iPod Repair Guide & Tools

Replacing an iPod battery

Like any rechargeable device, the iPod is susceptible to battery failure. However all is not lost.

Should you have an iPod power failure, follow these simple instructions for replacing
your battery, sourcing a replacement cell from online retailers such as www.cheapbattery.co.uk for as little as £44.99. Please be aware that tampering with the internal parts
of your iPod will void its warranty, and neither MacUser, Dennis Interactive nor Dennis
Publishing is able to take responsibility for any harm or damage, however caused.
Click 'Next Page' below for the step-by-step guides...

Old-style iPod battery swap
[click the images to view full size]
1 Examine the top of your iPod. With the screen facing upwards you should see a
small notch between the two halves of the casing just above and to the right of the
FireWire port.
2 Insert a small screwdriver into the notch and gently prise apart the two halves.

3 Through the gap, slip down the side nearest to the notch, pushing apart the clips
that hold the device together. Don't snap them off.

4 With the whole of that side detached, lift away the white half of the iPod casing to
reveal the insides.

5 Lay your iPod flat on the desk, with the front of the casing facing downwards. The
item that you can see on top of the insides is the battery.

6 Using the screwdriver, carefully lever apart the battery from the rest of the body.
Be very gentle.

7 Disconnect the battery entirely by pulling its lead and plug from the socket on the
iPod's circuit board.

8 Insert your new battery, pressing it onto the spots of glue that secured the original
cell, and reconnect the power lead.

9 Clip the two halves of your iPod case back together, and then plug it in to charge it
up.

10 Do not use the new battery until you've charged it for at least
three hours, or you could shorten its life.

Slim iPod with a touchwheel
[click the images to view full size]
1 Lay the iPod on its front and slide a small flat-head screwdriver into the seam
between the white and silver sides, 60mm from the headphone socket.

2 Gently prise apart the two halves, pushing in the concealed clips that hold the
casing together.

3 Continue working your way around the case in an anti-clockwise direction until the
two halves separate entirely.

4 Don't pull hard as the two sides will remain attached by a cable connecting the
headphone and control sockets to the circuit boards.

5 The blue rubber surrounds the iPod hard drive. Pick up the drive and disconnect it
from the motherboard by gently unclipping the ribbon cable.

6 You can now see the battery (the flat black slab). Lift it out of its recess using the
flat-head screwdriver and pull the cable out from beneath the motherboard.

7 With the battery laid flat on the desk beside the motherboard, disconnect the
battery from the casing by pulling up on the connector.

8 Plug in the new battery and feed its power cord back under the
circuit board. Lay the battery into the same recess from where you
removed the old one.

9 Reconnect the hard drive and lay it flat on top of the battery, then
snap the two halves of the iPod case back together.

10 Do not use the new battery until you've charged it for at least
three hours, or you could shorten its life.

Slim iPod with a touchwheel
[click the images to view full size]
1 Lay the iPod on its front and slide a small flat-head screwdriver into the seam
between the white and silver sides, 60mm from the headphone socket.

2 Gently prise apart the two halves, pushing in the concealed clips
that hold the casing together.

3 Continue working your way around the case in an anti-clockwise direction until the
two halves separate entirely.

4 Don't pull hard as the two sides will remain attached by a cable connecting the
headphone and control sockets to the circuit boards.

5 The blue rubber surrounds the iPod hard drive. Pick up the drive and
disconnect it from the motherboard by gently unclipping the ribbon
cable.

6 You can now see the battery (the flat black slab). Lift it out of its
recess using the flat-head screwdriver and pull the cable out from
beneath the motherboard.

7 With the battery laid flat on the desk beside the motherboard,
disconnect the battery from the casing by pulling up on the connector.

8 Plug in the new battery and feed its power cord back under the
circuit board. Lay the battery into the same recess from where you
removed the old one.

9 Reconnect the hard drive and lay it flat on top of the battery, then
snap the two halves of the iPod case back together.

10 Do not use the new battery until you've charged it for at least
three hours, or you could shorten its life.

Erase Your iPod
The Super Fix
Date Created: 05/12/2002

Last Updated: 12/19/2005

Authors: Staff

Is your iPod acting funny? There are a number of things that can be
wrong with it, but this super fix solution will cure most problems. In
order for this trick to work, your battery must be functioning normally.
See our battery support questions for more information with those
issues.
What we are going to do is ERASE your iPod and then re-install the iPod's
software. If your iPod has a software problem, this will probably fix it:
WARNING: YOU WILL LOSE ALL MUSIC, CONTACTS AND EVENTS ON
YOUR iPOD. IF POSSIBLE, YOU MAY WANT TO BACKUP THESE FILES.
1. To erase your iPod, do the following:
ERASE YOUR iPOD (MAC OSX)
•

•
•

If you have OSX, you can use Disk Utility (in the Applications/Utilities
folder). If you have a PC running Microsoft Windows, click here for more
instructions or read the next paragraph.
Select your iPod in the Disk Utility window and press the Repair button
Then press the Erase button to erase the iPod's hard drive. Extended
Journaled should answer your next question.

ERASE YOUR iPOD (WIN XP)
•
•
•
•
•

Open "My Computer" on your Desktop
Select "IPOD". It should be listed next to your C drive.
Right click and chose "Format"
Select "FAT 32" and <Format>
Reboot Computer

2. After you erase your iPod, you need to run the Restore function from the iPod
Updater program. To restore your iPod, do the following:
•
•

Connect iPod to your computer using the FireWire/USB cable that came
your iPod.
Open iTunes.

•

•
•
•
•
•
•

•
•
•
•
•

Your computer may sense that the iPod is connected and prompt you to
install the necessary software. If not, download the newest version of the
iPod Updater application. You can get it from Apple's website at
http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/. Install and open the application
iPod Updater.
Click Restore.
You may need to type in an Admin user's name and password. An alert
box appears to confirm you want to restore iPod. Say yes.
When the factory settings have been restored, unplug the FireWire/USB
cable from iPod.
When prompted by the iPod, reconnect the FireWire/USB cable. After
iPod has turned on, and you see the message "Do not disconnect".
If prompted, type a name for iPod in the space provided.
The "Automatically update my iPod" option is selected by default. Deselect
this option if you wish and click Done. The iTunes main window appears,
and the download status is displayed in the iTunes display.
Wait until the iTunes display says the update is complete.
Quit iTunes.
Disconnect the FireWire/USB cable from iPod. After a few moments, the
Language display appears on the iPod screen.
Select a language. If you screw this step up, click here.
Quit the iPod Software Updater application.

If the iPod does not turn on at all, disconnect it from power and let it sit
unconnected for approximately 24 hours. Then repeat this procedure. If your
iPod is still unresponsive, throw it away. Just kidding. If it is still under warranty,
go to the AppleCare iPod Support Page to arrange for service
http://depot.info.apple.com/iPod/. If your iPod is out of warranty, then use our VIP
Repair Service to get it fixed.

Do these situations or problems sound familiar?
NEW iPOD WITH EXCLAIMATION MARK FOLDER

"Hi - this is a question about that folder with the exclamation
mark. In short - 3 month-old, 40g iPhoto: about two weeks ago it
froze, and just had a charging battery sign on it. I reset it, and it
just showed the Apple logo, and then after several more attempts at
resetting it or trying to put it into diagnostic mode (it wouldn't go), it
showed the folder with the exclamation mark. If I plug it into my
computer it doesn't recognize the ipod at all - not in itunes, not as a disk,
and if I go to the updater it just asks me to plug in an ipod in order to
update it. Whilst all this is going on, it shows the 'do not disconnect' sign
- but not the large red-coloured stop sign I am used to on the iphoto:
instead it has an earlier-black and white version that looks like
something off a c.1990 Apple Mac. It never stops telling me not to
disconnect, so in order to recharge the thing I have just had to unplug it.
NB I have installed new versions of iTunes (still doesn't recognize it at
all). Any ideas?." ~tom
Congratulations, you did everything right when trying to troubleshoot this
problem. One last thing, try hooking your iPod up to another computer. If
you see the same problem, then you know the issue is definitely with
your iPod and not your computer. If you are able to get a stable
connection with a computer, then erase your iPod. Otherwise, it looks
like you have a bad hard drive. It might have gotten dropped. Since this
iPod is only 3 months old, it is still under warranty and you should have
Apple repair it. You can find more info from
http://depot.info.apple.com/iPod/. For future reference, If your iPod is out
of warranty, then use our VIP Repair Service to get it fixed.

Join Tracks in iTunes
Let your music flow without gaps between tracks.
Date Created: 08/19/2003

Last Updated: 05/05/2005

Authors: Staff

Many music CDs contain songs that blend into each other. Two perfect examples
are Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd and Operation Mindcrime by
Queensryche. The only problem is when you import these CDs into iTunes, small
gaps are inserted between songs that interrupts the flow of the album. If you use
the iTunes Join CD Tracks feature, the program melds two or more songs into
one, continuous gap-free track. So now you can enjoy listening to classical
music, concept rock albums and extended dance mixes without the speed bumps
of silence between tracks.
Do these situations sound familiar?
"I'm trying to get
the tracks on
"dark side of the
moon" by pink
floyd to flow
(merge) together
like they do on the
original cd. I want
to join the tracks.
You know, no
annoying spaces
between songs!
Can i do this in
itunes?" ~ Ed S.

"I have many albums
that do not have gaps
between the tracks.
When I rip these CD's to
mp3 format and play
them on the iPods I get
a small gap between
tracks. Is there any way
to reduce these gaps to
0 length, so that the
album plays
continuously as it was
originally recorded?" ~
Ian

"Several of the songs I
have purchased on
iTunes are essentially
parts one and two of
the same song (ex Chicago's Dialogue). Is
there any way to
permanently join these
tracks so they will
always play in
sequence? I am using
iTunes version 4 on a
Widows based PC." ~
Writeaway

Let's merge the tracks:
1. Insert the CD that contains the music you want to merge. If you have a bunch
of random songs you want to merge together then burn them to a CD first. Just in
case, set the gap to zero seconds.
"Hi guys I was trying to get two tracks from 2 different CD to join but to no avail. I needed one
long song for a soundtrack for an iphoto slide show. It seems that the songs must be next to each
other physically on a cd in order to make this work. I finally figured out how to make it work. I
made new playlist, burned it to a blank CD, then Joined the tracks from the advanced menu and
imported it into itunes." ~ J. Starling

2. Select the CD in your iTunes Source window. Highlight the songs you want to
join on the CD (not on your iPod or your iTunes Library!)
3. Look under the Advanced menu in iTunes for 'Join CD Tracks'.

4. Your tracks will now become one. If you run into any problems, double check
that you have the latest version of iTunes installed.

Copy Music Off Your
iPod
Date Created: 08/12/2002

Last Updated: 02/20/2006

Authors: Staff

Has a virus or hard drive crash wiped out your entire music collection on your
computer? No problem. Here's how to copy music off your iPod and back onto
your computer.
Requirements:
o
o

Any iPod, except the iPod Shuffle, with firmware 2.1 or later
A computer with iTunes installed and enough hard drive space to
store all the music from your iPod

Imagine that you have a HUGE music library and all of it is kept on your trusty
PC or Mac. You of course have a fantastic speaker system, to listen to that music
in the highest quality, and an iPod, so that you can listen to your music wherever
you go. Now imagine that one day, your computer's hard drive crashes, and that
music library is now gone. All of the music imported off of CD's which you might
have lost by now, all of the music downloaded off of free-music web sites, and
most importantly, all that money spent on the iTunes Music Store (iTMS) has just
vanished!
You then remember that all your music is still on your iPod, Safe and intact. You
plug it in, you mount it to the OS, and then you realize that iTunes only allows the
downloading of music from iTunes to iPod, not iPod to iTunes. (This is to prevent
the stealing of music, says Apple). Do you really want to spend hours reimporting music, and repurchasing music from the iTMS? We didn't think so.
Luckily for you, there are several alternatives.

Option #1:
Yes you can "rip" music off any iPod. There are several applications that make
this task very easy. A good program to try is Tune Transfer. Any feature packed
application like Tune Transfer will cost about $20.

Option #2:
If you are cheap and want a free solution, you have several options. However
please keep in mind that this option is the "hard way" and won't be very easy for
the average computer user. If you aren't super savvy with computers, then
please try option #1. There are many free applications for both Mac and PC that
will copy the music off your iPod. Mac users can use iPod Viewer or iPodRip.
UNIX Savvy Macintosh and Linux users can use command line to pull the music
off their iPod. PC users should look for applications like iPOD AGENT, PodUtil or
CopyPod.
No matter what program you use, this is the general "ripping" procedure for
coping the music off your iPod:
With a Helper Application:
1. Download a "ripping" program (PodUtil, PodWorks, etc.) and install it on your
computer.
2. Make a new folder somewhere on your computer that will have enough hard
drive space to hold all the music files from your iPod.
3. Using the ripping application you purchased or downloaded, copy all the music
off your iPod and put it into that folder.
4. It's a good idea to archive your music at this point. Burn all your music onto
CDs, DVD-ROMs, or copy them onto an external Firewire or USB hard drive.
5. Drag that folder into the main iTunes window. You music will then import into
iTunes. This make take several minutes depending on the amount of songs and
your computer's processing power.
Without a Helper Application:
Here's a way to quickly get files off a PC iPod without any extra software.
1. Plug in your iPod.
2. From the Desktop, go to My Computer and find the iPod (usually designated
by a drive letter. i e. E: or F:)
3. Open the damn thing.
4. Go to Tools > Folder Options > View (the tab) > scroll to Show Hidden Files
and Folders and click it.
5. Click OK
6. Go back to your iPod folder/drive, there you will find a new folder called
iPod_Control
7. Open it.
8. The Music folder in it will have a bunch of folders named F00, F01 and so on.
THEY HAVE YOUR MP3s. Look through the folders to find your stuff.
NERD NOTE: You can also use the Search utility in Windows and search for a
particular audio file on your iPod. Just make sure you specify to search in Hidden Files
or Folders. There, a solution that requires no extra software, just a few extra brain cells.

NERD NOTE: Mac users have a special advantage. Macs can read both Mac and PC
disks (including iPods).

The iPod's Diagnostic Mode
Quickly find out if you have a hardware problem
Date Created: 05/12/2002

Last Updated: 03/01/2006

Authors: Staff

If you have tried trouble shooting your iPod to no avail, chances are your iPod
has a hardware problem. The iPod's built-in Diagnostic Mode is a quick and easy
way to determine if you have a "bad" iPod.
1. You need to restart your iPod before putting it into Diagnostic Mode. Check
that your hold switch is off by sliding the switch away from the headphone jack.
Toggle it on and off to be safe.
2. Press and hold the following combination of buttons buttons simultaneously for
approximately 10 seconds to reset the iPod.
•
•

iPod 1G to 3G: "Menu" and "Play/Pause"
iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): "Menu" and "Select"

3. The Apple logo will appear and you should feel the hard drive spinning up.
Press and hold the following sequence of buttons:
o
o

iPod 1G to 3G: "REW", "FFW" and "Select"
iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): "Back" and "Select"

You will hear an audible chirp sound (3G models and higher) and the Apple logo
should appear backwards. You are now in Diagnostic Mode.
4. Navigate the list of tests using "REW" and "FFW". The scroll wheel will not
function while in diagnostic mode.

Older iPod Diagnostic Mode Tests:
The following tests are for the older iPods, 1G to 4G. If you have an iPod Photo
or iPod Video, please scroll to the bottom of this page.
You can run the following tests on older iPods.
A. 5 IN 1

E. REMOTE

I. OTPO CNT

M. FLASH

B. RESET

F. FIREWARE

J. LCM

N. OTPO

C. KEY

G. SLEEP

K. RTC

O. HDD SCAN

D. AUDIO

H. A 2 D

L. SDRAM

P. RUN IN

Here's a breakdown of the tests:

A. 5 IN 1:

B. RESET:
C. KEY:

D. AUDIO:

E. REMOTE:

This runs the following 5 tests at once: LCM, SDRAM, RTC,
FLASH/CHECKSUM, and FIREWIRE/FW ID. If you have a 3G iPod,
at the end of the test, your buttons will now play a series of sound
effects.
Can your iPod reset? Run this test and find out.
After you start this test, you need to press all the buttons on your
iPod. If you don't do it fast enough it will fail.
Plug in headphones, but don't expect an electronic rendition of Pink
Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. This test checks the audio
subsystem.
This will test your iPod's Remote if you have one. Plug it in or
the test result will be "RMT FAIL".

F.FIREWARE:

Checks your iPod's FireWire port. A successful completion of the test
will return"FW PASS".

G. SLEEP:

Will put your iPod to sleep. You will need to reset your iPod to wake it
back up.

H. A 2 D:

Tests the iPod's power. The results will be different depending if your
iPod is plugged into your computer, a wall outlet or is just running off
battery power.

I. OTPO CNT:

Tests your scroll wheel. Results are returned in hexadecimal.

J. LCM:

The LCM is your iPod's screen. Keep pressing the "Select" button to
toggle through several pattern tests.

K. RTC:

Tests the iPod's built-in "Real Time Clock".

L. SDRAM:

The RAM memory test. Hopefully it will tell you "PASS"

M. FLASH:

Your iPod has built-in Flash memory that stores firmware information.
This test will tell you what Firmware version you have installed.

N. OTPO or
Wheel A2D:
O. HDD

Tests the A2D (analog to digital) input of your iPod's scroll, touch or
click-wheel. You need to reset your iPod to exit this test.
Scans your iPod's hard drive. This is a great way to see if you have a

SCAN:
P. RUN IN:

healthy iPod. This test will take a few minutes so be patient.
Tests your iPod's chip sets continuously.

To get your iPod out of Diagnostic Mode, you will have to restart it again.

Diagnostic Mode Tests for iPod Photo & iPod Video:
Compared to the oddball geek speak of the older iPod diagnostic tests (see
above), the terminology used in the newer tests is much closer to plain English.
The bigger screen of newer iPods and higher resolution must have enabled
Apple to improve this feature.
You can run the following tests on Photo and Video iPods.
Memory
IO
Power
Status
SysCfg
Diskmode
Reset

Here's a breakdown of the tests. To cancel a test, just press the MENU
button:
Memory:

The Memory tests include diagnostic procedures for your iPod's SDRAM,
IRAM and FLASH memory.
SDRAM: The RAM memory test. The SDRAM Fulltest will take several
minutes. A successful pass result is "SDRAM OK."
IRAM: Not sure exactly what this test does. It takes several moments to
load before running a quick test and rebooting your iPod.
FLASH: This test will do a checksum test of your iPod's flash memory.

IO:

Comms: This tests the communication ports of your iPod including USB,
FireWire and Remote. If the Remote is not connected to your iPod at the

time of the test, you can expect a NG (no good) for the HP (headphoneport).
Wheel: This option has two tests, Keytest and Wheeltest. Push each
button once to pass the Keytest. The Wheeltest just gives you a coordinate
of where your finger is on the Click-Wheel.
LCD: This option has two tests, Backlight (0 to 255; 128 is the default) and
Color. Much like a VRAM test, the Color test will run through a series of
colors, patterns and gradients.
HeadphoneDetect: This test checks the Hold Switch and Headphone port.
HardDrive: This option has four tests.
•
•
•
•

HDSpecs will tell you everything from hard drive temperature to
serial number.
HDScan scans your iPod's hard drive. This is a great way to see if
you have a healthy iPod and if your hard drive is fragmented. This
test will take a few minutes so be patient.
HDSMARTData returns SMART data for professional repair
applications and personnel.
HDRW tests the ability of your hard drive to RW (read and write
data). A FAIL result probably means you need to get your hard
drive replaced.

Audio: This option has two tests. Playback plays an audio sample to make
sure your iPod can produce sound. MIC tests your iPods ability to record
audio.
Power:

A2DTests: This test has multiple sub tests.
•
•

Status:

Status displays the status of several of your iPod's key
systems.
•
•
•
•

SysCfg:

PhilipsID checks the power system of your iPod
A2D lists a series of A2D (analog to digital) tests.

Sharp: LCD screen
HP: headphones. Are they connected? [0 = no, 1 = yes]
FWPWR: FireWire power. Is your FireWire cable
charging your iPod?
USBPWR: USB power. Is your USB cable charging
your iPod?

SysCfg: System Configuration.

This lists your iPod's hardware version, serial numbers, and
part number.

Using Multiple iPods
on the Same Computer
Date Created: 03/11/2003

Last Updated: 03/02/2005

Authors: Staff

Now that everyone has an iPod, using multiple iPods on the same computer is
much more common.
"Someone told me that my husband's iPod would be
immediately overwritten with all of my iTunes files if I
plugged it into my Mac. Someone else told me that the
computer simply wouldn't mount a "foreign" iPod." ~
Rick
The computer will mount any iPod plugged into it. I have 2 and they both show
up on the desktop and in iTunes (Mac & PC). The automatic "overwriting" only
happens if you have your iPod set to Auto Sync. Plug in your iPod. In the bottom
right of the iTunes window are 2 little iPod symbols. The right one is an eject. The
left one is the options window. Turn off Auto Sync music.
"I have a friend in a church singing group. They would like
to have 7 iPods and 1 Apple laptop. They would like to put
the same music on all 7 iPods to listen to during the week
before they sing together on Sunday. Is it possible to synch
all seven ipods to the same iTunes in this fashion? Thanks
for your help!" ~ Ronald
Yes and no. You will have to manually add music to each iPod. You can't Auto
Sync more than one iPod to the same computer. We suggest making a weekly
playlist of the songs you want on each iPod and dragging that playlist to each
iPod.
"I'm having a bit of a problem me and my sister both have
an ipod but we are both using the same computer. I've tried
to install itunes on the pc twice but it won't let me. I know
that on your web page your answer to this question is to
turn Auto sync off but that isn't the answer to my problem
because in theory you are still using the same library. Me
and my sister each have a separate profile on the computer
(windows xp) and we want two different libraries, I've tried to

install itunes on each separate profile but it won't let me.
Hope you can help with any suggestions!!!" ~ Loubna
You both need to log into your PC as different users. Then you can have 2
different libraries. This can be acomplished on both Macs and PCs.

Skipping Music on iPod
Date Created: 03/12/2003

Last Updated: 05/17/2005

Authors: Dr. iPod

Ever experience skipping music on your iPod? You want to listen to
some music, but when you press play it just keeps skipping to the next
song.
"My iPod froze and when I reset it, it began skipping over certain songs, how can
I fix it?" ~ totalchaos222000
"When I choose a song the player thinks for about 5 seconds then skips to the
next song which it may or may not play. Any suggestions Doc?" ~ jam3336
When you music sounds bad or skips during playback, here's what to look for:
1) You may have a bad pair of headphones. I ruined a pair last year when I
accidentally left my iPod on while inside my backpack. I think the volume was
turned on full blast and blew out the headphones after playing until the iPod's
battery ran out. After that my music sounded like crap. But when I hooked up a
new pair of headphones, everything on my iPod sounded fine.
2) Also check under SETTINGS for the EQ function. You may have a
weird setting like TREBBLE BOOST on. This would make all your music
sound like AM radio. Change it here on your iPod: Settings > EQ (adjust
to your liking)
3) Music glitches, pauses and skips on your iPod probably mean one
thing: a fragmented hard drive. Do you have a disk utility program? Try a
program like Norton Systemworks (PC) or Disk Warrior (Mac) and run it on your
iPod, as if it were an external drive.
4) If you have problems with music skipping on your computer, you should run
the same defrag programs mentioned above on the hard drive that contains all
your iTunes music. If you are still getting music glitches in iTunes, the file may
have gotten messed up during import.
When you import CDs into iTunes make sure:
•
•

You have enough hard drive space on your computer.
If you have a slow computer and/or not a lot or RAM, quit all other
programs (besides iTunes) during the import process.

When I imported a few CDs on an old slow computer, I got lots of bad quality
audio files. The skips and glitches in your songs may be your computer choking
during the import.
The other reason for skipping tracks could be some form of copy protection. Look
over the CD cover for additional information.
5) If you defragmented your iPod and are still having issues with the audio, you
can try to restore the iPod to the factory settings or erase it.
6) The iPod's skip protection works best with compressed audio files. This allows
multiple songs to fit into iPod's 32 MB memory cache. If your audio files are
large, or are uncompressed (such as songs in AIFF or WAV format), you may
want to compress them, and use the MP3 or AAC compressors when importing
new songs. Just put the original CD back in your computer and change your
import settings in iTunes. Import the music. Then delete the bad music off your
iPod and copy the newly imported music onto it. Also, if you are having problems
with high bitrate MP3s, convert the files to AAC files at either 160 or 128.
7) If nothing listed here works, you may also hear a loud irregular clicking or
spinning noise. That's the sad song of a bad hard drive. Your only real option
now is to send it out to get fixed or replaced. Try our VIP Repair Service. Well if
you do have to send it in to get fixed, you might want to upgrade the hard drive
size while you are at it.
"When I choose a song the player thinks for about 5 seconds then skips
to the next song which it may or may not play. Any suggestions Doc?" ~
jam3336
You probably have a fragmented hard drive on your iPod. This happens
all the time. You can either erase your iPod or run a defragging utility on
your iPod like Disk Warrior. If you decided to erase your iPod, be sure to
copy any important files off your iPod first.
"Well, you were right! Once I switched to iTunes for PC [from
MusicMatch] I have not encountered that [skipping music] problem
hardly at all!" ~ M.E.
MusicMatch sucks!
"I just recently bought a 15gb IPOD. I have a PC Compac Presario 5000
model. I bought this in 97. After copying my cd's to ITUNES, I then
transferred my library to my IPOD. When I went to listen to the songs, I
noticed that every song skipped, stuttered or had some type of glitch. I
am in the process of obtaining 256mb of ram and updating my pc

windows with updates and new patches. Is there anything else I need to
do to correct this problem? " ~ Keith
When you import CDs into iTunes make sure:
•
•

You have enough hard drive space on your computer.
If you have a slow computer and/or not a lot or RAM, quit all other
programs (besides iTunes) during the import process.

When I imported a few CDs on an old slow computer, I got lots of bad
quality audio files. The skips and glitches in your songs may be your
computer choking during the import.
Always update your computer and your iPod with the latest software before
troubleshooting.

Put Your iPod
into Disk Mode
Date Created: 09/19/2002

Last Updated: 12/18/2005

Authors: Staff

Sometimes the iPod can be a stubborn ‘lil bugger who refuses to mount on your
computer. A quick fix is to slip the iPod into Disk Mode, which is a helpful way to
troubleshoot most iPod disk mounting issues.
1. You need to restart your iPod before putting it into Disk Mode. Check that your
hold switch is off by sliding the switch away from the headphone jack.
2. Press and hold the following combination of buttons buttons simultaneously for
approximately 10 seconds to reset the iPod.
•
•

iPod 1G to 3G: "Menu" and "Play/Pause"
iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): "Menu" and "Select"

3. Restart the iPod as explained above, then as soon as you see the Apple logo,
let go, and then hold down the "Fast Forward" and "Rewind" buttons. This will
force your iPod into Disk Mode. At this point your iPod may mount on your
computer. If not, try restarting the computer.
4. Once your iPod is in Disk Mode (it should say that on the top of the iPod's LCD
screen) and is flashing the "Do not disconnect" icon, you should be all set.
5. If this procedure didn't work, you may have a hardware problem. Check out
our VIP Repair Service for more information and how to get it fixed.

The AutoSync Problem
Accidentally erasing your iPod because of a preference
setting
Date Created: 03/12/2003

Last Updated: 05/07/2005

Authors: Staff

Have you ever plugged your iPod into a computer and watched in horor
as all the music on your iPod got erased? Sounds like you have an
AutoSync problem.
One of the most convenient features in iTunes is the AutoSync preference. When
AutoSync is enabled, you don't have to worry updating the music on your iPod.
Every time you plug your iPod into your computer, iTunes will just automatically
add as much music as your iPod can hold. But what happens when you plug
your iPod into another computer or worse - a computer without any music?
You may think that all the music on your iPod will get copied onto the new
computer, but it WILL NOT. Your iPod is read only. It is a slave to your computer.
Your iPod will only copy music off a computer not add music to a computer.

Here are some common AutoSync related issues. Do any of these
situations or problems sound familiar?

HOW TO DISABLE AUTOSYNC
"iPod is presently set on "automatically update from iTunes" and I would
like to preempt it from automatically updating. Is this possible?." ~dkap
No problem. Plug in your iPod to your computer, then click on the button
we've highlighted in red. An options window will pop up and you can
customize it from there.
"If I connected it up, clicked on the iPod in the source list and then
changed the setting, would it have enough time to erase everything
before I can change it?" ~ lura101
Try this. Hook up your iPod to a different computer - other than the one
you normally sync with. Just make sure this other computer has iTunes
on it. iTunes should ask if you want to link your iPod to this new

computer. Say "no" and change the sync settings to manual. The copy
the music off your iPod.
MY MUSIC DISAPPEARED
"I recently had to re-install Win XP from scratch, resulting in the loss of
all my files. i re-installed the iPod and itunes, but when i attempted to
transfer the contents of the ipod back to the my music folder, the ipod
appeared empty. it shows up as empty when accessing it in disk mode
too. how can i recover my music?" ~sp00nage
When you erased your computer, you erased all the music that was on
your hard drive too. Did you set iTunes to Auto Sync? If so, because
you had no music on your computer, your iPod synced to have no music
as well. I'm sorry, all your music may be gone. In the future I suggest
burning CDs or DVD's of your music frequently. Many people have
learned this lesson the hard way.
"I had to do a destructive recovery on my PC after it caught a virus. It
destroyed my ITunes library. I still had the songs on my IPOD. I followed
your advice on how to restore my library from the Ipod. I successfully
pulled all my songs onto the library then I allowed my IPOD to sync. , it
seems my IPOD has been wiped clean of songs. Please help." ~ Doug
I bet you have AutoSync enabled. When you synced your iPod to your
computer iTunes made your iPod mirror what music you had on your
computer (which had no songs on it at all). This resulted in you having
no music on your iPod. Keep in mind that your iPod syncs to your
computer, not the other way around. This is a common mistake and
Apple should really install better safeguards to help prevent this problem.
You can try searching for invisible files on your iPod and ripping the
songs off it, but this is a long shot.
"Hey guys, great website for iPod tech support. Unfortunately, my
problem was not addressed. I tried to use my iPod today, but all the
music was gone! There was nothing listed in the Examine part. The
About screen shows there are 0 songs, but the hard drive is mostly full
still. Don't think I'm an idiot, I've had an iPod almost since the first they
came out. I really don't know what happened or what to do. The worst
part is I live in Bolivia, and my Mac with all my songs on it is 10,000
miles away in Portland, Oregon, so it's not like I can just re-sync
everything. By the way, I tried Apple's support and discussion pages, but
man they really suck!" ~ todd
Ouch. You might have a fragmented hard drive which means you

probably have to wipe the iPod and start over. WARNING: The restore
command erases all of the music and other data on the iPod.
iPOD NOT UPDATING
"my ipod wont update new cd's that i have put on to my computer
because it says i have erased one of the playlists that it is meant to go
on. I'm using windows and the ipod web site wont tell me anything. help!"
~rupert
Turn off Auto Sync and reorganize your playlists on your computer. You
may want to erase all music on your iPod. Then turn Auto Sync back on.
That should do it.
COMPUTER CRASHES, WON'T SYNC
"Sometimes when I connect the iPod to my computer it crashes
the computer. The firewire cable is fine. The firewire port on my
computer is fine. The ipod works fine on its own. But I can't synch to the
computer. When I can, I assume I need to restore to factory settings.
Any advice? Apple has not been helpful. I need you guys!"
Yes try this erase and restore procedure.
SEARCHING FOR LOST AND/OR ERASED MUSIC
" After some problems with my iPod, I reinstalled Itunes. Itunes in the
INSTALL PROCESS asks for the ipod. Next thing I know the Ipod song
list is empty. Itunes even though it just installed ITSELF deletes all the
songs on your Ipod to put its playlist on it that doesn't have anything in it.
Duh! I tried several utilities to recover deleted files and they didn't work.
They saw folders, but said the folders were empty or unrecoverable. I
finally found a program called "recover my files". I was able to recover
the 737 mp3s on my girl friends ipod. The web site is the name of the
program. http://recovermyfiles.com. There is a shareware version. the
only feature missing from the shareware version is the restore feature.
You can still visually preview most files such as
images." ~ Chris
Mac and PC users can also try using a program like
Norton Utilities. Norton Utilities is a suite of different
disk utilities including an application called Unerase.
The hierarchical recovery in Unerase lets you
retrieve entire folders as well as individual files. You

may have some success in recovering your lost music files with
Unerase. But don't use the defragging or disk utilities that are part of
Norton's application suite. Due to numerous problems and lawsuits
brought on by unhappy customers, Norton is discontinuing all their utility
programs and concentrating on just doing virus protection.
"I connected my iPod to an iMac down here (we do have an internet cafe
with a G4 iMac in Bolivia) and was able to get into my music via the
Terminal. The were hiding in folders named F00-F19. To make a long
story short, I found all but 100 of my tunes (where the others are is a
good question), and now I can nuke the iPod and get my music back.
For some reason, I think those 100 songs where a Smart Playlist the
listed my last 100 songs played. Hmm.... Have you ever dug through the
contents on the iPod? There is a folder call iPod_Control that has some
interesting stuff in it. " ~ todd
The "iPod Control" folder is the iPod's System Folder. If you modify it or
erase it, your iPod becomes just a portable hard drive and won't play
music. But you are right, it does have good stuff inside.

iPod Tech Support
& Repair Help
Fix your iPod yourself, for FREE!
Date Created: 03/11/2002

Last Updated: 10/15/2005

Authors: Staff

>> INSTRUCTiONS <<
1) Browse this page carefully. Believe it or not, the exact answer to your problem is
probably here on this page. Last Updated: 10/15/05
2) Use the search box below to be sure your problem isn't already solved on either this page
or elsewhere on this site.

Search

3) Still can't find an answer? Email us for FREE iPod Tech Support. This service is only
open to mailing list members. Not on our iPod mailing list? Join now.
NOTE: Don't be lazy. If the answer to your question is already on this page, we may not
respond.
4) If your iPod is physically broken and needs repair, please look into our VIP iPod Repair &
Customization Service.
5) Did you find this page helpful? Please write a quick review about us. It will help improve
our web rankings or drop a dime in our beer fund. Thanks!

Beer Fund

iPod & iTunes
Issues
Common Questions.

•
•

Hardware
Issues

Something is Broken.

Rip/Copy Your
Music off Your
iPod (Mac & PC)

•
•

My iPod Froze

Multiple
iPods/Same
Computer

•

•

Cross-Platform
iPod?

•

iPod Won't
Mount

•

THE SUPER
FIX:
Erase &
Restore Your

Power User
Tips

Advice & Tricks for
Savvy Users

Weird
Questions
What the hell
happened?

•
•

iTunes Library

•

Exclude iTrip
Stations

The iPod Toilet
Trap

•

•

Broken
Headphone Jack

Missing Free
Space on iPod

I Washed My
iPod

•
•

•

•

Bad Hard Drive
Completely
Dead iPod

Moving Your
Music Folder

iPod
Environmental
Limits

•

Broken Screen

Supported
Audio Formats

•

•
•

Fixing Metal
Scratches

iPod Battery
Problems

Join CD Tracks

•

Broken Firewire
Port

How to Fast
Forward

My Music
Disappeared

•

•
•

•

•

Playlists

Using 3G iPods
with Mac OS9

Initiate iPod
Diagnostic Mode

iPod

•
•

Exclama
tion
Mark!
Moving your
iPod to a new
computer

•

Copying &
Music Import
Issues

•

Auto Sync
(On/Off)

•

Song Tags CDDB

•
•

Address Books

•
•
•

iPod Alarm

•

Wrong
Language

•
•
•

Storing Files

•

"Do Not
Disconnect"
Doesn't Go
Away

•

MusicMatch
Sucks!!!

•

Broken Hold
Switch

•

Customize The
iPod's Menu

•
•

Broken Buttons

•

Importing
Bitrates &
Formats

•

Bad Sound &
Skipping Music

•

Backing Up
Your Files

Engraving After
Purchase

I Lost My Install
CD
iPod Games
"On-the-Go"
Playlists

Old iPods
Upgrade
Firmware &
Software

iPod & iTunes Questions
Official Apple Help Site: iPod for Mac or iPod for PC
RIPPING MUSIC (Mac & PC)
"Hi. My husband and I both have (new) iPods ... was wondering if it is possible
to download some of the mp3s from his iPod to my computer using Toast
Titanium or iPodRip or something like that."
Information on this issue has been moved to this page: Copy Music Off Your
iPod

MULTIPLE IPODS, SAME COMPUTER
"Someone told me that my husband's iPod would be immediately overwritten
with all of my iTunes files if I plugged it into my Mac. Someone else told me that
the computer simply wouldn't mount a "foreign" iPod."

Read more here...

CROSS-PLATFORM IPOD?
"My husband uses MusicMatch on his PC. Does his having used the iPod on a
PC mean some kind of formatting took place, precluding me from using it on
my Mac altogether?"
Forget MusicMatch and please download iTunes for PC. May people have a
PC at work and a Mac at home. And if you have an iPod, you probably want to
use your iPod on both. Using the iPod for Mac on a PC, or using the iPod for
Windows on a Mac, is not supported by Apple. It is not possible to use an iPod
formatted for Mac with Windows without using extra software like Ephpod. This
is because Windows does not support Apple's HFS Plus file system and
therefore will not see the drive. But a Windows formatted iPod WILL WORK
on a Mac. You may get weird results like missing playlists in iTunes but all your
music will be there. If something goes wrong, the worst you'll have to do is
'Restore' your iPod back to Mac or Windows (whatever the case may be). Try
plugging your iPods into each others computers and see what happens. Just
don't format your iPod unless you are prepared to completely erase it and
everything on it. Here's a link on Apple's website for more info.
"I recently got the new 30 Gig iPod, running version 2.0.2. I have not formatted
it yet, but wondered about cross-platform capabilities of this new version. I
have a PC at work, and a new Powerbook at home (will be upgrading to
Panther this weekend). Can I use the same iPod on both computers with out
having to wipe the hard drive and re-format?" ~Fred
No. You will have to make your iPod PC formatted for it to work on both Mac
and PC.

iPOD WON'T MOUNT/UPDATE
"My iPod is sick after working fine for months. I got disk errors and a couple
windows asking me if I'd like to re-initialize an unreadable disc. I never clicked
any of the buttons on those red and scary windows. I ran Disk Utility on this
iPod numerous times, and "repaired" it every time. Every time I plugged it back
in, I got the same disc errors."
Information on this issue has been moved to this page: My iPod Won't
Mount/Update

ERASE & RESTORE YOUR iPOD (THE SUPER FIX)

"I have an original 5 gig iPod. When I plug it into my computer it recharges the
battery but the ipod won't mount or show up in itunes - even when I restart it
and hold down the previous and next track button. I have tried to "restore " it
with the new update but since the computer doesn't seem to see the ipod I
don't have either the restore or the update option available to me. Is there
anything that I can do?? PLEASE HELP. Thanks so much." ~Luke
Information on this issue has been moved to this page: Erase Your iPod

EXCLAMATION MARK
"Hi. I'm guessing I did that thing where you delete everything off the
ipod. After I reset it, all that comes up after the Apple icon is this icon
of a folder. The iPod is in disk mode and says "Do not disconnect" or 'folder
with exclamation mark in a triangle' when I connect it to my mac, but the ipod
icon never appears on the desktop. So trying to restore it is hard if my
computer refuses to acknowledge it even exists. Do you have any idea what's
going on? I'm so lost! Thanks!"
Information on this issue has been moved to these pages: Erase Your iPod &
My iPod Won't Mount/Update

MOVING YOUR iPOD TO A NEW COMPUTER
"I bought a 40G iPod and had it hooked up to my wife's iMac G4. I then
purchased my own PowerMac G4. It wants to see the first computer that it was
registered to and wipes out songs from the first computer if I sync to the 2nd
computer; I have figured out how to get around this by setting all the options to
manual but this is a pain. Is there any way to reassign the Ipod to the new
computer? One of the local computer stores said there is a "hack" on the
internet to do this but I have not found it. Your help would be appreciated."
~Mike
Just erase it and start over. Use the info at this link (erasing and then
restoring), but you only need to do the RESTORE part, not the erase, unless
you want to. That should do it. Let us know how it turns out.
"Everything worked great! I used PodWorks to backup the songs that were on
the iPod from the other computer but not on the new computer (lucky I did this
and it is really a necessity). When I restored the iPod it erased everything.
Plugged in the iPod and it automatically loaded the songs from the new
computeR's library into the iPod. Had to manually add the songs that I "ripped"
from the old computer and now I have all the original content and the iPod is

synced to the new computer. Thanks for the advice." ~mIKE
"My desktop computer had multiple power surges during a storm. (My ipod was
not attached) It was necessary to format my hard drive,reload windows XP and
the itunes software. I did not reconfigure my ipod when prompted for fear of
losing all of my songs. When i attached my ipod to my desktop it recognizes my
ipod and all of its songs but does not list those songs in the existing library. I
downloaded a song, which was placed in the new "library"...I cannot transfer
the new song onto my ipod. There is a prompt that appears stating my ipod is
linked to another music library and asks if I want to change the link to the
current library, replacing all lists and songs? Question...if I change the link to
the current library will I lose my songs? Should I configure my ipod and will it
erase the songs? Thanks for your input in advance!!" ~ lightning104
Turn off AutoSync and then attempt to re-link your iPod to your newly installed
computer. If that doesn't work, I suggest backing up all the music on your iPod
right now (Mac or PC) and then erasing it.

COPYING & MUSIC IMPORT ISSUES
"I am trying to manually drag a tune from iTunes to iPod; the tune(s) just keep
bouncing back to iTunes!" ~ c. stjean
"Got a 20gb Ipod last week, works fine occasionally, but it tends to stop moving
files from the mac to the ipod a bit too often. have tried to reset it, restore it,
restart the computer etc. but it still happens nearly every second time i try to
move files. itunes freezes and then nothing happens. when i restart/reset the
ipod the latest playlist will not have been copied.one time it had erased all the
files on it. it also comes up with the cd-magnifying glass symbol every so often.
basically, it freezes a bit too often for a completely new product. hardware
issues or OS X?" ~ Eric Q
"i plug my ipod into the computer and try to put songs on it because i had to
restore my ipod and the songs won't go on, some will then my computer and
ipod will both freeze. Is there any way to fix this?
Thank you." ~ Bailey
"hello, just had a question about itunes. whenever i attempt to import songs
from a CD to my library, an error box always comes up (unknown error (-50)).
this error box pops up almost exactly half way through importing any one song.
got any suggestions?" ~ Peter
"i have just got a ipod but i have a problem all my music is in windows media
player. i am unable to move it to itunes or musicmatch and i can not download
the music of windows media player. i would like to know if it is possible to

download music from windows media player and if not is there something you
can download so that u can download the music." ~ lisimba
iTunes won't allow you to copy music onto your iPod? There's a few
things that can be wrong.
1) Is Auto Sync on? If so you can't manually drag songs on to the iPod. Are you
dragging songs from a CD? You can't copy songs from a CD directly to the
iPod. You have to import them onto your computer first and then convert the
CD songs into digital audio files for example MP3s or AAC files.
2) Does iTunes stop a music transfer always in the same spot? Pay attention to
what song it stops at during the copy. It turned out that a few of my mp3s were
corrupted. I deleted the bad songs and the problem went away.
3) Is your iPod or computer's hard drive full? If you get weird copy errors like
"(unknown error (-50))" chances are you are out of space. Delete that double
disk of Josh Tesh live and try the copy again.
4) Are the song files you are trying to import compatible with the iPod or
iTunes? If you have Windows Media Audio files that aren't copy-protected, you
have to import them into iTunes 4.5 or higher and convert them to AAC or MP3
for you iPod. Make sure the Firmware on your iPod is up to date. Older
Firmware versions can't play AAC files or music downloaded from the iTunes
Music Store. Download new Firmware from http://www.apple.com/ipod/.
"I can't copy music off my iMac onto my iPod! It's very slow and then iTunes
crashes. I am so pissed. Please help!." ~Freddy
"I was having a problem many people have written about where I could install
software, see my iPod on the desktop, but whenever I connected to the
computer, the file copying was slow as heck. Eventually my iPod and computer
would both freeze up. After taking back two iPods, I thought I'd try and install a
Firewire PCI card to see if the problem was there. Bingo...that did it." ~ Scutter
"My Ipod works fine, but just recently I am unable to add certain songs too it.
For example, the other day I ripped a Notorious BIG cd. I tried to put the entire
cd onto my iPod, but whenever it came down to copying this one song onto the
ipod, and unknown error would occur. and then the screen that says you
should remove the FireWire drive properly next time appears on my Mac. And
then iTunes locks up. I have already reformatted my computer, and Ipod. What
is the next thing I can try to resolve this problem which just began happening
about 3 weeks ago. Thanks." ~Abe
Your iTunes library file might be corrupted. If you have a ton of songs, your

library file is probably pretty big, and bigger files tend to get corrupted. See our
iTunes Power Users Tips & Tricks Article for more info.

AUTO SYNC (ON/OFF)
All info on AutoSync problems has been moved to this page.

SONG TAGS - CDDB
"I can't get the CDDB to work in iTunes. I have an internet connection and it
works fine. When I insert a CD a box appears that says accessing the CDDB.
The bar moves across the screen slightly to indicate that it is connecting to the
database. Then it moves no further. After about 1 minute it simply disappears."
~ Peter W.
Your difficulty is likely in your Internet Exploder (Explorer) settings. Try going to
the Gracenote site with your browser and look up a few albums:
http://www.gracenote.com/music/. If the albums are there, iTunes should be
able to see them. iTunes uses your IE settings. I had trouble with my CDDB
connection and I could access the Gracenote web site manually but every time
I tried to update songs it gave me an error. Eventually I tracked it down to my
company's firewall not allowing iTunes to access the web. Manually set this
correctly or call your local IT dept to get the settings. Also you might try
contacting Gracenote at [email protected].
"i have a new 20 gig ipod. i am using music match on my pc to load my mp3s. i
am currently re-tagging all my mp3's on music match. should i erase my iPod
before i enter the songs with new tags? if i don't erase the ipod, will i get double
tracks?" ~ svb308
Yes. Erase the old tracks on the iPod, fix the MP3 tags to the music on your
computer and them upload the newly tagged songs to your iPod. And think
about switching to iTunes for PC because Musicmatch sucks.
"Is it possible to set iTunes up so that it does CDDB lookup on a downloaded
CDDB listing? More specifically, when a new CD is inserted, iTunes can look
up information at Gracenote. Can iTunes be adjusted to look at a personal
CDDB database instead of going to Gracenote's? I don't make it to the internet
with my computer often, so by doing this I'd be able to save allot of typing time.
Any help would be appreciated." ~directtotim
You don't need an internet connection to import the tracks off the CD. Just type
in the album and artist to keep you from getting totally confused. Then when
you have access to the internet, highlight a bunch of songs without proper tags

in your iTunes Library and select "Get CD Track Names." iTunes will then go
online and update all the tags for the songs you selected.
Advanced > Get CD Track Names
NOTE: This only works when looking up complete CDs. So import all the songs
on a CD, not just a couple tracks. If the CDDB can't find your CD, then it may
be new or very rare. In this case you will have to type in the info and submit it
to their database. Type in the info, then select "Submit CD Track Names" from
the Advanced menu in iTunes.
"When using iTunes, when you insert a music cd into the drive it accesses
CDDB to get the cd information. Do you know where this information is held on
my computer? I know it is there because, if I disconnect from the internet, then
put a previously loaded cd back into the drive, the track names etc are found. I
thought that the data might be stored in cdplayer.ini, but now don't think that
this is the case." ~Stephen
On a Mac, the CDDB files are just stored in the current user's prefs folder. It's
probably the same on a PC. Do a file search for CDDB on your computer. You
should find something.

ADDRESS BOOKS (Mac & PC)
"I can't get my palm desktop contacts to open on my ipod. I exported all
contacts over in vCard format and they are in my contacts folder as a 360 MB
file any suggestions. Apple support said to drag and drop, but this won't work."
~ Daniel
"I copied the files using a vcard and dragged them into the contact folder. For
some reason, when it won't download into the ipod, even though it is in the
contact folder." ~ Dana A.
You should just be able to drag vCard files into your Mac OS X Address book
and then use iSync to sync your iPod. That should do it. 360 MB is a little big.
Try just a few addresses at a time. If that doesn't work, upgrade your iPod's
firmware. Also investigate what version of vCards cards you are exporting. Try
using an older version if you still have problems, but the older versions should
be more compatible.
"What is the easiest way to drop contacts from Outlook into the iPod? Thanks"
~ Susan M.
For PC try iPOD AGENT or iPod Sync. For Mac OSX use iSync and if you
have a Palm on your Mac use Microsoft Handheld Sync for Entourage X. Or

just manually drag VCF address cards into the contacts folder on your iPod.

ALARM
"The alarm feature doesn't work at all. I can set it, but it never rings. Can the
iPod actually produce sounds without head-phones?" ~Stephan
Information on this issue has been moved to this page: iPod Alarm Clock
Tutorial

iPOD GAMES
"i still don't know how to get games on my ipod 20 GB 2nd generation. please
reply back. i really want to play games on my ipod." ~ asayudaplaya
Upgrade your iPod firmware to version 2.0.1+ to play games like this: Solitaire,
Brick and Parachute. There are no other games for the iPod yet. Apple hasn't
released the iPod OS to 3rd party developers yet.

I LOST MY INSTALL CD!
"Hello, I have an iPod that came with the PC software CD, but unfortunately,
my locker was vandalized and all of my iPod accessories were stolen. (luckily i
keep my iPod on me at all times)I had to re-purchase the us/firewire cord,
docking port, charger, etc, etc. The only thing i have not been able to find is a
copy of the CD you get when you purchase the iPod. could you let me know
what software was on there and where i can get it? Thanks al lot." ~ bf
All iPods are born mac iPods. The CD that comes with every iPod has software
that erases the iPod and makes it a PC hard drive for non-Mac users. This
software erases the iPod and installs the iPod's operating system. You don't
need the CD. You can download the iPod updater here. This will update your
iPod's firmware and/or erase it and reinstall the iPod's operating system.

ON-THE-GO PLAYLISTS
"Ipod should add a playlist on the fly feature for people who just have only one
iPod. So the songs we want to play where queued in the buffer and there is no
silences between songs. I would like a small font playlist too." ~one
Creating an "On-the-Go" playlist is already a feature on the iPod (update to the
latest iPod firmware to use it). Select BROWSE from the iPod's main menu.
Then press and hold the Center button 5 seconds to add a song, artist, album,
genre, etc to the "On-the-Go" playlist. You will see your selection flash 3 times.

This means you added that selection to the "On-the-Go" playlist. Your "On-theGo" playlist will be reset the next time you hook your iPod up to your computer.
There's currently no way to change the font size on your iPod. But let apple
know your suggestions.

WRONG LANGUAGE
"The first menus of my iPod are in chinese. I want English instead." ~neal
Apple has a entire page on their site devoted to this problem. Check it out here:
iPod: How to Change the Display Language.

STORING FILES
"I know I can save digital photos on an iPod, but does that include
other image files as well? Specifically, can I save TIFF or JPEG
images? I'm in graphic design and I'm looking for a portable method
to save huge files created in Quark6, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.
Thanks, Any help appreciated." ~catherinesmith
You're talking about a special iPod add-on called the Belkin Media Reader.
This device transfers your digital pictures off several types of memory and
storage cards. However, you can store whatever files you want on your iPod.
Your iPod can double as a FireWire or USB 2.0 hard drive for your computer.
This allows you to transfer files and applications from your computer to the
iPod and take them with you wherever you go. iPod is smart enough to keep
your data files separate from your music collection.

OLD iPODS
"...I have an older 10Gb scroll wheel type iPod. It has 1.2 on it according the
"about" ipod. The songs I purchased on iTunes(I deleted musicmatch. It was
worthless) are in a PROTECTED AAC format so I can not convert to MP3
format in order to drag onto my ipod folder. I now know I can change the
"IMPORT" preference to something other than AAC but I have a bunch of
already purchased songs in Protected AAC format. CAN I UPGRADE MY iPOD
1.2 to something that will allow my older (without docking) ipod to accept AAC
format???!!!!!.." ~bill_w
Upgrade your iPod to firmware version 1.3 right away (1.3 for Mac or 1.3 for
PC). People with newer iPods should download a higher version. This will allow
you to use AAC files and will fix any battery issues you may have had.

UPGRADE YOUR FIRMWARE & SOFTWARE
"My iPod acts weird and doesn't have all the features other people's iPod do
like extra games and stuff. I also can't play AAC files i purchased from the
iTunes Music Store. What's up with it?" ~ Megan
Upgrade your iPod's firmware from Apple's website to the newest version. Also
install the latest version of iTunes. You can't do many things (like play music
from the iTMS) without the newest versions. Also run any outstanding Windows
or Macintosh OS updates and update Quicktime as well.
Check your iPod's Firmware version. From the iPod's Main Menu select:
Settings > About > (Version X.x)

"DO NOT DISCONNECT" DOESN'T GO AWAY
"I have just updated my iPod and even though my iTunes says that the update
is complete, my iPod has said, "Do not disconnect" for the last 4 hours. I had
left and come home and I thought that it was ready to be unplugged but as
soon as my computer came out of sleep mode, it went back to saying "Do not
disconnect." Why is it doing that? When will I be able to disconnect it? What
happens if I DO disconnect it and how do I prevent this in the future? Thanks
for your help!" ~
Annie
Information on this issue has been moved to this page: "DO NOT
DISCONNECT" DOESN'T GO AWAY

MUSICMATCH SUCKS, GET iTUNES
"I'm "inches" from purchasing an iPod. All my music is on CD, WAV and
MP3. Is my task of transferring to the POD allot easier than than
"creating the music" thru the pc and MusicMatch? is it as simple (?) as
hooking up pc to iPod and pushing a button?...like transferring a record to a
cassette? I hope I'm making myself clear .....thanks for your time." ~Mike
"When downloading to the ipod the transmission stops. A message appears on
PC stating that ipod is full. This is clearly not the case." ~Bill
"After I've downloaded files to my iPod, I do not get the "OK to disconnect
message" ~ it continues to show "Do Not Disconnect." Even when I follow the
Eject procedure and MusicMatch shows "It is now safe to disconnect iPod," the
iPod still says "Do Not Disconnect." Am I doing something wrong? Is it okay to
disconnect?" ~ mblankenship

"I am having real problems all of the sudden syncing my iPod. I have dicked
around with it so much, that now I can't even get my computer to recognize it.
Sometimes it just stops, other times it comes up with an error message "server
busy." I don't know if I have a software problem? Hardware?? What. Please
help!!!!??? I would really appreciate help getting it going again. Thanks."
~James
Forget MusicMatch. If your music is already digitized and on a computer, then
import your songs into iTunes (PC). If not, start loading in those CDs and
converting your music to MP3s. Download iTunes for PC and start importing. If
you are currently using MusicMatch, delete it. MusicMatch is probably the worst
made piece of shit software of all time.
"Thanks very much for your help. i downloaded iTunes for PC and it turned out
to be 100% better than music match, which I am very disappointed with." Ben
H
If you own an iPod and use it with MusicMatch on a Windows machine and
then install iTunes, strange things happen: after the installation, MusicMatch is
unable to communicate or even find the iPod anymore. Of course this might be
a coincidence or bad programming on the Apple side, but since MusicMatch
also introduced a pay-per-download service it seems not too farfetched to
suspect that Apple simply took the opportunity to knock out an opponent. The
funny thing is, Apple and MusicMatch cooperated before, because Apple
wanted to have software that was able to work with iPod and thus not lose
potential customers that want to buy an iPod but have only Windows.
MusicMatch recommends deleting, then downloading and reinstalling, the
MusicMatch software to re enable it. - spooza

Hardware Issues
RESTART A FROZEN iPOD
"Dumb question. If the iPod is not responding and appears to be frozen, what
do I do?" ~ Lloyd
Read this tutorial: RESTART A FROZEN iPOD
iPOD DIAGNOSTIC MODE
"I think my iPod's hard drive is messed up. How would I know for sure?" ~ Zen
Read this tutorial: iPod Diagnostic Mode

BROKEN HEADPHONE JACK
"I need my iPod Audio Jack Repaired..When I plug headphone jack into it, I get
no sound..Let me know the process of getting it fixed. I have tried various
different headphones. The iPod is 2nd Generation 20 GB." ~ a918816
"My iPod works fine except for one thing. Every single song on the iPod,
whether it was downloaded, ripped, purchased from iTunes or whatever, has a
very scratchy noise that mutes the signal at some point in the first 10 seconds
of the song. (it sounds like someone is fiddling with the headphone connection
during that time.) this problem happens with any pair of headphones and any
line-out situation. Have you heard of this problem before? I bought the iPod
less than 6 months ago, directly from Apple, would it be covered under
warranty?." ~ Gabe L.
If your headphone jack is broken, the you basically have two options:
1) If your iPod is still under warranty (less than a year old) or you purchased
AppleCare protection for iPod then get it replaced ASAP from Apple. They will
just give you a nw one.
2) If your iPod is out of warranty, then use our VIP Repair Service to get it
fixed.

BROKEN HARD DRIVE
"I'm in ipod hell. When I attach the iPod to the cable and my Mac the ipod icon
doesn't show on the desktop. There's an icon on the ipod that looks like a
spinning CD with a magnifying glass. I can't get to my playlists and it definitely
doesn't play music. What do I do? I will be SO appreciative if you can help me."
~ sandis955
The iPod (and all other hard drive based MP3 players) are really just giant hard
drives and can be fragmented with heavy use. Basically you just need to erase
your iPod. Download the iPod Updater (Mac or PC) and run the Restore
function. WARNING: The restore command erases all of the music and other
data on the iPod.
DEAD iPOD
"My 5-gb iPod is dead and out of warranty. I have gone through all of the
troubleshooting steps a number of times (loose firewire port, dead battery,
fragmented disc , etc). Nothing. I have even opened it up (according to
instructions on the web) and gone through the steps there (disconnecting
battery, etc) and still get Nothing. Never dropped. Just used it one day and the
next day it was dead." ~gspkr

I have a friend and the same thing happened to him. It sucks and I'm sorry it
happened to you. Bad luck I guess. If your iPod is totally dead, you have a few
basic options.
1) Sell it for parts. We will buy it through our VIP Repair Service.
2) Apple will replace your dead iPod or iPod battery if it is still under warranty.
3) If the warranty has already run out, use our VIP Repair Service.
4) Or you can buy a new iPod.
"I have already replaced the iPod with a new, larger capacity version. Yes it
cost more than Apple repair but it has larger capacity and is "new" with
complete warranty. I also purchased it at Best Buy, which offers a
replacement/repair warranty that lasts longer than Apple's. As to my original
dead 5 GB iPod I'm beginning to think I might actually go to eBay and purchase
another dead iPod to see if any of the major components from that Ipod might
resurrect my dead iPod. At this point I'm pretty confident the problem is NOT
the battery but might be the HD. We'll see." ~gspkr
Thanks for the Best Buy tip. You can also sell your dead iPod to us. We need
parts for our VIP Repair Service.
"Great site, thanks for the support. but i need some help with this problem. I
have a 15 gig iPod running with a g4 laptop, firewire connection to the ipod.
The ipod was dropped during an attempted theft and it hasn't been the same
since. I have drained the battery for 24 hours and am now trying to restore the
ipod to working condition. I plugged the ipod into the firewire connection and
the ipod's screen immediately goes to maximum contrast. I am only just able to
see the apple logo on the screen. It then attempts to read from the hard drive
for 4 or 5 tries then stops and shows the folder with exclamation point logo on
the screen. I then try to for it to install new software format he computer with
the menu+play/pause keys held down, once it has restarted the fwd+rr keys
are held to force new software, but that does not work. The drive doesn't click,
simply whines there with the apple logo displayed on it. I have tried to use disk
utility to view the drive but it does not mount, i have also used the 2.1 iPod
software installer to try and view the drive to update/restore the drive but it is
not recognized. i cant restore the contrast to its original 50% value and also
cant install new software to use the ipod. is there anything else i can do,
internally ( i have opened the case as that was how it was found on the floor
post theft attempt). thanks for the site and any help would be appreciated."
~Eric
I'm afraid all you can really do at this point is sell your iPod for spare parts
through our VIP Repair Service. I know it sucks. Well at least the thief can't
use it. I'd rather have a broken iPod than have some thief enjoying it and all my
music.

BROKEN SCREEN
"Since I did a iPod software 2.0.1 restore, the screen is way too dark. I can now
only read the screen if the screen contrast is set to minimum." ~Stephan
"My ipod screen is dim and has a line through it in the first two menu interfaces
making it hard to see for song selection. The screen looks fine when a song is
playing, or when I go to adjust the contrast or the back light. I have tried
erasing and reloading my ipod and it did not help. Any suggestions? Thanks!!!!"
~sdyhrman
"hi, my iPod will play, the light will turn on, i can hear the distinctive "click" as i
turn the wheel but the screen is totally blank. this is annoying because i
obviously cant pick songs/playlists, etc. ever seen this before? help!!!" ~Chris
R.
"My iPod's screen is cracked!! What the hell do I do now?" ~ Ryan
"i just bought my ipod and sadly bumped into something when it was clipped
onto my hip and now my poor screen is broken. help, i can't afford a whole new
ipod and i can't afford to pay apple $250 for repair." ~ imissyouhawaii
1) If you screen is too dark or too light then adjust the Contrast. Settings >
Contrast (adjust to your liking)
2) If the screen is cracked or dead and still under warranty then contact Apple
about getting a new iPod. If your warranty has expired then check out our VIP
Repair Service for an estimate on getting it replaced.

BAD BATTERY
"Help! My iPod's battery life is dwindling. It's the original 5 GB iPod. I used to
get 10-11 hours out of it, I now get 4-5 hours. Is anyone aware of a
replacement iPod battery that can be purchased or a hack to fix this problem?"
~ Tony
"My Ipod will not hold a charge. I plug it in, it says charging and when I take the
cords off after it says "charged" it will
not turn on. What should I do?" ~ dalla403
There are several possible solutions to your battery
problem. Let's troubleshoot it before you grab a
toolkit and crack open your iPod. Most battery
problems only apply to the older 5 GB iPods, but
these "fixes" will work for any iPod.
Option 1: Update your iPod's firmware. An Apple
Genius at the Apple SOHO store in New York City
suggested people with battery problems should
upgrade to the latest firmware, fully discharge their
iPod, then charge it and just let it play, non-stop, without touching it. Anytime
my battery acts weird, I set the backlight to always on and let my iPod play until
the battery dies. I then recharge it and my iPod usually works fine after that.
But make sure you have the latest Firmware on your iPod.
Option 2: Let's test it. Fully charge your iPod, and immediately start playing
music through your stereo or something so you can hear it. Make a note of the
time and see how long it plays. If it goes for more than 4 hours, your battery is
probably OK. You should actually get about 8+ hours. Factors that may slightly
decrease your battery time are: using WAV files instead of mp3 (these bigger
files require more disk access and use more power) and using extra features
like the equalizer or the back light. If your battery is OK, try some of the usage
tips in the next section below. If not, don't give up yet. You still have a few
options:
Option 3: WARNING: You can destroy your iPod. Apple doesn't advise doing
this and you may void your warranty. Pry off the back of the case, and unplug
the battery from the circuit board. Leave for a couple of minutes to allow the
power management system to reset, and then replace the battery. You should
find battery life returns to near 8 hours. Our you can let a professional do it.
Check out our VIP Repair Service for more info.
Option 4: To quote Bill Paxton from the movie Aliens, "Game over man!" Yep,
it's dead. If you live near an Apple store, have one of the genius bar guys take
a look. But if you think your battery died, you can order a new one from our VIP

Repair Service.
EXPERIMENTAL OPTION: If nothing else works, try taking your firmware the
other way. Revert your Firmware to 1.1 (the old version). Why? With the 1.2+
Firmware, Apple added some functionality like a date book, alarm, etc. The
problem is all this new software stuff requires a clock. So the iPod's "CPU" is
always on and draining power. Search around online to find the old firmware if
you don't still have it on your computer. WARNING: You will lose all the new
software iPod features like games, date book, etch. and all music and files on
your iPod.
"hey! how to test the ipod battery life without sitting and staring at it for 8
hours?" ~ gasstronamicle
I've had to do this before. The best way to test your iPod's battery life, is to
hook your iPod up to a stereo and just listen to some music until the battery
dies. Make sure 'repeat' is enabled in case you don't have 8 hours of music on
your iPod. Also pay attention to what time you start the music. When the
music's over, the battery is dead. Look at the clock again and do the math. I
usually try to do all my Sunday afternoon house work and chores when testing
my battery. You might want to set the backlight to "always on" to help decrease
the battery faster. Leaving the backlight on will kill the battery 1.5 to 2 hours
faster. Just add 2 to your total battery time to make this work. If you think you
have a bad battery, we can help you get it replaced with our VIP Repair
Service.

INCREASE YOUR BATTERY LIFE
"I'm suppose to get like 10 hours of life out of my iPod, but I never do. Usually
like 3 or 5. What gives?" ~ Kip
Here's some tips to get the most out of your battery. That's assuming that you
have a good battery. If you think your battery might be defective, follow this
link.
Turn It Off: Hold down the Play button for a few seconds until the iPod turns
off. Then use the lock button to keep it off until you want to use it again.
Kill the Clock: Prevent the clock from running by never setting it. This is tricky
because when the clock is connected to your computer it automatically sets
itself. So reset the iPod just before you disconnect it from your computer. To
reset, press and hold "Menu" and "Play" until the Apple logo appears (5-10
sec.).

General Battery Tips: Charging your iPod more frequently is NOT bad. The
type of batteries used in the iPod, Lithium-Ion Polyme, do NOT develop what is
known as "memory effect". According to Sony, the manufacturer, this battery
should be charged to its fullest when new, and should be charged as often as
possible during the lifetime of the battery. The problem with this new battery
starts when you let its charge drain to less than half. The specs for this battery
describe a guaranteed battery life of 500 cycles, but each cycle equals a 50%
drain from full charge. Sony does not recommend letting this battery completely
drain before recharging it.
See Apple's Support page for more info.

BROKEN FIREWIRE PORT
"When I plug my iPod into my computer it will NOT charge the battery. I have a
pc (not mac) and I am using the firewire connection. Any assistance would be
appreciated." ~ Tstiefer
Make sure your computer is on when you expect your iPod to charge. It won't
charge when the computer is off. If that doesn't work, try plugging your iPod
into an AC wall outlet and see if it will charge there. If your iPod won't charge in
the wall or in your computer, you might have a loose FireWire port. This can
happen with the non-cradle versions of the iPods. It was a design flaw in my
opinion. A friend of mine had crack open his 1st generation iPod and re-solder
his FireWire port back in place. Check out our VIP Repair Service.

BROKEN HOLD SWITCH
"Hey there. Is it safe to assume that I'll need to send my iPod in for fixing if my
hold switch doesn't work anymore? I guess I've been a bit clumsy and dropped
it a few times (in it's case) so that's probably the culprit? Thanks for any info!"
~weinerw
I'm sorry there's really nothing you can do. Having it fixed through our VIP
Repair Service. In the future, I suggest getting a thick soft case and trying not
to drop it anymore.
"I have tried updating and restoring my iPod to no avail, one problem I am
seeing is that the iPod is "locked" regardless of whether the hold switch is
engaged on not. Thoughts?" ~kellitaylor99
I found an Apple store nearby, I apparently had a sticky hold button and they
replaced me. I couldn't do anything b/c it was locked completely. New one
seems to be working fine. Thank you. Your site was very helpful. ~ kellitaylor99

BROKEN BUTTONS
"My old 5G ipod's center button no longer works; it doesn't move up or down,
no click. I think a kid may have picked it up and pressed really hard on the
button; not sure, though. Everything else works just fine, including the scrolling
ring, but I can't select anything. Any ideas?" ~ Jan J.
"What I ended up doing was taking just the ring and the button off using tape
(per this page) and then pulling up the stem. So far, so good! It's working fine
for now. And that kid is never coming near it again! ;-) It's good to know how to
take the back apart too, for when the battery finally dies. Thanks for the info!." ~
Jan J.
ENGRAVING
"Where can I go to get my iPod engraved?" ~ stevenhennessy
Your local jeweler will probably do it. Here's a few suggestions.

Power User Tips
iTUNES MUSIC LIBRARY
"I've been looking for an answer to this anywhere. I'm using iTunes4 on a PC
but I think that this would be applicable to any version of OS of iTunes. The
basic problem is that when you have >40G of song data, and have "only" a
40G ipod, you have to decide which songs to transfer to the ipod. (In my case I
have 200G of data, so I can only have <20% of my music on the ipod at any
given time.)" ~gary
All of us with giant music libraries have the same problem. What I do is make a
few Smart Playlists. You can limit the amount of songs or file size of your
playlist. So for example make a playlist called Rock Music where the genre
matches "Rock" and limit the size to 40 GB. Make a few of these and you can
freshen up your iPod whenever you want.

EXCLUDE iTrip STATIONS
"Not sure if this is easy or what but is there a way to have a song not played on
the iPod, I have unchecked it in iTunes but it still plays. i.e.: I very rarely use
playlists and usually just put the iPod on ALL Artists and I turned on Shuffle.
Worked great until I got iTrip. Now the 3 second MP3's to change the stations
are always being played. Is there a way to continue my way of playing songs
but exclude the iTrip frequencies or do I need to create a playlist with all my
songs and exclude the iTrips?" ~Mike

Make a "Smart Playlist" in iTunes (under the File menu) with these settings:
(Artist - does not contain - Griffin Technology)
This will include every song on your iPod EXCEPT the iTrip stations.

MISSING FREE SPACE
"I have a 5 GB iPod that says I've used 4.64 GB and have 12K free. When I
click on the iPod icon in the lower right screen when connected, it reads 4.53
GB used. I am unable to add any more songs, however. I deleted a number of
playlists, but still cannot add a single new song. When I try to do so, I get the
message, "There is not enough room on CSTJ's iPod to copy al of the
requested files." I have my iPod configured manually rather than automatically."
~c.stjean
Good question. There's a few possible solutions.
Solution #1: Your 5 GB iPod isn't really 5 GB. This is true with ALL hard
drives. For example I have a 30 GB iPod, but it really only has 27.9 GB. The
main hard drive we keep our website on is 400 GB, but it only has 372 GB. Like
I said this is true with all hard drives and not just iPods. There's a technical
explanation for this but don't worry about it. People are actually taking hard
drive manufacturers to court over this issue.
Solution #2: Try to empty the trash on your computer. You could have files
sitting in the trash and taking up space on your iPod.
Solution #3: Do you have non-music files on your ipod? Are you using your
iPod as a hard drive? Files sitting on your iPod's hard drive (even notes and
address book contacts) will take up space.
Solution #4: Your iPod's hard drive is having issues. We recently fixed a big
shot celebrity's iPod with this problem. Try to erase the iPod and then restore
the iPod OS. That usually does it every time.
See Apple's Support site on this topic for more info.
"I used to use the iMac at the office to load music onto my 20 GB iPod. Well, I
quit that job and got a new iMac for my house. I loaded it up with new music
and it seems to be working great, but when I was using the iMac at my old job,
I had something like 5 days worth of music on my iPod and it was just a little
over half full. Now, I have only 2 days worth of iTunes and it's completely filled.
Are my old office iTunes still taking up memory space on my iPod?" ~ Edward
Weird. Did you empty the trash? Maybe you have a bunch of file in the trash
taking up space. You could always erase your iPod and start over. You may

want to rip your songs off the iPod before you erase it.
"Thanks for the suggestion. I ended up completely erasing my iPod and loading
it up again. I also found out that I had erroneously set the Preferences to create
AIFF files which appear to be 4 times the size of MP3's. So now everything's
back to normal. As I add and delete files in the future, I may do the occasional
"clean sweep" just to keep everything working at top level." ~ Edward

MOVING YOUR MUSIC FOLDER
"I just bought a firewire drive for my PC and want to use it to hold all my Itunes
songs (they are currently on the e: hard drive inside the desktop). How do i
move it from the e: drive to the firewire drive and keep itunes happy."
~dcahill1962
Make a new empty folder on your new hard big drive. Then in the Prefs window
of iTunes, change your Music folder location. Open the Prefs window >
Advanced > iTunes Music folder location > Change. Hit OK and close the Prefs
window. Next select CONSOLIDATE LIBRARY from the Advanced menu in
iTunes to move all the music to the new location. This will take a few minutes.
"How can you delete songs from library on the hard drive without deleting the
songs on the Ipod? Once songs are on the Ipod, I want to get rid of the songs
on the hard drive to free up memory." ~ judeandching
That's a bad idea. Don't consider your iPod as a permanent storage solution.
One sharp jolt and you may have to erase it. We suggest backing up your
music.

SUPPORTED AUDIO FORMATS
"Hi recently I bought some tracks from a site but my iPod doesn't recognize
them." ~ latreche34
" I can add other files all I want, just not that specific album. it sucks because
it's one of my favorite album, otherwise I'd just give up. I have even tried
renaming and moving the files, then adding them to itunes again, and then
dragging them to the ipod. no go. any idea?" ~ Aaron
Apple's iTunes 2.0 and later can play some kinds of sound files that iPod
cannot play. These files will not be copied to your iPod when you update your
music library.
The iPod CANNOT play sound files in these formats:

• snd
• NVF (Nomad voice files)
• QuickTime
• mp2 & mp1
• WMA (Windows Media)
iPod can play sound files in these formats depending on how they are
compressed:
• AIFF
• WAV
• mp3
• AAC
• WAV
To listen to these files on your iPod, you should convert them to AAC or MP3.
"I have all of my music in windows media and now want to move it to iTunes,
since I just got a ipod. I have tried everything that I can think of to move it, but
can't figure anything out. I don't really wan to have to reload all of my music
again, so if there is any way to just transfer it to the itunes program that would
be great. Thanks very much!" ~ Lacey
Sorry Windows Media won't work on the iPod. Apple supports all universal
standard audio formats (MP3, AAC, etc.). Windows Media Audio is proprietary
and only works with Microsoft products. But you can convert your unprotected
Windows Media Audio files with iTunes 4.5 and higher. Any Windows Media
Audio files that you purchased probably has copy protection and you cannot
convert these files unless you use a program like Audio Hijack.

JOIN CD TRACKS
"Hi Guys. My problem is when a playing music on my Ipod that originates from
a CD where all the tracks are mixed from one to another my ipod places white
space between each track, maybe a second or two long. If I play the same
imported CD in itunes there are no breaks between tracks, same when playing
original Cd on a convention CD player also. How can I get rid of this 'gap
between tracks' problem. Running: imac OS X 10.3.3, itunes 4.2, ipod 20GB
2.0.1. Thanks for your help in advance." ~ Dave
Have you tried to merge the tracks? Many music CDs contain songs that blend
into each other, and importing them to iTunes may create a small gap between
songs that interrupts the flow. If you use the iTunes Join Tracks feature, the
program melds two or more songs into one, continuous gap-free track. So now
you can enjoy listening to classical music, concept rock albums and extended

dance mixes without the silent treatment.
•
•
•

Import the songs off the CD
Select the songs you want to join in your iTunes Library (not on your
iPod!)
Look under the Advanced menu in iTunes for 'Join CD Tracks'.

"Hi guys I was trying to get two tracks from 2 different CD to join but to no avail.
I needed one long song for a soundtrack for an iphoto slide show. It seems that
the songs must be next to each other physically on a cd in order to make this
work. I finally figured out how to make it work. I made new playlist, burned it to
a blank CD, then Joined the tracks from the advanced menu and imported it
into itunes." ~ J. Starling
"Thank you so much! I've been trying to work that out for months! Problem
solved. Cheers." ~ Dave

FAST FORWARD
"Whenever I FF thru part of a song, the track time remaining gets screwed up
and the song ends prematurely. These are VBR MP3s that sound great and the
iPod has no issue playing to completion if I don't try to ff thru them." ~aboyer
There's 2 ways to fast forward a song on your iPod. 1) Press and hold the
NEXT button. This is a choppy way to advance through a song. 2) Tap the
center button. The playback progress bar on your iPod will turn into a small
black diamond. Now use the scroll wheel to jump to a particular time in the
song. This second method is more precise and faster.

PLAYLISTS
"Please tell me how to move a playlist I've created to the iPOD. When I try to
drag the playlist to the ipod
I get the icon indicating the action can't be accomplished. Thanks." ~gblanch
You want to move a playlist you made in iTunes onto your iPod right? Turn off
AutoSync to move it manually. Or change your AutoSync prefs to include that
playlist. If you are Auto Syncing your iPod, you can't copy anything (individual
songs or playlists) onto it manually. Keep in mind that you can't create a
permanent playlist on the iPod, it can only be done in iTunes. And you cant
move playlists from the iPod to the computer, only the other way around.

CUSTOM MENU

"The problem with my iPod is that it doesn't show the word "Playlist" on the
initial menu. It never has (i've had it 3 months). Is this the fault of the particular
iPod itself or can I fix it myself?" ~ Jupiter
You can customize your menu on the iPod. From the iPod, select:
Settings > Main Menu > (turn items on/off to customize to your liking)

IMPORTING BITRATES & FORMATS
"... I currently have my iTunes import setting on AIFF, and at the maximum bit
and sample rates available - 16 bits and 48kHZ. Will this still allow me to
maintain up to 10,000 songs on my PC (I don't have a Mac)? Does this
guarantee the best quality sound of my iPod through my stereo (i.e., as if I am
listening to a regular CD in my CD player)? " ~cperry
Honestly, you probably won't notice the difference between a 160 kbps AAC
and an uncompressed AIFF unless you are a professional sound engineer. If
you import all your music as AIFF, you will only be able to put a very small
number of songs on your iPod. The average AAC file will be about 5 MB. The
average AIFF song file will be about 50 MB.
There are other audio formats you can import you music as, but the iPod can't
play all the audio formats iTunes can.

BAD SOUND: SKIPPING MUSIC OR BAD AUDIO QUALITY
"When i'm listening to my ipod ... i get a momentary but nevertheless annoying
pause." ~d_a_urquhart
Information on this issue has been moved to this page: Bad Sound & Skipping
Music on the iPod

BACKING UP YOUR MUSIC & FILES
"the last time i updated my iTunes all my songs were deleted from the old
version instead of being transferred to the new version. now i don't want to
update again to 4.6 for fear of the same thing - is there something I can do to
prevent this?" ~ rkilleen
"How can you delete songs from library on the hard drive without deleting the
songs on the Ipod? Once songs are on the Ipod, I want to get rid of the songs
on the hard drive to free up memory." ~ judeandching

There's a number of things that can go wrong with both your iPod and/or
computer's hard drive (viruses, weird install issues, etc). This is especially with
your iPod. Don't consider your iPod a permanent storage solution. One sharp
jolt or drop and you may have to erase it. The same can happen to your
computer's hard drive. We suggest making MP3 CDs or DVD-ROMs to backup
your music. For example, you can make a Smart Playlist that only displays the
newest 5 GB of music you've imported into iTunes and burn that on to a DVD.
"iTunes won't open on my computer. every time i try to open it a box pops up
that says: the itunes music library file cannot be read because it does not
appear to be a valid library file. what should i do?." ~ thechamp262
Don't just back up your songs. iTunes stores all of your library's info like
playlists and ratings in a file called "iTunes Music Library". My library file is 15
mb. That's pretty big and big files that get accessed a lot, like to get corrupted.
Duplicate this file once in awhile as an additional back up plan. Your file
already appears to be corrupted. Quit iTunes. Then rename or delete your
"iTunes 4 Music Library" file. Next you will have to drag the folder "iTunes
Music" back into iTunes to re-import your songs.

Weird iPod Questions
What the hell did you do?
THE iPOD TOILET TRAP
"I know this was stupid of me, but i never thought it could happen. About 3
days ago, i was listening to my ipod (1st gen, 5gb) whilst brushing my teeth. I
held the ipod and was selecting a song to put on, however if fell from my hand,
and just happened to land into the toilet....." ~ hsloyal
Information on this issue has been moved to this page: iPod Toilet Trap

iPOD ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITS
"I live at 3,300 meters above sea level in Huaraz Peru. Ipod works fine at this
elevation. I work at a mine at 4,300 meters above sea level. Ipod plays for a
while and then rapidly cycles through all songs on an album, playing nothing.
Sometimes it lost in a mode and gets hot. Can the machine not work at this

elevation? Or is this some type of file corruption problem?" ~ EricL
iPod's Environmental Requirements:
* Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
* Non operating temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C)
* Relative humidity: 5% to 95% non condensing
* Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m).

FIXING SCRATCHES
"Do you know how to get scratches out of the iPod?.." ~ G. Heather K.
Try this: http://www.ipodcleaner.com

MY MUSIC DISAPPEARED
"I had to do a destructive recovery on my PC after it caught a virus. It
destroyed my ITunes library. I still had the songs on my IPOD. I followed your
advice on how to restore my library from the Ipod. I successfully pulled all my
songs onto the library then I allowed my IPOD to sync. , it seems my IPOD
has been wiped clean of songs. Please help." ~ Doug
I bet you have AutoSync enabled. When you synced your iPod to your
computer iTunes made your iPod mirror what music you had on your
computer(which had no songs on it at all). This resulted in you having no
music on your iPod. Keep in mind that your iPod syncs to your computer, not
the other way around. This is a common mistake and Apple should really
install better safeguards to help prevent this problem. You can try searching
for invisible files on your iPod and ripping the songs off it, but this is a long
shot.
"Hey guys, great website for iPod tech support. Unfortunately, my problem
was not addressed. I tried to use my iPod today, but all the music was gone!
There was nothing listed in the Examine part. The About screen shows there
are 0 songs, but the hard drive is mostly full still. Don't think I'm an idiot, I've
had an iPod almost since the first they came out. I really don't know what
happened or what to do. The worst part is I live in Bolivia, and my Mac with all
my songs on it is 10,000 miles away in Portland, Oregon, so it's not like I can
just re-sync everything. By the way, I tried Apple's support and discussion
pages, but man they really suck!" ~ todd
Ouch. You might have a fragmented hard drive which means you probably
have to wipe the iPod and start over. WARNING: The restore command

erases all of the music and other data on the iPod.
"I connected my iPod to an iMac down here (we do have an internet cafe with
a G4 iMac in Bolivia) and was able to get into my music via the Terminal. The
were hiding in folders named F00-F19. To make a long story short, I found all
but 100 of my tunes (where the others are is a good question), and now I can
nuke the iPod and get my music back. For some reason, I think those 100
songs where a Smart Playlist the listed my last 100 songs played. Hmm....
Have you ever dug through the contents on the iPod? There is a folder call
iPod_Control that has some interesting stuff in it. " ~ todd
The "iPod Control" folder is the iPod's System Folder. If you modify it or erase
it, your iPod becomes just a portable hard drive and won't play music. But you
are right, it does have good stuff inside.

USING iPODS IN OS 9
"I was wondering if there was a way to make a new 15gb, 3g, v2.2 firmware
ipod work on the mac os 9.2.2? i knew that it "officially" isn't supposed to work
but it seems like it should somehow/ someway & i just wanted to try before
upgrading my computer because it is getting old and tired. i also enjoy daily
struggles and would love to hear what it would take to get things working." ~
kemp
If you want to use your 3G iPod in iTunes 2.x and Mac OS 9.2.2, your iPod
needs Firmware 2.0.1. But here's the catch, new iPods ship with Firmware
version 2.1 only. So all new 3G iPods will show up as a Firewire disk on the
desktop in 9.2.2, but will not work with old versions of iTunes. The 2.0.1 iPod
firmware can be very hard to find. It's a 30 MB file! Search Google for
"iPod201.dmg" or this link might help. Also turn off AutoSync or the iPod will
not work correctly in OS 9.2.

My iPod Won't Mount/Update
Here's how to get your iPod connected with your computer
Date Created: 05/12/2002

Last Updated: 03/11/2006

Authors: Staff

When you can't get your iPod to mount or show up on your computer
there are a few things you can do to trouble shoot this problem. Please
follow these suggestions in order:
1) First off, connect your iPod to your computer and then restart your
computer. Sometimes that's a quick and easy fix. Also try restarting your
iPod.
2) If restarting doesn't work, try forcing your iPod into Disk Mode.
3) Does your iPod appear in Windows Explorer or on the OS X Desktop
but not in iTunes or iPod Updater? There may be a software conflict, or
the iPod software didn't load properly. You may see an "iPod Service
Error" alert or a "Please Reinstall iTunes" message.
4) Maybe the USB or FireWire port you are using to connect your
iPod to your computer is the problem.
Try plugging your iPod into another port. Also try unplugging all
extra devices (cameras, scanners, Palm Pilots, etc) from your
computer. Sometimes when chained together, these devices can drain
all the power from your USB/FireWire ports and prevent other devices
from functioning properly. Apple's iSight camera is one such problematic
device.
If you are using a USB or FireWire card, make sure it's Windows
Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certified (PC only). Also check with the
manufacturer. There may be Firmware updates available for the card(s)
that can solve this iPod connection problem.
NERD NOTE: The front USB port on most computers is USB 1.1 but your
iPod needs a high-power USB 2.0 port so try the port in the back of your
PC. Low-power ports such as the USB port on your keyboard or buspowered USB hub don't have enough juice to mount your iPod.

5) If you have access to another iPod, try plugging it into your

computer. This can help you narrow down if the issue is with your iPod
or your computer.
6) Is your operating system up to date? Mac users should run Software
Update (Applications > System Preferences) and PC users should check
windowsupdate.com. Also remember that iTunes only works with
Windows 2000/XP and Mac OS X.
7) While your iPod is plugged into your computer, open iTunes.
iTunes may automatically detect a software update necessary
for your iPod. If not, try updating your version of iTunes and the
iPod's firmware with the latest version from Apple's website. DO NOT
REINSTALL FROM THE CD THAT CAME WITH YOUR iPOD. The
software on that CD is old and out of date.
You could also try reinstalling iTunes. If the updater or iTunes still
doesn't recognize your iPod, keep reading.
8) Let's try uninstalling iTunes and then reinstalling the iPod and iTunes
software. Remove iTunes software and then reinstall iPod and iTunes
software from latest versions on the web.
•
•

iPod Software Download
iTunes Software Download

9) What sex is your iPod, Mac or PC? You might be trying
to use a Mac iPod on a PC. All iPods are born Mac iPods
(HFS+) formatted, but the iPod ships with a CD to
reformat your iPod to Windows format (fat32). Run the
restore program from the CD that came with your iPod to
make it a PC iPod. Mac iPods will not work on a PC until
they are reformatted to Fat32. PC iPods can work with
both Mac and PC computers.
10) Kill specific preferences related to your iPod.
PC users: Go to the Run command (START menu). Run msconfig.
Uncheck iPod watcher. The error message should disappear and the
iPod should mount.
Mac OS X Users can try to delete this file if your iPod won't show up in
the firmware updater.

1. Navigate to /System/Library/Extensions/
2. Drag the "iPodDriver.kext" file to the Trash.
3. Enter an administrator account name and password when prompted.
4. Click OK.
Or do it in the Terminal (Mac OS X only)
1. Open Terminal (/Applications/Utilities).
2. Type: sudo rm -R
/System/Library/Extensions/iPodDriver.kext
3. Press Return.
4. Enter the administrator account password when prompted.
5. Quit Terminal.
11) Try hooking your iPod up to another computer. If you see the same
problem, then you know the issue is definitely with your iPod and not
your computer. If you are able to get a stable iPod connection with
another computer, then try to erase and restore your iPod. If possible,
you may want to backup your files or rip all the music off first before you
wipe your iPod.
12) Can you start up off a CD and then try to erase the iPod? Put in a
disk repair CD like Disk Warrior or an operating software install CD like
OSX Panther, then hold down the "c" key and restart (Mac only).
1. Restart your computer from a CD. Put the CD in the computer, then
restart while holding down the "c" key.
2. DONT INSTALL THE OS AGAIN. select Disk Utility from under the
apple menu
3. Plug the iPod into your computer
4. Run the Disk Utility on the iPod
Also, windows users should run scandisk and defrag every one to three
months.
13) Is your cable bad or not plugged in all the way?
•
•
•

Make sure that you are using the cable that came with your iPod.
Some third-party cables may not jive properly with your iPod.
Make sure the cable is completely plugged in.
Borrow an iPod cable from a friend.

14) Oh no, none of the above worked? If none of these suggestions
helped, you may have a hardware problem. Check out our VIP Repair

Service for more information and how to get it fixed.

Restart a Frozen iPod
Date Created: 02/12/2002

Last Updated: 02/20/2006

Authors: Staff

Occasionally an iPod may freeze or fail to respond to your commands. This can
happen for a number of reasons and does not necessarily indicate a serious
problem. Sometimes an iPod needs a restart much like the way your computer
needs a reset once in a while. Restarting the iPod is a simple procedure that will
not erase any of your music, data files, or customized preferences.
" Dumb question. If the iPod is not responding and
appears to be frozen, what do I do? " ~ Lloyd
1. Check that your hold switch is off by
sliding the switch away from the
headphone jack.
2. Press and hold the following
combination of buttons buttons
simultaneously for approximately 10
seconds to reset the iPod.
•
•

iPod 1G to 3G: "Menu" and
"Play/Pause"
iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): "Menu" and "Select"

•

Shuffle: Turn it off, turn it on. Done.

If you have an iPod Mini or 4th gen iPod or higher, then you need to press the
Menu and Select buttons, not the Menu and Play button, to restart. The Select
button is the center button in the middle of the wheel. Upon reset, your will see
the iPod name and the Apple logo. You may have to attach your power plug in
your iPod to make this work. Your iPod should mount on your computer now. If
not, keep reading.
3. The iPod name and the Apple logo will briefly appear upon a successful restart
before advancing to the Main Menu.

" I just wanted to say thank you so much for
setting up this easy to use iPod Tech Support

website. I dropped my iPod, and I went into shock
because I thought I had lost all my songs and my
$500 iPod. However, I realized it was just frozen,
and using your website, I was able to reset my
iPod, keeping all my songs, but unfreezing my
iPod. Thanks again for everything. I really
appreciate.
One thing though, I had a small problem
unfreezing the iPod: the hold switch was on. Just
might be something u would want to point out.
Thanks again and I know I am among many
people that are thankful for your assistance. " ~
MaxMcC

iPod Icon 101
A quick and easy synopsis of the little icons appearing on your iPods
screen
Date Created: 03/12/2004

Last Updated: 12/27/2005

Authors: Staff

EXPLANATION
BATTERY
When's the last time you charged your battery? Probably not recently. Plug in
your iPod to your computer or an electrical wall outlet and let it charge for a
couple hours or so. If this battery icon will still not go away, even after you charge
your iPod, then you might have a problem. Try trouble shooting your iPod battery or
get your bad battery replaced.
FOLDER ICON
The folder icon means your iPod has a software problem. You should
probably Restore your iPod with an iPod system update or erase your iPod.
SAD iPOD
The sad iPod is not something you want to see. You should try to erase and
Restore your iPod. If this doesn't work, you need to replace the hard drive
inside your iPod.
ELECTRICAL OUTLET
You might see this icon during an update or a restore. When you see
this icon, disconnect your iPod from the computer and connect it to
an iPod power adapter. It needs some juice to complete the update
process. The update or restore will complete and iPod will restart to
the main menu. However not all iPods come with a wall charger
anymore. If you don't have an iPod wall charger you can do any of the following: 1)
find a friend with a wall charger and borrow it, 2) go to an Apple store and use their
wall charger, or 3) buy an iPod wall charger for yourself. It's not a bad thing to have.
They come in handy when traveling.
DO NOT DISCONNECT
Is your iPod configured to update songs manually? Do you frequently use your iPod
as a hard drive to transport files? The "Do Not Disconnect" message will appear as
long as your iPod is connected to your computer. If you are having problems
disconnecting your iPod, please read the Do Not Disconnect Won't Go Away article on
our website.
MAGNIFY GLASS
Sometimes you will see this magnify glass icon on your iPod's screen. Don't
get alarmed just yet. The iPod has built-in diagnostic software that will
occasionally check out your iPod for problems. These are the possible
results of the hard drive scan:

DISK SCAN: CHECKMARK
The hard drive inside your iPod was automatically scanned its built-in diagnostic
software. This is the result: Good news! Your iPod is fine. No major issues were found.
DISK SCAN: ARROW
The hard drive inside your iPod was automatically scanned its built-in diagnostic
software. This is the result: Problems were found. You should erase and Restore your
iPod right away.
DISK SCAN: CAUTION
The hard drive inside your iPod was automatically scanned its built-in diagnostic
software. This is the result: The scan failed! Reset your iPod now by holding down the
Menu and Play buttons for 10 seconds. The scan should start again.
DISK SCAN: X
The hard drive inside your iPod was automatically scanned its built-in diagnostic
software. This is the result: Canceled. Did you get impatient and cancel the scan?

For more information, check out Apple's iPod Iconology page.

The iPod Toilet Trap
What to do when your iPod almost goes down the drain
Date Created: 12/16/2002

Last Updated: 02/13/2006

Authors: Staff

Wow, iPods falling into the toilet appears to be a common
problem. I hope the toilet was full of clean water.
Here's a general piece of advice, don't use your iPod in the
bathroom. Stick your iPod in a backpack or leave it on your
desk. You don't necessary need to listen to "Move It" by Christina Aguilera while
sitting on the toilet.
Requirements:
o

Any waterlogged iPod

Here's what to do if your iPod falls into a body of water whether that water is an
ocean or a dirty toilet.
•

Pull the iPod out of the water. Use a Toiletta if you have one. It's a handy
little cleaning and item retrieval tool for your toilet.

•

Turn it off ASAP! Water and electricity don't mix.

•

Always wait until the iPod is completely dry before plugging it in, or using
it. You don't even want the battery active. It might work fine after it dries
out. Wrap it in a towel and let it sit by a low source of heat like a sunny
window. Wait 48 hours or more. The longer you wait the better. It needs to
dry out.

•

Cross your fingers and turn it on.

•

If you are having issues like the Folder icon or Sad Face, you should
probably try to erase and restore it. That might work if the hard drive just
got a little whacked.

•

However, you may need to replace a few parts inside depending on what
exactly happened. Please check out our VIP Repair Service for a
hardware repair estimate and more information. Also, please warn them it
fell into the toilet before they crack open your iPod and find dried urine and
a dingle-berry inside.

•

Look on the bight side, at least you didn't stick it in the washing machine.

"I know this was stupid of me, but i never thought it could happen. About 3 days ago, i was
listening to my ipod (1st gen, 5gb) whilst brushing my teeth. I held the ipod and was selecting a
song to put on, however if fell from my hand, and just happened to land into the toilet. I grabbed it
out of there as soon as i could, which was about 1 second. i immediately dried it with a towel, but
also shook it allot to get water from the inside out of it. It wasn't working, but i pressed reset
(pause and menu together) and there was a very faint low battery sign. I plugged it in for recharge
but there was no response, and i continued to try and get it working but to no avail." ~ hsloyal
"I LOVED the quotes on the iTurd (iPod in the toilet) and what to do about it. I barely had mine for
a few days when I went to wipe my 2 year old's little buddie and it went Kaplunk and took a dive
(luckily I had just flushed!!!!) Since then, I've called it my iTurd. I immediately hooked a vacuum
up to it to suck air through it. Watch out, however, because my vacuum started overheating and
smoking. :) Mine acted up for about at least 1 month afterwards where the click-dial wouldn't
respond or would be VERY sporadic. Then, all of a sudden it started working and hasn't acted up
since. I'd send you my "story" which I sent to my friends about an hour after it took a swim, but it
wasn't written using the best language skills and would possibly offend.. :)" ~ Dustin
"I have kind of a weird problem. I was listening to my iPod while in the bathroom (don't ask), and
when I stood up to take care of things, my iPod belt clip hit the toilet paper roll holder and fell in. I
was very angry and then devastated. I don't want to go into detail but I stayed home from my
summer job due to bad seafood from a sweet 16 party the night before. Luckily no one was
home, so I ran down the hallway and used my little brother's goldfish net to fish it out of the toilet.
I then used my anti-bacterial lotion and cleaned it off. But my iPod doesn't work at all anymore!!
The screen is just blank no matter how long I charge it. I'm so embarrassed I can't tell my
parents. I have to fix this soon before they ask why I'm not using my iPod anymore. I think I want
to fix it, sell it and get a new one. I don't want to really touch it any more. Please help me! What
should I do?" ~ Miss X
"Oops! I dropped my iPod in the toilet. It was in there for about a second or less. Ever since then,
I've been able to play music sporadically, but it will no longer sync from the computer. I've tried
resetting it as explained in the manual, but it didn't work. Can my iPod be repaired?? It's the
20GB version that I bought from Apple in November 2003." ~ epb
"Yes, it really happened, and I'd rather not go into it right now. It was submerged in water for 3-4
seconds, and now the screen is on and not responding. It's making a little sound like it's still
running. I tried opening it but couldn't get the case open except for a corner. SOMEONE HELP!
15GB new iPod. What a shame." ~ xboardr720
"MY Ipod fell into a cup of Grapefruit juice..is it doomed?" ~ TroyB7"When [they] get [their] iPods
fixed, [they] should also custom engrave the back, iPoop." ~ agreenster"eeewwww!" ~ Jay G.
"Hi, My son's iPod barely survived a run through the washer. After drying, it continued to work for
a few days, although some songs weren't accessible. Finally, however, the screen began to
display the folder alert and now does nothing else. Can you tell from this description about how
much a repair would cost? The model is 10gb without the play buttons across the top. Thanks!" ~
frichmond
"I left my ipod in my jeans pocket and my mom washed it, can it be save, repaired or is it junked!"
~ mgwhome

Helpful sites for Replacement
Parts & Other Cool Stuff

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000EK4UYI/methodshopcom/1020000961-6747342
http://www.ipodmods.com
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/MDS-Battery-Store