iPod Error... Anyone any clue? - DPChallenge Forums

03/11/2007 08:09:53 PM · #1

Whenever I press a button on the iPod, the apple appears, followed by this. It then turns off. Plugging into my computer doesn't help (using a 6 pin firewire port). I don't have a USB cable for it and I can't find my mains adaptor (very old iPod!) but the 6 port firewire should definately supply the power to charge it or whatever.

The computer doesn't recognise it at all, not to charge, explore, or open in iTunes.

Please help!

cfischl

Canon EOS-40D

03/11/2007 08:14:28 PM · #2

It sometimes does that when the battery is completely empty. Trying plugging it into a socket and charging it for an hour. Then give it another try with your computer.

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

03/11/2007 08:14:46 PM · #3

EDIT: I work in an Apple Reseller in Sydney. I used get this sort of stuff every day.

Plug it into the Firewire port, and press and hold the Menu & Play/Pause buttons for 6 seconds. That does a force reset on it.

Failing that, press and hold the Menu & Play/Pause buttons for 6 seconds, then press and hold the Back/Forward buttons until you see the Dick Mode icon.

Then plug in and restore again.

The 3rd Gen is a good ipod. I haven't some across too many serious problems with these ones.

Message edited by author 2007-03-11 20:15:49.

eac

Nikon D200

03/11/2007 08:16:32 PM · #4

Originally posted by Konador:

I have a 3G iPod and today I used Restore in iTunes 7.1
I think my firewire card was loose and must have come out when the iPod was updating or something. I don't get the wall socket icon people have mentioned, I get this icon:

Whenever I press a button on the iPod, the apple appears, followed by this. It then turns off. Plugging into my computer doesn't help (using a 6 pin firewire port). I don't have a USB cable for it and I can't find my mains adaptor (very old iPod!) but the 6 port firewire should definately supply the power to charge it or whatever.

The computer doesn't recognise it at all, not to charge, explore, or open in iTunes.

Please help!

Have you tried the reset? It's a complicated series of pushing buttons, but the reset has saved mine (30gig video) on more than one occasion. It's in the owner's manual that I always have to go to the Apple website for.

Beth

Editted to say thanks to Wimbello for that reset clue! lol

Message edited by author 2007-03-11 20:19:06.

03/11/2007 08:24:01 PM · #5

Thanks, I've tried the reset combinations, and they do something, but the error icon just shows up again right after :( I don't have the socket adaptor so can't plug it into that. I always used to charge it using my firewire.

03/11/2007 08:46:55 PM · #6

Originally posted by Konador:

Did the ipod go into Disk Mode at all?

If not, there is one more thing to try.

Do the "Menu & Play/Pause buttons for 6 seconds" reset again, except this time, flick the hold switch on the top back and forth several times first.

That Force Resets the ipod, but it also resets any settings on the ipod. (your music stays.)

03/11/2007 08:57:12 PM · #7

Nope, it didnt go into disk mode, just did exactly the same thing with that icon then turns off. The flicking hold switch doesnt do anything different either :/

03/11/2007 09:27:52 PM · #8

Press and hold the Menu+Play/Pause buttons for 6 secs like before. When it starts turning on, hold the ipod up to your ear, can you hear the disk spinning up? Or can you hear it clicking, or a combination of both? If so, then it is time.....

Time for iPod Physiotherapy.... (insert dramatic music here)

I obviously take no responsibility in what is about to happen... This is something Apple cringe about when we talk to them. No-one will ever recommend you do this. (except me; heehee). This is a last resort option. If there is anything you and your ipod need to discuss before this then take these few minutes to really connect.

Before trying, you should probably try and get hold of a USB dock cable to see if that works.

************ good luck from this point onwards...

Press and hold the Menu+Play/Pause buttons for 6 secs like before.

Hold the ipod in your right palm, and you should be able to feel the disk spinning up inside when it powers on. when this happens, give the ipod a good WHACK! on the top, left hand corner with your left palm. You need to time this well, tho.

Now plug it in. If anything works, then YAY! If nothing changes, then i'm all out of ideas!

03/11/2007 09:27:56 PM · #9

EDIT: DOUBLE POST FOR SOME REASON....

Message edited by author 2007-03-11 21:28:46.

03/11/2007 09:31:23 PM · #10

Originally posted by wimbello:

Hold the ipod in your right palm, and you should be able to feel the disk spinning up inside when it powers on. when this happens, give the ipod a good WHACK! on the top, left hand corner with your left palm. You need to time this well, tho.

I'm having trouble finding this one on Apple's tech notes site. LOL!

Good luck Ben, the whole world of iPod users is sympathetic!

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

03/11/2007 11:23:23 PM · #11

I hear it whirl a bit as it spins, and then it clicks, followed by silence. When abouts should I whack it? Can't seem to shift it past displaying the icon still :(

Spork99

OM System OM-1

03/11/2007 11:31:46 PM · #12

If you can't get it to work, send it to these guys: iPodMechanic

03/12/2007 01:05:54 AM · #13

Originally posted by Konador:

I hear it whirl a bit as it spins, and then it clicks, followed by silence. When abouts should I whack it? Can't seem to shift it past displaying the icon still :(

If it whirrrrrs, clicky sound, then stops, the try the iPod Physiotherapy.

Give it the ol' WHACK! just when it starts spinning up, or as close as you can get before it clicks.

Think in terms of a Vinyl needle jumping off the track, except you can't get at it.

EDIT: I know this sounds like the stupidest thing ever, but I'm seriously telling you it works on some occasions. I've had people going from crying to hugging me in a few moments!

Message edited by author 2007-03-12 01:07:25.

03/12/2007 01:33:42 PM · #14

Success! Thanks for all your help. In the end it seems to be a different issue all together! I took the iPod into uni today to try on the Macs there, and it worked, no problem! Very strange... Still doesn't work on my PC tho :(

03/12/2007 03:11:40 PM · #15

Originally posted by Konador:

Ah Ha! Defective cable???

03/12/2007 05:04:13 PM · #16

Nope, used the same cable! Really bizzarre

03/12/2007 06:12:09 PM · #17

Originally posted by Konador:

Nope, used the same cable! Really bizzarre

Then my guess is the firewire port on your PC is acting up. If you have a second one, try that. If you can borrow a firewire card from someone else temporarily, try that. Good to know the 'pod is OK.

03/12/2007 08:10:44 PM · #18

I thought that might be the case, but it didn't work on either of my 2 ports, and my external hard drive worked on both. At the moment I'm planning to put 2gb of songs on my USB drive per day, take that into uni, and put the songs on my iPod from there :)

03/12/2007 08:41:02 PM · #19

Do your Firewire hard drives have firewire ports also? Try plugging the iPod cable into one of those? Just for fun of course. You've got a real noodle-scratcher there, as Ned Flanders would say.

03/12/2007 09:24:02 PM · #20

Originally posted by strangeghost:

Do your Firewire hard drives have firewire ports also? Try plugging the iPod cable into one of those? Just for fun of course. You've got a real noodle-scratcher there, as Ned Flanders would say.

Genius! Thanks! You just saved me a whole lotta trouble, lol :)
It won't charge from that port but at least my computer can see it now :D