Serious iPod 4G 20 gig issue

O

Octave

Gawd
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
662
So i got an ipod yesterday, i was all excited right. Plug it into the wall to charge for 3-4 hrs...ect. unplug it..plug it into my computer (listed below) via firewire. install software..says it needs to be formatted, aiight....formatting...still formatting....2.5 hrs later still formatting.....no way in hell it should take this long.....3 hrs go by....still formatting...get pissed..close program, install the rest as usual (except first time it didnt like that i had iTunes installed already, cause its a new vrs or something..so i uninstalled/reinstalled)...Reboot my computer.ect. Oh, and my ipod was locked to all hell. I tried to do the Hold On, hold off, Menu+play.....didnt do shit.
but holding menu+select(middle button) turns it off....boots up....folder with an ! mark.
bastard piece of shit.
so i try the formatting again...same thing...do the men+select button to reset it again. Then i go with ipod updater...says plug in ipod to update....i plug in ipod....sits there...says cannot mount ipod. piece of shit.
So i go through all the previous steps in disk mode (hold down menu+select then play+select)...still nothing.
I also notice that whenever i just plug it into my computer via firewire or usb, the ipod locks up. wtf?
I could really use some help here. I just got the damn thing yesterday, and im already wishing i got an iRiver H320. It looks cool, but if it dont work it aint worth shit.
plz help

Oh, btw, when i plug in ipod, sometimes svchost.exe consumes 100 percent of cpu....dunno why.


p.s. Tried it on 2 other computers + work computer running win2k/winxp pro....same thing
bad ipod?
 
Octave said:
So i got an ipod yesterday, i was all excited right. Plug it into the wall to charge for 3-4 hrs...ect. unplug it..plug it into my computer (listed below) via firewire. install software..says it needs to be formatted, aiight....formatting...still formatting....2.5 hrs later still formatting.....no way in hell it should take this long.....3 hrs go by....still formatting...get pissed..close program, install the rest as usual (except first time it didnt like that i had iTunes installed already, cause its a new vrs or something..so i uninstalled/reinstalled)...Reboot my computer.ect. Oh, and my ipod was locked to all hell. I tried to do the Hold On, hold off, Menu+play.....didnt do shit.
but holding menu+select(middle button) turns it off....boots up....folder with an ! mark.
bastard piece of shit.
so i try the formatting again...same thing...do the men+select button to reset it again. Then i go with ipod updater...says plug in ipod to update....i plug in ipod....sits there...says cannot mount ipod. piece of shit.
So i go through all the previous steps in disk mode (hold down menu+select then play+select)...still nothing.
I also notice that whenever i just plug it into my computer via firewire or usb, the ipod locks up. wtf?
I could really use some help here. I just got the damn thing yesterday, and im already wishing i got an iRiver H320. It looks cool, but if it dont work it aint worth shit.
plz help

Oh, btw, when i plug in ipod, sometimes svchost.exe consumes 100 percent of cpu....dunno why.


p.s. Tried it on 2 other computers + work computer running win2k/winxp pro....same thing
bad ipod?
Click to expand...


How were you formatting the iPod?

Standard windows format, or via the ipod software?
 
origonally ipod software....but i cant even do it in windows.....wont let me
 
and yes i tried disk managment..ect...control panel

is it supposed to stop flashing the do not disconnect when its plugged in?...cause mine does
 
Did you leave the iPod plugged into power while you were formatting?

That might have been the issue as some firewire ports don't provide enough power to the iPod, and it could have possibly drained during format.
 
no, didnt have plugged into power while formatting
cant actually...dunno how thats possible
 
Octave said:
no, didnt have plugged into power while formatting
cant actually...dunno how thats possible
Click to expand...

?
The new ipods come with the USB/FW cable.

Use the USB to interface with the computer, use the FW for charging.
 
ya, but you cant connect both the Firewire and the USB at teh SAME time.
no matter tho, its fully charged
 
Octave said:
ya, but you cant connect both the Firewire and the USB at teh SAME time.
no matter tho, its fully charged
Click to expand...


yes you can


edit: It doesn't matter now, no.

But if the iPod died while formatting, well that would be the reason why you are having issies and can't reformat it now.
 
All iPods come with 90 days of phone support (another 3 years with AppleCare), I'd give Apple a call.
 
how in the crap are you supposed to do that
i dont have this cable you speak of
i have 2 cables......1 = firewire..that also plugs into the power supply
1 = usb
there are 2 cables, not 1 cable with two connectors at the end.
i know they exist...but there aint one in MY box...thats for damn sure
 
Octave said:
how in the crap are you supposed to do that
i dont have this cable you speak of
i have 2 cables......1 = firewire..that also plugs into the power supply
1 = usb
there are 2 cables, not 1 cable with two connectors at the end.
i know they exist...but there aint one in MY box...thats for damn sure
Click to expand...

See now that's different.

The 4g ipod i have came with the dual cable.

when did apple start doing this mess?
 
well 1st off, my ipod didnt run outta juice when it was formatting...it just sat there for 3 hrs doing nothing....says "waiting for ipod" with that stupid status thingy that keeps going across the bottom of the window
so if an ipod does end in the middle of a format...why the crap cant it just reformat the HDD?
 
KaosDG said:
See now that's different.

The 4g ipod i have came with the dual cable.

when did apple start doing this mess?
Click to expand...

wtf...did i get screwed then?

actually, this isnt so bad of a thing, as this way i can leave a usb cable at work and use my firewire at home.

edit: Are you only allowed to format via firewire?
I have tried both, but the booklet only seems to say firewire.
 
Octave said:
wtf...did i get screwed then?

actually, this isnt so bad of a thing, as this way i can leave a usb cable at work and use my firewire at home.

edit: Are you only allowed to format via firewire?
I have tried both, but the booklet only seems to say firewire.
Click to expand...

I dunno, i bought the 4g when it first came out. Maybe they are doing it differently now.

Apple's store says explicitly it comes with "USB Cable" and "FireWire Cable" so that may be a new thing.


As long as the computer can see the iPod you should be able to format it.
 
KaosDG said:
I dunno, i bought the 4g when it first came out. Maybe they are doing it differently now.

Apple's store says explicitly it comes with "USB Cable" and "FireWire Cable" so that may be a new thing.


As long as the computer can see the iPod you should be able to format it.
Click to expand...

It sure "thinks" it can see it, anyone recall when your formatting, does it always say waiting for ipod during the format?....or does it say something else too.
 
restore for the first 10 trys....gave update a shot too...but it doesnt matter...says cant mount ipod for the ipod updater

update: in computer managment...the removable disk comes up as unknown, unknown format
however, in the unplug or eject hardware, it shows as ipod something , then generic volume E
and once again, my svchost.exe is running 100 percent
 
Octave said:
restore for the first 10 trys....gave update a shot too...but it doesnt matter...says cant mount ipod for the ipod updater

update: in computer managment...the removable disk comes up as unknown, unknown format
however, in the unplug or eject hardware, it shows as ipod something , then generic volume E
and once again, my svchost.exe is running 100 percent
Click to expand...

hmmm.

try removing all the ipod software, and itunes. (reboot, etc)

JUST install the ipod updater, and see what happens.
 
Have you tried any of this with the USB cable? There could be a problem with your Firewire cable or controller...
 
ive tried both cables...yes...and i tried only installing the ipodupdate....still cant mount ipod
its gotta be a bad HDD in it or something
i bought it from apple.com so i should be able to exchange it at a local apple store right?
 
It's too bad to hear you got a bunk iPod... but yeah I'm 99.9% sure that the Apple store's take intarweb returns/exchanges. I just hope you don't take this as a reflection on Apple as a company. I have had my iPod for 2 years and had various other Apple products and haven't had any problems with them. ;)
 
Yeah, i'd just go try to exchange it... the ipod is really a wonderful little toy, ones that work right anyways :) I love mine and my gf loves her mini. just sounds like you got a bad one.
 
I have to say, it is ironic, that ive been a PC guy all the way both windows and linux, and the first, very first, item from apple that i purchase, is absolute crap.
But ya, im about to leave work and go to an apple store to see if they'll swap it out for me. If not, apple is definatly going to get a nasty email, and ill be sure to come back here and bitch about it. :D Ill fill ya in on the status when i get home from the apple store. I might go pick up a nice-r firewire card at BB or compusa or something too, just to be sure.
Thx all
 
Apple says:
A CD with a "!" over it means a few things
First, the iPod detected a harddrive error during startup. When it does this, it launches a diagnostic harddrive scan and attempt to repair any problems. This would take 15 - 20 min.
The "!" means that the scan failed, and will be repeated the next time the iPod is turned on.

It would appear that you -might- have a bad harddrive.
 
I would try calling the store before going and ask if they can do that...I am almost positive that they would be able to do it IF you have a receipt...you might need to take it back to the place of purcahse as they are the ones that you paid but the store would be able to tell you that....I know when I was working the support side of the house if someobdy wanted to do a return of a product (usually computer) we would point them to where they purchased the product as that is who got the money and you have to follow THEIR return policies and not Apple's
 
well, good news is they exchanged my ipod
bad news is, i think my old won has now possesed the mac genious's support computer.
heh
ya, it was a bad drive. But the funniest thing happened. He hooked it up to the computer...tried to format....of course..it froze..locked up the ipod....
he unplugged the ipod....and it locked up his computer.....haha
so he rebooted the computer....froze on bootup....
some other guy had it workin before i left the store...but it was hilarious
we all had a good laugh as to how my ipod was possesed.
anywho, got the new ipod installed...everything is fine and dandy, no issues, setup great...
thanks for all the help doods
 
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