# Is my iPod dying? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 4, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238 "2009-03-04T03:41:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![maikai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@maikai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maikai)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238/1 "2009-03-04T03:41:23Z")
I have a fifth generation iPod that’s been having a weird problem. I’ll be listening to music or a podcast and the display and click wheel will freeze but the current song or podcast will keep playing but won’t move to the next song in the playlist. I then have to restart it by holding the menu and center button. That usually works right away but lately I have to hold the buttons down for a minute (which is an eternity in computer time ;).) I’m hoping that it’s somehow a battery problem so I can just replace it easily. Has anyone had a problem like this? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238/2 "2009-03-04T03:47:20Z")
It might be a battery problem or it could be a hard drive failing. When my 4G started failing it could be made to work for a while by restarting with the normal method, then for a little while by opening it up and disconnecting the battery. Depending on how you’ve been using your iPod and how many hits it has taken over the years, a failing hard drive would not surprise me at all. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238/3 "2009-03-04T16:26:28Z")
My 3rd gen. iPod Nano went through a period of bizarre behavior. If it’s mounting and you can see it in iTunes, you can reset it to the factory settings. This will wipe what’s on your iPod, but you’ll get it all back when you sync. You will have to go through the little song and dance of naming the iPod, etc., because your computer will treat it like a new device. ---
**Author:** ![maikai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@maikai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maikai)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238/4 "2009-03-04T17:56:12Z")
I’ll try that and see if it works. ---
**Author:** ![maikai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@maikai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maikai)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238/5 "2009-03-06T01:57:24Z")
It worked, sort of. It still freezes, but not as much as it used to. Thanks for your help! ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238/6 "2009-03-06T02:03:10Z")
FWIW, I must have wiped my iPod four or five times before it finally stopped freezing. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238/7 "2009-03-06T02:24:13Z")
If you simply unplug your ipod from your computer without properly ‘ejecting’ it, this can cause issues very similar to what you’re describing. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238/8 "2009-03-06T04:06:16Z")
Are you in a cold place and do you use it outside? Mine will get wonky when walking to work but get better after being inside for a bit. ---
**Author:** ![silk1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@silk1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silk1976)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238/9 "2009-03-06T18:49:59Z")
I have a 4th gen ipod photo that is like 4-5 years old by now that was acting similarly. For the past year, every so often it would just hang up and act wierd, requiring the reset button combo to kick it. It progressively got worse, where it wouldn’t reset unless I plugged it into a computer with the USB cable. Ultimately it completely died this past fall. I googled ‘replace ipod hard drive’, and found [this link](http://joshhighland.com/blog/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod/) with step by step instructions. I found [this place](http://www.idemigods.com/) that sold replacement hard drives (being an older model, finding a compatible HD was a little bit of a challenge), and ordered one. $120 later, I had a fixed ipod that had a 50% increase in capacity over the original spec. I think I got lucky, though, in that my battery has never been a problem. ---
**Author:** ![maikai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@maikai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maikai)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-ipod-dying/488238/10 "2009-03-07T04:08:13Z")
> [@Jeff](#): > > If you simply unplug your ipod from your computer without properly ‘ejecting’ it, this can cause issues very similar to what you’re describing. I did this once a while ago but I can’t remember if my problems started around that time. > [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Are you in a cold place and do you use it outside? Mine will get wonky when walking to work but get better after being inside for a bit. I live near Boston and the iPod rests in my coat pocket so maybe this is it. > [@silk1976](#): > > I have a 4th gen ipod photo that is like 4-5 years old by now that was acting similarly. For the past year, every so often it would just hang up and act wierd, requiring the reset button combo to kick it. It progressively got worse, where it wouldn’t reset unless I plugged it into a computer with the USB cable. > > Ultimately it completely died this past fall. I googled ‘replace ipod hard drive’, and found [this link](http://joshhighland.com/blog/2005/12/24/replacing-the-hardrive-of-an-ipod/) with step by step instructions. I found [this place](http://www.idemigods.com/) that sold replacement hard drives (being an older model, finding a compatible HD was a little bit of a challenge), and ordered one. > > $120 later, I had a fixed ipod that had a 50% increase in capacity over the original spec. I think I got lucky, though, in that my battery has never been a problem. I’ll keep this in mind if it starts conking out again.