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Ipod 4th problem after format

Hi everybody, I have got a broken screen ipod 4th generation from an oncle. It worked fine, the backlight appeared when it was on, the clickwheel worked fine and it played music until i decided to use it with my pc. I connected it and i saw that itunes required to format it for windows to manage with it (my oncle has a mac)
So i did it but the process stopped, i don't know exactly why and the ipod isn't recognized by the pc now. I can't do anything with it, I can't see anythign on the screen so I don't know if i put it in disk mode fine, anyway it isn't recognized. The hard drive still work and there is not the death click. it's seems to wake up if i press any button or if i touch the clickwheel. I feel like it's a problem of the format of the hard drive but I don't know what to do. Anybody else had this problem?

Amd Athlon x2 4000+, Windows XP

Posted on Oct 6, 2008 11:33 AM

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12 replies

Oct 6, 2008 1:27 PM in response to dmirab

Is the iPod recognized as a hard drive if you open a My Computer or Windows Explorer window? If so, right-click on the iPod and issue the command to Format. After formatting completes, run iTunes and use the Restore button on the iPod's pane (select the iPod under DEVICES).

FYI - You can probably get a broken iPod 4G iPod on eBay for about $20. Most iPods are broken for the hard drive, so if your iPod is working but has a broken display, you can probably swap parts to get one working iPod.

Here's a helpful guide.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPod/iPod-4th-Generation/93

Oct 6, 2008 1:44 PM in response to dmirab

Connect it to the power adapter and issue the two-button command to reset the iPod.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1320

If it was previously stuck at the +connect to power adapter+ screen, it should move forward and restart. Then connect it to the computer.

Kind of hard to see what the exact problem is, without the display working.

Before iTunes incorporated the Restore feature, there was a separate iPod updater application. Here's the Windows version. Since your iPod is an older model, it will work with this updater.

http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/ipodupdater20060628forwindows.html

Oct 7, 2008 12:08 AM in response to dmirab

didnt work... i think i will wait until i get the new screen..
i was trying to restart it with the ipod updater but it shows a message saying that it s no longer supported and that i should use itunes 7.0 to manage the ipod. i am trying to unistall itunes 7.7 and install the 7.0 but i think it won't change anything

Oct 27, 2008 11:55 AM in response to dmirab

a question... do i have to connect it to an apple power adapter? i don't have one... i only have an htc one which i use to charge my htc diamond. i tried to do it with this but when i rest it (connected to the power adapter) it displays the icon of very low battery in charge and thn it comes back to the icon "connect to power adapter"

what to do then? i don't have an apple power adapter, is there any other way to do this?

Oct 27, 2008 1:36 PM in response to dmirab

Yes. On the 4th gen iPod, you do need to connect it to a power adapter as the last step in the Restore process. I don't think it was necessary for earlier or later iPods.

Here's a tip for tricking the iPod into thinking it is connected to a power adapter. I have not tried it myself, but it apparently works for some people (based on the feedback below the tip).

http://www.bearsdriving.com/blog/archives/2005/10/youripod_tipo.html

Any type of powered (non-data) connection would work, so if you have an Apple Store or other nearby store selling iPod accessories, you can take you iPod there and plug it into something like a display docking station speaker system.

Ipod 4th problem after format

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