Identifying and Solving iPod Problems

Okay, I admit it. The iPod isn't perfect. Once in a while, it might not act the way you expect it to. Hey, no one or no technology is perfect, after all.

In this section, you'll read some information that will help you in the event you do experience problems.

Solving iPod Problems

Troubleshooting iPod problems isn't all that different from troubleshooting other kinds of problems. First, observe exactly what is happening. Determine what you are doing and how the iPod is responding or not responding, as the case may be. Then, use the information in the following sections to see whether you can solve the problem yourself.

Checking the Basics

We all do things that can be classified as something less than intelligent once in a while. And using the iPod can result in a few of these events, so use the following list to ensure you haven't done anything to shoot yourself in the foot:

• If the iPod won't respond to any controls, make sure the Hold feature isn't active. The Hold feature does just what it is supposed to it prevents everything from working. It can be rather embarrassing to panic that your precious iPod has suffered a major failure only to realize that the Hold switch is on. (Of course, you understand that this has never happened to me personally.) If you use a shuffle, press a control; if the status light flashes orange, hold is on. Also on a shuffle, make sure the slider isn't in the Off position.

• If the iPod won't turn on, connect it to an AC power adapter or to a high-powered USB 2 or FireWire port on a computer. It might simply be that the battery is out of power. Remember that the iPod uses some battery power when you aren't using it, and after 14 days or so, it might not have enough battery power to wake up. Sometimes the empty battery icon will appear when you try to turn on a fully discharged iPod and sometimes it won't. Use the Battery Status light on a shuffle to check its charge; if the light doesn't illuminate, the shuffle must be recharged before you can use it.

• If the Hold feature isn't on but the iPod won't respond to commands, try connecting the iPod to a computer. If it mounts, you probably just need to do a minor reset to get it to work again.

Resetting an iPod

If you can't get an iPod to do anything (and you've checked the Hold feature) or if it is behaving badly or locks up, try resetting it. When you reset an iPod, its temporary memory is cleared but your data (music) isn't affected.

How you reset an iPod depends on the specific model you are using. Fortunately, resetting the current models is relatively easy; you have to jump through some hoops for older models. You should check the documentation that came with your iPod to see how to reset it.

To reset current iPods, press and hold both the Menu and Select buttons for about 6 10 seconds until you see the Apple logo on the iPod's screen. This indicates that the reset process was effective.

caution

Restoring an iPod also deletes any data you have stored in its memory (hard drive or flash memory), so be sure you have any data that is unique to the iPod backed up before you restore it. As long as all of the music on the iPod is in your iTunes music library, you don't have to worry about its music because that will be replaced the next time you connect it to your computer to perform an update from iTunes.

To reset a shuffle, turn it off, wait 5 seconds, and then turn it on again using the slider on its back.

If you are using an older model and don't have its documentation, visit www.apple.com and click the Support tab. Then, search for "reset iPod." Open one of the documents that contains information about resetting an iPod. This will either provide you with the steps you need or lead you to documentation that does.

After your iPod is reset, it should work normally. If not, you should try restoring it.

Restoring an iPod

As you read earlier, you can also use the iPod Updater application to restore an iPod. When you restore an iPod, its memory is erased and a clean version of its software is installed. The purpose is to configure the iPod with factory settings that will likely solve many problems you are having.

For the steps to perform a restore, refer to "Updating or Restoring an iPod's Software" on page 171.

Solving the Folder/Exclamation Point Icon Problem

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Resetting or restoring an iPod is the solution to almost all the problems you will be able to solve yourself. Whenever you have a problem, always try to reset the iPod first. If that doesn't work, try to restore it. In the vast majority of situations, one of these will solve the problem.

In some situations, your iPod will display a folder and exclamation point icon on its screen. When it does so, this indicates there is a problem and you won't be able to use the iPod until you solve it. Unfortunately, this icon doesn't relate to one specific problem but can result from an incorrect software version being installed, which is easily remedied via a restore using the iPod Updater application. It can also be due to something being wrong with the iPod's disk, which will require a repair.

Fortunately, while the cause of the problem won't be clear to you, the solutions available should be. First, try to reset the iPod. If that doesn't work, try to restore it. In most cases, one of these two actions will solve the problem. If not, your iPod probably needs to be repaired or replaced. See the section "Getting Help with iPod Problems" to see what to do next.

Solving the "I Can't See My iPod in iTunes" Problem

If you connect your iPod to your computer but it doesn't appear in the Source list, this means iTunes can't find your iPod. This can happen for a number of reasons. Use the following steps to troubleshoot this problem:

1.	With your iPod connected to your computer, restart the computer and then open iTunes. This will sometimes get the devices communicating again. If you see your iPod on the Source list, you are good to go. If not, continue with the next step.
2.	With your iPod connected to your computer, open the iPod Updater application. If it recognizes your iPod, this means your computer and iPod can communicate, which is a good thing. If the Update button is active, update your iPod's software. If not, restore its software instead. Then, repeat step 1. If iTunes still doesn't show the iPod, download and reinstall iTunes.
3.	If the iPod Updater doesn't recognize your iPod and instead displays the message Connect an iPod to your computer to update it, there is a communication problem between your computer and the iPod. Try plugging the iPod into a different USB 2 or FireWire port. If the two devices still can't communicate, there is a problem either with the iPod or with your computer. You'll probably need some help to solve either of these issues.

Getting Help with iPod Problems

Although I probably could have added a few more pages to this book with specific problems you might encounter and potential solutions to those problems, that would have been wasteful for two main reasons. First, it is likely you won't ever experience the problems I would include. Second, Apple maintains an extensive iPod website from which you get detailed information about iPod problems. You can use this information to solve specific problems you encounter (that aren't solved with the information in the previous sections, such as a reset).

To access this help, use a web browser to move to www.apple.com/support/ipod. On this page, you can search for help, read FAQs, and get other information that will help you solve iPod problems (see Figure 12.6).

Figure 12.6. Need iPod help? You got it.

A number other websites might be helpful to you as well. These include www.ipodlounge.com and www.ipodhacks.com. You can also use www.google.com to search for iPod problems; you'll find no shortage of web pages on which those problems are discussed. It is highly likely that someone else has faced and solved the same problem you are having.

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Feel free to write to me with questions about your iPod or to ask for help with problems you are having with your iPod. You can reach me at [e-mail].

The Absolute Minimum

The iPod is what we hope most technology will be it just works and works well. Here are some pointers to help you keep your iPod in tune:

• Understand your iPod's battery and use the practices described in this chapter to keep it maintained properly.

• Keep your iPod's software current by using the update software Apple releases periodically.

• If you do run into problems, check the last section in this chapter for help in solving them. Fortunately, many problems are easy to solve with a reset or restore. If those don't work, lots of help is available to you.