iPod Photo (4th Generation) — Replacement Hard Drive (60GB)

For the iPod Photo 60GB

Used (Apple Original) · Model A1099

iPod Photo (A1099), Replacement Hard Drive (60GB)

$60.95

Also for the iPod Photo: 20GB $30.95 · 30GB $34.95 · 40GB $45.95 · See all

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  • Used (Apple Original). Tested: installed in a working iPod and checked before it ships.
  • 1-year limited warranty · 30-day returns from delivery
  • Free pry tool in the box

Questions about this part? Chat with us or email sales@imods.com.

Not sure what's wrong? Get your free repair quote

Part details

About this part

Overview

Hard Drive 60GB

Replacement hard drive for iPod Photo (4th Generation). Use it for failed hard-drive behavior, restore trouble, or storage upgrades after the battery is stable and the drive cable seating has been checked.

Fitment snapshot

FitsiPod Photo (4th Generation)
Variant matchSee Compatible Variants
IntroducedOctober 26, 2004
TypeHard Drive

What Is Included

✓ Replacement Hard Drive (60GB) ✓ One plastic pry tool ✓ 1-year limited warranty

Fit and specs

Specifications & Fitment

Also known as iPod with color display (Apple's official name after June 2005).

Part Details

Detail Value
Model Number A1099
EMC EMC 2022
Condition Used — factory original Apple part. Normal cosmetic wear expected.
Drive Model MK6006GAH
Capacity 60GB
Form Factor 1.8" IDE/ATA (50-pin Toshiba MCD-D50 form factor)
RPM 4200
Manufacturer Toshiba
Interface 50-pin Toshiba MCD-D50
Drive Height 8mm
Platters 2

Compatible Variants

Order Number Capacity Color Case Compatible Notes
M9585LL/A 40GB White thick Yes— requires restore / capacity upgrade Compatible thick-case capacity upgrade; stock drive was 40GB and restore is required after install
M9586LL/A 60GB White thick Yes— stock 60GB match Stock 60GB thick-case match
M9830LL/A 60GB White thick Yes— stock 60GB match Stock 60GB thick-case match
PS493AA 60GB White (HP) thick Yes— stock 60GB match Stock 60GB thick-case match
MA127LL/A 20GB Black/Red (U2) thin No— wrong case depth 60GB drive is an 8mm thick-case drive; 20GB/30GB thin models take the 5mm drive. Use Replacement Hard Drive (20GB) instead.
MA079LL/A 20GB White thin No— wrong case depth 60GB drive is an 8mm thick-case drive; 20GB/30GB thin models take the 5mm drive. Use Replacement Hard Drive (20GB) instead.
MA215LL/A 20GB White (Harry Potter Collector's Edition) thin No— wrong case depth 60GB drive is an 8mm thick-case drive; 20GB/30GB thin models take the 5mm drive. Use Replacement Hard Drive (20GB) instead.
M9829LL/A 30GB White thin No— wrong case depth 60GB drive is an 8mm thick-case drive; 20GB/30GB thin models take the 5mm drive. Use Replacement Hard Drive (30GB) instead.
PS492AA 30GB White (HP) thin No— wrong case depth 60GB drive is an 8mm thick-case drive; 20GB/30GB thin models take the 5mm drive. Use Replacement Hard Drive (30GB) instead.

Not compatible with

  • 20/30GB thin models — 8mm drive height is not compatible with thin case
iPod 4th Generation Monochrome (A1059): Same 8 mm 50-pin 1.8-inch drive family — that is the black and white screen model, same body, gray display, and we list the same drives for both. Use the iPod 4th Generation Monochrome 40GB hard-drive listing so the capacity and the case depth on the page match your model. The iPod mini and the iPod with video (5th generation) onward use different drives.

Compatible & Upgrade Drives

Other 1.8-inch drives that also fit this iPod and accept a standard restore:

  • MK4004GAH — 40 GB · 8 mm — fits this thick case
  • MK2004GAL — 20 GB · 5 mm — a thin-case drive (a capacity reduction)

Going bigger. The 80GB Toshiba MK8007GAH is a 50-pin 8 mm drive, so a thick 40/60GB case is where it belongs; a thin 20/30GB unit would first need the thick backplate, the thick bumpers and the thick headphone-jack assembly. Check the height of any bigger drive before ordering — 5 mm drives fit the thin 20/30GB cases, 8 mm drives fit the thick 40/60GB cases — and confirm the connector is the 50-pin Toshiba type rather than ZIF. Capacities beyond the sizes this model shipped are owner-reported territory rather than a guarantee. Any storage swap needs a restore afterwards, and a restore erases everything on the iPod, songs included: copy off anything worth keeping first.

Install and repair

Step-by-step guide

iPod 4th Gen and iPod Photo hard drive replacement

  • DifficultyModerate
  • Steps12

Tools: Plastic opening tools, one wide and one thin, Plastic spudger, T6 Torx screwdriver, 99% isopropyl alcohol, Anti-static wrist strap or mat, Soft cloth, Computer with iTunes or the Finder, and a wall charger

  1. Unplug it, switch it off and lock HoldDisconnect any cable, charger or computer first. Switch the iPod off by holding Play/Pause until the screen goes dark, then slide the Hold switch to locked, so its orange bar shows.
  2. Release the case clipsOur opening guide has the detail. In short: with the screen up and the dock connector toward you, start on the right-hand long side with the wide plastic tool, its edge tilted toward the steel back, and free the five tabs on that side. Then the two clips beside the dock connector (lightly past the thin steel there), the five tabs on the left-hand side, and the top edge.

Read the full guide: all 12 steps

Install Overview

Rather not open it? Choose We Fix It above: mail your iPod in and we fit it. Turnaround is typically 1–3 business days on our bench. 1-year limited warranty.

After fitting, restore the iPod (a restore erases everything on it). On this model a restore that stops at a picture of a plug must finish on a wall charger (Apple's A1070 power adapter is the ideal choice; a generic charger may not give the right voltage). On the 4th Gen and iPod Photo the drive cable is the first suspect for drive symptoms: clean its contacts with 99% isopropyl alcohol and re-seat it first; if that fails, it is likely the hard drive, and our Hard Drive Repair Service is probably the best first option. On every other model, a drive failure is the ideal time for a flash upgrade.

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use flash storage instead of this hard drive?

Yes: our flash mod service fits 128GB or 256GB flash storage by mail, on Apple's own software. Order it on the flash mod service page for your model, with a new battery if you like.

Can I put a 40/60GB drive in my thin iPod?

Yes, but the drive is only part of the order. A 40/60GB drive is 8 mm and a thin 20/30GB case is built for a 5 mm drive, so the conversion also needs the thick backplate, the thick drive bumpers and the thick headphone-jack assembly. The headphone-jack flex cable is the same part for every capacity, so that one you keep. Forcing a thick drive under a thin back is the failure our backplate pages already warn about: the case presses the screen onto the drive stack and marks or breaks the LCD. The simpler route is to keep every thin part and fit a 5 mm 50-pin drive, or have us fit flash storage by mail. Any storage swap needs a restore afterwards, and a restore erases everything on the iPod, songs included: copy off anything worth keeping first.

Is this an iPod Classic?

Apple's 'Classic' branding started with the 6th Generation (2007). This is the color-screen iPod photo / iPod with color display generation, not a Classic-branded model.

When should I choose the 40GB page instead?

Use the 40GB page for a stock 40GB thick-case iPod Photo. Use this 60GB page for stock 60GB thick-case units or a deliberate 40GB-to-60GB capacity upgrade.

Free diagnostic

Broken iPod? We can help.

Mail us your iPod and we will test it and send you a free repair quote. If you don't like our price, we will ship your iPod back at our expense.

How mail-in repair works

  1. Order the free diagnostic

    Choose your iPod. Add our shipping box and prepaid label if you need one.

  2. Mail us your iPod

    Pack it with your work order. No printer? Put a note in the box with your name, return address, email, order number and what is wrong.

  3. Approve your quote

    We test it and email your free repair quote. Most repairs are finished within 1 to 3 business days after you approve the quote.