Symptoms of bad Battery

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Level 1

95 points

Symptoms of bad Battery

Does any one know if a bad battery can produce the sad iPod icon and the false-start whirr-click which is normally associated with a dead HDD when all of the recommended remedies have been exhausted?

I recently installed a new hard drive in a G4 ipod. It worked perfectly but after just a week during which it was not used, the iPod gave the same symptoms that I had associated with a dead HDD. I was able to use Disc Utility and iPod restore after leaving it plugged in for a day and then it updated in iTunes. When I disconnected it from the USB, it promptly failed again. Once more I managed to mount it in disc utility but it failed to format with an error message about a missing partition. It isn't recognised in ASP and just sits showing a static one-third charged battery icon.

Is it worth investing in a new battery. Any thoughts welcome, thanks

iMac 600 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Posted on Mar 30, 2006 9:25 AM

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Answer 1

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dwb

Level 7

32,920 points

Mar 30, 2006 3:31 PM in response to iPreferMac

Doubtful. I have a 1st generation iPod at work that has a totally dead battery. Since I use it as an emergency hard drive I don't care. As soon as I disconnect it it stops functioning...but when I reconnect it it reboots and all is well. I suspect something else is going on...or you got a bum drive.

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Answer 2

boingk

Level 1

105 points

Apr 1, 2006 6:11 AM in response to iPreferMac

Hmmm....if it functions normally whilst on an AC charger, then chances are you have a dead battery. However, if it continues this behavious whist being charged via AC, then you most likely have a dead HDD. Seek out an AC charger, then give it a whirl. The difference between USB/Firewire charging and AC charging is that the AC gives a much higher amperage [double at worst!], so the iPod can function at full capacity whilst being charged.

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Answer 3

iPreferMac Author

Level 1

95 points

Apr 1, 2006 6:40 AM in response to iPreferMac

Guess what? Having bought and installed a new battery, my G4 iPod has been resurrected. It seems that the sad iPod icon and the whirr-click can be caused by a faulty battery - even one that is not completely dead but presumably is not delivering the necessary power. Having replaced the HDD in my "dead" iPod and getting a working iPod for a short while I foolishly threw out the old HDD when perhaps there was nothing wrong with it, before my iPod died again. If you hear your iPod doing the whirr-click DO NOT assume your hard disk is broken, as I did. Even when connected through my firewire or usb ports the iPod would not respond in any way. As soon as I changed the battery I was able to restore it and update it as normal.
Another thought I had. Is it possible that simply disconnecting the battery in the iPod resets the firmware so resolving any errors due to corrupted data that isn't fixed by using the reset combination on the click wheel?

So MORAL of STORY: If you have a dead iPod (OUT OF WARRANTY) check the charging current and replace the battery ( a cheap option if you DIY ) before you replace the HDD.
(There are good guides to replacing the battery on
http://eshop.macsales.com/tech_center/manuals/newertech/batteries/)4g72.pdf

iMac 600 Mac OS X (10.2.x)

iMac 600 Mac OS X (10.2.x)

iMac 600 Mac OS X (10.2.x)

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