Vletts
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Q: 5th gen iPod wheel unresponsive

5th generation ipod, spent most of it's life in a dock.  Plays fine in dock through remote.  Today took it off dock to use with headphones and it does nothing.  The wheel clicks but nothing happens.  Toggled hold, did 'select' and 'menu' to reset, but still nothing what gives?

iPod nano

Posted on Apr 14, 2012 2:33 PM

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Vletts

Q: 5th gen iPod wheel unresponsive

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Kenichi Watanabe,

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Apr 14, 2012 10:56 PM in response to Vletts
    Level 8 (40,269 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 14, 2012 10:56 PM in response to Vletts

    I'd go through the rest of the "5 R's"

     

    http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs/

     

    the last step being a Restore using iTunes.

  • by Vletts,

    Vletts Vletts Apr 17, 2012 2:52 PM in response to Vletts
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2012 2:52 PM in response to Vletts

    OK have since gone through the 5Rs, which seems to only deal with software issues.  But thanks for the recommendation.  It still operates just fine in a dock and through iTunes, but the diskwheel is totally non-responsive unless I am trying to 'reset' it.  Otherwise it does nothing.  Is it just a glorified 'programmable' radio now?

  • by Kenichi Watanabe,

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Apr 17, 2012 11:19 PM in response to Vletts
    Level 8 (40,269 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 17, 2012 11:19 PM in response to Vletts

    It almost sounds like the HOLD switch is stuck on the ON setting (which would make the click wheel not work).  Maybe try moving it back and forth a few times? 

     

    So maybe it's not the click wheel that is broken...

  • by Vletts,

    Vletts Vletts Apr 18, 2012 5:00 PM in response to Vletts
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 18, 2012 5:00 PM in response to Vletts

    No.  I can switch the hold back and forth a million times and the little lock appears and disappears each time.  And I think if the hold were stuck, then i wouldn't be able to do the reset?

  • by Kenichi Watanabe,

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Apr 18, 2012 8:03 PM in response to Vletts
    Level 8 (40,269 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 18, 2012 8:03 PM in response to Vletts

    Oh, so the click wheel DOES do something.  It just does not scroll (detect movement), which is the "touch sensitive" part of the mechanism.  Does any of the clicking (Play/Pause, Menu, Next, Previous, and Select) work, other than for doing a reset?

     

    Yeah, if the lock appears and disappears, the Hold switch is working...

     

    See if this may be relevant

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1425

  • by Vletts,

    Vletts Vletts Apr 19, 2012 4:14 PM in response to Vletts
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 19, 2012 4:14 PM in response to Vletts

    All it will do is allow me to reset.  No scroll, no menu, no fwd/bkwd, no play, no stop, etc.

  • by Kenichi Watanabe,

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Apr 19, 2012 4:58 PM in response to Vletts
    Level 8 (40,269 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 19, 2012 4:58 PM in response to Vletts

    I don't have anything else, as a remedy...  odd that the click wheel is generally unresponsive, EXCEPT for those two buttons when you do a reset.

     

    The fact that your iPod's hard drive (plus everything except click wheel) is fully functional gives your iPod some value.  You can sell it on eBay as broken, with a working hard drive.  Most iPods (with a hard drive) that are broken, are broken because of a bad hard drive; someone will want it, just for the working hard drive.  OR, you can look for an iPod (of the same type) with a broken hard drive, and swap in your iPod's hard drive.  OR, find one with a working click wheel, to replace your iPod's broken click wheel.  OR, you can buy a mini- hard drive case (sold on eBay) for the iPod's 1.8-inch "ZIF" hard drive, and use it as a tiny external USB drive.

     

    This web site has instructions for taking iPods apart

     

    http://www.ifixit.com/Device/iPod_Original

     

    and there are probably also YouTube demo videos.

  • by ellisisawesome,

    ellisisawesome ellisisawesome Apr 20, 2012 1:17 PM in response to Vletts
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Apr 20, 2012 1:17 PM in response to Vletts

    This has also happened to me before, and same situation. I connected my iPod to iTunes, and then i restored the software.

  • by Vletts,

    Vletts Vletts Apr 21, 2012 4:23 AM in response to ellisisawesome
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 21, 2012 4:23 AM in response to ellisisawesome

    I have restored the software to the ipod already and nothing changed.  I'm not sure how deleting and reinstalling itunes would do anything as i have a phone and 3 other ipods that sync with it and they are all fine.  But if i have time later I will try that, just seems time consuming for a problem that has no direct correlation.  But this is an electronic device so who knows what is going on there.

  • by ellisisawesome,

    ellisisawesome ellisisawesome Apr 21, 2012 9:49 AM in response to Vletts
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Apr 21, 2012 9:49 AM in response to Vletts

    Then I see the only option as going to the Apple Store and consulting the Genius Bar. Or, you could get a replacement. Or get a new iPod altogether.

  • by aww-rocky,

    aww-rocky aww-rocky May 12, 2012 3:46 PM in response to Vletts
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 12, 2012 3:46 PM in response to Vletts

    Hi Vletts, I have the exact same problem. Did you ever solve it?

  • by Vletts,

    Vletts Vletts May 13, 2012 4:10 AM in response to aww-rocky
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 13, 2012 4:10 AM in response to aww-rocky

    No.  Nothing I could do to it, short of having them re-outfit the inside (pretty much easier to get a new one).  So it has become a glorified programmable radio as it cannot be used off of the dock.

  • by Diydiva81,

    Diydiva81 Diydiva81 Sep 29, 2012 9:55 AM in response to Vletts
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 29, 2012 9:55 AM in response to Vletts

    I'm having the same problem with my 5gen. It was at it where the touch wheel would not scroll down and only work as a button (primarily after holding down the "back/rewind/left" side of the wheel,  so at least I know where the source of the problem might be), until I would switch the "hold" toggle on and off. I've also restored my ipod but, still with the same issues as right now not even switching the '"hold" on/off is working.

  • by amol123,

    amol123 amol123 Mar 24, 2013 11:05 AM in response to Vletts
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 24, 2013 11:05 AM in response to Vletts

    even i have got the same problem. Isn't there any other solution instead of replacing the clickwheel? I think there must be sum problem wid the clickwheel and not the software. I searched many forums and web pages, but are of no use!

    guess only way is to replace the clickwheel with a new one!