Q: Is this old iPod classic salvagable?
I have an old iPod classic 4BG. I have taken it to two Apple Stores without any luck. It's a black screen, so I initially assumed it was simply dead. However, when I plug it into the computer, iTunes gives me a message indicating that the iPod cannot be recognized, so It DOES seem like there's still life left in it. However, it does not show up in Windows on my PC.
Posted on Mar 18, 2016 8:21 PM
When you do a Reset (restart) on the iPod, do you initially see the Apple logo on its screen? You can do the Reset with the iPod connected to power, if you are uncertain about battery status.
Learn how to reset your iPod - Apple Support (see section iPod with a click wheel)
If you get the Apple logo initially (but it does not go further or you get an error screen), the problem cause may be the iPod mini's "micro" hard drive being faulty. Fortunately, an iPod mini is a very good candidate for replacing its stock hard drive. Unlike other classic iPods that use a 1.8-inch hard drive for storage, the iPod mini's hard drive looks and acts like a compact flash card. It's a tiny spinning hard drive, but it has the same connector and physical size as a compact flash card (Type II). In fact, you can use a standard compact flash card to replace the iPod mini's hard drive.
Alternately, you can also use the more popular SD card format, by putting it in an SD card to compact flash adapter. SD cards tend to be less expensive. I did this with my 4GB iPod mini, and now have a 64GB iPod mini
Amazingly, the iPod mini's onboard software, designed for 4GB or 6GB of storage, works perfectly with over 50GB of loaded songs. You can post back for more info, if interested in trying with your iPod mini.
Posted on Mar 19, 2016 9:43 PM
