Ok, I’ve got an iPod (30GB Video model) stuck in “recovery mode”.
I’ve done the following:
Uninstalled and reinstalled iTunes
Changed the iPod drive
Put the iPod in “Disk mode”
Tried changing USB ports
Restorted the iPod to its factory state
All of the above were recommended either online or by Apple support and none worked. The iPod will show up in iTunes but will not go active and leave “recovery mode”.
I’m going to set up an appointment at an Apple store for tech support, but before I do does anyone have any experience with this problem and an alternate solution that might work.
Sounds like you’ve followed all the “regular” procedures recommended for “stuck” iPods. The only other think I can think of to try is connecting it to a separate computer and see if that one creates any different response. But it sounds like the problem is in the iPod not the computer, so this probably won’t do much. Hopefully the folks at the Apple store can get it sorted for you. As a hard drive-powered player, it is subject to vibration and shock, so bad things are more likely to happen to those than the smaller pods…
Press and hold the Menu and Center (Select) buttons simultaneously until the Apple logo appears, about 6 to 10 seconds. You may need to repeat this step.
That’s actually part of the process for putting it into Disk Mode which I’ve done. But thanks. If I try that now it just tells me to restore it. When I try that, it tells me it’s in recovery mode. Nothing so far will get it out of recovery mode. I have entered the vicious cycle/circle of technology hell; the one Dante never imagined.
I made an appointment for the Apple Genius Bar where a genius looks at your machine and, gratis, evaluates your problem. Not surprisingly my iPod was deemed fried.
Because the warranty had expired I was offered a new identical model for $160 (new ones are $300) or 10% off any other model.
I took the replacement and considered it a reasonable deal.
What happened next is interesting. The techie processed the order and proceeded to tell me that I would only have to pay $125 because he had neglected to input some fee that is normally charged on this type of transaction. And that it was too much trouble to void the purchase and start over.
In my experience with help desks I am often told that because my warranty is expired they can’t help me, but there is a fee based service that can help. But just this once they’ll let me explain the problem and see if they can execute a quick fix for free. Often they are able to fix the problem. The Apple techies when I called made this offer, but weren’t able to fix the problem.
And now this guy accidentally forgets a $35 fee.
I’m not complaining, of course, but I think this is clever marketing. We’re told they’re not supposed to help us, but then they do. We’re told the fee is X but then charged Y which is less expensive. I’ve had a similiar experience with Dell when my laptop has needed help.
These companies are earning themselves a fair amount of goodwill with this sort of munificence.
lol, this reminded me of an episode of house, where this guy has been in some kind of coma for 10 years, and he gets into the doctor’s car for him to drive him around, and he picks up and Ipod, and says…What’s an ip-od.
This is brilliant on Apple’s part. Create a consumer device with a somewhat fragile hard drive. They know a certain percentage of them are going to fail in the field due to the hard drive dieing. Be munificent with the replacement policy. Resulting in consumer goodwill and profit.
Fascinating business theory. Now if they could only figure out a way to skip that first step where they make a consumer electronics device that is going to fail.
