iPod Touch completely dead after attempted update to 3.0

Not only during update to 3.0, but also during update to 2.2.1 and during a restore attempt 6 weeks ago. All 3 "dead" iPods have been replaced by Apple - I'd like a solution...

I have videoed the update taking place and the iPod dying during it - sadly it is in MOV format (439MB) and I cannot convert to an uploadable version for Youtube... By DEAD, I mean, no power and will not display ANYTHING on the screen. Simply won't power up again.

This is what happens: Download update using iTunes... Extracting software... Backing up iPod... Preparing the iPod for the software update... (iPod shows USB plug and CD - then apple logo...) then the updating progress line appears on iTunes and on touch. Updating iPod software... Verifying updated iPod software... Updating the iPod firmware... White progress line on iPod disappears after a few seconds and screen goes black. Error message displays on iTunes - "The iPod xxxx could not be updated. An unknown error occurred (6)"

iPod is now dead and needs to be replaced,

1) Has anyone experienced this?
2) Has anyone SOLVED it?

Maybe related is a problem with some videos that have happened recently (and were the cause of me trying to restore the iPod last time it died) MP4 (or MPV files) play for about 20-30 minutes, then screen goes white, then black, then apple logo appears, then iPod returns to home screen after about 30 seconds. My usual solution to this has been to remove all videos, photos (which are corrupted by this time), audio, and then re-sync back.

I'd appreciate ANY help please. I intend buying an iPhone soon and would like to know that the problem won't occur on that, every time I try to restore.

Cheers!

Martin

Message was edited by: The-Organist

Quad-core Pentium 2.26 GHz, Windows Vista, 2nd Gen iPod Touch v 2.2

Posted on Jun 21, 2009 10:31 PM

38 replies

Jul 9, 2009 4:11 PM in response to The-Organist

I have just had exactly the same problem where my iTouch is now dead and no amount of power/home button pressing is waking it up. Apple support is rubbish as my iTouch is outside the 90 day support window. Given i got the iTouch abroad I'm not even sure if I can take it to an Apple shop and get it fixed/replaced can I?? I am SO disappointed... 😟

Jul 9, 2009 4:18 PM in response to Richard Barnes

I should have continued reading through the thread. PeepingTom's solution has just worked on my iTouch and its restoring as we speak. Thanks PeepingTom!!!

Silby58

Level 1

0 points

Jul 11, 2009 5:06 PM in response to The-Organist

Kudos to the Genius bar at the apple store. Incredibly patient, helpful and friendly.

Unfortunately, this is not the answer, only someone with the same problem.
Just got back from the Apple store genius bar for the second time today. I killed 3 brand new Ipod touch 16GB in 24 hours. I have a brand spanking new HP HDX 18 laptop running Vista premium 64 bit. I purchased the 3.0 operating system on the apple website and started downloading it. The software finished installing and then started the restore process. Halfway through it went dead. They gave me a new one at my 1st trip to the Apple store genius bar. None of the geniuses at the bar had seen one go dead during a software update. I took the second one home and start the install. This time it goes black during the install. I printed the error log (22 pages) and it showed "error 6". The error code did not help in this instance. Trip 2 I bring my computer along. My Genius agrees to try and install it using my computer. It errored during the install, so he tried restore. The Touch died during the firmware install as my genius predicted it would. He opened up a 4th brand new Ipod touch and installed the update using a Mac and it took less than 5 minutes and worked perfectly. We did some synching on my laptop and that worked perfectly.

The general consensus was the problem lay in the USB ports as mentioned above in another reply. They could only speculate. They did know for sure that it had nothing to with Ipods and strongly recommended I call HP and insist on them replacing this computer with a new one. If it is the USB ports it could do the same to other external devices. I guess I am going to make that dreded to call HP tech support in India.

Jul 12, 2009 3:19 AM in response to The-Organist

Today I became the proud owner of a 2nd generation ipod touch. Unfortunately, it died during an attempted update to 3.0. What is going on with Apple? I also had to do a lot of diagnostics to my computer a couple weeks ago after updating to itunes 8.2 caused my operating system to become unstable.

Jul 13, 2009 11:32 AM in response to Frustrated&Mad

Yep, another victim of apples woeful update procedure- Its definately a firewall issue- zonealarm in my case. Turning it off (and opening up the virus floodgates) solved the problem during the update. Affected my 16GB 2nd gen ipod touch with itunes 8.2.0.23 on windows vista home premium 32-bit running zonealarm free edition following a restore to version 2.2.1

Cure: As pointed out before- when unknown usb device is detected, hold down power and home until it disappears, release power, keep holding home until itunes recognises its indeed an ipod. then turn off the offending firewall, and allow an update to run its course. Everything will have been deleted- but at least it ain't a £200 paperweight anymore.

kingluck

Level 1

0 points

Jul 13, 2009 7:49 PM in response to PeepingTom

PeepingTom and everyone else, I just wanted to thank you for your posts here! I thought I had a dead iPod Touch, but disabling the Zone Alarm firewall and DFUing it with a completely dead black screen seems to be working! I'm in the process of downloading the 2.2 version software and I will try to go to version 3 afterwards. (I am doing this on my XP-32 partition, but I assume the trick should work on Vista-64 as well.)

I was indeed using Zone Alarm free version with Vista-64. Other specs that are similar to others that have been reported: ASUS motherboard with Core 2 Duo

Apple should update the appropriate support pages with info about disabling firewalls and linking to the DFU trick info.

The-Organist Author

Level 1

12 points

Jul 13, 2009 8:01 PM in response to kingluck

I would LIKE to mark this question solved, but have no way of testing the problem without possibly killing an iPod again. Kingluck - can you confirm that your iPod appeared COMPLETELY dead - no icons on the screen, etc, etc - no "connect to iTunes" logo? It's just I'm really surprised that my Apple repairers were not able to get it to wake up.

starwalk

Level 1

0 points

Aug 15, 2009 9:48 AM in response to Ian Linton

It took awhile to find this thread but I am happy to say that my Itouch is now working again. The tip about holding both buttons until the USB icon disappears then only holding the home button worked. It started ITunes and even though it did the restore thing twice after the second one it started to using backup to restore my files, photos, and so on.
What I don't understand is that the battery was completely dead. Was the Itouch still on when it went dark, and after time ran the battery down?

Anyway - thanks to various posters that were involved in this discussion.

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iPod Touch completely dead after attempted update to 3.0