[Unknown Target]

Now this one is pretty serious. I turned on my ipod, and all of a sudden, I get a file with an exclamation point next to it. Fair enough - all my friends have gotten it. The way they fixed it was by either A) reformatting the ipod as a FAT32 drive, B) using the ipod installation CD to reset it, or C) using the ipod updater and restoring it).

However, when I try to do A, my computer freezes whenever I right click on the "Removable Drive" icon. When I do B, the dialouge box pops up, but I don't get a progress bar, and it seems to skip over the configuration - although I first uninstall all  ipod- related items, and the ipod doesn'ts how up. After the "installation," the ipod shows up as a removable drive - but still has the previous problems, where it freezes up.

Lastly, when I use C, the updater freezes.

Also, as a note, when the ipod is plugged in, iTunes will not launch.


Please help me!

[Ford Prefect]

This sounds obvious, but have you tried resetting it by holding down the select and menu buttons?

[Unknown Target]

Yes. It resets and comes up with the file error.

[Windrunner]

i've had the same problem when i got my ipod UT. i've tired reformatting it but my PC froze all of a sudden. Ipod help page didn't help mutch either. If you have USB 2.0 on your PC then that might be the problem. I couldn't format iPd when it was connected to and USB 2.0 port but when i tried it on a  1.1  on a older computer it worked perfectly.

[Unknown Target]

Restoring it on a 1.1 USB seems to have worked - with the exception that the computer seems to freeze when opening it up in my computer. However, I can now view the menus, etc.

[Solatar]

I had this problem...it was under warranty so I mailed it back and they sent me a replacement for free (I mailed it on a Weds, got it back that Saturday, which impressed me).

I could never get it to show anything other than the file with the exclamation point next to it though.

[Sandwich]

..iPod.... *giggles*

[Ford Prefect]

It's a beautiful machine, and I would not part with mine for the world.

[Sandwich]

Oh, I agree it's quite a work of art. It's just a shame that its reliability does not match its beauty.

[Ford Prefect]

I don't have any problems with mine, and it looks to me like other brands of mp3 players tend to fall apart more quickly. I definitely wouldn't trust something from Creative or Rio over Apple.

[Sandwich]

*coughirivercough*

[Unknown Target]

Turns out that the HD is fried - I get scratching noises eminating from the player. Depending on how much the repair costs, I might just get a new one - it's a choice between the iPod Photo and the iRiver - proboably the Photo.

[Sandwich]

Originally posted by Unknown Target
Turns out that the HD is fried - I get scratching noises eminating from the player. Depending on how much the repair costs, I might just get a new one - it's a choice between the iPod Photo and the iRiver - proboably the Photo.

iPod Photo = music and photos
iRiver = music, photos, video, USB host (H3xx series)

Hmmm...

[Unknown Target]

Now which is more reliable?

[IceFire]

Do the iRivers have user servicable removable/replacable batteries?  If they do, thats an automatic plus to the iRiver.  The Zen's do.

[Ford Prefect]

How did the hard drive get fried?

[Sandwich]

iRiver is more reliable AFAIK - they never had the mass battery death after 1.5 years like the iPods had. Unfortunately, I don't know of any iRiver HDD players with user removable batteries, though many of the flash players run on AA (or was it AAA?) batteries.

[Unknown Target]

How long do the last? How reliable are they? How much damage can they take? How much can they hold? What can they do? How much do they cost? INFO!

Also, I dunno how it broke. Someone picked it up off the floor at my job (it fell off the belt clip). I turned it on there and it worked, I cycled thru playlists, etc. Brought it home, set it down. Next day, I couldn't go thru lists - just got the file error.

[Martinus]

Originally posted by Unknown Target
How long do the last? How reliable are they? How much damage can they take? How much can they hold? What can they do? How much do they cost? INFO!

Also, I dunno how it broke. Someone picked it up off the floor at my job (it fell off the belt clip). I turned it on there and it worked, I cycled thru playlists, etc. Brought it home, set it down. Next day, I couldn't go thru lists - just got the file error.

[color=66ff00]The mighty Google has all the answers you seek and more...
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[Sandwich]

Originally posted by Unknown Target
How long do the last? How reliable are they? How much damage can they take? How much can they hold? What can they do? How much do they cost? INFO!

Also, I dunno how it broke. Someone picked it up off the floor at my job (it fell off the belt clip). I turned it on there and it worked, I cycled thru playlists, etc. Brought it home, set it down. Next day, I couldn't go thru lists - just got the file error.

6 years, 12 weeks, 4 days, 64 hours, 48 minutes, and 42 (*GASP*) seconds.

Seriously, look up a few reviews on either the iRiver h340, the h320, or the h3xx (h300) series. Most often they are called "iPod killers", just not quite as polished.


Or you could go for an H10-series... they're iPod Mini sized, have a thumbstrip, and come in 4- and 6Gb sizes, with a 20Gb one due any day now. THOSE are sooo sweet looking...