Confirm stable battery power first, then judge the drive and 50-pin cable. Choose this hard-drive cable only when storage access still fails after reseating the cable and checking FireWire restore behavior.
Why people land on this part
Use the checks above to separate this hard drive cable from nearby parts before ordering.
Some buyers search for "hard drive IDE ribbon cable", "swollen", "folder after Apple logo", "cable vs drive", "Error 1429", or "thick vs thin Toshiba"; confirm the checks above point to this same part before ordering.
Some buyers search for "bent"; confirm the checks above point to this same part before ordering.
Inspect for bent contacts, creases, or movement-sensitive failure when people describe symptoms that change after opening the iPod, reseating parts, or disturbing nearby flex cables; a symptom starts after opening the iPod or disturbing an internal flex cable.
Also searched as: iPod 2nd Generation 50-pin Hard Drive Ribbon Cable, hard drive dead, showing a folder, format drive, 50-pin IDE ribbon cable, A1019 hard drive cable, ATA cable, board connector as aliases, iPod 2nd generation cable, hard drive IDE ribbon cable, folder icon, sad iPod icon, iTunes error, hard-drive failure, restore error, error 1416, error 1429.
Worth Knowing
- 632-0182-A: 2G 50-pin hard-drive ribbon cable identifier
You May Also Want
A weak battery can mimic storage spin-up or recognition problems.
Related: Replacement Hard Drive (10GB)Use the 10GB 50-pin drive listing when the cable is good but the 10GB drive still fails.
Related: Replacement Hard Drive (20GB)Use the 20GB 50-pin drive listing when the cable is good but the 20GB drive still fails.
