My iPod broke this week. Its an iPod Classic, and I use a Mac. It got stuck on the “apple logo” screen, and wouldn’t let me see any menus or play any music. If I connected it to the computer, nothing happened.
I learned how to “hard reset” it, by holding down the middle and top buttons (select and menu) until it resets. I learned how to put it into disc mode by holding down the middle and bottom buttons (select and play). Neither helped. Although, when in disc mode, the computer could see the ipod as a usb drive, but iTune couldn’t see it.
All internet search and forum options failed me. Most of them were for windows or iPhones. Nothing specific to my needs after days of searching…
Until some awesome youtube commenter, called M. Owens suggested that if you close down iTunes, connect the ipod to the computer then do a hard reset and just never let go of the buttons, it would reset itself two or three times until iTunes opened up and reacted and asked you to download iPod restorer, and this would fix the ipod.
I did, and it did. Hooray!
Just thought I’d leave this here in case anybody else has the same problem.
So that’s connect to computer while iTunes is closed. Hold down the middle and top button of the click-wheel and DON’T LET GO. Wait a while for iTunes to prompt a download, click “restore” when the option becomes available et voila, a few minutes later, zombie iPod back from the dead!
Thank you Mr. Owens. A round of applause is due!
PS. Its an important step to RENAME your iPod once its been restored, before ejecting the iPod from the computer… and its advisable to just add one album the first time, eject the iPod once that’s synched, and check if the ipod is fixed by playing a song from that album. This will save you time if it is still broke and you wasted 2 hours synching all your music. Once you know its working, then go back and add more music.