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Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

15

Time Required

                          2 hours

Sections

2

  • Rear Panel
  • 4 steps
  • Hard drive
  • 11 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Rear Panel
  • Before opening your iPod, ensure that the hold switch is in the locked position. The orange bar should be visible, indicating hold is active.

Before opening your iPod, ensure that the hold switch is in the locked position. The orange bar should be visible, indicating hold is active.

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Step 2

  • Insert an opening pick as far as possible into the seam between the plastic front and the metal rear panel, on the right edge of the iPod.
  • You may need to rock the pick back and forth to slide it in farther.
  • Use the opening pick to pry up against the plastic front panel and release five retaining tabs (seen in the third photo).
  • Slide the pick along the edge of the iPod and continue prying to release the rest of the retaining tabs.
  • After all five tabs along the right side are free, the case should easily open.

Insert an opening pick as far as possible into the seam between the plastic front and the metal rear panel, on the right edge of the iPod.

You may need to rock the pick back and forth to slide it in farther.

Use the opening pick to pry up against the plastic front panel and release five retaining tabs (seen in the third photo).

Slide the pick along the edge of the iPod and continue prying to release the rest of the retaining tabs.

After all five tabs along the right side are free, the case should easily open.

Step 3

  • The iPod case is now open, but don’t separate the two halves just yet. There is still an orange ribbon cable connecting the headphone jack to the logic board.
  • Open the case like a book with the dock connector edge at the top, and lay the rear panel next to the front half of the iPod.

The iPod case is now open, but don’t separate the two halves just yet. There is still an orange ribbon cable connecting the headphone jack to the logic board.

Open the case like a book with the dock connector edge at the top, and lay the rear panel next to the front half of the iPod.

Step 4

  • Use a plastic tool or your fingernails to carefully disconnect the orange headphone jack cable. Be sure to pull straight up on the connector, not the cable itself.
  • This ribbon cable is very fragile. If you are replacing the battery, you can choose to skip this step and keep the headphone jack connected to the motherboard. Prop and tape the rear case against a box to keep it in place. Be very careful not to strain the fragile headphone jack cable as you work.

Use a plastic tool or your fingernails to carefully disconnect the orange headphone jack cable. Be sure to pull straight up on the connector, not the cable itself.

This ribbon cable is very fragile. If you are replacing the battery, you can choose to skip this step and keep the headphone jack connected to the motherboard. Prop and tape the rear case against a box to keep it in place. Be very careful not to strain the fragile headphone jack cable as you work.

Step 5

              Removing the hard drive disk
  • Remove the hard drive with your hand, by holding both the iPod and hard drive connector (hold tight in order to not broke the connector).

Remove the hard drive with your hand, by holding both the iPod and hard drive connector (hold tight in order to not broke the connector).

Step 6

              Assemble the storage unit
  • Put the micro sd card into the CF adapter.
  • Then put the CF adapter into the CE to CF 1.8" adapter.

Put the micro sd card into the CF adapter.

Then put the CF adapter into the CE to CF 1.8" adapter.

Step 7

              (optional) Remove the hard drive disk connector stopper
  • Depending on the CE adapter you have, you may need to remove the stopper on the hard drive disk connector on the iPod. Use tweezers to do so.
  • If you notice that you can’t fully plug your new memory unit without this step do this, else your memory unit may not be recognized.

Depending on the CE adapter you have, you may need to remove the stopper on the hard drive disk connector on the iPod. Use tweezers to do so.

If you notice that you can’t fully plug your new memory unit without this step do this, else your memory unit may not be recognized.

Step 8

              Plug your storage unit
  • Plug your memory unit in place of the old hard drive.
  • It’s normal that to have 4 free slots on the memory unit. Be sure to position the memory unit as on the photo.
  • It may be usefull to use double face tape on the battery to ensure the storage unit won’t move.
  • Storage unit being thicker than an hard drive, adding a card board on it may help keeping everythin in place while reassembling.

Plug your memory unit in place of the old hard drive.

It’s normal that to have 4 free slots on the memory unit. Be sure to position the memory unit as on the photo.

It may be usefull to use double face tape on the battery to ensure the storage unit won’t move.

Storage unit being thicker than an hard drive, adding a card board on it may help keeping everythin in place while reassembling.

Step 9

              Reconnect bottom case connector
  • Reconnect the bottom case connector. Before reassembling the iPod.

Reconnect the bottom case connector. Before reassembling the iPod.

Step 10

              Connect your iPod to your PC
  • Don’t reassemble your iPod before connecting it to your PC. The opening step is the hardest part, in case of mistake you won’t have to reopen it.
  • Just put the top case on the bottom one without pushing.

Don’t reassemble your iPod before connecting it to your PC. The opening step is the hardest part, in case of mistake you won’t have to reopen it.

Just put the top case on the bottom one without pushing.

Step 11

              (optional) Install iPod support on your computer
  • After connecting the iPod to the PC you may need to install iPod support. Follow iTunes instructions. Unplug the iPod, Restart iTunes, Restart your PC. Replug the iPod.

After connecting the iPod to the PC you may need to install iPod support. Follow iTunes instructions. Unplug the iPod, Restart iTunes, Restart your PC. Replug the iPod.

Step 12

              Restore the iPod (software)
  • Once connected to your computer, iTunes will tell you that the iPod needs to be restored. Follow iTunes instructions to restore the software.

Once connected to your computer, iTunes will tell you that the iPod needs to be restored. Follow iTunes instructions to restore the software.

Step 13

              Plug your iPod to a wall plug
  • The iPod will prompt you to plug it to a wall plug. While this screen is displayed you can’t continue.
  • Pluging the iPod to the computer is not enough. If it doesn’t work check the power adapter or the iPod cable. iPhone wall adapter (1A) is sufficient for this task.
  • If it reboots to the iPod menu (language settings) you have finished.

The iPod will prompt you to plug it to a wall plug. While this screen is displayed you can’t continue.

Pluging the iPod to the computer is not enough. If it doesn’t work check the power adapter or the iPod cable. iPhone wall adapter (1A) is sufficient for this task.

If it reboots to the iPod menu (language settings) you have finished.

Step 14

              Finalize the software restoration process
  • Finalize the software restoration process by accepting the Apple license.

Finalize the software restoration process by accepting the Apple license.

Step 15

              Test iPod before reassembling
  • It’s important that you check everything, from charging to synchronizing and listenning to music before reassembling the iPod.
  • If something is not functionning properly, double check each steps.

It’s important that you check everything, from charging to synchronizing and listenning to music before reassembling the iPod.

If something is not functionning properly, double check each steps.

To reassamble your iPod follow the steps in reverse order.

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