ipod hold button wont stop holding!!!!!

I hope someone can answer this because I have the same problem. I have restored multiple times and that didn't work. I have tried running the battery down (can't do this anymore because I can't get it to play anymore). This started out as an intermittent problem if I jiggled it a bit I could usually get it to work, but now it is completely stuck in the hold position. The button isn't stuck in the hold position, but the ipod thinks it is. I have taken it to the apple store and all they told me was "don't use the hold button", but it's a little late for that now My $240 ipod is useless after 17 months. Anyone have a suggestion?

Thanks

I spent the past week trying to solve the exact same problem you have. I also rarely, if ever, used the hold button. I've never, ever used the screen lock. I've restored several times (with itunes 7 & itunes 8). I've rebooted at least 25 times. I've always enabled disk usage, so followed instructions I found on one website to find a file called "lock" and delete it. If you have "show hidden files and folders" checked in folder options, you can find this file in the device folder. It may have helped some people, but it didn't help me.

Allegedly, connecting the nano to the computer & starting itunes is supposed to unlock it. Doesn't work. I reformatted with windows, but it doesn't get rid of the compressed OS file. It just comes back again. I tried using the HP format utility, but it refused, saying the disk is write-protected.

Now the lock icon is flashing. Why? Who knows? Who knows why it took it upon itself to lock in the 1st place?

If you Google "ipod nano locked", there are 10 pages of results! I've gone through so many of those pages and the Apple-advised solutions didn't seem to work for alot of people. Love the "don't use the hold button" nonsolution given at the Apple store. You have to leave your house & travel to hear that?

The point is, this seems to be a pretty common, growing problem. Reset/restore is not working for a growing number of Nanos. People who come to this board looking for a solution after trying the "five R's" unsuccessfully wind up with unanswered questions. I don't think that other people chiming in with "me too!" counts as an answer. There is likely a firmware problem with the Ipod Nano which needs to be addressed. Apple is going to lose its custmers. Who is going to buy a replacement Ipod, if there is no way of knowing whether or when this may happen? My old Nomad II is about 8 years old, and still works fine. How's that for dependability? Why is my not even 2 years old Ipod Nano malfuntioning? Are they just slapping these things together?

I finally sent my ipod out to be repaired, as nothing seemed to help, and (aside from that lame "5 r's), no one offered any suggestions. It turned out that the hold button was broken, not the actual switch, but where it meets the logic board. Pretty shoddy craftmanship, as the hold button had been used perhaps twice, and not for several months before it decided to place itself permanently in hold status. However, it wasn't worth repairing because the logic board had become corrupted at the base. All you runners who hold your ipod in your hand while running beware! Apparently perspiration/moisture enters through the part of the ipod where the USB cable connects and corrodes the board. The cost of repairing my 8Gb nano would exceed the cost of buying another one. Nice of Apple to mention that even this minimal exposure could kill your expensive media player. Or perhaps it's on purpose? My next media player was to be something by Creative, as I had dropped my old Nomad II many times, once immersed into running water. Yet, after it dried out, it just kept working and is still working, sounding great (8+ years, as opposed to 16 months for the 2nd gen nano). But I received a 4th gen nano as a birthday gift, so I'm gingerly handling the fragile creature, and hoping it won't take it upon itself to die/lock.

My ipod video did that, I never put it into the hold position, and it just decided to lock itself. 😟 Let me know if you find a way to fix it because I have the same problem.

you needn't it