Second Hand iPod Classic purchased - how to reformat for my Account?

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Level 1

6 points

Second Hand iPod Classic purchased - how to reformat for my Account?

Hello Apple Forums...

I just bought a second-hand iPod Classic 160 GB, and the dealer sent it to me without reformatting to factory settings, and there is content from the original owner on the drive. Also, it is set up for Windows and I am running Mac OS 10.11.6 El Capitan.

How can I reset this so my iTunes client recognizes that it is my iPod and not the previous user's? Thank you.

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6), 15 inch, 2.6 GHz i7 8 GB DDR3

Posted on Feb 10, 2018 3:46 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

turingtest2

Level 10

272,761 points

Feb 12, 2018 2:55 PM in response to AnneMowat

Open iTunes. Use the menu item Account > Sign Out, then sign in with your own Apple ID.

iPod classics are not associated with an Apple ID. They simply take whatever content you choose to put on them.

tt2

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Answer 2

AnneMowat Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 10, 2018 3:57 PM in response to Niel

Hi Niel, Thank you, however, this fix seems to be for first owners. As I am not the original owner of this device, and it was previously registered to someone else, I am concerned about linking it with my account, rather than having that previous user's ID override my iTunes library. If that is possible? I bought it on ebay through a highly rated tech superstore and I'm disappointed that it arrived without reformatting and without guidance on how to associate it with my Apple account. I am struggling here with potential authentication issues, I don't want to use any kind of Restore function without being sure that my own iTunes library is safe. Thank you!

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Answer 3

Niel

Level 10

726,935 points

Feb 10, 2018 4:15 PM in response to AnneMowat

For any iPod classic, the fourth generation iPod touch, iPhone 3GS, original iPad, and earlier, it's applicable to everyone; these devices can't be activation locked, and syncing a new one won't affect the iTunes library. In any case, the only way to ensure that the iTunes library is safe from other issues is to back it up.

(157725)

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Answer 4

Feb 12, 2018 10:38 AM in response to AnneMowat

This is an easy fix. Load iTunes. Once it's loaded up, select your iPod and run "restore ipod" from within iTunes. This will restore your iPod classic no matter if it's store bought, purchased from a pawn store or purchased from another owner. This feature in iTunes will restore the iPod classic back to its original factory settings. Hope that answers your question. Remember, don't shut down, reboot or disconnect your iPod while the process is running. It takes less than a minute to complete. Once finished, your iPod will be ready to go.

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Answer 5

AnneMowat Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 12, 2018 10:55 AM in response to tempest241

Thanks tempest241,

This is a great fix for a normal HW configuration. But I had my laptop serviced in Aug 2016, and the hardware guy installed an SSD & the original hard drive is now housed in an external case, connected by USB to my MBP. He created a new Admin ID for the OS, and, unbeknownst to me, this has effectively dissociated the OS from my Apple ID, since iTunes Restore brings up the New Admin ID in iTunes, and not my longstanding Apple account ID. I don’t know how to fix that... So my iTunes library remains inaccessible and I have no idea how to fix this! I appreciate any help you can offer.

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Answer 6

Feb 19, 2018 3:46 PM in response to AnneMowat

Absolutely correct. Turingtest hit the nail on the bottom. If you purchase an iPod classic second hand or from another owner, the iPod will not be associated with a user's iTunes account. Matter of fact, you don't even have to be logged into your iTunes account in order to run the 'iPod Restore' feature in iTunes.

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Answer 7

Apr 1, 2018 7:19 AM in response to turingtest2

This doesn't work for me (my iPod is a 32gb model from 2006). I signed out, then back in again, but it's exactly the same. There's no 'restore iPod' option in the menus (this is iTunes version 12.7.3.46)

If I select the iPod, it just expand/shrinks the list of content on the iPod. I just want to factory-reset.

At my wit's end.

Thanks.

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Answer 8

Apr 3, 2018 8:45 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks. In the end, last night, I tried reformatting my device manually, and although that didn't seem to work initially, when I restarted it, recharged it, and went back to iTunes, what I was seeing had radically changed, and it offered me the 'Restore' option it didn't before! I have no idea why it changed, sorry, but it seems sorted now, thanks.

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