<p>My beloved ipod video, which I’ve had for 3+ years, is sad. I have followed the directions on the apple website for dealing with the sad face but ipod is not completely better. Tonight, I took ipod to the apple store, and the diagnosis was a likely hard drive problem. Which apple does not fix (but they’d be happy to sell me a new one).</p>
<p>Ideas about what to do next? I really do not want a new ipod but I don’t know how to go about getting this one fixed. Does anyone know of a reputable place that will repair an ipod video?</p>
<p>I suspect that replacing the hard drive (if there’s someone who would do it), would probably cost almost as much as purchasing a new ipod. We’ve had great luck getting ipods on ebay…especially from audiophiles who always want the latest, greatest models and sell their “old” ones.</p>
<p>Last year, D’s ipod went belly-up. (I can’t remember what its symptoms were). She took it to the Apple store (after reading online that she was probably SOL). The front-line tech sent her to the “super” tech on duty. He took it and rapped it with all his might on the edge of the counter. It worked for a couple more days, but then it died again. (He warned her his “fix” may work for 10 minutes or a few months)…</p>
<p>I did this to my iPod (I didn’t hit it against the counter, though, but it hit hard with my hand) and it worked for a few more months. I actually googled the problem and found that it had worked for other people (one person actually threw his across the room in frustration and it started working again). I figured that since the iPod wasn’t working in the first place, hitting it couldn’t make anything worse. Also, if it doesn’t work being hit in one direction – turn it over and try hitting it on the other side.</p>
<p>Apple will take the old one as a trade-in on a new one…I don’t remember how much they giver you.
Note: the reason you might want to get it to work temporarily is so you could copy off any files you might have on there, if you were using it as an external hard drive.</p>
<p>D had to trade hers in in late Jan./early Feb. I think the Apple store gave her 10% off, but I think you can get that anyway with a student discount. They had “repaired” it for her with the same caveat of no telling how long it would work and it worked less than 48 hours.</p>
<p>In this day and age, an electronic that last 3+ years is doing well. Most small electronics are disposable now, meaning it doesn’t pay to have them repaired.</p>
<p>Bite the bullet and get a new one. There are new features I bet you will like.</p>
<p>I suspect that Apple makes their Ipods with the intention of making them either obsolete within a short period of time.
Or, they will die completely so you must upgrade to the newest model</p>
<p>Open it up and reseat the cable on the hard drive. 9 times out of 10 that’s all it needs. Google for how to open them. It’s pretty easy with a thin credit card.</p>
<p>I suggest iresq, the Apple recommended repair service. I had my motherboard replaced +/- 18 months ago. No problems since. S had new batt installed in his very old (w/4 buttons) ipod at same time. Both work well. Plus, it is lots cheaper than a new ipod, unless of course, you really want a new ipod.</p>
<p>i would suggest buying a new ipod and getting the insurance from best buy. seriously i had so many problems from my ipods and they would just trade them in for new ones. happened like 7 or 8 times. such a good deal</p>
<p>oh and when mine used to have this problem i used to bang it really hard on something to reset the cable (opening it scared me because i might mess something up). it ALWAYS fixed it.</p>
<p>Send it to me with $100 to buy a new hard drive and I’ll fix it for you But seriously, if you’re hearing and feeling clicking sounds when it’s trying to start up and when it goes to the sad face, then it probably is the hard drive. I fixed mine myself, but there’s a couple of companies online that will fix it for you if you send it off to them…it’s probably almost cheaper in the long run just to buy a new one though.</p>
<p>S’s three year old I-pod went into the clicking mode, not working. Roommate who is engineering major, into all the electronics, checked it out, said it was the hard drive and not worth repairing. Costco has good deals on new I-pods.</p>
<p>My son has wanted an ipod since day one. I have told him the perils of the portable hard drive. And I told him that by the time he graduates college (2011) that they would have flash drive players at the capacity of the current HD models. I think they are up to 8 GB flash models so I’m confident in 3 more years it will be up to 32 gb on a flash player. I intend to get him one as a graduation present.</p>
<p>My iPod was giving me a file with a line thru it. Wouldn’t charge, disconnect, play, etc. I had it with me at Circuit City when I was buying something else and mentioned it to the salesman, he took it to the “technician” in the back who told me it was hopeless, probably had a virus, and I needed a new one. I bought one but didn’t take it out of the box. The next week I went to the Apple store to look at Mac Books. Told the salesman my tale of iPod woe, and I just happened to have it with me. He hooked it up, did something to it, told me how to basically wipe it out and start over with it at home. I followed his instructions, now it works fine. For free. And since the iTunes library lives on the computer and not on the iPod, I didn’t lose anything. Score one for the Apple store.</p>
<p>I gave the new iPod from Circuit City to DH for Christmas. He never had one before, never wanted one… now he loves his iPod. Filled it up (4G), takes it everywhere.</p>
<p>sueinphilly: wow your son is going to get an ipod as a gift for his college graduation in 2011? why doesn’t he just buy one if he’s wanted one so bad? seems like an awfully long time to get an ipod. plus i dont think the newer ones will have the ability to be read as harddrives. i hate that about the new iPod Touch. but yea apple will most likely get to 64gb by next year in flash memory. i’d wait out till then.</p>
But seriously, if you’re hearing and feeling clicking sounds when it’s trying to start up and when it goes to the sad face, then it probably is the hard drive. I fixed mine myself, but there’s a couple of companies online that will fix it for you if you send it off to them…it’s probably almost cheaper in the long run just to buy a new one though.</p>