IPod Mini STILL dead, though appearing briefly as a zombie.

Way back on Dec 17, 2007, I wrote
"I have an iPod mini 4GB (Second Generation). It has performed without a hitch up until a couple weeks ago. It's usually left plugged in to its AC adaptor, but had been unpowered -- AND unplayed -- for a week. When I went to use it, I couldn't get anything to show up on the screen. I hooked it up to my PBG4, where it opened in iTunes looking absolutely normal, but no joy on the iPod screen itself. I could transfer songs back and forth between the iPod and iTunes on the PBG4. I tried charging on the AC power adapter. I did the "5Rs" (repeatedly). I dumped all the songs off the iPod and did a reset after doing the hold-button shuffle. Every once in a while, when I did the two-finger reset with the Menu and center buttons, I'd be rewarded with a briefly backlit (?) iPod screen, and once, a quickly-appearing-then-fading Apple logo. Other than those ghostly visitations, no joy whatsoever: the iPod still happily shows up in iTunes, but won't operate on it's own a-tall."
And there the matter rested, until two weeks ago. About 2 months back, I thought I'd try plugging the iPod Mini into the Power Adapter just for old times' sake. Nothing happened, despite another round or seven of the 5Rs, the 4H, and the Aztec 2-Step. I gave up and just left it there.
Imagine my gobsmacked astonishment, then, when 2 weeks ago, passing by the wretched thing, I happened to notice the "full-charge" battery icon on the display screen -- the first sign of life from the display screen since December of 2007. Could it be? I wondered? I hooked it up to my PBG4, and danged if it didn't open iTunes, allow me to add music (and update the software to 1.4.1), and when I disconnected, it played merrily away just as if the financial meltdown had never happened. "Hot diggity!" thought I, an Apple product that actually came back to life after its warranty had long since expired!"
For two weeks, everything was oojah-***-spiff, and I was rockin' out every day to some swell tunes... but yesterday, having done nothing different to it, the Mini once again went into suspended animation, with the exact same behaviors I detailed in December of '07. Once again I did the 5Rs, etc., and -- except for one brief and tantalizing glow of the Mini's display, which faded faster than the Cheshire Cat's grin -- the object seemed as lifeless as Rush Limbaugh's frontal lobe.
The thing still showed up in iTunes (the iPod, not Limbaugh. Brrrrrr....), so I bit the bullet and did a Restore. iTunes dutifully wiped everything out, and left me with the 1.4.1 software, but the iPod still gave no joy. I could put songs on it, but it would not play, period.
What in the Wide, Wide World of Sports is a-goin' on here?
I'd really like to believe someone from Apple will read this, and actually be concerned enough to offer some constructive ideas other than the EAL (Endless Apple Litany) of "Buy a NEW one!" but I'm afraid I'm too old and too Mac-experienced (since my 1988 or '89 IIF) to really believe that will happen. Ahhh, the illusions of one's youth! How bitterly they sting in our Golden Years!
Peace & Love
Bart Brown

Not too sure, but it is the battery needs to be replaced, normally it run around 18 month before a new battery replaced

Similar Messages

  • Ipod Mini seems dead, with occasional twitches suggesting life

    I have an iPod mini 4GB (Second Generation). It has performed without a hitch up until a couple weeks ago. It's usually left plugged in to its AC adaptor, but had been unpowered -- AND unplayed -- for a week. When I went to use it, I couldn't get anything to show up on the screen. I hooked it up to my PBG4, where it opened in iTunes looking absolutely normal, but no joy on the iPod screen itself. I could transfer songs back and forth between the iPod and iTunes on the PBG4. I tried charging on the AC power adapter. I did the "5Rs" (repeatedly). I dumped all the songs off the iPod and did a reset after doing the hold-button shuffle. Every once in a while, when I did the two-finger reset with the Menu and center buttons, I'd be rewarded with a briefly backlit (?) iPod screen, and once, a quickly-appearing-then-fading Apple logo. Other than those ghostly visitations, no joy whatsoever: the iPod still happily shows up in iTunes, but won't operate on it's own a-tall.
    SIDEBAR: Can I make a suggestion, please? When the iPod is ACTIVELY showing in iTunes, how about an iTunes-based iPod battery monitor? Because I have no working screen on my iPod, I don't know if it's charged or dead.
    I've exhausted every tip I could find on the web, except the one about putting the iPod on a cinder block, and dropping ANOTHER cinder block on it from a height of 6 feet or so.
    Can someone help me out here?
    Thanks
    Bart Brown

    Well, at least the response in this discussion forum is fully equal to Apple's customer care AND quality control...
    On the apparently infinitesimal chance that someone actually reads this post, I'll report the latest manifestation of the semi-deceased 2nd gen iPod Mini (meaning mini-lifespan, I guess): after leaving the little metal corpse unplugged from either adapter or USB port for a few days, I plugged the adapter back in last night. Immediately upon plugging in, a faint, evanescent apple logo mockingly showed itself for a second or two, then faded away like the Cheshire cat's grin, and I swear I could hear Steve Jobs' ghostly voice whispering "Just buy another one, sucker!" I heard that same voice saying the same thing when my PBG4 SuperDrive died untimely, and when my wife's SuperDrive, and then her HD, did the same -- all within the space of two months. You gotta hand it to apple: they've got planned obsolescence down to an exact science. Oh, and "service"? You gotta PAY for that, too, sucker. Don't come looking in a FREE forum for help.
    Thanks for your kind help, and have a great iLife.

  • Ipod mini is dead... what should i do now??

    my ipod mini (1st gen got it as soon as it came out so its been ~3 years) gave me the sad face today at the gym and i think its dead. i tried connecting back into dock and it still has sad face and did hard reboot and still sad face. when i connect to my comp, it goes into recharge mode but its stuck at the first part of the recharge mode so it looks frozen and then switches between that and sad face. the hdd is also making loud noises that ive never heard before. i see there are replacement harddrives you can buy for it but will that work? i just replace the hdd and load the ipod firmware? the hdd are like $120 though! and the cheapest nano is like $150. should i try to replace hdd to 8gb or get the new 2gb nano? i was already planning on getting one of the regular 30gb ipods but i need something to work out with and i thought the regular ones might be kinda bulky on my arm to work out with? also as i said, i want to buy a regular 30gb ipod. i am impatient and need music asap and there are these vending machines at my school student center that dispense ipods. should i use this? if i ordered from apple.com it would take several days but i feel kinda weary of buying a $250 item from a vending machine. anyone ever done this?

    Do these show you anything that you haven't tried yet?:
    iPod Doesn’t Appear in iTunes/iPod Sad Icon
    Good Thread About iPod Sad icon/Folder with Exclamation Point
    Another really Good thread About the iPod Sad Face
    I hope this helps!

  • IPod Mini is Dead and will not charge or respond

    My daughter has a 4GB second generation iPod Mini. It has worked fine, other than a few freeze ups every now and then, for several years. Yesterday it stopped working altogether. We have tried charging overnight with the AC charger but still there is no sign of life. Her iMac does not recognize it and we cannot get it to turn on. There is no charging icon when it is plugged in. It appears to be totally dead. Prior to this the battery still had reasonable running life. She would get about 6 to 8 hours of playback time per charge.
    We have tried toggling the "hold" button. Nothing seems to work. I would appreciate any ideas.

    I got tied up and forgot to respond to the earlier post. The iPod Mini is back in working order. While I had tried a reset procedure before and got no where, I tried it again. Finally on the third attempt the "apple" logo appeared and all was well. Since I had not gotten any response from the Mini the first time I tried a reset, I assumed that the resetting procedure would not work. So a good lesson to this is to attempt re-setting several times if it does not work the first time.
    Thanks to all that took the time to contribute.
    iMac Mac OS X (10.4.4)

  • Ipod mini battery dead?????

    My ipod mini refuses to turn on or be recognised by my PC, the screen displays a battery sign next to an exclamation mark......what does this mean???
    ipod mini   Windows XP  

    Is this what you see?
    Means the battery needs charging. Leave it plugged in for at least 30 minutes.
    If it is still there, read this -> http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60941

  • Old ipod mini A1051 doesn't appear in itunes

    When I plug my old Ipod Mini into Mac it doesn't appear in Itunes, but it works otherwise and charges off the cable I'm using can anyone help?

    Hello jackleaves,
    After reviewing your post, I have located an article that can help in this situation. It contains a number of troubleshooting steps and helpful advice concerning iPod issues:
    iTunes: iPod not recognized in iTunes and Mac desktop
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1410
    Thank you for contributing to Apple Support Communities.
    Cheers,
    BobbyD

  • My iPod mini's dead...Please help!!!!

    Hi,
    I bought a 4gb iPod mini barely 5 months back. The other day as the battery drained completely i connected it to my laptop to charge it. But somehow my iPod is not responding at all. its like dead. i have followed all the instructions
    1) Reset the iPod (release hols and keep toggling it)
    2) Restarted my laptop
    3) pressed the "select" button for more than a minute
    4) tried connecting to another laptop
    5) ran latest iPod update 2005/10/12
    6) testing on spare USB. Infact all my USB ports are free.
    Please help me!!!!! i dont know what to do. its been 48 hrs since my ipod is connected to the laptop but it shows no life. neither does my laptop recognise my ipod.

    Ya i feel relieved. somehow none of the guys in my office could think of any options. wish i had joined this forum 2 days back. Luckily none of my songs have erased. cool.
    anways its working now and i sure am glad!! Thanx guys

  • Can it be that my iPod mini is dead?

    I have got an iPod mini for nearly 2 years now and I just tried to charge it for my holiday. I connected it with my computer but it won't respond. It is 'not charging' or connecting with iTunes for an hour now. What else can I do? Or do I just have to 'order' a new iPod because the battery is just dead?
    (I'm very sorry if my English is very bad, I'm from Holland you see and meanwhile the holidays I'm not doing English...)
    iPod mini   Windows XP  

    Check these out:
    Resetting iPod That is Unresponsive
    iPod Won’t Turn on Article
    iPod Will Not Turn On thread
    I hope this helps!

  • IPod Mini Hardrive Dead

    Hi,
    I was playing my mini in my InMotion Speaker System with an iTrip plugged into the Ipod to tune it into a station in my boombox that was sitting next to the speakers it to make it louder. Anyways a weird alien sound comes on, when the iPod wass on shuffle and I check my iPod to see it won't stop loading with the apple sign. Its been like that for days, and the apple store said my hardrive was dead, great. So I either get a new iPod or try this ipodresq.com, has anyone had my problem and tried to get their hardrive replaced through them? I've had my iPod for only a year and a half; just after the warranty, thanks apple. Feedback would be great, thanks.

    Is this what you see?
    Means the battery needs charging. Leave it plugged in for at least 30 minutes.
    If it is still there, read this -> http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60941

  • Ipod mini is dead

    my ipod doesnt turn on and my computer doesnt respond to it when i plug it in. i downloaded some songs from itunes and went to update it and it froze while updating. so i restored it and it froze again and hasnt turned on since then. that was 3 weeks ago. dont tell me about the 5 r's i have done that about 3 or 4. is their anything i can do to fix it. i have tried ordering the repair box and the site wont let me finish the last step in ordering it. it says their was an error and then the web site has expired. i have called apple 2 and they pretty much told me too bad.

    there was a point where my ipod kind of had the problems you had, but the only way of sorting it was to do a complete reset and then charge from the wall before plugging it in. I guess if you've done the 5 r's thing though you've probably tried that.

  • IPod mini seen on desktop, not in iTunes

    The iPod is fully charged, I have reset it about 4 times, I've restarted my computer, and I've done everything else detailed here:
    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/695939?start=0&tstart=0
    (though one of the messages is for a Windows computer)
    I am on a MacBook running OS X (10.6.8) - as much as my MacBook, bought in 2007, can handle.
    My ipod mini has always worked just fine with my MacBook. But now:
    It shows up on the desktop when i plug it in
    It shows the "do not disonnect" screen (as it should)
    It does NOT show up in iTunes
    What's changed between the time the iPod worked with iTunes and now:
    I was playing it while I thought I was charging it, but hadn't plugged it in properly. It shut down - and all of my music on it was erased
    I went from OS X 10.4 all the way to OS X (10.6.8)
    I've updated iTunes several times since then (really, does a week go by when iTunes *isn't* updated?
    So.... other ideas not already named at
    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/695939?start=0&tstart=0
    I also have an iBook clamshell running OS 9, with the last version of iTunes that would work on such, but it doesn't work on that - and from what I've read, it never did work on OS 9.

    "Have you tried doing a Reset... while it is connected (with docking cable) to the Mac that is running iTunes?"
    Yes. Three times. Like I said - I've tried everything detailed here:
    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/695939?start=0&tstart=0
    "Since this is an old iPod mini, do you use USB or FireWire to connect it.  It should work with either, but it may work better with FireWire (if you have a FireWire docking cable)."
    No FireWire docking cable for the iPod (frown)
    "Does the iPod mini still work properly when it is disconnected?  Charges, plays songs, displays its screens and menus..."
    Yes - although, as I said, all music is gone. But otherwise, it works just fine.
    "doing a low level reformat of the iPod's storage disk using Disk Utility. "
    Looked hopeful! But... got an error. Tried it a couple of times... in fact, every time iTunes starts up when I plug in my iPod (and it always does, even if it won't show my iPod mini on the left side), I get an error saying.... something about not being able to fix the device... 
    I'm wondering if I should try an alternative to iTunes and see if *that* can see the iPod mini... 
    Thanks, Kenichi Watanabe and planb77, for trying. It's appreciated.

  • Ipod mini battery trouble

    Hello, I purchased my son a mini ipod and although i am not 100% positive which generation it is i do know that it is either a generation 1 or 2. My son was listening to the ipod in bed one night then it froze on the song, on the screen it showed the song and the artist.
    My son is tellin me 2 different stories either he droped it or it suddenly froze.
    I have changed the battery myself through instructios i found on the internet, everything went fine. All that the screen shows now is an apple symbol even when i put it in the wall to charge, A battery symbol appeared for about 10 seconds then it went back to the apple symbol this was before i plugged it into the wall.
    Is there anyway i can fix it or do i have to restore it or is my apple ipod mini stuffed!!
    Any help would be most appreciated..
    Thank You
    dell   Windows XP  

    sounds like your ipod mini is dead i wouldn't of tried to change the battery yourself i would have gone to the local
    apple macintosh retailer or repair shop it would have then cost you only $79.99 to have someone replace the battery
    and it being done by a trained professional instead it is going to cost you 300.00 for a ipod now so have fun

  • Mini still in Production?

    Is the iPod Mini still in production today? I mean is it still being manufactured? The reason why I'am asking this is because, I don't see it advertised on the Apple website.

    They quit making the Min because it was replaced by the Nano.
    That is, if you went to the Apple store to buy one, they would probably claim they dont carry them.
    Well, they wouldn't claim they don't carry them.
    They simply don't carry them. They are not manufactured anymore nor are they sold by Apple.
    On occasion, you may be able to get a refurbished Mini at the online Apple store.
    However, if you already have a mini, and you have insurance on it like I do, if you wanted to trade it in for a new one(like if the battery is dead), then they will replace it with a new one.
    They will repair your original one or replace it with a refurbished one. I doubt they have any new ones laying around anymore to be used for replacements.

  • IPod Mini already on PC, trying to get Shuffle to work

    I have had my iPod Mini on my PC for 3 months and do not have a problem operating it. I bought my 2 sons a Shuffle each this Christmas but cannot get them to work (PC won't recognise Shuffle, let me load software etc).
    Is there anybody out there who can help me reinstal my kids' confidence in me. Help must be in the form of English that a Luddite can understand.

    Simon,
    If the iPod Mini still works, unplug its dock and plug one of the Shuffles into the same USB port as was used by the Mini. Make sure the Shuffle is fully seated in the USB port (because of the Shuffle's shape it sometimes does not connect, and a USB extension cable is required). Assuming a good connection, the Shuffle should appear in the iTunes Source List, just like the Mini. Give it a unique name and complete whatever registration is required. Then repeat the process for the second Shuffle using the same USB port. Your computer will recognize what iPod is currently plugged in and will put a little "up-arrow" to the right of the name in the Source List.
    Roger

  • Ipod mini not showing up on windows

    Pls help.. I've had my ipod mini for a year and now Im having MAJOR problems with my ipod mini:
    First, my ipod mini is displaying the sad face icon so i cant use it at all.
    Second, my computer wont recognize my ipod anymore. Everytime i plug it into my USB, nothing shows up on my pc.. iTunes doesnt recognize it and neither does the ipod updater.
    I tried the 5Rs suggested on the help site. In fact, i tried EVERYTHING suggested on the site.. except i CANT RESTORE my ipod mini because my computer wont recognize it!!
    I would appreciate any help! Thanks!

    Hi there,
    I got the same problem as els1017 from time to time - the computer doesn't recognise the ipod mini after connection, but after a while (about 3-5 min), the notebk computer recongnises the ipod mini & charges it. i worried that my ipod mini is "dead" already everytime the computer can't recongnise it.
    Any idea on the normal time for the computer to recongise the ipod after connection? i hv this ipod mini last june (still less than 1 yr), can i make the computer to realise the ipod mini faster?
    tks...pmwcheung
    Connect your iPod to your computer. Wait for the
    iPod to realize it is connected to a computer. Then,
    open My Computer, and see if there is an Apple iPod
    or Removable Disk listed under "Devices with
    Removable Storage."
    Let me know what happens!
    ~CG
    ibm x 31   Windows XP  

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