Another dead 40G ipod? HELP!!!

Question

Another dead 40G ipod? HELP!!!

My ipod died after alittle over a year of great function.

How do you know if its the battery vs. hard drive?

Tried to reset, recharge, etc. no use. Over the months, I (like and increasing number of loyal ipod and apple users) have noticed more and more dead ipod complaints, especially with the 40G noncolor models of 2004. $300 is a lot of money for a music player.

Why is apple not acknowledging that there is a problem with these things?

Can any tell if there are non-user related flaws (dropping, heat, cold) that would explain how one day working fine the next day nothing.

I'm past ranting, but an explaination is not alot to ask.

Thanks

Posted on Oct 4, 2005 1:19 PM

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Answer 1

btabz

Level 7

26,655 points

Oct 4, 2005 1:22 PM in response to Rod Dougherty

Rod,

Are you trying to get the issue fixed or what? Describe the issue in more detail. Dead doesn't really cut it. Does it not go one, not charge, not show anything on the screen, etc.

Also, how you would describe a non-user related flaw to be dropping. If one drops his or her iPod, then it is his or her fault, not apple's.

btabz

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Answer 2

Oct 4, 2005 1:23 PM in response to Rod Dougherty

I feel your pain. After nine months of flawless functionality, I began to have problems with my iPod a week and a half ago. One day my iTunes and computer wouldn't recognize it (which seems to be a common problem), but yesterday it died entirely. It had an icon that told me to go to apple.com/support/iPod... and then when I woke up this morning, it wouldn't turn on or do anything at all. I'm getting very annoyed. Even if it is a fixable problem, should I just count on having lost all of the music that was on it?

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Answer 3

btabz

Level 7

26,655 points

Oct 4, 2005 1:27 PM in response to Electra Lembesis

Electra,

What icon did the iPod show?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93936

Also, see if this helps...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60942

Finally, is the music on your computer still?

btabz

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Answer 4

Oct 4, 2005 1:27 PM in response to Rod Dougherty

yes. I sympathize.

Mine repeatedly stalls, clicking, spinning hard drive on ipod. then unhappy face. After fooling around for awhile, I am able to reset it. Only to hit the same problem in a couple days. I have restored it. I have disk warriored it. 40gb ipod is only 10 months old.

unable to get serviced because I am outside US.

Help.

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Answer 5

btabz

Level 7

26,655 points

Oct 4, 2005 1:31 PM in response to Muller, S.

S,

See if this helps...
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61771

Also, what country do you live in? Service is available outside of the USA, in fact, in multiple countries.

btabz

Forum Tip: Please create your own thread so that responses to your own problem can be answered in one thread, instead of 3-4 issues being talked about in one thread. Thanks

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Answer 6

Oct 4, 2005 1:33 PM in response to btabz

Panama

thanks for doc reference. i have tried all this. And it works for a few days, before disk starts clicking again and freezing....

Why did they stop making 40g model?

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Answer 7

btabz

Level 7

26,655 points

Oct 4, 2005 1:35 PM in response to Muller, S.

They stopped making the 40GB model because of a few reasons.

One is the harddrives available. Apple could get bigger drives for the same or less price. Now, for the price that the 40GB iPods costed, with no color screen, you can get a 60GB iPod color. That is just how technology increases. People also wanted bigger iPods, and when the 60GB came out, there was less demand for the 40GB.

btabz

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Answer 8

Oct 4, 2005 1:39 PM in response to btabz

I wish it were as simple as the hold button being on. When I plug it into the wall to charge it, no icon comes up. In fact no icons come up at all anymore. It's just a dead screen. I would love to get this fixed, but I have a feeling that it's going to have to go in for repairs.

As for the music on my computer, I was having a problem with iTunes, which many people seem to be having, where you click on a song and it gets stuck at 0:00 and never actually plays. I restarted my computer, however, and I'm listening to it right now.

I'm going to be very sad if I lose the 20gigs of music on my iPod, because (stupid me) I never properly backed it up. Never really anticipated a problem like this.. Ugh.

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Answer 9

Oct 4, 2005 3:23 PM in response to Rod Dougherty

btabz

Sorry I didn't realized DEAD needed further explaining.

Dead (to me) means, no signs of functioning or operation despite several attempts to remedy. There is no function doing a reset, with or without it being connected to the dock or computer. Won't wake . Won't make any sounds. The hold is off. It seems like the battery is completely drained. One day after 14 months of great functioning, I fully charged the battery after regular use and the following day nothing. Dead.

I did not drop it, bump it, leave it in a hot, cold, or moist environment. This is what's referred to as a "user" issue. The way or manner the product was used or misused.

I wanted to let the readers know that this was not the case for me, and if anyone has knowledge of known issues with the 40G's production, design, etc. i.e. "non-user" related.

The only thing out of the ordinary is that is has not been connected to my computer in 4 months (stolen). I've search the most recent threads and tried their suggestions without success, although I haven't "tapped" on it as one suggested for a hard drive problem.

I'll try a google search and update you.
Thanks, everyone for your time.

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Answer 10

btabz

Level 7

26,655 points

Oct 4, 2005 3:39 PM in response to Rod Dougherty

Okay.

Did you try some of the suggestions listed in this thread for when the iPod doesn't turn on?

btabz

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Answer 11

Oct 5, 2005 8:31 AM in response to btabz

Update!
I plugged it into the dock today and it turned on! YEAH!!

I immediately did a reset. No problems.

I let it charge and play songs (working fine) for about 2 hours until the fully charged message came on.

I unplugged in & it when "dead" again! You can imagine what my next words, screaming at the top of my lungs were.(LOL)

What do you think is the problem?
And yes, I tried those suggestions in the tread.

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Answer 12

Oct 6, 2005 4:53 PM in response to Rod Dougherty

Mine (40GB 4thG-Click) just went completely dead for the first time today. It won't power up, responds to nothing. Been this way for a good 5 hours now, with at least half a battery charge left in it.

Yesterday, my menu button wouldn't work. Scroll was fine, but the menu button didn't do anything. Plugged it into the computer (firewire) and the button started responding again.

No incident until this afternoon when I was listening to an audiobook and the thing just died. Completely.

I loved my ipod before today.

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Answer 13

Oct 6, 2005 9:40 PM in response to Anthony Albert

Anthony,
Sorry to hear about your 40GB/4Gen ipod. Call me crazy, but there is definately something going on with these things.

It's got to be the battery or a hard drive issue. If you've been following from the beginning of the thread, there is some info that may be useful to you, i.e. depending on if you are In or outside your warrenty.

Try to give it some time for the battery to lose its charge. Plug into your charger. If it "wakes up", do a reset. [menu+select] & pray that it resets itself. The help files/treads say that you may have to do it several times.

There has got to be some info on this problem other than send it in for service.

I'll keep digging around, maybe we'll get lucky or Apple will let us know something. Yeah, right.

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Answer 14

Oct 6, 2005 9:53 PM in response to Rod Dougherty

Finally got it to wake up with a reset. Just finished charging it full. We'll see what happens tomorrow!

I'm definitely going to keep a crooked eye on it for a good while. Good luck with yours. Hopefully I won't be back in here with more heartache to share!

-Tony

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