Can't turn on iPod Nano 5th Gen despite trying the 'Hard Reset' methods and charging into the mains. Any suggestions?

Question

Can't turn on iPod Nano 5th Gen despite trying the 'Hard Reset' methods and charging into the mains. Any suggestions?

My iPod Nano 5th Generation won't turn on despite trying the 'hard reset' method (holding in the 'Menu' and 'Centre' button for about 30 seconds), the click wheel partially not working and my iPod being 10 years old. I've left my iPod on charge for 2 days via the mains and it was working perfectly normal yesterday evening until i unplugged the charger and the screen suddenly switched off black.

I've had this before and ive left it to charge for up to 3 days until it turned on since the hard reset wasn't working before.

Both the 'Fast Forward' and 'Skip Previous' buttons aren't working anymore (but I'm too squeamish to disassemble my iPod in fear of breaking it and losing all of my music that I spent over the course of 3years to attain).

Last but not least, recently I was in iTunes trying to organise it because the current version had created multiple Artist 'tab' on the sidebar. Everything in the 'Edit Info' was all the same, even in the 'Sorting' tab but iTunes still made duplicate artists for every song that was assigned to the same album or artist. So, I tried the 'Consolidate Music' option where it states it keeps your currently saved .mp3 files and creates a copy in the iTunes Media folder on your computer to organise your library. Except, it didn't do this. Instead, it DELETED my iTunes library, all of my .mp3 files saved on my computer AND my copies too and what was most annoying was that there nothing in the iTunes Media folder on my computer! After this event, I've been trying ti re-build my iTunes library from scratch while my old library is still on my iPod (as far as I know) so I won't be able to sync it to my current library, otherwise it will replace it with the current library (which I don't want to happen).

I understand this is a long read for any user, but please understand I've looked on every forum to try and find an answer on how to turn my iPod on without taking it apart, sending it to Apple or trying the obvious menu and centre button method.

If anyone has an answer or strategy, then it would be greatly appreciated!

Message was edited by: FractalBeatbox

iPod nano, Windows 10, 5th Generation iPod Nano

Posted on May 6, 2016 2:33 AM

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Answer 1

May 6, 2016 3:30 AM in response to FractalBeatbox

My iPod Nano 5th Generation won't turn on...

A lot of what you wrote after that is not related to that problem. (And iPod nano 5th gen was released in late 2009, so it's not quite "10 years old.")

Are you saying that when you connect the iPod to power, nothing appears on the screen? When you do a Reset (while connected to power), nothing appears on the screen? If so, the iPod is not receiving any power, which is why it does not turn ON.

First, make sure the Hold switch is not in the ON position; Hold being ON makes your iPod unresponsive. Then, rule out faulty USB docking cable as the cause. If the cable is not connecting for power, the iPod's battery may be completely drained (so it does not turn ON at all). Try a different cable (if you have one), or use the current cable with another Apple device, to confirm it works properly.

Otherwise, if the iPod does not turn ON at all (nothing appears on the screen), you really can't trouble-shoot the problem. The cause may be a problem on the iPod-side of the dock connector. For example, the dock connector may be worn out or damaged, so it is not connecting for power. Without power, the battery can't charge and the iPod does not turn ON at all. You should shine a flashlight into the dock connector, to see if there is any obvious damage, corrosion, dust, or debris preventing a power connection.

IF the iPod's screen does come ON, and you mean something else when you say it "won't turn on," please post back with any additional (relevant) details.

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Answer 2

May 6, 2016 3:54 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

This is what we're up to so far...

Firstly, the hold switch is off - coloured black - (and has been since it was last playing music yesterday evening).

At the bottom left of the iPod on the back (just under the camera), there is slight corrosion from use over the years (I believe anyway. I can't see any other easy explanation for this slight corrosion other than 'wear and tear') and within the corrosion, there is a small ndent towards the charger slot which makes plugging the charger into the iPod a bit tricky and because it's slightly indented, the charger slides out of the iPod a bit making it difficult to charge (unless pushed right in).

The 'Menu' button, 'Fast Forward' and 'Skip Backwards' buttons don't work properly if not, at all, however as previously stated in my "question", the menu button does work, except you have to push it hard and diagonally to the left in order for it to work. So, in order to do a hard reset, that can prove difficult sometimes.

The iPod charger cable works fine as it was charging yesterday. To prove it works, when it is plugged in, usually, on the back of the iPod, you can feel a 'vibration' or 'tingly' feeling when you sift your finger tip up and down and when the charger is out, the static 'tingly' feeling is no longer there. However, sometimes like at the moment, with the charger in the iPod, the static feeling isn't currently there. It varies from time to time but usually, if plugged in to the charger, the static feeling is there.

With the iPod plugged into the charger and the charger plugged into the mains (and the hold lock turned off), the screen still won't turn on.

I haven't got a 'Your battery is low, please charge' confirmation on my screen or had anything show up at all.

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Answer 3

May 6, 2016 5:31 AM in response to FractalBeatbox

The problem seems to be getting power to the iPod. It explains everything you have described, as I understand them.

Corrosion on the casing is not related, since it does not impact connection between the iPod and the docking cable. If there is damage that affects the connection, that may be related, especially if the dock connector is not staying in place. It sounds like it was barely working before, and it has stopped connecting now. This may be the cause for the iPod not connecting for power.

I don't understand the "proof" that the docking cable is working properly. The dock connector has 30 "pins." If the connection points are worn out (or damaged), the ones used for power may not be connecting properly anymore, so the iPod does not get power. You should not rely on a "tingly feeling" as proof that the docking cable is good or bad.

Unfortunately, if you can't get the iPod to turn ON, at least to the show something on the screen to indicate it is getting power, there's not much else you can try (short of taking it apart and swapping out parts). It sounds like the iPod is becoming faulty in other ways.

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