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Parky · May 20, 2003, 07:01 AM

I have a new 30GB iPod and I seem to be having problems with it all the time.

The main issue is that it does turn on 9 times out of 10. To get the iPod to turn on I have to do a hard reset everytime, which to be seems a backward step.

My old 20Gb iPod turned on instantly when you pressed one of the buttons, the 'new' improved version I have needs a 15 second hard reset every time I want to use it.

It is also not very reliable when it is popped into the cradle, sometimes it does not wake up, or is not recognised by the mac. I need to do a hard reset yet again.

I have now restored the software to see if that will make a difference, but that also means that I am now in the middle of a huge 28 GB transfer of all my songs again.

If I have the same problem after this I will be returning the iPod and getting a refund. I will then wait to see if this gets fixed before I try to upgrade again.

I have to say it's disapointing to get the latest version of the iPod to find that it's not as good as the old one. I have had 2 iPod before this one (5GB and 20GB) and neither have had problems like this one.

I have seen that other people have this problem as well on the Apple support boards. Apple seems to think that it is OK to do a hard reset everytime you want to use the iPod, I don't think that is the right answer.

I hope there is a software update released soon, but I guess it may be a few weeks or month yet.

Please let me know if you have similar problems, if you fixed it or if your 30GB model has not shown any of these issues.

Thanks

Ian

Parky · May 20, 2003, 08:13 AM

I have noticed one difference already since the restore of the 2.0 software.

Before I restored the software I had to increase the screen contrast to about 70% to make the display readable.

Since the restore I had to reduce the screen contrast to about 30%.

If I put it back to the same loaction on the display bar that I used before the restore, the screen goes very black.

It's not a problem, but it does look like there are some differences between the software installed initially and the one supplied on the CD.

Ian

car1son · May 20, 2003, 11:00 AM

I noted the same Reset problem here . Apparently a number of people have noticed this with the new iPods, and Apple even published a KBase article redefining Resets as "normal". (The other problems I keep reading about is the audible click between tracks and volume fades.)

(My suspicion is that Apple mistimed the iPod 2.0 SW development with the production line switchover to dockless iPods, and released it before they were really done debugging it when the out-of-production 5 and 10GB units ran out of stock (lost iPod sales aside, they could hardly launch the Music Store and iTunes 4 without having an in-stock portable player to sell to go with it.)

Zim · May 20, 2003, 01:00 PM

I'm having the same problem on a semi-infrequent basis. (30G)

Can anyone confirm whether the restored firmware is the same or different than the original install? (I also thought the contrast was kinda weak and have mine up to ~75%)

Cheers,
Mike

Parky · May 20, 2003, 01:02 PM

The restore of the software does not seem to have improved things at all.

I just put the iPod in the dock and it did not turn on, I had to do a hard reset again, and this is just after turning the damn thing off.

It really is a poor software / hardware release from Apple, it's going back for a full refund.

icruise · May 20, 2003, 01:16 PM

I think you may be being a little hasty there. I think Apple is going to address most of these issues in a future software update.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · May 20, 2003, 01:53 PM

many people have reported this problem with the 30 gigs and the new iPods all have so many bugs it is rather pathetic as you can find them ALL within the first 20 minutes of using it yet somehow Apple missed them all.

If they don't fix everything ASAP with a firmware update they are going to have a ton of returns.

Parky · May 20, 2003, 05:03 PM

How long do you think it is acceptable to wait before they make it a useable product?

It really should not have come out in this state. The original iPods were not perfect, but they were better than the new one's.

I don't hold out much hope for a quick fix to these issues either as Apple are not going out of their way to even admit they exist.

Just saying it is 'normal' to do hard resets all the time is unacceptable. I very rarely did a hard reset on either my 5GB or 20GB iPods. This new model I have, needs a hard reset everytime I try to use it, 2 or 3 times a day, not good.

I am in too minds what to do with it. I could wait for the software update and hope that they fix the problems, but we have no idea when that will be.

Or I could take it back and get a full refund (we can do that in the UK, without a restocking fee). This will serve two purposes :-

1. Apple will see that iPods are being returned because they are not working as Steve likes to put it 'properly'.

2. I will get my money back and have a choice later in the year about an upgrade to 30GB.

I think it is a bit much saying I am being hasty, mabe Apple should be called hasty for releasing an unfinished product.

Ian

icruise · May 20, 2003, 07:19 PM

If all iPods are behaving as you say (not sure about that) then you are certainly right to criticize Apple's flaky software. But I'm not sure if it qualifies as being defective, per se, since I would be very surprised if they didn't release an update pretty quickly (the Knowledge base article about the restting didn't go so far as to say it was "normal" to have to reset it every time).

Of course you are perfectly within your rights to return something that you feel is not working properly, but you probably wouldn't return a computer if there was a flaky version of Mac OS pre-installed on it.

Parky · May 21, 2003, 02:59 AM

I might take a computer back if the OS was bad enough to warrant it, especially if the old one I had still worked prefectly.

If a new computer I bought needed rebboting 2-3 times a day then I would not be happy, but that's probably why I have never bought a Windows machine.

To be honest had I known about this problem before I would not have bought the iPod in the first place.

I'm all for giving Apple a chance to update the software, but how long will it be before it is released ? A week, a month, 6 months ?

Can anyone remember how long it took for the first revision of the iPod software on the original iPods ?

Yet again this morning I have had to do a hard reset to get the iPod to wake up, and guess what the battery is now down to 1/4 charge, which is strange as I charged it fully before I went to bed.

Please tell me how this is supposed to be usable, how the hell am I supposed to get anywhere near 8 hours of use from it without having the charger with me at all times.

The other issue with a hard reset is that afterwards when you access the Artist, Genre, Songs lists, the iPod has to rebuild the lists again which takes a few seconds, making the user interface seem slow. It's not a huge problem, but it's a backwards step again.

Parky · May 21, 2003, 07:12 AM

I have returned my iPod and I have taken another one to see if this is any better.

If not it too may go back.

In the middle of charging and transferring 6500 songs at the moment.

I will report back later today / tomorrow with my findings.

gkorsgard · May 21, 2003, 09:30 AM

I am having the same problem(s) with the 15gb model. It is not fun. I use the ipod riding my bicycle most of the time and it has become dead weight. I may take mine back too!

car1son · May 21, 2003, 11:11 AM

I took mine back under the store's 7-day no-questions-asked return policy. (I've done without portable music since my Rio800 died 3 months ago.)

I'm just a little corncerned (especially since some people have problems and some don't) that it's a subtle manufacturing defect in only a (small) percentage of units, and not an updatable firmware issue as is widely hoped. If I missed the return window I'm potentially stuck with an expensive dud.

I'll reconsider in a few months when more info is available. I should know better than to get on the bleeding edge.

Parky · May 21, 2003, 04:32 PM

Well I have try the new iPod for a while today and so far I have not had a single problem with it.

No resets required at all.
It seems much more responsive to key presses.
Menus seems faster as well.

It looks like there could be faulty units out there, rather than a firmware issue.

Riemann Zeta · May 28, 2003, 09:07 PM

I am having this same problem. I returned my original 10 GB iPod because it had bad sectors on the HDD. After receiving it back--unfixed, I might add--I called Apple and basically asked "WTF?" But I digress. In short, they sent me a new (refurb) 10 GB original gen iPod as a replacement. I noticed that they updated it to firmware 1.3. If this is a hardware phenomenon, specific to the new generation of units, then how might we explain my problem? Hence, I think it is a software problem with the new 1.3/2.0 FW.

car1son · May 29, 2003, 11:55 AM

Maybe...
Apple posted a KBase Article (essentially saying "that's the way it is") but was specific to iPods with docking connectors.
The existence of the article suggests Apple knows what the problem is, they just aren't saying.

If it's hardware, to be a consistent problem with a (minority) of units implies it would be poor manufacturing tolerance or a shipment of bad subcomponents to the assemby.

If it's software, again impacting only a minority of users - but doing so repeatedly - it must be triggered by some initial condition not cleared by the reset itself (maybe based on some random data unfathomable to mere users.)

If it's software, there will eventually be a firmware fix and everyone will be happy (uh-huh.)
If it's hardware, people with affected iPods are probably just out of luck since it won't get fixed.

Risk analysis suggests to me that those with affected iPods who purchased them from stores with return policies that permit it simply return them for another unit (as Parky has) rather than cross your fingers and hope a firmware update will make it all better some day.

Demotreus · Jan 26, 2007, 08:17 AM

what's your view on whether i should open or return my white 30GB ipod, i just bought (1/25/07) it and i wanted your advice... i read what you wrote and i was wondering if you now think the new one you bought is working up to par with your expectations or would you say that there is still some set backs and i should wait till let's say they have better battery... i had heard about battery problems and was willing to buy it still yet now with reset problems coming into view as well i'd like to get your response.... how bad was it really, i wouldn't want to open it and not be able to return it if i found out it wasn't working properly... but if you say you think yours is at least decent i'd consider using it (of course as you've said there might be some faulty ones floating around... but i'd be at ease to know at least the potential performance is outstanding and so on)

Originally Posted by Parky

Well I have try the new iPod for a while today and so far I have not had a single problem with it.

No resets required at all.
It seems much more responsive to key presses.
Menus seems faster as well.

It looks like there could be faulty units out there, rather than a firmware issue.

pra9ab0y · Jan 26, 2007, 09:30 AM

mine worked fine and all the change i saw when updating was a black square that shows letter you are on!

I used to have a problem where itunes didnt recognize the pod and that was cos a faulty lead.

USB HUB · Jan 26, 2007, 11:08 AM

I've had my 30G video iPod for over a year with no problems. It did freeze up yesterday but I put it on the dock at home and it was fine. I think this may have been an issue in 2003 .. see previous posts ...

C.A.T.S. CEO · Jan 26, 2007, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Parky

I have a new 30GB iPod and I seem to be having problems with it all the time.

The main issue is that it does turn on 9 times out of 10. To get the iPod to turn on I have to do a hard reset everytime, which to be seems a backward step.

My old 20Gb iPod turned on instantly when you pressed one of the buttons, the 'new' improved version I have needs a 15 second hard reset every time I want to use it.

It is also not very reliable when it is popped into the cradle, sometimes it does not wake up, or is not recognised by the mac. I need to do a hard reset yet again.

I have now restored the software to see if that will make a difference, but that also means that I am now in the middle of a huge 28 GB transfer of all my songs again.

If I have the same problem after this I will be returning the iPod and getting a refund. I will then wait to see if this gets fixed before I try to upgrade again.

I have to say it's disapointing to get the latest version of the iPod to find that it's not as good as the old one. I have had 2 iPod before this one (5GB and 20GB) and neither have had problems like this one.

I have seen that other people have this problem as well on the Apple support boards. Apple seems to think that it is OK to do a hard reset everytime you want to use the iPod, I don't think that is the right answer.

I hope there is a software update released soon, but I guess it may be a few weeks or month yet.

Please let me know if you have similar problems, if you fixed it or if your 30GB model has not shown any of these issues.

Thanks

Ian

you may need a new ipod

BTW, you need to post in the right forum