Home Repairs for Your iPod

by Dave Donovan

For most people, the iPod is a constant companion who is never far away. It's always quick with an upbeat tune to help push your blues away. Your iPod holds everything dear to you - countless songs ranging from favorite classics to hidden gems that only you can appreciate. But when your iPod falls ill, it can be a devastating blow to your psyche and your entertainment. After all, you didn’t get to finish listening to your Weird Al compilation yet!

Luckily, there are some ways to fix your iPod at home so you can get back to doing what you love most. Here are a few common issues with iPods and how to fix them. But beware, these fixes are not guaranteed to solve your problems and if your iPod is currently under warranty, performing these actions will likely void it. In addition, DoItYourself.com is not responsible for any damage which may occur to your iPod as a result of these techniques.

Note: These repairs are for the hard drive-based iPods and not the flash memory type like the Nano.

One thing to keep in mind is that the iPod is essentially a tiny computer. It has all of the individual components of a computer and if you can isolate the component causing the problem, all you need to do is replace it.

Since the iPod is like a small computer, it is also capable of crashing like one. You will know your iPod has crashed when you see the icon of a folder and exclamation point, the  Apple icon or the small iPod with the sad face.

The first step is to reset the iPod. Do this by holding down the “Menu” and “Select” buttons until the iPod resets itself. If this doesn’t work, you may have to reboot your computer, plug your iPod into a different port and re-install the iPod software on your computer. If it still displays the “crashed” icon, the iPod will have to be restored to its original factory settings.

First, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer and that you have all your iPod selections backed up in iTunes. Plug the iPod into the computer. When you see the iPod icon in iTunes, click on the button that says “Restore.” Then click “Restore and Update.” This erases everything on the iPod, so if it works go to iTunes and reload the selections. If this still doesn’t solve the problem, try the next step.

With a very small and thin flat screwdriver, pry the faceplate from the chrome backplate by inserting the tip of the screwdriver between the white and chrome and slowly twisting it. Make your away around the iPod until the face pops off. Be extremely careful because there is a wire connecting both halves and breaking it could destroy your iPod altogether.

Inside, under the little foam protector lays the hard drive, the usual culprit in a broken iPod. Sometimes, due to internal heat, the metal casing on the hard drive will begin to buckle. When this happens, the hard drive will fail to work. There’s a quick and easy solution for this problem, but first, make sure all of the connections on the inside of the iPod are secure.

Now, find a thin piece of card board or a business card and fold it until it’s about 1/16” thick. Gently lay it on the hard drive. Then carefully put your iPod back together.

Next, perform the reset action listed earlier. In some cases, you may have to restore and update.

Did this fix your iPod’s problem? In truth, many people have used this solution to keep their iPods from becoming a paper weight. If your warranty is up and you have nothing else to lose, why not give it a try?


Dave Donovan is a freelance copywriter living in Atco, N.J. An electrician for 15 years, an injury forced him to pursue his true passion - writing.