iPod acting weird? Here are some tips to try.
The Apple iPod is so compact and portable you can take your music, pictures and videos almost anywhere and this probably makes it one of the handiest little inventions out there. If you know anything about computers then you know that they all have their moments and can be very moody. When you iPod starts to act like that you may have to treat your iPod like a small computer when you encounter any sort of problems. When you are trying to troubleshoot a computer, you start with the simplest solution first. This is always the best way to approach any problem. The easiest way is to reset the iPod like your would reboot a computer. Most of the time, this will work out your problem and be the quickest and easiest solution. Thinking of the simplest solution and trying them first may save time down the road.
iPod Software Problems?
Of course just turning something on and off is not always going to be the solution. Another problem that seems to happen with iPods is software related. A lot of problems seem to be caused by software that is outdated or may not be right for the iPod model you may have. Always double-check the software and to head off further problems in the future, make sure you have the most recent software installed. The benefits could be twofold, first of all the new software may have removed bugs from previous versions, secondly the new software may have additional features which could come in handy.
iPod Hard Drive Problems?
The hard drive is another thing that may need troubleshooting occasionally. One nice feature of the iPod is if there is a problem or error, it will automatically begin to run a disk scan utility that is built in. On the screen you will see a magnifying glass icon while this is in action. It will take about 20 minutes for the whole disk scan to run; when it is complete a different icon will appear on the screen indicating that your iPod’s hard drive should be in working order. If for some reason the disk scan process fails, it does not mean that the hard drive is bad or not working, it just means the scan disk did not work properly this time. The next time your iPod is turned on it will try and run again. The good news is that it may be able to fix the problem this time around.
When the scan disk finds any problems, it will fix them automatically. When the scan disk has fixed the problem you may need to restore your iPod with the iPod software updater (this updater software can be found on Apples website). Please backup any files that are on your iPod before you do this because anything that is on the iPod will be lost. The iPod will display the scan results via little icons and if there are any icons you may not be familiar with take a look in the owner’s manual. It will come in handy at this point for more assistance.
iPod Battery Problems?
Battery problems can also be another issue that may make your iPod act weird. Here are a few tips to get the most listening time out of one battery charge and to keep your iPod from acting weird.
Software should always be the most current version. This is mentioned more at the beginning of this article but cannot be emphasized enough. Not having the right software can cause problems. Get yourself some good headphones because this way you will not need the volume cranked all the way up. Having your volume turned all the way up can be a big drain on the battery and let’s not forget the impact that will have on your hearing in future years. Avoid using the needless settings like backlighting and the clock & alarm functions. Try to turn them off. Use smaller song file formats so your iPod does not need to work as hard playing songs.
Other ways to help your iPod function properly is to avoid using menu buttons as much as possible. This makes the hard drive work harder which is also a drain on the battery. Always try and keep the hold switch on so if your iPod is accidentally bumped it will not play continuously until the battery is dead. Repeat mode should also be off. If for some reason your iPod won’t mount on your computer or will not take a charge, the battery may need to be completely drained. To do this, just use it for 24 hours and then try charging it.
If you use your iPod a lot and it is over 18 months old there is a good chance the battery is probably dead. You can contact Apple and they may replace it for $99 or you can look for third parties that will sell new batteries, the tools you will need to put it in and the instructions on how to do this. If an icon of a power adaptor and a wall plug appear on the screen it means the iPod needs to be plugged into a power outlet. This will typically happen after the iPod has been restored. The iPod needs to update its firmware and this may happen if the iPod has been plugged into a USB port or an un-powered Fire Wire port.
If after using the iPod for 10 minutes the screen gets dark and the back gets hot then you have experienced what is called “The Black Screen of Death” This cannot be fixed. This is considered defective and should be returned to Apple right away for a new one.
Hopefully these few tips will keep your iPod from acting weird and running smoothly.
