Ipod froze, now always has sad face

i was listening in the car and changed the song. I noticed no song was playing and that the ipod had froze. I did the manual reset and when it rebooted a screen came up and told me to visit support. I hae done everything instructed on the site. please help me
i have a 60gb video ipod

See these troubleshooting articles.
My iPod is sad.
What does this picture on my iPod mean?
Also, there is a pretty comprehensive post written by another forum member which is about the sad iPod icon. Be aware that it's quite involved and contains some info that will almost certainly void the warranty. If your iPod is still within the warranty period, you should use that option first.
The Sad iPod icon.
You can arrange online service here.
Service request.

Similar Messages

Ipod has sad face & other things HELP!

my ipod won't do anything! it froze and then a sad face ipod popped up! i tried restoring it but the updater keeps saying, "can't mount iPod" and my iPod, meanwhile, has the apple logo on the screen constantly and then it flashes and the sad face pops up, and then a battery comes up even tho it says the battery is full! i have no idea what 2 do! HELP

Sad iPod face
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61771

Usic.. Nomy Ipod keeps going back to sad face... it wont power on, enter menu, play mthing. Does anybody else have this problem? This is about Ipod Classic/older version

my Ipod keeps going back to sad face... it wont power on, enter menu, play music,nothing. Does anybody else have this problem? This is about Ipod Classic/older version

+I tried various troubleshooting steps and each time when plugging the iPod in Itunes it starts up and it takes maybe 1 minute trying to recognize it when the computer crashes and reboots automatically going to the black screen and doing a file dump.+
I'm curious about this point. Is there any flash of a blue screen at any point here? (That's a more familiar sort of thing to be seeing prior to the system doing a restart after a serious error.)

Ipod has sad face

ipod has a sad face how do you reset

just go into itunes and click on your ipod then click restore - you might be able to fix it without reseting it though (this won't clear all your data off) toggle the hold switch on and off, then press and hold the centre button for 6secs - then the apple logo should come up. if this doesn't work just restore it on your pc. pls put this as correct answer

30g vid ipod froze, now showing multiple icons and unable to restart

today while mowing the lawn (which i listen to music doing) my ipod froze. i dropped it on the grass earlier, and there wasn't any dirt on it but i got worried I restart it with menu+select and then the ipod/support sad face pops up. so i finish mowing the lawn, go inside and plug my ipod into my computer naturally to see if it pops up. Well, my ipod restarts itself, the support icon shows up again, and then the charging icon pops up, replacing the sadface ipod. The charging battery logo will blink a couple of times and after a minute or so it restarts again, sadface, charge, and goes the process again! The funny thing is, that there was plenty of battery life when i was listening to it!! over half for sure. I've only had my ipod for 3 months and it has a good case. only been dropped twice. i'm very upset with this and i'd appreciate some help . maybe it needs some charging but i realy need some advice.
thanks
-PJTalls

Try keeping it plugged into your computer for awhile, I had a similar problem and it just took time to resolve. If all else fails, restore your ipod.
kEat0n

Serviced ipod comes back with a sad-face icon

I recently had my 4th generation clickwheel ipod serviced, because it had a harddrive issue. iTunes had randomly failed to write a song to the ipod, whereupon the ipod decided it would no longer start correctly, or be recognized by the PC correctly. In the periods of time that the iPod would try to start back up, and while it is connected to the computer, the iPod just whirrs, then clicks and stops, whirrs, clicks and stops, over and over and over again. It was basically overheating while doing this, and thus it was rendered useless. This was the second iPod that I had, as the first one's touch scrollwheel randomly quit.
So after 20 days of this second iPod, i sent it back after a phone call to tech support that made them waive the fee.
So... now I get the iPod back, looks brand new, but I don't think they did anything to it... other than maybe swap out the case. The hard drive keeps clicking and whirring, only NOW... it won't respond at all to being plugged in with it's power adapter or the PC. At all. It just starts up with it's click and whir noises, and then shows me the sad-face icon.
please, nobody tell me to use the ipod updater to restore the ipod, and nobody tell me to try resetting the ipod via the hold switch and then the menu and select buttons. You can trust me that I've tried all the typical ways of making the iPod do what I paid $360.51 to make it do. But no.
What I am curious of, is...
Is there any way to have the iPod get back on it's feet, without sending it back in? I've literally had it for 2 days, waiting to bring it back home so that I could begin putting my music back on it, but when I start it up for the first time, it does this to me, and I can't connect it to the PC. I know that the iPod starts off being mac-formatted, but last time, it would at least TELL me that, and ask me if I wanted to format it for the PC environment.
Is there any self-help hope? Or should I just call tech support (AGAIN coughcough) and become another disgruntled customer?
I'm a patient guy, and I understand that tech gadgets have issues sometimes... but dang. If I in fact service this iPod, I'll be getting my 4th one in hopes that it will work. I'm willing to try some random crap in order to make it work?
Any idea for random crap that I could try?

hehe, yeah, i meant to come back and update the topic with what i'm doing
I called apple tech support line again and went through a normal process to figure out the issue.
well..
they tell me that i can only use this line once in order to have it serviced, so he's not sure he can do anything since i've already "used" my one service request.
well, i'm all over that. i told him my issue anyway, giving him the dumbed-down version, which is "hey, you sent me a broken ipod" or something like that. so, he's setting up the box the be shipped to me and was going to charge me the $31.50 or whatever, but i threw a dignified fit over that, since, well, it's THEIR problem that they sent me a busted piece of sillyness. anyway, he puts me on hold after waiving the charge, but another guy (a "product specialist") picks up my line and reviews the problem with me.
okay, here's the climax of the story
he tells me that since i've been having so many fatal issues with the ipod that renders the hardware useless, they are going to upgrade me to an updated model.
I was happy, but i was thinking that they were going to send me on my way with a 40gb or something.
nope.
(it's better than that)
he told me that since they don't make the model that i currently have, they're going to send me a 20gb photo ipod as the replacement product.
had he been standing in front of me i would have tried to hug him or something!
so, my efforts have been muchly worth it, though, there's a bit more of a process you have to go through. the tech asks for your info, like address, email, yada yada, and he gives you a case number. then, 2 or 3 days later i got an email containing a link for an online shipping label that i had to print and slap onto an old service box. i had to send the ipod to them, but then call back the rep and give him my case number and tracking number. i'm currently awaiting some sort of confirmation over the issue, but he's told me earlier that once they confirm that the ipod is contained in the package and that it is in fact on it's way, they'll have the apple store ship me a brand new packaged 20gb photo ipod.
if at first you don't succeed, try try again. and again. and again. and one more time for good measure.

I was trying to restore ipod touch now it has itune connect symbol and wont connect

I was trying to restore my ipod and something happened now it has come up with itunes connection symbol and wont do anything now

- Let the battery fully drain. After charging for an hur try a reset:
Reset iPod touch: Hold down the On/Off button and the Home button at the same time for at
least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
- Tehn connect to your computer and restore via iTunes is necessary.
- If you still have the white screen it is time for an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store.

IPod classic 5th gen. with sad face goes into disk mode but wont register in itunes

I have an iPod classic 5th gen. A while ago it stopped working and the sad faced iPod started showing up. i've tried putting it into disk mode but when i do it wont pop up into itunes like it should and as soon as i unplug it the sad face appears again. is there anyway to fix it or is it done?

There is a pretty comprehensive post written by another forum member which is about the sad iPod icon. You may find it useful.
The Sad iPod/folder and ! icon.
Btw, there's no such thing as a "4th generation 20gb classic." Your iPod is a 4th gen and not an iPod classic which is a completely different model.

Look Here if Your Ipod has Sad Face

If you have this problem, try reinstall the ipod updates. You can do this by going to this website http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/ and downloading the correct file that is associated with your ipod. When you run the software, there is a restore button. THIS WILL DELETE EVERYTHING ON YOUR IPOD! If worst comes to worst I would delete it because you can get back all the data from wherever you got the songs from. This should restart your ipod to factory defaults. All should be fine then.

Or best just to follow the Apple article here, which contains extra info.
What to do about the sad iPod icon.

IPOD froze now says "Connected Eject before disconnecting"

Error connection came up-now ipod is locked saying Connected Eject before disconnecting. Computer does not recognize ipod. How can I unlock the ipod or get my computer to recognize it?

Im also having this problem, it used to work fine, then one day just came up with this CONNECTED EJECT BEFORE DISCONNECTING message when USB plugged in and Itunes does not recognise the IPOD so I cant disconnect it.
I have tried re-setting it (several times).
Have tried downloading latest software
Have tried letting battery run totally flat
Tried re-booting computer
Tried going into MY COMPUTER and ejecting from my devices but its frozen out
Any help much appreciated as its new but totally useless now

Ipod crashed after update shows sad face will apple replace?

The warranty is over, im kinda confused.

Of course not. If it's really a Mini, try replacing the hard-drive. Checkout what I did at: http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/setup/loudspeakers/iPodMiniUpgrade.php

IPod 3G Shows Sad-Face, Won't Let Me Do Five R's, just has a whirring sound

everytime i try to turn on my ipod, it just shows the sad face and has a faint whirring sound behind it, kinda like:
whirrrrrr(click)........whirrrrrr(click)........whirrrrrr(click)........
does this for a min. then turns off, can anybody help me?
(the ipod is the last monochromatic one before they went color, which i'm just about sure is the 3G)
thanks for any help!

Hello,
If a sad iPod icon or an exclamation point and folder icon appears on your iPod’s screen, or with sounds of clicking or HD whirring, it is usually the sign of a hard drive problem and you have the power to do something about it now. Your silver bullet of resolving your iPod issue – is to restore your iPod to factory settings.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60983
If you're having trouble, try these steps at different levels one at a time until the issue is resolved. These steps will often whip your iPod back into shape.
Make sure you do all the following “TRYs”
A. Try to wait 30 minutes while iPod is charging.
B. Try another FireWire or USB through Dock Connector cable.
C. Try another FireWire or USB port on your computer .
D. Try to disconnect all devices from your computer's FireWire and USB ports.
E. Try to download and install the latest version of iPod software and iTunes
http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
In case you need an old versions (window only)
http://www.ipodwizard.net/showthread.php?t=7369
F. Try these five steps (known as the five Rs) and it would conquer most iPod issues.
http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs/
G. Try to put the iPod into Disk Mode if it fails to appear on the desktop
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93651
If none of these steps address the issue, you may need to go to Intermediate level listed below in logical order. Check from the top of the lists to see if that is what keeping iPod from appearing on your computer in order for doing the Restore.
Intermediate Level
A. Try to connect your iPod with another computer with the iPod updater pre-installed.
B. Still can’t see your iPod, put it in Disk Mode and connect with a computer, instead of doing a Restore on iPod Updater. Go and format the iPod instead.
For Mac computer
1. Open the disk utility, hope your iPod appears there (left hand side), highlight it
2. Go to Tab “Partition”, click either “Delete” or “Partition”, if fails, skip this step and go to 3
3. Go to Tab “Erase” , choose Volume Format as “MAC OS Extended (Journaled), and click Erase, again if fails, skip it and go to 4
4. Same as step 3, but open the “Security Options....” and choose “Zero Out Data” before click Erase. It will take 1 to 2 hours to complete.
5. Eject your iPod and do a Reset
6. Open the iPod Updater and click “Restore”
For Window computer
Go to folder “My Computer”
Hope you can see your iPod there and right click on the iPod
Choose “Format”. Ensure the settings are at “Default” and that “Quick Format” is not checked
Now select “Format”
Eject your iPod and do a Reset
Open the iPod Updater and click “Restore”
In case you do not manage to do a “Format” on a window computer, try to use some 3rd party disk utility software, e.g.“HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool”.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=501330&tstart=0
C. Windows users having trouble with their iPods should locate a Mac user. In many cases when an iPod won't show up on a PC that it will show up on the Mac. Then it can be restored. When the PC user returns to his computer the iPod will be recognized by the PC, reformatted for the PC, and usable again. By the way, it works in reverse too. A Mac user often can get his iPod back by connecting it to a PC and restoring it.
Tips
a. It does not matter whether the format is completed or not, the key is to erase (or partly) the corrupted firmware files on the Hard Drive of the iPod. After that, when the iPod re-connected with a computer, it will be recognized as an fresh external hard drive, it will show up on the iPod updater.
b. It is not a difficult issue for a Mac user to find a window base computer, for a PC user, if they can’t find any Mac user, they can go to a nearest Apple Shop for a favor.
c. You may need to switch around the PC and Mac, try to do several attempts between “Format” and “Restore”
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2364921&#2364921
Advance Level
A. Diagnostic mode solution
If you have tried trouble shooting your iPod to no avail after all the steps above, chances are your iPod has a hardware problem. The iPod's built-in Diagnostic Mode is a quick and easy way to determine if you have a "bad" iPod.
You need to restart your iPod before putting it into Diagnostic Mode. Check that your hold switch is off by sliding the switch away from the headphone jack. Toggle it on and off to be safe.
Press and hold the following combination of buttons simultaneously for approximately 10 seconds to reset the iPod.
iPod 1G to 3G: "Menu" and "Play/Pause"
iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): "Menu" and "Select"
The Apple logo will appear and you should feel the hard drive spinning up. Press and hold the following sequence of buttons:
iPod 1G to 3G: "REW", "FFW" and "Select"
iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): "Back" and "Select"
You will hear an audible chirp sound (3G models and higher) and the Apple logo should appear backwards. You are now in Diagnostic Mode. Navigate the list of tests using "REW" and "FFW". The scroll wheel will not function while in diagnostic mode. For further details on Diagnostic mode can be found at http://www.methodshop.com/mp3/ipodsupport/diagnosticmode/
Try to do the 5in1, HDD R/W and HDD scan tests. Some successful cases have been reported after the running the few tests under the Diagnostic mode. In case it does not work in your case, and the scan tests reports show some errors then it proves your iPod has a hardware problem and it needs a repairing service.
B. Format your iPod with a start disk
I have not tried this solution myself, I heard that there were few successful cases that the users managed to get their iPod (you must put your iPod in disk mode before connecting with a computer) mounted by the computer, which was booted by a system startup disk. For Mac, you can use the Disk Utility (on the Tiger OS system disk), for PC user, you can use the window OS system disk. Try to find a way to reformat your iPod, again it does not matter which format (FAT32, NTFS or HFS+) you choose, the key is to erase the corrupted system files on the iPod. Then eject your iPod and do a Reset to switch out from Disk Mode. Reboot your computer at the normal way, connect your iPod back with it, open the iPod updater, and hopefully your iPod will appear there for the Restore.
If none of these steps address the issue, your iPod may need to be repaired.
Consider setting up a mail-in repair for your iPod http://depot.info.apple.com/ipod/
Or visit your local Apple Retail Store http://www.apple.com/retail/
In case your iPod is no longer covered by the warranty and you want to find a second repairing company, you can try iPodResQ at your own risk
http://www.ipodresq.com/index.php
Just in case that you are at the following situation
Your iPod warranty is expired
You don’t want to pay any service charges
You are prepared to buy a new one
You can’t accept the re-sell value of your broken iPod
Rather than leave your iPod as paper-weight or throw it away.
You can try the following, but again, only do it as your last resort and at your own risk.
Warning !!!! – It may or may not manage to solve your problem, and with a risk that you may further damage your iPod, which end up as an expensive paper weight or you need to pay more higher repairing cost. Therefore, please re-consider again whether you want to try the next level
Last Resort Level
1. . Disconnecting the Hard Drive and battery inside the iPod – Warning !! Your iPod warranty will be waived once you open the iPod.
In Hong Kong there are some electronic shops offering an iPod service for Sad iPod, the first thing they do is to open up the iPod’s case and disconnecting the battery and the Hard Drive from the main board of the iPod. Wait for 5-10 minutes and reconnecting them back. The reason behind which I can think of is to do a fully reset of a processor of the iPod. In case you want do it itself and you believe that you are good on fixing the electronics devices and have experience to deal with small bits of electronic parts, then you can read the following of how to open the iPod case for battery and HDD replacement (with Quicktimes)
http://eshop.macsales.com/tech_center/index.cfm?page=Video/directory.html
2.Press the reset button on the Hard Drive inside the iPod – Suggestion from Kill8joy
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2438774#2438774
Have I tried these myself? No, I am afraid to do it myself as I am squeamish about tinkering inside electronic devices, I have few experiences that either I broke the parts (which are normally tiny or fragile) or failed to put the parts back to the main case. Therefore, I agree with suggestion to have it fixed by a Pro.
2. Do a search on Google and some topics on this discussion forum about “Sad iPod”
Exclamation point and folder and nothing else
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2997880
What should I do with my iPod? Send it or keep it?
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=469080&tstart=0
Strange error on iPod (probably death)
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=435160&start=0&tstart=0
Sad Face on iPod for no apparent reason
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=336342&start=0&tstart=0
Meeting the Sad iPod icon
http://askpang.typepad.com/relevanthistory/2004/11/meeting_thesad.html#comment-10519524
Sad faced iPod, but my computer won’t recognize it?
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2236095#2236095
iPod Photo: unhappy icon + warranty question
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2233746#2233746
4th Gen iPod Users - are we all having the same problem?
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=2235623#2235623
Low Battery, and clicking sounds
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2237714#2237714
Sad faced iPod, but my computer won’t recognize it
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2242018#2242018
Sad iPod solution
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=412033&tstart=0
Re: try to restore ipod and it says "can't mount ipod"
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=443659&tstart=30
iPod making clicking noise and is frozen
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2420150#2420150
I am not suggesting that you should follow as well, but just read them as your reference. You are the person to make the call.

Possible Solution to Frozen iPod, iTunes not responding and sad folder

There may be hope for frozen iPods, unresponsive iTunes and sad folders. This solution is totally anecdotal at this point as it only has worked on my iPod. However, try it you got nothing to lose. Our iPods broken right? It's a $300 paper weight right?
History
My iPod 4G 20GB started skipping songs then rebooted and gave me the sad folder. I reset and everything went downhill from there. I would:
- not be recognized in My Computer
-when I did get a drive on My Computer it would lock up My Computer
-reboot and either give me sad folder or Menu with no songs
-refuse to be updated
-be seen in Device Manager as ipod both with Firewire and USB connections
I read through the many threads here and tried all Apple's Solutions to no avail. I even called and they told me, very nicely and free of charge, that I would have to send it in and because the repair price was such to "look at the new models to see which one I wold like". I was totally bummed. I went and bought an new Nano 4GB (with warranty this time) swearing I would never buy another with a HDD again until they became more reliable. I even tried the smack it to get the disk head unstuck method. I figure my iPod was a paper weight at this point so what the ****.(Oddly this method works rather well with all sorts of broken electronics)
Solution
Then I cam across this special Diganostics Mode that you can get to by resetting and then while the Apple is showing pressing the Select and backwards keys simultaneously. It bring up and weird Diagnostic utility witha a abunch of tests. Here is what I did
- I tried the 5in1 test and got and error on Firewire.
- I did the HDD R/W and surprisingly it passed.
- I went on to the HDD scan. This supposedly tkaes acouple of minute so I waited. I think 4-5 dots appeared then nothing. The iPod started to get hot. THe disk was spinning away. After a while the battery got very low. THis test chews up the battery. So I escaped out by resetting and went to connect it to a power source.
My USB was dangling out of my computer and I was too lazy to get the Firewire AC adapter thing going so I connected expecting the whole lockup thing with iTunes. Surprise. IT was recognized immediately and has been working like a champ. So go figure.
iPod 4G 20GB Windows XP
Details on Diag mode can be found at http://www.methodshop.com/mp3/ipodsupport/diagnosticmode/index.shtml
hp a330n Windows XP

My ipod only gets the sad logo and whenever I try to start it up I can hear the hard drive trying to start and then failing and it does so like 3 or 4 times. After I read your post I wanted to try that diagnostic thing but I can't get it into that mode. How long should I have to hold select and back? After I reset the ipod, it goes to the sad face, the hard drive seems to fail a few times and then the screen goes blank and stays like that for as long as I hold those buttons. I'm so sick and tired of dealing with a broken ipod but I really want to get this thing working again so I can never buy another Apple product again. Thanks.

Sad Face Displays

Recently, whenever I update my iPod with new songs, I am unable to listen to any other songs without my iPod freezing. Normally, I would restart my iPod, and only receive the sad face a few times until it goes away and I am able to listen to my other songs, but this time the sad face doesn't seem to want to go away.
I don't believe I have a harware problem, as this has never happened before.
Any suggestions?
I'd rather not have to send my iPod in for service.
Thanks.
Dell Windows XP

First try updating iTunes to version 7.0.2. as this article explains.
Error 1418 when restoring any iPod using iTunes 7 or later.
iTunes download.
Also, some people have had success trying the fix mentioned here.
Error 1418.

Sad face on screen

my ipod keeps showing me a sad face on the screen and it wont connect to itunes. I've tried to reset it but everytime i press a button the sad face comes up. Can anyone tell me how to solve this problem?

1. Try these five steps (known as the five Rs) will conquer most iPod issues.
http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs/
2. Try to put the iPod into Disk Mode if it fails to appear on the desktop
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93651
Still can't see your iPod?
Several things could keep iPod from appearing in iTunes or in the Desktop/Finder when you connect it to your PC/Mac. The most likely causes are listed below in logical order. Check each one starting from the top of the list to see if that is what's keeping iPod from appearing.
3. Try to wait 30 minutes while iPod is charging.
4. Try another known-good FireWire or USB through Dock Connector cable.
5. Try another known-good FireWire or USB port on your computer .
6. Try to disconnect all devices from your computer's FireWire and USB ports.
7. Windows users having trouble with their iPods should locate a Mac user. We've found that in many cases when an iPod won't show up on a PC that it will show up on the Mac. Then it can be restored. When the PC user returns to his computer the iPod will be recognized by the PC, reformatted for the PC, and usable again. BTW, it works in reverse too. A Mac user often can get his iPod back by connecting it to a PC and restoring it.
8. Try to do a Erase (Disk Utility) on a Mac computer or a reformat with a PC (Disk Management tool) but ensure you choose the right Drive (your iPod not your Hard Disk of your computer).
9. Try to run the iPod in “Diagnostic mode” . which can be accessed by pushing the “hold” switch into the “on” position and then “off” (into the original position). Then press the following buttons in the following order: “menu” plus “select” (centre button) then press “reverse” plus “select”. This will take you to the hidden diagnostic mode screen menu. It may take a few trials and pressing the buttons in the right way for this to work, so be patient and keep trying if you have to. The diagnostic mode will give you 7 choices which are: Memory, IO, Power, Status, SysCfg, Diskmode, and Reset. Don’t bother trying “reset” because in my case it didn’t work it just took me back to the same problem. Instead, choose “diskmode”, after which you should get an odd looking “ok to disconnect” sign on the iPod screen.
If one of the above step helps to get your iPod to be recognized with your computer, do a Restore.
But, if none of these steps address the issue, your iPod may need to be repaired. You can arrange for service at the iPod Service Website.

Ipod froze, now always has sad face

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