Broken ipod :-( Fixed ipod :-) Source

October 10, 2007 Markdown source

1---
2title: 'Broken ipod :-( Fixed ipod :-)'
3date: '2007-10-10'
4published_at: '2007-10-10T17:50:00.000+10:00'
5tags: ['apple', 'ipod', 'mac']
6author: 'Gavin Jackson'
7excerpt: 'My ipod stopped working today (as I was mowing the lawn listening to Lily Allen) - it''s been playing up for a few weeks now so I wasn''t overly surprised. I tried all of the self fixit articles on the...'
8updated_at: '2007-10-10T18:01:54.542+10:00'
9legacy_url: 'http://www.gavinj.net/2007/10/broken-ipod-fixed-ipod.html'
10---
11
12My ipod stopped working today (as I was mowing the lawn listening to Lily Allen) - it's been playing up for a
13
14few weeks now so I wasn't overly surprised. I tried all of the self fixit articles on the apple support site (which the ipod actually refers you to when it fails to boot).
15
16My guess is that it's a bung hard drive - it's a 40gb 4th Gen iPod - so I started looking for howtos on replacing the hard drive in the ipod. I found [this story](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod).
17
18Looks like a pretty straight forward process.
19
20I then started reading the comments and found the following thread:
21
221.  Steve Says:
23
24[December 30th, 2005 at 7:29 pm](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1136)
25
26I had the same problem with my 40GB 4G ipod not starting. I tried everything else, and the found these posts. After reading, I tried “smacking” the ipod.
27
28It actually did work.
29
30I held it in my left hand with the click wheel up, and with as much force as I could, smacked the side of it with my right hand
31
322.  Dave Says:
33
34[December 30th, 2005 at 8:33 pm](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1137)
35
36Wow, Tried everything to get my 6 month old IPOD 60G working. Just smacked it on the back twice and it works like a champ. Thanks
37
381.  Brian Says:
39
40[January 1st, 2006 at 12:58 am](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1142)
41
42I just tried smacking my ipod like others had suggested and it worked. I was doubtful at first but ran out of options. one smack and presto.
43
441.  CoRay Says:
45
46[January 2nd, 2006 at 6:27 am](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1149)
47
48Another satisfied IPOD spanker. My IPOD started randomly messing up, but all the built-in diagnostics passed. I was having EXTREMELY long syncs that would ofter lock up my itunes and the CPU to some degree. It was definitely the IPOD b/c it happend the same on multiple CPUs.
49
50Anyway, I turned it off, and gave it a couple of firm slaps, and violla! Seems to be working. I can’t believe I have found any other threads on the “ball&peen;” method of fixing ipods. But thanks!
51
522.  Raff Says:
53
54[January 2nd, 2006 at 8:53 pm](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1152)
55
56Stan, you are the man! I can’t believe it worked!
57
583.  ciaran Says:
59
60[January 3rd, 2006 at 4:53 pm](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1157)
61
62Add another name to the list of happy slappers! My iPod clapped out recently, only a week after warranty. Horrible clicks and folder icons are no more, following a hearty slap on the back.
63
64and it goes on and on and on... Oh yeah, and the crazy thing is - it actually worked for me!!!
65
66
67

---
title: 'Broken ipod :-( Fixed ipod :-)'
date: '2007-10-10'
published_at: '2007-10-10T17:50:00.000+10:00'
tags: ['apple', 'ipod', 'mac']
author: 'Gavin Jackson'
excerpt: 'My ipod stopped working today (as I was mowing the lawn listening to Lily Allen) - it''s been playing up for a few weeks now so I wasn''t overly surprised. I tried all of the self fixit articles on the...'
updated_at: '2007-10-10T18:01:54.542+10:00'
legacy_url: 'http://www.gavinj.net/2007/10/broken-ipod-fixed-ipod.html'
---

My ipod stopped working today (as I was mowing the lawn listening to Lily Allen) - it's been playing up for a

few weeks now so I wasn't overly surprised. I tried all of the self fixit articles on the apple support site (which the ipod actually refers you to when it fails to boot).

My guess is that it's a bung hard drive - it's a 40gb 4th Gen iPod - so I started looking for howtos on replacing the hard drive in the ipod. I found [this story](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod).

Looks like a pretty straight forward process.

I then started reading the comments and found the following thread:

1.  Steve Says:

[December 30th, 2005 at 7:29 pm](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1136)

I had the same problem with my 40GB 4G ipod not starting. I tried everything else, and the found these posts. After reading, I tried “smacking” the ipod.

It actually did work.

I held it in my left hand with the click wheel up, and with as much force as I could, smacked the side of it with my right hand

2.  Dave Says:

[December 30th, 2005 at 8:33 pm](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1137)

Wow, Tried everything to get my 6 month old IPOD 60G working. Just smacked it on the back twice and it works like a champ. Thanks

1.  Brian Says:

[January 1st, 2006 at 12:58 am](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1142)

I just tried smacking my ipod like others had suggested and it worked. I was doubtful at first but ran out of options. one smack and presto.

1.  CoRay Says:

[January 2nd, 2006 at 6:27 am](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1149)

Another satisfied IPOD spanker. My IPOD started randomly messing up, but all the built-in diagnostics passed. I was having EXTREMELY long syncs that would ofter lock up my itunes and the CPU to some degree. It was definitely the IPOD b/c it happend the same on multiple CPUs.

Anyway, I turned it off, and gave it a couple of firm slaps, and violla! Seems to be working. I can’t believe I have found any other threads on the “ball&peen;” method of fixing ipods. But thanks!

2.  Raff Says:

[January 2nd, 2006 at 8:53 pm](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1152)

Stan, you are the man! I can’t believe it worked!

3.  ciaran Says:

[January 3rd, 2006 at 4:53 pm](http://www.notpopular.com/blogs/josh/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod#comment-1157)

Add another name to the list of happy slappers! My iPod clapped out recently, only a week after warranty. Horrible clicks and folder icons are no more, following a hearty slap on the back.

and it goes on and on and on... Oh yeah, and the crazy thing is - it actually worked for me!!!