Internal rubber drive-support insulators that cushion the hard drive/Microdrive — replace when pads are missing, hardened, or torn. They do not fix storage, electronics, or any exterior fit/finish.
Product Overview
Choose this hard drive bumpers listing to re-seat and protect the internal hardware it supports on the iPod Photo (4th Generation) when the original cushions, bracket, or shield are missing, hardened, torn, bent, or compressed.
Use the Compatible Variants table below to confirm capacity, color, case, or order-number fitment.
This is an internal support part, so choose it when the original cushions, bracket, or shield are missing, hardened, torn, bent, or compressed — not for an electrical, storage, or cosmetic symptom.
Choose Your Option
This part comes in multiple variants. Confirm your iPod's capacity, case depth, and order number before ordering.
Which case do you have? Settle that before you choose
Thickness is the whole decision on this iPod, and you can measure it from the outside. The thin 20GB and 30GB build is 0.63 in (16 mm) deep and takes a 5 mm single-platter drive. The thick 40GB and 60GB build is 0.75 in (19 mm) deep and takes an 8 mm dual-platter drive. Both use the same plug — the 50-pin Toshiba pin-style connector, not a ZIF socket — so a drive can seat perfectly and still be the wrong drive.
An 8 mm drive will not close inside a thin case: forcing it presses the case onto the screen and leaves dark pressure marks or a broken LCD. Judge by the depth of the case and the height of the drive already inside it, not by the capacity engraved on the back — the back is a replaceable part, and a shell swapped by a previous owner carries the wrong number.
Use this linked storage option only for 30GB / 20GB thin-case iPods and the order numbers shown here.
View this option →Used factory original Apple thick hard-drive rubber insulators for iPod Photo 4th Generation. For original hard-drive builds, not flash-mod adapter foam.
You're viewing this optionWhat Is Included
Included
Condition: Used factory-original part. Quantity and exclusions: The listed part, set, pair, or configuration above is supplied with exactly one plastic pry tool. No other parts, tools, adhesives, or materials are included unless they are explicitly listed above.
Quick Buying Check
Buy this when
- Missing or damaged internal drive supports: Use this check for missing, torn, or compressed internal drive supports.
Diagnose first when
- Hard-drive rubber insulators are case-depth specific. Match the original hard-drive chassis before ordering.
- Confirm the color variant before ordering: White.
- Confirm the capacity match before ordering: 40GB, 60GB.
Do not buy for
- Do not use this part for: Flash-mod or SD adapter builds - use adapter foam or thermal pads instead.
- Do not use this part for: Dock-area spacers, bezels, or exterior housing trim.
- Storage symptoms should be checked against the hard drive, hard-drive cable, flash adapter, battery load, and board connector before ordering bumpers.
- Thin hard-drive chassis - use the matching bumper check.
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. |
Compatible Variants
| Order Number | Capacity | Color | Case | Compatible | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M9585LL/A | 40GB | White | thick | Yes | — |
| M9586LL/A | 60GB | White | thick | Yes | — |
| M9830LL/A | 60GB | White | thick | Yes | — |
| PS493AA | 60GB | White (HP) | thick | Yes— compatible | Stock match |
| MA127LL/A | 20GB | Black/Red (U2) | thin | No— wrong case depth | Owner-verified: Thick-case part is not compatible with 20GB/30GB thin iPod Photo variants Use Hard Drive Rubber Insulators (Thin) instead. |
| MA079LL/A | 20GB | White | thin | No— wrong case depth | Owner-verified: Thick-case part is not compatible with 20GB/30GB thin iPod Photo variants Use Hard Drive Rubber Insulators (Thin) instead. |
| MA215LL/A | 20GB | White (Harry Potter Collector's Edition) | thin | No— wrong case depth | Owner-verified: Thick-case part is not compatible with 20GB/30GB thin iPod Photo variants Use Hard Drive Rubber Insulators (Thin) instead. |
| M9829LL/A | 30GB | White | thin | No— wrong case depth | Owner-verified: Thick-case part is not compatible with 20GB/30GB thin iPod Photo variants Use Hard Drive Rubber Insulators (Thin) instead. |
| PS492AA | 30GB | White (HP) | thin | No— wrong case depth | Owner-verified: Thick-case part is not compatible with 20GB/30GB thin iPod Photo variants Use Hard Drive Rubber Insulators (Thin) instead. |
Fitment wording buyers compare
| Wording | What it means on this page |
|---|---|
| 3 pieces | Describes what is included with this listing. |
Do Not Buy / Problems This Part Does Not Fix
| Situation | Start here instead |
|---|---|
| You have Thin hard-drive chassis - use the matching bumper check | Use the matching bumper check. |
| Flash-mod or SD adapter builds - use adapter foam or thermal pads instead | Use adapter foam or thermal pads instead. |
| Dock-area spacers, bezels, or exterior housing trim | Use the matching dock bezel, housing, or trim listing for your model before buying this part. |
| Storage symptoms should be checked against the hard drive, hard-drive cable, flash adapter, battery load, and board connector before ordering bumpers | Start with the hard drive, flash storage, or drive cable check. |
| Exterior case or trim damage belongs on the faceplate, backplate, or housing check rather than the internal drive-support check | Use the matching exact-model faceplate, backplate, or housing listing after identifying the damaged exterior part. |
| The only problem is an internal electronic symptom with no physical damage to this part | Start with the relevant power, storage, audio, display, or control diagnosis instead of a housing part. |
| The replacement would not match the case depth, color, or capacity family you are repairing | Confirm the exact model, capacity, connector, and case variant before ordering. |
Install Overview
Before You Start
Lock the Hold switch so the orange bar is visible 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 part.
Confirm thickness, color, screw points, and nearby hardware alignment before pressing the case fully closed.
Worth Knowing
- Thin case (20GB/30GB) is 0.63 in (16 mm) deep and holds a 5mm single-platter drive; thick case (40GB/60GB) is 0.75 in (19 mm) and holds an 8mm dual-platter drive. This thick set is for the thick hard-drive chassis.
- Bumpers are a rubber support: they cushion and locate the drive. They cure no electrical fault, and no bumper set makes an 8mm drive fit a thin case.
After This Repair
| Check | What to do |
|---|---|
| Seat the support pieces | Confirm the rubber supports sit evenly and do not lift, twist, or leave the internal stack loose. |
| Check for pressure or rattle | Before final closure, make sure nearby ribbons are not pinched and the internal stack does not rattle. |
Access Guide
Product-specific placement, reassembly, and check
- Prepare and access. Confirm the exact model and listing fit first. Use the existing steps as a disassembly guide, gather the specified tools, disconnect power where applicable, and keep screws and cable positions organized.
- Place Hard Drive Rubber Insulators (Thick). Place the matching support pieces around the drive in the same orientation as the originals; do not substitute thin and thick case parts.
- Reassemble without force. Reverse only the access steps needed for this repair, keep cables clear of case edges and screw posts, and close clips in stages.
- Validate before final closure. Before final closure, confirm the storage stack sits level, nearby ribbons are clear, and nothing rattles or requires pressure to close.
Stop condition: Stop if a connector, latch, screw, clip, housing edge, or the replacement part resists normal alignment. Recheck model fit, orientation, cable routing, and trapped hardware instead of forcing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose the right internal support part?
Match the model generation first, then confirm capacity 40GB / 60GB and color White and that it fits the exact internal location. It is chosen by physical fit and condition, not by color or finish.
Will this fix internal electronics symptoms?
No. This is an internal support part that cushions or holds hardware in place. Diagnose power, storage, audio, screen, and control faults separately.
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.
How do I confirm this is the right internal support part?
Confirm the exact iPod Photo model and that the original part is missing, hardened, torn, bent, or compressed before ordering Hard Drive Rubber Insulators (Thick). It is an internal part, so color and finish do not apply.
What Owners Report
These are anecdotal owner reports, not guarantees or authoritative proof that a particular part will fix a symptom. Use them as a troubleshooting starting point: confirm the symptom, run the quick checks, then match the fix.
Replacing or upgrading the drive — sizes, interfaces, and what actually fits
Symptoms. Dead 60GB drive and wondering whether a cheaper 30GB or 20GB substitutes; a modern ZIF drive bought by mistake; cracked board-side drive connector; asking whether the sibling monochrome model's drive transplants into the color unit; a ZIF-to-pins adapter that "mentions the iPod" in its listing.
Quick diagnosis.
- Match the CASE CLASS before anything else: the 20/30GB builds are thin and take 5 mm single-platter drives; the 40/60GB builds are thick and take 8 mm drives. A thick drive will not close inside a thin case — forcing it presses the screen onto the drive stack — and a thin drive in a thick case needs the right bumpers. Compare exact drive dimensions before ordering.
- Identify the interface before ordering: this model's drive connects by a 50-pin, pin-style ATA interface — it is NOT a ZIF socket. Modern ZIF drives do not plug in, and ZIF-with-adapter stacks usually fail on LENGTH: one owner with a disassembled unit found the assembled stack too long for the chassis, thickness aside.
- Capacity mixing across the sizes this model shipped is the community's working assumption, with dimension-checking as the guard — a smaller drive in a bigger case is the easy direction.
Fixes.
- Like-for-like drive replacement — a 50-pin drive of the correct height for your case, with the matching bumpers and a fresh drive cable if the old ribbon has been flexed.
- 50-pin SSD or flash conversion — owner builds that worked: a 64GB 50-pin IDE SSD in a thin 20GB unit at the same size as the original drive (no thick parts needed), and a CompactFlash conversion in another. After any storage swap expect a restore, and the wall-power step to finish it — copy anything you want to keep off the iPod first, because a restore erases it.
- Bigger mechanical drives — the 80GB Toshiba MK8007GAH is an 8 mm drive: thick 40/60GB cases only, or a thin unit converted with the thick backplate, the thick bumpers and the thick headphone-jack assembly. Check the height of any bigger drive before ordering, and confirm the connector is the 50-pin Toshiba type rather than ZIF.
- Drive cable replacement — the board-side ribbon (Apple 632-0259-A) is a real part with a real failure mode; a cracked or torn ribbon mimics drive death. Pull the ribbon straight up out of its latch socket — never lever or slide it sideways.
Cautions.
- Drives from the monochrome sibling swap electrically — the supplier lists the same 50-pin drives for both models — but plan on a full restore afterwards, and treat "it just booted" stories as luck rather than the rule.
- The monochrome fourth-generation iPod (same body, gray screen), the iPod mini and the later iPod with video are different platforms with their own parts — see their own pages.
Community signal. Reported by 6 owners.
Why people land on this part
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