IPOD CLASSIC WILL NOT TURN ON

Question

Level 1

6 points

IPOD CLASSIC WILL NOT TURN ON

I decided to listen to my ipod classic 80GB yesterday and it is completly dead. It will not turn on, the screen is totally black, and it was fully charged the day before. I have tried to plug it in and charge it, tried to link it to the pc, but get nothing. I purchased my ipod new in Feb. 2008 and have never had a problem. Can anyone tell me what is happening? How to fix it? Thank you in advance for your help.

HP, Windows Vista

Posted on Feb 19, 2011 7:59 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Nick_Alli

Level 1

4 points

Feb 4, 2017 5:41 PM in response to the fiend

I recommend doing the same if your Ipod blacked out. I was at gym and a possible corrupted file caused my classic to black out. I tried charging in the car and with wall charger but to no avail. I had to reset through toggling the hold switch, pressing Menu and select at the same time.

Note: This should be done at least 3 times if this is the case. Sometimes it wont work at first go, but at around the third reset it should. Do this method before taking it to the Apple store.

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Answer 2

the fiend

Level 7

22,452 points

Feb 19, 2011 8:39 AM in response to DMY72

Try a reset - turn the Hold switch on then off again and then press-and-hold the Menu and Select (centre) buttons together for at least ten seconds. Does that cause the iPod to re-start? If not, Apple recommend you try this two or three times before deciding it will not work.

If that didn't fix it, perhaps the battery has drained down to empty. (Maybe it was accidentally left running. If the battery is drained, then it has to be left on charge for at least thrity minutes before it shows any signs of life. Once that happens, you need to leave it to charge up long enough so that it has enough charge to run when you unplug it.

If neither of these things fix it, post back and let us know. If we rule out these things, we'll have to think of something else.

... and if you do fix it, let us know that too!

Phil

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Answer 3

DMY72 Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 19, 2011 8:44 AM in response to the fiend

Thank you, I have tried the re-set several times and nothing happened. I also tried charging it overnight and then attempted the re-set again this morning. Still just a black screen, nothing happens at all.

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Answer 4

DMY72 Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 27, 2011 4:29 PM in response to DMY72

Does anyone know why my ipod is doing this? I am not sure if I should take it into an apple store or if I can fix this myself.

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Answer 5

the fiend

Level 7

22,452 points

Feb 28, 2011 11:18 AM in response to DMY72

Certainly, you could try taking to an Apple store and see if they can sort it out.

In the meantime, leave the iPod unlupgged from any power. If you are not going to be able to make it to a store for a few days, so much the better. Today's Monday, if you cannot get the the store until Saturday, then by Friday night, the iPod should be out of power.

So, leave the iPod unplugged. If the iPod is stuck trying to do something, but it cannot manage to complete what it is trying to do, keeping it on charge will simply make sure the problem cannot go away. Furthermore, perhaps it cannot display anything on the screen, +because it's waiting for the previous job to finish, but it's stuck.+

In this case, the iPod is using power, which will eventually get used up and at this point, the iPod will stop doing whatever it was trying to do - because there is no power left. Only once the battery is fully drained, can you then plug it back into power.

When you plug a fully drained iPod into power, nothing will apppear to happen for at least thirty minutes. Then - and only then - will the iPod show signs of life, but you must leave it on charge until it has enough power to run by itself.

What happens is that when the iPod "first gets power" it will reset every switch, control and thingy (yes, not very techincal) to a position the iPod knows about. This should cause the iPod to work correctly from that point onwards.

So - leave the iPod unlugged for at least 48 hours, preferably longer and then plug it into power and wait for at least thirty minutes. Does anything happen now?

Phil

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Answer 6

DMY72 Author

Level 1

6 points

Mar 4, 2011 9:37 AM in response to the fiend

Thank you so much for your help. Discharging the battery worked.

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Answer 7

the fiend

Level 7

22,452 points

Mar 4, 2011 11:38 AM in response to DMY72

Good, I'm pleased to hear that your iPod is now working again.

Phil

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Answer 8

e_moma

Level 1

5 points

Apr 10, 2011 11:57 AM in response to the fiend

Hi, I recognize that this problem is solved. Have a question on the same topic: my iPod classic was drained. I plugged it in, and try to reset it, apple logo appeared, but now won't shut off. I kept it plugged in, but after reading this posting, realize that unplugging is better. I have done that, and will wait for at least 48 hours, in the meantime, the drive is spinning, can hear it buzz, and I can't turn it off. Just leave it? Wait and then try again? i.e. plug it in wait for at least 30 minutes and then try to reset it again? Thanks

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Answer 9

the fiend

Level 7

22,452 points

Apr 11, 2011 2:22 AM in response to e_moma

Hello e_moma
The same advice applies to you - leave the iPod unplugged. If the iPod is "stuck" and unresponsive and you can hear the hard drive spinning, then power should be used up fairly quickly. But if you plug the iPod back into a power source to "wait and try again", you're simply giving it the power to keep doing whatever it's unable to complete.

Once power is used up and the iPod's drive is not longer spinning, then you can re-charge it, and that's when the thirty minutes kicks in!

I suggest you don't sit there watching and waiting, and then pouncing on the iPod the second you hear it stop working. If you do, the chances are that the battery will "recover" before the switches have a chance to reset.

Once you go through this procedure, I would hope that the iPod will work corretcly without further ado. However, if it continues to play up, you may need to try a *Restart, Reset* or Restore. Note that a Restore will remove all the content of your iPod and only put back what is in your library.

Phil

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Answer 10

e_moma

Level 1

5 points

Apr 12, 2011 7:44 PM in response to the fiend

Worked beautifully! Thanks, and no I did not pounce haha. I waited 48 hours, stuck it on the iPod HiFi, it charged, and then it simply worked! Have owned Macs since 1987, and every now and then I forget how to do certain things, this was a big help, thanks Phil!

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Answer 11

Apr 15, 2011 12:01 PM in response to the fiend

Hi All

Struggling with an Ipod Classic 160GB received as a gift at christmas. Previously purcahsed an ipod shuffle, whilst attempting to use the same mains charger with our Classic, the classic crashed. Husband attmpted all the re boot stuff advised by Apple, the first time he did this he got the apple logo on the ipod screen, but got no further. since then the screen has been totally blank, no restarting/rebooting is working. tried leaving it for 48 hrs, put it back on a dock at 5:30 today, its now 8pm and still not life? whne you plug it into the computer on any USB port windows flashed up saying USB device not recognised. sometimes itunes pops up, with waiting for ipod.... eventually it flashes up with "an ipod has been detected, but it could not be identified properly. PLease disconnetc adn reconnect the ipod, then try again. an unknown errpr 1601" no matter how many times you re try -same message. also updated somputer with itunes
Any suggestions at all?????????????????

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Answer 12

Oct 7, 2011 5:00 PM in response to DMY72

I am having almost the same issue with my ipod classic, 80GB. I use my ipod consently. In my work truck I have it plugged into the "old stlye"; with the cig lighter end and manually finding a station. This has always worked really well. Today while driving in the work truck, I reached for my cell phone and there was a loud noise that came over the speaker system in the truck, looked down and my ipod was off, total black screen. Tried using the reset/restore; didn't work. My ipod had been off any power all night before and most of the next day. I had brought it in with me to an appt I had and played yahtzee while I waited. And had just connected in the truck, the first song hadn't played all the way through. 😟 I love my ipod. I need my ipod. Any other suggestions other than the above? Does Apple still sell the 80GB ipod?

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Answer 13

Oct 8, 2011 10:42 PM in response to sniffles33

i have an 80gb classic ipod and its been blank for about a day now..ive tried to rest set it and it said " use itunes to restore " but by the time i got to the computer the screen is competly blank and will not turn on or charge at all 😟

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Answer 14

May 1, 2016 3:06 PM in response to the fiend

For all the years I have owned and used my IPOD Classic, I've never had a problem with it. Tonight I got the "dead screen".

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Thanks to the advice of 'the fiend'....it turned back on quickly. 😉
Many, many thanks!

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Answer 15

May 26, 2016 1:29 PM in response to the fiend

After months with my Ipod dead and i tried everything and nothing resolved i tried this hint with on/off switch diference and guess what ? My ipod is alive, i can`t believe this little move made my Ipod come back to life.. Thank you very much!!

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