Ultimate soultion when updater wont mount iPod

[stinkiedmb]

This is an absolute last-resort soultion for when your ipod is not recognized by either iTunes or the iPod updater, even when put into disk mode. I am posting this only as a tutorial. I am not responsible for you breaking into your own iPod.

I had to do this when i modded the iPod's 'iPod' strings to read 'JPod' within the firmware. The iPod was not recognized by iTunes or the iPod updater. So far, this is the only solution to this issue that i have come across.

Please note that this method will only solve software issues, and NOT hardware issues.

What you need:

• your "broken" iPod
• a friend's working iPod of the same Generation (make sure your friend's iPod music/files are backed up elsewhere before proceeding
• a computer with the latest iPod updater
• guitar picks (0.5mm and 0.6mm gauges)

What to do:

1. open your iPod as well as your friend's iPod using the guitar picks.
Here is a very handy video that shows how this is done, except using their tools instead of the guitar picks. the proceedure is still the same, though. Begin with the 0.5mm pick, inserting at the chrome/white seam on the ipod, pushing the pick's edge towards the chrome. This is because the chrome back of the iPod wraps around the white plastic.

now work your way around the edge, and you should now be able to fit the 0.6mm pick into the seam. work this 0.6mm pick around the ipod, just like in the video.

keep following the video's instructions up to and including the removal of the hard drive.

2. swap hard drives
In doing this step, you will want to take the hard drive (HDD) out of your broken ipod, and connect it to your friend's working iPod. you now need to put your friend's ipod (now with your broken HDD installed) into disk mode. (you do not necessarily need to close the ipod up before doing this)

once in disk mode, mount the ipod in the ipod updater, and restore the ipod.

3. return the now-fixed drive to your broken ipod
now that your broken HDD has been restored, you can return it to your broken ipod. install the fixed drive, and close the ipod back up.

now mount your broken ipod with the now-fixed HDD in the ipod updater. restore the ipod.

your once broken iPod is now fixed!!!

4. be nice to your friend!!
return your friend's ipod HDD back to it's original ipod housing, and restore the ipod.

if you have any questions regarding this procedure, please post them here

Jason

[baggss]

NICE! Glad you were able to get it worked out!

[enjoilax]

just a question:

Why couldn't you take his system files, and just replace yours with his?

or was that done because of the iPod Wizard thinger?

[stinkiedmb]

well....

once i had tried just about everything to fix the iPod including:

• formatting the drive in FAT32
• mounting in disk mode on a PC and on a MAC
• running diagnostic mode to find any help within
• using the MAC disk utility to put a mirror image of my sister's iPod onto mine
• formatting the drive in HFS
• formatting the drive in FAT32 again

at this point, the 3 partitions that exist on the iPod had been consolidated to one. when turned on, the iPod had the Folder/! + apple loop, and i could only mount the iPod in My Computer while it was in disk mode.

so, with the advice of a friend who had encountered the same issue a little while back, i got ahold of a friend's iPod, some guitar picks, and i went to work.

now i couldn't be happier

[Bflip]

Anyone else try this?

I think I'll do it tomorrow with my friend's iPod.

[dutch4002]

when you remove te hardrive, and attach it again, couyld this possibly fix any hard drive problems that t had before? like i have the hole "drive not ready check for open door" would this help out, by removing the hard drive and doing this?

[stinkiedmb]

Originally posted by dutch4002
when you remove te hardrive, and attach it again, couyld this possibly fix any hard drive problems that t had before? like i have the hole "drive not ready check for open door" would this help out, by removing the hard drive and doing this?

i really don't know if this method will solve your problem...

your issue may have been addressed elsewhere in the forums. try a search.

[dutch4002]

ive tried searching, im a newbie to here, but if you have seen a solution can you PLEASE PASS IT ON TO ME im about to die over my ipod

[efish]

Do you think it is okay to do it if I have a 3G 30GB and my friend have a 3G 15G? I'm planning to do it..
Thank you.
-efish <><

[stinkiedmb]

efish,

yes. i did my repair using a 3rd gen 15GB and a 3rd gen 20GB. as long as your iPod generations match up (so that each iPod receives the same firmware from the updater), youre fine.

good luck!

[efish]

All right!
It worked! My iPod was really messed up, but it's okay now Thank you so much stinkiedmb!
I was really scared when I opened it up, but everything went very well actually!
Thanks again
-efish <><

[BJB4735]

hey, I had this same problem last night after using the ipodwizard. However, I just popped in the cd that came with my ipod, and went through all the installers and stuff, and it worked. My ipod, mini, was recognized. I dont know if that helps anyone, but w/e.

[newbie455]

Does anyone know if this will work with a nano? I assume you just switch the ram as oppose to the HD?

[stinkiedmb]

good luck switching the RAM... it's soldered to the board. the HDD in the traditional ipods is a simple connector, and is not permanently connected as the nano's RAM is.

[newbie455]

Then I guess there is nothing I can do?