New iPod randomly skipping songs

I have the same problem.

I've reset the iPod, restored it with a PC, restored it with a Mac, re-ripped the songs, defragged the iPod, disk checked it (no problems reported), formatted it, turned the disk function on and off, converted everything to aac, converted everything to mp3, converted everything to mp4, reverted to previous versions of iTunes, taken the thing to the "genius" bar (they can't help me...have no idea how to fix it), replaced it twice, replaced the computer once, wiped the PC, installed a new OS on the PC, basically everything everyone has suggested before.

None of this has helped. The only thing that made a dent in this problem was completely wiping my PC's hard drive and installing a brand new OS. It seemed to help for a while, then different songs started skipping. Like everyone else, the songs each skip at the same time every single playback, but I can scroll past the point and the rest of the song will play.

I'm EXTREMELY frustrated with this since I've been dealing with it for over a year now...with ZERO help from Apple. I used to be a big Apple fan...now...not so much.

I'll add my complaint to this ever growing pile/list. Nothing new to report, same problems already stated here.

iPod Classic, 120G, Gen 5 (from May 2009)

Random skipping of songs while in the middle of playing. Same song plays fine other times. Not using cover flow at all, backlight set to stay on 20 or 30 secs. Happens when playing an album or from play list. Most of my songs are high quality MP3 - ripped at 256-bit stereo/128-bit mono using iTunes. A few downloaded songs from Amazon (MP3) skip also.

This is seriously annoying !

Apple, are you listening ??!!!

Forgot to add :

Have also started having seemingly random reboots. Screen goes blank, or display ugly logo and restarts.

This is seriously annoying ! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !

well i'm back because my replacement iPod has been skipping. so i've sent them a bug report however i think it's more likely that the iSkipod will be going on eBay in the next couple of weeks...

well i too have this issue. however i have solved it i think. lets take one track that has been cutting off after 2 secs. massive attack "protection"

what i did was right click on the track and then selected "create an mp3 version". (it was already an mp3)

this has stopped it skipping at 2 sec and i can now listen to the whole track.

hope this helps.

just add, its done the same to my george micheal 🙂 collection and this has stopped all skipping. 🙂

Message was edited by: scoss007

I just noticed this thread and thought I would offer what I can.

First, this is not happening for me. I have a Classic 120 and a 160 (one for my car, one for the wifes car). The 120 also did duty as my pocket iPod for a long while.

Any time I have ever had track skipping issues, it was the fault of the track. Just because a track seems to play fine in iTunes, does not mean that it will not skip on an iPod.

If the skip is always happening on the same tracks, re-rip that CD or re-download the tracks on iTunes. You can also try converting the tracks (some folks have posted this worked for them).

If this happens across more than one iPod, you can pretty much be sure that it is your track that is causing the skip.

I did have one instance a few years back where I suddenly had tracks skipping. I finally discovered that it was my DVD drive that had gone bad enough to screw up tracks it was ripping, but not screwed up enough to just fail. Some of these tracks would play in iTunes, but not on my Classic.

Now, if your classic is skipping randomly on random tracks, that sounds like it could be something you want to call into support about.

i

Hey whisperer

You may have noticed this thread, but have you actually read through it?

The general impression is that this is a random event. Most people posting here (including myself) have played a tune, had it skip, then gone back and played it again without fault. So it's not a problem with the tune.

The trouble with random faults is that they never present themselves when you raise an issue with support, which is why i'm sucking it up until I can shift mine on eBay and get a Sony Walkman. Thankfully my first 120Gb iPod got replaced free because it crapped itself and dumped 100Gb of data into a random folder and wouldn't restart.

Glad to hear that you're one of the lucky ones not currently affected by this, and we'll see you again should you start getting the random issue.

Add me to this list!

Bought my 120gb iPod Classic on the 16th of May 2009. Had the skipping issue not so frequent to begin with, but now it's pretty much two-three songs every hour and a half that skip. It occaisionally skips into a crash, where an ugly 8-bit Apple logo is dispalyed (Sort of blue and white insetad of the normal greyscale one). I then have to hard reset (Menu and Select buttons), and it'll be fine for a while, then start skipping randomly again.

The guy I share a lift with for an hour & half every morning & evening where the iPod is used instead of the car radio, also has an iPod 120gb Classic. But his is over two years old! His iPod has never skipped, but he has had to reset it a couple of times in two years, this is nothing compared to my every other day hard reset and 2-3 skips a day issue. Overall though, his iPod is working better than mine and it's much older!!!!

I import my music as hi-quality 256-bit mp3's, initially my iPod was very stable. But recently, i'm guessing since around October, the skipping and resetting has increased.

Does anyone know if Apple are working on a firmware to resolve this issue?

I have a 120 GB Classic. The skipping has become so bad that it is almost unuseable. I purchased my iPod in spring of 2009. I listen to audiobook that I have ripped from CD. I ripped them from CD because they are cheaper to buy from Costco rathern than from iTunes (and they actually have to make CD's, Cover art, packaging and ship them!) I also own, an 80 GB which has never had an issue. Both iPods are loaded from the same tracks, computer, and iTunes. At this time it jumps to the next track about every 20 minutes. The tracks are about an hour long. When litening to a 20 hour book this is a real pain. I have to stop everything I am doing and find my place agian. It will then play through the skipped ("trouble") point and play for an random length, and then skip again. Initially my 120 GGB did this only occasionally, but over time it is getting worse. I aslo, have had the Apple logo crash and re-boot logo appear 3 times this week alone. Any adise on how to help this would be greatly appreciated.

Add me to the list.

My old 40 GB iPod never did this. But ever since I got an 80 GB iPod video in 2007, I've been having this problem. First, I thought it had to do with the transfer. I would wipe the 'damaged' files from iTunes and iPod and reinstall from the CD. But now I just think it's a weird random thing. Most of my 13 000 tracks play fine. For some unknow reason, some will skip at a random point during the song. If I skip over the point where the file skips, it will play through. Anybody have any sort of answer to this problem?

I had problems with my iPod which started this way, just as mysterious, erratic and annoying as for other users - then they got more serious and my iPod crashed and became unusable, with the same symptoms as the many users on the growing thread 'After iTunes 9 upgrade iPod Classic is corrupt without ability to restore':

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2151907&start=375&tstart=0

iTunes 9 is being blamed for these problems, but as yet no word from anyone from Apple...

I have alieviated the skipping problem on my 120gb iPod for now, so it seems.

Here's what I did:

I have a Windows 7 64-bit PC and around 8-9 days ago I decided I would try using the Windows Defragmenting program on my iPod whilst connected to the PC. After analysing the iPod disk drive it listed as 0% fragmented, but after clicking defragment, it took me over an hour to complete and worked on lots of consolidating. Since I have done this, I have had no skips, no crashes to the ugly Apple logo and no resetting for over 8 days. Hopefully I've cured my problem, but we shall see!!!

It would make sense if it was memory and read errors that cause the skipping and resetting/crashing, that by consolidating the music, the drive has much less work to do, to actually seek, find and play a song.

I'll keep posting in here with updates on the situation with my 120gb iPod classic, should I suffer any further problems, or not.

Mine just got returned with the bland form saying there is nothing wrong. Within 8 songs it was skipping tracks again. I've just banged an e mail off to Watchdog at the BBC.

I Cannot belive it the back light thing works.... can't make it thu the day on a charge but the I can at least listen to my IPOD

Please add me to this list.

My 120G ipod has been regularly skipping songs, audiobooks and podcasts since it was purchased in August 2009 and I am sick of it. Have restored it several times to no avail.

Any other suggestions or solutions gratefully accepted.
Thanks