Repacing iPod Mini Battery

Question

Level 1

19 points

Repacing iPod Mini Battery

Hello iPod Friends!
How tough is it to replace an iPod mini battery? Has anyone ever done it themself? I'm very good with changing computer and laptop components and maybe wanted to give this battery a try. Any thoughts out there on this? They'd be much appreciated! (good or bad)
Thanks Much,
Mark D'Aloia

Digital Audio G4 - Dual 533, 1 GB Ram, 180 GB HD, SuperDrive, Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Mar 15, 2009 9:27 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 15, 2009 11:12 PM in response to Mark D'Aloia

I have not opened up a mini (I have opened 4th gen and older iPods), but I have seen some of the online guides, like this one

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Device/iPod_Mini

It does not seem too difficult for someone who is careful and good with small objects.

You can get such replacement batteries on eBay for less than $10 including shipping and the tools.

[For example|http://cgi.ebay.com/Battery-for-IPOD-MINI-4G-6B-1st-2nd-Gen-EC0003-EC00 08 W0QQitemZ190277166031QQcmdZViewItemQQptZOther_MP3_Player_Accessories?hash=item19 0277166031&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1308%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1% 7C294%3A50]

(I don't know anything about this particular seller)

Another interesting fact about the iPod mini is that you can supposedly replace the micro hard drive in the unit with a standard compact flash card. The shape and connector are the same.

http://geektechnique.org/projectlab/753/how-to-turn-your-ipod-mini-into-a-flash- based-ipod

I have messed with putting a 4GB CF card into a 4th gen iPod. You need to buy an adapter for that connection, but it does work.

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Answer 2

Mar 18, 2009 9:56 AM in response to Mark D'Aloia

Mark,
the hardest part about replacing the battery in your mini is getting the thing open. I have found that if you heat up the top and bottom pieces with a hairdryer it helps to release the glue holding the pieces together.

oh and the other most common screw up is forgetting to disconnect the clickwheel before you pull the board/battery/screen/harddrive section out of the mini.

Take your time and read as much info about it as possible. There are a lot of youtube videos you can search also.

good luck, let me know if i can help.

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Answer 3

Mar 21, 2009 8:40 PM in response to Mark D'Aloia

Mark-
Here's some advice from someone who's taken his mini apart about five times.
I found that a guitar pick, or something like that that won't damage the top and bottom works well. Be careful, and DON"T forget to disconnect the click wheel.
Also, I've tried a couple of batteries from eBay, and they sucked- only lasted about six months. I switched to a battery I got from Batteries Plus, and a year later, I'm still getting great battery power.
Another thing, I converted my mini to 16gb, and it was really easy to do, and you don't need an adapter. A standard CF card is all you need. Got mine at newegg.com for $40. You will have to do a software restore, so make sure your music is backed up. Now that I switched to compact flash for storage, I just about doubled my battery life.

Hope this helps.
Jim

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Answer 4

Mark D'Aloia Author

Level 1

19 points

Mar 23, 2009 9:51 AM in response to Boise Jim

Hey Jim,
Excellent suggestions! The guitar pick is a great idea! I'll definitely use that. As for the battery I had (unfortunately) already ordered one from eBay (iTrimming.com) before reading your post, so I'm kind of committed on that one. My current battery, after an overnight charge, only lasts about an hour and a half. Hopefully I will have a better eBay battery experience than you did. If all goes well with that though I would like to also try the compact flash card. I saw an 8GB Transcend brand (which I've had good experiences with their flash drives) for 17.99. I've noticed that they also talk about speeds (and DMA compatability0 when advertising them. Is there anything I should watch out for there? Does it just plug right in? I really love this iPod Mini and to be able to get a strong battery and double the capacity for about 25 bucks would make absolutely elated.
Thanks So Much,
Mark

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Answer 5

Mar 23, 2009 1:43 PM in response to Mark D'Aloia

Mark-
The only thing I had to do when I put in the 16gb card was to put a couple of folded up business cards with the CF card to take up a little space- the original HDD in the mini is a little thicker than a CF card. And no, don't worry about the speed of the card, as the mini is only retrieving info from the card, not writing to it. The pins to install the flash card also line up nicely from the ones on the original drive.
There's a ton of info on the web about converting a mini to flash, with pictures. And, another cool thing about it is that it extends battery life off the bat- no hard drive to power anymore. Your mini will also be less fragile, since flash memory isn't prone to shock.

Can't remember about DMA compatibility, but a little research should answer your question.

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Answer 6

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Mar 23, 2009 2:03 PM in response to Boise Jim

as the mini is only retrieving info from the card, not writing to it.

Sure it does.
Last played, ratings, On-The-Go playlists, skipped, etc. all get written to the drive/card.
But any speed should work.

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Answer 7

Mar 23, 2009 2:46 PM in response to Mark D'Aloia

I've purchased iPod batteries from eBay sources for other iPods, and they have worked fine, so that generalization that all iPod batteries from eBay are bad is not accurate.

The original drive in the iPod mini is actually just an IBM/Hitachi Microdrive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdrive

It is design to work as a replacement for CF cards, so it has the same shape and connector as standard CF cards. The one that worked for me in a 4th gen iPod was by from A-Data, model called Speedy at 4GB.

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Answer 8

Mark D'Aloia Author

Level 1

19 points

Apr 1, 2009 5:56 PM in response to Boise Jim

Well Jim...
I hosed this mudsucker!!! I got through all of the difficult parts of the installation (the endcaps, retaining bracket, and (those TINY)Philips head screws. Put it all back together and the battery seemed to charge up great. But then I noticed that the menu button and center button on my click wheel did not work. I could turn it and scroll up or down, but it would not click from menu to menu. I then took it back apart and realized that I must've pulled too hard (or enevenly) on the click wheel ribbon cable and the connectoe partially disconnected from the ribbon cable! What a boob I am! In retrospect I should've got underneath it withan exacto knife or something to pry up on the connector itself. Well now I am looking on eBay for a "parts" iPod Mini (1st gen) to try and fix it...AGAIN! ): You apparently need to be very careful with that ribbon cable. Either that or mine wasn't soldered very well.

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Answer 9

Apr 1, 2009 6:04 PM in response to Mark D'Aloia

Don't look for "parts." Since you now know how to take them apart, it will be easier (and most likely cheaper) to buy a complete "broken" iPod mini. Most iPod mini's that are broken will not be broken for the part you describe. Get one that sounds like a bad battery or bad hard drive. And you'll end up having a few other spare parts as well.

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Answer 10

Apr 1, 2009 7:56 PM in response to Mark D'Aloia

FYI - It is better to make your email address visible in your profile. If you include you email address directly in these postings, spammers can retrieve it and include them on lists. If you make it visible in your profile, the viewer has to manually click on your user name to see it.

Just do a search on eBay for "ipod mini broken." I just did it and there are a ton of them.

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Answer 11

Mark D'Aloia Author

Level 1

19 points

Apr 13, 2009 6:44 PM in response to Mark D'Aloia

Hello Again Jim!
This is the boob who messed up the iPod Mini by greaking the connector on the click wheel ribbon cable when trying to disconnect it. Well... I've now purchased a "parts" mini from ebay and before I ruin this one too I was hoping (since you've done it five+ times) that you could give me some advice on how to safely remove the click-wheel ribbon cable from the logic board. I have heard of a "spudger" tool or something but have never seen or used one. Any advice you could give me here (to keep from "hosing" a second mini) would be mondo appreciated!
Thanks So Much,
Mark

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Answer 12

Mark D'Aloia Author

Level 1

19 points

Mar 16, 2009 8:29 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Kenichi...
That's exactly the info I was looking for! Thanks so much. I'm going to give it a try and I'll let you know how I make out. Mac folks are the BEST!!!

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Answer 13

Mark D'Aloia Author

Level 1

19 points

Mar 19, 2009 4:58 AM in response to mdheinzer

"md"...
Thanks for that info... ecxellent suggestions that you won't find on any of the "how-to" sites. I will definitely use them!
Thanks Again,
--MD--

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Answer 14

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Mar 23, 2009 10:16 AM in response to Mark D'Aloia

You can use a hair dryer to slightly warm the plastic ends of the iPod, as there is some adhesive holding the ends on. Same when you put them back on. The hair dryer will soften the adhesive a bit.

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Answer 15

Mark D'Aloia Author

Level 1

19 points

Apr 2, 2009 4:17 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Kenichi,
As always... good advice. I'll be looking. But if you happen to see a good one in your perusaling please let me know. <Edited by Moderator>
Thanks Again!

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