iPod: The Missing Manual, 6th Edition

Chapter 13. What to Do When the iPod Isn’t Working Right

It’s bound to happen sometime: the iPod locks up, freaks out, or just isn’t its usual cheerful self. Luckily, many iPod problems can be solved with a button-tap here, a battery charge there, and your portable Pod Life is back to normal.

Of course, the iPod is a little mini-computer in its own right, and there are bigger issues that are more involved or require the help of a technical expert. Figuring out what your iPod is trying to tell you when it’s sick is the first step. This chapter explains what to do if your iPod’s acting weird—and where to go if you need more information or can’t fix it yourself.

Apple’s Alphabet: The 5 (or 6) Rs of iPod Repair

As posted in the growing iPod support section of its Web site, (www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs) Apple recommends “The 5 Rs” whenever you encounter trouble with a Classic, Nano, or Shuffle. The Touch, unique among iPods, has its own six “Rs”—listed here at the bottom of the page.

Here’s what each R stands for, along with a few more helpful details:

• Reset your iPod, as explained in this chapter.

• Retry the connection by plugging the iPod into a different USB port on your computer.

• Restart your computer and check for any new software updates you may need to download and install.

• Reinstall your iPod and iTunes software with fresh versions downloaded from www.apple.comcom/itunes.

• Restore the iPod’s software (also explained later in this chapter).

If you have an iPod Touch, the R’s vary a ...