Serious Problem with Brand New iPod!

FlashMac

FlashMac

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Hello.

I got a brand new 20Gb iPod at Christmas (so its about 3 weeks old, although I have only been using for the last two). I currently have about 3000 songs on it in AAIFF, not .mp3.

After about an hour's use this morning, I selected a different playlist and it froze. Completely. Utterly.

It currently display '00' seconds elapsed of the song, but will not progress (and makes no noise, obviously). The display says it is playing (>), but it is not. I cannot pause it or turn it off. None of areas on the clickwheel produce any response.

I (finally) bought this iPod because not only do I have to commute 2-3 hours a day, but every other Friday I have to spend about 7-10 hours on trains going around the country.

Guess which Friday it is today.

Apart from the fact that it has chosen today of all days (have you ever been on an English train?), right at the beginning of the journey, to do this makes me absolutely LIVID, its also only three weeks old!

A couple of times (literally a couple) since I've had it, I found the clickwheel not so responsive, but this only happened for about two seconds each time and went away instantly, so I didnt worry about it, I don't think its related.

My question is this: will a firmware update and re-import sort it?
Or am I going to have to send it back to Apple? If I have to send it back, I will be getting my money back (oh yes, yes I will. Yes.).
If I can reset it (once the battery has completely died, which will do it LOADS of good, I am sure) then its not the end of the world (apart from the fact that my Mac and the cable are at the other end of the country and 7 hours away, but one day I'll get over the trauma).

Sorry, don't mean to throw my toys out of the pram, but for this to happen today is like Murphy's Law squared.

Anyone had any similar issues?
 
Have you tried doing a hard reset? If that doesn't work, take it to the apple store. It is still under warranty (90 day).
 
To do a soft reset, hold the menu buttons (the centre of the click wheel and the top of it) for a few seconds. When you see the Apple logo flash, it's been reset and you can let go.
That basically reboots the hard drive without erasing everything. If it still happens, you could try a hard reboot (erasing it, updating any firmware and resyncing the music).
 
diablojota said:
Have you tried doing a hard reset? If that doesn't work, take it to the apple store. It is still under warranty (90 day).
Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing this out - I didnt actually know what a soft reboot was until you said that. I'm pretty I actually did try this, as its logical if the turn-off command is the centre button and the play button that this might achieve something.
Unfortunately I have only just now been able to check back here, and the battery is now flat (it brings up the apple symbol then a horizontal battery with an exclamation mark over it, I hope this is just the flat battery sign!).
I don't have my cable or power adaptor with me.
Oh well.

I bought it at Dixons (UK electrical retailer) so I assume I'd have to post it back direct to Apple to get the 90-warranty thing?

Anyway, thank you all very much for your prompt and helpful replies - I am hoping and praying that a hard reset (reapply iPod Updater and re-import the music) will fix it - I was planning on re-importing my whole library as .mp3 this weekend anyway so I can get the full use out of it.

I will let you know what happens when I get home.
 
You may actually be able to take it back to the place you purchased it for an exchange. If not, they will tell you to post it to Apple. But if you are in the London area, you could just go to the Regents Street Apple store and they could help you there... They could perhaps reinstall the software to make sure it's all okay.
 
diablojota said:
You may actually be able to take it back to the place you purchased it for an exchange. If not, they will tell you to post it to Apple. But if you are in the London area, you could just go to the Regents Street Apple store and they could help you there... They could perhaps reinstall the software to make sure it's all okay.
Click to expand...

Ooh thanks I was wondering if I could just take it to the Apple Store.
Well, I still think theres a good chance a hard reset will fix it - unfortunately I am not in London today (but am every other weekday normally - its just these fortnightly Fridays where I go Up North, hence my extreme frustration earlier, as its a long journey).
I finally gave in and got it because last time I made this trip I had to listen to some awful woman going through her entire phonebook making conversation on her mobile to pass the time (all three hours of it, non-stop, until I lost pateince with her and expressed my exasperation <verbally, I'm not a psycho> - I bet even now she has nightmares about me - but why do people need these things explained to them? Obliviousness enrages me.).

I don't have the temperament to have things I paid £220 for go wrong within a couple of weeks of purchase, but I've calmed down a bit now.

Thanks again.
 
Well, I'm sure you'll all be relieved to know it seems OK. Phew!

It was a long, boring trip back and I checked it as soon as I came in - it took a while to come on when I hooked it up but then the battery was flat. It kick-started iTunes ok and the iPod Update seemed to take a half-minute longer than normal (theres no new tunes) but now overall it looks fine.

I was worried that because it was frozen there it might have been trying to read that sector of the drive for too long before the battery ran out (or something, I dunno), but the drive inside sounds normal.

I'm going to re-format it anyway on Sunday as I intend to convert my whole Library to .mp3 tomorrow, and also import about 30 old CDs (I'm guessing selecting the entire library at once before I 'convert selection to .mp3' would not be wise, so I'll do it a bit at a time).

Thanks for all your advice people, I'll certainly try that Soft Reset method if it happens again although it didn't this time, although if it happens again within the 90 days I'll probably try and get it replaced with a new one, or at least looked at at the Apple store.
 
Oh yes sorry it looks like I do still have the cookie for 'MacMuppet', but I am now 'FlashMac' - there were some login problems I think, the problem being my memory . :eek:
 
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